“I can meet you in the parking lot,” she said, “I have a silver Jeep, what kind of car do you drive?” It sounded, even felt illicit, but I was just trying to get my sewing machine cleaned. It’s my Viking, the one that I got last spring with my Kickstarter money. I’ve known it needed to be cleaned for a while now, I just hate to part with it. Even for just a couple of days. I’m so dependent on it creatively, I mean, what if I have the urge to make a quilt or potholders and don’t have my machine.
I still have my Brother sewing machine, but the straight sewing part of it is broken and I can only use it for free motion sewing. So now, if I want to do some straight sewing, I’ll have to take out old Singer. My first sewing machine that my mother bought for me as a birthday gift almost 30 years ago. I haven’t used it in a long time and I know it’s really slow and doesn’t have a needle threader, (which didn’t matter 30 years ago, but does now) but it’s much better than no machine.
The strange part is that for years I only had the one sewing machine. I did all my work on my old Singer. Now the thought of using it is daunting to me. Like using a typewriter instead of a computer. (It even makes a clunking noise, like an electric typewriter.) So, five years ago one old sewing machine was enough, now I have three sewing machines and when one is out of commission, even for a few days, it’s difficult for me. I guess it shows me how much my work has changed and how important my tools are for me.
So I met Jackie in the parking lot where her store used to be, where I bought both my sewing machines. She closed her shop, but still works out of her house doing repairs. It’s not as convenient, but I’m grateful she’s still there, even if we have to meet in the parking lot. There aren’t any other places close by that repair Vikings.
When I got out of my car, Jackie recognized me, “Oh, it’s you” she said, and I put my sewing machine in the back of her Jeep while she filled out a receipt in the front seat.
It should just be a few days, then we’ll be back in the parking lot making the exchange again. And I’ll have my sewing machine back. Until then, it’s me and my Brother and Singer. And that will just have to be enough.
Maria, the sewing machine is the creative extension of our life, I understand the panic of not having it there for you. When you are a creative person, whatever medium you work in, whatever tools you need for the expression of the creative expression of your mind, if there is a blockage, it’s like being creatively constipated. And, we are also having a brutally cold winter up here an hour north of Toronto. Many are smiling, saying it’s too cold to snow thus not having to deal with that, although we got up Monday morning to a foot of snow. Broken water pipes, the cost of heating, it’s all part of surviving in the country in winter. Feeding those two woodstoves of yours is a full time job (we have one plus an insert in the living room), turning down the heat at night, life is different now that just a few years ago. So I’m glad to hear your sewing machine got repaired, one problem out of the way and you are lucky to have such creative people around to fix a broken water pipe.
Sandy P, in Canada
You are so right Sandy!