Another sewing machine to buy

Not so fast. From the description below, I won't be taking any road trip for a look see. My interest had faded without a true running stitch.

John

I did some searching and whilst I cannot find a picture of the reverse side, I found a description from someone who had seen a sample, they seemed pretty impressed, that technically it is a chain, but the tension is such that it looks comparable to a regular machine stitch with a heavier thread.

This did raise the concern that the tension may be tricky to maintain when sewing with different threads and through different thicknesses, but unfortunately there are so few of these machines around that no one could answer that one.

Cheers Anne

How much Sashiko could one person do in his/her life? It seems to me that if Sashiko is your passion, you would want to do it by hand. Unless you're like me and have lousy hands. Nonetheless, it seems like an odd machine without broad use. Even narrower than the felter machines, which do produce some fun stuff. I am intrigued by Sashiko, but there are enough other things out there to try that it's going to be a while before I arrive at that particular technique. Maybe by then the mechines will have been perfected and I can get one cheap on Craig's List or the like, LOL.

Sunny

That is my problem, hands that have taken too much abuse from hammers, saw blades and other less than friendly implements of mass disfiguration. Would that I could engage in fine needlework with these tired old hands. It is machines for me, I fear, unless I come across some needle skill that will allow me to partake of this pleasure. The one that I can do, is needlepoint. It is a straight through and pull type of skill and not the rocking motion that is required of some of the other movements. Sigh! John

John, I hear you on the inability to do much hand work. My hand/finger joints look like somebody took a hammer to them in the past. In my case, it isn't abuse from work, just bad genes. I was excited by the sashiko thimble. It looks like something that might work for me. I have a hard time stitching down a binding by hand, or putting in a hem. With that kind of thimble it just might be that I could push the needle a bit more effectively without pain. It's a shame we can't go get nice, new fingers and hands, isn't it?

Sunny

Ah! Yes, the ultimate thimble quest. I have a drawer full of various types that I have bought and tossed in there as unsatisfactory. That was an interesting variation and might have to be added to my collection. The one I tend to use, when I use a thimble, is one of the leather ones with a small metal disc encased in one of the surfaces. That seems to be the least annoying to use, but that is damning with faint praise. I generally don't use a thimble, because I have lots of callous finger tips, left over from guitar playing and various carpentry adventures. They will get me through all but the most extensive use of a small needle. John

I got one of those for my son and DIL for Christmas. Bed, Bath & Beyond had to order it for me, shipped it to my house FREE, and gave me all the paperwork for a $20 rebate! It looks really interesting; it is also a grinder.

Congratulations, Alice! I think that's a slightly different one, though, since the one I'm eyeing doesn't need the grinder. At the moment, it's only stocked at Williams-Sonoma, but KitchenAid is supposed to begin selling it themselves sometime this year. BTW, that grinder (it's also available separately) is great for making cranberry relish, as well as things like sausage. :)

Right now I have the pasta rollers and cutters, and I have to say that homemade pasta is just *so* much tastier than the packaged stuff in the stores -- which is saying a lot, since I *love* even the packaged stuff.

Now darn it Sandy. I could get the wants for that neat thing. I have the old set here but the new one is very cool.

Yes, that's the one I was talking about, Taria -- really cool! I saw the W-S people demo it during one of their Sunday "things" a couple of months back. If all goes well, I'll report back as you suggest. ;)