Tuesday, January 6, 2009

New year....new toy!!

There's something I have wanted for simply ages.

Thanks to some cash from Father Christmas and a rather fortuitous bit of back pay this month I have indulged.


Totally.


And.


Utterly.



I spent hours and hours researching this baby over the holiday. I set myself a budget.....and only exceeded it slightly...ahem.

Last Friday afternoon I spoke to a very lovely and helpful young man in Welsh Wales who listened to my questions and gave me some very useful answers. He also told me that as I'd just missed that day's dispatch I could expect my machine to arrive today....and it did :-)

Thanks to a bit of obsessive sewing before Christmas I had concluded that 2009 would be a very good year for making my Minx a whole load of groovy clothes.

The only thing that put me off was making them on my normal sewing machine. Not only is it a pain to have to neaten all the seams but there's no hiding it's homemadeyness from some people!

Now I can churn out neatly finished can't tell it from Designer at Debenhams funky girl clothes at a rate of knots - this is how smiley I feel (the one of the left will no doubt be a good example of Moogsdad's patient face when he gets home ;-) ) :



Image borrowed from here.


Now all I have to do is read the 100 solid pages of instructions, watch the 'here's how you do it' DVD and then I can start to make inroads into the 50,000 metres of thread that came with it!!!



Certain other obsessions may take a back seat for a day or two.

Good job I got these finished in time then - socks#5!!!


Warm and cosy 100% merino wool for wearing inside my slippers socks. I did these in double knitting wool so they're extra cuddly.

Did I mention I can't knit socks?

xxxxx

29 comments:

Julie said...

Wow! That's some toy! I like all the coloured dially things, very pretty. Now you can snub your nose at you-know-who. Go girl!

PS You can tell you can't knit sox lol They look very cosy, especially from here where we still have no heating!!! The cavalry claims to be on its way but I'll believe it when the red van pulls up outside!

Munkeh said...

OOoooOOOO, aahhhhh! Wow, what a super toy. The "how-to" book looks a bit daunting! What fun you are going to have making cool stuff for your daughter and a big "harumph" to "U-No-Hoo"!

Locket Pocket said...

Wowzer Missus! That's some fine machine you've gotten yourself!

Bet you need a degree to drive it though!

Good luck!!!

Me xxxx

. said...

Oooo. Jealous. Very jealous of the new toy. I can't wait to see all the fabulous new additions to Minx's funky wardrobe.

xMx

Jane said...

Oooo that's a beautiful machine to be sewing with. Hope you have lots of fun with it and never mind you-know-who (they miss out on a very special feeling which comes from having made your own things) Jane x

Kitty said...

Oh wow - that looks like a fabulous toy. Will you be sure to let us know how it goes - I'm interested. Have never used one, I'd like to see some close ups of what it does.

By the way - judging from that picture, your nose is a bit black and your ears have grown. Might have to send you some depilatory cream too.

x

Rachel said...

Ooh er, looks a bit scary to me!! I'm sure you'll figure it out in no time though - can't wait to see Minx's new Spring collection! Lovely sock - now why didn't I think of using ordinary wool for socks!! (I bet it's cheaper than sock yarn too!)
:)

Lisa said...

I got one of those for Christmas too. Same brand, not sure if it's the same model, as I'm too intimidated to take it out of the box! I have signed up for a clas this Saturday to teach me the basics. I hope I'm not the only complete newbie in there.

Joanne said...

Oh wow what a beauty, your a lucky girl, I bit Minx can't wait for her new collection of clothes.
Hey I'm jealous of the socks I still haven't managed to finish a pair yet. They look lovely and cosy and i love the colour.

wonderwoman said...

loving the socks - i would say you now qualify as an expert!!!
brilliant machine, good luck with the manual - i had a new machine in october and still have not read mine - just bungle it as i usually do!
xx

dottycookie said...

Oh! Oh! OH! I'm not sure I can wait to see what you'll make first.

I'd love one of those. But there are a few things higher up the priority list, apparently. Humph.

French Knots said...

OMG! What a fab new toy, and such pretty colours too! Shall we all put our orders in?!

Ali said...

I'm scared even looking at it (let alone the manual), but you'll do it Mrs M.

Twiggy said...

Fantastic, Minx is going to be a catwalk queen. I'm also MOST impressed that you can knit socks!
Twiggy x

JuliaB said...

ooooh congratulations!! Welcome to the Pilot's club (you'll be able to fly a plane by the time you've gone through the book/dvd etc.,) http://marmaladekiss.blogspot.com/search/label/equipment

Happy overlocking!! xx

jennyflowerblue said...

Congratulations! I will have to stick to my pinking shears for a few more years I think!

Thimbleanna said...

WooHoo you're going to LOVE your new toy -- congratulations! Love the pic of you all smiley with Mr. Moog looking on. And I'm so sorry that you can't knit socks. Those non-socks look fab though!

Blossom said...

ohh what a lovely gift!!!
I know you will enjoy it!!

Calidore said...

Oh aren't you lucky. Trust me you will wonder how on earth you coped without it soon. Ohh and they really are easier to use than they look......trust me. Love to socks. I'm sorry but I don't believe you when you say you can't knit socks. I'm in awe of your talents.

Anonymous said...

Happy New(ish) Year to you and the Moogsters!

Your new toy looks fabulous and not at all intimidating .... well .... maybe just a tad scary .... but if you can master dpn's you can master anything!

My, my, Gloria and Marcel do make a rather handsome couple, I can't wait to hear the patter of tiny pigeon/hen feet!

:)

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

JELOUS..... I want one toooooooooooooooo....

Gina said...

Wow... that's a scary looking machine. I wouldn't know where to start!

Angela said...

What a brilliant investment. It seems to me that very soon a certain S-I-L might be a little bit jealous of your cat walk daughter. Go for it.
I started a pair of socks about this time last year, so far I have half a pair of socks!

est said...

wow!what a fantastic babe!!! sure you'll have a blast sewing! :)
haha that expression of moogsdad really made me chuckle lol

jo said...

Come on hurry up and post the first creation you've made with it. I can't wait to see how it's turned out.
xx

Jodie said...

you read the instructions ??? what inner fortitude you have....

marit said...

So you can't knit socks??? Hm, thats the best looking pair of "can't knit socks" I've ever seen;-)

Like your new toy by the way...and not the least bit jealous-oh no, not at all!(LOL)

kelly said...

i could sure do with some help from you as i am someone who really can;t knit socks but would love to, any ideas for a easy pattern to start with ?

Leanne said...

You will be producing fab fashions before a blink of the eye. I never read instructions just fly by the seat of my pants.