Friday, May 25, 2007

Farewell

One of the first things that I bought with my own hard earned cash was a sewing machine. A little Janome that cost me around $350 in 1984. At the time I was at uni and my car was worth less. I clothed myself for many a year with that machine.

Five years later I was married and living in Brisbane while my Pete was at uni. I was teaching, so I had an income. We had no debt and no children. I went to the Brisbane Ekka with my mum and on an impulse I upgraded to the top of the line Janome. Instead of spending $20 for the day on show bags, I spent $1700 on a sewing machine. My Pete was a little surprised when I came home to tell him.
The machine was computerised and did lots of fancy stitches. I had just begun quilting, so I played with all of its features.
I just loved it. So much so that when I bought a new machine about nine years ago I couldn't trade it. Instead I gave it to my mum. She loved it as much as I did. She has made clothes and quilts and bags and curtains with it.
Today my mum and I met to make a quilt for my cousin's wedding. We turned on the sewing machine and it didn't work. This message appeared on it screen...
I rang the lady at the local Janome shop and she gave us very bad news. This means that the board has gone and it cannot be repaired or replaced. The machine is no more, it is an ex-machine.
Good bye faithful machine, we have stitched many, many kilometres together.

11 comments:

Vicki W said...

h, how sad! I'm another that gets emotionally attached to my sewing machines.

Stomper Girl said...

It's not dead! It's just pining.

Anonymous said...

Will there be a wake??


Will there be food at the wake?



WHAT??? I'm just asking...

LBA said...

kirsty and stomper are quite unfeeling aren't they ?

( but will there be a wake .. with food ... and wine ? )

molly said...

Kirsty put her finger on it! If my Bernina died I'd have to wear black for a year.....So sorry for your loss!

Sussanah said...

Bring out your dead! Bring out your Dead!

Go towards the light little Janome, go towards the light.

caramaena said...

I was so tempted to put a bit more the parrot sketch in - in answer to stomper's comment, but out of respect to your ex-sewing machine, I'll just give you my condolences.

meggie said...

Oh grief & shock!
This makes me feel very trepidatious! It is the second machine whose demise I have read of this morning.

Michelle said...

I wonder what my computerised Elna will say one day as the text is in German - probably 'Kaputt'!!!
I too would be sad when it goes.

Tracey Petersen said...

vicki - well, you do so much together
stomper - it wouldn't move if you put 4000 volts through it
kirsty - well, I am mourning, so a wake seems appropriate, you bring a plate!
h&b - the wake will be BYO
molly - thanks
sussanah - I'm not dead yet
caramaena - thanks for your understanding
meggie - maybe it's contagious
shelly - achtung baby

Aunty Evil said...

With your penchant for songs at the end of your posts, I was very surprised not to find the "Last Post" waiting to be clicked on.

Goodbye, little sewing machine, we all fear the attack of the Er 5. I didn't have the pleasure of knowing you or anything sewn on you, but you will be missed.