Fate or Folly?

So, at Sunday supper, the kids tell me Sunday night (after having a week off for Spring Break) that they need green for St Patrick's Day at school. Hamster Boy has decided that he doesn't want anything special, so I am off the hook for sewing new. "I'll just wear what is in my closet" he proclaimed. Monkey Girl, however, declared that she had no green and needed to wear green. She is so confident in my ability to do this that she kisses me good night later and asks me to leave the top and cardigan on the bed when I am done. She'll "get dressed when I get up" ... YIKES! I manage to piece out a raglan sleeve T with lettuced hems out of remnant green powerdry. I went to sleep, knowing that a simple T takes 40 mins to put together come morning.

So, Monday morning comes along, I have showered and changed and have lunches packed (I LOVE LEFTOVERS!) and I am in the Shop, staring at my machine, Betsy. The tension is so whacked that a setting of 0 allows no movement at all of the needle. Wassup????!!!! I think that the gremlins have gotten inside between projects. The problem is, I need to start working on my jacket muslin this weekend. So, I need to take it to the local shop to get repaired. I have a local vaccuum shop that is also a licensed Brother techie, so I am lucky I don't have to go far (even though it is a 20 year old Singer).

My secret fear/hope is that it will be bad news for Betsy. She is worked so hard, that it is a fear of mine that one day she will just stop and not be able to start again. So, tonight, I will take her apart as best I can and clean her up a bit. Maybe she is just having a dust bunnie induced nap? I hear that the Bunnies give off a soothing hum when they are hibernating inside a nice warm place like a sewing machine. Betsy is not the type of machine who can turn anybody away (as shown by the many last minute projects the kids ask for and get), so it wouldn't surprise me. But I must admit, that after 20 years, I am lusting for a new machine. But don't tell Betsy, she'll have a hissy fit!