All Fingers and Thumbs

Happy September, autumn in the air. A month of change - of new starts and things coming to fruition in the northern hemisphere. The perfect month to be starting a new job. I felt all back to school-ish on Tuesday when I set off, no shiny bag, shoes or pencil tin to send me on my way but different commuting routes to explore and enjoy. My office now is based on the Cowley Road in Oxford, a bustling, busy place compared to the business park I have been on. Two days done and I'm crazy happy with that and everything about this new role. I love the freshness of this month, a chance to turn a page or start a new exercise book. Breaking from routines brings in opportunities to do more of what you love, what you want to do, what makes you sing and less of what you find yourself doing by rote, for convenience or because you think you should. My few days break gave me that feeling I often get dreaming away on holiday, thinking about all the things you could do i...

A stately old lady has come to stay with me. 120 years young if I read her number correctly (love that Singer list these on their site ). She was £3 in a local auction. £3! The first photo is how she came out of her original case, complete just a bit dirty. She's been waiting in the wings a month or so now so that I had time to read and watch some of the many resources generously shared online and learn a little of her mysteries. All I've had to do is a little cleaning and oiling this weekend, adjust the tension and now she's trundling away happily making stitches. Just forward, nothing fancy you understand but if I'm still here at 120 I doubt I'll still be making stitches! Somehow she's both baffling and simple. So many great resources online are helping me get her stitching like she should be - she's a long bobbin or vibrating shuttle or whatever the correct terminology is. The bobbin sits in a bullet shaped case. I'd never realise...