The Sewing Machine Dating Game

Did you ever watch the Dating Game on TV when you were a kid? (Assuming you're roughly my age- 40+ish.) Three male contestants would sit behind a screen and answer questions posed by a young lady sitting on the other side. Based on their answers, at the end of the show, the girl would pick bachelor number one, two or three as her date. He would emerge from behind the screen to kiss her cheek and off they would go on their prize-laden date.

Buying a new sewing machine is pretty much the same process, except you usually kiss the sewing machine when it's over with. (Or not, if it's a lemon.)

I recently played the game with Bachelor #1, a Bernina Aurora 440, Bachelor #2 a Viking Sapphire 850, and Bachelor #3 a Janome 6600P . I sat outside the screen and carefully went through my list of questions, listening to each one carefully in turn. I noticed distinct personalities as they responded; Bachelor #1 was classy and strong with a beautifully smooth voice. Bachelor #2 came across as having a chatty personality with a long strong neck. Bachelor #3 was nice, and very much like the boy next door- my mom liked this one.

I was truly torn between them all, but eventually picked Bachelor #2. The harp size of the Viking Sapphire 850 won me over- because as a machine quilter, in the end, size does matter.

I've only had the machine for a week, so we're still on our first date. I'll let you know how it turns out. (And yes, when I rolled my queen size quilt into the harp to begin quilting, I really did kiss her :))

Do Quilts Really Talk to You?

I read about it all the time. Really Experienced Talented Quilters put their beautiful quilt tops on their design walls (all Experienced Talented Quilters have design walls). They stand back and wait for the gentle whispers to begin: "feathers in the border" or "vines in the sashing." And somehow the Experienced Talented Quilters take those whispers and weave it into the music that makes their quilts magic.

It doesn't quite work that way for me.

My design wall (aka a flannel tablecloth hanging from two clothespins) hangs haphazardly from my basement wall, with my latest quilt top dangling helplessly from it's surface. If my quilt top could speak, I don't think it would whisper- it would probably scream "what were you thinking!!"

I can't take that kind of pressure. I take it down quickly (before it speaks again) and put it in my quilt top storage area (aka a plastic bin).

But all is not lost. I've been reading some New Age books and I think I may have the solution. As soon as I can figure out how to channel Diane Gaudynski my problems will be solved; the quilt tops will speak music to me. (Or at least they won't yell). And if that works, next I'm going to start channeling Angelina Jolie.

What do your quilts say to you?