Friday 3 May 2013

The One Where...........

Sheila gets an upgrade!

About 4 or 5 years ago I "inherited" my son's cast-off laptop. A Toshiba, with what he described as the red line of death running vertically down the screen (permanently), and a dodgy "M" key, I was chuffed. I had only been used to a desktop, and it transformed my computer life. Despite its foibles, it was a fast machine and never really let me down.
However, all things must pass, and for my birthday, (did I mention I had a birthday recently???) my lovely OH & kids gave me a new Toshiba with Windows 8 (it'll take a little getting used to). New Toshiba is very slick and shiny and how wonderful to have a slot for my SD card instead of intermediary wee contraptions!
The only downside so far is the incompatibility of my printer with Windows 7 - grrrr, our house is beginning to look like a printer graveyard, current tally - 3.
Having come up thro the ranks of EQ5 and EQ6, it was necessary to upgrade with my new laptop, to EQ7 and this was also gifted to me, by Big Sis. I used EQ6 an awful lot, mainly for my classes, and plan to see how much more I can get out of 7.
Some other family upgrading went on last week which resulted in me being able to acquire OH's Kindle Fire replacing my bog standard Kindle,so now I have a tablet too - go me!
In sewing news, I have made some Bee Blocks today - in Bee a Brit Stingy, Catherine asked for these Pineapple Blossom blocks and gave us the link to a tute on Quiltville.
What a great block, it would be brilliant for using up leftover jelly strips, and you get bonus patches too!




And I made these two blocks for Judith's Bee Blessed



Fiona posted a really good tutorial for this block, they make up so fast.
Now in case you think I veered off the theme of today's post, you are wrong my friends. For quite some time now I have been planning to upgrade my sewing machine. The time was right as this, with the help of others, was to be a present to myself, my gold watch if you will.
 I have had a Husquvarna Lily for 11years, she has served me so well. I also have a little Janome Jem Gold that I take to class, also a great little stalwart.
I have agonised, researched and discussed with some blog pals over which model/brand I should opt for.
After much deliberation I opted for a machine that I am familiar with from my days of working with Janomes. I thought it might be headed for extinction  with so many recent models arriving on the scene but it is a well respected and fabulous machine, is still very much a current model,  and I took delivery of mine on Wednesday. (Just after having a haircut - another upgrade!!)
So here she is - the 6600P, or as I intend to call her, Big Bertha. And I made these blocks on her today.
All we need now is an upgrade in the weather (I know that was a bit of a stretch) - we have had torrential rain here today, even some hailstones, just the job for a Bank Holiday weekend. However, I have my Saturday sorted and it doesn't need good weather. My friend and I are off to a Day Workshop in stained glass - it was another birthday gift (how lucky have I been!!) and I am really looking forward to trying something new.
I hope you all have a good weekend,wherever you are.x



.


16 comments:

  1. I love my blocks Sheila, thank you. And the bee blessed blocks look great too. You have definitely been lucky in the technology dept, especially with the new sewing machine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Birthday. That's a fabulous load of presents and upgrades.
    Hope spring comes your way soon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh who is this new and pimped up version of my friend!!!??

    Enjoy all your new gadgets and have fun with the stained glass xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wish I had birthdays like you have!! Enjoy all your new technology! Most of it is beyond me!! Thanks so much for the BB blocks - they look fab! Jxo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, you have had several techie upgrades for your birthday. I bet the new computer and EQ7 are great fun and a new machine is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, you have been upgraded. We've just bought a new wi-fi printer which is brilliant. - look mum, no wires!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great result! On the upgrades and the stitching! Looking forward to see how you use Big Bertha!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gosh not so much an upgrade as a whole new you! When you get to grips with Windows 8 do let me know I can't find anything on my new laptop :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gosh not so much an upgrade as a whole new you! When you get to grips with Windows 8 do let me know I can't find anything on my new laptop :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your blocks are great and you so won't be sorry you bought this machine. I love Janome. I don't have the one you have but I can wish. Or maybe I ought to learn how to use the one I have only just bought.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glad to see you weren't the end of the line for all your upgrades! Hope you have fun at the workshop :o)

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a lot of upgrades you've been having - any chance the one you requested for the weather came good?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Get you with all the upgrades and great blocks too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nice bee blocks and get you with all this new IT and sewing hardware! I guess the poor weather will help you test it all out. Have fun. Di x

    ReplyDelete
  15. You hit the birthday jackpot!! I sew on a 6600P, it is the best! Enjoy yours!

    ReplyDelete

Printfriendly

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...