We have dates for the May FW Club Class- + another FW tip

How does life get so busy?  I'm not really sure.  They say retirement is the time in our lives to do all the things we've wanted to do but didn't have time when we were working.  Well, I must want to do a lot of things because I'm busy beyond belief some months.  This month has been that way.

But, we've set the dates for the May FW Club classes and I'm thinking we're going to have a rip roaring good time at that one since it's the last for the winter.  We may do a summer class at some point but nothing is planned at the moment.  I'll keep posting here during the summer but the regular Club Classes won't start up again until mid October or November.  You'll be watching the blog all summer, right?  I'll have tips and ideas for you all summer long.

May's Club classes  for 2018 will be,  Friday, May 4 and Sunday, May 6 at the usual time, 1-3pm.  If you had to miss one of the classes in Feb or March I'll move that payment over to May's class.  I have a list of those that paid but missed so email me if you're not sure of your status.

The Case Cover class is starting this week and I'm very excited about that. I expect to see a lot of new case covers soon.  Each one will be different so you'll be able to find your machine from all the ones at class so much easier.  But most of us want to make a case cover so our old cases are safe and secure.  So many handles have been damaged over the years and continuing to use them could cause permanent issues.  I'll post pictures as these get finished.

And, I know you'd like a FW tip, right?  Well, usually I have people coming to me with issues that give me great ideas for your tips.  This one is a simple one but something so important that you want to always remember it.

When you are sewing with flannel, wool, corduroy or any other fabric that has fuzzy to it, lint will pile up under the throat plate on your machine. It even happens with regular cotton quilting fabric, just not as fast.  We don't see that pile of fuzz with our everyday sewing but it is often there building up.  I took the throat plate off of my machine to take pictures to show you and, oh my goodness, look at all the fuzz in there.  And, I didn't even know it was there!  I've only been sewing on regular cotton quilting fabric lately.

I've opened up a new to me machine to find packed fuzz so thick that it's like felt.  From time to time we need to take the throat plate off the machine and clean that out.  And, here's where the tip comes.

Once you've taken the throat plate off and cleaned out the fuzz, you need to pay special attention to how it's put back on.  When you took the maintenance class, we made sure to mention this but we did a lot that day so often people forget. Look at the bottom of your throat plate.  There is a space between two metal parts that I call the valley.  Do you see it?

If the little finger on the bobbin assembly is not positioned correctly in the valley of the throat plate, your machine will not sew.  I know, featherweights can be fussy little machines but you just need to remember this one. With the throat plate off you can spin the bobbin assembly around and around.  See that little finger extending off the bobbin assembly?   I usually position that little finger up where I can see it, put the throat plate back on and then, before tightening up the screws, I look at the end of the machine to make sure the little finger is still in the right position.  It fits right in that valley.  If it is in the right position, go ahead and tighten down the screws and you're ready to sew again.  But don't tighten them super tight.  That's never necessary.

Okay, I'll go work on having things ready for our next class while you go clean out the lint from your machine.  You enjoy your day, and don't forget to email me if you have questions.  I'm always here for you.