Monday, March 14, 2011

Adventures with washing machines and mixed media jewelry

Anyone been shopping for a new washing machine lately? Oh, my goodness! Last week our washer went out, just wouldn't turn on. Saturday my sweetie finally had time to take a look at it and decided it wasn't worth his trouble to try to fix it. It's been around a while and we'd had trouble with it before. So he told me to pick out a washer and he would install it.

So, to the internet I went. I had no idea washers had gotten so complicated. High efficiency, water sensors, impellers, and on and on. I knew I didn't want a front loader, but the top loaders were just as complicated. I finally tentatively settled on one that was available at the big home improvement center in the next town and headed out.

I arrived to find rows of washing machines and a salesman who knew his stuff. I told him which model I was considering. He didn't have that one on the sales floor, but showed me the next model up, which was very similar. At my request he showed me comparable models, but only the Whirlpool models had both a quickwash setting (for washing new fabric!) and the pre-soak we need for my sweetie's work clothes (week old pizza sauce.....) The upgraded model, with a cool glass top, was on sale for just a bit more than my original choice, so it came home with me. 

We got it set up yesterday and so far I'm pleased. I washed some new fabric and it did not come out tangled and twisted like my old washer. The regular cycles take longer than our old washer, but the clothes come out drier from the higher spin, so they don't take as long to dry. 

With all the attention on the washing machine, I didn't get as much sewing done as I would like. I had several things on my list, including framing some more new quilts. I found a bunch of nice picture frames at the thrift stores while I was out Saturday.

But I did finish up a few pieces of fabric or mixed media jewelry. These are so much fun. You start with scraps and strings, fuse them, quilt them, stamp and paint them, cut them up and embellish. Anyone interested in a tutorial?

I got a dozen pins finished and sent to our store with my sweetie this morning, five shamrocks, three squares and four flip-flops. I'm working on some earrings, too, and should have a good batch of both for the arts festival coming up.

Time to get busy, more later.