Garden Surprises, Class Cancellation and BSR Revelations

Surprise!  Forgotten Perennials Popped Up in My Garden

Happy Friday!  I had planned to be in an all-day machine quilting class up in Concord today, but fortunately I called yesterday to confirm before packing up my sewing machine and other equipment and driving all the way up there -- the instructor had to cancel due to a water problem at her home, and the quilt shop did not have my phone number.  This is just as well, because I had to help Anders with a persuasive essay last night and by the time we'd read our latest chapter of the Sherlock Holmes classic A Study in Scarlet and I'd tucked the boys in bed, I was pretty tuckered out myself.

At least I was able to meet with Cynthia at the Bernina dealership yesterday afternoon to figure out why I'm having so much trouble using the BSR Bernina Stitch Regulator.  The mystery was solved in about 20 minutes. 



BSR Foot, photo courtesy Bernina USA

The instructions for the BSR say that you can push the "Start/Stop Button" on the front of your sewing machine to start or stop stitching.  I though that must be the button with the curved arrow that looks like an umbrella handle (you can that see it in the photo at left), but I was wrong.  The Artista 200 and Artista 730 machines do not have a start/stop button!  No wonder I was having trouble controlling the machine, since I was pushing the Quick Reverse button that doesn't do a darned thing with the feed dogs lowered.  Duh...  Cynthia recommended using BSR in Mode 1, operating it with the foot control, and using the needle stop down feature to make it easier to reposition your hands as you're working.  Then you just tap the foot pedal with your heel to raise the needle when you're ready to stitch again, and you're exactly where you left off.  Cynthia says you tend to get a big, ugly starting stitch with Mode 2, which is why she doesn't use that one, and I remember having that problem when I was practicing as well.  So I'll be putting these suggestions to work the next time I get a chance to work on Lars's quilt (hopefully today, if I can tear myself away from the computer).  I'll let you know how that works out.