well past time to change my needle. it's making that annoying sound, nagging me to give it a rest. it's slightly bent so i have to thread it the hard way instead of with the auto-threader thingie. but i'm determined to get another 1,000 miles out of it. don't ask me why. i have plenty more. just being stubborn, i guess.

sewing along. machine hits a pin. wham! blam! it's jammed into the bobbin area.

mumble, grumble, expletives deleted. out come the tools. take a deep breath and dig the durned thing out.

i'll be hornswaggled. the machine is even running more quietly than it was before. the needle has stopped making it's "change me NOW" noise. and i can thread it with the thingie. and my tension has improved.

it pays to let strangers into traffice during rush hour. even if there is a giant truck snorting at your bumper trying to bully you into move along.

:-P