Congratulations on having your WLS and thank you for reminding me it's time to havemy machine serviced.

I hope you and machine are doing better

My first machine I had for 9 years before anyone told me to clean out the lint. When she popped off that bobbin plate and showed how much lint had accumulated, I was embarrassed. I clean it quite regularly now. Good thing I started quilting so someone could tell me to do that!

Hope you do well with your surgery!

I try to clean my machine often but sometimes get so involved in my projects, I forget. The machines usually remind me- they just don't sound the same when they are dirty. I just have to pay attention.

Have fun with your clean machine!

I have been sewing for 45 years and have never taken a machine anywhere to be cleaned or oiled. Just did it myself. Are the new fancy machines different? Needless to say I have only old, non-fancy machines!!

It is sad that no one thinks we machine users aren't smart enough to maintain our machines. When I got my first 'real' machine (sr in HS- LIGHT YEARS ago) there were classes and one of the first ones was the "care and feeding" of this machine - how to clean and oil it. Now machines are more complex-at least electronically- but still we need to know basic maintenance. Save the complex stuff for the dealer.

I hadn't taken my machine in either for almost 3 years until I needed it serviced due to a cracked bobbin case. I was also read the "servicing act" (like the riot act but kinder LOL) but he was surprised how clean the machine actually was. I use a vacuum every couple of projects to suck out as much as possible. But I, too, should have it serviced every year. I've had my Babylock Esante for 4 years now and it's still a wonderful and reliable machine.

And, congrats on your WLS !! I'm over 4 years out and lost 100#. Can't seem to get the last 40# off but the doctor said that might happen if I can't exercise like I need to -- fibromyalgia and arthritis make it difficult. If you need some support, please feel free to PM me anytime. One thing I will tell you that happens to all of us during the first couple of months is this -- you will ask yourself "what have I done?" This is because you can't eat like you used to (which is why you had the surgery) and your emotional bond with food has been severed. This is normal and will pass. Good Luck on the new you!!!

I was the same way with the older, mechanical machines. We could do basic maintenance on them and keep them going for years and years.

The newer, computerized machines do need more attention -- there are adjustments that need to be made to keep the stitching even and accurate. I know when I had one of the new Singer machines, the stitching was getting "off" all the time so I could barely use the decorative stitches on that machine. Glad I got rid of it.

start a walking program that you can do on the weekends. get up early and go walking. once you get acclimated to this, walk during your lunch break at work and once you get this down, you may just be willing to get up a bit earlier in the morning before work and walk.

with your walking program in place (which will start burning up those calories) next you can focus on what you are eating. if you find you are snacking at work, take healthy snacks to work with you such as carrots, celery sticks, cucumber slices, crackers, fruits, etc. instead of vending machine snacks. drink plenty of water versus sugary drinks such as soda. the high fructose corn syrup in sugary drinks is a weight gaining culprit. use honey crystals as sweetners instead of sugar in your teas and coffees.

making these small non-drastic changes will work towards your goal of losing the 20-25 lbs. you have to start someplace. start small and work your way up to more targeted weight lose measures. but start small so that you can find some measure of success to motivate you to go further.