A bit more sewing, a bit less tinkering
 

Is my passion waning? Or is it the sweltering heat and the smoke from the California fires keeping me from garage time? Or maybe I have most of the machines I could possibly desire?

I feel like I am still looking, but not nearly as interested in taking a drive. Honestly, there haven't been many machines I've desired this Summer and prices seem to be up. I've seen a couple I might have chased after if they'd been closer.

Is this normal? I worry about the hoard in the garage should I be losing interest. But then when I go out to work on them this Summer the smoky air and the heat drives me back indoors.

I am focusing my energies on sewing instead and experimenting with different machines.

What about the rest of you? Are prices up in your area? Once you hit a certain level did you slow down on acquisitions?

When I decided to move to Panama, I quit buying more machines and am trying to get the few I want to keep in good working order with spare parts as international shipping is the pits. I want to take my treadle, a handcrank, at least one of my FW, my 15-91 and a more modern one (not plastic) with multiple stitches. Prices for vintage machines are ridiculous in the DFW area. Just look at our Craig's list.

Our CL prices are high lately but nothing is moving either. I have a new machine coming this week (from shopgoodwill) but I've pretty much stopped too. I've purged a few, tinkered a bit, and mostly wanted to sew.

I'm upset that I sold my powder blue 15 clone, I should have kept that one. Oh well.

So much heat, so much smoke (we're getting the fires in WA, OR, and ID), it's been hard to get interested in anything. Although I did go back to the Singer 404 today and managed to totally screw up the tension mechanism, as well as possible making the nicks in the needleplate even worse. Ready to pack it up and put it away!

Its been hard to stay in the house this summer. We have been having great weather and the gardens need attention. Prices do seem high, but then I hate to take on projects in the summer that would keep me indoors.
I got a new pup so will be spending a bit of time training him to be a good house mate and hunter.
Lost my little sister to a really weird viral infection a couple weeks ago. She thought she had Mono (at 53) infection went into her heart and she died before docs caught it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzFX...AyBQ2l-Mzkw7ew
good info on fixing a tension. Some times you can polish out a needle plate with a bit of crumpled aluminum foil.

So it's not just me. It sounds like you guys are having a rough Summer too.

I have a lot of family. friends and house "stuff" going on too which is probably dimming my passion for tinkering too. I'm hoping that when the seasons change my desire to tinker comes back.

Margaret, the fires are just awful this year.

It's a much hotter summer here than normal. Hard to get interested in anything in this heat. It's been better the last few days though, it's only in the 80s. We were busy last week getting ready for the fair for Olivia's 4-H. She also gets to go to the state fair for her sewing. I'm very proud of her for her hard work. We've also had a lot of appointments interfering with my tinkering. Things should settle down soon.
Rodney

I've sorta got burned out on working on them and yet I've had to quit sewing too. The move, all the work and time it took to pack, now unpacking and the trips to IL to get the rest of our stuff is taking my time.

Most of our fabrics are still in the locker too so it might be a while before I can get back to doing either.

Joe

I'm so sorry about your sister.