getting the better of spring rain and wind

and how do I do that? Why, go and buy a new Bernina!Well, newer Bernina.

It's brought a little ray of sunshine into the sewing room.

It's a 1230 with lots of beautiful bells and whistles. I've been asking the owners of my local sewing shop on a regular basis if they had got in any secondhand Berninas - as they advised me to check now and again. So when I picked up the overlocker/serger last week from being serviced I asked the question (for only the third time I think) and there she was - Beatrice (no not Bernadette!!). She was also a price I could afford, a fraction of the cost of a brand new machine.

We still have to alter the sewing table my Dad made for Bertie the 830, as you can see here it has a wooden plate which slots around the free-arm - rather than using the metal one it came with. I've propped up the 1230 a bit with a thick piece of foam so the plate just clears the table, this way I can still comfortably machine quilt if need be. So of course I had to start using it straight away and finish the apron (Simplicity pattern 2932) I had been working on. You can see why I needed one, the old apron was well past its use by date!
Lucy didn't want to be left out either.....