The Flamingo

Mom went home. So, now I’m on my own. I’m feeling confident and think that I can get some projects done on my own. I purchased a small neck scarf made of thin fleece. One of Jered’s friends likes flamingos so I’ve decided to do one on the scarf.

I got it on the hoop correctly and the design begins to embroider out. As I’m watching the machine starts to beep, telling me that the bobbin thread is going to run out. This is the first time I’ve had to wind a bobbin while I’m working a design.

When the bobbin is empty I stop the machine and pop the hoop off the machine (leaving my material hooped). The bobbin is easy to fill, just like on a sewing machine. So, once its done and back into the bobbin holder I re-thread the machine and put the hoop back on the embroidery unit.

When I re-start the machine I accidently hit the pattern button instead of the “Go” button. Oh no, what is going to happen? OH MY GOSH, I’ve just started my pattern over from the beginning.

It stitched over most everything I had just done, going over the back of the bird and making the beak twice as thick as it once was. How do I get the needle positioned in the design where I was?

Call Mom-

She tells me there should be a back and forward button in the display. If I hit that back or forward button I should be able to go to the place in the pattern that I was at. I try this and the machine again stitches over what I’ve already done. UGGG! I’m getting frustrated.

Time to settle down. I take a few breaths, try to relax, and hit the forward button in the pattern. I watch as the needle flies over the design and continues to move to where I think it stitched to. Oh no, now I’ve gone too far and I made the design progress to the end. Start over with the buttons. Again I hold the forward button and this time I realize I must have been nearly done with the design when the bobbin ran out.

After working the back and forward button a few times (no, I cannot see the design image on my display as it is micro miniature and in amber or black and white, not color. I have no idea where I’m at, there is NO curser on this display) I finally got to a good spot on the pattern and decided to push the “go” button. The machine comes to life and completes the stitching of the flamingo.

Whew, that was a close one. I can tell what I did wrong, but no one else will be able to see it. Chock it up to experience I guess.

So today I learned where the “Back” and “Forward” buttons are on the display, and what they are there for.

Thanks for listening ~