I don't know where it's gone, but I've managed to lose my Mojo.
I was excited when I got my new machine home, and I unpacked it. I oooh-ed and aaah-ed as I tried out the sewing functions, and did a quick bit of embroidery.
Perhaps it's performance anxiety, with the new machine. The ridiculous design of the small hoop was so wasteful that I ended up using one of the enormous hoops and trying to do multiple things at once. It was not altogether a success.
The Horizon Link software is good in parts . I had been hoping that it might even replace my DIgitizer Junior, but it can't quite do everything that DJ does. Don't get me wrong, it does some things even better, but some core bits - it just can't manage.
I love the wireless functionality. I love being able to send the deign without using a USB stick or having to plug the laptop in. I love being able to control the machine from another room. But the farting around getting multiple designs to stitch as I wanted them to, and for them to not quite work out, has drained me somewhat.
I ordered the new rectangular hoop for the new machine (see how I haven't named it yet? See how I am not even calling it "her"?) which was an eyewatering price. It arrived quickly. It was a more sensible size. It was slightly larger than the hoop for my previous girl.
The new hoop arrived a week ago, and I haven't used it yet.
What also arrived was the JTHoopitup I'd ordered from the US for the (previous) RE hoop. I'd had to pay VAT on it, which wasn't horrendous, only £3.24, but then I had to pay an additional £8 admin fee to Royal Mail. All for an item which does not fit my new rectangular hoop.
To my surprise, I decided to sell my 11K combined machine, rather than the 6600. There isn't any point me having 2 embroidery machines, especially as the old one is so far behind the new one. Unexpectedly, and to my delight, my brother has decided to buy 11K so she's all packed up and ready to go. She has a whole box of extras - like the JTHoopitup, and the duplicate hoops, and the cap hoop; I've also included vast piles of stabilisers - cut sheets and rolls - which don't fit the stupid design of the new hoops. They don't even fit the rectangular hoop, which is bigger than the previous model despite still only having the same embroider-able area.
I felt (and I feel) dejected.
I've told myself to make something easy, like some felt masks for the grandchildren, but I just can't seem to knuckle down to do it.
I've ordered some Christmas fabric to make some Christmas bunting.
I've ordered some new stabiliser rolls, which I can cut so that hey fit the new hoop.
I phoned Janome to find out details of the course I've got a voucher for - but it sounds far to basic to be worth the overnight trip.
All displacement activities.
I think I'm treading water to see what the new Brother machine is going to be like, and I suspect that I'm considering doing a swap.
