The Big Needle Controversy - Solved!

How often should I change my sewing machine needle?

Over the years, I have heard and read this question asked and answered a hundred times, and most times it's a different answer depending on preference.  I have never been completely satisfied with the answer or my own personal choice on this.  But today...Eureka!  Look no further except to watch this video presentation by Bob Purcell, "Chief Threadologist of Superior Threads"; he will tell you everything you ever wanted to know and more about needles!



There are several other very interesting and informative videos that you may want to view, if you're a sewer that's soh-er not soo-er ;), and they can be found on YouTube on the Superior Threads channel.

Baby Guinea Pigs

We were surprised when one of our guinea pigs got pregnant early this year.  Surprised because we've been keeping our males and females separate.  But, apparently, one time when my sons took them out for some exercise in their room, they put them all together in a make-shift pen made with old vhs tapes standing on their sides.  Ooops!
Here's our guineas:                                            

  Our 2 oys                                       

Max (above) and Chowder (below)

The Girls

Calico, Crunch, and Snickers

(Snickers had the pups)

The babies, or puppies, or cavies, didn't really look like the typical animal newborns we were used to.  They had all their furry hair and it was dry (by the time we were able to see them) and their eyes were open and they were scooting around.  They even started feeding on some greens within the first few weeks!

Well, they're weened now and about 6wks. old 

We need to find homes for them, which makes my whole animal-loving family a bit sad.  But, they'll be much bigger before we know it and we already have 5 other guineas along with a cat and dog.  If we were already living in the country on our land, we'd certainly be keeping them.  But, unfortunately here in the city we don't have room to accommodate them and I don't think we'll be moving soon enough.

Here are a few more guinea pics just for fun.

These 2 piggies were actually cuddling up against my daughter's dog's tummy, she's curved around behind them.

This is my youngest son with his guinea whom he loves, Chowder.

Get ready for your close-up!

CUT!  Print!  It's a wrap!

Okay, people, get the clean-up crew in here and sweep up all these little piggie pellets.

Friday Finds at GoodWill

I was happy to find two things I've been "needing" for awhile but just did not want to put the money out to get.  And today, I found both at GoodWill!  Yippie Skippy!  I love when that happens.  :)

They are both vintage, which made them even more special since I love vintage things.  They give off that comforting feeling to me.  Maybe because I'm  vintage, having lived on this earth for a little over half a century now, and also because all things vintage remind me of my childhood, which realistically was full of a lot of pain, but it also had some good moments.  Those are the moments on which I like to focus these days.

My first find was a Weaver's Pres-Kloth tailor's ham made who-knows-when-exactly, but apparently, it was ages ago.  It's hard as a rock!  A lot harder than I had expected, having never owned one.  I bought it for 99¢.

 Here we have a World's Best sleeve board.  

This cost me $2.99.

They both look a lot cleaner in these photos than they actually are.  I can take the covers off the sleeve board and wash those, but I'm not sure yet how I'm going to wash the big fat ham up there.  And since my old rickety ironing board just recently fell apart like a cheap suit, I can use the wide part of the sleeve board for ironing small projects.  I've been using a folded towel on top of my sewing machine table, which has been slightly inconvenient but doable in a pinch.  My sewing room isn't very big so I prefer something small while I'm sewing anyway.  This little sleeve board will be perfect!

$3.98 plus tax = Fun Friday Finds Finer than Frog's Hair!