(Puttin') on the fritz

My sewing machine certainly has seen a lot of action this last year. Compared to years past when it has come out only occasionally,we've been through a lot together the last 12 months including my first quilt, a couple of wedding quilts, birthday gifts, holiday gifts, and "gasp" even pajamas. I've got lots of projects planned for this next year. I love this machine. It's my happy place.

What I don't love is how the bobbin winder has been on the fritz lately. Usually I can wind my bobbins by popping them on this post, pushing it to the side, and cranking down on the foot pedal. 30 seconds later I'm done. Lately when I shift this over and start the foot pedal I get maybe two or three turns around, my needle is still moving up and down instead of staying still, and I get an error code and beeping which stops the whole party. This happened maybe once before but fixed itself mysteriously. What had been an intermittent problem has now become standard, I'm afraid. I've thoroughly cleaned out the bobbin case, though it makes no sense that the two would be at all connected. The wisdom of internet troubleshooting has failed me.

See the irritated bird behind the bobbin winder? Yeah. I thought I had it fixed last week working on my tulip pillow when I realized on the decorative tulip stitch setting I could wind my bobbin just fine. Alas this last weekend proved that theory incorrect. Beeping on any decorative stitch, including tulip #32.  Something is up (I think it's a mechanical problem, not a computer issue) and I can't open up the machine to see what it is. And winding bobbins by hand is getting old. 

So Sunday Dave bought me this. By bought me this I mean I went out and picked it up while on a tangential mission to buy batting at Joann's. But really I only got it because when I was first having this problem and we were out shopping, he saw this and asked me why didn't I have one. Truth is, I never really understood the need for it. But now I have a need. Getting around my problem may not be the intended purpose, nor do I want to ignore this and stop trying to fix the issue, but really right now I just want to sew. I've got birthdays and babies to sew for! The needle stops for no glitch! (Those of you who have read back in time may realize that my nieces birthdays are in April. Auntie needs her machine to work.)

I haven't tried it out yet, but it looks promising. And it folds up all nicely into this little bobbin winding spaceship. What a helpful little spaceship.