Janome Sewing Table

I have been hankering after this Janome sewing table for awhile. They weren't available in Canada, until now. I looked around and found one at a very good price. It was a birthday present from my family.

It arrived last night, and within half an hour of opening the box, I had it assembled, and ready for use! It's very easy to put together and is very sturdy. It fits the 6500, 6600 and the 1600 series of machines. I also hear with shims, it will fit other brands of machines as well.

So, now my Janome machine is finally set-up as it should be, a true flat bed machine. It looks like an industrial machine, except alot nicer looking. The table measures 45" long by 19" wide, with rounded corners, and the edge is covered in plastic, which is nice. It has a small drawer on the left had side, enough to store the feet box, presser foot and the wire.

I am so happy, my favorite and loving machine has it own home now LOL! I purchased it from Dominion Sewing Centre, Sudbury Ontario (705) 673-2443. Luc is the owner, and a very nice gentleman! No affiliation, just a very satisfied customer.

Gauge Nightmares!

I decided to try out my Brother KH-230 bulky, I planned to knit a nice Vee neck jumper in Bernat's Lana, not a great choice of yarn, but for a first and quick project, why not?

I set about doing a gauge swatch as usual, I knitted a swatch 50 stitches wide by 60 rows, did my usual things to it (let it rest, washed and dried and then blocked with steam), got my gauge, charted my pattern in Knitware, and knit the sleeve.
Well, one look at it after I took it off the machine and I knew the row gauge was way off!! However, I did to it what I did to the swatch and measured, it was too long by 2"!! Annoying as hell!!

Well, it was partly my fault, I have learnt from past experience, never to do a swatch less than a 100 rows long. About a year ago, I remember knitting a dress, and it came out perfectly, same worsted weight yarn, I had knit it on the Singer 155, and after some thinking, I also remembered, I had done a very large gauge swatch.

So, I am back to the drawing board with try no. 2. This time my swatch is big, 60 stitches by 100 rows with 10 rows of contrast yarn on either side, I do hope it works. I am keeping my fingers very crossed. This is sort of the Passap method (the Passap method is usually 100 stitches by 100 rows).

Nothing is more annoying than having the wrong gauge, and since most of my knitwear is form fitting, the gauge HAS to be accurate, or else I am doomed LOL! One can get away with slight gauge inaccuracies in dropped shoulder, loose fitting knitwear, but not in fitted wear.

Oh well, live and learn...

Toronto International Film Festival - 2007

I am an avid cinema buff, I love the movies!! I have been attending TIFF this year, and have watched some really smashing films. My choices so far are:

Dans La Vie:
French film about two women, one Arab and the other Jewish, both form Algeria. It's about a bond they develop, and soon realize they aren't that different after all. A wonderful, sweet and well made film, especially, since the actors aren't professionals. In fact, if I remember correctly, the Arab lady is the director's mother-in-law!!!!

Lust, Caution
A Chinese film by Ang Lee. It's set during WWII, and is a about the early Chinese upraising against the Japanese occupation. A spy thriller love story. Beautiful and lyrical, with lovely views, costumes and the acting is wonderful. Every scene spells out a thousand emotions, and the intereaction between the main protagonists is amazing to watch.

La Misma Luna
A Mexican film, set in Los Angeles and Mexico. It a family story, but also has a strong political undertone about the "illegal" immigration issue. The boy was just fantastic, and I wanted to adopt him instantly, he caused great maternal instincts to rise within me LOL (not normal for me). It's a lovely drama and I enjoyed every minute of it. Of course the film will mostly appeal to "las mujeres" (women).

Algeria, Unspoken Stories
A documentary on the violence against non-muslim Algerians, after Algerian independence from France in 1962. It was my least favorite of the films, I found it too long!
Frankly, I wasn't sure what the director was trying to acheive, and disagreed with some of his comments and views (which I suppose is what documentaries are all about).
I was a bit confused in the beginning and was not sure who was who and what their ethnic background was. I suppose if one is Algerian, one would know instantly (or not). But, colonialism is colonialism, and I understand that part all too well. In India it played out a bit differently, than it did in other parts of the world. Interesting, but long and confusing! However, the scenery of the great cities of Algiers, Oran, Constantine etc. were breathtaking, would be so lovely to visit there. Maybe someday, when peace will reign.

I still have a few more films to watch. It's tiring, but oh so well worth every moment. It is one event I look forward to yearly. Even if I don't live in Toronto in the future, no matter where I am in the world, I will be back for the film festival. It's the only chance to see some really wonderful work in film, because so many of these films never see the inside of a distribution office, and are never realeased. Competition is tough, budgets and funding are everything. So much goes into these films, and I am in awe of the immense talent in our world.