Beauties

I've started work on some New York Beauty blocks (there's a series of free patterns here).  I printed the first blocks too small.  It's so difficult to print PDFs without shrinking!  The pattern looked alright, but I had problems assembling the whole block.  The edges didn't match.

Eventually I figured out how to print them properly.  So much bigger!  These two have become practice blocks, since they won't match any of the others.  Maybe I'll make a pair of mug rugs?

Turns out, sewing curves wasn't so bad.  I stitched the outer curve without pinning, but the inner ones needed several pins.

I was humming along when BAM! the needle struck the bottom of the hook plate.  The feeds and needle moved, but the hook was frozen.  What?!?  I opened the bottom of the case and out dropped the hook gear and a screw.  Well, that put a damper on the evening.  I couldn't figure out how to reassemble and restore the timing.  It's going back to the shop.  <sigh>

Luckily, I have my nifty little 99, so I can keep sewing.  The new blocks are looking quite nice.  Two done, two more in progress.

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