Ann The Gran Community

I am a former retail store manager who fell from a ladder and severely broke a hip, which has never completely healed. The government decided I was too mangled up to work and put me on social security disablility at the age of 59. Good thing too, 'cause I broke the same hip less than 2 years later (riding a bicycle, of all things) and almost died from a pulmonary embolism following surgery, so I don't get around very well. I had sewed for my kids when they were little (took an adult ed class), but had found little time after returning to the work force. After I broke the hip, my hubby bought me a new computerized Singer to help pass the time, and it was Off To The Races! I believe I darned near wore the thing out with making new outfits for myself, my hubby, and friends and family. Then for Christmas 2006 I received (hubby again) a Singer Futura CE200 which connected directly to my computer. It is a combination sewing/embroidery machine, and I was in heaven making all those beautiful designs and having people comment on how talented I was LOL. If they only knew, the machine does all the work. Then one day this year I was reading an ATG post about the Brother PE700 machine. Well, it just looked fantastic, and I happened to mention it to hubby (again), and within 5 days I had another new machine, which I dearly love. It makes my Singer feel like an old Studebaker, although the Singer was the more expensive machine. These days I turn almost every design I see into a refrigerator magnet, using a satin stich applique border, a plain fabric back, and a stick-on magnet. I have hundreds of these little (beautiful) things, and have begun to think that maybe I could have a twilight career of selling them. My design stash is enormous, as is my fabric stash, and hubby had to build me a new wraparound desk for my sewing area to accomodate all my toys. Needless to say, I'm having a ball, and embroidery pretty much rules my life!