Paying the piper

When you've been working with fibre for as long as I have, the day comes when you are forced to upgrade or replace equipment and tools. Over the past 55 years I have had close to a dozen good, new sewing machines.  I wore out the internal cams in two good quality Kenmore machines, teaching myself to FMQ--and do it well.  At this point I expect that my current machine, less than 10 years old, will be my last.  It is a Janome Horizon 7700, and it has a lot of miles on it.  I love it, but recognize its limitations, and have accepted and accommodated to them.  One such is its weight.  It's a heavy thing, and I'm not getting any younger, nor is my husband.  Today we bought one of those huge rolling carts to move it around in, for when I'm teaching or taking a workshop.  K-a-a-a-ching!

Got me thinking about the sort of expenses I need to start anticipate. I have a short shopping/wish list of things that will have to be replaced over the next year.  First on the list is my cutting board.  Even the best self-healing boards wear out at some point, and mine is there.  Earlier this year my ironing board was replaced.  The old one was over 50 years old, and was a darn good board.  It was 18" wide, and I could no longer get covers for it. The foot on one leg was worn right through, making positioning the board on the floor a tricky issue.  Originally it had a cord that could be plugged into the wall, and then an outlet on the end of the board in which to actually plug in the iron.  Long gone.  It had followed me to six different houses over the years.  The frame is still tucked into a cord in the garage, as I can't make myself face the reality of putting it in the garbage.  Funny how attached I was to that, but sewing machines and irons go through my life without a ripple ( except in my cheque book, of course)

Now I've reached the point in life that I have to take into consideration how many years I'll be around to make use of any new equipment, when deciding to replace items.  Don't want to go there either.