This past Easter Monday, Mary and I hied off to Aduana, the Pier area in Manila to help me buy my very own first sewing machine. (I do say "my very own first" because this was the first sewing machine I bought with my own well-earned money. It's a very good feeling, it is. ^_^*)
We started our trip from Cubao, and drove, drove, drove past Quiapo, past Intramuros, even past the Manila Hotel. Upon arrival, I was thrilled to find the shops were so close to the newspaper presses near the harbor. It brought back fond memories of my father and I driving through those gates, sharing a small bottle of Coke, and spending some quality time talking about creativity with Dong Ampil De Los Reyes for my thesis. He's a writer with a mind, body, and soul to be reckoned with, and I do say he is the Kurt Vonnegut of our shores. (no, Sir Dong, I'm not taking that back. :D)
The Pier in Manila has earned its notoriety for being the dumping ground for Japanese appliance overruns sold at astoundingly cheap prices. Have money and good haggling skills ready, and you're good to go. Just don't forget to pick up a transformer for your new purchase if you don't want it to fry. Where else can you find a 21-inch flat screen TV for around P5,000, or a washing machine for P4,000? (That's roughly $100 and $80, respectively.)
Or in my case, a Holiidaynu Bernina package (complete feet, extending table, knee lift, cables and instruction manual -- in hiragana, unfortunately -- included), with a free baby transformer, fresh needles, and high speed bobbin winders thrown in?
And all for the tidy price of P3,000? No, scratch that -- I very nicely asked for a discount on the beauty, and the storekeeper closed the deal at P2,800. (that's about $60, reduced to $56.)
First, a couple quick clips of the store we visited -- one of the many peppering the Pier walk -- with the ever-lively and lovely Mary:
We certainly enjoyed that a little bit, didn't we? ^_^ Mary, Mary, quite contrary, what a dear she is. I wouldn't have my baby home without her, and that's God's honest truth. She had me over for a spell at her gorgeous home and spoilt me with silvanas and chocolate-striped suman from Bacolod, and let me drive her cat and two dogs nuts. :D Thank you, luv! :D
And as promised, the unveiling at home!
Ta-dah!
but does the adventure end here? Oh no, dearie me! There's still more fun and stories and pictures to be had with our denouement, coming to you soon in the next blog post! Stick around for it. ;)
(or alternately entitled WahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaHA! Try sustaining that.)
Officemate and sewing gal pal Mary and I took a trip to the Pier area and Divisoria today to have an adventure, and indeed, much adventure, energy, and laughs were there to be had. I'm finally home, bathed, dressed, and settled down. I'd really love to write about our exploits, but my body has been slipping in, ehem, subtle clues that it wants Me time. (try going out like a light at half-hour intervals for subtlety. Ha!)
I do promise all you lovely people a good story in time, but let me leave you with something to keep you in suspended animation:
Ta-ta for now. :)
There'd been so many things happening in my life right now, I think I'd forgotten how to write about them. Hah!
What's been happening, so far:
1) I've just delivered my first commission job. Mik, dear officemate of mine, gave me her two pairs of jeans, one to hem, and another to reconstruct into a skirt. Hemming denim is simple enough. Working with stretchy rayon-cotton fabrics, however, was an entirely different matter.
To my knowledge, you stick to cotton when you're a beginner, and when you're better, you then can start working on stretchy or silky fabrics -- like, well, silk, satin, brocade, jersey, you name it. And you'd need an edger for stretchy stuff, to make sure the hems don't fray. (What does an edger stitch look like? check the underside of your t-shirt. You see that loopy, complicated-looking stitching on the hem? That's edger work.)
Well, I was given a job, and she trusted me to do something about her garments, with the tools I had at the moment. Only one way to find out if I'm screwed for good.
A couple of weeks after, I managed to finish both jobs, and had Mik fit them, see if they needed adjustments, and al the time I was thinking, "oh god, what if what if what if..."
And she said they were good.
She told me after what was important to her was that she could use them once more, and as long as she's happy, that's all that matters to me.
2) I'd like to buy a new sewing machine, please. If I'm really to start getting serious about sewing, and really start taking commissions, I'd want a sewing machine that is efficient, durable, and has all the features I need. If it comes with a set of useful feet, the better. I love my present sewing machine and it has indeed served me faithfully, but sometimes its quirks have me wasting more time instead of getting the job done sooner. (sigh) the sad thing is, the nearest (and only) sewing machine repair shop in our vicinity has closed shop. 
I blame the recession for this, and I can't help but feel bad for the shop owner. He's such a sweet old gent.
On the other hand, the machine has become my own Little Engine That Could. I mean, think of it: It's been abandoned, tossed around, its tension control glued shut and immobile and useless, its machinery coming apart, and still it sews for me. 
yes, there's more.
I still have quite a list of commissions and promises to fulfill -- an experimental blouse, peasant skirts, poofy lolita skirts, and dresses -- and I do feel amazed and elated and plain bowled over by all this. So many things to make, and so little time! I am much, much thankful I still have a day job to support this drive of mine to create. (Tip: as an artist, it pays to keep your day job, really. The Recession needs your art to keep minds moving and growing, but it also needs you to stay ALIVE. and HEALTHY.)
What does James have to say about all this? He's been very supportive in his own way, and does his best to reel me in (and hold me back) when I run the risk of wearing myself thin with work as I'm wont to do. The man does his best to keep me happy and sane, and I love him for that.
3) Work? Oh right, work. The lessons have been steadily piling up, and I think I've settled in quite nicely. Surprise, surprise, teaching's a little bit of theater, after all. Let this pale, anemic, rubenesque girl thrill you with word physics and algorithms, and a little bit of vocabulary art. I am your glottal showgirl, 30 minutes private show.
Harder Better Faster Stronger - Unknown
... as shared by a good college gal pal of mine, Guia.
This is just to say workbuddy Raymund Suba has been putting together a corset-making challenge open to interested parties at the office, and yours truly is one of the contestants/organizers/lab rats. XD Yay!
We've pretty much decided on the deadline, and are fleshing out the mechanics and prizes as we go along. so far, I've set up a blog to document the details and pictures, but as you can see, we'll still need to put in real content. This is going to be sooo awesome. :D
This just gives me more reason to hurry up with the commissions! Waah! :D
