All doors were taped up, windows were opened, there was a gap we had missed  . My whole work room is covered in a thick layer of  ing dust. I could have wept.

My fear is one of my sewing machines doesn't have its cover on. I was thinking of starting with the vacuum cleaner, taking off all that is visible on the outisde, then trying to get in about the gubbins inside, also with the vacuum.

Is there anything I shouldn't do? I know not to blow as that might push the dust in further.

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, I had a look and couldn't find anything.

I am working on a scrappy diamonds something or other, maybe a quilt. The blocks are made up of nine diamonds sewn into one big diamond. Matching up the seams is the tricky bit (I assume because there's a lot of bias stuff going on in the edges) so I had a brainwave that starching the fabric would help it not to shift. Trouble is, I've already cut out a lot of the diamonds. I did starch some the other day (but now know that you're not supposed to iron them whilst still wet  ) and they're nice and firm it'll be like sewing cardboard

 Before I go any further, should I (a) starch the fabric I haven't cut yet; (b) starch everything, including the already cut bits, to within an inch of its life or (c) forget starching and just woman up and work harder on matching seams?

I have problems with my shoulders from time to time when wearing a bra is excruciating/impossible. I ordered a strapless one from Bravissimo but it had rubberised bits which made putting it on as painful as wearing a normal one so it's going back 

Can anyone think of something I could make that would give me a bit of dignity support? If it could fasten at the front that would be even better.

Apologies if this has been talked about elsewhere, I did a search and couldn't see anything.

Has anyone got one, or tried one? There's an ad that keeps coming up on FB for one from LoveSew and it's not a bad price. Amazon has a bigger one which is always better, as we all know  , but it's over £60. I've got to this great age without one. Have I been missing out or are they worth the money and will it change my life? 

I've just cut six of Aldi's fat quarters (bless, their measuring tape must be a bit out  ) into strips to make my first string quilt. Now that I've had a look on t'internet for inspiration (doh!) I've decided I'd have been better doing them all the same width. I'll know the next time 

When you're putting them together, if they are cut the same width, are all those pesky little seams supposed to match up?? 

A few weeks ago my machine jammed up so I cleaned out the fluff from the bobbin area. There was quite a lot, hadn't been done for a while  . That solved the problem and away I went again, quite happy. Last week the same thing happened so I cleaned out the fluff, that didn't do the trick. I've tried many times and have even taken the bottom off as much as I can to get at anything else; I've re threaded just in case - no luck.

The upper thread is catching on the hook race (I think - the silver bit that holds the bobbin) when I'm trying to pick up the bobbin thread.

It was serviced less than a year ago so I'm hoping I can fix this myself as it's difficult for me to get to the repair shop. Does anyone have any ideas of what I can try next?