Just now getting around to putting this up, meant to do it sooner. I actually worked today trying to clean up the office. I need a better vacuum cleaner, we have very fine adobe dirt that gets into everything. It’s so fine you really can’t sweep bare floors, you need to vacuum them. A friend said Metropolitan makes the best vacuums (and made in the USA) but they really have to ditch that midi on their site, drives me crazy. Any recommendations -other than Bernina-esque popular brands? Don’t startle, you know I love to tease you.
Anyway, here’s the entries published this week in history on the blog. You can also access the archives which lists over 1,600 entries published here. Don’t forget to click through for the whole list. Have a great weekend. It’s lovely here.
April 10 through April 16, 2005
PR firm sues DE
Me and my blog
Vintage pattern post #5
Passion
Men’s drafting
April 10 through April 16, 2006
Fulfillment centers pt.1
Archaic anthropometry
Line sheet cover letters
Air-bag motorcycle jackets
Conphorm’s pattern puzzle
Self-reporting one’s size
How to be creative
A question of thoracic shaping
Fulfillment centers pt.2
Speaking of bras…
April 10 through April 16, 2007
Is fast fashion sustainable?
Next Week in L.A.
Emerging Textiles
Benetton gets Lean(er)
News from you 4/11/07
Commercial vs Industrial space
April 10 through April 16, 2008
California Garment License for Out of State Companies
Niche: plush toys
Apparel Manufacturing in New York
How to start a clothing line pt 2
I have 2 Dyson’s. They are very pricey, but I’m in love. One for home, one for work. I have the upright but it has a long hose that you can use for stairs and small stuff. You’ve seen my workshop, K. It’s a lot of threads & stuff. No filters, super suction. Love, Love Love it.
Get a Roomba. Fantastic and it’s almost addictive to watch it work. Good thread on Roombas here. http://artisanssquare.com/sg/index.php/topic,6569.0.html
I use a 535 on wood floors, carpet and large area rugs. It’s great at getting dust up off a bare floor.
I have a Dyson DC17 and like Leslie am in love. For some reason, vacuuming doesn’t seem to be such a chore.
Agree with the Dyson, it really does a great job on tile and wood floors. Not so great on flat or short nap carpets. My only other comment is that it is bulky.
I have both a Dyson (the PINK one…LOL) and a Roomba. Although the Roomba is cool to watch, I much prefer the Dyson.
When DH got home from grocery shopping, I told him I’ve decided we need to go buy a new home entertainment system.
I’ve heard great things about Dysons. I am tired of buying semi-cheap vacuums and then having the stop working after a year or two. Next time, I’m definitely investing in something better.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Dyson is like a home sewing Bernina. I’d prefer the equivalent of an Adler. Adler is a far superior machine (not even a fair fight), costs 1/4 to 1/3 the price (of a bernina) and you can amuse yourself polling people to see who really knows what by whether they know what it is. I want a not famous but much better machine. I saw Dyson’s at Sam’s. It was gunked up with plasticy fashionable decorator colors (that I don’t like anyway) and that it’s designed that way makes me suspicious. I have to pay for that. I will pay for a good machine but I want the money to be spent on features rather than a “pretty” molded plastic carapace. Maybe it’s good, it just reminds me too much of the decorator, color coded groupings of buttons on a home bernina. And the swoopiness of it. Give me a good solid stainless steel canister that you can shine up with a brillo pad and I’m a happy girl. Like a bernina, it worries me that dyson is entirely too popular. I’m thinking machines made by Metropolitan can only survive in today’s market because it’s a better machine and just enough people know that. The dyson and metropolitan cost the same more or less but one is stainless and the other’s plastic.
You may like the vacuums at this site:
http://www.cleanreport.com/Vacuums-Vacuum-Cleaners/c150_155/index.html
Don Aslett is my cleaning superhero. I’ve been able to meet him personally and I can’t wait for his Museum of Clean to open. Anywho, the Sanitaire is a heavy machine. I have used a Lindhaus and it does a very good job. I don’t know what a Dyson costs, but if you plan on spending serious money get a commercial machine. The Lindhaus will lay down flat to the floor so you can get under furniture and has all the usual attachments.
My first Dyson was the big, bulky upright. I hated it. I had to be feeling well just to move it around. The ones I have now are a lightweight version of the upright.
Yes, they are plasticy. But I don’t care, they have wonderful suction. You never have to buy bags, so for me that’s a trade-off for the plastic.
I don’t know if you want a wet/dry vac but if you do and you only want to buy one ever again in your life then I’d go with a Rigid. Pricey, but the performance and warranty are pretty much unbeatable. http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Wet-Dry-Vacs/index.htm
I recommend the Consumer Reports online site. They were really helpful in sorting out the different strengths of different types of vacs. We needed good hard-floor cleaning and major allergen control and ended up with a highish-end Kenmore canister vac, the name of which I can’t remember. By going up a model, I got a handle I can better telescope for my short self and, better yet, my kiddos as they get older. As it turns out, one of the tools is the EXACT size of the space between the spindles under the banister across the top of our staircase (no wall there). I never would have thought of checking that width first, but it’s been a lovely advantage. As with all things, check filter and bag replacement cost. With fine dust, you’ll need to replace more often. BTW, CR hates Dyson, though I have friends who love theirs.
Good luck
This isn’t directed at you because I know you mean well but I will never give another dime to Consumer Reports. Never. Many people I know have canceled their subscriptions. CR was great when they stuck to their mission of objective product reviews but now they’re getting into politics and disasterously at that. They promote themselves as being objective, they are not. Not anymore. They’re in bed with USPirg et al who get their funding from plaintiffs attorneys aka Big Law. Overlawyered says it best:
Roomba was fun for awhile. Machine didn’t work out as planned because it would get hung up on little things like edges of drapes and carpets. Had to “update” the computer a couple of times and had to toss it when the charging unit quit charging. No way to fix it. Sad.
Dyson is heavy “workhorse” machine bought before the fancy plastic colors. My complaint is that they keep improving it. Now it has the ball traction, better than the one I bought. Amazed at all the dust it picks up.
Oreck: Lightweight! Maneuverable! Was our home vac, then moved for a # of years to become the office vac in a woodworking company where it did a great job sucking up wood chips and sawdust, now the sewing studio vac (mine, all mine LOL). Still my fav and I don’t care that I have to buy bags. I can run it when I don’t feel strong.
Miele is the brand recommended if you have allergies because the canister is also fully HEPA sealed – dust doesn’t escape at the outer seals like it does with others vacuums. Price range is about $450-$1200. Price depends on what features you want and they do have rather nifty features. They are sold, around where I live anyway, in sew-n-vac shops.