Gorgeous!

When I say "Gorgeous!", I'm talking about the vintage Singer treadle sewing machine. However, the seamstress is pretty gorgeous herself, and I'll bet dimes to doughnuts that the average seamstress of that era didn't dress up this well to do her sewing. Many mornings I'm sewing in my flannel pajamas which is not a good idea because flannel catches thread snippets. LOL

I've often wondered about the long dresses of this era (late 1800s?). How did they ever manage to keep the hems clean as they tromped across muddy walkways or down rain-drenched sidewalks? Blue jeans will fray to a frazzle if they are long enough to drag on the ground.

I'm guessing the sewing machine is a Model 66. Mine is, too, but is in a much fancier oak parlor cabinet. The cabinet encloses and hides the machine entirely.

The interesting thing about the machine in the photo is that if it were periodically cleaned and oiled, it would still be sewing today. Those old machines were entirely mechanical (no computerized components) and all-metal. A bit of oil. Keep the lint cleaned out. Replace the belt as necessary. Put in a new needle now and then. This baby will sew forever. Sew as fast or as slow as you wish. Way Cool! And Gorgeous!

Found this photo in this month's Ladies Hm Journal, pg 12.

JudyPete

Linda the Serial Quilter (that 'Serial' sounds almost ominous) reports this to be an early 1900s machine. Linda has a few (a LOT) more machines than I do and can probably name and date any Singer machine in capivity. LOL. Thanks Linda.

Counting squares

There are 1105 colored squares in the TIC quilt. I'll leave it to someone else to figure out the white pieces.



Kathi

Another Use For That Shirt Fabric

If you look closely you can see this fabric in my previous post. This is more like a twill than a simple woven cotton. We traded cars yesterday and I decided this would be a perfect pillowslip for the small pillow we keep in the back of the car. Pillowslips are simple to make. One large piece for the front. Two smaller pieces for the back. Hem one side of each of the back pieces. I like to make this an inch or more in size to lend strength to the overlap (the two hemmed sides overlap at the back of the pillow). I also like to use a bit of velcro to this overlap. One of the blouses that donated fabric to my stash had shoulder pads attached by velcro. Just the right length! A simple maneuver with the seam ripper and 'Voila!', I had velcro! Stitched that velcro to the overlap edges. Then placed front and back together, right sides of fabric to the inside, and stitched all the way around. Turn right side out. Then stitch one-half inch from edge. I figure a man's shirt will provide a manly fabric for the man of the house to snooze while it's my turn to drive.
JudyPete

When Was the Last Time You....

I just cleaned my sewing room. Its my standard practice after finishing a project. Actually, I haven't quite finished my Log Cabin Q top for I still need to finish the border. However, I was past the part where I needed that huge pile of shirt scraps and shirts and more shirt scraps. The cutting table was piled high and my cutting area was reduced to a minimal space which meant every time I needed to cut another strip I had to shove aside this pile of rumpled fabs. A basket under the ironing board held more fabric! And the Floor!!! The floor was littered with lint, snippets, more lint.

I am pleased to say the shirt stash (except for the border fabric) is now folded nicely and placed in a basket in the closet. Now doesn't that look nice and neat!

So I ask, when was the last time you cleaned Your Sewing Room? LOL

JudyPete

West Michigan checking in

Just wanted to say I love both quilts. Did either of
you count how many pieces are in those quilts?!!
Spring is dragging it's feet here in West MI. We
still have lots of snow in our yard. I've started
cleaning the kitchen cupboards. Today I put
away the snowman dishes and got out the flowered
ones. We bought a new stove today. All black with
a smooth top. Is anyone going to Chicago to IQF in April?
I will be there on Saturday.
Hugs, Mayme

Another scrappy quilt

I tried to post this earlier and met with resistance, so will try again. This is the first time I've ever had a problem with posting, so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones.

I loved the Log Cabin quilt. Haven't done one of those in a long time....maybe it's time for another.

My quilt is a scrappy Triple Irish Chain that I made with Civil War reproduction fabrics. Just waiting for the backing to arrive in the mail and then I'll start HQing it. It will be a wedding gift for the daughter of good friends. She is a "pink person", so I tried to use as many fabrics with pink in them as I could. Since she will be living in Virginia, I thought the Civil War connection was appropriate. The top is 81"x81" with the squares finishing at 1-1/4" each.

Any more newly completed tops out there that someone would care to share with the rest of us?

Kathi

New photo of my Log Cabin Quilt

You may be tiring of my perpetual posts (this is number three??? or is it only two?) about my Log Cabin nap quilt made from shirt fabrics. (Don't forget, you can click on the photo for a closer view.)

One can never have too many fabrics for a scrappy quilt like this. Indeed, I had to really scrounge to come up with enough variety. One particularly nice shirt which sported a red print on white, a toile of early American history including a print of George Washington on his horse, was set aside except for a couple tiny scraps. I thought this rather lovely fabric would make a rather lovely apron and when I have finished constructing it, I'll post a photo.

In the meantime, here's a photo of the 40-block nap quilt. I've added the border to one side after I took this photo.

I'm a bit anxious that I now have three quilts that need to be basted and machine quilted. Hmmmmm! When am I going to find time for that? National Quilting Day arrives but once a year!

Sunday morning with ricky timms

I got up to watch the quilting special with Ricky Timms and found it quite interesting. The quilts that he did are truly lovely.
I even saw one person that looked familiar but couldn't remember if she is a teacher or someone from the area. :0) LONNA

Fabric site

Are you thinking of www.quiltshops.com? Or perhaps www.missingfabrics.com?

Kathi

Need Website for Fabric Search

I lost all my favorites recently and now need the website to search for fabric -- looking for some of Terry Atkinson Spring Fling fabric. Thanks for your help.

Sue in Iowa

Can You Believe a Featherweight Convention??!!

There was a posting on the About.com quilting forum today about plans afoot for a convention in October, 2009 (yes, that's 2009) for vintage sewing machine people. You can read about it at http://www.singer-featherweight.com/ISMACS-USA.html

Here's part of the text which I have edited a bit for brevity and spelling:

"The date has been set for the next BIG ONE. What we confidently predict will be the largest gathering of sewing-machine enthusiasts ever is scheduled for the weekend of October 10/11, 2009 in Charlotte, NC. We are currently talking with the Charlotte Convention Bureau to negotiate the best price and the best hotel available. All the usual favourites will be there -- the row upon row of sales tables and the world's largest vintage sewing machine auction. Over 300 machines changed hands at the last event -- at prices ranging from $10 to $10,000."

Judy in Ohio who has no plans to attend but who thinks Pat in Rockford and Linda in Oxford might have their antennas pointed east ....