Friday, May 30, 2014

A Rescue!

I've become a member of the Facebook Vintage Sewing Machine page.  There's information and instructions to care for, clean, and use vintage machines.  Since I now have 5  , um 6 machines, I need this information.  The other source I use often is the Ismacs site.  This one has tons of info on machines, including a page to date your Singer by serial number, and another that details all the beautiful decals.  Now that I have more info, I know I can get these machines working.  I've do another post about all my machines, but this one is about the rescue.

Last week someone posted an Ebay link for a "pick up only" vintage Singer 66 Redeye in a cabinet.  When I checked, the machine was listed for $15, and was about 30 minutes from here.  I contacted the seller to get the serial number, and said if no one else rescued adopted it, I would take it.  When it came down to the last 30 seconds of the auction time, I bid on it, and won the machine.  I went up to Mount Cobb yesterday to pick it up.  I brought a new belt (as the one for the machine was broken) and grabbed a few screwdrivers.  I intended to remove the head from the cabinet, because I knew I would not be able to get it in or out of my car if it was together.  Too heavy.

So, here she is.  Before any repairs or cleaning.


The machine is from 1922,  Her number is G-9259927, and her model number is 66.  The decals are called "Redeye" because of the red ovals.  
Obviously, this cabinet is not original.  I have to see if I can find more info on this.  I do like the drawers, but the finish is flaking.  I may end up refinishing it, or maybe I'll find a treadle cabinet and make this machine a treadle.  
Some detail photos:




 I need to get the belt properly adjusted.  I also need to get more bobbins.  I was told "bobbins included" but the extra ones don't fit this machine.  The seller also said she used 3 In One oil, so I need to get that off, and use regular sewing machine oil.  For the most part, the decals are in great shape.  That's a plus.  I'll clean her up, check the wiring, and decide what I want to do with the cabinet.  I already have another to refinish.  I really didn't plan to get any more machines, but the person who sold it said it would be going to the dump.  I can't stand to see machines that could be used, just rotting away.  This one is too pretty for that fate.  

On the funny side, I looked in the drawers.  Most had a number of loose pins inside.  I asked if I could dump them, because I didn't want the drawers to open and dump in my car.  I don't need Hazel finding pins.  I saved the bobbins and a small crochet hook, and tossed the old tailor's chalks.  I discovered 2 plastic thimbles.  One says "Tastycake" and the other says, "Re-elect Mayor Titus to keep good government at your fingertips".  I thought these were fun!  I guess I need to get a small novelty display case.  Who knew that Tastycake made thimbles??  Fun!  



Sunday, May 25, 2014

A Breath of Avignon

Yippee for a finished quilt!


Fabric is A Breath of Avignon by American Jane for Moda.  Sweet blues, reds, greens and yellows in paisleys, florals and fleur de lis with cream accents.  The center was based on A Quilt In A Day's Tossed 9 Patch, but I added the border treatment to make the quilt a little wider.  Flying Geese, just for fun.

Quilted over Warm & Natural Batting with Moda 50 wt, in cream 2026, 2776 blue, 2250 red, and 2887 in green for the 7 bobbins used just in quilting.  Great feathers (mine are getting good!) and a paisley/feather design in the center.  Cotton backing, so silky and smooth.  I wish I knew the company, and had more.  It's a great fabric.  I got it before my friends closed their store, and it was kind of hidden for a while before I saw it.  Then another customer snatched the rest.  Boohoo.


Here's a full view.  I like the little extra sparkle from the blue/red border.  I wanted to make it wider, so added in a 3" section of flying geese blocks that alternate between the two colors.  This made the quilt finish at 67 by 88".  I didn't add the geese blocks to the top or bottom.



My Bleeding Hearts are blooming, and my Lilacs are just opening. Lovely day for some photos outside!



This is now listed in my Etsy store, HERE.  I'm proud of this one. It's been in the works for a while, and figuring the borders and finding the prefect red fabric to coordinate was fun.  I've learned that I need to purchase coordinates when I get the charm packs.  Otherwise, it's a huge challenge to use the precuts and have coordinating borders.  Once a fabric sells out, it's often out of print.  You need to get enough for the whole top at the same time.  Sometimes that's easy, as with this design, but other times, you don't always know what this collection will become, and need enough to play.  Lesson learned!

Saturday Sewing

Hi!  I'm working on  a UFO!  It's been finished as a top, and pinned as a sandwich for months!  I started quilting it earlier this week, and I'm working on borders.  I hope to get this bound for photos on Sunday.

This is part of the top, before it was finished.  The fabric is A Breath of Avignon by Moda.  I ended up getting a great red batik for the 2nd border, and made flying geese blocks for the side, to add a little width.  The pattern is Tossed 9 Patch by Quilt In A Day, but I changed the borders.



I'm having fun making feathers.  Here are some photos of the borders.  My feathers are evolving and improving all the time.  I did a loop/curl type in the first blue border, and more traditional in the red and outer blue.  I have binding to match the outer border, it just needs to be added.  The back is a pretty sage-y green, and silky smooth.  The feathers add so much to the texture of the quilt!  The back is really much prettier in person.  I'm having a very weird and frustrating phone day.  I woke up to my phone saying "We need to do this update.  It will take 20 minutes" and everything was changed, contacts deleted, photos not uploading, etc.  I'm not happy.  I even had to find a new ring tone and signal for incoming messages.  I'm hoping my more tech savvy son will help me get it right!


That very bottom section shown here is the first blue border on the front.  Then the red border (thinner feathery section) and the outer border on the top.  And yes, this is actually green fabric.  I used Aurifil Mako 50 wt 2887, which is just a shade darker than the fabric.  So far, 7 bobbins were used.  For the blue I used Aurifil 50 wt. 2776, 2250 for the red, and 2026 cream for the main part of the quilt.  The quilt measures about 70 by 90" if I remember.  More details when it's done and ready for its closeups!  With my Sony camera, not my phone!

Bound to be bound by Sunday!  It's really pretty!  Can't wait to share it as DONE!!

I'm linking up with GoGoKim for SoJo Saturday  GO check out the other links!  Have fun meeting other bloggers!

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

To Market, To Market to Buy A Fat...

Quarter Bundle!!

International Quilt Market is about to happen, in Pittsburgh, PA.  I SEW wish I could be there.  My dream is to be able to attend one year.  Market is for vendors and store owners.  You need credentials to attend.  I'm an Island Batiks Ambassador, and could get credentials to help in their booth, with set up.  Maybe in October, when I have more of the Island Batik quilts I have in the works finished.  But, Pittsburgh is only about 6 hours drive from here, and Houston, in October is an airplane flight.  Hmmm.  Maybe I'll crash Pittsburgh?? lol

Part of my "job" as ambassador for Island Batiks is to share what I have and what I plan to do with it.
I've been petting these pretties for a while now.  I finally decided what I wanted to do.

This bundle is called Sangria, and you can see more of it at Quilt Market.

This bundle is called Plum Wine.  I love the fireflies on the top left print, and the green is pretty.

I plan to use some of each of these collections in the Mystery Quilt that Eleanor Burns has recently designed.  We're on Month 5, and the quilt has been revealed.  I've always wanted to do a Feathered Star, and the other star blocks surrounding this are awesome.  I need to come up with some background fabric to go with the Island Batik prints I'm planning to use.  I think the two on the right side may work,


This photo was taken on my cutting table, with the sun shining through.  I also put a table outside to take the Plum Wine photo.  When I looked up as I was taking that photo, I saw this.


I was just feet away from a deer enjoying her dinner.  And Hazel, my chocolate lab mix, was out with me, but she must not have noticed.  She went off into the back yard,  I called her in, and put her inside while I finished the photos.  I love where I live.  And I can't wait to play with these stunning Island Batiks fabrics.

On another note, I finished the 30 blocks for the Hunter's Star quilt, also using Island Batiks.  I need to iron them, and then I'll play with the layout.  I'm excited about that quilt, too.  I love making stars!

Thanks for visiting!

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Leona's Quilts

Hi.  For regular readers of my blog, in March, my cousin, Liz, asked me to meet her.  She gave me a 1934 Singer class 15 machine (with the Royal Air Force decal set) in a cabinet, and bags of fabric, and asked me to finish some quilts her mother-in-law, Leona, had started.  Leona had a fabric store on Long Island, and taught quilting.  She had been in a nursing home for about 6 years before she passed away last August.  I finished this top for Liz last year.   The machine and fabric were from Leona's estate.

Two of the quilts Liz wanted finished were for her nieces.  I'm assuming they were started when the girls were young, and they are now 18 and 25, which dates both quilts to the 1990's.  Both are shades of peach. One has accents of blue, and the other has brown.  Liz said Leona loved Quilt In A Day.  The smaller one is a Log Cabin, and the larger has a center that is Lover's Knot, although it's set on point with large triangle pieces for corners.  Both have a heavy poplin type backing, and were machine quilted over polyester batting.  The quilting looks like the basic quilting you would find on comforters from that era.  Since peach and mauve are not "in" right now, it took a little bit of work to locate fabric for the binding.  I do have a large stash, but finding the best shades took looking in stores, then I resorted to my oldest shelf of fabric, the one I forgot about.  I actually found a fabric that dates to that time.  It's the same print in a blue/grey quilt Liz also wants finished.  That one needs some repair work, though.  Once I have the seams stitched, I'll back that and quilt it.

Anyway, on to these two.

This measures about 52 by 82".  


The binding here is the vintage fabric, and it does coordinate, color wise, with the darkest print on this Log Cabin.  

This is the Lover's Knot.  The binding isn't on in this photo, yet, but I found a peach in the right shade, but with a cream floral design, for the binding.  It's attached in the last photo.  This measures about 82" square.  



I'm pleased with the binding on both quilts, and glad I have them finished.  I left room on the labels for Liz to add more info, if she wants.  I have some other tops to finish for Leona, as well.  One was for Liz's son, who now has his first child, beautiful Tillie.  That one is also a log cabin, but is hand pieced, "quilt as you go" style.  I have to attach another row, and bind the quilt.  It's fun to see what Leona had made, and be able to finish it for her family.  I'm honored that Liz asked me.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Work in progress

I'm linking with my Quiltsy Team blog today.  Work In Progress

I figured I would show an update on my Island Batiks purple Hunter's Star top.  I have about 4 more blocks to do.  2 of the 4 are in progress.  I think I have all the pieces cut.  I used the Accuquilt GO! Hunter's Star die, which made the block really easy.  The directions were a little simplistic, and I needed to figure out some of it myself, but once I did I had fun cutting and sewing this great pattern.   I've been fitting it in between other projects, and worked on them on my vintage 1954 Singer 15-91 in the restored Trapezoid cabinet.  

The pile of 26 finished blocks is on the left, and the sections of the blocks to be completed are at the machine, and in the basket.

Some of the blocks laid out on my guest bed.  This will be about 60 by 72" when it's done.  I hope to get the top assembled soon.  

The other recent items I made were 13 costumes for the Quilt Dance preformance for the Lehigh Valley Academy for the Arts, which will be a few weeks, and another special order for a Pirate Shirt.  

I also made 2 aprons and a fleece blanket for the Knoble Knights Motorcycle Club, for their Bike Blessing.  That was last weekend, and I got 2 seconds of "fame" on the news report on TV that night.  I had a vendor space at the blessing.  That was fun.  I hope to get orders for more blankets and aprons.  

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you visit the other members of Quiltsy to see what they are working on!  Have a great day!