New Year’s Day Goodness

I was invited to spend New Year’s Day with a group of die hard fiber enthusiasts….knitters, spinners and weavers…who quickly became new friends.

We were hosted by Mitzi Meyer, at her home in Sweet, Idaho.  I am ashamed to say, in the 8 years I’ve lived in Idaho, I’ve rarely been outside of Boise; I didn’t even know there was a town named Sweet! I truly enjoyed the drive, it reminded me of my native Montana surroundings, and the next time my mom visits I’ll definitely take her out that way.  Their home was absolutely beautiful and perfect for this get together.

Of course, I took more projects than I was able to work on, but my motivation was to take advantage of all of the expertise in the room to get advice for completing several UFOs including:

1. A 27 year old sweater that has been in “time out” (more on that later)
2. A spinning project that stalled last year
3. Instruction on how to ply my newly spun yarn

I showed off the hat that I started a couple of months ago for my DH, which is almost finished but didn’t make my Christmas deadline…and got a good laugh from everyone because it’s absolutely gigantic!

My knitting machine sample got some attention as well, and I spent quite a bit of time talking with Angie, who is also trying to learn more about how to work her own knitting machine.

It was obvious that this is a close group of friends, but I felt welcome and included and look forward to spending more time with this unique and talented group.

Mitzi also runs an online store, Mitzi's Yarns for Weavers and Knitters, where she sells mill ends and closeout inventory, and of course, we were able to peruse her wares. Mitzi had earlier showed off a scarf/shoulder cape she’d made, and written the pattern for, with a combination of two strands of yarn that I thought would work perfectly to keep me warm this winter.

I’ve been looking for this sort of pattern and I was able to get enough yarn for the pattern to make 3 different color options using a mohair /wool /acrylic blend. I’ll pair one of theses colors with the black wool blend yarn and see how it turns out before I decide on what I want to pair the next one with. If it goes like I think it will, I might already be ahead of next Christmas’ gift season!

This might be one of those projects that is the knitting equivalent of a PSQ though, since this is a lace weight yarn (I think) and I’ve never worked with something so small!  However, I had an idea that I might be able to ply these two yarns together using my spinning wheel and treat the resulting yarn as one strand.

I’m back to my quilting this weekend.  I hope you all had a great holiday and got time to spend with all of your wonderful creative toys.

My First Kenmore

Isn’t she pretty?  I picked her up for free from a Craigslist advertisement!  This is a Kenmore 158.521, and I’m learning a lot about her.

First…..she is DANG heavy!!  How do I know?  Well, she came with a cabinet.  A very nice cabinet.  But the previous owners removed the machine from the cabinet in order to facilitate transportation, and now I can’t get her re-mounted back into the cabinet.

See these tiny little pegs in the back slots?  They are what I’m supposed to put this machine onto, using the little holes in the back of the machine, and then tighten down the set screws.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well, we’ve done that, and every time I rotate the head back into position either the machine moves and pops off the left side post (even after tightening the screw) or the mounting mechanism moves in its natural arc and when it stops, the back of the sewing machine doesn’t lie flush with the table.  All the while, either my DH or I are hanging onto the machine to make sure it doesn’t fall and smash someone’s toe!

I’ve posted my dilemma on a couple of online forums, gotten some good information and suggestions, but as you can see, the machine still isn’t mounted.  So, if anyone knows how to resolve this, please let me know, I’m at my wits end!

The second thing I learned is that this machine’s needle is “left-homed” .  That is, while using a straight stitch, the needle sits at the left side of the throat plate.  You can see what I mean on this photo, where the needle is just coming down through the presser foot on the left.  Using the edge of the presser foot as a guide, this starts the sewist out with a 3/8” seam allowance.  So, this is not the machine for a quilter who uses a 1/4” seam allowance because to do so means the fabric will only ride on one of the feed dogs, which will not feed the fabric through the machine evenly. 

She sure sews a nice stitch, though, and I’m looking forward to trying my hand at some other sewing projects that I’ve put off in favor of my traditional quilting projects.  Yes, in fact, I think I’ll use her to make the jean quilt I’ve been saving up old jeans for, and get those piles used up and cleared out of my sewing room (and garage)!

The Birth of a Quilt

The Birth of a Quilt.  That’s what my DH called it when he saw the first Postage Stamp Quilt block I made.    I like it!

My goal has been to work these units in while working on a “regular” project.  Lately, though, I’ve needed some mindless sewing, so I turned to these, which has been perfect.  I absolutely adore how it’s turned out.

Last night, I completed 2 more of these and I lined them up to show off a preview of what’s to come.

This is going to be one cool quilt!

Dog Panel with Satin Binding

My neighbor commissioned me to do a quilt for her from a purchased panel made from chenille and flannel.  She got this one at the same time she bought the pink and white panel, which I also quilted for her. 

I used high loft polyester batting with Sew Fine thread, which created a trapunto look. It’s quite cuddly and soft, and I think it will be loved for a long time.

She likes satin binding on the baby quilts, and while I understand why, they aren’t exactly the easiest thing to apply.   However, since I made the first quilt I saw a demonstration on TV by Nancy Zieman that showed how to sew the corners closed as you attach the binding, and I tried it on this quilt.

Of course, I wasn’t able to find the demonstration online anywhere after I saw it aired on TV, so it took me awhile to get to finishing the project.  I used a straight, rather than a zigzag and it finished up quite nicely, although it does leave a bit of a “lip” on the back of the quilt.  I think I’ll try a decorative stitch next time.  The only thing I wish I could have figured out was how to hide the seam that connects the ends of the satin in that corner.  Maybe someone out there can tell me of a better way?

It’s a Sickness….

Yesterday I brought home a Singer 603E.  It was made in 1964 and it was just calling my name.

This machine not only has the decorative “Top Hat” cam system, it can also do a chain stitch and came with several extra cams, throat plates, bobbins and several feet.  There was even a magnetic seam guide!  How’s a girl to resist that??

I also made a new friend, Jerry, from Treasure Valley Sew and Vac.  He’s got a booth at the Boise Flea Market and repairs and sells sewing machines.  As a former Singer service and sales rep, he’s quite knowledgeable, and I spent most of my afternoon soaking up information.  I had a blast!

The new one followed me home, of course, but Jerry also made a generous offer to work with me and my Education Outreach team at Boise Basin Quilters to furnish low cost machines to the guild for our workshops.  He’s also offered to mentor me in the process.  I can’t tell you how thrilled I am!

It Sews!

I’ve recently been trolling Craigslist for vintage sewing machines, I just can’t seem to stop myself.  However, I haven’t tried to buy every single one of them, I just pull up the advertisement over and over, trying to decide if I really want to make the trip to someone’s home, test the machine and plunk down the cash.
Last weekend, this Singer 347 came home with me, and I got a steal of a deal!  I cleaned and oiled it and it sews wonderfully!  Look at these stitches!
I’ve missed out on a couple of them, the most recent was an ad that I’d missed completely,  for a Singer 201-2.  I’ve only recently come to know that these are wonderful machines, although I’ve never sewn on one myself.  Now, I want one!  So, when I saw this advertisement there was no hesitation.  I called immediately and left a message.  I followed up with another phone call the next day, but the machine had been sold the day before.  Drat!

It’s Not a Featherweight….

It’s a Singer 99K!

And I found it at a thrift store for a whopping $55!

So, I’ve been doing a lot of research on old machines ever since, and I have learned quite a bit… and there is SO much more to learn!
I can blame Bonnie Hunter for my latest obsession.  She’s been posting about her vintage machines for a long time, but her most recent post was about her replacement Featherweight that she is getting tricked out and painted  School Bus Yellow.
I’ve never really been fascinated by the Featherweights, but I love all gadgets and machines, so I got curious as to what was posted in my local Craigslist area.  I specifically started looking for treadle machines, and  I found quite a few, but one specifically caught my eye.  It was a beautiful Singer!
However, I started thinking about the sewing machine, an Anker RZ, sitting in my garage, that had been rusted out during a flood in my mother’s basement a few years ago, when no one thought to look into the box containing the machine.  It’s the sewing machine I learned to sew on, the one my dad brought into the marriage, and I’ve been hugely disappointed ever since I brought it home that it was in such a state.
Of course, I waited until the morning of my appointment to see the treadle to find someone who said he could clean off the rust and get it working, so I cancelled my appointment to see the treadle, thinking it would cost a lot to restore the Anker RZ.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the cost more than reasonable.  But by the time I contacted the seller again, they had changed their minds about selling the treadle.  I’ve been kicking myself ever since.
I haven’t figured out which model of the Singer 99K that I have, so will be researching that further.  I’ve gotten it cleaned up and oiled, though, and, as you can see in the photo, even started sewing my 2” charms for the postage stamp quilt on it!
I signed up for the swap again that the Curious Quilter is hosting, this time for 12 packets, and I can’t wait to get my list of buddies!  In the meantime, I’m planning on getting quite a few more charms sewn together this weekend and finish putting a border on a jelly roll race quilt.
Enjoy your weekend, and Go Broncos!