I made for her this dress form mannequin pin cushion.
The fabrics were leftovers from her sewing projects and the black base is a vintage candle stick holder.
Monday, December 26, 2011
A Simple Gift
My daughter loves to sew and create her own patterns.
I made for her this dress form mannequin pin cushion.
The fabrics were leftovers from her sewing projects and the black base is a vintage candle stick holder.
I made for her this dress form mannequin pin cushion.
The fabrics were leftovers from her sewing projects and the black base is a vintage candle stick holder.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The Deadly Hemmer
A kind person on a vintage sewing machine board that I'm a member of came to my rescue by sending me the directions for this hemmer.
From the directions, studying the attachment, and playing with it, I was able to get the thing to work for me.
Note from person who sent the directions:
It is a Chain Stitch Hemmer. The only picture shows it with the hole to the right with the letter A inside and the scroll part is at the left aimed up. The instructions read as follows, without any picture of it attached to the machine:
This attachment is not fastened to the presser bar, but by a thumb screw through hole A to the screw hole in bed of machine at right of needle plate. The thumb screw for fastening will be found with accessories.
This hemmer turns the goods just the reverse from the ordinary hemmer --throwing the hem underneath instead of on top, and is therefore used where a chain stitch is desirable.
Draw the goods into the hemmer until the edge of goods is far enough advanced for needle to enter the hem, then letting down the presser foot, proceed to sew as with ordinary hemmer. See that the edge of goods is kept against inner side of scroll, so that sufficient material is turned in to form the hem. In finishing a hem, place tip of finger against side of scroll to hold goods in position in hemmer until entirely through.
For a fine narrow hem this hemmer is equally desirable for lock stitch work.
Photos of the process:
Hemmer properly attached to machine. There is a little lip to the hemmer which must be inserted into the small hole that looks like a keyhole. This helps holds the attachment into place along with screw on right. The lips job is to keep the hemmer from traveling into the foot as the machine pulls the fabric through when stitching.
I had to take the hemmer off the machine to feed the fabric through since it was impossible to feed the fabric through the tip of the gadget while on the machine.
This sweet machine stitches a very lovely chain stitch to make a wonderful hem.
From the directions, studying the attachment, and playing with it, I was able to get the thing to work for me.
Note from person who sent the directions:
It is a Chain Stitch Hemmer. The only picture shows it with the hole to the right with the letter A inside and the scroll part is at the left aimed up. The instructions read as follows, without any picture of it attached to the machine:
This attachment is not fastened to the presser bar, but by a thumb screw through hole A to the screw hole in bed of machine at right of needle plate. The thumb screw for fastening will be found with accessories.
This hemmer turns the goods just the reverse from the ordinary hemmer --throwing the hem underneath instead of on top, and is therefore used where a chain stitch is desirable.
Draw the goods into the hemmer until the edge of goods is far enough advanced for needle to enter the hem, then letting down the presser foot, proceed to sew as with ordinary hemmer. See that the edge of goods is kept against inner side of scroll, so that sufficient material is turned in to form the hem. In finishing a hem, place tip of finger against side of scroll to hold goods in position in hemmer until entirely through.
For a fine narrow hem this hemmer is equally desirable for lock stitch work.
Photos of the process:
Hemmer properly attached to machine. There is a little lip to the hemmer which must be inserted into the small hole that looks like a keyhole. This helps holds the attachment into place along with screw on right. The lips job is to keep the hemmer from traveling into the foot as the machine pulls the fabric through when stitching.
I had to take the hemmer off the machine to feed the fabric through since it was impossible to feed the fabric through the tip of the gadget while on the machine.
This sweet machine stitches a very lovely chain stitch to make a wonderful hem.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
I Have a Spider!
It's called a "spider", but I have never seen a spider like this one. I finally figured out how one of the attachments that came with my Standard works. This gadget, the spider, is used to make a chain stitch.
This little device is inserted into the rotary instead of the bobbin holder and bobbin.
To make a chain stitch, only the top thread is needed and the spider. The spider picks up the top thread in such a way to make cute little loops.
Now, I just need to figure out how this deadly looking gadget works.
This little device is inserted into the rotary instead of the bobbin holder and bobbin.
To make a chain stitch, only the top thread is needed and the spider. The spider picks up the top thread in such a way to make cute little loops.
Now, I just need to figure out how this deadly looking gadget works.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Having Fun!
Took time out to explore free motion quilting with my Davis NVF. Normally I just used this machine for straight stitch quilting and attaching bindings. Today, I used it for making some potholders that will be Christmas presents. Since I'm not gifted in drawing (my sister and my kids inherited that gene, not me), I just outlined the pattern on some fabric that has large floral prints that my mom gave me. I found a good use for that stash of fabrics. The silver material is ironing board fabric.
The first potholder has the silver material on the back.
First potholder:
This became the bottom of the potholder with the printed side inside the finished potholder. The top layer, printed fabric and batting, was quilted with curvy lines. The potholder has top printed fabric, layer of batting, printed fabric from above section, layer of batting, and silver back.
The second potholder:
The ironing board fabric is sandwich inside with batting layers.
Since these are rather large potholders, they could be use as cloth trivets.
The binding was attached with the Davis NVF and finished with decorative stitching from the Singer 328K, Hank the Tank.
First potholder's binding was done with the method I came up with in my Time for Another Tute tutorial. On second potholder, I used the same method, but I just shifted the straight stitch line that I use to secure the binding down before stitching the decorative stitching. I like the look of the straight stitch line move in closer to center, since it now looks like it is part of the decorative stitching.
The first potholder has the silver material on the back.
First potholder:
This became the bottom of the potholder with the printed side inside the finished potholder. The top layer, printed fabric and batting, was quilted with curvy lines. The potholder has top printed fabric, layer of batting, printed fabric from above section, layer of batting, and silver back.
The second potholder:
The ironing board fabric is sandwich inside with batting layers.
Since these are rather large potholders, they could be use as cloth trivets.
The binding was attached with the Davis NVF and finished with decorative stitching from the Singer 328K, Hank the Tank.
First potholder's binding was done with the method I came up with in my Time for Another Tute tutorial. On second potholder, I used the same method, but I just shifted the straight stitch line that I use to secure the binding down before stitching the decorative stitching. I like the look of the straight stitch line move in closer to center, since it now looks like it is part of the decorative stitching.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Great Discovery Today!
I made hanging dish towels today with sweet Rose, the awesome Standard.
After assembling and sewing the material together, it was time to use the best buttonholer gadget every made. Yup, I did four buttonholes today and enjoyed it!
Wish I had this gadget many many years ago... like way back in Junior High when we had to make buttonholes. Life would have been so much easier.
After reading over the manual and setting up the buttonholer on my Singer 201, a successful test run was made.
Pleased with results, I move on to the first dish towel.
That looks excellent; so, I finish up the project.
Later in the day, while reading the rest of the manual, I discover that I can monogram with this gadget too. So, of course I do a quick test- that works!
I will have to practice a bit more to perfect the technique on monogramming. I would love to use this for my signature on the quilts that I make instead of the marker that I have been using. This is such a wonderful reward on for me on the Feast of Saint Nicholas, much better than candies or cookies.
After assembling and sewing the material together, it was time to use the best buttonholer gadget every made. Yup, I did four buttonholes today and enjoyed it!
Wish I had this gadget many many years ago... like way back in Junior High when we had to make buttonholes. Life would have been so much easier.
After reading over the manual and setting up the buttonholer on my Singer 201, a successful test run was made.
Pleased with results, I move on to the first dish towel.
That looks excellent; so, I finish up the project.
Later in the day, while reading the rest of the manual, I discover that I can monogram with this gadget too. So, of course I do a quick test- that works!
I will have to practice a bit more to perfect the technique on monogramming. I would love to use this for my signature on the quilts that I make instead of the marker that I have been using. This is such a wonderful reward on for me on the Feast of Saint Nicholas, much better than candies or cookies.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Quilt as I Go and Toni to the Rescue
I tested a couple of quilting techniques that are new for me while I made this quilt for my niece.
One is the simple method of making half squares by sewing two pieces of fabrics together around the edge and then cutting across the diagonals.
The other method is the "quilt as you go". This is my second "quilt as you go", and this quilt is just a bit larger than the last one. Since I didn't follow a pattern, I had to figure out the pattern and steps. Even though it took some time to do this, I like the "quilt as you go" method. My basting step was shorten to just pinning the layers together of the piece that I was working on at the time. No longer was I wrestling with the entire quilt while quilting a section.
Decorative stitching on this section was done with Hank the Tank, Singer 328K in treadle.
Quilting in the ditch with my Davis NVF.
Two sections ready to be joined with a white strip. The section on the left has two sections that were joined with a pink, horizontal strip. All the strips used to attach sections together were quilted with uneven straight stitching look that is seen in the pink, horizontal strip.
Toni, my 401A e-machine, helped me out with the decorative stitching on the binding.
Front side of quilt.
Back side of quilt.
Front just rotated for different view.
Piecing was done on both my Eldredge Two Spools and Singer 201.
One is the simple method of making half squares by sewing two pieces of fabrics together around the edge and then cutting across the diagonals.
The other method is the "quilt as you go". This is my second "quilt as you go", and this quilt is just a bit larger than the last one. Since I didn't follow a pattern, I had to figure out the pattern and steps. Even though it took some time to do this, I like the "quilt as you go" method. My basting step was shorten to just pinning the layers together of the piece that I was working on at the time. No longer was I wrestling with the entire quilt while quilting a section.
Decorative stitching on this section was done with Hank the Tank, Singer 328K in treadle.
Quilting in the ditch with my Davis NVF.
Two sections ready to be joined with a white strip. The section on the left has two sections that were joined with a pink, horizontal strip. All the strips used to attach sections together were quilted with uneven straight stitching look that is seen in the pink, horizontal strip.
Front just rotated for different view.
Piecing was done on both my Eldredge Two Spools and Singer 201.
Monday, November 21, 2011
It's All About the Baseball
I had some leftover fabric with baseballs that were screaming at me to use. The fabrics with the baseballs are scraps from the I Spy quilt that I made around this time last year for my father. While visiting a quilting store last week, I spotted the baseball motif fabric that will mainly be used as the back of the quilt. I'm trying a new technique on this quilt. A row is layered to the batting and back, and then quilted before joining the rows together. This is a quilt as you go method that I recently discovered while researching on quilt as you go. This quilt is for my sister's grandson; he loves baseball.
Worked on this most of yesterday. Quilting went smoothly until after dinner. I prepared my next sections, oil machine, and even replaced the needle with new. I'm all ready to go for the evening while watching tv with my husband, but my Singer 201 no longer wishes to sew for the night. First evening project turned into a fiasco; the dang machine wouldn't stitch correctly for me. I tried everything I could think of to correct the problem. No go, so, off to the Davis NVF to finish the section that I had tried to get done. Back to the 201, I play around with her for another half hour to no avail. I give up, take shower, and eat a large bowl of ice cream. Of course I can't leave the machine alone until morning. So, I go back to try one more time to get it to do the beautiful stitches that it's famous for. I say some words of encouragement. Well, she sews for me the prettiest stitches again. I looked at her and said now what the heck was that all about.
Sometimes I think these vintage ladies are telling me to take a break, just slow down and relax.
Can't today, got to finish this...more postings later.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
A Scrappy Jeweled Quilt
It's interesting what can be made with scraps, and this one is a gem.
All finished a ready to keep someone warm for the winter.
All finished a ready to keep someone warm for the winter.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
I Did It Again!
Yes, I rescued another lost soul screaming to be helped.
This cabinet is gorgeous looking- regardless of her damaged skin.
Someone had picked the machine up as a restoration project, never got around to it, and sold it to me. The top requires a new wood laminate and repairs. All of this will be an adventure for me, since I have never restored a cabinet that is this badly damaged. The machine's decals have silvered from improper cleaning at one time, while other parts of the machine are rusted. I have all the unique drawer knobs. For now, this gal will have to wait in garage until I complete a couple of quilts.
This cabinet is gorgeous looking- regardless of her damaged skin.
Someone had picked the machine up as a restoration project, never got around to it, and sold it to me. The top requires a new wood laminate and repairs. All of this will be an adventure for me, since I have never restored a cabinet that is this badly damaged. The machine's decals have silvered from improper cleaning at one time, while other parts of the machine are rusted. I have all the unique drawer knobs. For now, this gal will have to wait in garage until I complete a couple of quilts.
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