My "Newest" Singer

  I just have to show you my latest little Singer sewing machine.  I don't know if sewing machines 'find' anybody else, but they just seem to be drawn to me (as opposed to the other way around:) 

My pictures are a little off today - please excuse.

Well, this sweet little gem came to me pretty dirty.  It is the size of a featherweight and in the cabinet.  The handles on the cabinet are not original, but it is in overall good shape.  Rather than the foot pedal or treadle, it has the knee pedal - which I admit, this is the first one I have that way.  In case you didn't know, you can go on the singer website here and follow the prompts to date your machine.  They will even print out a certificate with your name and the serial number of your machine on it.  This one was made in 1910.  Now, I need to do this with a couple others.

I just have to show you a couple of the before shots - you know before the half of container of q-tips and alcohol and soap and water etc.

Yes, I know the hammer is down in the photo - I was working with the tension; the tension plates were stuck shut!  After I cleaned it, the stitches were perfect!  I can't wait to actually make something with it.  If you have a Singer, I would love to know what you are stitching on.

Baker City Quilt Show

I'm Baaack.  Just have to say it that way to wig you out a little:)  Baker was a blast as usual.  We arrived Friday morning and didn't even put our bags in the room.  We headed straight to the quilt show.  Many beautiful quilts.  First, we began by purchasing raffle tickets for the work of art behind us.  You can't really see the appliqued center, and this isn't the best picture of us, but it is the only one with all of us.  Oh well, we never claimed to be all together all together.  The two gals with name tags are Grace  & Virginia.  Both have been featured quilters and are highly deserving - very talented ladies.  The quality at this show is always remarkable and this year was no exception.  I was a little surprised at the number of "simple" designs this year.  It seems to go in waves.  I have been there when the complexity of nearly every quilt was over the top.

This is one of the quilts I voted for.  The applique would 'knock your socks off' so to speak.  Aaaand, the quilting truly enhanced it.  The quilt that received peoples choice was a different quilt made by the same maker. (Inez Lange)  Wow! 

This years featured quilter was Jess Berry.  He does fabulous work.  Mostly applique with piecing as accents and all hand quilted.  I adored the two little quilts with urns above.  He photographed then printed on fabric a couple from his collection.  They were hanging a little high, and I am somewhat vertically challenged so the view is not straight at them.

And I just thought this one was cute and merry.  What I didn't get a picture of was my own quilt - guess I thought I could look at it any ol' time.  I will have to get the camera out.  Also, a picture worth looking at was the trunk of the car.  Not another fat quarter would have fit, and that's with the quilts in the back seat.  Our bounty was plenty:)

I hope you are having a beautiful day.

JoeyLea

Sewing Room Favorite Finds

Yesterday was another wonderful day of finds.  I will have to get them photographed so I can share them with you.  Buuuut, until then, I wanted to share a few of my former finds that seem to have made it into the fun room.  First, of course, are buttons.  Who doesn't love buttons, remember playing with Grandma's jar of buttons, or go hunting for them on a regular basis?

The vase/bowl, I found at the giant yard sale in Portland that I mentioned in my first post.  I love how heavy it is now, much more than when I was packing it around in Portland.  It is heavy in appearance and in weight.  And, yes, that is a quilt stacked on the floor in the background.  I have been working on a wool quilt for the Baker City Quilt Show that is coming up in one month.  More about that later.

See buttons look good both indoors and outdoors and they become more appealing as they age - I think I need to take beauty tips from buttons:)  They are just too fun.

I love to bring the outdoors in - whether it's flowers in the house in the summer or evergreens and pine cones in the winter.  I am hoping to do a post from the yard before long to show some things you can put in your yard/garden to add little elegant and unexpected touches.    Stay tuned for that one.

And this last picture is just a little goody basket that has little odds that I love.  It is in my sewing room as well - moss, feathers and all.  Off to have lunch with Dad - Happy Father's Day, and Smiles to all.

Free Autograph Memory Book Tutorial

     I recently made one of these for a friend who is moving back from Hawaii and is on a bit of a road trip.  It turned out rather cute so I thought I would share.  You will need to begin by gathering a few items: small composition notebook (I got these 3 for a dollar at the Dollar Store,) enough fabric to cover one, a coordinating fabric, scissors, a way to measure, a button, and a glue stick. (and a cup of tea or coffee of course.)

  

Next cut fabric about 3/4 of an inch larger than the opened notebook all the way around.  If you have a one way fabric like I do, be sure to cut it so that the print is right-side up not sideways or upside-down.

Next is a very easy step.  Center the open book on the wrong side of the fabric.  Cut from the edge to the spine of the book at the top and the bottom.

Before you glue - make sure your fabric is right-side up!  Theeenn, glue the outer edge over the edge of the book.  Fold the corners like you are wrapping a present and glue the top and bottom edges over so it looks something like this----->

Now repeat for the back.

Next choose a coordinating color.  It can be a print, but I chose to go with the solid brown.

I had 1/3 of a yard of the brown so I tore off the selvage .  Snip the edge then tear it.

Save the skinny little strip for later - it's a secret right now.

Then measure from the spine over to the middle of the fabric that is folded and glued.  Snip and tear so it will fit just right like this --------->

Now do the same for the top and bottom.  Snipping and tearing - go ahead and get your aggravation out:)  Be sure it fits before you glue it down.

 

Slather it with glue even about a quarter of an inch onto the fabric, because the other fabric will be covering it.

Then center the fabric and finger press in place.

Here is where the secret little

strip comes into play. Glue the little

thing near the spine inside the back

cover.

Then glue the coordinating fabric inside the back cover just as you did for the inside of the front cover.

Now is an extremely fun part.  You get to play with buttons.  BUTTONS!  I love buttons - who doesn't?  Choose one that goes with your book.  The size really doesn't matter - have fun with it.

 Fold the skinny strip into the front cover and stitch the button onto the end.  This is your bookmark - just like in those beautiful old novels. 

Voila! And there you have it.  You could get much more elaborate, or just keep it simple.  I wrote a little message on the first page of the one I gave my friend to make it even more personal. 

 I do hope you enjoyed this little project.  Have a lovely afternoon.

Civil War Table Runner

Good Morning All. I just wanted to show you what I have been working on. Our local library had a fund raiser at which they had fabric, yarn, patterns, etc. all donated then had a sale. The fabric was sold by the pound. I found these reproduction Civil War fabric scraps. Someone had used the fabric, and these were the leftovers so I snagged them and challenged myself. This is what I came up with. I didn't use a pattern, I just went with whatever the fabric told me to do. I will bind it with the red that is behind it at right - and yes, that is part of another quilt in the corner. That's the wonderful thing about a design wall. I have room for multiple projects. But back to the table runner. I am going to hand quilt it. I know, I am a glutton for punishment, but I just can't seem to machine quilt a Civil War style piece. I think I will do slightly bigger stitches - more primitive-ish. Let me know what you think.

If I were to choose the fabrics, I would have aimed for a little more distinction between the small prints, but then it wouldn't be as much of a challenge now would it? I think the red binding will help. One other little thing is if you have not used the 'wonder ruler' for half triangle squares, I strongly recommend it. It makes them so easy to cut and sew with very little brain power required. I love it! Playing with stitches is such a fun way to spend time, I think I should do it more often:)

Until next time, wishing you even stitches and matching corners.