Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

I've enjoyed digging into my stack of future projects and getting them done during this time of staying at home so, next up, was a bundle of fabric with cut squares and strips. First Quilters had a fabric sale a few summers ago and this zippered plastic bag looked cheerful to me so I bought it for only $3. Looking at the potential, patterns for half square triangles, sending photos to my quilting sister, Jane, I came up with this plan/idea:

 

 

Bag of fabric sorted and labeled to make sure there was enough???

Block design

It didn't take long to piece these blocks and I decided to use my treadle this time. Why? Why not? It gave me some much needed practice time and made it more fun, too. There wasn't quite enough fabric for all of the edges as well as one final block but all I could do was punt:

Bottom right corner: oh oh, not enough!

 So I had to mix things up just a bit and came up with this (see if you can find the pattern variation):

Final product: even the binding is done

I love the bright floral print but it was very bold so when it came time to free motion quilt it I needed to find patterns that would actually show off the fabric. Here's some of my experimentation:

Different designs on each fabric

Script? I can now sew words!

Using the Singer Futura XL400, I sewed each section with a different design with large flower type design in each gold square, lines of loops in the half square triangles, and even a feather type of stitch on the border. Some of the places were not-so-great so I removed stitches and tried again so the final product was something I was proud of. I decided to give this quilt to my younger sister, Mindy, who loved my last quilt and even asked if it was for sale. This one was just for her so I wrote messages in the border and in various places on the quilt. I don't think she has found them all yet but I'm patient, she will find them one by one and I'll hear all about it.

Along with quilt projects, I also was inspired to make something with all of the hankies I've collected. Not only were mine stashed in a box, I now have my mom's and aunt's collections so it seemed like a huge pile. I also had a stack of linen placemats and napkins that were just too cute to pass up at the Goodwill Outlet so putting them all together:

Hankie and linen arrangement

I sewed them on a large piece of white muslin, added buttonholes at the top, hemmed, and she's now on display on my shower:

Hankie shower curtain from doorway

Hankie shower curtain

I'm so glad I put these lovely items to use; they weren't going anywhere in a hankie box so I might as well enjoy them every day! Speaking of showers, I better wrap this up and get a shower before the online church service starts. No one can see me but old habits die hard and I like to clean up before church and that hankie shower curtain waits for me. Until next time, what are you sewing on?

More Than One

As we continue to stay at home in Minnesota and I've sold out most of my basic sewing machines, I've been able to move things around in my sewing area. How nice to have most of the machines out of the family room and into the sewing room! In the process, I found some Singer 503's, 403's, and even a surprise 401. I had been ignoring the Singer 503 because I was sure it had problems but now I take a look:

Singer 503 with former repair note?

Nothing wrong and it even comes with a full set of accessories. This model doesn't have a built in zigzag stitch so you need cam 0, that's zero, to have a basic zigzag. My model had this cam and was ready to sell but then I found another 503 but no zero cam. The Singer 403 is similar, in that it also needs a cam for zigzag so I pull it off the back shelf to find it also has the cam and a full set of accessories. Checking all of my cams and then checking machines it appears I'm short one zero cam. In need of  the popup spool pins for the 503, I place an order but not for the cam because I'm not giving up yet.

Singer 503 top open: new spool pins!

A few more days go by and I take another look at the 403 and 503 but what do I find? The Singer 403 is a 401. What? They are very different machines and I know the difference: the 401 has a camstack so there's a whole host of built in stitches plus cams. The 403 has no built in stitches, just straight, so you need cams for any decorative work or even a blind hem. But there is sits, a 401 and looking into the top door I find the beloved zero cam that it does not need since it has built-in zigzag stitches. Now my 503 is ready for a new home and I have a 401 ready, too.

April is a big birthday month around here with four grandchildren having birthdays (10, 8, 5, and 1) as well as my husband. This has posed challenges but for the youngest she got a couple summer outfits made by her grandma:

Summer top with leggings, size 1

Playset with shorts or crop pants, size 1/2

They were so much fun and took me back to when I made something similar for her mom. Which sewing machine did I use? My Viking Designer 1 performed just fine but I'm becoming a bit disillusioned by it from time to time. I made up some new placemats for the small table we use for most summer meals out on the porch. Using only two pieces of fabric with a heavy interfacing, the top stitching looks really poor. Looking around the room and trying to decide which machine I should try next, there sat the Singer 31-15, an industrial model I have sitting in the table with a servo motor for the Bernina 318. I thread it up with some form of heavier top stitching thread and it comes out just fine.

Placmats with pocket for flatware

Placemats with heavy interfacing

This is another reason why you need more than one sewing machine! Next up: quilting more UFO's and free motion success!