A Quilting Vacation

I'm back from a week of vacation in Charleston, South Carolina, where quilting is alive and well. We met my quilting sister and her husband for some nice rest, good food, and as it turned out, visiting quilt shops. Who knew? It started out with a plan to have the guys do their own thing looking at ships and such but a wrong turn and  backup on the bridge meant they came along with us as we spent the day touring shops (I think they were along for the lunch).

First stop was Five Eights Seams, a bright and cheerful shop that actually had various sewing machines and classes.

I love the subtitle: Perfection starts here

More than just quilting, they had samples and fabric for clothing that caught my attention:

Border prints!

I did my best to resist but I bought one piece of fabric before I left, a lovely Lori Holt sewing themed piece that I planned on making a cover for my industrial Bernina 217. We shall see:

Heading up to Summerville, we stopped for lunch first at Fives Loaves Cafe and then on to People Places and Quilts. I found this very fun fabric with four different patterns in each width. I couldn't decide so I got a yard of each of the red and blue:

Then there were patterns! First I picked up the sewing machine cover with a camper theme and then I found the travel iron bag that doubles as an ironing surface:

They even added the heat resistant fabric so you don't have to go shopping around for it. If and when I make this little gem I will have to show you.

On another day we stopped at Wild and Wooly where they were having a birthday celebration for one of the owners who happened to have a rare February 29th birthday. How old was she? Not very old since she only could celebrate every 7 years or so but it was all fun with birthday cake and punch. Of course, we did buy a few items we were sure we couldn't find anywhere else, including camping themed fabric:

 

 

Camper fabric with a companion piece

Camping fabric paired with four patterned fabric

Loved the camping fabric and even found another piece of the four patterns on a width that I think might work together. So now I have several pieces of fabric and patterns for sewing machine covers but I only need one of my machines covered. Who knows where this will end?

Before our trip was over, my sister shared the quilt top that I had assembled for our aunt as a lap robe as I wrote about in Hand Quilting back in the summer. When Aunt Marcella died we just let that project drop, or so I thought, but she had it quilted for me and I am now the proud owner of my aunt's lovely flower garden quilt.

Flower Garden blocks all assembled and quilted

Another great trip was put away but we have many happy memories. The four of us are planning our next trip with our campers, maybe not this coming summer but for the next year. Could I pack a sewing machine along with me? We shall see!

Free and No-So-Free

Last week I got a call from a friend asking if I wanted another free sewing machine. Of course I said yes because he hadn't sent over anything I couldn't handle... yet. Besides, if I couldn't fix it I knew what to do with it (parts, etc.). When it gets dropped off, here's what I see:

Table has seen better days!

Oh my, that's a pretty scratched up surface. Inside is a Japanese built JA-13 sewing machine, badged Universal, model KAT, that is dirty but the hand wheel turns so there is hope. Last night I was itching to get a look at it so I pulled the head out of the table and brought her inside. She is one dirty bird:

This photo doesn't do it justice but, trust me, this was grimy

Surface dirt is usually no problem so I take a look inside to find the bobbin case, hook, and ring all covered in a sticky substance. Although I'm not sure what was used, you can bet it was some type of oil that has now congealed into a sticky mess. Thank goodness sewing machine oil cleaned it right up and from there I see there are only a few other parts that got this treatment. Most of it is just dirt that is easily cleaned off with sewing machine oil. Everything is moving really nice until I check the feed dog drop:

Angled rod with bullet on end manages the feed dogs dropping

They don't drop. I work and work on them but I can't get them to move. The bullet and the arm are removed, cleaned further, manipulated, put back together, still no dropping. The hair dryer comes out and with heat applied I finally get movement but not what I need to call this fixed. I give up for now and put things back together but now when I start it up it binds. What? After another hour of adjustments and trying to find exactly where it is catching I have to walk away. Maybe tomorrow I will have a flash of insight.

While this sewing machine was free, I got a package from Missouri Star Quilters that was not free but a pretty good deal. Their enticement emails come on a daily basis and this time I fell prey to one of their deals: Amy Butler designs in a fat quarter bundle and a 10" square stack:

Surprise! Even a free template

They are gorgeous! The 10" squares are repeated so there are 23 different designs for a total of 42 squares but that makes it better for quilting projects. What are my plans? Let's just look at them for now and dream.

Last weekend I picked up a quilt kit from someone in my neck of the woods that I saw advertised and just loved the colors:

Leaf fabric has gold outlines for a rich quality

No plans to make it soon but looks like a nice fall into winter project. Who wants to sew fall colors when it's barely spring? Come September when I'm back with the quilters up north I will love having this project to work on. If I can add more colors to the borders to make it larger, that will be a plus.

Update: I went back to the Universal sewing machine last night and finally tried six different hooks until I found one that didn't rub.

If I only had an arrow to show which part is the hook!

 Everything got adjusted again and now she's sewing fine. It's not as quiet as a sewing machine like this can be but I think with a little TLC on the table and someone might find a decent mechanical machine at a bargain price!

Universal JA-13, model KAT

Stitch sample shows some skipped stitches so maybe it needs a new needle but not too bad for first try

She also comes with a nice set of accessories and the original manual. In the bottom of the accessory manual I found the original bill of sale from 1969: $195 plus tax in Minneapolis. What a deal!