A few things done

but not enough it seems to me….

June?!?!   Yeesh.

The 2 quilts are still at the machine quilters.  Wait – I know I showed the American Jane last post, did I ever show the pink/red/green “rose” quilt top?  Maybe not, I can’t even find any photos of it, odd, I could swear I took some.  They probably will not be done until end of the month.  Or did I tell the one quilter end of July would be fine?  Oh well, they are not gifts, and there is no need for them until winter anyway.  This time of year, the machine quilters around here are kept quite busy with graduation present quilts.

QOV #3 came back from quilting & I did the binding and turned it in for laundering and presentation.  QOV top #4 got turned in a few weeks ago for quilting, I don’t know if I’ll get it back to do the binding or if someone else will be doing it.  Here is QOV top #5,

Quilt tops DONE!

News from the sewing front –

The American Jane quilt top is DONE!  I wish I knew when I started it.  I got the pattern and jelly rolls and started sewing the blocks fairly quickly to the half hexagon stage.  Then they sat for a few years because I had no good place to lay them out.  Needless to say – I am so happy I made the design wall.  Any way, here’s the completed top, the colors are truest toward the bottom left –

In the last 2 months…

I’m not doing so great at the blogging again!   I had no idea it’s been 2 months again already.  I can see why so many formerly frequently posting bloggers are moving to Instagram.  A quick snap, a few lines, and hit a button.  I’m working on not over-thinking my writing, as that’s what takes so long for me to get something written.  The sewing one day every weekend is working well.  The house is suffering, but I’m getting sewing done.  Except this weekend, yesterday I HAD to buckle down and get my part of the tax stuff done, which I did, and turned the envelope over to DH to do his part.

OK, let’s see, where did I leave off at the last posting?

Didn’t think you’d hear from me so soon, did you!

WOOT!   I have an unexpected day off.  I got up, checked the weather and road conditions, and sent email to manager that I’d be in closer to noon-ish.  He emailed back work is closed?!  I never even thought to check the closures, they close so rarely.  Maybe 4 times in almost 40 years?

A bit of news on the sewing front…

Since the last post, here’s what I did the rest of the time I had off in January –

I heard back from Union Special, they said it’s an 1800AA or AG, for sewing bags, made in 1915.  Also attached to the reply were 3 files of manuals.  Sweet!  At first, when I saw “for sewing bags” I thought handbags, but then saw in the manual it’s for sewing things like feed, flower, sugar bags and such.  Now I can try and figure out what needles it needs.  Even if I only ever give it a spin or two by hand, it would be nice to see it actually make stitches.

Holiday sewing

Long time no write.  Again.

Let’s see, no progress cleaning up the Union Special, other than giving the wheel a turn or two now and then.  I did just email the company asking if they had any information about her.

I found the F & P design wall sheet, right out in the open on top of the steam press.  I did get a few yards of flannel to cover some insulation sheets, but still haven’t gotten those.  Hopefully this week.

Time Flies….

Well, that 2 months flew by!  I have gotten the QOV back from being quilted (a simple stars and squiggles all-over pattern), and got the binding on it.  Now to get it delivered tomorrow, or Wednesday, presentation is Nov. 19th.  After making this, the Necchi is ready for some oil and cleaning!

The Union Special is no longer frozen.  I had to move it, and just for the heck of it, tried to move the pulley wheel (where the belt would go, it’s definitely not easily moved by hand) and it moved about a quarter turn!  Turned it the other way and it moved a bit farther, and after a few attempts each direction, it finally turns completely.  It’s still stiff, but with some more oil and turning, I think it can be brought back to life.  Now to contact the company for information about needle, threading, and missing/broken parts availability.

Days Off Progress

I’ve been off work this week, using vacation days that must be used or lost by the end of the month.  As usual, I haven’t gotten nearly as much done as I planned.  One day had an unplanned excursion to Mt. Pleasant antique thresher & tractor show.  Now I can say I’ve been there.  The old machines were very cool (or rather very hot with all the wood smoke and steam), but LOTS of walking and noise.  At least it wasn’t too difficult to find a bench to sit on for a few minutes when my legs needed a break and it wasn’t 90+ degrees like it so often is.  Another day was lost to financial ponderings, I’m not too happy on this and will definitely let the money guy know!  The mystery Union Special machine has remained untouched, I’m beginning to think this one will be a candidate for a new home.

Mystery Machine

Here are photos of the mystery machine, found last summer, sitting outside, barely under an open roof area at an antique shop going out of business.  I waffled, walked away….what’s that I hear?!?!   A quiet cry “Don’t leave me! Pleeeeease don’t!”.  Sigh.  My thoughts interrupted by the owners comment of “half price!”   My resolve was sunk.

She’s filthy, I have done nothing to her, other than sit her on the floor in the sewing room, out of the weather. The only part that moves is the pressure foot will raise and the bed comes off, otherwise she’s locked up tight.  I see no markings, other than what is probably a serial number on the top arm which reads (115997).  Now that I have had the bed off for photos, I don’t see anything that would catch the thread to make the chain stitches, at least I’m assuming she’s a chain stitcher.  If not, there’s a whole lot more parts missing.  Edit: After taking photos, I realized there is a bottom piece that looks like a serger looper.

Slight sewing update

Three months?  Already?!?  Well, it doesn’t take long to fall off the posting routine, does it?  Especially when you really have no sewing or needlework progress to post about.  And I don’t want to come here whining about not sewing or stitching.  I’ve been on vacation from work this week, and got a grand total of ONE small item sewn so far.  I lost one whole day to financial crap, another day went to garden work.  Tomorrow I go to the quilt show in Muscatine, it is open on Saturday as well.  And I *have* spent 2 full days in the sewing room so far.

Here’s the completed project –