Late Design Wall, etc.

I am very late in posting today. My design wall hasn’t changed since last week because I seem to have either not been sewing or I have been shoved off in another direction.

I got my “new” featherweight back this week and doesn’t she look great!

As I thought she only needed a few minor repairs to the electrical wiring and she is as good as new. So I spent some time setting up my paper piecing area and began relearning how to do it.

My first problem was that I needed to learn how to use this machine. I threaded it wrong and had to go online to find a picture of how the thread goes on this machine. Of course it is different from the machines I have! And I actually have to stick my head down in that little space to thread the needle, from the inside out. But we got her done.

The next learning part was the foot pedal.

You don’t just push down on it like I am used to, oh, no! You place your foot on the solid knob (right) and then twist or rotate your foot to press down on the button (left). That takes some getting used to.

But the hardest part of this machine is that when I reach up to touch the thread cutting button, it is not there. Every machine I have, except the HQ, cuts the thread, so I have reached for that darn button every time I need to cut the thread.

However, I did get 1/4^th of my first block done, and this will be my “design table” for this week.

This will be a Carol Doak Radiant Star block, when the other three parts are done. And all I can say is that I am glad I like paper piecing because this was not easy. It’s not the pattern’s fault, it is definitely the sewer’s. I made almost every mistake that could be made but I am remembering and will do better on the next one. And, maybe, by January I will have this block made….ya think?

Yikes, it's Design Wall Monday again

Well, another week has passed and here we are again, Design Wall Monday. And since nothing has been on my design wall all week, I decided I better get something up there that I plan to work on. So, this is my new UFO project.

These are swap blocks that have been sitting on a shelf for at least the past 18 months. Saturday night I worked on a plan for them (see the center of the wall) and Sunday I put them up so I could look at them: hadn’t seen them for quite a while. This week I will have to start looking for coordinating fabrics and figure out how to do that very large Dresden plate. I was thinking about putting either an applique or embroidery in the center of it.

What I have been working on is Christmas: I am very pleased with what I am doing but can’t show it yet. What I can show is some of how I am able to get it done. Does anyone remember the towel holder I used to hold my bias stems? And the strips for Going Dotty? Well, now it is being used to hold my cut fabric pieces.

I have had trouble carrying the cut pieces from the cutting table to the sewing machine (two different rooms) while keeping them in order. So, I cut an old cutting mat in half and duck tapped them back together, making a kind of book. I can lay the pieces on the inside and then cover them and everything stays in place.

However, once I get to the sewing machine the fan in the room wants to blow them all over. So, I use my towel rack to hold the top of the holder thus keeping the fan away from the fabric pieces.

See how I can keep it from moving either way?

I am really proud of this invention and how versatile my towel holder has been.

I did spend a little money last weekend.

I found this at an antique/flea market place for almost nothing. When I plug it in no electricity happens so it is going to a Singer repair place today and he thinks that it is just a cord problem. The machine doesn’t look like it was much used: no scratches, the gold etching is perfect, and I am really excited. I have never used a featherweight but I am anxious to try.

And one more thing. Do you remember the cat my dog chased up a tree? Well, she and her two sisters have been visiting and the little calico has become very friendly.

The other two still run when we come around but that’s ok since we don’t really need pets but if they want to take care of any vermin living in the fields around us.

Be sure to visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are working on.