Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Some winnings and a fix

I won a magazine from the UK on NeedlesandLemons blog.  Judith has a pattern in this magazine, so they gave her an extra copy for a giveaway on her blog. 
Patchwork & Quilting magazine
Attached to the cover, on the bottom is a free pincushion kit.
free pincushion kit
The directions on how to make the pincushion are in the magazine.  Fun!  Now to show you Judith's quilt in the magazine.  It's actually a quilt and a changing pad (2 items) that she has listed together.
both of Judith's items
At quilt guild, earlier this month, I also won a magazine. I couldn't show it, since I loaned it to another member that evening (I was headed out of town for a TOGA, and wouldn't have time to read it for several days anyways).  Well, Jen had it back to me at the guild sew-in on Saturday.
Generation Q magazine
At the guild sew-in on Saturday, I got lots done.  I finished a quilt top for my Aunt.
Pat's quilt top
It's hard to tell in the picture, but, it's oriental fabric.  My Aunt's apartment is decorated with lots of oriental items, since she and my Uncle spent several years stationed in Thailand.  I started cutting the fabric on July 23rd, and finished the quilt top on July 26th.  Not bad. 

I wanted to show you my friend, Marilyn's quilt top that she finished at the sew-in.
Marilyn's quilt top
No, the dresses are NOT appliqued on, it was a panel. 

I've also started a set of quilts for my youngest son.  He couldn't take much with him when he moved to Alaska last December.  He did take his quilt.  He's wanted something for his walls.  Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle were at one of my guilds back in February.  I loved their pattern for 'Birds on a Wire'. I'm not a much of a 'modern' fan, but, I could see me making this set of quilts.  Well, I finally got started on them this past week.  I'm not following the pattern (my usual style) but, doing it 'my way' instead.  Patterns like that tend to call for FM quilting, and, I don't do FM quilting (yet).  I can do straight line machine quilting.  I decided that I needed to quilt the quilts before I added the birds, then just machine stitch around the edges of the birds.  I chose raw edge fusible instead of the applique from the book.  Well, for some reason, after I stitched the straight lines on the first quilt (and was half way thru quilting the second quilt) I noticed that the quilt had terrible puckers.  OH NO!!! 
Oops quilting
Usually, when I machine quilt, I spray baste and pin baste.  This time I just pin basted.  Also, I used a different type of batting, that I've never used before, and, my top and bottom layers 'walked' with the walking foot, evidently.  No way to 'iron' this mess out.
I've spent over half the day with my seam ripper, on both of these tops.  I took out every other line of stitching.  Woohoo!  Now check out this quilt.
fixed quilting
It all lays nice and flat now.  I still need to finish the last 1/3rd of the quilting on the second quilt, so that I can add the birds, and stitch them down.  Hopefully that will get done tomorrow.



Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Goodies!

I didn't post about any of the goodies I got at the Oxford Ohio TOGA, but, I did get some pictures of some of the goodies I got in Michigan.  I got to Battle Creek, MI early on Friday, and stopped at many of the local thrift stores.  Lots of fabrics, and, the most expensive piece was $1.99 (about 4 yards). 

about 10-11 yards of fabrics
I also found a complete set of cams for some unknown machine.  There isn't a name on the box or the cams. 
set of 30 cams
I also picked up a few patterns.
3 patterns


I got several great items from the TOGA raffle.  I REALLY wanted the orange bag.  I took 3 different free motion quilting classes several years ago, long before I started collecting vintage sewing machines.  It just didn't 'take' with me at that time.  Well, for the past year or so, I've been thinking that I need to try free motion again, but, with my vintage machines (maybe a treadle).  That is why I wanted the orange bag on the raffle table.  Check out all the goodies inside.
The Frugal Free Motion Quilting Kit

what was in the kit
One of the other ladies was teasing me that she wanted the chocolates that were in the bag, so I gave them to her.  I love chocolate, but, I prefer the 'cheaper' brands (Hershey's, etc) vs. the 'expensive' chocolates. 

I got quite a few magazines and quilting books, etc.
stack of quilting magazines, books, etc.
Here are a few of the other goodies I snatched.
BOM patterns (some with the fabrics)

quilted quilt center (I'm thinking this will become a machine cover)

Greist button hole maker

cute lapel pin

this might get used in a wedding next May......

Before I left for the Michigan TOGA, I won a quilting magazine over at Jean's blog.
magazine I won
Jean wrote one of the patterns in this magazine.
Jean's pattern
I'm already planning on using another of Jean's patterns for my son's wedding quilt. 
Thanks Jean!


Monday, July 21, 2014

Michigan TOGA!

TOGA (Treadle On Gathering & Academy)

Another TOGA!  I've wanted to attend the Michigan TOGA for a few years now, and this year, I finally got to attend.  Another weekend of vintage sewing machine overload.

Here are some of Sharon's (the hostess) machines.

1866-67 Wheeler & Wilson #4



working child's treadle

some of Sharon's vintage iron collection

1910 Minnesota C treadle (this one is in the bathroom)


1915 Singer 66 'Lotus' treadle


approx. 1865 Florence treadle (love the foot pedal)


1958 Singer 185J


Wilcox & Gibbs chainstitch treadle


Singer's

American #7 treadle


1872 Elias Howe model #7 treadle


oops, can't read my notes on this one


lovely hand crank machine

Singer treadle


Singer 301A LBOW in a cabinet


oops, another fiddlebase that I can't read my notes on


1917 Singer 66 treadle
 Next are some display cases in her sewing room.

toy machines and other sewing collectables

thimble shelf #1

thimble shelf #2
Here are more machines in her basement.
1876 Domestic high arm treadle


1880-1900 Climax Vibrating Shuttle made by New Home
Here are more of her machines in her sewing room and basement.

table full of lovely machines, including toy machines

some of her collection of sewing items

some of the toy machines

Betsy Ross toy machine

1872 Grover and Baker #8


Davis treadle


1852? Wheeler & Wilson #5 treadle


1876 Wheeler & Wilson #8


1882-1892 Wheeler & Wilson #9


1904 Singer 27


1885-1906 Household fiddle base treadle


more machines on the table in her sewing room

 Most of the next set of pictures show machines that were for sale, in the garage.

1920's Brunswick treadle


large table full of machines for sale

some of Sandra's parts for sale

more machines for sale

Ruby treadle for sale

Singer 15 treadle for sale

1901 Singer 127 for sale


White treadle for sale

another White treadle for sale

still another White treadle for sale

cute fiddlebase for sale

Singer 9W for sale
 Now for some of the TOGA attenders.

Sandra, Tina & Shar

Esther, Beth & Roberta

Tom & Jan

Tina, Beth & Sue

Esther, Shar, Mary Beth, Tom & Jan, ? & Sandra

Sharon, our hostess
Here is the raffle table.
raffle table full of goodies
No TOGA would be complete without exchange blocks.  Here are the people who participated, and the block they made.
Roberta

Sue

Beth

Carol (our other hostess)

Sharon, our hostess

me
On Sunday morning, those that were still in town met back at Sharon's for breakfast.
Carol, Sharon & me

Carol, Sandra, Sharon and Sue

I'll save my 'goodies' I got on this trip for another post, since there are already so many pictures in this post.

AND, I was a good girl at BOTH TOGA's.  I didn't bring home a machine from either TOGA, but I did get the tension fixed on 2 of my machines.  Thanks ladies for all the help!