Empty Nest and Fun Finds

Well, I dropped my youngest off at college last week. 

messy dorm room

youngest son in new dorm room

We unloaded him on the 12th floor.  Only 2 of the 4 elevators were working when we arrived.  The forecast for the day was 106 degrees with high humidity.  We got there a few minutes after 8am, to try to beat the heat.  Using my rolling carts that I use for my treadles and other sewing machines, and lots of that wonderful industrial plastic wrap that businesses use to keep their products on pallets, we made it in 3 trips.  It only took 3 hours to get everything in his room.  Gee, and he thought mom was crazy for bringing the carts and plastic wrap, at least until we arrived, that is. 

I got to meet his new roommate and the roomie's parents.  All really nice people.  Youngest son has already been invited to spend some weekends at their home.  They are only 90 minutes away, while we are 735 miles away. 

Youngest son took the Kenmore sewing machine with him, and has already been asked by another young man in the dorm to help him mend some items when he has a chance.  He is also going to hem some curtains for his dorm window.  Over the summer, he worked on making a shirt as a Renaissance Fair costume.  He's made this shirt all by hand stitching, and without a pattern.  He just used a friends shirt as his 'pattern'. 

almost finished Renaissance Fair shirt

hand sewn French seams

hand stitched embroidery hem

I am one proud mama!  I still don't know how to sew clothes, and he has taught himself.  Cool!

I took 2 days to drive back home after I dropped him off.  With my feet and legs, I have to stop more often, so, I figured I'd stop at several antique malls that I've been passing for several years.  I was a good girl.  I didn't spend much on this trip.  I found lots of great things, but, I wasn't in a spending mood, thank goodness.  I did find several doilies at different locations.  I also found a Singer buttonholer in a 'Jetson's' case. 

Singer buttonholer in a 'Jetson' case

Now I have one of these in the green case.  I already had one in the pink case.  The pink case is for a slant shank machine (I don't own a slant shank machine, yet) and the green case is for a short shank machine (I have several of these machines).  I also found this great bag that the buttonholer is sitting on.  It is reproduction material with things on it from WWII.  Not sure what I'll do with it, but, for $1, I just couldn't pass it up.

The best thing I found was a box full of doilies and pieces of doilies.  There were patterns, cut from the newspaper, for several different doily tablecloths.

Box of doilies, patterns and extra's

patterns and extra yarn and wool

This whole box was only $7.50.  How could I go wrong?  There are several small doilies that I can use on my spool pins.  There is antique laces and bits and parts of pieces that I can use in a crazy quilt one day.  The lady's name and home town are written on the box top.  The patterns don't have a date on them, but, one of the doilies had a tiny piece of paper folded in it that has the date of 1941.  The newspaper clippings have a place you can send either $0.15 or $0.20 to get a pattern for each of these.  There are several of the doilies made to match several of these patterns. 

Oldest son is home this week.  He has one week between summer sessions and the fall session.  Oldest will be a senior in college this year.  He leaves on Friday, then we will be empty nesters officially. 

Oldest son and I stopped at a thrift store while out shopping for him, earlier this week.  Boy did I score!  I got this brand new Pfaff bag to carry my Janome table and my rulers and stuff.

Pfaff bag

inside of Pfaff bag, holding my Janome sewing table

I've been struggling with that table and my ruler bag and such for a long time.  I have a sew-in every Thursday, and it takes a balancing act to get everything inside the classroom.  Now that I have this bag, it should make it much easier to carry everything.  It even came with a carrying strap and handles.  There is a place on the back of the bag that will slip over the handle of my sewing machine rolling case. 

I also found a Greist zig zagger at the thrift store.  It even has the instructions with it.  Now I have 2 of these. 

Teapot Tuesday! and a special gift, too!

Elephant teapot

 It was a busy week, last week, but, I found time to go shopping between things.  I saw the elephant teapot at an antique shop next to my LQS last week.  My mother collects elephants, so I just had to have this teapot (no, she doesn't get this one).  I think I need to find some fun 'elephant' material to make a 'teapot' rug for it to sit on.

'Stratford' teapot (England)

 I found the Stratford teapot from England at a thrift store.  I see lots of teapots at thrift stores, but, I don't buy them very often.  This one I wanted.  It has more flowers on the back.  I can actually make 'tea' in both of these teapots, unlike some of the ones I find.  Anyone want a 'cuppa'? 

Greist Decorative Zigzagger

The last picture shows a 'Greist Decorative Zigzagger' that arrived in my mail box Monday.  Yvonne contacted me last week to see if I had found one of these yet.  She had one, and, sweet person that she is, she mailed it to me as a gift!  Isn't she sweet!?!  THANK YOU YVONNE!  There are 5 different 'discs' that make different decorative zigzag stitches. 

Later this week, I'll post about my weekend adventures.  Just wait until you see my ten cent quilts!  I still have to take pictures.