Book Review

This is my book review for 'A Tapestry of Secrets' by Sarah Loudin Thomas

I received this book a day before I left for Alaska, so, I didn't get a chance to start reading it until after I got back home.  I've been so busy in my sewing room, that I really haven't had much time for reading lately :(

I enjoyed this book.  It is about 2 ladies, a grandmother and her granddaughter.  One has a secret, and wants to tell it, but, can't, and the other needs to figure out what she really wants for her life.  The book is full of family and faith.  It also covers almost a whole year of the family's life. 

Sarah Loudin Thomas has also written 2 other books about this family, and has a downloadable book about a 3rd member.  I think I'll check out her other books.


*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Bear Paw Quilt Along

I decided to join the Bear Paw QAL, over at Sew Fresh Quilts.  

This is only the 2nd week, so, there is plenty of time to join.  This is the schedule.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As each post is published the live links will be added to the schedule.


September 3: Introduction and Fabric Requirements

September 10: Cutting Instructions

September 17: Constructing the Bear Paw blocks



------------------------ Two Week Break for Bear Paw block construction -------------------------------



October 1: Constructing the Big Bear blocks



------------------------ Two Week Break for Big Bear block construction -------------------------------

October 15: Long Sashing Instructions

October 22: Bear Print Border blocks

October 29: Quilt Assembly

------------------- One Month Break for Quilt Top Assembly, Quilting & Binding --------------------------


November 26: MOD Bear Paw "SHOW it OFF!" never ending linky party begins

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my fabric choices

On Saturday, I bought my fabric.  I knew I didn't have enough browns in my stash to make this quilt, and, I didn't want to make it scrappy.  I really liked the fabrics that the designer used in her first quilt (Shimmer by Northcott) and, I knew just where I could get them.  Sewing, Etc., in Yorkville, IL sells this line. 

I haven't started cutting yet.  I'm really busy the next 2 weeks, so, we'll see how much I get done.
 

I Finished a UFO

Way back in July 2014, I made a quilt top for my Aunt Pat.   I decided to make it after I visited her on the way to the Oxford Ohio TOGA (Treadle On Gathering and Academy) that July.  The top was made in about 2 days.  Problem is, that it sat, and sat, and sat, waiting to be quilted.  I'd even made the binding for the quilt (faux piping binding). 

Well, in August, when I picked up the 2 Family Reunion quilts, that I had quilted in LaSalle, IL, at Quilting in the Valley, I dropped off Aunt Pat's quilt, to be quilted.  Their prices are great, and the quilting is nice, too.

Well, I picked up Pat's quilt last week, and, today I got the binding on the quilt.  Woohoo!  After 2 years, this quilt is DONE!

Aunt Pat's quilt

up close of the blocks

I even stitched the label on the back.

label and backing fabric

I used the faux piping binding on this quilt.  There is a great tutorial here.

faux piping binding

Hubby built me a quilt stand out of PVC pipe.  This was my first chance to try it out.

PVC pipe quilt stand

Hubby made it large, so, it takes 2 people to put it up and attach the quilt.  I may get him to cut me some shorter pieces, for smaller quilts.  I can use this at demo's.  It's not real steady (the wind wanted to blow the quilt over, while it was on the stand), but, it will be great for indoors. 

I had to stop working on my 1881 Singer 12 treadle base, since it's been so hot and humid.  I finally got some work done on it this past week.  Most of it is glued back together now (some still left to glue), and, I finally got to put some of the stain on the base.  I still need to stain the top of the treadle base (hard to stain both sides at once).

top drawer 'before' staining, bottom drawer after staining

after staining (coffin top, still needs work)

after staining (drawer area)

This treadle is almost done, thank goodness.  I'm hoping to take it to the Lyon's Farm Fall Festival September 24-25, 2016.    I've done demo's at this Festival several times over the past few years.  I'm still trying to figure out what machines to take, and what to work on that weekend.  If you are near the western suburbs of Chicago that weekend, please come and stitch with me (I'll have lots of machines for you to use).

National Sewing Month, Block Exchanges & Gene Wilder

September is National Sewing Month.  Ronald Reagan established it back in 1982.  Also, Saturday, September 10th is the 2nd National Sewing Machine day this year.  This is a month to CELEBRATE!

I've been busy sewing Treadle On Block Exchange (TOBE) blocks this past month.  The first exchange is the 2016 Fall Basic TOBE.  They chose 4 patch blocks this time.  There is always an easy block, twice a year, so that those who haven't sewn before, or don't quilt, can participate.  8 blocks is a set, and the max amount of sets is 4.  Of course, I made 4 sets of blocks, using 2 different machines.  All these blocks must be made on either a treadle or a hand crank.  I chose sewing themed fabrics for this exchange.

I'm also in the advanced block exchange.  This year it is a Batik Star TOBE.  I chose two different paper pieced blocks.  A set is 12 blocks with a max of 2 sets.  I used 2 different machines, one for each set.

Nell's Block

1914 Singer 66 hand crank (Lotus decals)

Perfect 9-Patch Wonky Stars

1927 Singer 15 hand crank (Gingerbread decals)

I finished these blocks while watching some Gene Wilder movies.  It was sad to lose Gene this week.  His movies celebrated milestones in my life.  The first movie I ever got to go to without my parents was Willie Wonka.  There was a matinee at our theater, with games and prizes and lots of fun.

My first 'date movie' was Young Frankenstein, when I was 13.

Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein

We'll miss you, Gene!

Wheeler & Wilson #8

I got my first Wheeler & Wilson sewing machine.  

The story of this machine started on July 21st, when someone put a Wheeler & Wilson #8 flyer on the freebie table at quilt guild.  

Wheeler & Wilson #8 flyer (front cover)

inside pages (check out those prices)

back and front covers

 Any time a collector finds something that goes to a machine that they don't already have in their collection, we refer to it as 'bait'.  Well, I guess this was my 'bait' for a Wheeler & Wilson #8.  

Two days later, hubby and I drove to LaSalle, IL, to visit a quilt shop and drop off both Family Reunion quilts, to be quilted.  We checked out a couple of the other shops downtown, and, I spied this Wheeler & Wilson machine.  I knew that a part was broken off the machine, and, it was in a base, but, it didn't have a hand crank, so, I didn't know if it was worth the price.  I took a couple of pictures so that I could send them to a friend who runs the Wheeler & Wilson online group.  The broken part wasn't a big deal (it's the corner where the stitch length lever is located), and, the machine was probably a treadle, but, not a hand crank (hand cranks for these machines are not easy to find).  I decided to get the machine anyway, as I could always use it as a display machine if I couldn't figure out how to make it work.

I called the shop, paid for the machine, and told them I couldn't pick it up until after I got home from Alaska.  A friend and I went a couple of days after I got home, and picked up the machine and the quilts.

Wheeler & Wilson #8 (before cleaning)

broken piece

broken piece, just laid in place

 I haven't had time to play with this machine until today.  I've been busy prepping and sewing, and prepping and sewing and prepping and sewing (lots of paper piecing here). 

Today, not only did I clean the machine, but, I did some research, too.  So far, we've narrowed down the date for this machine to somewhere after Aug 1878 (last patented date listed on the machine) and before 1885.  Miller (who co-runs the Wheeler & Wilson group) is hoping to get me a more exact date soon.  

I had gotten some extra bobbins, hoping that they would fit this machine, but, they are almost twice as wide as the bobbin from this machine.

bobbin from this machine on left, other W&W bobbin on the right

 Miller things that someone built the wooden base for this machine as a display base.  Most Wheeler & Wilson #8 machines came in a treadle, and, this one was most likely a treadle, too.  The hand cranks I've seen pictures of, all have a geared hand wheel.  

I wasn't going to clean this machine today, but, I couldn't read the slide plate, where the serial number and the patented info was listed. 

before cleaning

after cleaning

 Once I got started, I just couldn't stop cleaning until it was done.  The shiny metal parts on this machine weren't shiny at all.  Most were dark brown or black, from old oil.  It took a long time to clean all that old oil off.  Here is a before cleaning, and some after cleaning photos.

before cleaning

after cleaning

 

before cleaning

 

after cleaning (sorry, the photo turned itself, and I can't correct it)

Can you see the foot in the picture above?  It has a glass insert on the foot.  That is a cool thing on Wheeler & Wilson machines. 

Before I started cleaning, I couldn't figure out how to get the bobbin case out of the machine.  My son thought that the lever was broken on the bobbin case area.  Miller confirmed this.  While cleaning, I accidentally snapped what was left of the lever piece, and now the bobbin case won't stay in the machine.  Since parts are rare, this will be a display machine, for sure.

This is one of my oldest machines.  My oldest is my Willcox & Gibbs (1880) 

1880 Willcox & Gibbs chainstitch hand crank

and my second oldest is my Singer 12 treadle (1881),

1881 Singer 12 treadle

I started cleaning up the Singer 12 treadle, but, had to stop because of the sweltering heat we had last month.  I finally got some of the last sanding done this week, and hubby is helping me to glue several parts of this before I stain the base. 

Wego Quiltin' Purse Class

On Saturday, my little quilt guild had a purse class.  We had 10 ladies in attendance (over half the guild).  It took us about 5-6 hours to make our purses.  I didn't get pictures of all the finished purses, but, I did get some pictures.

This is Jo.  She was our teacher and also our hostess.  She has a great place for everyone to gather and stitch.  We had 3 ironing boards set up, cutting tables, lots of tables for our machines, along with a kitchen.  

Jo, our teacher

Janet makes lots and lots of purses.  She was finished first.  Janet added some 'extra's' to her purse (faux piping along the trim and pocket).

Janet

up close of Janet's purse with faux piping accents

Phyllis has made this purse before.  She was also adding some 'extra's' to her purse.

Phyllis

Phyllis' purse, with accents on the accent strip and the pocket

Here are some of the other ladies with their purses.

Marilyn, stitching on her purse

Marilyn's finished purse

Jeanette and Emily working on their purses

Sue, trimming the last piece for her purse zipper

Sue and her finished purse

Jo has LOTS of beads, and thought we all should add some bead bling to our zippers.

Jo's bead closet

Jo, stringing beads for my purse zipper

Here is my finished purse.  I used the fabric that my daughter in law helped me to pick out in Alaska last week.

My finished purse

bead bling for my zipper

I hand stitched to lining closed yesterday afternoon. 

This was a fun project, but, I don't know how well I'd have done without Jo being there to help (I wasn't the only one).  I'll make this purse again.  I love that I didn't have to pre-quilt the fabrics, like the other purse I make. 

I used my purple Featherweight, Betty Sue, to make this purse.  Sorry, I should have turned the light off before taking the picture (I always forget that).

1939 Singer Featherweight (221) 'Betty Sue'

Have you made any purses?  Were they easy for you, or hard?  I'm not good at following pattern directions.  I'm a 'visual' person.  Give me lots of pictures.  I took lots of pictures as I made each part, so that next time, it will be easier for me, since Jo won't be there, helping with each step.