Not much sewing....

There hasn't been much sewing going on here for weeks.  I was busy preparing for and attending the Missouri TOGA (FUN!!!). More importantly, I was busy cleaning and preparing for a visit from our grandbaby, Gwendolynn.

4 months old

Gwendolynn was only supposed to visit for 2 nights, but, she decided to stay for 8 days!  Woohoo!  I didn't know she was extending her visit until 3 days before she arrived.  My sewing room turned into a nursery.

cutting table as a changing table, floor space for the pack-n-play

A couple of hours before Gwendolynn arrived, I realized that I hadn't made a sheet for the pack-n-play.  Oops!  I quickly pulled out some of the fabric that I'd used for her Peter Pan quilt, and started stitching.

Peter Pan quilt

stitching velcro onto sheet

With an hour to spare, here is her new pack-n-play sheet.

pack-n-play sheet

Gwendolynn brought her mother, other grandmother and aunt to stay with us.  They drove down from Alaska.  (Sorry, it was so busy that I forgot to take pictures of everyone, other than Gwendolynn).

We had a busy week.  On Monday night, Gwendolynn came to visit my little quilt guild.  She brought mommy and her other grandmother along.  We had a fun time.

Gwendolynn and her other grandmother, at quilt guild

some of the ladies at quilt guild

We celebrate July 4th on July 3rd, since Plainfield has their fireworks on the 3rd.  Our church is a mile from where the fireworks are set off, so we have great seats on the church lawn.  The church has games and activities for the kids before the fireworks, and popcorn and glow sticks for everyone.

Here is Gwendolynn in her 4th of July outfit (I'm holding her).

photo bombed by one of the dogs

We went to Culver's for cheese curds and custard before the fireworks.  Gwendolynn slept with her new sunglasses on.

Gwendolynn and her entourage left for Virginia on the 4th, for a wedding this weekend.  They also have a family reunion in Tennessee later this month, where my son, his father in law and Gwendolynn's other uncle will join them.

When the reunion is over, all 7 of them will come back to my house for a week before they all head back to Alaska. (10 of us in the house for a week).

Before they come back, I have more cleaning to do and several projects to finish.  I'll also have the Michigan TOGA just before they get back to my house.

I took the last 2 days off to rest, but now I have to get busy while I have my sewing room available.  I have a baby quilt to finish...

blocks are made, waiting to be finished

a set of placemats to finish...

centers are made, lots left for these placemats

and I'm supposed to make a new high chair cover for them to take back with them to Alaska, along with several other things with due dates.  We'll see how much I get done.  At least the temps have finally dropped (and the humidity) for a few days. 

Are you getting any sewing done this July???

2018 Missouri TOGA

I drove to the Missouri TOGA this past week.  A TOGA is a Treadle On Gathering & Academy (get together for vintage sewing machine lovers & collectors).  No, we do NOT wear sheets and party like crazy college students (like in Animal House). 

The day before the TOGA started, those of us that came early drove to Mansfield, MO, where Laura Ingalls Wilders home is (the one she lived in till she died, not any of the ones from the books).  It is the home where she wrote her books. 

Laura Ingalls Wilder home

It was a fun day, with eating, the museum, shopping and friends, new and old.  One of the things I bought was a prairie dress, made by Thelma, who came to the TOGA on Friday.  I think it will be fun to wear this dress at some of my vintage sewing machine demo's.

Thelma (who made both dresses) and me

On Friday, the TOGA started.  We had some of the people at the TOGA on both days, and some that could only come on one of the days.

I taught a class on my pin cushion thread catchers on Friday morning.  After that class, I did a demo on how to convert an electric machine to a hand crank.

Friday at the TOGA

still getting set up

Susan teaching someone how to hand crank

Stephanie watching Dennis work on a machine

Beth and her daughter, working on a pin cushion thread catcher

Stephanie

Missy, our hostess with the raffle quilt behind her

On Saturday, I taught a class on sewing machine mats.  The penguin mat and pin cushion thread catcher were made as a gift for Missy (who didn't have any time to make anything, since she was running the TOGA).   There were other classes and demo's on both days, too.

paper piecing class

paper piecing class

Several of us brought quilts to display around the room.

some of Stephanie's bags and mini quilts

quilts displayed, and some machines for sale

We have a raffle table at all the TOGA's.  Money from the raffles pays for the venue and any expenses to hold the TOGA. 

raffle tables

raffle tables

Of course there are vintage machines at the TOGA.  I didn't get pictures of all of them, but, here are a few.  I forgot to take pictures of the machines that I brought.  I only brought 3 machines to this TOGA (and didn't come home with any 'new' machines for once).

After the TOGA ended on Saturday night, and after we'd all packed up, the TOGAteer's who stayed in town, went to eat BBQ.  Here are the last of the bunch.

Dan & Sarah

Stephanie

Scott & Susan

Susan & Missy

I didn't get pictures of the raffle table items I came home with, or the fabric, etc, that I bought on this trip (yes, Ava has a GREAT quilt store in town). 

There were people from Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Ohio at the TOGA. 

It was a Great TOGA!  I can't wait till next year!  If you are near Missouri, contact me, and come to the TOGA next summer.  

Sewing Machine Mat tutorial

Sewing Machine Mat tutorial:

sewing machine mat with directional fabric

sewing machine mat with decorative trim on pocket

Finished size: 25" x 19"
*You can make this mat to fit your machine.  Adjust for the size of your machine.  I made this to fit the base of a vintage sewing machine (3/4 size vintage machine shown in pictures).

Fabrics Needed:
28" wide x 22" tall - front of mat
28" wide x 22" tall - back of mat
28" wide x 22" tall - batting
25" wide x 8.5" tall - pocket
3 strips of 2.5" x WOF (width of fabric) - binding

Mat base:
Cut front, back and batting.  If you are using directional fabric PAY ATTENTION to wide vs. tall.  Layer and baste front, batting and backing.

basted mat base using directional fabrics

Quilt as desired.  *I like to do a simple crosshatch pattern, about 2.5" wide.  I mark the back of the mat, and quilt.

crosshatch pattern for quilting

After the mat base is quilted, trim to 25" wide x 19" tall.

Pocket:
Fold pocket fabric in half to make it 25" wide x 4.25" tall.  Find the 'center' of the pocket and draw a chalk line from the fold to the bottom.  Then find the middle of each side of the pocket, and draw chalk lines.

center of pocket fabric, draw chalk line

showing 3 chalk lines on pocket

With folded edge of pocket at the top, place pocket fabric along the bottom edge of the quilted mat.  Pin and stitch approximately 1/8" inch around sides and bottom of pocket fabric.

stitch 1/8" from edge

Stitch from bottom of chalk mark on pocket, to the top, then back to the bottom of the pocket.  Do this on all three chalk mark lines on the pocket.

pockets stitched

*I decided to get more creative on one of the mats, since both the base of the mat and the pocket were black fabrics.  I wanted the pocket to be easily seen.  Instead of just folding the pocket fabric in half,  I cut a slightly larger piece (easier than doing the math) and added a 1" strip of the binding fabric in the middle.  I folded the pocket along the top edge of the strip of fabric and then stitched in the ditch along the bottom edge of the strip of fabric.

stitching in the ditch along pocket trim

I then trimmed the pocket to 4.25" from the fold.

4.25" from top of fold

Binding:
Sew the 3 strips of binding together.  Iron in half, then bind the mat. *I like to sew the binding to the front of the mat then hand stitch the binding to the back of the mat.

Enjoy your new Sewing Machine Mat.  Wouldn't a matching Pin Cushion Thread Catcher go great with your new Sewing Machine Mat?

Sewing Machine Mat with matching Pin Cushion Thread Catcher

Sewing Machine Mat with matching Pin Cushion Thread Catcher

I have a tutorial for a Pin Cushion Thread Catcher, too.