Thursday

This is just a quickie post about today. 

Today was my regular 'sew-in' day at the local quilt store.  I didn't get any stitching done, but, I got lots of cutting done. 

When I got home, my son said he needed me to make him something before I left town for the Michigan TOGA in the morning (nothing like a last minute project).  He wanted me to make a holder for his ipod speakers,that fit over the headrest of his car seat, so that he would be able to hear his audio books over the road noise in his car, when he takes a trip later this month.  Sure, quick project.

Here is what he wanted.  He and I put this together in about an hour. 

front of headrest speaker holder

back of headrest speaker holder

Not bad for an hour's time.  My son had to finish the last 2 straps himself.  We used my 1914 Singer 66 with the Lotus decals.  This is the first thing I've made on that machine.

1914 Singer 66 (Lotus)

My son had never used a sewing machine before.  He did his stitching while I was at quilt guild. 

At quilt guild tonight, Victoria Findlay-Wolfe was our speaker.  Sorry about the bad pictures, it was my camera's fault. 

She did a great lecture on her 15 minutes of play book, and some of her other quilts.  I'll miss her workshop tomorrow, since I'll be headed to the Michigan TOGA. 

Gotta go finish packing!

Ohio TOGA

TOGA (Treadle On Gathering & Academy)

I finally got to attend the TOGA (think treadle and hand crank users get together) in Ohio last weekend.  I've been a member of the group for a few years now, but, I've always had something else going on, and couldn't attend.  Well, this year I got to go!  Woohoo!

I started the weekend off by visiting my aunt in Dayton.  I hadn't been to Dayton in about 39 years.  Way past time for me to get there again.  We had a nice visit on Friday.

Saturday morning I headed south to Oxford, Ohio.  Talk about sewing machine heaven.....

Linda, our hostess has the most amazing collection of machines.  I have a few pictures for you, but, know that I did NOT take pictures of all of her machines. 

1863 Florence treadle with reverse

1871 Singer 12 New Family treadle

Davis High Arm treadle

1876+ Howe treadle

1869 Singer 12 New Family

1899 Singer 24 chainstitch treadle

1869 Wheeler & Wilson treadle

look at the cool treadle pedal on this machine

some of her toy machines

1909 Wilcox & Gibbs chainstitch treadle

Those were just some of the machines on the first floor.  Oh my!!!

Now to the second floor....

1895 Ideal child's treadle at the top of the landing

 The next few pictures are all of Linda's sewing room.

as you enter the door to her sewing room

more lovely machines

some hand crank machines

another corner of the sewing room (with her design wall)

the corner by the entry door

As if that wasn't enough to drool over, the next picture shows Linda's 'stash' and ruler room.  Oh to have a whole room to hold my stash.....

stash and ruler room

Yes, there was just as much stash on the other side of the room that I didn't take a picture of. 

Now to pictures of all the raffle items.  Everyone who comes to the TOGA brings items to put in the raffle.  We get tickets, and get to pick items as our ticket is called.  Everyone had IKEA bags to carry all the items they got in the raffle.

there is a window seat behind the pool table, that is also full of items

items were still being put out when I took these pictures

 There were tables for all the TOGA attenders, too.

signing exchange blocks (more treadles in the background)

more treadles in the background

more togateers

The raffle, and the main part of the TOGA were held in the basement (did you see more treadles scattered all over?)  Well, Linda also has a small work room full of machines.

more machines in the work room

other end of the work room (machine parts are in the cabinets)

There was also a block exchange at the TOGA.  Oops!  I forgot to take a picture of the block I made.  Here are the blocks I received, each with the person who made the block.  All the blocks have to be made on either a treadle or hand crank machine.

Di and her block

Sally and her block

Jan and her block

Robin and her block

Jo Ann and her block

Joe and his block

Linda (our hostess) and her block

Susan and her block

I also didn't get pictures of all my raffle 'loot'.  Oh well.

Guess what?  There is another TOGA this weekend.  This time in Michigan.  Guess where I'm headed on Friday?

July is roaring in with a bang!

Not much good is happening here the past week or so. 

On Monday, June 30th, 8 F1 tornadoes roared thru the Chicagoland area.  None hit where I live, but, we did lose power for 4 hours.  Others lost power for days (thru Friday, I last heard). 

We did have a nice parade on the 4th of July.  I drove the barbershop chorus in the parade again (sorry, no pictures). 

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, hubby got an extreme muscle cramp in his thigh (very strange place to get a leg cramp), and the pain was so bad that he passed out.  He hit the door in our powder room so hard, that it left a hole in the wall, well over 1/4" deep.  We spent until Monday evening in the hospital, having tests done to make sure he is fine.  The cardiologist said he 'rocked' his exercise stress test, and cleared him completely. 

When we finally got home Monday evening, we found that our a/c was out.  I'm waiting for the repairman now (and missing a funeral because of it). 

NOT a good start to the month! 

I did get the last of the binding stitched down on the wedding quilt (and read some books) while waiting at the hospital. 

I hope your month has started off MUCH better than our month has. 

June Updates

It doesn't look like much, but, I did get lots done in June.

I made 3 purses.

for my future daugher-in-law

for Michelle

for Betty

I also have a NewFO for June.  I started this quilt on June 5th.  I cheated, and put the motor on my 1959 Singer Spartan, instead of using the hand crank.  This is the first time I've used the motor on this machine since I brought it home.  I really needed to get this quilt finished quickly. 

1959 Singer Spartan with the motor attached

This quilt is finished, including straight line quilting, except for a small bit of hand stitching on the binding (that part will be done before the weekend is over).

label for the quilt

back of the quilt, showing the machine stitching

front corner of the quilt, showing the machine quilting

and here is the quilt with the binding stitched to the front (not stitched down in the back).

Oliver and Chelsea's wedding quilt

The wedding isn't until July 14th, so, for once, I'm ahead of schedule on a project.  Woohoo!  This is the same double 4 patch block that I used for the beginning quilting class I taught the last few months.

I also made 4 blocks for Missy's uncle's cancer quilt.

4 9-patch blocks

Please pray for Missy's uncle.  His tumor is growing, not shrinking. 

I do have another project that I've spent several hours on this month, but, I don't have any pictures of it at this point.  I'll show it when it is finally done.  Applique is s-l-o-w going.  

Update on my Comcast emails:
Well, despite calling Comcast 3 different times this week, I still haven't gotten a call back or my 3 months of emails.  Grrr!!!!!  Hubby and I both have spent hours on the phone this week with them. 

Grrr!!!

Comcast deleted the last 3 months of my emails in my inbox on Sunday.  If you have sent me something during the past bit, and I have not responded to you, then please resend.  I've been trying (unsuccessfully so far) to get my emails restored. 

Quilts of Valor

Tuesday was our sew-in at Sewing, Etc, in Yorkville, IL.  Several quilt tops were turned in, to be quilted.  Most of these tops were from the May sew-in.  Several are the same pattern. 

top #1

top #2

Dorothy made this top

top #3

top #4

Donna made this top

another top that came in

I have been busy, I just don't have any pictures of what I've been working on.  The wedding quilt is pin basted, and waiting for me to figure out what machine I'm going to quilt it on.