Have a nice, cozy, yummy and creepy night friends! We are busy rushing about this evening. Getting pumpkins carved, pumpkin seeds roasted, costumes assembled... Whew! I don't have any costume pictures for you yet. But if you'd like, please take a stroll back in time to here. It still cracks me up every time. Can't wait to show you what we cooked up to humiliate her this year. Stay tuned friends, there's nothing like the look of embarrassment on a dachshunds face.
Merry Halloween! x
... there was a shiny new sewing machine. Fresh out of the Elizabeth, NJ factory in 1923. She was a sturdy gal, and ever so lovely. She was powered by a treadle, and was always reliable while mothers made clothes for daughters, and patient while little girls spent hours learning to sew. She was loved for many years and was brought from house to house and even traveled all the way across the country. She was happily handed down to grown up daughters.
When this precious sewing machine was about 50 years old, she was sold to a new family. She would miss the kind family that she was used to, but bravely moved on and did her job proudly.
As the years went by, she seemed to spend more of her time sitting quietly in the background, and was used less and less. Finally she was replaced all together by modern electric machines. Each year she continued to gather dust, dirt and spiderwebs. She wasn't so shiny and lovely anymore, but she didn't care too much about that. What she really longed for was to sew, to be useful again.
Then one foggy fall day she found herself in the back of a car! She was being moved again after all of these years.
She was set in a special spot in a warm sewing room, and her new owner got to work, carefully scrubbing her clean. She was beginning to feel like herself again. Even her wood was polished, and each gear carefully oiled. There was something familiar about her new owner, she reminded her of her first family. She couldn't believe she was being fussed over so! And then it happened... she began to sew, happily purring along with every perfect stitch. She was home.
Please say hello to my new sewing machine my friends! I am over the moon. I still can't believe how she came to be mine. Not too horribly long ago my family was visiting an old church in our little town. It's not our church, but the one that my grandparents belonged to when I was a baby, before they moved from Oregon to Texas. While we were there a kind old woman came over to say hello, and in conversation I told her who my grandparents were. She fondly remembered them and then she asked me a question.
"I have your grandmother's old treadle sewing machine, would you like to have it?" ---
I can't believe it, after more than 30 years of selling the old machine, that has been in my family ever since my mom can remember, and that could have been gone forever, is in my sewing room. My great-grandma Martha's machine. The very machine that my mother, and probably her mother, used to learn to sew on. My mom was so exited when I told her. She can't wait to see it.
It's got an electric light on the back. Ooh so fancy! The plug was all smooshed so my sweet husband got right to work and attached a new plug for me. Good as new!
She really does have perfect stitches! My little girls even took her for a spin. They told me that this is the only machine they want to sew on from now on!!... Unless they get a Hello Kitty sewing machine... of course.
There are even left overs in the drawers! And some CRAZY looking feet. I vow to learn what the french toast they are for, and how to use them.
Can you tell that I'm beaming? While playing with my great-grandSinger I came up with a little idea. I like being able to have patterns for whatever project I'm working on up and out of the way of my work space, but so I can still see them while I'm working. So this idea popped into my head this morning.
Take one old wash board, (thanks mom!!) and some pretty magnets, and voila!
Enough pictures for ya? Admitting I have a problem is the first step...
I can't stop myself. Here's one for the road.
Thank you all so much for spending a little bit of your day with me! I'm hoping to crawl out of my 'I'm really far behind on everything and can't seem to catch up' hole and get caught up on all of your fabulous blogs this weekend.
That, and do some old school sewing on my new machine. Really it's not mine, it belongs to the wonderful women in my family, past and future. I'm just thankful she made it back to us, and that I get to be her caretaker for awhile. x
First of all, my bread was smiling at me last night.
Yes my friends, this is the sort of thing that cracks me up. Only I can't show you how I carried it around to my family making it talk and sing... Then my kids wanted to know which grilled cheese sandwich had the face on it because they didn't want to eat that one. Moving on.
I know my poor blog is feeling lonely and neglected as I try to get myself into a nice life/blogging groove this fall. So I decided to walk around and snap a few pictures of my early morning to do a little post. I have to be quick since my girlies use the computers for their school! Here's my living room, notice the Halloween quilt on the little couch! I was SO happy to get this out of the closet and onto the couch. Especially since it was 35 degrees outside as we awoke this morning!
Next I was double happy to light the fire. Nice and cozy. Please notice the tape covering the top of the stove. That is to keep the cat off. He loves laying up there. Which seems cute, but then cleaning off all of the crap that tends to fly off his furry body as he cleans himself up there isn't so cute. But does the tape work? He doesn't lay on it, but he's an expert at walking through the sea of tape very carefully. It's his gift.
Next, couch with stuff all over it. After I cleaned off most of the stuff for fear of embarrassment. I blame the kids.
What state is my sewing room in this morning? It might frighten you, but we're friends so I don't think you'll mind too much. Don't shake your head at me ok?
Oh dear it's a mess. Stuff everywhere.
Here we have a quilted quilt, some slipper parts, a quilt waiting to be quilted, an enamel dish full of old hankies, and a stack of fabric to make bunting out of.
Each one of these above are $1 and $2 a yard Walmart fabrics. I love these cheap little hussies.
Trying to figure out what to do with all of these lovely hankies that my mama gave me. She also gave me the gorgeous enamelware plate/platter that was her grandma's. It's so lovely.
Here's the sleepy princess in the dark who doesn't want to get out of bed on this cold morning.
And now, the kitchen table, that I must clean off to get ready for school, which will start at precisely 8:30 this morning.
After taking a look at my scary sewing room, I hope to get back in there this evening to give it a stern talking to. It really should take better care of itself.
Happy Fall to you all. x
(The Montana pictures are coming soon mom!!)
Homemade slippers, with wool insides. And with yo-yos and buttons of course.
So do you need some new dainty slippers this autumn? I dare think that you do. I made a pair for my sweet mom, and this pair here for my liebe Freundin Sabine. I have grand plans for a pretty basket by my front door full slippers in beautiful fabrics.
These are another wonderful project from this book.
Now, how about some more of my Montana trip pictures. We'll start with Idaho. We stopped at the Cataldo Mission. It claims to be the oldest building in Idaho. And it left me speechless. It's gorgeous. Prepare yourself, lot's of pictures ahead. So out of character for me!! Not.
Look at the wallpaper. It's made out of fabric. Here's a closer look.
It was such a beautiful place inside and out. On the next installment of the Montana trip pictures, I'll actually have pictures of Montana! Imagine that. x
No I'm not giving away Roseanne. But she was the inspiration for these little stuffies. Just finished to send to two special little girls. Here's what they looked like as I stitched yesterday during my girls' school lessons.
I had such fun making these! I like projects that change as you go along. Pattern tracing, then sewing, then cutting out and stuffing. Then stitching and attaching body parts.... you know, stuff like that. And it's a good thing I liked making these because my girls have two more on order.
I love button joints, especially when they use old buttons fished out of a jar.
These little dachshunds were from a pattern in this book. I LOVE so many projects in this book. It will keep me quite busy this fall and winter I think.
Of course fishing out old buttons can get addicting so if you're like me you dump the whole jar out on the counter and search out your favorites, and then start grouping them into colors. Because you have time for that you know. Only I didn't really have time for that so they are still sitting on the counter.
All done. Only their nakedness bothers me a bit. We'll see what we can do about that in a minute.
Oh yes we mustn't forget my muse. She needs lots of reassurance you know. She watched the whole process.
Oh, you have to see my new Poochie bag! Designed by the fabulous Monica and given away as a free download on her blog. Monica is the best. And I love my new bag. It's little and sweet and I used some of my coveted Fig Tree fabrics in it. I even altered the pocket just a hare so it would show more of my favorite fabric.
Now you know you want to make one of these! And let me tell you, it's a quick and easy project. Monica writes great easy to follow patterns. And her patterns are so cute you'll want to hang it on the wall of your sewing room!
Now back to the doggie attire.
Little aprons that tie in the back. And wool felt collars. That oughta do.
They're tired.
Now it's time to pack these doggies up nice and snug for their journey.
Today is also a very happy day in the Anyone Can Quilt household. We get to celebrate this sweet baby's 11th birthday.
When did this happen? She's growing up too soon. But we couldn't ask for more when it comes to this girl. Happy Birthday sweetheart, I love you. xoxoxo
