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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Excruciatingly Frustrating To Have a New Crafty Toy and Not Have Time To Play!

My inner crafting geek has been set loose to roam freely.
Or it would be if I could find the time to do things!
Why must work and chores and all the rest of it be so time consuming? lol
My husband took full part in this one.

I've always wanted to try sewing on a treadle and getting Momma Linda up and running got me to thinking about it. I love the whole idea of a people powered machine. I love the idea of making a quilt on one. I love the whole machine quilting thing and I'm determined to learn to do it.
But I never dreamed I could have a treadle, or at least not without ages of saving and having to drive goodness knows where to get one. And even then, I was pretty sure if I found one it would be in bad shape and need tons of work. Not so! Or should I say not sew?
Behold my new baby.



(Ignore the duct taped wall. Don't ask. lol)
Fully serviced and running smoothly. The White sewing machine is obviously not original to the Singer treadle, it was made in the the 70's to be either a treadle or a motor driven machine and this is the treadle version. I suppose one of those cool looking antique sewing machine heads would have been nice but this one was not only reasonable it has a zigzag, essential for machine applique.

But boo, I've had very little time to play with it. Learning to treadle takes time, and leg muscles, neither of which I apparently have! But it is soooo much fun!

She came home with me on Tuesday and got played with a little bit. I went to work and next day woke up so dizzy I couldn't even walk around for hours. This is not unheard of for me. It is a sinus thing and happens a couple of times a year. But this was a bad one. By evening I was able to sit in a chair and yay, go to work. lol. Figures.
Thursday was similar, but I played a little anyway. Same with Friday, when I got off of work at 2 in the morning the first thing I did was play with it again.

On the stitching front I have only stitched on the blue and white 1 time for no more than 30 to 45 minutes. Shame :(  Yes, there were other times I chose to do other things, but between short time and in truth, missing a confetti filled project I've put it off and found other things to do.
I've laundry all day today but will hopefully fit time for a bit of treadle practice and a bit of stitching both in between hanging out clothes.

Until next time
Happy stitching my friends.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

One Stitch At A Time

Though sometimes it feels like one stitch a week lately.
Here is the Blue and White sampler last time :
And this time:




Other than that I don't have very much to show.

I have gotten a few things done, but they don't make for much in the way of blog posts.
I've been playing with my sewing machines, figuring out the perfect quarter inch mark on both, and playing with some invisible thread in them, in preparation for learning some machine applique techniques.
I haven't done that more than once, many years ago, and that on the old Memory Craft 6000, and without invisible thread. I can tell you that both the quarter stitch and the applique was almost intuitive on that machine and is definitely not on the ones I have now. I will probably never stop missing that machine.

I've got a terrible urge for a new start for a couple of weeks now, which is crazy given how slowly I stitch and that I have so little time for it at the moment, but there it is. And the quilting bug has finally bitten again, as I told you recently, and hasn't gone away at all. If anything I've the urge has gotten worse.  I'll have to wait and see how that goes. I did cut a few pieces out today towards a wall hanging, but it will be awhile before I have time to dedicate to it.

Until next time
Happy stitching my friends!


Thursday, March 13, 2014

A Quick Note About Links

After someone asked me if I would add their blog to my stitching links I took a good long look at them. I had already added her but suddenly realized it was not showing. I went back and checked and there were one or two others not showing either. I updated those and now they appear to be there.
I only delete links if there has been no post in over 6 months.

Happy Stitching Everyone.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Time Keeps Slipping Away. . .

And it seems there is never enough to do all the things I want to.
Since my last post I've accomplished so little that I'm not sure it is worth updating. I've even thought of breaking the 'no stitching when your tired' rule. It is only fear of the dreaded frog that has stopped me.
Here is the total of my stitching progress this time.
Before:
And After:




I know I'll see more progress when the weather warms. My stitching area isn't heated and I've been keeping this one in the living room or it probably would have had no progress either. It gets grubby, even though I keep it in a tote. I wash my hands before I start, but dogs have no such worries and paws and noses don't care about such things.

So how is everyone else doing? Do you stitch more in the winter or less? I'm aching to piece a quilt right now and I'm thinking of experimenting with machine piecing. Also considering trying my hand at a mini quilt.
I can't help laughing at myself. I make plans for all of these projects when I'm busy doing the other stuff life demands. Now I just need a bit of time!

Until next time, Happy Stitching Ya'll!