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Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Machine Hunting in Huntsville!

Don’t worry.  Nothing is coming home with me --- but we spent part of yesterday walking around the courthouse square in Huntsville where there are several antique shops! 

It was totally a “Catch & Release” day for me, but it was a lot of fun.

I mean, let’s face it – how would I fit a 6 foot tall chicken into my luggage?

I love Texas small towns.  Often the entire downtown is centered around the courthouse.   In this case….the Walker County Courthouse.

A beautiful more modern structure, it dominates the square.

The Tall Pines Quilt Guild holds an annual “airing of the quilts” where they will hang quilts from the balconies all over the courthouse --- I wish I could be here to see that!

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Walker County Courthouse

The other buildings around the square give you an idea of what things may have been like in days gone by:

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Arched windows on heavy brick facades.

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Love the almost art deco feel of the top of this building!

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Small town timelessness!

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Interesting lines and balconies   The street slants one way, making the balcony look like it is slanting the other!’

Okay, so my camera is not straight either!

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Even the movie theater takes you back to an earlier era!

So let’s get on to that Catch & Release, shall we?

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Pink 1950s Atlas!

I already have one of these.  This one was going to require rewiring, and there was no bobbin case --- and I am not shipping a  heavy machine home.  I don’t have time to deal with bubble wrap and double boxing on this close time schedule…but someone will find it and love it.

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Singer 401A

Everything was here for this one, all cords, foot pedal, box of accessories and cams and the manual.  It was pretty sticky when I turned the hand wheel but it did turn.  I already have one, so not adding a shipping cost to this one either.

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DANG!!  It’s a LOTUS!

I want one of these ---but this one is not in that great of shape.  The decals on the bed are silvered and half gone….it would need a l ot of work to get it up to where I want it to be, and I want it for a treadle head, not electric.  I don’t think the bobbin winder is all good on this one….but someone local could pick it up and have a time with it…oh yes, no foot pedal, or plug in, and these wires are brittle.  I would have had to sink more money into it.  I’ll wait.

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But look at the pretty face plate!

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Little 1950s  Montgomery Ward.

I don’t remember the exact price on this one, but it was higher than all of the others, and it’s a “made in Japan” Singer clone --- just because it has an old style body and is shiny black does not mean it is rare or valuable!

This guy didn’t come home with me either – but he is awful cute:

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He’d be great on the deck at the cabin! 

But again, too heavy and bulky to pack in my luggage ---((I am bringing home FABRIC, remember?!)) and I’m not dealing with shipping a lot of stuff this trip.  There isn’t time!

It’s my busy day today.  We have a Roll, Roll Cotton Boll workshop with the Tall Pines Quilters here in Huntsville, and right after class I am off to Bryan, about 50 miles or so away – for their guild meeting and my presentation tonight.

Tomorrow --- Sister’s Choice Day!

Thursday  ---HOME!!

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12 comments:

  1. Bonnie, last weekend at the Des Moines AQS show one of the vendors was demonstrating his magnetic seam guide on a PURPLE featherweight. He told me he bought that for his wife for Mother's Day. It was to die for!! Lucky woman.

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  2. Bonnie, thanks so much for sharing the photos and your adventures with "Catch and Release". I especially loved the Lotus and would love to have one as well. They are not an easy find here in Manitoba, Canada. I'm looking forward to your next QuiltCam with the hand-crank machines! I have one and will be cranking along with you! Quilt On, My Friend!

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  3. Ha ha! LOVE the armadillo.

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  4. Maybe someone will take pictures when they hang quilts from the balconies all over the courthouse and send them to you! I would love to see them too. Thanks for the catch and release pictures and for everything you do!

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  5. Oh, the armadillo is precious! I really would have had second and third thoughts about him. Too cure!

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  6. Want, want, want the chicken! LOL Thanks for the daily travelogue, Bonnie. I love to read about your adventures. Back to the stitchin' machine! Janet in Spokane WA

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  7. How interesting that you are going to Bryan. We lived there until four years ago. Enjoy Lonestar Quilt Works. It's wonderful!

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  8. Hi Bonnie - Where did you see the Singer 401a? I have been looking for one in good condition and complete. Do you think they would ship it?

    Thanks
    Kim

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  9. I am so envious of all the vintage machines you come across! Hardly any to be found where I live on the Cape. - I guess that is good news for my bank account and my bulging sewing room! Safe travels Bonnie.

    Donna in Harwich, MA

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  10. Love your travel tales. I'm not much of a traveller myself but I love traveling with you.

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  11. I enjoy seeing the pics of all your adventures and the sewing machines. Right now I am sewing on one of those Montgomery Ward sewing machine and it is a beast!!! It must weight about 35 pounds but it goes through layers like nothing. I picked mine up at an auction for either $30 or $35. Safe travels to you.

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  12. Oh Bonnie! Beyonce the big metal chicken! Have you ever read the Bloggess? She is kind of a guilty pleasure! (And not at all for faint of heart! She has a sailors mouth on her kinda like me) any way if u want a chuckle check out you should learn to choose your battles on the Bloggess blog! Cracks me up! You would have fallen over when you saw that big metal chicken! http://thebloggess.com/2011/06/and-thats-why-you-should-learn-to-pick-your-battles/

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