I fell in love with the idea of getting a treadle up and running.
I spent a whole day cleaning out and re-organizing my studio space.
I treadled and treadled and treadled some more ---less snapping thread, but sometimes it happens anyway!
Still, I wanted to post a picture of my progress on my hand quilting – it IS coming along, and I WILL get back to it. As soon as the treadling novelty wears off! LOL!
I love the texture of the quilting. I’ve tried to keep my stitches small, but I have big hands – so they are what they are. I’ve had to stab stitch through many seams, and that brown South African fabric is a tough weave to hand quilt through. But I will persevere!
That is IF I can stop treadle-practicing!
These are the 9 patch parts that got sewn last evening while watching a movie on Net Flix. If you are wanting to learn to treadle, JUST DO IT!
But don’t expect that you’ll be able to walk away and leave it alone so you can get your hand quilting done. It’s one or the other at this stage of the game! I think I’d have better luck if I left my hand sewing to getting up extra early to get it done in the morning, because in the evening…I’m ready for pieces to go through the machine!
I’m inviting those who we started, go back and check! There are 40 who are charting their progress on their blogs with us!)) to share their progress with us in the linky below!
If you are just starting and want to link up too, go for it! Remember to include a link back to THIS POST somewhere in your post ((Not my whole blog or people will get lost trying to find this entry.)) Show your progress.
Remember, we need the address of the specific POST when you link up. The address should end in .html NOT .com For instance, my blog address is quiltville.blogspot.com and that simply isn’t enough. To get the address of your specific POST, click on the title of the post and the address should appear at the top of your browser in the address bar.
When in doubt, ask me. If you link it to your whole blog I’ll have to delete your entry and have you try again because I can’t fix it for you.
I’m on my way to Kentucky as this posts. I hope to find MANY goodies along my route!
Next stop? Lexington!
It looks awesome. I find that I can only do one thing at a time, when I switch back and forth knitting, sewwing, it is harder for me to do it. I go in bursts from one thing to another.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten the "jared takes a wife" completely peiced, now I need to brush up on my quilting and get it quilted b4 Christmas. I've got 3 Baby quilts for Childrens Hospital here in Cincinnati that I've also finished. I'm going to brush up on my quilting w them on my midarm, and then do the other quilt. I don't have a blog to link up w so I will email you a pic.
Hi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteGreat to watch you treadling yesterday, brought back memories of school where we only had treadle machines and I half finished a hideous bright purple pinafore dress!!!! Have just ordered String Fling here in the UK from Kaleidoscope Books, I am sure your UK followers would love to know that they have it in stock at the moment if you could mention it in your post.
Brilliant Blog! Many thanks. PS. any chance of a heads up on the fabrics we should be collecting for the next mystery? Love my Orca Bay can't wait for the next!
Cheers
Jude
Reading about how you and others sewing by treadle is edging me closer to try sewing with, instead of looking at, my mother's treadle.
ReplyDeleteI also love the images you find on the internet. Where do you find them?
Thanks for sharing.
Love to treadle - I have my grandmother's 1927 Singer treadle. I learned how to sew using it as a young girl and it sews great! I boast that even when the electricity goes off I can quilt! It does tone the calves!
ReplyDeleteI was with you for awhile on quilt cam yesterday - I am always amazed at all you do! I have a treadle machine that we bought for $2 at an auction - hubby gave the machine and cabinet a good cleaning, and it looks soooo good. It did not have a belt, so he used an old belt (like men's clothing belt!) and made it work. He actually sewed on it. I have not even attempted it. I LOVE your DJ quilt - I think I fall a little more in love every time I see it!
ReplyDeleteA wonderful hand quilter from my guild once told John Flynn that he couldn't have done a sample of hand quilting because his hands were too big. He had to demonstrate. See, no excuses. My hands are small and my stitches are fairly large.
ReplyDeleteI have a bullet shuttle Montgomery Ward treadle that sits in my dining room because the cabinet is so wonderful. I talk all the time about having my local guy put it in running order.
Bonnie, I was told many long years ago that small stitches in hand quilting comes with much practice, so the ideal is even stitches. Way to go with the treadling, I have 2 of those in my house, and use them often. When demonstrating with a treadle machine at the antique power shows, I tell folks that the process gives you very sexy ankles!!! The kids love that and some of the parents nod in agreement. I learned at age 10 how to sew on the old Singer treadle in the corner of our kitchen, with Mom as teacher. Both Mom and the machine are gone, but I clearly remember everything BOTH taught me. I was one of two girls in Home Ec class who could use the treadle machine in our classroom. Very lucky when the power would go off in the middle of the day during a storm.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Bonnie, I hope you have a battery powered light for use with the treadle when the power goes out-I remember how you said your whole house was so dark in a power outage. I have a treadle I got from a lady in Lexington, KY over 35 years ago. Worked fine until I tried to put the head down without releasing the belt from the large fly wheel-POP went the belt! Got a new one years ago and just never got it put on so think I will get my 13 yo to help me move the living room around so it can go in front of the window for good light and start it running again. Have a great trip-Lexington area is a lovely area of the country!
ReplyDeleteI too learned how to sew on a treadle sewing machine....I loved the control.those were the days when an electric sewing machine didn't have a needle down position and you always had to use the hand wheel.....with a treadle you could slow it up and gently get that needle right where you wanted it, fond memories.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize what the brown fabrics were, with the pinks and creams in your hand quilting project. Yes, those would be harder to needle. I've never tried those. Bonnie, I think my hands are bigger than yours and I still try. I feel so clumsy when I hand sew. However, the more I keep with it, the more natural it becomes. I am anxious to get my big frame up for the winter! Your quilt is looking SO pretty!
ReplyDeleteMiss Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited that my sewing brain is treadling along on the same wave-length as yours! lol For my birthday a couple of years ago I had my treadle serviced into operating condition and, now that I'm not watching a baby, my plan was to piece another quilt on it as it's in the living room where the kids play. I plan for that to be my "afternoon" machine time. Now I just have to decide on a project...or, more aptly, which project!
i tried to link up..but I am on the road usinf hubbys work laptop computer and .. well.. it just isnt working. I dont have any pix to add to the post...and I think that is the problem. i am hoping this will work.
ReplyDeletehttp://madakamom.blogspot.com/2012/09/needle-thread-update-2.html
Can't wait for you to get to Lexington. Such a beautiful part of our state. The grass is called bluegrass because of the minerals in the limestone. Be sure to check out the Kentucky Horse Park there and drive around the horse country area to see the beautiful white fences and horses grazing.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Quilt Shop in Lexington is Q-First in Quilting. You can find them here: 4383 Old Harrodsburg Road, Suite 130
Lexington, KY 40513-8011 Telephone:859.554.5800
Sweetest people and really nice shop!!
Hope you enjoy Kentucky!!