Jeff is manning the wood stove this morning.
We’d been up for about 1/2 hour when the power went off in the house.
It’s 6 degrees out. The entire neighborhood is without power.
I’m so grateful for a wood stove as the temps inside the house start to drop to chilly.
It’s a clear sky sunny morning, just dreadfully cold and we don’t know what has happened to cause this power issue.
I’m grateful for a fully charged laptop and phone, and the ability to connect via hotspot to send this off….
Boy, does it feel like I haven’t blogged in a while.
We’ve had 4 days of rapid-fire mystery clues starting Friday, so exciting, and loads of writing but no opportunity to catch you up on what is going here.
I’ve been treadling!
Was the urge to treadle an indication of what might happen if the power went off?
It’s a good idea in theory, but if the power is off, there is never enough light, there is no iron to press the pieces, and I can’t see to thread a needle.
Warming up with some simple string piecing in this video. Click to play:
I do have a plan for these, but I can’t say what yet. I just felt the need to mindlessly sew at a leisurely treadle pace while watching some Netflix and enjoying my last few days home before 2018 starts in earnest for me on the 8th.
I’m sewing on a 1918 127 with Sphinx decals. Shuttle bobbins can be a bit scary if you don’t know how the bobbin winding contraption works. It really is rather ingenious! Click to play:
Sadie agrees, it’s way too cold in North Carolina and she is hunkering down until spring!
There has been evening hand quilting, and I am making quite a bit of progress on Jason’s hexagon quilt:
Stitching while watching The Crown.
Look at all that texture!
Today’s plan: I have an eye doc appointment early this afternoon. I’m hoping the power is back on by then. Surely it must be? If not, Jeff, Sadie and I may be heading to Virginia to the cabin where there IS power.
And gas logs to keep the cabin warm. Because we are almost out of wood for the wood stove here, and there isn't enough to keep us through the night.
Funny, because we decided last week that our next big purchase would be a log splitter so we can cut and prepare our own winter wood for this house from the Virginia acreage.
And gas logs to keep the cabin warm. Because we are almost out of wood for the wood stove here, and there isn't enough to keep us through the night.
Funny, because we decided last week that our next big purchase would be a log splitter so we can cut and prepare our own winter wood for this house from the Virginia acreage.
The hubster is in Santa Barbara as of last night – Oh, how nice to have THOSE temps to deal with! San Diego on the 8th for me is sounding pretty good right now, so is Florida at the end of the month.
**UPDATE!** About 1/2 hour after posting this, the power came back on! Hooray!
I'm still thinking about that cabin idea, though....maybe one more visit before I head out to San Diego?
**UPDATE!** About 1/2 hour after posting this, the power came back on! Hooray!
I'm still thinking about that cabin idea, though....maybe one more visit before I head out to San Diego?
Quiltville Quote of the Day,
I am loving that my son and I are spending this time chatting in front of the wood stove with Sadie close at hand. It’s a slower start to Tuesday than we wanted, but what a gift!
Have a great second day of 2018, everyone!
29 comments:
Not do warm in Florida this am - only 39. But at least we have power
I wish I could treadle. I have a 1896 Sphinx and know how to wind the bobbin and use the shuttle, but can't get the hang of treading. My husband can make it go (he learned when he was 8 yrs old and doesn't even sew). It's embarrassing!
Good thing you have a handy fire stoking son and quilts!
Oh, that is so cold for where you live! So glad to hear that your power came back on. Pipes can freeze so easily and you have a big mess. FB post from my son-in-law said their furnace was not working. DH called and is getting some heaters to him. A gas stove isn't enough to keep pipes from freezing at well below 0 F here. I saw -30 this morning.
Sonia Tuttle-if you see this. Not everyone gets the treading. All my siblings learned young and my yourer daughter loves it, but my older daughter never could get the rhythm. I do it with both feet and heal-toe, heel-toe usually.
Thanks Howard quilts. I'll keep trying.
Stay warm Bonnie! I love the Ringo Lake quilt. I am putting my blocks together and each one is like a surprise with all the different fabrics. It is in the 50's here in Florida this morning, much colder at our other place in New Mexico at 28 degrees. We are at a high elevation there at 7300 ft so there is snow in the winter, hence why I am here now. It affects even how water boils at that altitude. Sadie is so cute, I really enjoy your pictures of her. Warm Regards, Sandra
My wonderful daughter gifted me with a treadle machine for Christmas!! She spent 48 hours restoring the Cabinet! Love -Right? Now in not so sunny Florida and can hardly wait to go home to Ontario Canada to see what I can do with her. She is a Raymond, made in Guelph Ont and we live 20 min from there. Have not been able to track down her birth year as yet I guess not as easy as Singer Happy momma
I have a Sphinx 27 made in 1910. Hope to get her treadling this year.
I'm glad to hear your power is back on. We lose power here often enough that we put a full house back up generator in that runs on gas. I'm glad I don't have to worry about losing all the food in the frig!
It's minus 13 degrees celsius here today and I'm always worried that the power will go out. The pipes freeze quickly at that temp!
Love your hand quilting photo!
We are currently sitting at -8F here in Northern Indiana and it is a beautiful sunny day. Just went out to check temps. In our perennial house and love to soak in those sun rays. The air is crisp and clean. I don’t mind the cold when it is so beautiful out. Wishing you a wonderful teaching trip. Cannot wait until you post the fun everyone is having. Safe travels to you Bonnie.
I had no Power Friday Night to Saturday midmorning. I feel for ya! Glad yours came back on much quicker. We get creative when the power is out. -6 is Cold...Brrrrrr
Upstate SC in our yard was also reading 6 degrees f. But thank God so far power has stayed on. Glad the power came back on for you. Our dog is also snuggled under a quilt. Just seems colder inside when so cold outside. Then again he might be hiding so he doesn't have to go back out to relieve himself. LOL
Reading your blog and the wonderful comments, what with treadle talk 😉, makes me think of quilters not all that long ago who lived with frigid weather for months at a time ... and no indoor plumbing!
So happy you have the cabin to go to... it will be relaxing too. Counting on you to keep our Sadie warm, she is getting on in years. 🐶.
Thanks for all you do ... this mystery quilt is by far my favorite
Hugs
JulieinTN
Temperature is hovering around 40F here in Southcentral Alaska, and we have freezing rain. Not going very far today. But I haven't been out of the house since Friday and we need a few things.
I learned to use a treadle machine when i was youhg, and for a while when we moved to Alaska I did all my sewing on a treadle but got an electric machine when I srarted quilting - can't take a treadle to a class.
It's -2 with windchill down to -10 F here in Kansas. Your treadle makes me want to get "Ruby", my 1910 Red Eye up and running. Her cabinet needs some restoration first though, and she is currently at the 'spa'. My sewing machine guy works on all types of treadles for the local Amish ladies and says that more and more people are bringing him vintage and antique machines to work on.
I'm loving "On Ringo Lake", though I am just getting started on it. I'm piecing a few units every night when I get home from work, and slowly, slowly, it will come together.
That's where one of those headlamps come in handy.
Your son is a real cutie and he’s one lucky guy to get that gorgeous hexagon quilt! I love your treadle machine. Those decals are amazing! Sometime will you show us where the shuttle bobbins goes?
Yep it's cold in the south this morning. Hope you keep warm, hubby says San Diego is beautiful and you will have a fabulous time.
I love string piecing - mindless sewing and a few good podcasts and what more could you ask for.....except light and power. :) :)
sao in Midlothian, VA
Minus 20 degrees this morning in upstate NY. The high today made it to 13 above....(it's been very cold for the last couple of weeks, subzero at night and low teens or single digits during the day)! Great day to sew while keeping our wood furnace perking. Love it!
I love the nifty feeder for your shuttle bobbin! I think my treadle is a more 'basic' model perhaps.
Not sure where Patricia lives, but I am also in Northern NY State and it is just plan COLD!!! So grateful still to have power!
Love your hexi quilt. I have no idea how you seem to do it all, but I am so glad that you do!
Back in MQ Part 3 ...
Hope your power is back soon. I have a 1904 sphinx -- just the head. When power out old tech like treadle helps pass the time
I'm glad your power is back. I can't imagine dealing with not having power with these temperatures!
Bonnie - Thank You! for the video on shuttle bobbins. My Christmas gift from my husband was an estate sale find 10 days before Christmas. I got a 1914 Singer 128K handcrank, in the beautiful wood case. Haven't had a chance to take her out for a spin but that will happen very soon. Stay warm and safe. Happy New Year!
I learnt to machine sew on a treadle with a shuttle bobbin, but as it was over 60 years ago I'm not sure I could work one now. I know it wasn't a Singer but ca@t remember the make
OMG to see your treadle machine is a good start to 2018 for me! I "discovered" your blog earlier this past year, have marvelled at your collection of machines. . . bought a beautiful old Singer treadle for $20 at a yard sale this summer, with NO belt, manual, side thingy to the right to thread the belt into. . . From bits of info on the internet, it looks like my model is a 27 model, vintage 1892 - no letter before the serial #. Every time I get a tiny piece of "clue" about its identity, I'm fueled to learn more. Slow going, tho! Seeing the bobbin was an "aha!" moment - don't have that either, but it looks like what might fit in the gizmo under my footplate. Any clues as to how I can find an expert to check it out? Small town here, an hour away from Indianapolis . . . My decals aren't as pristine as yours, but it sure looks like the same machine! Would love to get it up & running! Thanks for any direction you might point me in. Jennie
Yippeeee! I have that same machine. It was my dad's =) When he bought it back in the 50's, it was converted to electric. I would love to find a treadle cabinet to put it in.
I started sewing on it when I was maybe ten (forty plus years ago =0 ) and figured out how to wind that bobbin with what I had on hand! Thanks for sharing.
Good Morning! to a frozen world. It is 20* here in Texas now. It is 24* in Rapid City South Dakota where we married. Something wrong with this picture. Loved your blog this morning Bonnie. Lots of wood saved up here. Used a lot the last 2 days. I too love to string piece because it is so mindless, yet so pretty when done. Would love to have a treadle & a featherweight. A girl can dream. At least the sun is shining today & all can be right with the world. Have a blessed & happy day all.
That brought back many happy memories, , I learnt to sew on one of those machines I loved winding bobbins.
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