Meet my friend Mary!
I first met Mary a few years back when teaching in Cave City TN and have enjoyed her interactions through my Quiltville Facebook page – I can always count on Mary’s sense of humor and positive reinforcement when I need it. She is a great friend and cheerleader, and yesterday she came visiting!
Her hubby Roger is a trooper – I told him he was a good guy for driving Mary 240 miles one way to come see me – and he quipped back with “It was easy, she did the driving!”
They’ve been married more than 50 years, so it is plain to see that he has learned to live the truth of “Happy Wife, Happy Life!” Hahaha!
Why did they come all this way?
The QPO has a new friend!
A beautiful 15-91 in a mahogany cabinet!
Just as I was thinking I needed a machine with a strong enough motor at the Post Office to handle backing assembly and also binding application – a machine that would take a straight stitch walking foot – here comes the email from Mary saying “I have something I would love to bring you!”
Well – the stars aligned! And I couldn’t be more thrilled.
Beautiful finish – and a potted motor for extra power!
Commissioned Oct 15, 1954.
The Queen of England was 1 year into her reign at this point in time.
(Also the Queen of ALL of Great Britain and the Commonwealth as I was so graciously corrected.)
I would make my appearance about 8 years later.
in 1954:
Average Cost of new house - $10.250.00 -
Cost of a gallon of Gas - 22 cents -
Average Cost of a new car - $1,700.00 -
Average Monthly Rent - $85.00 -
Movie Ticket - 70 cents -
Life Magazine - 20 cents -
Cost of a gallon of Gas - 22 cents -
Average Cost of a new car - $1,700.00 -
Average Monthly Rent - $85.00 -
Movie Ticket - 70 cents -
Life Magazine - 20 cents -
And better than that – she is perfectly at home in my 1950s Quiltville Post Office where she will be busy sewing backings an applying bindings for many quilts to come. Or at least until the Inn is open and she may find herself adorning a room as a bedside table or lamp table – but for now, she will sew.
Thank you Linda!
She was also here as the first quilt came off the machine!
Pattern slatted for next book down the pipeline – Stay tuned!
Something orange on the roof!
And if you happened to drive by during this time you may have spotted an orange ladder and an orange shirt attaching gutters – and none too soon. Click to Play:
We have had afternoon showers every afternoon since we arrived backup here on Monday! The rain gauges are full again, I would be happy to send this some other direction if I could.
It doesn’t just rain – it’s full on gully-washers complete with thunder and lightening – often more than once a day. It’s a good thing that Lisa and I have been in the cabin studio sewing away through the deluge.
Lisa is on a roll and finished this t-shirt top from start to finish!
This top is being assembled -
Still haven’t fully decided on borders.
Loving how this is turning out.
Early morning rainy aftermath -
Sun and mist through the trees.
We are taking all of our relaxation clues from Sadie who has long holiday weekend activity down pat.
You’ll find is in the sewing room at the cabin, beef stew simmering away in the crock pot for tonight’s dinner – and enjoying as much friendship and sew time as we can possibly fit in.
Quiltville Quote of the Day
This I believe! It is so true. Just look around you-
And have a wonderful Saturday, friends!
18 comments:
I learned free motion quilting on a 1940s Singer 15-91. Wonderful machine with much better visibility behind the needle than the new 'quilters machines'. Wish I still had that one!
Wish you could send the rain to California during our fire season! We all pray for calm winds, and rain during fires.
Nice, green area around your cabin. Enjoy the peace of being there.😀 It looks very relaxing.
I love your Fancy Baskets quilt! I may add it to my bucket list! Don't send the rain our way, farmers are having a hard time getting in their fields in southern Illinois. I'll see you next week in Louisville!
Aww FANCY BASKETS looks great with the black sashing! Mary is a great friend to bring you a new treasure! Sewing like a dream! Carry on!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I love a 15-91 it probably is my most used machine! A plus for this machine is that it has a class 15 bobbin, which I am pretty sure it holds more thread....because we all hate having to change bobbins frequently especially after air sewing awhile. The machine is a work horse.That cabinet looks like it is in pristine condition! I will be sewing on binding on my Irish Courthouse quilt with my 15-91 today!
I can see the orange on your roof is definitely not an Oriole that will be flying away.
So happy you are able to enjoy relaxing time doing what you love with dear friends.
Your basket quilt is striking and is an add to my "to be made list".
Have tried a couple blocks of the new leader/ender and I am hooked. Sew addicting, I struggle not to make them as other than leader/ender's! One of my favorite vintage blocks.
Thank you as always Bonnie. Another Easypiecer.
What a beautiful 15-91. Just got mine into sewing mode these past couple weeks- and OMG is it fast! I have the original foot control in one of those clamshell adapters to help regulate the speed but have not yet mastered fine control of it. So for intricate piecing I am still using a Singer 115-1 treadle or a Bernina 930!
I love this post. My only question is what is a “potted” motor?
Wow, what a nice "new" machine--gotta love the gorgeous cabinet!
Beautiful finish on your quilt for a future book.
And Fancy Baskets made my heart pitter-patter!
I love how your baskets turned out--great grid.
I want a friend to come over and bring me a vintage sewing machine in a cabinet!...Lucky 🧵😉
Bonnie-
What a beautiful new machine. In 1954 I was pre-school age, but we did not have that then. Kindergarten was happening in MN, but not for my sister who started at the country school. By the time I got to kindergarten in 1956, the country school was closed, and we went to school in town, to include kindergarten!
Rain- We would love some in Alaska, and I would love to send you some sunshine and heat. We have had record heat here on the Kenai Peninsula, to include 91 in Soldotna, 90 in Kenai, which is unheard of. 70 is hot enough! Our gardens are burning up, and we are losing stuff to the heat. No rain for more than 3 weeks, and almost nothing in June at all, so we could use some of yours!
Take care and enjoy your Sunday tomorrow!
Donna
Kasilof, AK
Where it is too hot, and no rain. Please send some!
Hello Bonnie, I love your blog and had the pleasure of getting a book signed by you at the festival of quilts last year. Can I mention that the Queen is the Queen of more than England? She is the Queen of Great Britain and the commonwealth, I'm from Scotland not England so we like to be included 😊 that's a stunning machine and cabinet. I would love to visit quiltville Inn one day
It is what the motor is covered with. If you look at the picture, there is a structure that looks like a stock pot. Hence the name "potted" motor
It is on the right side of the picture. Sorry I wasn't clear
My son posted 92 degrees last night in Eagle River. With no a/c that is miserable. Hope the fires have gone away in the Kenai. We must be same age!!
Have a wonderful Sunday as well...
Sherri
How lucky you all are! Praise God. Bonnie you are a hard worker with a purpose in mind. A great example to us all. I lost my mojo and am praying for a quick recovery.
Here in central New Jersey we would be more than happy to send some rain to California or Alaska. Ideally, I would get to deliver it personally. Unfortunately, I think you have to come pick it up.
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