This was my afternoon project yesterday -
This was after I spent time undoing the mess I had made the day before.
Spring MUST be close, because this bee in my bonnet wanted the studio to be completely rearranged to make better use of the floor space.
It all started with the fact that the Singer 201 that I do all of my binding on (It wears a walking foot ALL the time!) was really in the wrong position.
I had cabinet back to back with my 301 that I do my piecing on (So I can see the TV on the wall from there) and the left side of the 201 cabinet was up against the back side of my mail order counter - it was NOT easy to wrangle a quilt when putting on binding. I needed more of an "open" area where I could pull an ironing board at cabinet height up to my left to help support the weight of the machine.
It's not any less crowded now! LOL!
But still - it will work better. Now the 201 is turned facing the long arm, and I have the space I need to the left of the cabinet to wrangle big binding jobs.
I can turn from one machine to the other as needed.
On the TV - have you seen Fisherman's Friends on Netflix yet? Do yourself a favor and watch it SOON! You'll be laughing and singing along with this wonderful "based on a true story" flick. LOVED IT!
But THIS is where I was yesterday afternoon -
Trying to make sense of the small pieces and scraps that are supposed to find their place being sewn up into my Snail's Trail blocks.
Do you see Lola?
The Scrap Compactor is on the job!
And I had a great time with crazy fabric mixes.
Go Georgia Bulldogs!
At last count, I had about 36 blocks to go. I'm getting there. And it won't use up near enough scraps.
So - The Hubster comes in yesterday afternoon (New roof for the QPO will happen in a few weeks! YAY!) and he says "Why do you have 4 machines set up in here?"
And I said "How many archery bows do you have? How many tools for fixing your strings, arrows, guages, etc??" (Why do men do this thing about our sewing stuff?!)
The answer is simple. There is not one machine that will do ALL that I want it to do. I have my favorites for particular jobs.
The 301 is for piecing.
The 201 is for binding.
The 500 (seen behind the 301 at the top of the page) is the one machine I love for zig zagging batting scraps together.
The Janome has a thread cutter and I love it for paper piecing, especially when a seam begins and ends in the middle of the paper without the seam running all the way to the edge.
4 machines it is. 5 if you count the long arm. Oh, and the little library tables each with a 99 and a 128 in them.
I don't see a problem, do you?
Yesterday was also the first day of Instagram's #igquiltfest and I wanted to join in!
I hadn't really shown a "quilty" selfie in a while - I've become pretty much selfiephobic over the past year. Not sure why - but yeah, this one actually got make up. Because - well, it's out there.
I'm excited about the #igquiltfest because there are photo prompts each day which gives me something to think about and share.
Yesterday's prompt was Favorite Sewing Snacks.
I was asked several times to share my personal sized air fryer. I love this thing. I bring my lunch to the post office, often heating things in the microwave, but the air fryer is also great for toasting and heating up.
My little Chefman Turbo Fry 2 quart!
You will find it and other fun kitchen type things in the IN THE KITCHEN section of the Quiltville Amazon Affiliate Store.
Direct link to air fryer HERE.
Last night's binding ATTEMPT!
One episode of Revenge - and off to bed at 9pm. I just couldn't keep my eyes open.
Today some exciting things are happening. Mona has some quilt tops to quilt! She has been in quarantine at home for the past two weeks and is coming up around noonish to start our own quilt fest that will continue for the next few days.
I haven't seen her in a long time and it will be great to have company in the studio.
This morning's sunrise.
It was only 28 degrees when I stepped out of the basement sewing room at the cabin to take this shot as the sun broke over the ridges.
Oh, how I love sunrises! Those leaves can hold off coming for just a bit longer -
How are things looking for your own Wednesday ahead? How about some Rough & Tumble fun?
Rough & Tumble measures a generous 50'' x 59'' perfect for Saturday morning cartoons, summer star gazing on the lawn, car trips & camping. Easily enlarged by adding more columns/rows. Blanket forts and baseball/football games await!
You'll find the printable PDF pattern for Rough & Tumble in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store.
And the price is already marked 25% off through March 14th. No coupon code needed for this one!
The price will revert back to the full price of $12.00 on March 15th, 2021.
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
I found this lovely vintage crazy quilt in North Carolina. I adore the bright colored floss used for the embroidery in this one. It says so much about things that the maker loved.
The truth is, we hope for tomorrow but we really are only guaranteed today.
What will you do with today?
Make it a good one!
34 comments:
Scrap compactor! That Lola has her hob down! Studio looks great!
Today I go back to my volunteering at church!! It has been 11 months 3 weeks since I have been IN that building. Love internet church.
I have a small Cricut project to finish with some Machine Embroidery. I watched Paula Deen Make a Crunchy with Panko, Onion Bloom in her Air Fryer last night!! What a fun thing it is. Sweet Potato Fries are Yummy in it too. We were gifted an Air Fryer from a Senior Missionary Couple who left in January . Never thought I would Need one. 5 Machine, one for each task, sounds great to me!
So glad you are getting a Mona visit! Have wondered if Beanie & Max love Zoey too. Such sweet dogs. Pictures please :)
Have fun with your friend! I’m on a road trip today to meet some of my quilty friends who have all been quarantining for a couple of weeks... YAY!!
Your selfie looks great!
You're right: Fisherman's Friends is an absolutely delightful movie! I had covid a couple weeks ago, and while I was laid up on the sofa, I started watching Heartland on Netflix. It's predictable and sappy and not High Art, but it's also delightful to watch all the horse scenes, and it will take forever to get through the whole thing, LOL!
5 or 10 or 15+ machines? I don't see a problem at all!
Love seeing your creative space where the magic happens!
Max passed away a few months ago. We will miss him! Yes, Zoey and Beanie have met, and they get along great.
Love your scrap compactor. I enjoy your post each morning with my coffee. Thank you.
Hi Bonnie, I appreciate your expertise in quilting and follow your blog everyday. Thanks for all you post.
I do have a question, hoping you can help me. A friend gave me a velvet pieced quilt top. The work is amazing - all the embroidery is marvelous. I would like to put a backing on it and bind it. Not sure what would be appropriate. Can you give me an idea of what to do or where to look for assistance with this. Thanks so very much for considering this request.
Hahaha!My husband was looking at chain saws on the computer, and I said, "Didn't youu just buy a chain saw last year?" Without missing a lick, he replied, "And just how many sewing machines do you have, Fran?" End of discussion. (Working? About 5. Ready for rehab? Double that)
One can never have too many sewing machines. Jus' sayin' 😉
I get the machine thing, but the hub has tons of stuff set up in the garage, as it should be. My friend just found me a 301 with the cabinet (THOSE are a problem...) and I’m so excited. But, I didn’t tell the hub. Probably not till I bring it home.,😂 That will make 34. I do have to purge a few. Ok. More than a few. We are doing a guilt retreat (3 friends) in just over a week. I’m so excited, and yet...now I don’t want to leave the house. Anyone else feel like that these days? I was going to ask about Mona, and if you’ve seen her at all. So good to get together. I’m actually kind of sad that the pandemic is letting us move around. That means birthdays and weddings and holidays and company and house cleaning and A LOT less sewing! Sadly, I will miss it, as I’ve always loved winter because things SLOW DOWN. But I will be glad to visit more, I guess. That is my dilemma. Hope you can mostly stay home, make patterns and do the Inn.
Today's post took me back to my hubster asking me a similar question..."why do you need another sewing machine?". My answer always was the same as BH's "why do you another tool or truck?" He would turn and leave the area. LOL. I don't apologize for what I love to do...sewing, fondle fabric...buy notions...etc....it's my passion.
I would definitely talk to someone who knows about antique crazy quilts before I do anything to it. Quilts are appraised by the latest work done on the quilt, and you would be bringing that quilt into the 21st century. I'm not sure if it would devalue it or not. Maybe share photos to an antique quilt group on Facebook? See what others say?
Oh Deb! I forgot all about that, house cleaning! And sadly, yes, less sewing, garden planning is coming soon, after those taxes!
So funny you mention Mona, as I was just wondering about her. It's so much fun to see you sewing with close friends. I miss getting together with my quilting sisters more than ever. Enjoy your time together.
Nice quilt!!!
My hubby actually encouraged my multi-machine habit! Found a Singer 1929 machine someone had put out to be taken for free. We ordered a motor (no treadling for me!), foot pedal, and a thread spindle, cleaned it up, and I love it for piecing now! It's my third machine and it's going to fit in the sewing room somewhere!
I wish my inspector would curl up by the machine like yours does! They find the coziest spots, though! I love your sunrise pictures, and your studio space! If I had the space I could leave my embroidery/binding machine set up as well, but it gets tucked away until I need it and I piece on my old WHite. My hubs asks the same question, only it's about the fabric!! "Don't you have enough?! WHy do you need to have more?" "Because, what I need for this particular project I don't have!" That's usually my answer! I hear you on the creamer, though my favorite is the Coldstone Sweet Cream. Have fun with your girl time, that's always a good time! Have a good evening!!
LOVED the movie "Fisherman's Friends" ... it was a really great movie/story. I also loved "Yesterday" ... suggest watching that if you haven't seen it already. Different and fun. Last night watched the "Fundamentals of Caring" with Paul Rudd ... what a wonderfully uplisting movie ... all on Netflix! Linda
I have one, very inexpensive Singer, and my husband doesn’t understand why I dream of a machine with a bigger throat space. Especially since the cost is way more than I want to spend. I would love an old fashioned workhorse of a machine, but they are hard to come by around here.
LOVE what you said about creamer...I am the same way! Don't really care for coffee, but it would seem weird to drink the creamer straight out of the bottle! I live in Iowa but would love to stay at the retreat sometime, went to college at Virginia Polytechnic Institute so love the Blue Ridge Mountains...
I am aware of:
1) Mary Koval - she gave me great advice (2 yrs ago?) when I worked on my grandmother's quilts
2) Ann Wasserman - annquilts@comcast.net
Now you can watch TV from the 201 and the 301...
our lives seem parallel in so many ways! Is it true of most quilters? My "compactor" is doing a job on my strips. I will have to iron before I finish Gassy Creek. You should get a commission from Amazon! I just ordered my personal air fryer. Love it!
I use my air fryer for apple slices with great results and no gluten.
Thank you so very much ladies!!
Thanks for the shout out of my alma mater and hometown team - the Georgia Bulldogs. Re: the number of sewing machines, I have 5 and my husband learned long ago not to ask why I needed that many when I did the same thing of counting his different sets of tools that basically do the same thing, etc, etc.
I just live up the road in Loudoun County, I wish we were neighbors.
I would be a helper, really.
Meh, I am so busy now being gramma and daddy's caregiver and oh yeah, hubbs.
Anyway, Bonnie, your blog is always encouraging and inspiring.
I was able to find an old industrial singer on Craigslist for about $400, but have also seen them on there for free. It doesn't hurt to look every day; you never know when one will pop up at a reasonable price.
Oh Bonnie -- LMAO! I just counted 10 longbows and two compounds hanging in the hallway. Don't tell, but I have more machines than that. We both have the same model of scrap compacter too.
I have scored old Singers on Ebay, FB Marketplace-local, and the Habitat Store. Just keep looking - they are out there!!!! For great $$$. The old machines are workhorses!!!!
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