1931 Singer works like a charm!

Just got my beauty back from J and R Vacuum and Sewing

where it received a new electrical cord, was cleaned, oiled and is now up and running!

(Here's the link I posted including information where I found it and how I found out it's a Singer 99 made in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1931:

http://rocknquilts.blogspot.com/2011/04/fun-find-1920s-electric-sewing-machine.html )

Check out that bobbin box - it just slides directly over to the left

Here's a few photos to help remind me how to put in the bobbin correctly, as from the store.

Here's how the needle was threaded from J and R.

www.jrsewfun.com 

Here's the practice piece the gentleman who cleaned it made for me.  They charged $67.48  - now, if I were brave about electrics like "That Man Quilts" from www.quiltfool.blogspot.com , then it would have been just the $18 for the new electrical cord!  I was sew impressed when I saw his electrical work from this post on his blog:

http://quiltfool.blogspot.com/2011/04/bringing-old-girl-up-to-par.html

"Bringing Old Girl Up to Par" was certainly a catchy title, quiltfool!!

The needle threads from left to right.

I whipped up a quick coffee coaster for my husband!

Love these even stitches and it coasts through two layers of fabric and a layer of batting like butter!

I'm really pleased.  So's my DH - he says it'll run forever.  That's good value for a grand total of $118 USD!

***

The results from my fourth day (14 total) of the Free Motion Quilting Challenge:

http://fmqchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/fmq-day-4mary-ann-nd.html

Happy Sewing!  I sew love your comments - they make me smile :-)

Have a fab-u-lous day!!

Happy Easter everyone!

Happy Easter everyone!

Here's my third day of the FMQ Challenge results:

http://fmqchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-3-mary-annnd.html

Grad quilt, Two boxes came in the mail today and FMQ results for Day 1!

I'm getting closer to finishing my DD's graduation quilt:

The borders went on:

Here's the fabric for the back:

Here's my choice of fabric for the binding:

TWO boxes arrived in the mail today!  I LOVE the postman!!  He brought me a "Quilter's World" magazine, too...what a nice guy!

My blogger friend Kate sent me a beautiful Debbie Mumm book with two adorable fabrics from a quilt she had made from the book.  I had made a comment on her blog that my Mother's favorite thing of all are lighthouses and the quilt Kate was creating had that very thing - I mentioned that on my post on her blog a couple of months ago and she e-mailed me back to tell me that she would send me what she had left over.  When she finished her beautiful quilt, she sent me all this - what a lovely thing to do - thank you very much, Kate!

And I WON all these beautiful goodies from my blogging buddy CeLynn - thank you sew much!!  You two gals sure brightened my day - especially since it started out raining, then snowing - thank you!!

After attending the new movie "Water for Elephants" - which is absolutely fabulous - with my DD this afternoon, we stopped in to peek in an antique shop and I scored this find...$5.50 for a Queen sized, never-been used vintage sheet - I see the back of a future quilt here!

Then, my DD and I popped over to JoAnn Fabrics and found these...

for this...

FREE pattern by Alexander Anderson for AccuQuilt

and Quilting Notions were half price, plus I had my 15% off the total order teacher's card...

I plan to make a quilt label for my DD's graduation quilt with this special "Quilt Label Fabric"...

I found this for 88 cents and put the 40% off Sulky threads for FMQ in it:

Please see the FMQ Challenge blog for more info and to "follow" to see what happens these next fourteen days....

http://fmqchallenge.blogspot.com/

Here's my FMQ Day 1 post:

http://fmqchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/fmq-1-mary-annnd.html

My muslin practice sandwich for free-motion quilting for Day 1:

The back was done in black so it would be easier to see in a photograph:

Pretty wonky!

Free motion without a design on the fabric seemed easier to me - I just love the "daisy" with the yellow and brown variegated Sulky thread.

I'm keeping my FMQ blog posts and projects in a three-ring binder for future reference:

I have a terrible memory and need to always make detailed notes.

That was my day - thanks for stopping by!

I appreciate your comments :-)

Multiplicity

Have you seen the new Multiples from www.accuquilt.com?!?

2 1/2" Square Multiple

2" finished Half Square Triangles Multiple

-I've been using my smaller HST die to cut out four triangles at a time for the Civil War Chronicles BOM and can't wait to use this new die to save on fabric and cut them out even faster!  

I'll definitely blog about using this so you can see how it works, too.

I'm going to try both of those out - how about you?

I believe they will provide the accuracy I love, but will also save fabric - 

the new multiples will have very little waste and I LOVE that idea!

Now, check this out:

Quarter Square 4" finished Triangle by Alex Anderson 

This one's great for Hour Glass, Broken Dishes, Bow Tie, but look at Alex Anderson's quilt he designed using this quarter square:

I'm 'in lust' with this gorgeous quilt and its color schemes!

Do you like it?

There's also a new 4 1/2" square multiple, too:

Which one of these would you use most?

What do you think about using the 2 1/2" squares with a jelly roll?  

There would be a lot of nice quilt top possibilities with those together.

The strip dies can also be used to cut triangles and different shapes.  

Lee Nakamoto demonstrates that here:

http://www.accuquilt.com/videos/accuquilt-lee-nakamoto/accuquilt-lees-stripper-tips-video_5f0d9d6db.html

Lee's sure got a great sense of humor!

After over-stretching the large thumb muscle in my right hand last fall, I really count on my AccuQuilt cutter so I can continue to quilt pain-free.  Saving my hands during the cutting process helps me do a better job of piecing and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that!

===================

Did you submit a quilt block for the Barn Quilt Design Contest?

(I didn't, but I will next year!)

Are you going to attend?  I wish you luck, SewCalGal!

SEW CAL GAL's BLOG

Guess who I voted for?!??  ;-)