Today's Helper

W

What do you mean you don't need my help putting the laundry away? You didn't even get your bed made this morning! Of course you need help! Seriously Grammie, you really need to think this helping thing over a bit.

Wool Needlecases

We are having our first thunderstorms of the season this afternoon, so I guess we can say spring is finally here. We have a little covered deck off our kitchen that I love to sit out on in the afternoons and rock. I can look up the river valley and see the storm coming. I love watching the lightening and smelling the rain on the air. We live at one of the highest points in our area and we can see storms for miles around.

This week must be wool week for me because I also finished up these 6 wool needlecases with appliqued coneflowers on them.  An old pattern from years ago in an  American Patchwork and Quilting mag.  I had prepped them to work on two summer's ago when Mr. RQ was taking his treatments but just couldn't get my head or hands wrapped around them back them.  They've been starving for attention in a bag, you all know how that is lol, ever since and this week, all inspired by having finished my rabbits, I grabbed the bag and finished them up.  It felt really good to get them out of that bag :)

Working on finishing up one more unfinished wool project and then guess what! I can start a new one lol!

Happy stitching and God Bless!

Rabbits Everywhere!

I can't believe it! I can hardly breathe with the excitement :) This week I finally put the last stitches on my Harrington and Hannah blocks from Michelle's Raspberry Rabbits.  I never thought it would take this long but you know how it is.  Life happens and interrupts important stitching time and then one must ...work...to support one's stitching addictions habits lol!

Anyway, here are the last blocks, all stitched and now I have to come up with a layout plan. I have buttons and beads and such to add to the blocks yet but can't do that until the quilting is done. I did make some changes to some of the blocks too but just little ones. I'm sure Michelle won't mind that her designs inspired me to explore my creativity on some of the blocks:)

Get over it!

If you are a regular follower and like to read my blog, please skip this post or at least forgive me for having to post it.  My blog is meant to be uplifting, inspiring and hopefully, sometimes funny.  But this issue has reached it's limit and I will speak out to the bullies.

I simply cannot believe the nasty comments I'm still getting over re-purposing my treadle machine! Especially from the gutless commenters who write under anonymous or have their account set to No-reply. Easy to throw dirt when you can't get it back, right!  So I have one big thing to say....GET OVER IT!!   It was MY machine, to do with as I like.  I did not go to my local sewing machine store to find parts..see, I'm not stupid. I researched and found a Raymond part supplier.  I KNOW it was a famous brand made in Canada! Apparently alot of you can't read because I never said any of those things in my post! Parts were available, It was NOT about $$.  After speaking with a RAYMOND restorer, it was clear the sewing machine itself could not be fixed...BECAUSE A MAJOR PIECE THAT WAS CAST IRON THAT HELD PIECES IN PLACE WAS RUSTED AND GONE, NOT REPLACEABLE!!!!  So please, as my grandmother and mother taught me, if you can't say something nice, then SHUT UP!  And yes, before anyone says it, I can accept comments with critiques.  But I will not accept name calling and bullying and nastiness!
Enough is enough! Leave it alone already!

Spring didn't arrive!

 Spring didn't arrive in our neighbourhood today....no, we got 18" of snow and it's still falling heavily.  I'm jealous of those of you who have spring blooms coming up :)  I had to make a disappearing 4 patch for guild last month, so I decided on a baby quilt in '30s fabrics. I love the pop of solid orange around the blocks. I used 6 1/2" squares to start my 4 patches. It'll be for my hope chest....in hopes that one day I'll have some lovely grandchildren....(no pressure boys lol!) I just want to be prepared :)

 How do you like my new little storage bin? I had seen a similar one on facebook, can't remember where, and roughly sketched out the design so Mr. RQ could make me one. Oh, and the handle, a spindle from an old stairway railing that we salvaged from a house that was being torn down..imagine that, another re-purposed item lol!

 I had the pleasure of quilting this customer's lovely jelly race quilt. I love her fabric choices and the variety. It's not quite as "blended" a look as some of them have, like mine.

 The kitties are growing like crazy. Lou, the long haired, is  8 months old now and the tortoiseshell, Liara, is just a tiny little girl for 9 months.  They are so funny and keep us laughing every day.  Laughing everyday is certainly good for the soul and keeps you young :)

I've been wanting to show you all some of the fun I had before Christmas working on wool things.  I don't know which I enjoyed more...the pennies or the stockings. I have to get working on some more for little gifties.

Sorry to my followers that you had to read some nasty stuff yesterday. 

God Bless and Happy Stitching!

Re-purposing #2

OUCH!
 Let's get one thing straight...I did not just hack into and chop up a vintage treadle just for the fun of it.  This was not a decision I made lightly. I did do my research, get repair quotes and looked into having it restored. I totally respect the integrity of a vintage anything! I collect vintage! I love my 1932 Singer Featherweight that does work!  I, in no way, encourage anyone to tear apart a working treadle or one that can be repaired and used!!!

Not that I hold any responsibility to any one for my choice, I will state that the inside of the machine itself was so rusted out that you couldn't even PUT IN replacement parts.  Believe me, if I could have gotten this machine up and running I would have because I would have LOVED to learn how to use my grandmother's treadle! To put my hands where hers had been, to have been able to make that connection with her!

And, even though it would never sew again, it held a lot of sentimental value to my family.  So, I thought and thought and decided to do what we did.  I am now able to share a physical piece of my family history with other members of my family.  And these items will continue to be passed down thru the family in a useful way.

The whole purpose of my post was just to show how to use a machine that could not be returned to working condition. How to still save it and it's memories.  That's what the whole post was about---preserving memories the best way I could

Respectfully,

Re-purposing

Do you have one of these kicking around in not-so-good shape...as in it'd cost more to repair it than it's worth? A family treasure that holds memories but isn't functional, just sits around taking up space....here's some ideas on how to re-purpose pretty much the whole unit into lovely, useable items.

Unfortunately, these machines are pretty much a dime a dozen and unless they're rare and in mint working condition, they're not worth alot dollar wise. Still, so many of us have our grandmother's treadle and alot of sentimental value in them.  They were built to last and very sturdy! My grandmother's treadle was not in good condition.  There were major parts missing, the finish on the machine was almost completely worn off, the cabinetry was in poor shape. Still, I wanted to preserve something that meant alot to her and us.  First, we removed the machine itself and put it on display with some old sewing items.

Ours wasn't a Singer but a Raymond, made in Canada. I love this machine sitting on my shelf :)

 
 Then, we took the 4 drawers out. Only one still had it's original knob, the rest were missing. I use the drawers around my house and sewing room for storing and displaying things. The one that was in the worst condition, I turned sideways and mounted on the wall as a little shelf.

 The wood from the cover and top were planed down and under the veneer was this beautiful oak.  My husband made several picture frames from this wood. Aren't they lovely!

 That leaves the metal frame which hubby repurposed into this wonder table for me a few weeks ago.   All that's left is the cast iron pieces that the drawers set in and those are going to be used for picture frames too.  I was so thankful to be able to take my grandmother's treadle and find ways to make it all useful again. I enjoy each and every item that came to be from something that held so much sentimental value.

Happy Stitching!