Cats in Space Quilt

 I really like Elizabeth Hartman's quilt patterns. 

This quilt is called Cats in Space.

 I decided to make the small quilt (52 x 52) so I could try my Grace Mini-Quilter to quilt it. 

I purchased some material from Joann's and I used some pieces out of a 10" layer cake I bought from Amazon.

I used my Bernina 717 to piece it together.  It is a cute and smooth running machine..

There are a lot of small fabric pieces.  I cut them all out in advance and labeled them in sandwich bags.

Once the space cats are finished, they are cut out on an angle to give the look of floating in space.  This is done by cutting a piece of tissue paper to size, then placing it at an angle and cutting as seen in picture.

It seems like a waste of a lot of fabric, but it works.

I used my Singer 503 to sew the borders on.

It looked like this before I quilted it.

I recently purchased a Grace Mini Quilter, so I tried it out on this quilt with my Bernina 830 with the BSR foot.

I did simple quilting.  Around the cats and stars.

I attached the binding with my Necchi Lelia 513.  This is an incredibly smooth and powerful machine.

Here it is finished.

Thanks for stopping.

Kwik Sew 3123 Faux Suede Coat

 While at Joann's during their closing sale I purchased some faux suede for a coat.  I also purchased the matching thread which was named smoke.  I didn't know what pattern I would use until I came across Kwik Sew 3123.  

I had made this coat in 2017 with a wool fabric.  It is a big and boxy coat that is perfect for any outing.  It is shown here in small with one inch added to the sleeve length.

I really like this coat, I where it all the time in Winter.

2017 coat

I made the new coat in small with two inches added to the sleeve length.  I also reworked the lining to have a facing.  The original coat had the lining go all the way to the front.

No facing in original coat

I had originally purchased the pattern on sewingpatterns.com.  I had it in a file, so I printed it out and taped it together.

I had the lining in my stash from Amazon.

My 90 year old neighbor saw the Montgomery Ward treadle in my truck and decided to give me his Mom's old sewing machine.  I figured an old Singer, but was pleasantly surprised to see a White 666.  I used this for the stitching.

I top-stitched with my Singer 503 and my Necchi Esperia.

I hemmed the cuffs with my Bernina 830.

I did the button holes with my Esperia and a Greist Buttonholer.

I sewed on the buttons with my Bernina 817.

I think it turned out great.  Plus I had lots if fun using all those sewing machines.

Thanks for stopping.

Volunteering my hobby

 About five years ago my Mom's church got a new priest.  He asked the congregation if anyone knew how to sew.  My mom found out what the project was, then asked me if I wanted to do it.

The project was a child size priest vestment, so a child could play being a priest.  The priest supplied the material and a pattern, and I sewed it.

The results were:

Then, he asked me to make an altar cloth.  With no pattern to go by, I measured the altar. 

The priest again supplied the material.  This was quite a large piece of cloth to handle in my small sewing room.  It is two piece, a top and a liner.

A few years later he asked me to make a rose colored cloth.  He gave me an altar cloth to get the measurements from, since I discarded the measurements I had.  He also gave me the fabric.

Here it is:

It is fun to see my cloths being used daily.

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Christmas Shirt for Joe

 I found some beautiful flannel fabric on sale at Joann's for $5 per yard.  I bought four yards so I would have enough to line up the plaid.

Since this shirt is for Joe, I used Simplicity 7330 in large.  This pattern fits him nicely.

I used my Bernina 930 to sew this.  It is truly a wonderful machine.  It has the needle up/down feature.

I like the three-step button hole on my Bernina 1120, so I used it for the button holes.

Here it is.  He likes how soft and warm it is.

Thanks for stopping.

Old Sewing Machine and Old Shirt Pattern

 I live in a small town with many antique shops.  I rarely go into them.  But while walking our dogs through town like we do everyday, I spotted a treadle in the window of one of the shops. 

I was instantly interested.  This was on a Sunday before the shop was open.  I couldn't get to the shop until that Thursday.  It was still there, which shocked me.  I quickly paid the price of $50 for this Montgomery Ward Treadle Machine.

It needed a little clean up and turned out to be in very good shape.  It even came with three bobbins.  It is a long-bobbin machine.  I put on a  new be!t, and quickly started sewing with it.  There is nothing like the sound of a treadle.

I decided to make a short sleeve shirt from Simplicity 8427  in size 40 with some plaid material I bought at the thrift store.  I have had this pattern for over seven years, it is slim-fitting, that is why I size up to a 40.

I decided to use my So-Fro 9000 to sew on the buttons and in conjunction with my Singer buttonholer I made the button holes.

This So-Fro is an electromechanical machine.  It is fun to hear the machine click and clack to the appropriate stitch.  Plus, the knobs in front turn by themselves.

Here is the shirt.

I had lots of fun making it.

Thanks for stopping.

Halloween Wall Hanging

 I received an email from San Francisco Stitch Co. with a sale on some cute Halloween appliques.  

I decided to buy the set and make a small wall hanging.  I used nine of the twelve.

I used my Simplicity SE3 to make the appliques.  I made them out of scraps.  The squares were 8" by 7".

I used my Bernina 125 to sew the hanging together.  I bought the material at Joann's in Juneau Alaska while we were visiting Joe's mom.

I decided to use my Singer 503A to quilt it.  

It turned out cute. 

Thanks for stopping.

A Wool Shirt For Winter.

 I ordered some wool shirting from Fashion Fabrics Club and was pleasantly surprised by the softness and heaviness of this fabric.   It is solid gray, so no stripes to match up.

I immediately thought of my new found pattern, Simplicity 9858.

I made view A with the collar from view B. I made it in medium with two inches added to the sleeve length.

I used my New Home 5001 to sew it.  I have had this machine for a while.  According to the Janome website:

It was the first home sewing machine with computerized stitch combinations.

The year was 1979. Y.M.C.A. was a huge hit for The Village People. The Muppet Movie made the Top 10. And those Famolare shoes with the wavy soles were all the rage.

 

It was a big year for sewing too. Because in 1979 Janome introduced the first programmable, computer sewing machine, the MEMORY 7 Model 5001.

As a sewing machine, the MEMORY 7 was very sturdy with excellent power and stitch quality. Many are still being sewn on today.

 

This machine has a wonderful stitch quality.  It stops with the needle in the up position.

I decided to fold out the ease on the shoulders,  about an inch worth so I did not have to set-in the sleeves.  This way I could flats fell the seams.

Original

 

Folded

Redrawn

I used my Singer Professional buttonholer to make the button holes.

Looks like a shirt.  Plus, it is soft and warm.

I am ready for Winter.

Thanks for stopping.