The First Project

Yesterday I started collecting up the fabric I will be using for the first project on my sewing machine.  I am going to make a lap quilt using fabric with '50s colors, you know .... pink, turquoise, coral etc.  I found a lot of these at Wal-Mart, believe it or not, awhile ago.To get the rest I needed I went toJoAnn Fabrics.

I found the pattern for a quilt using "fat quarters" and that is what I will do.  In case you don't know a "fat quarter" if a quarter yard of fabric cut a bit differently. To make it more useful they take a 1/2 yard cut and cut it in half. Therefore a quarter yard. That means you can use it more easily in quilting and other crafting projects.

There are 12 different fat quarters.  Today I hope to start cutting them into the required sizes to make the quilt.  Yesterday I ironed them to make cutting easier and more accurate.  I will show a few of the cuts as I make them so you will understand what I am doing.  So tune in tomorrow.

I won over the machine

I am happy to report that I found out how and successfully learned how to thread my new sewing machine thanks to the man at the sewing machine where I bought it, all the way down in Alabama.  He was patient with me and it worked.

Then later I was having trouble getting the reverse to work.  Nothing in the manual gave me any idea how to trouble shoot this.  So.....   this time I called the Brother Sewing Machine company help line.  The lady there explained there was a switch on the back I should check.  It was in the proper place but I decided to turn it off and on and suddenly it decided to work.

So if you decide to buy a Brother Sewing Machine you can be sure you will get help, easily, when you need it.

In the next couple of days I want to start on some sewing projects. Yesterday I did some practice stitching.  There are a LOT of great stitches included in the machine so here is a picture of my samples.  Not too fancy, just wanted to make sure they all worked.

I am much happier this morning than I was yesterday morning,  I still have to learn to use the embroidery part of the machine but that is for a later day.

Out with the old, in with the new... SEWING MACHINE that is.

I gave myself a big Christmas gift this year.  Something I have wanted for ages.....   a new sewing machine and also one that embroiders.  Too bad I didn't have it when my kids were little.  My daughter could have had all those "cute" little outfits.  But in those days an embroidery machine cost thousands....

After spending a LOT of time researching on the internet I determined that I "NEEDED" to get a Brother SE400 sewing machine.  It is an electronic sewing machine and it does nice embroidery.  Every comment I read from users said good things, ease of use, fun to use etc.

WELL......  I have been sewing on one type of sewing machine or another for OVER 60 years and never had such trouble....  I can't figure out how to thread the stupid thing!!!  I am sure I will figure it out eventually....  Since I didn't buy it locally there isn't really anyone I can ask without driving a couple of hours......  They do sell them at my local wal-mart but heaven forbid they would know how to use them.     So for the next little while I will be practicing threading.  I have to tell you that my old machine loaded bobbins easier too.  Don't know why this is so complicated since the result is the same.  I am thinking of keeping my old machine just to load bobbins....  well probably not..... But it is an idea....

Here is the picture of the old machine... a kenmore.  The reason it is going is because it no longer will reverse and the stitches are extremely uneven on the straight stitch.  I just stopped sewing mostly cause of the problems. 

Doesn't it look lonely sitting on the shelf.  I will be giving it away after I make sure the new one works correctly. 
     The new machine is a   Brother SE400.
If you click on that link you can learn all you ever need to know about the machine, except how to thread it.
I shall quit now and go back to the problem at hand.  I hope tomorrow I can report some success here.

This week "Artful Thursday" falls on a Friday

In the past I have made some blog entries under the heading of Artful Thursday.  This week I am a day late.

For some reason I have gotten totally away from crafting and blogging and all those things.  Some of it has to do with the fact that my antique shop is pretty busy these days. And we spent a few days at our daughters house for Thanksgiving.    But more than that I have just sunk into a rut where I can't seem to convince myself to get back to it.

However I signed up recently for a year long series of work shops on the site  ROSES ON MY TABLE.

It is the same site where I was doing a workshop on decorating bottles.  This time I am doing a "treasure box."
Now I didn't completely follow her design.  I sort of designed it as I went along but I followed her techniques. And  then made it my own. The box is really a simple one which I am now using to hold some vintage photos I "altered" awhile back.

After taking pictures of the box I see a few things I must touch up and I have to clean the brass closure.  Also I don't think the pictures really do it justice.



Here are a couple of pictures of the box closed and one open.

 If you want to see close ups of the altered photos Click Here.  This link will take you to the blog entry where I show the photos I altered..

Off to Philadelphia Miniaturia I GO (6 Word Saturday)

Off to Philadelphia Miniaturia I GO

I am up very early this morning, getting ready to go to the biggest Miniature Show I have ever attended.  I can hardly wait.  

I know I will be tempted to spend a lot of money but am hopeful I will mostly bring home inspiration and enthusiasm to get back to some of the projects I have already started!

I will have pictures and stories to tell when I get back.  Please check here Monday for all the details.

Getting inventory for my mini bookshop

Because a good bookshop must have lots of books I have started to collect them and preparing to make some.
       Here are a couple of pictures I took. The first is the collection of books I have purchased already made up and the second is some printie sheets I have made up, to use for covers for a lot of looks.  I don't know if I will use all the ones I printed out but time will tell.

I found these on eBay and on line.

These are from a couple of printie locations on line.

Now for the real fun.  Tomorrow a few friends and I will be going to the Philadelphia Miniaturia, a HUGE show in Cherry Hill, NJ.  It will have the best of the best of mini things to see and buy.  I hope to find a few things for my shop and also to find a LOT of inspiration.   I will try to report in on Monday on all that I saw.
This is a show I have wanted to attend for years now and so happy I can finally go.

Tea Cup Tuesday #11

I almost didn't get to post today because we have had company the last few days but they left early this AM so here I am.  I found  a couple of pictures I can feature here.  They were taken a while back and not used.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com  

http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/

     Most tea cups just have saucers but the two sets I am showing today are luncheon or snack sets.
They have the cup and it sits on a plate big enough for your sandwich or others goodies.

I did not take a picture of the back stamps so don't know who made them.  Maybe someone will recognize them.  I will try to be more complete next time.