Two for the price of one

  Taking a cue from Bonnie Hunter, I started using leader and ender pieces while sewing. I have a plastic container of squares pre-cut, light and dark, just waiting. At the start of sewing, I piece a light and dark square, and at the end, another set. Eventually, I use the two blocks together as leader-enders to make a four patch. This is while I am piecing another quilt. Most of my piecing is done on a Singer 301. I press the four patches, and with this quilt, I used the Square in a Square Method by Jodi Barrows to add the sides on. I made half the blocks with black print, the other half, white with black print. In the book that comes with the trimming tool, this pattern is called, Simple Simon. This quilt is loosely based on the pattern, as I used a four patch center, and different borders, but I got the black and white idea there. I sewed the quilt together on my Adironadack vacation with my Kenmore 158.1040. It is so compact, it easily packed away. I also started an I Spy Disappearing Nine Patch Quilt there, but I don't have photos yet. When I got home, I added the borders. I need to see a quilt complete before I decide on how wide and what color the borders will be.

The Bonus Four Patch, a leader-ender

The Square in a Square Bonus Quilt

New Comfort Quilt Progress

   The Crumb quilt is totally finished. I just have to sew pockets on the tote bag. It is easier for me to buy the tote bags by the dozen and just put the pockets on. The blocks in the Crumb quilt are all from small scraps that I ask for and make myself. The crumb blocks were all sewn on my treadle. Quilted on a Singer 301. I just leave a pile of scraps on the treadle, and when I need some mindless sewing or have a small portion of time, I keep adding to them. I am working on another crumb quilt, but instead of sashing, I am going to try attic window edges.
  The other quilt is the exploding squares pattern that my mother helps with. She can sew all around a square. I press, cut, and put the third square on, she sews all around again. I press and cut and put them all together with the border. This time, I had my mother help to arrange the blocks. The pindot fabric for the border I had since the 80s. My mother's Brother is from when I was a baby in the 50s and it works fine although I just replaced the knee pedal for her. Now, I need to cut a king size batting into 4 so I have a batting for it. It is just hard to find somewhere to lay out the batting to cut it.
   These are comfort quilts that I bag with a book and card for cancer chemo patients when someone gives me a name or contact. Most of the time, I do not know the person or ever meet them but I know they get comfort from the quilts. I have all the pieces for another one, this time the idea is from the Missouri Star Quilt Company and their video on strips from the Three dudes quilting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Ixvjje310&feature=c4-overview&playnext=1&list=TLOsL0CnMnzuA. They use 4 strips in theirs, I used 6 so the blocks when cut diagonally are larger. I just have to sew the blocks together now. Post that soon.
   The Kenmore 158.1654 got its new spool pins and belt and is ready to go through the paces. The 1040 got its handwheel removed and cleaned so the clutch disengages and I can wind a bobbin.
  Still a host of projects staring me in the face.

I know the sides are wonky, I had to photograph it on the floor, standing on a chair.

Detail of corner, faux piping binding

Block and quilting closeup.

Exploding squares, needs backing, binding. Again, could not photograph wonky.

My new Kenmore 1040

Mold dots, dirt, but intact

Dirty, but unmarked

Ugly discoloring

All clean and put back together!

Discolor all gone!

All shiny, now can I get the bobbin winder to work? Can't get the handwheel off

Beautifully clean in design and finish

Cute, functional, compact, what is not to love?

No more mold!

    It did not take much coaxing from Elizabeth, mysewingmachineobsession.blogspot.com, for me to pursue a Kenmore 1040. I have a couple of 3/4 size Singers, a 99 and Spartan (turned that into a handcrank) and like the small size. The Kenmore can zig zag however. One came up on eBay and it turned out it was only about 10 miles from me, so I could pick it up and avoid shipping $$ and possible damage. When I got it home, there was the musty factor and a couple of dots of mold starting on the case and machine. Anything that was plastic, I threw in hot water with Spic and Span to soak. I wiped the whole machine down with rubbing alcohol and then swabbed everything, taking off everything I could. I oiled and greased, polished and reassembled. The machine got a coat of Turtle Wax and polished. It sews amazing. The case is so neat, compact and functional. I can take it to classes and anywhere! The plastic pouch that housed the foot pedal is all ripped, so I am not sure if I should make something for the pedal, or tape it up.
   On the quilting front, I finished the Black and White top I started in a class, but it was too dreary today to photograph it. My mom sewed a bunch of blocks for me, so now I can sew up two more comfort quilts. I was able to fix her old Brother by swapping a knee pedal/foot pedal from a Singer 401 I bought at a garage sale since I removed that machine from its cabinet. Now she won't get a bruise when she sews from the pedal. Quilt pics to come.