Just a cleaning machine

     My new base came in from Cindy Peters, an oak base to fit the 201 in when the motor goes back in. First photo is the unfinished and the second is one coat of Minwax Antique Oil Finish. I sanded it with fine sandpaper and wiped it with a tackcloth before the first coat. Tonight, I will put on the second coat. I plan about 4 coats. I like the color just fine without any stain. Wood mellows over time.

    I can't stand having dirty machines around, so I cleaned the newest 301 in the herd I got from eBay. I am including photos of the packaging, because it was great and there was no damage. The case was packed inside a sturdy box and then the machine was bubble wrapped and packed with styrofoam very well. 
    Although this was a very good cosmetic machine, the insides were the dirtiest 301 I have seen, check out the lint cake. All the insides had black, thick deposits. They cleaned well with 90% rubbing alchohol. Not only the gears, but inside the side cover, the bobbin, the handwheel, and all metal rods. I thought the machine breathed easier when it was clean. The drip felt was disgusting and moldy and I threw it out. Now where did that extra one I bought get put? Someplace safe, but forgotten for the moment. After cleaning, when I fired it up and test sewed, it hummed with that heavenly 301 motor to gears sound. No problems at all with the stiches. Just very dirty.

Cosmetically great pre-cleaning

Yucky, yucky underneath

Used the dental picks to get out all this fossilized lint

Deciding Placement

    I have all the crumb Attic Window blocks done. I have them on the design wall. They are 8 1/2" blocks. I have to make up my mind about the placement and then tape label the rows so I can stitch them together. All the crumbs were made on the treadle, the strips were sewn on with the 301.

Flowers for the season

     I do plan on posting sewing machine and quilting posts later today, but since I get so much of my inspiration from nature in my art, I am going to post some frost photos and the christmas cactus blooms that I shot. First, is my vintage sewing machine PLANTER. A friend bought this for me and at first I thought it was a sewing machine. I had to go to the Depot and buy some succulents for it and now it is on display in my window.

Vintage Sewing machine planter

Red Sunset Maple

Japanese Maple

Ginko

Dawn Redwood

Endless Summer Hydrangea

Fall Anenome

Geranium leaves

Frosted Mums

Red Sunset Maple

Quilts Unlimited in Old Forge at the View

     Every year, the third week of August for over 15 years, my family rents a house near Old Forge, NY and enjoys the Adirondacks (ADK). We saw the building over the years of the new arts center called the View. It is absolutely one of the best spaces I have ever seen. On Nov. 2nd, Quilts Unlimited opened. I had never been to Old Forge any other time of the year and now, it is pretty much a ghost town. Just getting a decent cup of coffee is a challenge. My sister in law I went to the opening as I have two pieces in the show. The quality of the quilts just blew me away. I don't think I can post the photos of others' quilts although I took many. Pat Pauly put some on her blog, I think. The View will have a slide show of them soon as they did for last year's show. We had a great time, stayed at the Water's Edge, and did some sewing in our room. I taught Ann to sew inset circles and thin insets. I met Elizabeth and Lisa there and got my new Singer 237 for my treadle. Photos of that later.

View from my room, McCauley Mtn at back

Old Forge Beach

Circle sewing practice

That's my quilt, next to the Sock Monkeys

Like I said, the space is beautiful

15 is clean!

   My friend's 15 is ready to go home.  The pre-cleaning photos are on Oct. 28. The new motor, foot controller, power cord, belt, bobbin case, throat plate, and felts came in from Sew-Classic. I installed everything and tried out the stitches, fiddling with the tension. I made the foot controller a bag like Elizabeth does using the machine. I sewed about 15 blocks with a side strip on the Attic Windows crumb quilt to try it out. I think it is good. The hardest part was printing out the manual. My printer refused to print out all the pages. It just would not print out page 15. Why is it always the computer stuff is the hardest for me?
   Enjoy the beautiful 15.

New bag for foot controller

Crumb blocks, attic window

    I finally treadled enough crumb blocks, 6 1/2" squares to make a lap quilt. I love crumb blocks, they are like mini paintings, each one different and fun. I already did one with sashing. I decided to use attic windows because it will show off the blocks. I looked for some tutorials, and did not find one that was real clear. I don't want to do the simplified, put a half square triangle in the corner, because I already have enough seams. I can't get a clear idea how to add the second piece without starting to sew at the 1/4" mark which is harder than on the open end.
   I am sewing on the 301 because the treadle does not have reverse. When I get my new machine, the 237, I can treadle the strips on also. Any ideas how to sew attic window strips easier, I would love to know. I have 7 done on the wall. 

On the wall

Crumb block pile waiting for its sashing

Thread catchers

    I have already admitted it, I am 3D sewing challenged. Someone suggested I make a threadcatcher as a gift for someone who could use some sewing studio things. So, I found a super tutorial that even I could follow. I made two, I think I will keep one. I had some old painty hinges that I used to weigh down the pincushion. I cut a paint stirring stick in half lengthwise and widthwise  for the back of the bag. I used some vintage buttons to hold the pincushion to the bag. I think they are great. I can't wait until I can give it away!