During our month of working at home, I got to play a little more than usual with some of my vintage machines.  I posted about a beautiful New Home I was recently given but it’s been driving me crazy.  I bought a 1/4 in foot for it and I can’t get it lined up.  I had pretty much decided that the needle bar was somehow damaged and/or bent.  I finally put it away and figured I’d give my blue Brother a spa day and sew with it some.   It’s a totally awesome blue machine my amazing brother in law gave me for Christmas 2019.  Who else can say I have a blue sewing machine that came from Coolville.  Yes, that’s a real city in Ohio.

Being the same type of machine, I thought ok I can use the 1/4 foot on this one.  Damn if it doesn’t work either.  If I take off the foot that came with the machine and replace it, the needle hits the new foot.  I finally decided to leave them till I could take them to my repair guy and see what happened.  So 2 weeks later what’s the chance one of the ladies in my online quilt group posted about her “left homed”  machines.  Turns out my machines aren’t damaged, they just work a straight stitch with the needle to the left of center.  I would never have known that.  She lucked out getting a couple of machine feet but even the person selling didn’t know what they were.

What was the luck that right after I found the issue she would post a comment about it on our group.  So while I know I’m not crazy, looks like the quarter inch will be marked with tape.  I’m not holding my breath on finding any left homed feet.

Be blessed.  Vicky

I have had a terrible issue with gout in my feet and been unable to sew almost the entire month of April and May.  I’ve tried to hold off sewing but there is no way I can not sew at all, so I’ve tried to limit it to just a few minutes a couple of times a week.  Thankfully they seem to be letting up this week so I can sew more.

I was able to do the binding on this one while I was not sewing and it was delivered to one of my daughter’s co-workers.  I think after 4 or 5 more I might have gifted one to all the employees at Planned Pethood.  Pethood, not parenthood.   Everyone seems to read that wrong.   This was my first attempt at octagons and I decided to mix octagon blocks and 4 patch posey blocks together.   I really like how it turned out.  So much so I have another one in the works.  I hope the owner enjoys it.

At home today working my way thru the second dose of new gout meds.  Back to work tomorrow.  My boss was kind enough to say stay home another week or two if you need to so it goes away completely, but I think I’ve got to leave the house soon or become a hermit.

See you all soon.  Hope to keep my blog current but my life isn’t all that exciting.  This should bring you current though.  Be blessed.

 

I’ve tried to keep this pandemic hysteria out of my blog but let’s face it, it’s become a big part of daily life.  I refuse to listen to news and TV that plays us all the doom and gloom but once the shut downs started it was hard to ignore.  Because of my lupus, I spent most of March just going from work to home and having Shannon get groceries or having them delivered.    Once Florida shut down, it’s been 5 weeks of just sitting at home.  While hard for most, being single it is interesting to say the least.  Been 4 weeks of me and the pups.  My niece came last week to help during a gout attack and it was nice to have company besides  barking dogs.    Thankfully the Lord has kept this virus away from my family.

Had to tease my niece when the new masks and scrub hat came in.   Kathlyn, one of the lovely ladies in my online quilt group, made them for my daughter.  They were so pretty, I decided to keep one set for myself.   She was cleaning so I “geared up” for working at home with company.   Amazing what’s funny when you haven’t left the house in weeks.

Haven’t done much during this shut down but mostly because I’ve spent the last 22 days of it working thru my worse ever gout attack.  Left me barely able to do much but stay off my feet.  I did get a few things done.  Not much as I do still work online most days, but I was able to start giving my machines spa day.

This one was given to me by my amazing brother in law for Christmas last year.  I sat down last week and gave her a nice coat of oil, new needle, new bobbin and adjusted everything so she sews nicely.  I think I will use it for my paper piecing.    Changing machines is going to be easier than changing feet and settings on my main machine when I want to do something different.   I love this machine.  Color is amazing and it came from Coolville Ohio.  How often can you say that?  Also check out that Longaberger basket.  My friend Kenetha sent me a few last week as she was cleaning out closets.  I LOVE them.

This machine just kind of fell in my lap.  My new groomer came to the house and brought her husband.  He didn’t mention anything about my machine collection but 2 days later I got a call.  Heidi said they were moving mom to assisted living and would I like the machine she had as he didn’t want it going to charity or sold.   He wanted it to go to someone that would use it.  So here she is, named after her owner, Wylene.   1971 New Home with every cam and accessory found in the drawers. Gave her a drop of oil as a precaution but she runs like scissors thru silk.    Beautiful machine that has been well taken care of.    Hard to find nowadays as most just let them sit in the attic or garage.   You can’t see it but she has a new Longaberger basket on her table also.

I also took a few hours during stay at home order and drained, cleaned and refilled my hot tub.  Now just to make myself use it.    So other than that a a very minimal amount of sewing, I haven’t done much during Covid 19.

It would be hard for me to explain how impressed and encouraged I am by my sister Jill.  She has overcome so many medical issues and still deals with so many today but is so positive, so giving and so loving to literally everyone she meets.   If someone asked me what I wanted to be once I grow up, my answer would be Jill.   She is simply an inspiration.  She never forgets a birthday, always makes a call when you need to hear from someone, never misses sending a sympathy, Christmas, birthday card.  If you need help she is always there, even 900 miles away.

That being said, I have to brag on her.  She came last Thanksgiving and I know they were likely bored stiff as half way thru the visit I got terribly sick.   They were kind enough to stay and help me and we were actually able to fit in ONE crochet lesson.  After an hour or so of learning a crochet stitch, she went home and a few short months later I received this amazing shaw.    I can’t imagine how hard she studied and worked to make this with one single lesson.  I LOVE IT.  Perfect weight for a cool Florida morning to sit out with the pups or head to work.

I have to brag a little more.  Again on what she has accomplished with only about 2 days of sewing lessons a couple of years ago.  She has made a few beautiful quilts, pillows and runners but I was really impressed with her recent finished one.    No pattern, no fabric directions, etc.  She just saw a picture online, drew out her pattern and made this beautiful cat quilt for her friend named Cat.  Don’t you love it?

Finally able to quilt a few more.  Because of my feet, I am having an issue basting my quilts once I have the tops finished but one or two friends in my local class have offered to baste some for me.  These were actually finished and delivered to my daughters co-workers this week.  I’m working my way thru gifting one to each of them and then not sure what direction I’ll head in.    I’m thinking maybe a blanket ministry except using quilts.    I have a number more tops completed and once basted, I will start quilting those and give them homes.

This one has no name.  I saw it online and my sister Jill drew it on graph paper. Made using some Tula Pink charm packs and a few jelly roll strips. Gifted this one to my new groomer Heidi.  The boys love her.

This Twisted Baregllo was a long time in the making.  I made a bargello about 12 years ago and ran out and bought the fabric to make another.  I got home, cut it up in strips and realized I had spent hours picking out fabrics and I HATED it.  It got boxed up and left for a long time.  I’ve been working on cleaning up pre-cut projects so here it is.  The border was just a fluke I happened to find in my stash.  I think it worked out well.  I have to admit it came out much better than I thought it would.  I gifted this to my daughter’s co-worker also.  I think I need to do 5 or 6 more to get one to all of them.    They opened a second clinic so now has more employees.

Sometimes I forget about my blog.  A friend posted she started one yesterday and it reminded I have forgotten to update mine in a few months.  When you’re single and mostly just spend time working and with your pups, there isn’t s lot you need to blog about I guess.  I pretty much live life in the slow lane.

Here are a few quilts I’ve actually been able to list as complete so far this year.  The diamond quilt was made using KF fabrics and a pattern called Bordered Diamonds.  So far I’ve decided to keep this one for myself.  I think it will be a bed topper for my room.

This next one was very similar to the one made for my daughter’s co-worker last year.  My dog trainer saw the yellow and absolutely fell in love.   I don’t normally made one so close looking but he really loved it.   Started it before Christmas as was finally able to get it quilted and delivered to him.