'What Towse has mainly been doing'

You will recall that I have said many times that I have not used a sewing machine for over 20 years. Well, finally, the sewing machine has come down from its hiding place and taken up residence on the dining table (or the side in the kitchen or even on a fold out picnic table). It is an old Toyota and was second hand to us, so it has probably had a lot of use. Broni showed me how to thread it, which I promptly forgot! I then realised anyway that the thread she had used was totally wrong for anything I might want to try to sew so I unthreaded it and forgot about it for a few days. THEN, I got it out all on my own and worked out how to fill a bobbin and re-thread the machine. Success!! Have to say though that I don't understand tension. And the wheel didn't want to loosen so that I could wind the bobbin without the needle going up and down (at least I had unthreaded the needle) which was interesting. I was fine with straight stitching on scrap (although I have got used to the calm and quiet of hand sewing) but it did go rather strange when I attempted the bit in the manual on embroidery which involved taking off the foot and lowering the feed dogs - but I at least feel proud of the fact that I know what they both are and what effect the removal/lowering of them should have!

So, I thought, filled with joyful memories of trying out that super dooper quilting machine at the NEC, let's have a go at machine quilting. Most people I am talking to at shows and groups seem to think I am entirely eccentric not using a sewing machine, so how hard can it be?

Think of how productive I could be if I used a machine!

The 12" house scrap block I was experimenting with had to be the ideal candidate. Surely I couldn't go wrong with basic outlining - straight lines and geometric shapes!

 

Well actually, imho it's quite hard and quite scary the way the machine runs away with you and the three layers of fabric don't necessarily want to go under the foot at the same speed. But I did it, even if I think I will re-christen myself 'Mrs Everything Turns Out a Little Bit Wonky'.

 

I went to visit Judy in her shop in Thame yesterday - very nice stock there - and she told me that I should probably have started with some simple block piecing and that machine quilting is hard, especially on a domestic machine - let alone an old one. Now Judy speaks sense on these matters and has told me before that I am making life hard for myself. Perhaps I should listen sometimes!  

 

I made things similarly difficult with myself with this little coaster (mug rug). The centre block started life as tiny (1") samples from Strawberry Fayre which I got because they looked 'useful for something sometime'. They are meant to be sent back as swatches with your fabric order. I had seen someone do a little nine patch pin cushion, so gave it a try. You can imagine now small the finished squares are! Boy was it fiddly!

 

This is the detail from the length of fabric I got at the NEC from Doughty's. Somehow I reckon it's too pretty for backing fabric. Meanwhile it's gone into stash.

 

Talking of stash. Silve gave me an acronym today. SABLE. It stands for Stash Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy. Here's my stash so far. Given that I only started this patchwork malarkey in September 2012 I seem to have accumulated quite a lot of fabric. Debs McGuire, you have a lot to answer for!!

 

My other half tells me that there is a 'folk belief' in the wargaming world that says that a chap's 'lead mountain' will end up proportional to his body weight and that if you ever end up with no figures to paint you will die! Seems rather a dramatic way of justifying adding to a chap's stash!

 

Meanwhile, Son of Son of Monster (the mini version) has now got to the state where I just need to catch down the binding.

 

The bigger version is double this size but will have to wait for completion because I don't have any more wadding or suitable backing fabric (honest!) and, more importantly, I have run out of the coffee coloured spotty fabric I have used in the squares and definitely need more for the binding. So there is the excuse for a little trip to Threads and Patches if anyone is interested?

 http://www.threadsandpatches.co.uk/acatalog/Fenny_Stratford.html

This mini version will be a birthday present for my good friend Caroline (not Caboline - it's a Celtic 'R' not a 'B') - who commented one day that she liked the pattern and the multi colours. It might end up as a lap quilt or a wall hanging because her new bungalow is all pale and magnolia and she would like some colour.

 

My next project, which is also a special birthday pressie, needs to be cut soon so that I can at least make a start before the Farmer's Wife Class starts in only a couple of weeks or so.

 

Next Sew 'n' Chat session will be Wednesday, 4th September at Eleanor's house. Back to usual times 10.30 am to 12.30 pm. Looking forward to catching up with people there.