Getting It Straight

I've been having trouble trying to get my 1/4" seams straight with the Singer 1425. Who you? Yes me!

Very annoying it is too to find the seams vary in width from 1/4" to 1/2" to 1/8", even with a 1/4" foot. The foot was jumping all over the place and I could actually see it moving.

The other day I thought I'd have a go trying to adjust the tension to see if that had anything to do with it.

Got out trusted manual as I couldn't remember whether the lower the number, the higher the tension, or vice versa.

When I looked at the illustration I suddenly realised what the problem was.

Before

After

Talk about a DOH moment!

There is a lovely man on Ebay who sells all sorts of bits and pieces for sewing machines. Accessories and feet which are impossible to get hold of anywhere else, and for less than half the price they are over here. I mean €8, including postage, instead of the €30+ I found one for here in France.

My lovely Singer is now behaving itself and, yes, I did have to adjust the tension, but only slightly.

Continuing with the subject line, I have been trying to get things straight in the sewing room.

After the kitten invasion, there's stuff all over the place. The Old One and The Young One have been using it as a dump room which hasn't gone down to well. However, I got my own back on The Old One.

This box has been hanging around for years so I've found a brilliant use for it

and a nice little storage shelf at the top for bits and pieces. Can't believe I started quilting using those MDF templates. I don't think he's noticed yet, but it had been in the barn for a few years so what's not used is either sold on, or I find a use for it.

Amongst the massive tidying up I found this project which I had forgotten about.

Tidying up has stopped and I'm playing. I'm trying to make the letters pointy like a magican's hat and the "m" for "magic" is definitely pointed and slightly off kilter. I'll show it when I've done some more.

It's raining chats et chiens so back to the sewing room I go.

More soon.

Squiggling on a Sunday

Round 4 of the Liberated Round Robin has been published.

Yikes!  Curves!

You know me well enough by now to know that I don't "do" appliqué or anything that involves too much hassle. I have an aversion to anything too complicated.

As far as I'm concerned nice and easy fits the bill perfectly.

So I had to think hard and fast about this, to me, challenge.

Then I remembered that sometime ago Marsha at Threadbender wrote an excellent post about making squiggles.

A squiggle is a curve is it not, albeit not exactly a proper curve, but in my book that suffices.

So without further ado I give you my first squiggles.

Well, it's a start.

You can read Marsha's tutorial here. It's so easy a child could do it! Says she confidently. Anyone any idea how I'm going to do 46" long squiggles!




I'm waiting for a part for my Singer 1425. As soon as it hits the letter box I'll start squiggling. I've never felt so ashamed of myself about this particular part, but that's a story for another time


More soon.

Doing the Happy Dance

Yesterday was my lucky day. A reel of beautiful turquoise perle 8 for 1 Euro at Brantôme brocante professionals and at a vide grenier just up the road, the bargain of the year! One of those concertina type sewing boxes on legs which slides out revealing all sorts of goodies. When the lady opened it up to show me what was inside I couldn't believe my eyes. There at the bottom, hardly used, were bobbins, feet and needle plates for my Singer 1425 which I've been trying to find on EBay but to no avail. Madame was asking 20€ for the box and its contents. As a pack of 2 bobbins is 5€ and there were six in there I didn't argue. Also amongst the goodies is one of those pin cushions that you put on your wrist. I've been trying to find one for ages. Most of the stuff can be taken out and packed away for when we do our vide grenier stall next year. The cottons have seen better days so I'm going to throw those out, as well as very rusty pins, needles and machine needles, but I'm so pleased I think it might just have persuaded my muse to return home.

Open Letter to Bonnie Hunter

Dear Bonnie,

When I first started quilting little did I know that within 3 years my outlook would have changed completely.

As far as DH is concerned, today was the last straw.  With a huge sigh and a shake of the head, he decided that he's had enough of this quilting lark.  I thought you might like to know that he's walking around muttering "What a waste.  What a waste.".

From My Photos

Perhaps once he's seen them cut up he'll change his mind, but on the other hand probably not!

You also nearly got me into big big trouble.

Remember a few weeks back when we found those sewing machines?  Well, the 1425 is coming back from the hospital next week and the 191B is going in.  It's so far cost us €25 to buy the two and €90 to get Emma 1 restored to her former glory.

Well today, I "just happened" to "spot" a Singer 191B treadle in its original table with some of the accessories.  €50 the seller was asking - €50!  The leather belt had snapped and she was looking very sorry for herself.  She wanted to be taken home and loved.  The seller was prepared to bargain.  I was tempted - very tempted.  DH spotted me from a distance and I swear if there was an Olympic Gold Medal for the fast sprint through a crowded vide grenier, he'd have won it!

DH  "That woman has influenced you enough.  I'm not having any more sewing machines in the house.  You've already got 4!"

ME  "Yes, but look at the price.  And he's prepared to bargain."

DH  "No!  End of!"

I do hope she goes to a good home.   Perhaps if I'd bought her for you and got her shipped over to NC he would have let me buy her.  On second thoughts ..............

Hope you had a good time in PA.

Clare x

PS - the shirts with a non-sewing purchase

From My Photos

I'm hooked!

I've been following Bonnie's exploits in her attempt to build up the largest collection of vintage/antique sewing machines.

She has been very kind and replying to emails fom an over-excited amateur.  We swapped mails about a Singer 239 I found in the local brocante which was well and truly battered and would have needed a lot of TLC - and I mean A LOT!  She suggested I went for it, just to give the poor thing a home, but it wasn't to be.

Yesterday we were in Périgueux twiddling our thumbs in between various appointments and thought we would try to find the local Emmaus.  Emmaus is a charity founded to help the homeless and those "on their uppers" so to speak.  Someone had told me you can occasionally find sewing machine bargains.

So it was a must go to NOW.  You know what us sewing gals are like - Do It Now!

We found it at the back of one of the housing estates in Perigueux (not the sort of place to be on a dark night I can tell you) and Mrs Eagle Eyes set to work.

Meet the Emma's!

Emma 191B is my baby - it looks as if she has hardly been used.  No accessories or instruction book, but oh boy am I chuffed to bits with her.

I think Emma 1425 is going to be my "work horse".  Again no accessories or instruction book (has anyone got one they could copy for me in exchange for fabric or something?).

They've both got foot pedals and electric leads - the 1425 has got a variable speed control which is right up my street AND a self-threading bobbin case.  I think I'm going to love her to bits.

All for the princely sum of .................................................. wait for it ...........................................

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25 Euros for both.  YES!

Update - User Manual for the 1425 now found.  Now surfing for its accessories.