Featherweight 221

Look what came to live with me yesterday! She’s a little Singer Featherweight 221-1 born October 28, 1947.

I bought her off eBay and she was shipped out of California. I brought her home, cleaned her up and oiled her. She runs like a champ, nice and quiet. I’ll have to take her in for a tune-up as there was a receipt in the carrying case for service in November 1968 for $7.50!

My husband, bless his pea-pickin’ heart, just rolled his eyes and said “cute.”


Of course, I got on the phone with Aunt Karen to laugh and compare notes. Now we’ve got to name her. Any ideas?

Featherweight 221

Look what came to live with me yesterday! She’s a little Singer Featherweight 221-1 born October 28, 1947.

I bought her off eBay and she was shipped out of California. I brought her home, cleaned her up and oiled her. She runs like a champ, nice and quiet. I’ll have to take her in for a tune-up as there was a receipt in the carrying case for service in November 1968 for $7.50!

My husband, bless his pea-pickin’ heart, just rolled his eyes and said “cute.”


Of course, I got on the phone with Aunt Karen to laugh and compare notes. Now we’ve got to name her. Any ideas?

Yellow Brick Road

My niece, Jaymi, and her boyfriend recently got engaged which gave me an excuse to make a quilt. I decided on the Yellow Brick Road pattern and started gathering fabrics in pinks, greens, and blues. Here’s the top before I sewed the blocks together.


This is the first real quilt I put on my new quilt frame. I was so nervous that it took 4 tries before I figured I had it on straight. Then it took another couple of weeks before I could summon the nerve to even take a stitch. I got it about two-thirds done before I ran out of throat space on my sewing machine (great excuse to get a bigger sewing machine!) and had to turn the quilt on the frame. That was a trick! It’s like working on something backwards while looking in a mirror (I think).
And then I had to fight with Devan’s cat who thought it was her personal hammock!

I finally got the body of it quilted and took it off the frame just in time to break down the frame and make room for my Dad and stepmom's visit. I’ve been doing a meandering stitch on the border and should have it done in the next few days. 

Yellow Brick Road

My niece, Jaymi, and her boyfriend recently got engaged which gave me an excuse to make a quilt. I decided on the Yellow Brick Road pattern and started gathering fabrics in pinks, greens, and blues. Here’s the top before I sewed the blocks together.


This is the first real quilt I put on my new quilt frame. I was so nervous that it took 4 tries before I figured I had it on straight. Then it took another couple of weeks before I could summon the nerve to even take a stitch. I got it about two-thirds done before I ran out of throat space on my sewing machine (great excuse to get a bigger sewing machine!) and had to turn the quilt on the frame. That was a trick! It’s like working on something backwards while looking in a mirror (I think).
And then I had to fight with Devan’s cat who thought it was her personal hammock!

I finally got the body of it quilted and took it off the frame just in time to break down the frame and make room for my Dad and stepmom's visit. I’ve been doing a meandering stitch on the border and should have it done in the next few days. 

New Bracelets

I have been crocheting beaded bracelets until I'm nearly sick of them! But they are so fun. And pretty, too! Although I got a late start in learning how to do them, I was able to complete quite a few as Christmas gifts. My 4 sisters and aunt loved theirs. Many of my coworkers got them, too! Then it dawned on me that I hadn't kept any for me so had to make some more! I found a website, http://www.beadwrangler.com/, where I ordered several of Lydia's bead mixes and those have turned out just beautifully. Here's some of the results:




My sister, Debi (prankster that she is), sent me these teeny tiny #15 beads to try. I had to create a "starter" to use to attach the little ones to because my fingers were too big to wrestle with them. And I had to get out the bright light and superduper magnifying glass. Using the #11 beads, the bracelets are about 3/8 inch wide and the using #15 beads, the bracelet is about 1/4 inch wide.


Now it's time to get back to quilting.

New Bracelets

I have been crocheting beaded bracelets until I'm nearly sick of them! But they are so fun. And pretty, too! Although I got a late start in learning how to do them, I was able to complete quite a few as Christmas gifts. My 4 sisters and aunt loved theirs. Many of my coworkers got them, too! Then it dawned on me that I hadn't kept any for me so had to make some more! I found a website, http://www.beadwrangler.com/, where I ordered several of Lydia's bead mixes and those have turned out just beautifully. Here's some of the results:




My sister, Debi (prankster that she is), sent me these teeny tiny #15 beads to try. I had to create a "starter" to use to attach the little ones to because my fingers were too big to wrestle with them. And I had to get out the bright light and superduper magnifying glass. Using the #11 beads, the bracelets are about 3/8 inch wide and the using #15 beads, the bracelet is about 1/4 inch wide.


Now it's time to get back to quilting.

Crocheted Beading

I purchased some #8 beads and, with my Mom's #10 crochet hook and #30 cotton crochet thread, got to work. Now, the struggle began. Trying to follow the instructions (like Karen, I hate to read them) and looking at the photos while manipulating these miserable little beads was probably one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever attempted. The first three rows are the most critical and if you can’t get them done, you’re sunk. The really hard part for me was trying to hold onto it and try to keep its shape as I crocheted the rows. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I tried to start the darn thing and ended up tearing it out until the thread was frayed and beads were flung across the room! Had a great time vacuuming that room, I can tell you. Here's my result with the #8 beads:

Compared to the bracelet that was given to me, this one was not very flexible and I thought it was too big. From several of the websites I looked at, they recommended starting with large beads and working down to the smaller beads.


After trying to start one at least 20 times, the frustration got the better of me and I found a website for Spiral Rope Starters. Some enterprising lady named Rose makes these little beginners and for $20, she’ll send you one. At least it gives you something to hold onto while starting these miserable things. However, while waiting for it to arrive, I tried using the Size 11 beads and it was a success! Dunno why the smaller beads were easier, but it worked and it only takes me 2-3 tries to get them started!

Here's several of my tries so far. I'm still having trouble perfecting the "invisible join" part. I can still see where it is, but am going to keep at it until I get it right.


I was complaining to my sister about not being able to find a good selection of beads here (not knowing that a new craft store had just opened across the street from my office!) and Debi was off like a shot to the craft store in Boise (me thinks she wants a bracelet…..). Anyway, I think a care package is in the mail, but knowing Debi, she probably has something up her sleeve.