New- old machine, and painting some more....

Sunday was my family reunion in my hometown. It was also the day of the estate sale for my uncle's household goods, which was sort of sad.  I bid on and bought this old McCalls sewing machine of my aunt's (she died several years ago). I asked them if this is the machine she sewed with because I knew she had sewn off and on for most of her life. I knew she had made quilts too. They said this was the only machine they found. Looks like my uncle, who was a wonderful woodcraftsman fitted it into this table, but it is not the original table.

I was so excited to get it home and try it out. It is in such good condition. Hardly a scratch on it. I want to do some research to see how old it is. I have heard of McCalls machines, but don't know much about them. If anyone can fill me in I would appreciate it.

 It sews beautifully. I think it will be fun to use it. I have no idea if this machine was hers originally or if she inherited it, or bought it at an auction. But I know she used it so it will be fun to sew with it. Now to find it a home here.

 Now that the floor is in, I have been doing some painting. This picture shows the yellow woodwork around the windows in my kitchen. I have 2 large windows and one smaller one over the sink. All the woodwork in the kitchen was this color. I repainted the doors and woodwork around them at one time, but never the windows...cafe curtains pretty much  covered them & I guess I was in a hurry to get back to sewing....I don't know.

                                                                                                                                                                      

 

Anyway, I repainted all the woodwork yesterday, including the windows. It is an off white, though looks pretty white in the picture below. I hate painting around windows, as I have to do a lot of taping or I will paint the window. But love how it turned out. 

The rounded doorway below goes into the dining room. Isn't it weird that they built this house with that rounded doorway there, and a regular door into what was the pantry (door next to it) that is now a bathroom. There is a built in hutch on the other side of the wall, right next to the doorway, with huge woodwork, that's why the wall sticks out there. Not sure why it was done that way.

I couldn't get a decent picture of the windows because it was a sunny day yesterday and too much light was coming in.

It looks nice, though and I am happy to have it done. Today I am painting the top half of the bathroom, then the bathroom will be done. The bottom half is paneling which I painted last week. Then it is on to the kitchen walls. I am toying with some ideas of colors. I have yellow counter tops, so since I didn't put in new, have to do something that looks good with them.

I weeded part of the garden this morning since the weeds were taller than the flowers. I didn't want to have all the fun today, so saved some for tomorrow....

New floor, and other equally exciting things...though nothing really compares to the new floor...

The new kitchen  and bathroom floor is my excitement for this week. Here is the floor, looking into the kitchen from the dining room.

Here is basically the same view, before. I had taken off carpet and a layer of tiles so was down to the really old linoleum. I did this awhle back and have kept long area rugs on it so it didn't look so bad. My kitchen isn't very big, and it has an island in the middle.

This bathroom is right off the kitchen so he just tiled it all.

That bathroom is so small that there isn't room for much, but he put in a new bathroom sink too. It is so cute! You can see I need to paint around it now. I didn't take a picture of the old one, it was really old and really cruddy...best forgotten. I just noticed that this picture was taken before I cleaned the toilet from it's stay in the backyard for 2 days. They are not green either, but it is hard to get a good pic in there cos it is so small.

I started painting again after he left yesterday, and have lots to do. 

I did get finished writing my patterns, and did some cleaning this week. I also made my niece a little flower pincushion for them to use to pin on the corsages at her wedding in August. Her colors are orange and purple. I made some of these last winter from this Handy Dandy Pincushion tutorial and just added a wristband to it so it could be worn. I also put a quarter at the bottom inside of the poofy center, so that whoever is wearing it won't stab their wrist when using it. Arlette has many tutorials on her blog...she is making paper flowers right now.

Quilting, writing and a new floor...

I finished quilting my sister's wedding gift for my niece and fiance. I can't show the front as she hasn't seen it, though she picked out the quilting pattern, so she knows she's getting a quilt. I like this panto because it is busy and fills in well. Plus you can't see the rows as well.

I have also been working on writing the patterns for the new sampler...almost finished, just have 2 blocks left. That's as much work as making the quilt by the time I add illustrations. Too much thinking some days!

I hung some class models last night when I went in to teach class. I will be starting 4 new samplers next month.

The floor guy came yesterday and started my kitchen/bathroom floor. I am so excited, over a floor! Silly, I know. It should be finished by tomorrow or Friday.

Omaha Quilt show

I went to the Omaha Quilt Guild's annual Quilt Show with a friend yesterday. It is the only quilt show held in our area, so it is always fun to go and see the quilts on display as well as the vendors that are there selling their gorgeous fabrics and other goodies. We had a good time, with over 250 quilts on display. It's interesting to see the different techniques used. I think I pay more attention to the quilting now that I quilt than I used to. Some of them had some awesome machine quilting. We did notice that not very many of the quilts were hand quilted. It might be a sad commentary of our time, that people just don't have the time anymore to do so.They also had a few antique quilts displayed from the Quilt Museum in Lincoln.

After I got home I went shopping for a bit, so didn't get anymore quilting done. I am almost half done with my sister's quilt. Hopefully today I will get some more quilted on it.... I also picked up the paint for the bathroom, so would like to paint the bottom half of the room at least so that when he gets the floor done I won't be painting right next to it.

Smokey likes to hang out in the room I quilt in just in case I need help.

Another day, another stitch...

Actually I just loaded a quilt and worked on writing patterns today, no actual stitching. I got the blocks all done and mostly sewn together now. Plan to work on it again tomorrow and finish.

 Well I hope I finish. 

I have one more row to sew on and then borders.

News on Sunday ....not really but trying...

I have all but one block finished for the new sampler quilt. I have all the pieces ready, just need to sew together.  Here are a couple of the blocks I'm using.

I really like these fabrics, they are from M'liss Rae Hawley's new lines.

I also have to get ready for the guy to come put in my new kitchen floor today. Need to clean behind the fridge (UGH!) and move it somewhere else for a few days.

Sewin' away....need a break....

I've been working on the applique center of the new Sampler quilt all day. I was blanket stitching around it with my machine, and ran out of thread, so will need to go to get some later so I can finish tonight. I have 5 other blocks done as well as some large HST to put between the other blocks. Just 3 more blocks to go....

well, three more after I get this finished, that is. Off to get thread!

I love being off in the summer!

It is so nice to have the long days to do what I want! I do teach some classes in the summer, but there isn't as much interest in the summer so I don't teach  as many as I do the rest of the year. It is a good time to regroup and figure out what I'm doing next.

I loaded a quilt yesterday and finished quilting it this morning. This is Marge's version of Sampler #10. I can't get a good pic of it myself as it is too big.

The back. I want to get my new sampler started today. I have been working on the design and picked out fabrics the other day, so am anxious to get started on it. Plus the group that will move on to it meets next Monday, so I need to get going so I have something to show them.

I need to get some cleaning done too. I found out the guy is coming to do my kitchen and bathroom floors next Tuesday so there are a couple things I need to get figured out before then...like where will I put the fridge?

One more thing....cluckclucksew is having a great giveaway, go check it out!

Quilting and class

I got a the bright Peas in a Pod quilt quilted the other day. I used a new panto, and really like it. Most of the fabrics have polka dots or circles of some kind, so this quilting pattern seemed to fit. This quilt is a little bigger than the original one.

Sometimes you can see the pattern better from the back!

Wednesday and Thursday I had class all day to learn more about using online resources at school. It was interesting and I think I can use at least one resource to help kids find info when they are doing research. I have a pretty good variety of books in the library, but it would be impossible to have every subject they might want in an elementary library. So this should help. They could probably use more than that one, but that is what we will start with.

I didn't get any quilting done today, have just been piddling around on stuff around the house. I want to work in the garden for a while later, when it is in the shade! I have a Binding 101 class tomorrow, but that is about it for a week or so. I need to start working on the new Sampler too. Always something to do...

Weekend stuff & GO! giveaway

I worked some more on the Cobblestone blocks over the weekend. I have 44 blocks done now and think I am ready to set them together. This has been fun to work on in the midst of lots of things going on....I don't think the colors show as vibrantly as they really are, hopefully I will get a better pic when it is sewn together.

Went bike riding the last few nights too...the weather has been beautiful here and perfect for it.

I loaded the baby quilt yesterday, so hopefully will get some quilting done on that today. I also need to work in the garden and finish the back part. Think I will wait til it is in the shade tonight. I have to go to classes for my recertification Wed. and Thurs. They are all day classes but hopefully will be interesting.

One more important thing....Barb at Bejeweled Quilts gets to give away a GO! Cutter from Accuquilt. If you want a chance to win, please go there right now....tell her I sent you. I really want to win, but I guess it is only fair to let you have a chance too...lol

Better get busy!