Teaching Kids to Sew

My youngest (7, will be 8 next month) has been asking me to teach him to quilt almost daily for the past two weeks.  I was waiting for some Seahawks colors to arrive, but tonight I decided to go ahead and let him choose some fabrics from my stash to teach some basics.  Darrin loved it.  Tomorrow we'll try to finish it up (he says first thing in the morning, but I'm thinking more like after a cup of coffee or two!).

Using the featherweight was perfect for him--though he really wants to use the Juki.  That won't be happening for many years yet!  My camera is currently charging up, so I just have my iphone pics.  They may not be great pictures, but the joy is pretty clear :)

Now if I could figure out how to get my video to flickr to post.  I can't email it because it's too big, but it went to facebook fine.  Odd.








The big reveal!


Ta-da!

QM Bitty Blocks

I found out that Quiltmaker is doing a Bitty Blocks block of the month this year (January).  I decided this would be a great way to get comfortable with my featherweight.  This morning I whipped up the 16 blocks needed, bow ties.  I am thinking that this quilt is going to be a blue and white quilt, but I may change my mind as I go.  They will measure 3" when finished.



Playing with a couple of designs that are possible with the bow tie block...


I'm pretty sure that these need to be sewn into one row, but I'll wait to figure out which way I want them to go.

I think I decided that my FW should be named Josephine.  After all, her name is already on the case :)

Updates! A Featherweight and Progress on 2014 SAL

Two weeks ago I purchased a 1947 Featherweight 221 from a friend on the Washington State Quilters list.  I just started looking, put out feelers in case anyone knew of one local that I could purchase, browsed ebay, shopGoodwill (like ebay) and craigslist and was pretty much put off by how much they were being bid up.  I knew eventually I would own one, and decided to be patient.  Well... then came the first of the month when one regional facebook group allows for sale postings.  And Mary W still had her featherweight for sale.

It took me this long to finally sit down with it since I'd been sick and had no attention span to really play.  Today I did, and I think I am in love.  More than I thought I would be!

It has 5 bobbins, bobbin case, 7 feet, brush, screw drivers, manual, needles, keys (2), lubricant, oil... All in great condition. The light also works, but I have since ordered an LED bulb along with more bobbins. Also... an invoice from when it was serviced:

If you look at this at flickr at a greater resolution, you'll see the service date and the price for a cleaning and oil for $5.50, in 1953.


A question for those in the know... is the power cord suppose to be white like this? It seems like it has a powdery substance on it. Should I be concerned?


It sews a great stitch!



I love the original owner's identification still on it.


Such a pretty faceplate!

I oiled it (with the oil I currently have, not sure if the oil in the can is still ok, will have to read on that), and lubed the motor, and tried it out while working on part 4 of Primitive Gatherings' 2014 SAL.


Just two more rounds to go and the top will be finished. Hopefully I will be done before 2015's SAL is announced :)

One funny thing, while working on the top I decided I am going to use up the threads that are on the 5 bobbins before winding with what I have.  I ran out--or I thought I ran out--of the first bobbin, but when I pulled it out I found that it had a different color thread underneath what I had been sewing with :) Making do!  The featherweight also came with a 500yd spool of cotton thread, with a price of just .39!  I don't know if I'll use that or just keep it in the case.  Mary originally purchased the FW on craigslist, I'm not sure how it made its way from Colorado to Portland, Oregon, but I am thrilled to have it now.  I am thinking about naming it Miss Lee which is mine and my mom's middle name.  Seems appropriate.  Or, maybe Josephine? :)

And then I looked across my sewing room and found the kitten found a box (which currently has printer ink stored) to nap in. I'm surprised it didn't fall off the spot it was resting on.

Oh Loki....

Edit: I think I may have found Josephine by the power of the internet.  If it is the same person (and I don't want to renew my ancestry account right now to dig deeper), she lived from 1914 until 2008, age 93, and died in Englewood Colorado (which isn't far from Lafayette).  Still no clear connection as to how the featherweight made it to Oregon.