Christmas is coming

And I am so excited to have this finished and hanging on the wall!  The Lizzie Kate 2013 Christmas Mystery Sampler.  I'm always a bit late on timed finish We had originally chosen a green mat to go with a mauve to tie to the colors in the piece. In a fortuitous way, the green mat was no longer available and we ended up going with this combination of mats and I'm much happier with it than the green.

Another new piece hanging on the wall is one I stitched in 2004.  Since this was before the days of signing my pieces, how can I pinpoint it so easily?  I stitched in the car on the drive from Colorado to Louisiana for my father's 70th birthday.  In the dark.  By flashlight. So that my partner didn't have to drive while the rest of us slept.  It helped that this was done on a 10 count Tula (if I remember correctly) and because of that, I was able to finish most of it on the drive to and from.  It was much easier on the way back as we drove during the day.  Unfortunately, I don't know the designer of this as I no longer have the chart.  But, I am excited that this is finally on the wall and I think it is adorable.  However, in looking at the picture, I really need to take it down and press it.

On a completion roll!!!

This year has been the year of numerous stitching finishes.  I'm not sure what precipitated this change but, I'm not complaining. 

 It all started with finishing Firefly Fairies by Lavender and Lace.  These ladies had been languishing for years.  I started them in 2002 or 2004 or something like that, they moved from California, to Colorado to Maine and back to Colorado with me, never being completed.  And the real sorrow - all that was left was the sparkly threads and beading... I'm not sure what took so long to finish them but here they are in all their framed glory.

I'm not usually a fan of gold or silver frames, I think in this case, the mats and the frame really set off the piece nicely.

And the finishing train hasn't stopped!  Since May (when the fairies were completed), I have finished:

A baby quilt top - that I am now quilting - the request was numbers and planets, I didn't have a pattern so I punted - and I think it came out well.  I have backed it with a warm orange flannel and will bind it with the flannel too.

At the quilt show in Loveland - best one around in my opinion, I took a class to make these trivets, I would love to have the time to make a bunch of these for Christmas as they were quick and easy but I really need to finish the quilt top first.

These little mug rugs are quick and easy and, the best darn coasters to put under your glass in the summer.  They are fabric wrapped clothesline and absorb the condensation really well.  I'm still working on how to end it a bit smoother tho.

Second coaster, love the colors but not thrilled with the ending - must make the time to practice more and hand the test ones out like business cards to friends :-)

Lizzie Kate's 2013 Christmas Mystery Sampler - finished while we were up at camp so that our fabulous framer could take it home to frame for me.  I'm not a huge fan of the 'girly' colors but I think it turned out well.  Even tho it is a Christmas sampler, the colors don't pigeon hole it and it could actually be left up year round - it won't be but, it could be.  I'm one of those people who likes to have options - if I want to, I can and don't tell me otherwise :-)

The Lizzie Kate 2013 Halloween Mystery sampler, sitting at the framer now.  I'm really looking forward to getting this one back, we chose a great frame along with a triple mat set of purple, orange and yellow to set this off.  

Another recent finish - this is a Just Nan Round Robin ( I will post about Round Robins another day).  This piece was started when I lived in Colorado, traveled to Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois, Spain and Australia and found me in Maine (we had moved there by that point).  I started the top part and marked each person's section and asked that they sign their part with their name and where they live.  It makes for a great conversation piece.

 We took a quick trip up to the Lyons Quilt store to get fabrics for a few finishes - since its getting close to pulling the Christmas decorations out, I decided I should finish this one to hang it up.  I stitched this in the car on the drive to Louisiana for my dad's 70th birthday - that was 10 years ago, about time it was hanging on the wall.

And last but not least 'B My Valentine' by The Drawn Thread, I love the specialty stitches in this piece.  I think they are one of my favorite things to do.  You really have to focus and think to get them right and for me, are great fun.

I'm working on another piece that I would like to see finished before the end of the year.  I'm just not sure how possible that will be because the quilt takes precedence. Altho, with help like this, it may take longer!

Thank goodness - Finished

Finally finished, the 2013 Lizzie Kate Halloween Mystery Sampler!  I've been working on this since it came out last year and was moving along just fine when distractions took over.  You know the ones, a new start, a quilt, canning and so on... But now, I can send it off to the framer and focus on this one:

What is it you ask?  This is a Just Nan Round Robin I started in 2004 when I was living in Colorado and its been all over the US, in addition to hitting Spain and New Zealand before returning to me in Maine - because by that time, we had moved to Maine.  The flosses are all silks, the fabric is a gorgeous sunny yellow and as soon as I finish this top part, its off to the framer too.  

The end is in sight!

I am working on the final color of sating stitching for the LK Halloween Mystery Sampler and then, all that's left are the few beads and charms.  So close but my eyes were tired last night and I wasn't able to get the last bit done.  I should be able to post a picture tomorrow :-)

Click here to enter the Victorian Motto Sampler Giveaway.

Completion in view

I started the 2013 Lizzie Kate Halloween Mystery Sampler at the beginning, I watched the women in my stitching group finish, saw the framed product... but am still working on mine.  Well, today I can honestly say - it will be hanging on the Halloween wall in 2015.  All that is left to do are the satin stitches on the bottom part of the sampler and then off to the framer.  Thank goodness... That will mean two LK mystery samplers done before the end of 2014...

On the giveaway side - Victorian Motto Samplers is doing a 25 Days of Christmas Giveaway - today, Floss, I mean, who doesn't need floss and the colors are lovely!

Day 2 of Victorian Motto Sampler giveaways

Love a good Giveaway

The Victorian Motto Sampler Giveaway is open for entry.  She's got some lovely fabric and flosses in her Ebay store too!

Great Giveaway on the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe ebay store

1890 Clemens Müller La Reina

Isn't she pretty?  She's an 1890 Clemens Müller La Reina hand crank sewing machine with a boat shuttle bobbin.  I found her on the Bay of Evil and couldn't resist... the shuttle cover was rusted shut, the hand crank was stiff and had a hiccup, no cover, but she wasn't a Singer (I may regret that later) and she just called to me.

She came in a huge box with tons of styrofoam peanuts (a friend told me they were the biodegradable ones), wrapped really well and weighed tons.  Once I got her unwrapped, I just had to stand back and take her in, the lines, the Mother of Pearl, the idea that she was older than my late Opa.

First thing I did was to unscrew her from the wood base (note to self - don't forget the wood screw that broke),  Liquid Wrench that which wouldn't come undone easily, remove, label and photograph the parts as they come off so they can be put back on where they belong and start cleaning.  Once I removed the back panel and oiled the internal parts and flipped her on her side to oil the bottom, I just let her sit for a day to let the oil work into her.

I've been cleaning the shiny bits with some baking soda and vinegar with a bit of steel wool and rotating with Mothers Mag and Chrome polish.  As you can see from this picture, the work is beginning to pay off.  The shuttle covers and the wheel were covered in rust, I'm pleased with less than 10 hours invested she's starting to clean up nicely.

My hope is to have her done by the end of May, my granddaughter wants to use her and I think this would be a great machine for her to learn on - thing is, I have to figure it out myself first.

A new day, a new blog

Mmmmm that freshly sharpened pencil and new paper smell that comes with the beginning of the new school year.  Ok, mebbe not but a blank screen and a keyboard will work in a pinch...

I have a confession - I have turned into a Vintage Sewing Machine crazy woman... It started all very simply, my primary sewing machine is a 1954 Singer 401a.  I learned how to sew on my mothers Singer 401g that she bought used before I was born.  I learned how to read German sitting/standing next to the machine while my mother whipped out our clothes or garments that she was making for people.

I've had a sewing machine off and on for years, when I returned to Colorado, it was one of those off times. I decided that I wanted to finish some of my stitching projects and turned to Craiglist in hopes of finding and inexpensive machine to fill that need.  I got emails 'I have such and such machine for $50 but it needs..'  By the time the machine was done needing, it was out of my budget so I had to turn down numerous 'offers.' I was contacted by a gentleman who was finally ready to clear his late mothers room and had her sewing machine with a cabinet that he wanted to find a good home for her and it was free.  He was kind enough to deliver it and when he brought the machine in, I almost fell over!  She was a gorgeous Singer 401a, the same machine I grew up with, I know her quirks, her desires, I knew this machine... She will not be relegated to the back heap.

Then I found a Facebook page dedicated to Vintage Sewing Machines (VSM), its all been downhill from there.  I have since acquired a 1924 Singer 127 Sphinx Treadle, an 1890 Clemens Muller LaReina hand crank, a 1907 Singer 27 Sphinx Treadle and an 1882 Singer Fiddlehead Treadle with coffin top...

This is my journey to restoring them to their magnificent state so that we can use them.  Once I figure out how to add pictures, I will add them here too.