HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

For tomorrow that is!

It's been awhile since I have posted anything! It is amazing how quickly time passes.

There have been numerous upheavals, downward spirals, great challenges, and wonderful happenings since I last posted . . . too numerous to post now! So I will begin at the present!

This time of year there are a lot of graduations happening all over the nation. In our family I can think of two immediate family graduations, both of them female and both of them from college.

Congratulations Ladies!  We need more women to continue to get a higher education diploma!

Before I get on my soap box, I will start with my status on my quilting.

I have been continually working on my 1 inch hexie quilt.  Since this project only comes out when I travel in the car or train, it is still far from completion.

Once I started the one inch hexie quilt, I fell in love with the whole process and have started a 3/4" Hexie dresser scarf or table runner. I haven't decided which way it will go until I how see the completed project looks. I am not using a pattern just throwing them together.  Thus the wait and see attitude!  I like the one inch hexies for my bed quilt, but I like the more delicate look of the 3/4" hexie size for the table or dresser.

I am using Freezer Paper Hexies for both projects. Freezer paper is so much easier than any other method. It cuts down on basting and removing basting and as such cuts the time needed to complete the project. This project comes out whenever I am not working on the sewing machine or hand quilting other quilts.  So hopefully I will have this project done by the end of summer!

I have added a new page to my blog with some of the items that I sell on my website.  The 3/4" Freezer Paper Hexie is the first item I have listed because it is on auction on Ebay.  But, I also sell it on my website. I also sell 1" and 2" hexies on my website and other freezer paper shapes. Take a look . . . www.avelisquilts.com

If you are not sure about Freezer Paper and do not want to commit to buying a bunch of hexies that you will never use, please email me and I will send you a sampler to try out.  You will receive 3 pieces of each size that I sell on my website, 3/4", 1" and 2" and an instruction sheet to help you get acquainted with the freezer paper method -- at no cost to you!

Well I guess that's it for now .... Happy Quilting!

Sewing in New Work Space

I was busy all day yesterday selling at the Flea market in Mora,  so I didn't have time to either work on organizing my new work space or to sew. For the past three days I have been unable to work on this space or to sew.

Today I felt like sewing!

My new work space is very cramped at the moment. There is almost no space from the front of my improvised table to the wall. I can not put the foot pedal on the floor to use with my foot. So, I taped it to the side of the boxes that are  holding up the sewing machine. 

To make the machine go I just squeeze it with my knee.  It's very comfortable. And its nice to not have to chase the foot pedal!  

When I put in the table that is to go here I will have to figure out how to keep the pedal by my knee cause I really like it!

Restoring a Dead Vintage Singer Sewing Machine

Since a lot of people have emailed me asking to elaborate on what to do to clean and restore old sewing machines, I did some research and found a series of 8 videos on You Tube.

If you are just starting out with a vintage machine the following videos by Duncan Hill are worth watching. He does a thorough job of explaining how to dismantle the machine, clean the machine and of course put it back together.  

Here is the link:

Singer Sewing Machine 127 back from the dead. Part 1

If the above link does not work do a search on you tube for the title above.

Remember there are 8 parts. I saved them to my watch list, that way I can quickly find them if needed.

Even though these videos are specific to the hand crank singer, most of the old singer non-motorized

machines are very similar.

I hope this helps everyone with restoring or just cleaning the vintage singer machines.  

Let me know how you do.

It's raining . . . I'm Quilting!

Last night, we were expecting rain because it was predicted. It rained all night and is expected to rain all day today and tomorrow!  I have no problem with it because we need the rain. New Mexico has been experiencing a severe drought and our local lake is getting mighty low.  It is kind of cool and cloudy because of the rain.  After the heat we experienced around Labor Day, this coolness is welcomed.

Since it is raining and we can't be outside, I will be quilting or sewing that is.  I am still working on my string scrap basket weave quilt.

For the most part, I have finished the top except for the borders.  Because the quilt is set on point, it has zig zagging endings on each side.  I finally, after much debating with myself, decided to square off the sides.

So, I proceeded to take the 4 1/2 inch blocks that I have been working with to make the top and cut them in half to fill in the zig zag parts.  Unfortunately, I didn't take into account the quarter inch seam allowance . . .I guess I had a senior moment.  All the blocks that I had cut in half were wasted!  I went back to the cutting board and cut a sample with the quarter inch seam allowance. Then I sewed that sample onto the quilt and it worked perfectly!  YAY!

But, since I was so ambitious cutting the blocks in half without the seam allowance, I am now short a few blocks to use in the zig zags . . .back to the sewing machine!

That is what I will be doing today! Next time, I promised myself, I will only cut a couple of blocks and test sew before I cut a bunch! You would think I wouldn't make such a "beginner's" error, but like I said I had a "Senior Moment"  LOL!!!

Now I have to figure out what to do with all those blocks that are cut in half???

In the meantime, everyone keep on quilting!

Aveli