Slipping in under the Wire

We've been enjoying our friends from the UK while they are here with us for a couple of weeks.  Needless to say, we have had a blast.  I wish they lived across the street.   Of course that also means that I haven't been around the blogging world.  Give me another week and I will be back.

I just need to quickly post my finish for this month.  I know my goals were small this month for a reason, but here is my finish.  Although I did not get it finished for the last election,  I really am pleased with the way this one turned out and look forward to many years of hanging it during future election seasons. 

Sewing Museum

I have always been a fan of older sewing items.  It fascinates me to see how advanced sewing has become from when our ancestors were stitching away.  Beth has a linky party going to show your "museum" sewing items this week and I am going to share a few of mine.

In a past post I shared my 301a Singer with you, but I would like to share a few more.  This is an old treadle machine that belonged back in my family.  It is one of two treadles in my colleection.  Both work well, but are not used on a regular basis. 

 

Isn't the coffin cover pretty?

I love the box of attachments that go with it.  It folds out so beautifully.

Next up is my Singer 201.  This is an amazing machine and I love sewing on it.  It has a beautiful cabinet and stool.  It once belonged to my husband's aunt who was a wonderful seamstress.   Don't you love all of the attachments to this one too?  It is amazing how far sewing machines have progressed over the years.  Nowadays, we have buttons that do our hems, zig zag and all else.

My SIL gave me this little sewing machine one Christmas.  It does the most beautiful chain stitching and as the box says, "This is NOT a toy".  I love how it is a "Singer for the girls."   I guess the boys had no interest??????  Hmmmm.

Then I have my twins - the classic Featherweights.  One of them I have had for years and the other was one that my DIL had.  Her father had given it to her to sell at a garage sale.  She asked me if I thought she could get $10 for it.  When I informed her of what she had, she generously gave it to me.  Don't I have great DILs?

I love all of the old notions as well.  Vintage buttons are always wonderful - especially when they can be displayed.  Note also the great old darning ball.  How many of us still darn our holes in our socks?



Please pardon the glare.

The price of sewing notions has changed over the years.  $.39 is a steal for the tracing paper, but what about four spools of white thread for only 88 cents!!!!

This was my grandmother's sewing basket full of wooden spools that was always handy for the grandchildren to play with when they visited.

Less we forget the electric scissors......

Or how about this nifty little tool for your purse????

 

I hope you have enjoyed a few of the "museum" pieces in my collection.  Be sure to pop over to Beth's blog to check out what others are sharing.

Pin It Blog Hop

Gosh.....it's no fun being at the end of a fabulous blog hop.  I have seen so many amazing creations and I must say that this is definitely one of the best hops Madam Samm has come up with to date.  Thanks so much to her and to Kristen - our resident cheerleader for the hop - for all the inspiration and fun.

I have always loved my pin cushions.  Can a person ever have too many?  I have added a few to my very large collection with this hop.

Some sweets with no calories for sewing.  No fun, I know!!

Then of course I had to add a turtle since they are our resident pets here.

With autumn quickly approaching, I thought that the little acorn pincushion that was in the fall edition of Quilts and More would be a perfect addition to the hop.

Many of my pincushions have been given to me over the years from friends and family.  These are some of my "use all the time" favorites.

Then there is this one that my grandchildren made for me one year with their little thumb prints.  On the bottom is a picture of an ultrasound of their then newest little one.  Too cute!

Lastly, this is my original pincushion from when I started to sew.  Can you tell it has quite a few years of use?

 

 There is lots more fun to be had today and tomorrow so be sure to check out the other bloggers and see their great creations.

September 16
De Zondagssteek

Ravelley

The Tilted Quilt

A Stitch In Time

Asimplelife Quilts

Jane's Quilting

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Dancing Moon

Bloom Where I Am Planted

Busy Bee Free

Marpie's Sewing Projects

The Stitchin' Post

Sew Much 2 Luv

Rose Creations

Lixie Makes It

Sunshine Reflections
Needled Mom
Sew Incredibly Crazy


Labor Day Week

The week slipped by so quickly.  I think the long weekend really snuck up on me.  I find I am still thinking I have a lot more of the week left.  Hmmm.  Anyone else feel that way?

Summer has finally hit with a vengeance here in So. California.  I really don't mind the heat, but I could live happily without the humidity.

With a stack of unquilted tops a mile long, I have been playing around a bit with some longarm quilting.  It has been really fun and it is nice to have some finishes so I can start more quilts!!!

A simple pinwheel design for our guild.

This is actually from Christa's String of Pearls QAL.  It looks completely different in the colors that are used in it, but I am happy with the results.

I had the best time last week meeting a fellow blogger. Beth made her way through the L.A. traffic and out to visit. We had the most wonderful time chatting and the day went much too quickly. She is every bit as awesome as she comes across in her blog - talented, creative and charming.  She has a picture on her blog.  Look at all of these goodies that she brought along with her.

I love them all, Beth, especially the wonderful tote and dishcloth which I am using all the time. 

Do any of you follow Rhonda?  Every Thursday she gives away one of her mug rugs that she creates.  The details on them are amazing.  I won last week's shoe mug rug.  Isn't it cute?  If you haven't joined in on the fun yet, you need to pop over for a visit with her.

I also won these wonderful Windham Fabric Scrap Bag from Debby during the Hexie Blog Hop that was happening.  She also has the most beautiful new header on her blog.

We are in the process of redoing the front landscaping.  After 25 years, things have died or gotten so overgrown it looked tired and unappealing.  We have had a bench on the front deck that was also tired looking.  This week, I stripped it all down and water sealed it.  Then I made new cushions for it.  It is definitely an improvement, but what a job that was!

Reversible pillows

I managed to get my Friendship bag off to my swap partner in our Sewing With Friends swap.  I think she has probably already received it or will shortly so will show it now.

The last of our babies also hatched.  We called him Tiny Tim because he is small and feisty.

So .... that's been my week.  How was yours?

End of the Month

It's hard to believe that August is quickly coming to a close for us.  Half of the grandchildren are already back in school and the rest go this week.  Where did the summer go?  My orioles have already migrated as well.  The garden will quickly take on an autumn feel.

August has been an incredibly busy month for us so my sewing room has sat idle day after day.  The bits and pieces that I did get to are mostly not finished. 

Thanks to Ida, who so kindly sent me some of her leftover Dick and Jane fabric, I was able to work on a quilt for the newest grandbaby.  Since her name is Sally, I wanted to use the Sally piece as the center of the quilt.   It still needs a border to tie it all together before the quilting can be done. 

Quilt Story recently had a sponsered giveaway that I was lucky enough to win.  These are the luscious fabrics that I received from Joy at A Joyful Soul Fabrics.

I was able to finish my Easy Street binding this month while being a passenger on several long car trips.  Mary did the wonderful machine quilting on it for me.  It's nice to have this finish for the month.  I hope to make some shams to go with this and use it on the bed in my guest room.

For my September finish, I think I will try to finish the election quilt that I made last summer. 

Don't Forget to Vote

Tomorrow is the last day to vote for your favorite pet quilts at The Pet's on Quilts Parade.  Be sure to pop over and visit the entries and get your votes counted.  There are prizes to be won from voting too.

While looking over the entries, these are the categories you will be placing your choices:

Dog on Quilt:
Cat on Quilt:
Other pet on Quilt:
Art quilt:
EQ designed project:
Pet themed quilt:

Since we don't have any dogs and cats left in our household, my entries are of the unusual kind.   I have two entries in this year's parade.

The first is in the category of "other pet on quilt".  It is #57 - our tortoise hatchlings.

My other entry is in "Pet themed quilt".  It is #58 with frogs, of course. 

A Little Altitude

The past week was spent in areas where the air is a little thin.  The tasks I take so easily left me huffing and puffing, but the views were spectacular.

Nothing like a pole in the water as you take in this view.

We started the week off in Colorado Springs at the gorgeous Broadmoor Hotel.  One of us had business, but I was along for the fun.  I had the great opportunity to meet up with a dear friend and spend some time catching up and laughing.

We flew home on Wednesday night and left again before dawn on Thursday to head up to the Sierras for our family fishing trip.  Fishing was not that great, but the company and memories were terrific.

Sunrise each day.

Fish???  Really????

Give us a baseball diamond and we'll bring our own team.

 

A birthday celebration too.

Sunday came all too quickly and it was time to return home with lots of laundry, unpacking and cleaning to do.  Hopefully, I will get a chance for some sewing this week.