One man's trash...

is another persons treasure....

"Hello! I'm a 1965 Singer sewing machine that works like the day I was born!"

This was found on the curb Sunday evening just mere hours before we got a 2'' torrential downpour. It was around 8pm on Sunday when I finally got the urge to do my weeks worth of grocery shopping and on my way back I spotted the cabinet. I knew it was a sewing machine cabinet as I drove by and figured it would make a nice end table if there was nothing inside. Image my surprise when I went to lift it out of a bunch of other junk and it was heavy! Inside I found the manuals and original attachment box with all attachments! I spent this evening getting it cleaned up. This weekend I'll remove it from the cabinet and have it serviced. Even though I love my Pfaff, it will be nice to have a second machine around if friends want to come over and sew. It couldn't have found a better home!

Give-a-way Alert!

If you haven't been over to read Indie-Pendence, click the link right now!

There is a splendiferous give-a-way going on that includes a denim zipper pouch I made with pin tuck details. There are 8 other really cool/amazing/splendiferous handmade items also part of the great give-a-way package. Get your name in the hat by May 1st!

So we are renting a new construction townhouse with really poor landscaping. But cute Critter doesn't mind the tall, patchy grass. Just more dirt to roll in and grass to hunt from. Last week she got her first hunting prize, which I made Jeff take away from her. I draw the line at baby bunnies even though I like to encourage her huntress ways. Critter, do me a favor and stick with rodents! .... thankfully Critter was having more fun playing with the bunny than actually hurting it and the bunny was old enough to survive on its own. once Jeff shooed Critter away it didn't hesitate to get out of Dodge......

Testing the waters

I will be testing the marital waters soon with infusing a feminine flare to our home decoration. So far, in the 2 years we have lived together, I have made a considerable effort in keeping our decorations fairly gender neutral. No hide nor hair of floral to be found (except for the occasional real kind). No cute, girlie photo's. No pink. Lot's of red though, but we both like that. I think my husband is giving me silent hints that we need more living room pillows. Silent as in take all the available pillows with him to the chair leaving none on the couch when it's time for me to sit down. Hurumph! JoAnn sent me coupons last week and I think tomorrow on my way home from work I will stop in for some pillow forms. I think they had an eco/green pillow form option, so I will pick that up if available.

I have a ton of pillow ideas in my head. Let's jot some down so I don't forget.... Feel free to chime in. I gathered the fabrics in the photo above for some inspiration. We are highlighting the color red... if that isn't obvious.

1) Using linen scraps from my upcycled linen skirts and dresses, do a strippy pillow using all the neutral linen I have available with long vertical (or horizonal depending on which way you position the pillow) contrasting red top stitching. (inspiration taken from old feed bags) Modern but vintage! Oxymoron at its best!

2) One pillow will have that fabulous button fabric shipped all the way from Japan. I may just do a solid panel (front and back?) Must pay homage to my sewing hobby in a general living area.

3) I thought it would be fun to do a patchwork pillow with linen and the polka dot fabric surround the letter 'Hh' (a monogram of our last name).

4) Pleats should enter this equation at some point. Maybe take the red and white floral and pleat a center panel for textural interest.

We need at least three pillows. More if I can find the gumption.

Before I end this post I have to give 17 bonus points to my husband for cleaning out the fridge tonight. I am 10 feet away and whatever was in that plastic container just knocked me over. Where are the candles at?

Blocks

I was playing around with some scraps of linen (from thrifted skirts) and vintage bed sheets to come up with these baby blocks. I got to experiment with contrasting thread and some of the really cool stitches I have on my machine too.
It's interesting to note that all the squares measured 5x5 to make all of these blocks. Seam allowance made all the difference. I also found out that I need to draw my sewing lines in order to clean, crisp corners. That way I don't over sew my seams and end up with a trapezoid instead of a cube. And if you don't want any of your squares to match a joining square you need at least 3 different fabrics for a total of 6 squares. I used interfacing to get the structure I was looking for and it also helped keep the linen from stretching out of whack.

These will be shipped off soon to a new baby girl. :)

Fun Mail!

I am finally getting around to posting some fun mail I received recently. Kayla from just.like.sew sent me some very cool fabric covered push pins. My cork board just got a whole lot cooler. Kayla do you have an Etsy store and are you selling them? Lindsy sent me a large box of scrap fabric. It was like a opening a box of treasure. It was neat to see the scraps of fabric she used to make her Xmas present or a new dress for work. I have some baby gifts to make and I will be using some of this fabric for appliqué pieces, burp clothes, and soft blocks. Lots of goodies in here! She has more scraps available in her Etsy Shop.
And I couldn't help myself. I had to buy some Japanese fabric. But I couldn't decide on just one, so I searched around on Etsy (of course) and found this great 10 pc sampler set from KARAKU. Shipping was fast and I even got some extra treats! I can't wait to play with these!

A little sunshine keeps me away!

Compound work, weaning myself from the internet, and not being in a show and tell mood I shouldn't have been surprised my last post was two weeks ago. Plus, I am a foul weather sewer. Meaning winter months and rainy days are superb days to find me in my sewing room. And we have been having fabulous weather here in south central PA. Just sunny and fabulous. They say today it's suppose to be 40 and rainy, but this morning I am sitting outside on my patio in the sun.

Last night Jeff and I went out to eat at Olive Garden. Before I was even home I could tell my head wasn't feeling right. I am not sure if the food was the blame, but I had the worst migraine to date with symptoms that include severe upset stomach. Jeff fed me pills and laid in bed with me until I was asleep early in the evening. Which meant I woke up early this morning (with minimal pain) and read through the hundreds of blog posts that accumulated for 12 days with Critter laying across my lap acting in place of a heating pad. I just love that cat!

I also had the opportunity to load a few vintage finds into my Etsy store. A few weeks ago several 1950's-1960's vintage patterns came into my possession. Hopefully, I priced them to move and some happy seamstress will finally turn these never been used patterns into a fabulous garment. If they don't sell, then I can think of a few projects for the fabulous illustrations to decorate my sewing room.

(Click photo to go to listing.)

Vogue Couturier Design No. 884, 1955. Size 16. Bust 34''. Hip 37''. This pattern shocked me when I did a Google search. I only found one other and the price they had it listed for seemed a bit much. Who knows? Maybe it is worth 3 digits and if so, someone is getting a great deal through me! The pattern also includes a tag to sew in your finished garment!

(Click to photo to go to listing.)

This dress was designed by the late Hannah Troy. If you wear Petite sizes you have this women to thank. In the 1940's she realized most women didn't fit properly into standard, long waisted sizes available at the time. (Smart woman.) And by the 1950's she made the petite sizing and the modern Italian styling popular in the US. I love the dreamy look of the women in the green dress. I wish I could find those patent leather kelly green pumps she is wearing! Anyways, McCalls 5178 Size 16P. Bust 36''. 1959.

(Click photo... you know the drill.)

I made this pincushion a few weeks ago, but only got around to listing it today. I am going to throw in a little treat for my blog readers. If you buy this pincushion, just mention in the 'note to seller' you saw it here and I'll fill the jar with some red and aqua crafting inspiration. How's that sound?

So, all of these are currently listed. I have 5 more to go (which will take some time). Then I can clean my sewing room. I seriously have a hard time opening the door now. Then maybe, if it is raining, I can sew. :)

PS. Sometime later I have a bunch of fun mail to share too!