Happy New Year with Cozy toes and Buttonholes

I thought I would end the year on a revelation- sewing not biblical, the Singer Featherweight buttonhole attachment.  I have been meaning to blog this forever so now seems as good a time as ever.  My need for this came out of my dissatisfaction with Janome buttonholes.

I first read of this here and was puzzled and intrigued.  A featherweight is a straights stitch only machine, I couldn't not possible work out how it could achieve the swing stitch needed for a buttonhole.  It starts with removing the foot and adding a needle plate cover...

 The buttonholer screws into the sewing machine foot with a giant screw

And then you are good to go...

You do need to play around with the different dials- this big red one denotes the different stages of buttonhole sewing.

 There are three other dials, the one below sets the density of the stitches, the other two, the length and width of the buttonhole.

Let's cut to the chase and see it in action.  You can see the attachment oscillates (love that word and always makes me think of this)

Here is the buttonhole with a single round of stitching , and then with a double round.  And it repeats each one exactly the same- precisely what the Janome Horizon and a whole host of modern machines cannot do.

Got to love the amazing timeless engineering of the Featherweight.
My other revelation for this year is Ugg boots.  After years of strident denial I succumbed and ended up with a pair for indoors and a pair for outdoors and my feet are forever thankful.
I am not one for looking back, it encourages a more maudlin aspect of my personality that I would rather not invite to the party.  All I wish for is what we all want: health and happiness for you and your families, me and my family- its all that matters x

Home

Lula is away this weekend on a school trip, last time that happened I ended up buying a whole load of sewing books to compensate.  This time more self control.  I'm having a big sort out and tidy up in preparation for opening a little Etsy shop!  I find so many vintage textile bits and pieces and I can't keep them all so this seems like a happy solution.  More news soon...

Meanwhile I am working on her quilt, started months ago (see here), when I pulled it out of the box this week I had not got as far as I had thought- a lot of sewing seems to go on in my head but not actually in real life.  I have almost finished the piecing on my trusty Featherweight.

 I do all my piecing on this machine-as the needle can't swing (no zig zag) it sews very straight and accurate small stitches.  The feedogs must grab the fabric as it never falters or eats the fabric at the beginning or end of seams.  Consequently I can do a bit of forwards/backwards at each end of the seam and everything stays tight.  I know this goes against machine patchwork convention but I prefer it.

I have another block from Ringo Pie, this time it is Corey of Little Miss Shabby see it here.  It is the most beautiful collection of baskets, so neatly pieced together and the fabric choices are to die for.

  It is always a bit strange when one of us goes away, we are a tight knit little family of  three and all very homey but she has to go into the world and have exciting independent experiences.  So I'll post a load of homey domestic vintage loveliness for you. 

 These were not thrifty purchases- which is most unlike me- but I cannot resist home and especially kitchen fabric and these were worth the spend. First two are from Donna Flower, warning, you may end up considerably poorer after visiting her website!

And these are ebay, only tiny pieces but all have great potential...

This was thrifted, in fact the man at the shop said I could have it.  It is a bit tatty but the pictures are so darn good.  1964 Woman Improve Your Home Book magazine insert with TV's Barry Bucknell.

I have many quilt wall-hanging type ideas from these pics.

Unsurprisingly, I just love this page- who wouldn't?  Brushes have never looked so good.

Enjoy your weekend x

Modern Swappers Parcel

Modern swappers has been a 3 month swap where you share your tastes/likes etc and your secret partner matches them up with fabric and crafted goodies.   I have sent mine to Joan and she was very happy with it.   The person sending a parcel to me turned out to be Amy (her blog is here) and I am over the moon with its lovely contents!  Just the wrapping took my breath away.  I am not the best at wrapping so I am very appreciative to get such pretty wrappings.

More than anything else I appreciated the time and care she put into her selection.  I can trace everything back to the likes/dislikes bit on the Flickr discussion and how she matched up my love of vintage and modern.  I am so impressed!  In the little parcels I found great texty fabrics, Anna Maria Horner Good Folks and Kona Charm squares (never even seen these before, the UK is a hard place to find Kona apart from online).  

I think I will use the black/white courier font fabric first, love it!

She made a really pretty linen and hexies cover for my Singer Featherweight.  It fits beautifully.  I left a comment on this in the Flickr pool as I thought it was cute.  I also noticed it was small and yet still didn't guess it was for me!  She sent the vintage pitcher- hand blown glass!  It has my tall skinny sewing bits in but it may travel to the kitchen for flowers when needed.   It will look stunning with Narcissi in spring.   The book behind the pitcher is a delight of vintage projects, like a Singer wall hanging

 and soft cubes, I especially like the house and ketchup designs

These Norman Rockwell lithographs are such a thoughtful thing to include and the fabric repro mini print is incredibly sweet!  I love the Americana of these, something I could never find in the UK.

I cannot say enough thankyous to Amy!  thank you thank you thank you

If you fancy taking part in Modern Swappers the next round of signups are coming up on Flickr.  I have really enjoyed this swap, the admins run it so well- it must be such hard work- and I have enjoyed looking at all the sneaky peek pics of what might be sent.  I will have great memories of this swap x

Kerry and the Machine Love

I have fallen in love with...

Isn't she beautiful- sewing machines are she aren't they?  Singer Featherweight 221K 1967-8.  A hint of mint green, not quite white and she runs like a dream.   I've just cleaned her up and she gleams.   A lucky ebay purchase from yesterday.  The seller was only 50 miles away so I drove to pick her up last night.  Comes with box, booklet and attachments.

Includes zipper foot, a bias binding foot- might be able to use to neatly bind quilts on the machine-  and a great little tool called a seam guide which screws into a hole on the right so you can stitch your seams to a fixed width- perfect for 1/4 piecing.  I think this will be its main purpose.  She is a beauty and a bit of a bargain- well sort of- thereby hangs a tale as sitting in the background, hidden like Prince John, is Black Beauty

There is no doubting her looks and capabilities...

however, she sews but can't stop- problem with the pedal I think and came with a bobbin but no case.  Singer Featherweight 221K 1952.  She cost more than the whitey one and was an impulse by it now again off ebay- I should've taken more caution- the seller had listed her fairly as untested and available for parts and spares.  So, there is a bit of off-setting to do as she is going back on ebay for a low price and a description so someone knows exactly what they are getting.   She will sell at a loss but she is a good project for an enthusiast.  I did find a load of vintage fabric yesterday at the carboot which I will also put on sale- hopefully that will cover the costs and the loss!

Bark cloth I think on the left and cotton with something manmade on right- each at least  approx 3 metres and lovely condition.

 

these are harder for me to give up- especially the left abstract bark cloth, it is so sunny and happy looking, but Damian is not a fan of this style and is rarely vocal about any other house aesthetic decisions- 50s style not his thing.  The one on the right is fun- I thought it was a dog driving the car but it is and old fashioned lady in a hat!  Cotton and lawn weight.  Love this too! But it will be sold.

Keeping these- they are only tiny 6 x 2 inches but lovely little samples- love the number stamp, odd how these little details catch your eye.  Great for mini log cabin.

This is cute and a keeper- an apron in a great print- it will be cut up, I have a lot of aprons already- but love the grey and the print.  I'll post up the ebay links when I get everything sorted- always takes ages- just incase you want a look (Links now on!)- fabric will be on sale internationally, the machine UK only.

A late extra edition, if you would like the chance to win a Singer Featherweight I found this on Film in the Fridge- help a great cause and win fabric and/or a Featherweight (USA only for the Featherweight)