My Mother's Sewing Machine

I'm planning to give away my mother's 1950's sewing machine - which has been sitting in our basement, unused, for years.

I remember her buying it in Red Deer, Alberta, when she was teaching home economics there. It was top of the line at the time. Her previous machine had been a treadle one, which a cousin in Edmonton may still have. My mother gave it to her mother.

I have the original instruction book snd the case of interchangeable parts - but I've bern hunting for my mother's stash of bobbins. 

Hunting - unsuccessfully -,for something that you know must be around is so frustrating! But I know she must have had more than the one in the machine...! 

(But where is it?!)

A Gentle Reminder

I recently came across this lovely example of an embroidered "needle book" - for holding pins and  needles - on the "Love Crafts" website. There is a beautiful cross-stitched butterfly sewn onto the felt cover.

It reminded me of the "needle book" that I made when I was young - and I still use all the time to store a few pins and needles. When I travel I often take it with me.

Both have the same "blanket stitch" around the edges of the cover.

Both covers have an embroidered design.

I wonder if it was a "classic" project to make - in the sense that all girls made one... from way-back-when...

I can't remember how old it is. Did I make it in "Brownies"?! Home economics class?! Summer camp?!

But I'm so glad someone - somewhere - bothered to teach me those basic needlework skills - and that the craft project I made ended up being so useful!

Feeling Exceptionally Grateful...

Recently I've returned to my sewing room for a practical but unusual task: to add inner pockets to half a dozen flannel shirts I normally wear in winter indoors and out. 

I need the pockets to hold the cell phone I carry around all day long to count my steps on the phone's step-counter app. Most of the shirts don't have pockets the right size for holding the phone.

The other day, I was sewing a corduroy pocket onto a shirt, when the sewing machine needle snapped into three pieces. One piece stayed on the machine. The sharp end remained clinging to the pocket thread. But a third piece of the tiny needle went flying. I felt it hit my cheek, just under the reading glasses perched on my nose...

Did it hit the glasses first? I remember wondering in the second after it happened... That was close. It could have gone into my eye!

So here I sit - EXTREMELY GRATEFUL that I was wearing my reading glasses at the time. EXTREMELY GRATEFUL that I wasn't hurt...

Near-misses, like this make us re-evaluate the way we do things: Is there anything I should be doing to avoid the risk of this ever happening again?!

Inspired to Organize My Sewing Space

This magazine article - with pictures - inspired me to organize the upstairs bedroom that I use as a sewing room.

Before that bedroom became vacant, the dining room doubled as my sewing area. A chair stored my sewing things when I needed to clear the table at mealtime.

How did I ever manage?!

Now even a sewing room isn't big enough! Is it a matter of organization?!

Instead of cupboards, I use clear plastic bins that allow me to see what is stored in them... I have stacks of these all over the room!

My sewing room will never look good - but I've discovered that as I tidy, I'm inspired to sew again...

Maybe that's really what organizing is all about!

Handy Sewing "Wallet"

Going through old magazines, I came across instructions for making a handy sewing "wallet" - perfect for taking on trips or just storing a few sewing supplies in.

It reminded me of the felt needle case I made years ago in a high school home economics class...

We had to practice several embroidery stitches when decorating it.

I still use it all the time.

Another handmade sewing wallet that  has proven useful is this one that I was given by an elderly neighbor in Kelowna when I was 18 and heading off to university.














I was impressed by the detail she put into it - the green cord trim that decorates the edges.

Such a thoughtful gift!

Trying to Sew the Perfect Cloth Face Mask

I've decided to sew a few face masks to wear when I go into grocery stores. So far, I've made a few, but none are "perfect"!

I added elastic to the top of the first one I made, from a piece of quilted fabric, but I found it too tight to wear for long periods of time.

And did it really have to be that tight?!

After all it wasn't for hospital use... I just wanted a layer of protection in case someone coughed near me - and to stop myself from touching my face.

The second I made was a rectangular .one, with a dart on each side to give it rounded shape...

The elastics around the ears are a little tight...

Maybe I need to try one that ties around the back of the head...

I made this one out of double sided quilted material, that I could shape it a bit by adding ties to the sides, and tying it in the back... so no pressure on the ears...

I used old shoe laces. I like the fact that the top tie holds the mask in place over the ears.

Would elastic ties work better?

A neighbor told me about a you tube video that showed a woman making a no-sew face mask by cutting tube socks a certain way.

I went to my odd-sock collection and made half a dozen. My only comment on this is to make sure the tube you cut is both wide enough for your face and large enough to go from your chin to cover your nose. But, with the right socks, the method is ingenious! (I was going to link to the tutorial, but I can no longer find it on you tube... there are so many tutorials out there now. Maybe I should add one of my own!!)

So, in short, I haven't made a perfect face mask yet. I'm still experimenting. But I do always  carry one in my pocket - and once I wear it, I throw it in the laundry as soon as I get home. So I probably need half a dozen or more...

Desk Doughnut

My daughter gave me this "desk doughnut" for Christmas...

It's a pin cushion... Not sure what else you could use it for on a desk...

But my question is: When I start to use it, will it make me crave doughnuts or other sweet desserts?!

It does look appetizing!

Visible Mending

I recently borrowed a book from the library that gives tips on mending clothing - visible mending...

Denim is one of the fabrics that is popular to mend. The author calls denim "nostalgic" .... which is part of its beauty.

I have to admit that I have a certain nostalgia for denim garments. I often wear them for years... They are so comfortable!

But now several of my favorite denim (and corduroy) shirts have torn at the elbows...

To mend or to toss?!

That's the question that led me to borrow this book in the first place...

I'm going to have to think about it. It's frustrating to mend a garment, then have it tear in another spot nearby because the fabric is wearing thin.

After examining one of the shirts on my mending pile, I see that I mended it a while back - and now it has torn again...

I think it's time to toss the shirt. (But first I'll look for a replacement!)

If a denim garment is truly irreplaceable - like this jacket pictured in the book, I'll mend it...

But I'm somewhat puzzled. Tears - for me - don't usually come in the front of a garment. It's my sleeves that usually tear - at the elbow - not the front!

 But if I spilled something on a garment that I loved, a patch would be a good way of covering the stain up!

Lovely Fabric

A few weeks ago, I visited the new Workroom craft and fabric store in Toronto...

Their new space (across the street from the old) is larger, but just as welcoming.

I couldn't resist buying some lovely fat quarters - two fabric designs with matching designs in opposite colors.

I'm not sure what I'll use them for... But they were too cute to pass up!

Also this lovely fabric that mimics a map of Paris, France. (I say "mimics" because it repeats a small area with famous landmarks, not the whole city.)

I thought it would make a lovely wall hanging - or perhaps a pillow.

Recycling Two Favorite Shirts

One of my sons came in while I was looking through some of my mother's old clothing, wondering what to do with it... Was it good enough to give away? Or should I make something out of it...?

I don't suppose you'd ever consider just throwing it out? he asked.

Actually, ... I find that very hard to do, I replied.

Raised in a household where both my parents had grown up in hard times, I was never taught to throw things away. Their poverty had nurtured their creativity. Recycling old things came naturally to them and, later on, to me. (Interestingly, I don't believe that my brother - four years younger than me - suffers from this same burden of guilt!)

***

(Now on to what I was planning to write about!)

I have three favorite fleece-lined plaid shirts, purchased years ago from L.L. Bean. They suit our winter weather very well, particularly our indoor temperatures. We don't keep our house all that warm, so I wear them as an extra layer around the house most winter days. 

Two of them are particular favorites, so of course, they were the first to develop holes in the sleeves...

Should I throw them out?! If not, what else could they be used for?

I toyed with the idea of making them into a blanket, fleece on one side, plaid fabric on the other... Or what about removing the sleeves and making them into vests?

So that's what I did, leaving a little fleece trim on the edges! 

Will I like them this way? I'm not sure. I'll try wearing them like this. Then - if they aren't all that warm and cozy, I can still make them into a quilted blanket!

And if that doesn't work, I can always throw them out... (though that would be a real struggle)!

Eiffel Tower Scissors

Occasionally I see something I really must (or should I say, "really want to"?!) have, even though I don't need them!

That's how I felt when I saw these "Eiffel Tower" scissors...

I immediately ordered them online!

Haven't been to Paris in years, but just looking at the scissors brings back lots of memories!

Snow Day 1: Sewing and Organizing

It's hard not to spend time outdoors when the weather is warm.

Snowy days, on the other hand, make me want to hibernate!

Why not get at some sewing repairs I've been thinking of doing...? Like my mother's three skirts that need adjusting.

While looking for elastic in a big plastic catch-all bin, I decided to sort it all out.

Several hours later, I've created mini-bins of elastic, Velcro, ribbons... and so on.

















And the skirts got done, too!

(If I could keep this up all winter, the house would look totally different by spring!)

New Sewing Space

All winter long I have been sewing...

... and doing art on the dining room table.














But Terry was getting tired of seeing piles of fabric and sewing supplies everywhere! (We often had to clear off the table just to eat!)














So I took the drastic step of moving my sewing things upstairs to a sunny unused bedroom.

We gave away the bed... and it has become my new sewing space.

I haven't tried sewing it it yet! But if it doesn't work out this summer, come fall I'll move back into the dining room again!

My Mother's Sewing Basket

My mother doesn't sew anymore. She once taught sewing and tailoring - and even wove her own cloth... But now her arthritic hands can't grip small objects...

So I recently brought home her sewing basket. Now I'm sorting through it. I can still use its selection of needles and thread...

Some of the thread is pretty old... I don't know when the industry switched from wooden to plastic spools... But it has been a while!














(Thread was cheaper back in the day! This large spool only cost 50 cents!)














 I also discovered one of my mother's traveling tricks: Keep a mini kit of thread and a needle in a book of matches.














You never know when either could come in handy!














One interesting find was this stocking run mending kit! I used to dab clear nail polish on runs to stop them from growing - but I never did try to repair them, even in my poor student days!