Color Play: backing

 Hello, everyone.  Today is a day of trying out things.

For background,  I have come into possession of a vintage quilt top, twin size, and I feel the call to make it into a functional quilt.

I have batting. I have an assortment of fabrics. I have made a Courthouse Steps kind of block from Moda's little book My Favorite Color Is Moda, the 18 inch one with concentric rings of color. And I have a lot of orphan blocks in various sizes and colors. 

Today it's been lay things out, move them around, measure the length, if it may have potential take a photo.

She's ready!

 Hello, everyone. 

Yesterday I put a light coat of shellac on her to seal the bare bits where un climate controlled storage had damaged the finish on her wood. After it dried, I went over it gently with 4-ought steel wool to degliss the surface a little. Then wiped the shellac dust off with a microfiber rag.

Today I got out the Howard Restor a Finish, which is apparently a penetrating oil, applied that, let it rest a few minutes, then wiped the excess off. Let it all dry for a little while. 

Then got out the Howard Feed n Wax, which says it's orange oil and beeswax, smoothed that on, not only the shellaced places, but also exteriors of drawers, drawer rails, and so on. I didn't mess with the surfaces that had been protected by the machine being in her cabinet over time.

Put in a new needle, put on the new belt, the only things lacking are filling a bobbin and learning to operate the treadle system.

The front view of the machine I am calling Isabel, with a spool of Aurifil thread waiting to load the bobbin.

I'm so excited! 

More on the sewing machine

 Hello, everyone.  I mentioned that the sewing machine needed another small repair. The opening where the belt passes up to the front (from the treadle to the wheel) had a small break at the edge of the wood. Possibly this was a result of riding down the road while folded down into its case? Anyway, it needed some help.

A view of the glueing.

It took two of us to maneuver the protective waxed paper and supportive shims into place.

We let it cure for a day. It's now reasonably repaired, we think. Only a few more things to do before I can start working with it!

As it's a whole new way of sewing, there will probably be some little things done before attempting to quilt an entire twin sized quilt! A pincushion? Maybe the piecing on the backing for that quilt? Working with the treadle is said to require some muscle training.

I can hardly wait!

Latest on the sewing machine

Hello, everyone. I did say there would be a progress report on our reconditioning/conservation efforts.

The heavy books stayed in place for days, giving the glue plenty of time to cure.

This is how it looked when the weights and waxed paper were removed. 

The glued area. The nylon scrubby worked very well to get the squished out glue bits off.

The most promising way I found to get accumulated dirt off of the finish. It's still going to need some new shellac for a sealant and maybe some finish restorer and then wax. But the Endust softened the old grime and the 0000 steel wool got it loose and the microfiber rag both rubs Endust in and picks up the loosened dirt at the end.

 Sadly, there is a broken spot at the pass through for the belt. Veneer is peeling, too, but the thing I am worrying about is how to repair the broken bit without impeding the passage of the belt. We are going to try glueing it with the aid of a small clamp, and maybe some shims.

It's possible that this break in the edge of the pass through is related to the fact that the old belt was broken when we got it. Who can know, it probably happened a long time ago. 

It's such an adventure learning how to care for the old machine! But I want to get her in working condition and do some quilting on her.

Crinum blossoms!

 Hello, everyone. 

It's still in the 90's (F) at almost 5 pm, but my crinum lily has something to say:

This lily was here when we came. Last summer it threw a lot of bloom stalks. This summer,  with drought and a hot July, the blooms are coming later.

This is a baby crinum bulb. It's supposed to be the "milk and wine lily" type, with burgundy stripes down the middle of each petal. As I just got it this year (last bulb in the store bin) it's too young to bloom.

But I have hopes.

Coming soon, an update on the Singer 66 sewing machine reconditioning. 

Beautiful Canna Flower

 I saw a tall canna flower at DD's house that is really pretty. The last time I saw it, the plant's blooms looked malnourished,  now it's lovely.

I have hopes for my tall cannas now.

It's turned into a nice screening plant too. 

Another completed project

 Hello, everyone.  Today I am sharing with y'all the newest set of placemats from my little "studio."

This is a set of six, destined for DD1, for her family's enjoyment.

I spread them out because the set is a little bit scrappy, and the sixth one shows the back. I do love that beach-themed Chevy Bel-Air print. I fear that this has used up the last of it.

The pattern is a charm placemat, probably from Fat Quarter Shop, and I learned how to make easy four-patch squares from 2 stacked 5 inch squares. These are the squares with the brown tortoise shell print--repeated throughout the set. The other squares are a mix of various seaside or pastel prints, including a number of squares in white-on-white. I know that one of the placemats is from a Zen Chic charm pack. It's the pink center square with bubble-like circles in blues. The name of the seaside themed charm pack many of the others are from escapes me. That one contributed the corals, the whales, and the little fishes and suchlike.

It was a lot of fun using these ocean themed prints.