New program, old blog

I quit blogging because I was using an IPad on night shift and blogging was really really hard on it. My lap top had several issues with the keyboard and writing there was pretty crazy too. I wasn’t about to try it on the phone. So I finally found this program and paid $5 I think for a program called BlogTouch. It looks like it will work well.

So, what’s new. I got a new vintage machine, a 1987 or 1989 Viking Husqvarna 1100. A friend decided I was the person it belonged with so I agreed to buy it and she agreed to ship it. It is an electronic machine with different “cassettes” that give a variety of stitches, buttonholes, and embroidery options. Currently I only have cassette A, but it’s the one I really need. When I first tried her out she made a funny noise and blew out a puff of white smoke. Power was still on so I turned it off. My closest dealer said they won’t touch them because they can’t get replacement parts. I decided to cautiously try turning it back on and have since used it for a couple hours with no further issues and finding no deficits. I made a little video of working with a darning foot and free motion ruler. I also tested her out on some knit fabrics. This machine is the best I’ve ever used for knits. Here’s a link to the video. 

https://youtu.be/Ucko-5Asnp0

I made a bra :)

This is a Shelly from Pin Up Girls patterns. Beverly Johnson drafts the patterns and has classes on Blueprint. Additionally there’s help from two Facebook groups. As a 50 DD, I haven’t had a comfortable bra in a good decade. This one feels pretty good. It needs just a little more tweaking, and I’ll never put that much lace on my skin without a lining again, but, the band and cups fit! So of course I now have enough fabrics and laces for about 50 bras and have yet to cut out a second one.

Mostly these people’s fault.

I got a pair of Style Arc shorts and a Style Arc top done, but no photos. I don’t understand how the top came out too big, but elastic was effective for a save. Still working on a good woven bodice fit, I’m getting there. Seems that I need darts dropped as well as an FBA or Nancy Zieman’s pin and pivot method. Now I’m wondering if I do those two adjustments, should I be in a smaller pattern to fit the neck and shoulders? That could be the big solution!

I jumped off the top to Rebecca Page’s Bondi Bikini. Of course, I know it’s not going to look on me the same that it does on the model above. I’ve never found one piece suits comfortable as a lot of my height is in my torso, now I’ve got girth too and I insist on a two piece. There are instructions for a full bust adjustment for the top (why does the 5x require that? Shouldn’t that already be adjusted for large breasts?). There are no instructions for adjusting the lining of the top, which is cut very much like a princess seam and not like the top proper. I figure I’ll adjust with princess seam instructions but I haven’t cut it out yet. I started with bottoms and have them about half way, but that’s when the new machine arrived and I got a little derailed. Today I was feeling like I really should try and finish those bottoms but decided on a palate cleanser instead.

So I’m the proud owner of a potato zapper microwave bag and some coasters. Quick and easy.

I love when packages come!

Which may be fairly frequent these days, I have to admit.  This one came in less than 48 hours entirely across the country, Washington state to the Delaware shore.  I've actually been waiting more than a year for it though, because it had to be developed and machined and produced, etc, etc.

This is the brand new "Fine Line Clarity Ruler Foot" from Accents in Design and as of this writing isn't even up on their website yet.  This is the low shank and retails for $24. or about half of what it's cheapest competitor is charging.  Additionally, it's the only clear one that I know of, made out of some of that super tough poly-carb kind of plastic that lasts for years and years but allows you to get a clear view of where you are stitching.  It is designed for using rulers for free motion quilting on domestic machines, something only long arm machines could do until just the past couple of years.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about and think it might be interesting, I'd recommend looking at some videos on You tube. If you'd like some in-depth information about most of the many brands of rulers and feet as well as tips on how to do this kind of quilting, I'd send you over to Amy's blog.  I don't get any free stuff or money from the people at Accents, but I'm very happy with their stuff  and can't imagine liking any other products better.

I've used some kind of darning foot for free motion quilting and embroidery a couple of decades now.  When I first started playing I tried it with a hoop and no foot as well as using this strange cone shaped spring that sprung up and down to "hoop" the fabric.  I have had minor success with the hoop (and if you want to see some amazing stuff, look at  "machine thread painting" on You tube. The entire reason for the darning foot was to be able to move the fabric in any direction, sideways and diagonal included, without using a hoop.  I've read books by people who said it could be done without a foot, hoop, or any holding the fabric but if it weren't for (last link this post!)(and this guy is AMAZING!!!) P. Nosa I just wouldn't believe it.  For most of us, it is required to have enough tension held on the fabric by a hoop or a foot to allow the needle to pierce, pick up the bobbin thread, and come back up through the fabric without getting a snarly, ugly mess.  So, while I respect that it worked for some quilters to modify their darning foot to kind of skim rather than hop-

Presser foot down, needle down, the foot goes all the way to the needle plate and holds the fabric taut for stitch formation.  The spring covered bar has a lever sticking out, waiting for the needle screw to come back up when the needle rises...

and the needle rising will lift that lever up, causing the foot to lift, enabling the fabric to be moved in any direction in that fraction of time before the needle comes back down.  Feed dogs are lowered or covered for this operation. And the foot hops hops hops, requiring the operator to develop smooth  movements to get even stitch formation.

This ruler foot- no spring or lever. When foot is down it's a scant 1/8th inch from the bed and "skims" the quilt.  With feed dogs down, it allows for the "free motion" of fabric to be guided in any direction.  The smooth round sides allow it to butt against thick rulers, giving the quilter the ability to mix in smooth geometric designs with curvy free form without changing feet

My free motion improved dramatically the first time I used a darning foot and I was very leery of using a foot that didn't provide that taut hold for the stitch.  I also wear gloves enough at work nursing and REFUSE to wear them sewing, and I bought the supreme slider and it ate some Japan finish off two of my vintage machines so I don't want to use that.  I worried that a skimming, non hopping foot would not release the fabric as well in the movement/needle up phase as well as holding it down in the down phase. And that I'd have to put on the stinkin' gloves and saran wrap my machine beds or something.  I was just hatin' the idea of change.  Alas, the Accents folks went and made their foot non-hopping. So I bought two, in case I had to do some cutting and welding.

The first stitches were not a complete snarly mess, and there was some glide going on.  Not real pretty, but

with some upper tension adjustment and a little relaxation, the skipped stitches were resolved.  I couldn't play long, it's the middle of my work week and it took me an hour to find batteries for the camera (never did find the blasted charger and rechargables) and then I started loosing eye glasses and washers and feet and proceeded to dumping drinks of lemonade and coffee

Of course, some of this was happening...

All in all, I'm confident that the foot will be very useful in helping me keep a uniform distance in quilting lines with the ruler. The round shape is going to make movement smoother than the oval of my hopper.  I don't think all brands of rulers play nice with all kinds of feet- see how thick the ruler above is- that's why I could use that generic darning foot with it without it sliding on top. For a couple of years.  A GENERIC HOPING DARNING FOOT DID NOT COST ME EXPENSIVE REPAIR, because I have the previous confidence free motion quilting that I wasn't going to try and stitch through a ruler, and if somehow I did manage to shove that ruler under the foot and cause the needle to slam onto it- some shove indeed- I can repair my own timing on my 201, without needing any parts or tools I don't have.  If you have a $4000. machine, get the brand specific hunert dollar foot.  If you have a vintage singer, kenmore, etc, an all metal tank and know you can read how to do repairs, try one ruler with your hopping foot to see if you like it.  OK, moving on to -

As far as garment sewing- I should have known better than challenge myself with a marathon.  I have made progress, but kind of sewed backwards.  The shorts I wanted the most are the only ones not done because I still haven't drafted and cut out the pocket bags. I put in the invisible zipper and then jumped over to a tank for some reason, probably because it was all cut out and looking like a fast and easy.  I'm still new to the serger and it was nice sewing those slinky, thin jersey seams on it.  The seam binding bogged me down.  I ripped and sewed again, ripped again and starched, then tried paper under the fabric.  No go.  It is a wobbly, sad looking thing awaiting some stretch lace to come along and cover raw edges that I will cut. Honestly I should chunk it now, as I tried it on and that fabric loves every lump, bump, and bulge on me, yikes! It's pj's though, so it can stay a while.

I finished drawstring shorts and this racer back tank out of this more stable 100% cotton knit with ribbing used for edging.  It fits well and is sewn nicely enough.  I bullied my daughter into taking pics at the end of the day indoors and they are 100% not publishable.  Just wow.  I have a tripod, I'm going to have to set up some where to take photos of myself because she is not going to work out as a blog photographer.  She is fired. She wanted to be.

So I hope you can imagine this  cute, crisp cotton as a well sewn pair of drawstring with pocket jammie shorts. If you can't, they were only drawstring jammie shorts. I am itching to get on to some swimsuit sewing, last time I tried that was 1979! I also promised a bee-keeper lady at the farmer's market an apron sewn from bee fabric in trade for some honey, because I'm an idiot.  Oh, let me! 

I'm thinking I have 2 machines and a serger set up in my room- why can't I quilt and garment sew at the same time?

Starting

 

to quilt the periwinkle, FINALLY.  Projects sure get paused at my house. I started out on the singer 15-91 because I had read on several reviews/forums/blogs that it was superior for free motion quilting to my 201-2 because the 15 has an oscillating bobbin.  The 201 has a drop in bobbin and the thread is more likely to drag they say.  I was playing with the straight ruler and the 15 would not play nice.  Then I tried just free motion and I couldn't get the groove going there either.  The feed dogs drop in both machines, but seem to drop further down in the 201 and I wonder if that was a contributing factor.  Even with dogs down and stitch length at zero there is still a little up down movement of the dogs on the 15. I wonder if I push my layers down enough for them to enter the hole and drag.  Or perhaps that machine would be happier with a darning foot that does not hop. I have one good one right now that I prefer to hop on the 201, so I'm not modifying it.  Besides, the 201 has more harp space and I like the sound of the motor more.  It does resist slightly for side to side quilt movement compared to forward and back, but I've learned to adjust my fabric manipulation for that. 

 

All that said, the going on the 201 was a little rough too.  I guess you should quilt every now and then if you want to be good at it.  I have two blocks that need the little hummingbird center quilting all ripped out to redo because I didn't play on practice blocks (imagine).  I figure I'll probably be 1/4 to 1/2 the way done before I really get a smoother consistent stitch size and better in the ditch and just better.  But it'll get done and  maybe I'll do another before a year is up.  I hope so, because I've still got that sampler quilt in the back of my brain and a box under the bed.

 

Speaking of ambition!  I saw a great sale at Style Arc for 30% all of their  downloadable patterns, one day only.  I bought 6.  Then ordered 2 more in paper.  I haven't sewn a real garment for me in many many years.  But I DID get that serger and need to break it in.  And I really need some new clothes, as I haven't bought much of anything the past few years, and nothing but underwear and socks for the past 18 months or so.  I COULD be motivated AND ambitious.  We'll see.

 

(UPDATE THE NEXT NIGHTSHIFT: I've just spent 2 1/2 hours combing fabricmart online for deals and will be awaiting a nice package of knits from them to start the garment sewing.  Exciting!)

Been sewing for the babies

and littles and have NO pictures.  I did a rush job on a ruffled romper and shoes and two bonnets that had to travel up to NYC and didn't take any photos.  I just finished a circle skirt for the dance school -attending 4 year old.  Matter of fact, I also made a maxi skirt and matching halter top for the 11 year old and didn't photograph that either.  They all turned out fairly well, I just wasn't in the mood to get out the camera.  I was seriously tempted with the hem of the circle skirt done with the narrow hem foot.  Maybe because it's almost all bias hem on a circle skirt, but it looked better than any other hem I've ever done with that foot.

Which got me wondering:

 

WHY does a foot as intricate as the flat-felled or narrow hemmer cost $5 or $10 dollars online for a generic foot, but all these ruler toe  manufacturers feel ok charging $80 for a circular foot.  Ok, maybe they can call it a niche and claim they want to ensure they get paid for development and casting some kind of mold, whatever they have to do to make them.  But STILL.  Especially when I can get a good quality free motion foot for $15 or so.  I just would like one that put me 1/4 inch away from a ruler edge no matter what part of the foot I was banking on the ruler.  It could be an acrylic toe, I'd have no complaints.  I feel it's dishonest to charge that much.  My opinion.

sewing lots

Mostly quilting.  I started out with the idea of doing a video of quilting with rulers on a vintage machine.  I got lots of stuff to put a video together, but this new tablet/laptop with windows 8 has been very difficult to put together with learning a new editing program and I haven't yet got it put together.  I also made video of machine darning, the one mending chore I actually enjoy (because it's so like free motion embroidery or quilting).

This was a pretty huge hole that will never rip again.  No patch to peel off.  The heavy build up of thread is stiffer than the surrounding area but the recipient was willing to trade that for keeping her favorite jeans.  I've seen a business online that repairs holes on jeans with thread build up matching the warp/weft of the original fabric.  It would be fun to be that good at it. 

Playing with the quilting and darning reminded me that the 201's foot pedal sticks after extended use.  I intend to buy a new pedal one day but decided to just switch out the feet with a machine I'll probably never use.  It's an old vibrating shuttle that works ok but isn't much joy to use- it is a pretty cute 3/4  size to look at with it's old godzilla finish.  6 minutes of work and the pedals were switched.  No further issues with the 201 if I want to zone and free motion for hours.  It would race and have to be pumped to stop.  The 201 is one fast machine anyway and racing is a pretty furious pace.  I have been enjoying having speed control again.

A warning to anyone who uses vintage machines and free motion quilts:  you may not want to use a supreme slider on an antique finish.  The gold crackling above was the result of having the slider on for about 1/2 hour of quilting on a little orphan block.  I noticed the paint flecks on the back of the slider before I saw the deck and was very shocked.  This machine isn't  most prized for it's paint and so I wasn't devastated but I won't be using the slider again on it.  I have not had any problem using the slider with newer machines.  Truthfully, I have never felt that it made that great a difference in ease.  When I have quilt dragging I stop and redistribute the weight and I'm happy. Likewise I have found the quilting gloves unnecessary.  Sometimes if my hands are dry and the fingertips don't seem to have enough grip I use a little of that stuff office people use to moisten fingertips for handling paper- works great and doesn't affect the fabric.  God knows this technique might not be great for a quilt that will never be washed and is being entered into some world class shows and then museum bound.  But for my purposes, it works great.



 

The last thing I have to say is goodbye to one slightly brutal winter.  I've lived on the shore of Delaware for 25 years now and never seen ice on the beach before.  It was cool for the experience, now I'm more than ready to move on to blossoms and the beginnings of fresh local produce. Yay, spring!