eBay and mortality

You may remember I inherited my mom's Singer featherweight sewing machine.  I joined a group on Facebook for people who have these machines and have learned a ton of information.  Mostly I've learned it can easily become an obsession and take over your life.  Not really but sort of...

The attachments you can get, if you can find them, look like so much fun!  I would love to have this attachment but it is very rare and therefore also quite expensive.  Doesn't it look like fun!

http://youtu.be/KvkK1XTR9Jo

Also this one for darning socks

Or making ruffles, oh wait, I do have this, I haven't had a chance to try it yet but I will soon.

Anyway, all this lusting after parts had me perusing eBay.  After awhile it starts to dawn on me, most of the people selling sewing machine parts have no clue what they are selling.  They are either mislabeled, and/or mispriced.  The one that really got me thinking was the "rare Singer Kenmore parts for sale!"  Of course when you add rare the price is automatically higher but for a Frankenstein machine it was ridiculous.

This got me wondering how things end up being sold on eBay as a Frankenstein machine, when they were probably at one time owned by someone who loved them dearly.  Neither of my kids sew, horrifying right?  So, I suppose when I am gone my sewing machines and parts may end up on eBay.  And, unless I get my stuff together they could end up being sold as Singer Kenmore Bernina Innova parts!  So, since I was in the middle of cleaning my sewing space anyway, I have now started labeling parts and have designated boxes for each machine.  I don't want my babies sold as Frankenstein parts!

I stopped cleaning and sorting long enough to finish these bags for my sisters.  This is a Lazy Girl Design called Miranda Day Bag.  I love all the pockets inside.  The outside fabric is from my mom's clothes.  Two are from a denim dress and two from a bright blue pants outfit.  I embroidered a flower on each and quilted some flowers and a hummingbird.  I added a colorful lining because my mom liked color.  The two black bags are for my daughter and myself.  They are from a jacket that already had the colorful stitching, I did echo quilting around the stitching.

I just finished piecing a back for my sampler quilt today.  I liked the last back I pieced so had to try again.  Here is the sampler.

Here is the back.  The strips of color are the same fabric used as a lattice between the blocks on the front of the quilt.

Now to get it on the longarm.

I spent several days trying to get my old Kenmore going.  It has an invisible zipper foot which would help for making clothes.  Instead I have one ordered for my Bernina (it's on back order) because I killed my Kenmore. 😥

Also spent several days trying to get my Bernina to talk to my laptop so I could download embroidery designs.  Managed to download one design and they quit talking.  Still working on that problem. 

Have a creative day

Janet

Making green bags

My mom moved into a retirement community last year. She didn't have quite as much room there as she did in her two bedroom apartment. So, some choices needed to made on what to keep and what could go....
I kept a lot of the clothes she no longer needed. I held on to them until now in case she changed her mind. Now it is time to begin to re-purpose some of the clothes. I started with a jacket that caught my eye.
And a blouse, I thought would sort of match.

I love the embroidery details and the colors of this jacket but the sleeves were a little worn and the jacket itself was too short for me. I've been wanting to make a Miranda Day Bag by Lazy Girl Designs. Here is the bag I made.

I had a handle on the bag but the color wasn't quite right. I need to find a better color for the strap. I want a long strap rather than a short purchased handle, I think I will be more likely to use it that way. I added quite a lot of quilting to the body of the bag, so it took longer to make than I expected. I really like how it turned out.

My daughter wants one too, I think I have enough of the embroidered fabric left. She thought I could mix her's with a blue or green from the embroidery. I may have to purchase a matching color of fabric but the main body of it will be from her Grandma's closet. Isn't that a fun way to re-purpose clothing.

Have a creative day
Janet