Cherry Slippers and Featherweight Love

I finished the allover Cherry print slippers - can't wait to use them.  Martha (check out her blog), who made my original pair and shared the pattern, never made herself a pair and is now requesting a pair in ballet slipper pink.  I think that would be a fair trade for giving me the pattern. Not sure I have the right fabric in the stash....hmm, maybe some fabric shopping in my future?  These would be granted an exception to my current 'Shop the Stash' rule.

 

During the stitching up of the slippers, DH was installing a new wireless doorbell.  My part of that project was the flipping on/off of the electrical circuits.  Not exactly brain surgery but we would have never guessed the doorbell was on the dedicated furnace circuit.  I couldn't believe DH kept telling me 'no' as I flipped every other circuit in the panel off.  DH had some special help for the doorbell adventure.

Zena on the ladder

 Thankfully, neither of the other two cats show any interest in climbing the ladder.  Right after this picture, Martha called with some exciting sewing machine news. During her recent road trip for a family Thanksgiving she was given a 1955 Featherweight! Her name is VESTA, she looks almost brand new and she runs like a dream - I heard her over the phone.  

Troubling Martha was the loose lower thread guide so she called so we could brainstorm what the problem might be.  The only way for me to help was to get Dot out so we both had FWs in front of us.  HA! We quickly deduced that an improperly installed needle was causing the problem. Once replaced with a new needle, seated correctly, the lower thread guide is as snug as it should be!  One of the beautiful things about FW is that they are elegantly simple in design and maintenance.

Martha also came home with a quilt restoration project from heck! heeheehee Something about tatters and threads, with batting flapping out in the breeze. Fair trade for getting a FW, I think!

 

Since Dot (1957 FW) was out, I gave her a little love and oil. Her belt seems a touch loose but I'm not adjusting it until I use her full out next time. The oiling seemed to smooth out the tiny slip at the start of stitching. Isn't she pretty?!

 

Feeling guilty, I went into the downstairs bedroom closet and brought out....my other FW.

 

She doesn't have a name and though she runs beautifully, I haven't sewn with her since I got her. As you can see, she needs a complete spa treatment as her finish is damaged and she needs new rubber feet, and a bobbin case.  This free 1949 FW came in a case with only her foot pedal power cord. Not the original, a replacement, that someone altered the plug receptacle to fit - GRRR!  I see her destined to be a Painted Lady. Nonetheless, I gave her some love and oil and ran her to move the joints around.  Maybe 2014 will be her year. I need to move this project up my wish list and start saving my pennies.

Here are the girls together, with my Singer Scholastic workhorse (dang - need a name for that one too) in the background, not wanting to miss out on the photo fun.

 

Today, the weatherman is predicting one last day with temps in the 50's, before a cold snap and snowfall coming this weekend.  I'm planning on spending a good portion of the day OUT as I'm be hunkered down, doing laundry & sewing when the temps fall.  Friday brings the next clue in Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt and I have the second French Braid quilt to cut & piece, not to mention I have a small Irish Chain wall hanging niggling about in my brain that I could easily piece as a leader and ender project during the mystery sewing session. Sew many projects...