A Yorkshire Dale - Textile Picture

Hello

Well, the miserable rain has given me an unexpected day off so a quick trip to Richmond for some new wellies and a few errands.

Then time to play with the Singer Featherweight, practicing free motion embroidery on my Yorkshire Dale picture.

This is where I had got to after the Workshop at Drawn Threads Drawn Threads  (Sarah uses Facebook so more pictures by my fellow students are on a page).  I don't use Facebook, just got to grips with Blogger!!
Perhaps I should change my Blog name to 'Prehistoric' Button Box, I am so far behind in this technology age.

 Drum roleeeeeee

Confession time, I didn't think about a frame size when I stitched it, just jumping in with both feet.  Then had to put an extra wall along the bottom edge so it would fit in the insert of my recycled picture frame.  I really must plan ahead more, I design gardens like this, never measure anything.  My gardens evolve a bit like this picture.

Thank you Sarah for your encouragement.

Cheers

Sharon

Wonderful Workshop - Textile Illustration

Hello

Had a wonderful day out at Sarah's (from Drawn Threads) Textile Illustration Workshop.  Took my Singer Featherweight as hand baggage, Sarah does have machines to use but they are modern ones and scare the living daylights out of me!

Never been on a workshop before, Sarah really pushed the boat out.  Our day started out with a pressy all wrapped with brown paper and string (think she is a fan of the Sound of Music!), they held everything we needed to make our pictures.  She had even made lovely badges with our names on so introductions weren't needed.  Baskets of old lace, fabric, bobbins of thread, buttons and beads.  Lots of Sarah's wonderful pictures to inspire us.

Here's my badge, will treasure it.

For my first effort, did a little wall plaque.  Decided rather than putting it in a wooden picture frame, I would frame it with fabric which put me back in my comfort zone as it was the same as binding a quilt.

Got it all done, then Doh, I was the class idiot, so busy concentrating on how to do, didn't notice that I had spelt Happiness with an Y.  Everyone was too polite to tell me so had to unpick it when I got home.  Here's the amended version.

For my second took my inspiration from picture on a card of the Yorkshire Dales which isn't too far away from home.  This really tested my brain cells

I was a definitely out of my comfort zone as here was no pattern or straight lines.  Sarah was on hand to calm my nerves and guide me.

The time flew and then it was home time.  The Yorkshire scene is still work in progress but here it is, the next bit to do is stone walls, think that I will practice on a scrap bit first to try out how to do them.  Then the scary trees to do!

A big thank you to Sarah, and her lovely hubby who carried my Featherweight up the stairs (felt like the Queen having someone to carry for me), he also was the 'Tea Boy' had a badge to prove it!

A really fun day.  You can find more information on Drawn Threads here Drawn Threads

Can't wait for the next one.

Cheers
Sharon

Cushion Love

Hello

Just a quickie.  Had a little sewing time instead of gardening last week.  Yippeeee

A pretty cushion for the Lloyd Loom chair in the summerhouse.

Unfortunately I was at the back of the queue when long legs were handed out!  My Singer table is too high for little short me soooo either chop a bit off the legs (the table's not mine, hee hee) or make a cushion pad to raise me up (sure that's a song).

Opted for the cushion, so bought a piece of sponge which I cut to size then covered in matching fabric.

(Whoops, Summerhouse is untidy in the middle of sorting out a box of pictures)

Take care

Sharon

Furniture Makeovers with New Handles

Hello

Well, what a surprise.  Got an email out of the blue from the lovely Alice at http://www.trinca-ferro.com/  asking if I would like to choose 6 of their beautiful cupboard and drawer knobs and then do a review on my blog. Wow, how exciting.  Took me ages to pick out my favourites, they have loads to choose from.

Had to have the bee one, as they are one of my favourite creatures, they buzz around while I am working taking no notice of me, they are such gentle creatures.  They soothe my soul!

Here it is on my regency table.

Then I couldn't leave out the butterfly one, butterflies must be having a hard time this year, far too cold for them.  Used this on my sewing basket which holds vintage haberdashery.  The lid is a tight fit so something to get hold of is just the ticket.

I bought this vintage desk off Ebay last year.

Painted it with contrasting colours.  Didn't do a blog post on it as I was looking for a new handle for it.

Now after looking for ages, I am spoilt for choice. Two great glass ones.  Which one do you think?

Going to put this mother of pearl flower one on my vintage Singer table but need to take the old one off first and drill a hole.  There lies a problem, my partner is in charge of the drill but he has rearranged the bones in his shoulder falling off his motorbike so won't be drilling anything for a while.

It's beautiful, reminds me of my vintage buttons and you know how I like buttons.  It's so much prettier than the original wooden one.

The other glass one will go on the lid of this recycled wooden box, it holds treasure (well, my Singer sewing machine attachments). Again, waiting a hole to be drilled in it.  Would have a go myself but am too afraid of not getting it right.  

Here's the before

And the nearly after.

Last but not least, this gorgeous ceramic flower. Put this on my 1930's metal cupboard, this was a swine to do up, took ages to strip the old paint off it, then it started to rust through the new paint despite using eggshell paint that said it was OK on metal.

Before 

After, the handle brightens it up.

A big thank you to Alice at http://www.trinca-ferro.com/ .  So enjoyed the experience of reviewing some of the collection.  The quality is outstanding along with value for money.   They arrived super fast once they were ordered.   Going to save up to replace all the handles on my kitchen units, I need 24!

PS - they have great little hooks as well, ideal for hanging scissors and tape measures on next to your sewing machine.

Cheers

Sharon

Vintage Dress Shopping and an Art Exhibition

Hello

Gosh, yesterday was an eventful day.

Arranged to go to the Richmond Station (http://www.richmondstation.com/) to see an Art Exhibition featuring the lovely Fi at http://marmaladerose.blogspot.co.uk/.  Wanted to see her gorgeous felty pictures and the Station cafe has great coffee.  Met my friend Julie there but we were both late.  I had to turn back and go a different route as some poor souls had crashed into each other and the road was blocked.  Julie was delayed due to road works and then police chasing van drivers, apparently a van was pulled over by the police and then occupants legged it!  When we finally got to Richmond, there were Emergency vehicles all over the place and the market square was shut off, there had been a big fire early morning and 5 shops had burnt.  Don't think anyone was hurt thank goodness. See life in North Yorkshire isn't quite the quiet as you thought!

So we were both ready for a sit down with a large piece of cake and coffee.

There is a interesting vintage shop (Lost and Found) at the Station so had a bit of spend.

A great vintage summer dress (if summer ever arrives), might have to take it in a bit under the arms.  Super colours, sweet little buttons on the back.  Not sure how old it is, the fabric is very swishy and the skirt is lined.

Also bought this vintage looking new tray.  You can never have too much storage.  It will make a great projects holder,  its  "holding"  the start of my next quilt made from scrap strips of fabric.  I save all my off-cuts from my sewing, the box I keep them in was full to overflowing so I had to either discard (horror of horrors) or find a way to use them up.

Fi's pictures were lovely, so much detail and glorious colours.  Got a couple of her yummy cards, one with a hansom chap on it and one with the sweetest mouse.  The hare card is by her friend, Sue https://www.facebook.com/sueorreygoddenartist  her pastel paintings are outstanding. They were sharing the exhibition space.

The staff at the Station were very kind and helpful, well worth a visit if you are anywhere near.

Cheers
Sharon

Patchwork Tilda Fabric Tins

Hello

Had a bit of a crafty afternoon on Sunday, couldn't bring myself to do my garden!

This old toffee tin in the summer house was looking scruffy so thought I could make it look prettier.

One of the ladies at the Sewing Circle gave me a bag of tiny scraps of lovely Tilda fabric, thinking that I might find a use for them.  Ummm, took me a while to come up with an idea.

Got out my vintage pinking shears and cut small shapes out, there was a good selection of fabrics.  Covered the tin with a patchwork of yummy fabric using book binding glue.  This is a PVA glue but it seems to be stickier than normal PVA, ideal for this.  I used a small brush, had the pot of glue open and little dish of water, kept dipping the brush in the water then into the glue, this made it easier to spread the glue on the tin and fabric.  On the edges of the tin just used the glue without watering it down so it stuck better.

Then I up-cycled a treacle tin as well.  Finished them both off with vintage lace edging and some narrow pink ribbon on the toffee tin.

Will do the other two tins another time.  Its a great way of using up the tiniest scraps.

Cheers

Sharon

Vintage Singer Sewing Machine Oil Cans

Hello

Vintage Singer Sewing Machines like to be oiled and run smoother if you do this on a regular basis.  The rules are you MUST use sewing machine oil (not like my niece suggested, vegetable oil!!!, she has a white featherweight which she got for Christmas from her mum, might have to take if off her is she doesn't behave herself!).

For those who are interested, I have put  the Simanco (which stands for Singer Manufacturing Company) part numbers under each style of vintage can.

I first used a new Singer own make bottle but it is a bit messy to use and tricky just to put the one drop in the oiling holes.  The handbooks show you where to oil.

So I bought a vintage oil can which drops one drop when you press the bottom. It is tiny, very easy to use but it leaked (cos its old).  The spout screws off so that it can be refilled.

So I went on the hunt again and found another dinky can, this time it drops one drop when you press the sides. Don't think that is made by Singer though. This one leaks like a sieve so very messy. Again the spout screws off so that it can be refilled.

Finally got these two shiny ones, these don't leak.  One is marked Singer the other isn't.

36569 - Tin Plate oil can with detachable spout for refilling

This design was made for years, the bentwood case on my Singer 28, the fake croc skin case for the 201 and the 201K table all have a special clip for it to sit on.

Then I found this one on eBay, so cute but its empty.  The cap screws off but the spout doesn't so can't figure out a way of refilling it

120862 1 1/3 FL OZ Oval Oil can with lead screw cap

 There is a clip in the Featherweight carry case which this fits in perfectly.

Found this larger can on eBay which has the added bonus of being nearly full.

120862 - 3 FL OZ Oval Oil with lead screw cap

My Singer 201K in the table came with an oil tube but as it has a clip for the little oil can don't think that this oil tube is original to the machine.  The other was in a box of attachments that I got of eBay.

161609 - Oil Tube

Finally, this larger tin.  Perhaps it was from a Singer shop, there is a dinky funnel that neatly sits upside down in the top of the can and the lid holds it in place for storage.  They probably filled the neat little cans from this one.  This is my latest purchase.  Couldn't find a Simanco part number for this one.

Quite a little collection going on, might have to stop now but there is one more style to get!

Getting excited over oil cans, not sure if I am right in the head.

Footnote:  There is a tube of Lubricant for Electric Motors 161609. This is the original tube from my 1957 Featherweight. This is for using on the electric motor, there are little tubes on the motor that you fill with this.  You can buy new lube for your motors but if you have the old stuff, it will still work.  If your motor (as in the White Featherweights) doesn't have lube tubes then they don't need it.  The handbooks explain where they are.   NEVER EVER USE MACHINE OIL ON THE ELECTRIC MOTOR IT WILL BREAK IT.

Cheers
Sharon