Teeny Terrier Transformed - Yeah

Hello

Well we've done it, transformed Tina from a stressed out little dog who was guarding, not eating very much and growling into a joyful bundle of fun.

She is putting weight on, not barking any more, a more confident little dog.  I am so pleased,  I knew there was a canny little dog in there somewhere, all it needed was a little understanding and knowledge.

Our dogs guard and bark, we expect it and think its natural and for most it doesn't cause a problem.  But there are some dogs like sensitive Tina the responsibility of being on guard gets too much for them and they go into a melt down.  Recognising this is tricky, when our dogs look at us they are asking us a question, the knack is know what they are asking!  I am better at reading dogs than people but that is a good thing, I love it.

Here she is on her best behavior in her new waterproof coat.

She is such a joy, she now comes to work with me along with Buzz. She is a big hit with my customer Don, she sits on his knee.

Oh, have been practicing my dog training techniques on horses.  Another customer of mine has a very large horse who is scared of new people, I approached him while he was in his box making sure that I made no eye contact at all, quietly put my hand out so he could smell it.  By the time his owner had taken a rug off her other horse, he had his head over my shoulder while I scratched his shoulders.  He was nearly asleep, Liz was amazed he was letting me near him let alone touching him.  So horses are like dogs, if they are nervous making eye contact scares them.  Easy when you know how.

Sharon
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Lori Holt's Bloom Along - Applique Flowers

Hello

It's a glorious day in North Yorkshire today and I want to garden but the lawn is too wet to walk on.  Doh.

Sooo having a go at Lori Holt's Bloom Along http://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.co.uk/ applique quilt.  I bought the templates a while ago and have been saving the pages to do at a later day but just couldn't wait to try it out.  I have got four blocks completed, the Bloom Along is up to Block 12 so some catching up is in order.  Sewing the shapes on the Featherweight which is ideal for the small tricky ones and doing the applique by hand which is a relaxing pass time on a evening in front of the telly.

Loving it.

 The lovely Anita gave me a box of quilting threads, ideal for appliqueing  the flowers on, can get the right colour so the stitches hardly show.

Well off to start No. 5!  I haven't done all four this morning, did a couple on Friday afternoon.

With all these flowers I am gardening in a way!  It's less strenuous and much cleaner.


Sharon

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Singer Ruffler Attachment Part No. 86742 & 86642

Hello

I have a couple of Singer Ruffler attachments and never found a use for them until now.

They both fit my Singer 221 and 201, they are slightly different to look at but work exactly the same. This one is the 86642 with the adjusting screw at the top.

This on is 86742, the adjusting screw for the size of the pleat is placed on the back of the attachment.

They both have the same adjustment for number of stitches between pleats, 1, 6 and 12 stitches.  So it sews 6 stitches and then puts a pleat in, then 6 more stitches etc.

Here it is fitted on the Featherweight 221, there is a hook that fits over the needle clamp.  You have to make sure that the attachment is firmly attached because its an "active" attachment it moves about which loosens the thumb screw attaching it to the machine so its best to keep checking its tight when in use.

Can you guess what I am making yet?

Rosettes for a village dog show.  All stitched on the Featherweight, in a hurry only decided to make them yesterday after work, the show was on today.

We have just come back from a trip to the Lake District, wonderful scenery, this is Derwent Water at Keswick, the hills are called Cat Bells, I have know idea why they are called that.

Here's Buzz having a snooze in the sun, his boat ride and walk wore him  out.

Take care

Sharon

Bespoke coat for Tina the Tiny Terrier

Hello

Meet Tina, she is my nieces little dog.  Zoe bought her as a miniature Jack Russell (not sure there is such a dog) but when I saw her fully grown, could see Yorkshire Terrier in there somewhere.  Googled JRT and YT, there were a lot of images that looked like Tina.  So there you go, we possibly know what her parents were.

She was a canny happy little dog when she was a pup, she visited so that she could meet Buzz and they were fine together.  As she grew up, she started to guard her house, barking at everything that moved or made a sound, she was on constant alert which stressed her out and she became a bit growly!  Cos she is such a cute looking thing, everyone wants to touch her which started to freak her out as well.  So Zoe brought her to me as I used to teach dog training classes.  She is to stay with me for 2 days a week while Zoe is at work.  It hasn't taken long to see an improvement, we stopped the guarding completely which has calmed her down immensely.  I am introducing her to dogs, Buzz is so good with her he gave her the space she needed so that she could say hello when she was ready.  She is starting to enjoy life again.  She doesn't look so wary in the photo below which was taken yesterday.  She is a clever little thing, Zoe has been teaching her tricks, a double twirl for a biscuit treat.

Tina doesn't like the cold and hates going out when its raining, looking at Yorkshire Terrier websites this is a common thing with them.  They can be delicate little chaps who can get a chill easily.  So I made a coat for her.  She was tricky to measure as she squirmed about when I got the tape out.  I cut a pattern using this really neat ruler that I got from the lovely Anita, perfect for doing curved edges.

Just layered up the fabric the same as making a quilt, used the Singer Featherweight to quilt the fabric and then make up the coat.

There all tucked up ready for a walk in the chilly air!

Now I have the pattern worked out, going to make her a waterproof coat with waxed cotton fabric.

Cheers

Sharon

Singer Automatic Zigzagger fits Featherweight

Hello

I showed my Griest Buttonhole Attachment to my sister, she fell in love with it and went on the hunt for one of her own using my favourite way of shopping, Ebay.

Then she spotted this for under £20 which has to be the bargain of the year.

Having never had a go with this attachment, only seen them on the web, Sandi kindly said that I could borrow it to play with.  What a treat.

The part number for it is 161157 its original manual says it fits Singer, 201, 221 and 222.

It comes with 4 diff red patterns which are easily changed  Each one  of these pattern has its own part number.  Just flip the lid back to change the patterns.  The white ones are from the extra pack of four patterns which originally could be bought separately.

161000 - Zigzag stitch

161001- Blind stitch pattern produces a curve line and one long sideways stitch at start and completion of curve, ideal for hems and overedging.

161002 - Domino stitch pattern ideal for border designs  or motifs

161003 - Arrowhead stitch pattern, again for borders and motifs.

All these patterns can be adjusted in width using a bight (this means stitch width) setting on attachment and length using stitch setting (lever changing number of stitches per inch) on machine.  The manual is very easy to follow.

These Singer designers were clever chaps, there is a lever on the attachment which allows you to swop from zigzag to straight stitch without having to remove the attachment from the machine.  It works by moving the fabric from side to side, the needle stays in the same place.

Sandi had given the attachment a clean and oil (the manual tells you how) before putting it on her Featherweight.

It works a treat.

Update - mine arrived safely from the USA, its has a different attachment number 160985 which the manual states that it fits Singer Machines of Classes 15, 201, 221 and 1200.  I think its a later model than Sandi's.  It's got a couple of patterns missing from the box so it will be fun tracking down replacements.  Don't you just love Ebay!

Cheers

Sharon

A Valentine Gift

Hello

Just a quickie

Was given loads of fake leather from a furniture manufacturing company in our village, end of rolls in lots of different colours.  Made a pencil case for my other half to keep all his drawing pens in.  Cos it was valentines, added a little heart.

Cheers
Sharon

Christmas Quilt

Hello

January is a very quiet time for me work wise but I enjoy the time off, whilst the decorating is screaming at me to get the paint out! The quilt fabric is pulling at me.  Sewing is much more fun.

Every year at Christmas, I think that I will start a Christmas quilt to use as a throw and every year, I run out of time and it doesn't get done.  So last week when it was chucking down with rain, got the lovely Xmas fabric out that Anita gave me along with a triangle template.  The top was pieced together using the Singer Featherweight, was going to machine quilt on this as well but with the wadding it was a little too thick for it so reverted to the Singer 201 which coped with the bulk much better.

This is the result.

In the fabric there was a panel of Xmas designs including labels so used one for a quilt label.

Depending on which way you look at it, this quilt is either 2 months too late or 10 months early!

One more sewing day then I will have to get the paint out.

Cheers

Sharon