Featherweight

DSC_0278My husband surprised me tonight with an early Valentine’s gift–this Singer Featherweight 221-1.

She is still unnamed although we know she was born November 7, 1949 in the Clydebank, Scotland factory of Kilbowie with serial number EF563501.  She is missing her bobbin case so she will not be pressed into service until I am able to locate and purchase one.

I have been on the hunt for a Featherweight for some time now.  I recently lost out on one on an e-Bay auction and then lost out on a white model because someone got to the seller before I could.  I was beginning to think I was never going to lay my hands on one of these precious machines.  That is until, tonight.  🙂

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EDIT (Feb 9, 2013):  My Featherweight now has a name!  My husband and I have named my Featherweight, Charlotte–a Scottish girl’s name.

Cleopatra

Cleo

Cleo was my Christmas present from my husband and kids this past Christmas.  As near as I can determine, she is a reproduction of the Singer model 15.  (Serial number NTL 4209555)

My husband and son worked on making a new base for her and included the name plaque which says, “Silver Thimble Quilting”.

Cleo was purchased by my son at a police auction so she does not have a manual.  I threaded her tonight and took her for a test drive.  Unfortunately, the fabric is not advancing as she stitches.  I am not sure if I have her set up wrong or if something needs to be adjusted as I don’t have the manual.

It doesn’t matter that I can’t currently sew with Cleo as she is beautiful and she will look great in the foyer of our house.

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What is that yellow orb in the sky?

weather one

weather two

We have had sunny skies since Thursday (January 10).  As you can see from the pictures above, the weatherman is predicting that yellow orb in the sky to remain our friend for at least the next 10 days!

Yes, the temperatures are cool, but the wind speeds are very low and there doesn’t seem to be a hint of snow.  As long as the sun keeps shining, I don’t mind that it is cool.

Does this mean that Spring is around the corner?  I sure hope so!  Perhaps we will soon be on a first name basis with that stranger in the sky called the sun!

Stack’N Whack

Today’s MSN conversation between LindaJ and I started off innocent enough–as all our conversations seem to do.  No one could be labelled the instigator, and no one was leading someone else astray.  BTW, that is our story and we are sticking to it!  🙂   Back to the conversation….Linda was telling me about her guild meeting today–some show and tell, but most of it relating to the program.  I asked what today’s program was about and Linda replied, Stack’N Whack.  Apparently, Linda’s guild is going to be doing a class on making Stack’N Whack fans at their next sew in later in February.  Then Linda mentioned that she won’t be doing the class.  She said she already has a hexagon Stack’N Whack project that is an old UFO.

Earlier in the afternoon,  I was chatting with my mother over Skype.  I noticed that she had the hexagon Stack’N Whack table topper that I made her years ago on her table.  Seeing that table topper got me thinking about my old hexagon Stack’N Whack UFO.  Ironic that Linda was now talking about a hexagon Stack’N Whack UFO!  (Sometimes we think so much alike it is almost scary!  LOL)

Then of course the challenge started to unfold–Linda challenged me to finish my hexagon Stack’N Whack UFO next month too.  Our conversation went something like this:

Linda:  Do you know where your project is?

Me:  Oh yes.  Safe and sound in a box.

Linda:  I have a pretty good idea where mire is too although it has moved over the years.

Me:  What size is your project going to be?

Linda:  Oh my—who remembers?

Me:  LOL

Linda:  Like the book.

Me:  OK, that does it – we both need to move these projects on.

Linda:  Yes we do.

Me: I didn’t remember I had one, you aren’t sure about the details about yours.

Linda: Seriously we do.

And so it always starts–from a small spark in a conversation.  Before we know it, we have plans for the next project.  We keep each other motivated and on track to completion.  We are also responsible for creating a few new UFO’s along the way.  But given that UFO’s are a part of this creative process, this should not be a surprise.  We both have way more ideas about what quilts we want to make than we have time to finish them.

We both agreed that we would document something about our UFO hexi’s so here is the detail about mine.

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Stack’N Whack table topper belonging to my Mother.

This first picture is a photo of the hexagon Stack’N Whack table topper that I made for my Mother and gifted to her years ago.  (circa 2003)  I had enough fabric at the time to make myself a matching table topper, but I only finished the one topper for my mother.

Class Sample from Stack'N Whack class on November 2, 2002

Class Sample from Stack’N Whack class on November 2, 2002

More class samples.

More class samples.

On November 2, 2002, I took a class from Betty F. (a member of the same quilt guild as me).  Betty brought along some great class samples and I remember falling in love with the hexagon shaped blocks made into a hexagon table topper.  I stored that idea away for later.

My Stack'N Whack quilt from the November 2, 2002 class sponsored by our Guild.

My Stack’N Whack quilt from the November 2, 2002 class sponsored by our Guild.

This was the project that I started in that class and later finished and gifted (along with the rest of my family members) to a cousin’s daughter’s wedding in early 2003.

My Stack'N Whack fabric before cutting.

My Stack’N Whack fabric before cutting.

After finishing the lap size hexagon Stack’N Whack project, I pondered the possibility of kaleidoscope designs in almost every fabric I saw.  After Christmas in 2002, the Christmas fabrics went on sale and I picked up this yardage.  The colours were not what I thought traditional Christmas colours were and I knew if you cut the fabric up, you would not be able to recognize most of the Christmas elements of the fabric.  Once this fabric is cut into pieces it reminds me more of the Mexican inspired pottery I have seen in the southern U.S. states, rather than Christmas.

UFO - Stack'N Whack blocks

UFO – Stack’N Whack blocks

My UFO box contained these 9 completed blocks and a stack of triangles cut for another 8 blocks.  I also had some purple fabric in there.  I must have considered a purple background for these blocks at one point, although, a black background won out in the project I completed for my mother.

So, it would appear that this hexagon Stack’N Whack table topper will be the next project in the queue.  Since this particular project only needs 7 blocks, I am not sure what will happen with the leftover blocks.  I also have quite a bit of that yardage left.  So, I may have more than one project left here to make.  We will have to see where this ends up taking me.

Linda’s post:  http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.ca/2013/01/guild-meetingstack-n-whack.html

 

NHL Hockey Lockout is Over!

Photo taken June 11, 2011

Photo taken June 11, 2011

The nearly four-month old NHL hockey lockout is officially over!  The season will be short–48 games over 99 days beginning on January 19, 2013.

The Canucks start the season with three home games–Saturday, January 19 against the Ducks, Sunday, January 20 against the Oilers, and Wednesday, January 23 against the Flames.  Game 4 for the Canucks will be on the road–Canucks against the Ducks in Anaheim on Friday, January 25.

GO CANUCKS GO!!!