Living on the edge...

 So I'm sure you are wondering where the title, "Living on the edge" comes from.  Well, everyday when Richard comes in the house, he always asks me how my day was.  The other day he asked, and I started running off at the mouth about quilting stuff and excitedly told him that I had sewn on 3 different sewing machines that day.  He laughed at me and told me that I was living on the edge.  I think he was really making fun of me but it was a little funny because I was really excited.  :)  You can see all three of the machines in the photo, my Kenmore, Singer 404, and my Featherweight.  

As I mentioned this was a couple days ago, but I used my Kenmore to sew on binding, used my Featherweight to work on some blocks for my Rocky Road to Kansas quilt, and then used my Singer 404 to make some string blocks that will be used for pot holders.  The wood crate in the photo holds my strings.  Anyway, I made a mess but it was fun.  

Here are the 10 string blocks that I made that day.  

This evening I brought out one of my White machines and pieced a few more string blocks.  As of right now I need a total of 20 string blocks to be used for pot holders.  I love all of these machines and I figure if I get them and just put them away then they will eventually be in the same shape they were when I got them....locked up or close to it.  So I plan on using them all!  

Late yesterday evening, I loaded a quilt on the frame.  It is not mine but belongs to a friend of mine.  I was really shocked when I saw the quilt because she usually uses more subdued fabrics.  This one measures 88x88.  Here it is as I was loading it on.  

A quick photo as I was quilting on it.  It is still on the frame with very little quilting done to it.  It was driving me crazy today.  It's been a while since I have used Signature thread on my machine but when I did, it sewed just fine.  She sent some Signature varigated thread to use on this quilt and my bobbin thread keeps breaking.  I've adjusted and adjusted and for the life of me, I can't figure out why it is breaking every few inches or so.  I just stopped on it until I can figure it out.  I haven't been back up there to check but now I'm wondering if maybe the thread is old or something....I don't know...any ideas?  

 Hopefully in the morning, I can get back upstairs to the sewing room and figure this out.  Stuff like this drives me crazy, I know I will lay in the bed tonight thinking about it and trying to figure it out.  :(  

I posted my Rocky Road to Kansas quilt top that I finished yesterday.  I am really pleased with how it turned out and sorta glad that it is finished.  It seemed like it took me forever even though I had only worked on it for a month.  It's almost bittersweet.  I'm glad that it is done but I'll kinda miss working on it.  I'm sure everyone feels like that sometimes when they finish a quilt.  Now I feel a little lost on what to work on.  LOL!  I know I have a million UFO's, a BOW that I need to get caught up on, pot holders to make, quilts that need quilted, and Bonnie's mystery coming up.  So I know that I have plenty to work on but I'm still feeling a bit lost.  

Hunter has his Thanksgiving Dinner at school tomorrow so I will be going over and having dinner with him.  They do this every year and it is nice that the parents get to have dinner with their kids, just wish the food was a little better.  :)  
Kristie

Loving my new treasure...

 Had to make a last minute trip to town today.  I had forgotten that Hunter's inserts were in at the podiatrist's office and they needed to be picked up so they could size them to his new school shoes.  It was pouring rain so Richard went with us.  While in town we stopped by 3 thrift stores and the only thing I bought was this....


A White sewing machine!!!  It was a little dirty but not too bad.  I didn't know if it would sew or not but everything seemed to move freely and the only thing missing was the bobbin case.  So I asked how much and she said $5   I loaded it in the buggy and told Richard that if we couldn't get it to work, it was only a $5 loss.  

The first thing I did when I got home was email Michelle.  She knows about everything there is to know about old machines.  I didn't even have a clue on how to thread this baby up!  She quickly sent me an email back saying that after work she would see what she could do for me.  Meanwhile, I cleaned and oiled her up!  Yep! She is a "her" and I've named her "Beatrice"  :)  


Here she is all clean, shiny, and oiled!  

I got an email from Michelle telling me what I needed to know and even sent me a link to a printable manual for her!!  Thank goodness, because I would have never have figured out how to thread her.  So once I wound a bobbin, threaded her up and hit the pedal......this is what she did!!!  She sewed perfectly!!!  I didn't even have to adjust the tension at all!!!  

 I was so excited that I had to run outside and show Richard what she did!!  Such a good feeling to see her sew!  


If you remember last month I bought my Kenmore for $4 and it sews like a dream!  I love that machine and this one sews the same way.  I have an old cabinet in Andrew's room that he is using to set his tv on, not sure if I will put this machine in that cabinet or have Richard to build me a box thing to set it in.  Of course, I could just leave it the way it is, I suppose...


Have a wonderful and Blessed day!
Kristie