Repairs and Sewing Machines

One of those weeks; worked hard, got stuff done and didn't finish any projects.

One job was mending. Got out my Featherweight White Singer (love). It couldn't handle the jeans belt loop repairs.

Got out my vintage PFAFF 219-5. Wouldn't work, motor made noise, nothing else happened (and this is my go-to machine!) - haven't done any sewing for at least 5 years.

Finally went to my 'big' storeroom and hauled up my Mom's Black Singer - 1950's era. HEAVY.

It worked. I zig-zagged some patches on to a pair of 30 year old never wear out blue jeans with my heavy duty needle (amazed I even found one in my sewing supplies).  Turned the cam 'dial' to 0 (zero) and straight stitched.

Replaced the bobbin case in 2009 (receipt still in bag with bobbin case).

Learned how to sew and made many clothes on this machine. All my sibs did - and the guys gave it a really tough workout. 

My sister is a master of sewing machines and a master of creating with fabric. 

My big love before computers (1981 was my Computer Heaven intro) was sewing. I took all the sewing classes in high school and when a course number was changed I took that class again too. My sewing teacher helped me make my grad dress (slippery material, lined, side zipper, all sorts of tough little details - who knew!).

So, back to repairing jeans - and a shirt with a pocket problem and t-shirts that needed the 'shirt over shirt look' added.

Skills returned as I used the machine - filling bobbins, needle inserted correctly, correct threading - all remembered. Found what I needed in my sewing drawers, much of it is vintage.

I used that machine so many hundreds of hours since I first started sewing in my pre-teens (remember doll clothes?), through high school projects, repairing, hemming, altering. 

My parents gave me a Kenmore when I graduated. Used it for a great many years. Moved on to a Cortina when the Kenmore needed big repairs (sort of 'traded up') - I remember how thrilled I was to have a working machine again (and I made most of my clothes for a great many years as well as my little son's until he noticed, around grade 4 that I was making - not buying his clothes, made a few neat shirts for my DH too in those years, some vests and Tshirts for my Mom and Dad, things like that).

The poor Cortina met its maker when the grown up son and his friend borrowed my machine to repair jeans and bent the metal rod that holds the presser foot and needle. I did not have positive thoughts about that!

Missed Singers. As you can see I am back at the beginning with Mom's 1950's era Black 306K Singer. Went online to check out the 306K, based on the serial # I am thinking in was a 1954 made machine - a lot of info available.

Nice memory lane visit for me.

Hugs.

Thanks for visiting today.

Joy

p.s. - jeans repairs not completed yet and there is another t-shirt to work on as well

Sharing with:

Janet of Try It - Like It
Kristie of Love My Little Cottage
Michelle of The Painted Cottage
Roseann of This Autoimmune Life
  Andrea of The Cottage Market
Jen of A Fireman's Life

Making Feet for 1940's Era Wooden Fruit Bowl plus a Stencil

DH's project this week was making feet (originals were missing) for a vintage  1940's era wooden fruit bowl.

He used wooden capping buttons, drilled each to fit 3/8" doweling for the post, reamed the hole with the 3/8" bit by hand some more and sanded the doweling down so they fit together.

Pushed the drilled circle onto the dowel end, glued, marked the length for inserting into the wooden bowl and cut it off with a small 'back saw" (fine tooth saw). Tested the fit.

Sanded the varnish to make sure the glue would adhere. Inserted glue into the hole then inserted the 'foot' and clamped, cleaning off excess glue right away.

I brushed shellac finish over the feet and any bare spots on the underside of the bowl.

 
Inside the bowl worn areas were wiped with Hemp Oil from Fusion Mineral Paint - Hemp oil is food safe and provides a finish for bare wood. It darkens older wood.

Stencil of the Week

Found 5 small wooden framed IKEA mirrors at the thrift store this week - on the FREE table. Brown, black and needing some bling.

Grain sack stripes? Buffalo pattern? A bit of Paris? 
 
Buffalo Check fitted beautifully on the black frames. Used the stencil from Donna of Funky Junk Interiors, ASCP Pure White and a very dry brush/pouncer.

Taking photos of mirrors is always a bit of a challenge - so I added two small garnishes from PicMonkey - a piece of parchment and a fleur de lis to hide the reflection of the fridge.

Thank you Friends

for visiting today.

Primula dreams of spring.

Hugs

Joy

Sharing with:

Janet of Try It - Like It
Michelle of The Painted Farmhouse
Roseann of This Autoimmune Life
Suzanne of Pieced Pastimes
Kate of Chic on a Shoestring
Beverly of How Sweet The Sound
Jen of A Fireman's Wife
Kelly of Under A Texas Sky
 Donna of Funky Junk Interiors
Pam of Pam's Party and Practical Tips
Mary of The Boondock Blog
Cathy of Our Mini Family
Anna M of Strawberry Butterscotch
Maria of The Interior Frugalista
Beverly and Gloria of Across The Blvd
Christine of Rustic and Refined
Cindy of Dwellings The Heart of Your Home
Roechel of DIY ShowOff 
Susan of Love of Home
Danielle of Silver Pennies
Sabrina of Meet Our Life
Lisa of Grandma's Briefs
Chloe of Celebrate and Decorate
Beth of Home Stories A - Z
Marty of A Stroll Though Life
Marci of Stone Cottage Adventures
Marie, Angie of Talk of the Town 
Katie of Let's Add Sprinkles
  of DIY By Design
Robin of Fluster Buster
 Ann of Apple Street Cottage
Cecilia of My Thrift Store Addiction
Kerryanne of Shabby Art Boutiqiue

Who Designed This Retro Chair?

Follow my blog with Bloglovin My friend Denise found a very unique retro chair and wanted me to ask if anyone knew who the designer was. All photos were taken by Denise in her home.
 

Back view of chair with Mickey and a small seat cover to show size.

Danish ? Scandinavian?

This is the first time I have 'moved' pictures from texts to iphoto. Works just the same as from iphone photos to computer, just slower one at a time. Another lesson learned.

Here is the chair in the store.

You know cat's love something new. So does Mickey.

Denise's husband agreed to model to show 'how' to sit on the chair (his best friend helped out too).

Four views, each side.

Any ideas?

Sharing with:

Cathy of Our Mini Family
Beverly of Across The Blvd
Christine of Rustic and Refined
Rebecca of R and R at Home 

Free Side Table and a Stencil

Happy New Year Friends

Friends - so very important.

Sharing life stories.

So ... what have I been doing this week?

Took pictures of the Fraser River by the Marine Park and made a new header.

Went to my booths and removed Christmas stock. Sorted and decided what to keep and what to donate. My friend Judy was in town for a few days and we worked for several days on refreshing my booths and then going for lunch/visiting.

Took the Christmas lights down from outside the house and put them away until next December.

Worked on a thrown-away side table found out in the rain. A lot of scraping off flaking paint (and vacuuming), gluing the top boards back together, gluing the feet to the legs. 

The underside of the top was about how the top looked (but even worse) before the scraping and sanding.

Sanding and sanding some more. Painted the legs and feet with CeCe Caldwell's Antique White (wash) to keep the chippy look and used both with clear and brown wax. 

The top (after paint removal and sanding) was walnut so it was given an Old Masters Gel Stain in Special Walnut and then Minwax PolyShades Antique Walnut. Several coats, sanding with 220 with the grain between, very gently and a final coat of Minwax. 

Handy little table with style.

Oh yes, my new stencil arrived and ... I made the General Store sign from the Donna of Funky Junk Interiors new stencil. I am board hunting to make another. See Donna's sign hanging over her kitchen windows here.

Love using stencils to make signs.

Thanks friends for visiting today.

Hugs

Joy

Sharing with:

Janet of Try It - Like It
Kathy of A Delightsome Life
Michelle of The Painted Hinge
Kerryanne of Shabby Art Boutique
Andrea of The Cottage Market
Suzanne of Pieced Pastimes
Jen of A Fireman's Wife
Beverly of How Sweet The Sound
Kate of Chic on a Shoestring 
Donna of Funky Junk Interiors
Pam of Pam's Party and Practical Tips
Cathy of Our Mini Family 
Anna M of Strawberry Butterscotch
Roeshel of DIY Showoff
Danielle of Finding Silver Pennies
 Sabrina of Meet Our Life
Christine of Rustic and Refined 
Cindy of Dwellings Are the Heart of Your Home
Lisa of Grandma's Briefs
Chloe of Celebrate and Decorate
Beth of Home Stories A - Z
Marci of Stone Cottage Adventures
 Marty of A Stroll Through Life
Katie of Let's Add Sprinkles
Tarah of To Grandma's House We Go

 
 

2018 Looking Back

As each year comes to a close I gather favorite projects together.

This has been an amazing year of changes for me. 

In August I was so fortunate to have no visible damage to me when my car was totaled. Lots of Physio, Massage, Kinesiology and Doctor appointments over the last 5 months and will be continuing these into the next year.

I recovered enough from my concussion to begin making stenciled signs again in November. Still have some balance issues and headaches that happen when I bend over or move my head quickly as well as back and hip pain etc.

I didn't clean my yard and garden this fall, I figure it will still be there when I am better. Housework has been very minimal; laundry, run the dishwasher, make beds and sometimes sweep the floor. 

I am so glad I have my blog to write, it keeps me centered as each week passes. 

I kept my booths running but at half speed - no carrying weight, no lifting, no ladders, short amounts of time.

I replaced my car in late August (it took three weeks to find what I could afford and be similar to my totalled car). Then I willed myself to drive again. I admit I do not yet drive the highway where my car was totalled. 

I use back roads, side roads, work my way to where I need to go using roads less traveled.

I was so grateful when I got the nerve to drive myself to physio for the first time after having my friend Judy and my DH drive me everywhere.

In late August fellow blogger, Donna of Funky Junk Interiors, wrote in her post about a free journal writing on-line one week course she had signed up for. Me too.Thank you to Kim Klassen.

I love journaling. Who knew!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year

Joy

Sharing with:

Marilyn of Try It - Like It

Donna of Funky Junk Interiors
Sabrina of Meet Our Life
Cathy of Our Mini Family 
Beverly of How Sweet The Sound
Andrea of The Cottage Market
Jen of A Fireman's Wife
Roseann of This Autoimmune Life
Lisa of Grandma's Briefs
Marty of A Stroll Through Life
Marci of Stone Cottage Adventures
Tarah of Grandma's House DIY
Rebecca of R & R at Home 
Kathy of A Delightsome Life
 

 

December Thrifted Finds

December's Thrifted Finds - a lovely Church Sale on the 1st, a drive to the Peace Arch area, sunshine, dry pavement, blue skies.

and ... three stenciled projects at the end this post

The plaster wreath , long stemmed glasses, French Boxer, Chintz bulb bowl and deep purple tealight holder were found at the church. 

Santa doorstop (lots of sand in the base), a small tealight lantern, lidded silver plated small trinket box  were finds, the pointsettia came home from the store and two wrapped and 'stenciled' presents are ready to put under the tree.

Cut stone book ends, 3 sides polished and tops left natural. They weigh about 30 pounds together. Beautiful patterns and tones.

Found a handled bread board at the thrift store this week - just right size for GROCERY stencil (by Donna of Funky Junk Interiors).

`

Collage of sequence:

Supplies:

• Grocery stencil

• CeCeCaldwell Beckly Coal and stencil brush

• masking tape, newspaper, clean rag

• long handled bread board

• ASCP Wax-Clear

Thrifted cheese dome and glass footed cake plate
 with waxed Grocery sign.

and...

A quick project - painted the bird houses CeCe Caldwell Chesapeake Blue, added snowflakes (Donna of Funky Junk Interiors). 

 
and ...

I couldn't resist one more stencil - it is a 'repeat with additions' from my first use of the truck/tree stencil.

Supplies: 

• Muddaritaville Truck and Christmas tree Stencil

• Funky Junk Interiors Stars Stencil

• ASCP White on background board

• Tuscan Sun Fat Paint (stars)

• Fusion Fort York Red for truck body

• Bitter Chocolate Fat Paint for wooden rails

• CeCe Caldwells Beckly Coal for the tires

• CeCe Caldwells French Quarter Gray for the hub  

   caps, front window and headlight

• Tara green Fat Paint for the tree

• newspaper, clean rag, masking tape, scissors, ruler, 

   various stencil brushes 

Sequence of 'making' the truck and tree from the stencil.

The truck and tree stencil takes a couple of hours to make once the background has dried. Collecting the supplies and planning the stenciling sequence has to be considered too. Taping has to be accurate so there are no colour overlaps. Drying time, cleaning brushes and the stencils as well as cleaning up and putting away supplies adds to the time. Not a quick project.

I love the finished Red Truck hauling a Christmas Tree.

Peace and Love to You Dear Friends

Joy

Sharing With:
Janet of Try It - Like It
Michelle of The Painted Hinge
Donna of Funky Junk Interiors 
Andrea of The Cottage Market 
Suzanne of Pieced Pastimes
Jen of A Fireman's Wife 
Beverly of How Sweet the Sound
Kerryanne of Shabby Art Boutique
  Pam of Pam's Party and Practical Tips
Cathy of Our Mini Family
Anna M. of Strawberry Butterscotch
Christine of Rustic and Refined
Sabrina of Meet Our Life
Cindy of Dwellings the Heart of Your Home 
Chloe of Celebrate Your Story
Marci of Stone Cottage Adventures
Maria Elena of Our Home Away From Home
Tarah of Grandma's House We Go
Carol of The Red Painted Cottage