Don’t you just love seeing the antique machines? Yesterday my niece who lives in Kuwait teaching school there attended an event and she saw the most beautiful machine and took a photo of it to send to me on messenger. I had never seen this one and she wasn’t able to get a ID number on it as by time I asked her that she wasn’t near it anymore and had moved on. Using google and Pinterest I found the decals and believe it is a Singer 28/128 shuttle bobbin, hand crank probably from 1886-1910 – what do you experts think? I don’t even know why I ask it isn’t like I’m going to ask her to buy it and cart it home from overseas? But I was curious
Anyway after chatting with my niece for awhile and then one of my girls, stripping the bed, changing sheets, getting laundry going – I finally got back to the Christmas quilt which I had intended to get started on first thing in the morning. But it was more important to chat with family right! I thought I would try a block with a background other than the printed whites to see how I liked it. (yes I did press those pieces down before I started to sew and remeasured – they didn’t look so wrinkly when I cut)
I love it – I think I will do a mixture, some with the whites on white, some with tiny prints – we will see where it goes. Some of the blocks will have more green in them and some more red – but always a mixture of both I think.
The two done – I like it both ways – what about you?
Williamsburg Beauty was rolled down on Wednesday night and I started in the middle at the flower area.
One thing I do when I am quilting flowers or circles is that I pull my thread just a little tight before I knot it off – this can give the flower a little more of a 3 dimensional look. Kind of like Trapunto but without the extra work. Each little circle is done like that too.
It sounds like I will get a chance to wear my new winter jacket that I bought back at the end of October – cold spell coming – I hope it won’t last long!! Linking to Confessions of a Fabric Addict — Wendy’s Peacock Party — Quilts,Art,Whatever — From Bolt to Beauty —
I like a mix of backgrounds, especially small polka dots. I made a couple of Christmas table runners to sell in the fall and used small printed backgrounds, not necessarily Christmas but pretty. Sold them, so others must like that blend, too.
The decals on that sewing machine are gorgeous and in such good shape.
I really like the printed background on those blocks! And what a great idea to pull the thread around those flowers – it really makes them pop.
Dear Karen,
Brace yourselves. Canada is in a deep freeze and it is heading down south! We have a hand crank Singer the same without the bright red designs on it. It came from my husband’s grandmother side of the family. When our eldest son moved out, he asked if he could have it. So it went with him. He use it and hem his wife’s jeans for her. They weigh a ton. It has a lockable cover, with a key. We said to our eldest, if he ever decided he did not want it anymore, to just return it. He and his brother both got taught how to sew on that machine. Each made a small quilt top with it. Quilting around the applique like that has tricked a few people into thinking the pieces have been stuffed from behind, when it is all in the quilting. Love the little prints on the background fabrics.
My mum had a singer like that with the crank handle. It is now in my garage buried under DD gear! When she finally moves home to the uk and eventually moves out I’ll find it again. LOL! I so love this new project you are doing and it looks great in the Christmas reds and green! And fabric with spots on is a favourite. Lovely to see those close ups of your quilting, it really is a beauty.
I love it when family members think to send you a picture of something they know you would enjoy seeing – it’s so thoughtful! I’ve never known much about antique machines, but that one does look in good shape. I’m really liking your Christmas blocks – both backgrounds. Spreading out the dotted background throughout the quilt would be fun! Your hand-quilting is so gorgeous! I do love seeing how you quilt the flowers.
I happen to love quilts done with scrappy backgrounds. But with the pattern you have chosen and the two ‘test’ blocks, I’m sure that either choice or both choices will be successful. Since you have me hooked watching your progress of your hand quilting, I am now itching to hand quilt one myself. Yesterday I went to check out the blog with this pattern, darn forgot its name. Anyway, I have loved watching your progress with this quilt, which I love. Then stumbled across the Country Sampler quilt pattern while there.
That’s it!!!! The one I want to make to use as my hand quilting project, the Sampler Quilt. Very good choice for me as I want to use a ribbon border again. My quilts now rarely have borders anymore, with the exception of carrying out the background fabric as a ‘border’. I started quilting when the trend for beginners was to make a Sampler Quilt. Lol, make a template for each piece of the block, cut it out, trace onto fabric with a pencil, then cut each piece of fabric with scissors.
It stuck in my head the picture that you had posted, the one with that terrific directions that Lynne provides. I have two quilts for grandchildren, siblings, that I want to have finished by mid March first before I will be starting on this quilt. Enough sentimentality to go back to making a sampler quilt but not giving up my rotary cutter and shortcuts! Will finish off with the sentiment of hand quilting this quilt. Needless to say I have really enjoyed your blog.
Oh wow! The antique sewing machine is just beautiful! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more ornate one. And yes, I do like both of the Christmas blocks. That red polka dot fabric is so much fun! (Polka dots always seem a bit whimsical to me.) Great progress on Williamsburg beauty! So pretty!
I love both of the blocks and think they will work well together in the same quilt. You are making great progress on the quilting. Stay warm….
Ohhhh your applique is gorgeous… & I like both blocks…xox
I like that block too!!! The colors are so great. Glad you had time to talk with the family – so very very true!!!
I love your Christmas blocks and the idea of changing up the backgrounds. That sewing machine is gorgeous. I love the quilt your quilting now. Hugs,
Your Christmas blocks are beautiful. I think the quilt would look great with the blocks in different background.
Love that little antique sewing machine! 🙂
Also enjoying seeing your progress on your Christmas quilt! I think the mix of backgrounds is going to make this quilt really cheery! Keep playing! 🙂
Using a red polka dot for the background in that one block was brilliant — I love it!
The mix of white and small prints looks good. Love your Williamsburg Beauty! I love applique quilts, but hate making applique quilts, so I appreciate getting watch yours come together.
I would love to find an antique hand crank to retrofit one of my machines (four treadle heads, two treadle bases – the math does not compute LOL). They still make the cranks, but the old ones are so much nicer. That decal set is one I haven’t seen before. Those old machines are so pretty.
beautiful old machine, great for those who live in areas with out electricity. Love your quilts, they are all beautiful!