Amusing Ourselves in the Sewing Room

So, lots of projects have been cranked out of my sewing room this spring with graduations and new babies. I perpetually have some kind of quilt going as well. After my niece's grad party and finishing up the things for her I took my Bernina into the shop to have its annual (or for me more like 18 month to two year) tune up. I probably wouldn't have then either but something a little problematic came up and I thought I better have it looked at.

Out came trusty number two. For those who haven't followed long, Trusty 2 is my Singer machine that Mom and Dad had refurbished as a high school graduation gift. The machine has sewn miles and miles and miles. It is a Touch and Sew from the 70's back in the day when Singers were good. Thankfully, I could sew because I had a baby blanket that needed binding.

I had it in my mind that I would be doing a decorative stitch on the front side of the binding. So when I got to the machine I sewed the binding on the back so that I could turn it to the front and do the stitching. All was going well until I was pinning down the front of the binding preparing for the decorative stitching. Yes, that is when I realized I don't have my Bernina and my decorative stitch idea would not work. Or would it?

I opened up the top of my Singer. There it was, the zig zag disk. The only disk I have used on this machine since I got it! Are there more? Yes, but I have not ever tried to sew the decorative stitches on my Singer. I looked through the disks and found one that was fairly simple but still cool. Then I had to get out my manual for the machine and figure out how to get it to stitch like it looks on the disk!

I took some doing, and a lot of practice on a separate piece of fabric, but I did it. The decorative stitch turned out great and I learned a new thing on my old machine!














Stacey has been wanting to sew the last few times I have been down in my sewing room. It has been nice to have some company. She has made two covers for pillow forms to decorate her bed and we started on an apron that we have had the fabric and pattern for since she was probably 11. We worked on getting all of the pieces cut out on Sunday afternoon. She was able to get the front pockets sewn as well. All was progressing as it should when she asked me if the fabric has a right and wrong end.

At closer inspection, yes indeed, the fabric did have a top and bottom. The problem is, we cut it out so that now on her apron she will have owls with wine bottles flying upside down and kitchen mixers and bowls floating upside down when she wears it. Ugh! We did laugh about the drunk owls and she thinks she will finish it and wear it. I am just asking myself "how long have I been sewing to have known better than to just cut without paying attention to the pattern on the fabric"?

I think in my defense I was just happy to spend time with my girl and wasn't paying that much attention. We both decided in the end that it was a a funny thing and we doubt anyone would really look that close to notice the upside down owls. And, if they do, it is a funny story to tell!