Design Wall Monday

Weill things did not go as planned last week. After spending all day Monday full of frustration over my fabulous Brother sewing machine, I had to give up and switch out machines. I decided it was time to use my Morse while Brother goes to the spa. Which I hope will happen one day this week.  

Since there is no quilting in my week, I decided to work  on my current leader/ender project-Tumalo Trail which is found in Bonnie Hunter's book Scraps & Shirttails II. I've been making 9 patches for quite a while-you need lots of them and then the half square triangles, I did in groups of 4 so the set for each block was together. 

It's fun when the project turns from leader/ender to the project.  I love using my little design boards (Link is to Lori Holt's tutorial) to lay out 6 blocks at a time. (I must really like this lay out and stack method as you can see here and here.)  By the time they are sewn together, it's time to get up and move around. On the right you can see my new leader/ender project, Bonnie's cover quilt from Quiltmaker magazine called Garden Party.

As always, I have a bit of help from Miss Shirley while trying to get a good picture of my current UFO project.  Goals for the week? I don't have a clue...but I need to:

• finish planting the garden
• take machine to the shop
• get ready for retreat next week

I think that's enough pressure for me. :)  Maybe I'll work on some of last week's goals too. 

This morning I'll be spending some time touring Blogland as I read what others have on their design walls.  Check them out at Patchwork Times-Design Wall Monday.

Waiting To Sew On Saturday

I got a new to me sewing machine yesterday.  This is a Morse Fotomatic III Model 4300.  I love old sewing machines and have sworn never to buy another new one.  So in 1 day, I bought 2 old machines.  The second one will be here next week.  I think Ernie is as excited as I am with the old machines.

 Isn't she gorgeous! And heavy--40 pounds!!  When I took it out of the car, I had to bring it in and get the scales. After cleaning, oiling and capturing wild dust bunnies, she runs like a champ.  Quiet and steady.  It took me a while to figure some things out because there is no manual.  I have one headed my way.

There was a box full of accessories.  Some of them I have no clue how to use.  Like the zipper foot there in front.  I know it attaches to something and I'll figure it out.  I was shocked to see the felt pads and the seam guide in the original box.  I love that the big bobbins have multiple colors of thread on them.  That made me laugh since Bonnie was just talking about that on Quilt-Cam the other night.

Now she is all set up for the perfect quarter inch seam.  I'm ready to sew up part 6 of Easy Street.

But first, I had to open my box of fabric for Judy L and Vicki W's 2013 Back to Square One Mystery.  I ordered my fabrics from Thousands of Bolts. They never disappoint!  Now my fabrics are all labeled on the Swatch Sheet and everything is in the labeled container.