hello.

Hello again, after weeks away.

Hello to busy days, to more hours at work, to projects moving forward my professional career, but unfortunately overshadowing sewing & creating.

Hello to a new apartment. A beautiful apartment. Hello to a big work room that is all mine!

Hello to arranging all of my materials and tools in an inspiring and functional array.

(Hello fuzzy but essential photo of my sewing machine in its new home.)

Hello to cutting tables! And floor space for basting quilt sandwiches.

And last but not least, hello readers. Sorry I disappeared for a bit! Time for creating and blogging is still sparse, but I've come to the conclusion that this life/work balance is not working for me, so here's to more time in the sewing room as soon as I regain control over my schedule.

What have you been working on?

Sewing Machine Cover

My new machine was crying out for its very own cover - a quilted one, of course!  

 

I created this with some scraps with the mod mosaic method.

 

I was dying to try out a straight, random, diagonal lines quilting method with the walking foot on this machine.  The result - these fun yellow lines.

 

It Almost Feels Like Cheating

So far, my new sewing machine is wonderful (though still without a proper name).  It almost feels like cheating, some things are so easy.




Here are a few of its fabulous features: 

- You can set the machine so that when you stop sewing, the needle will stop in the down position.  This is great when you stop in the middle of something and you don't want the fabric to shift around (especially during free-motion quilting).

- With 99 stitch selections, there is a stitch that automatically tacks back and forth at the beginning and end of whatever you're working on (#90).  

- It has a top-loaded bobbin case, so that you can see when you're about to run out of bobbin thread.  And you don't even need to pull up the bobbin thread before you start sewing!


More features to come...

Gallery | Sewing Machine Love

In honor of my new sewing machine, here is a gallery devoted to sewing machine love.

For those who might be interested: the vintage singer sewing machine charm necklace - gorgeous.  I might need it....mmmmkay?

'Sewing Machine Love' by connectthedotscrafts

Old Small Hand Crank Se... AmyKristineVin... $85.00	Featherweight Sewing Ma... norajane $4.50	SEWING machine BETSY RO... dustylorraine $224.00	Singer sewing machine i... Rebekahleigh $15.00
An Old Singer -- a fine... SweetEventide $25.00	Mini Sewing Machine Box... LoveButlerVint... $15.00	6pcs 12mm Antique Bronz... moumoualwayssm... $2.80	Vintage Sewing Machine ... UniqueShiny $14.20
the silver stitches nec... barberryandlac... $12.00	4pc HANDMADE Wooden RUB... BeHappyDaily $10.50	Stitchery Love Vintage ... UptownAvenue $15.00	antique style sewing ma... GeluguAccessor... $5.00
I AM SEW CREATIVE - (It... ParadaCreation... $19.00	Large Emery Pincushion ... dottyral $12.00	Amazing vintage sewing ... johnnyvintage $375.00	Linen Storage Basket Se... zakkalover $17.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

View previous Gallery posts here.

Hello, Lover!

Shh!  Don't tell Silas, but I bought a new sewing machine!  It's a Singer Confidence Quilter - a step up from my Singer Simple - and it has a quite a few features specifically for quilting.

This month is all about getting to know my new partner in crime - I'll be posting about my progress, and about all of the fancy good stuff that it can do.

I've posted before about how it's very important to name your sewing machine.  And so far I have Silas and Winnie.

But I need your help...what should this machine be called?  

There's a special treat for someone who can help me think of a good name!