Life without the internet

It’s been like living in North Korea around here since Christmas.   But, we survived.  And, I’ve kept busy.  I’ve been off work since last Tuesday and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored. 

I’ve been cleaning house a little every day…whatever you do on New Year’s Day, you do all year long and I don’t want to spend all next year with a dirty house, so I’m cleaning and cleaning.  Here are a couple of the other, more fun things I got done. 

I’ve painted the base of the new Two Spool cabinet (basic black)and moved it into the sewing room and mounted a machine in it.

This is my first two spool, mounted in the new treadle cabinet.  The new two spool had been converted to electric and it was a better conversion than mine, so I’m using it as an electric and I mounted the one I had before in the treadle cabinet and am learning to use the treadle on it.  I thought it would be easier, just like using my other treadle machine.  But, it’s not.  The action on the treadle mechanism isn’t the same and the machine isn’t the same and it’s going to take some real getting used to.  But, I’ve made a new paper clip darning foot for it, and this time I looped the extra wire around the needle bar, and now that paper clip foot is a hopping foot.  That’s all anybody can ask for, right?  And, I’ve been playing with it this morning, practicing some FMQ.  I’d like to put a linus quilt in it this afternoon and try to free motion quilt it.  We’ll see because that isn’t the only thing I’d like to accomplish today. 

I’ve also been working on that baby quilt I needed. 

It’s pieced and ready to baste and quilt.  I’ve made it all on the new two spool, using the electric motor.  That machine makes a very nice stitch. 

I’ve also spent an hour or two every morning hand quilting and have finished 5 blocks…that’s 9 of 16 quilted.  I forgot how satisfying a little hand quilting can be.  More on that when there’s more to see. 

And, after I moved the furniture in the sewing room around, I have access to the dollhouse again and I redecorated the kitchen.  That made me feel guilty, so I scrubbed my real kitchen, too.  I’m just a couple of steps from finished with that and will post pics of it soon. 

Okay, that’s all I know.  My next project is to go through my closet and move some things to the goodwill box.  And, I’m toying with spending some time in the sewing room closet, where all my fabric is stored. 

So many choices.  What will I do??? 

Maybe some more hand quilting?

Lane