Wednesday 18 March 2015

Ivorine and Silver Pin Pot

Hello

My mum used to have a sweet little pin pot when I was a kid but I hadn't seen it for donkey's years.  When we were clearing out the house I thought that we might find it but alas no sign of it.

I spotted this on Ebay so had to have it, there was some dosh in my Paypal Account so I left a bid.




The silver writing has a London hallmark for 1902 with the makers mark for Casimer Widmer & Sons of St Johns Street, Clerkenwell, London, the box itself is ivorine which is an early plastic (celluloid) but it has the appearance of ivory.  Much more elephant friendly.

Not sure it if was for sewing pins (I like to think so) but more likely for an elegant lady's hair pins.  Put a bobbin so that you can see what size it is. Cute.


It is very delicate as the ivorine is so finely made so it will be easy to break which probably explains what happened to Mum's.  Think that I will just look at it rather than use it. Wouldn't want to break something that is 113 years old.

Cheers
Sharon

Saturday 14 March 2015

Wadding Too Thick Quilt

Hello

I like to give my quilts names, for example, Snuggle Quilt.  This quilt should have the name "Wadding Too Thick!"

I got carried away when buying some wadding for my hexagon quilt, so some unknown reason apart from being an idiot skinflint, bought thick polyester wadding instead of cotton wadding.  It was loads cheaper but wasn't wide enough so would need to be joined, problem No. 1, the fibres stick to the feed dogs.  So it was rolled up and its stayed there for a couple of years.  I lined the hexagon quilt with an old blanket which didn't work too well either so it still unfinished.  The hexagon quilt is jinxed.

Made this quilt top ages a go when I first got my Featherweight but again, another unfinished project.  I dug it out, and again to save money decided to use up the wadding, my Yorkshire genes coming out, we don't like wasting anything.



Was going to have a go at free motion quilting but it was too bulky for easy moving under the hopping foot.  So got the Featherweight's walking foot out and tried it on the 201, it fit yippeee.  So quilted with straight lines (well nearly straight, it was a tight fit).



Here is the walking foot, got it from America from the wonderful April at  April1930 Walking Foot.  I have only used it for putting the binding on quilts as I normally hand quilt.



Bulky wadding.




The pretty pink fabric is vintage Linda Beard polyester cotton which is really soft to touch.




Back to that name?  Its a really "cozy quilt" so perhaps that should be its name, will embroider a name tag for it.

Regards
Sharon

Thursday 5 March 2015

Heaven - Great British Sewing Bee

Hello

It's Thursday night, got a half bottle of red wine and watching the The Great British Sewing Bee

Great British Sewing Bee

This week, sewing with Lace, it even had a bit about bobbin lace making.  I made bobbin lace for years, might have to dust off my bobbins and give it another go.

I really admire the contestants, sewing difficult things against the clock, I would have a nervous breakdown.

Cheers
Sharon

Sunday 1 March 2015

Tweed Notebook Cover - Present for a Chap

Hello

It's my partners brother's birthday so thought I would have a go making a present for him using some tweed suiting fabric that I have had stashed for years.  Its lovely fine wool I think.  It was hard not to pretty it up with girly stuff!



Cheers
Sharon