Great Granny

Great Granny

If you want a quick and easy quilt, try this large granny square design. The 6” finished squares are set on point with 6” half square triangles around the edges.

Bright lime and turquoise blenders alternate with coordinating stripes and dots for a modern look to a vintage style.  I laid them out on my design wall before sewing them together in diagonal rows. 

For quilting, I decided to experiment with an allover pattern using a new circle ruler. White thread shows off the loopy circles aligned diagonally.

Great Granny finished at 43” square, but it would be simple to add more rows for a larger throw or bed quilt. 

Accuquilt dies used:
55000 Square 6½”
55001 Half Square Triangle 6½”
55017 Strip 2½”

 

Singer 201 Reveal: Black Betty!

1950 Singer 201-2 "Black Betty"

Last week we finally finished restoring our first 201-2, Singer's Rolls Royce. She's all shiny now, with brand new paint and decals, sewing smooth and fast. 

Purchased in November 2021, this machine was very dirty with scratched cracked worn finish and a few missing parts. Seller had no idea when it last ran. 

Black Betty: before

We didn't have a deadline, so took our time on each part of the restoration, starting in mid January. I cleaned her off with Goop hand cleaner. All parts were soaked liberally with sewing machine oil. After that she loosened up enough to sew a little bit.

Singer 201 wiring before: YIKES!

Black Betty was completely disassembled for inspection and cleaning. All the wiring was rotted and crumbling, not too unusual for an old girl built in 1950. My resident electrical guru rewired her and rebuilt the motor.

Years of gunk, lint, and grease on all parts took a while to remove. We experimented with several methods to take off the gnarly old shellac so we could repaint. Rubbing alcohol with a Scotchbrite pad and lots of elbow grease worked best on this machine.

Jerold primed, filled defects and sanded before applying several coats of black DupliColor Automotive Paintshop lacquer with air sprayer. After that dried, he block sanded to flatten paint. I added all new decals. After a few days, he used DupliColor Paintshop clear lacquer for final coats. Waxed to a high shine after she cured.

Reassembled everything, then added vintage and new parts: spool pins, scrolled face plate, chrome trim hand wheel, bobbin tire, light switch, wiring, foot controller. Jerold even nickel plated the stitch length plate for a little more bling. Finally, we modified a Singer #40 Queen Anne cabinet from another machine and installed Black Betty.

This was a real learning experience. We had several ups and downs, got to practice painting with an air sprayer, and enjoyed working together on a major machine rehab. There are six more vintage Singer machines in varying states waiting for their turn on our workbench.

But first, I will quilt something on Black Betty...Bam-a-lam!

 

Baubles & Beads

Baubles & Beads

Remember my new design sneak peek a couple of weeks ago?

It's finished and I love it! The blade sections of the Blue Wren Windspinner die make a sweet curved design arranged in this way. I fan folded to get them to match up the way I wanted.

Colorful remnants combined with natural muslin give this little quilt a vintage vibe. I pieced everything on Annie, my Featherweight. Lots of stitching with slight curves but she handled it well.

I switched to the Janome so I could free motion over the muslin fabric. I really enjoyed quilting those flowing lines. I got into a relaxing rhythm and finished in no time. (So much better than last week's uncooperative ruler experience.)

Straight stitching along each side of the angled seams made a wide double zig-zag row across the prints.

Baubles & Beads measures 42½” x 44½” size, good for table mat, wall hanging, or baby quilt.  Size could easily be changed by adding more rows or cutting more scraps!

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6289 Windspinner
Accuquilt 55017 Strip 2½”
 

Cat Nap Blues

Cat Nap Blues

Shades of blue plus neutrals from my large stash make up this old fashioned quilt. I pulled from my boxes of remnant squares and triangles first, then cut more to balance out the design. Trapezoids from scraps and strips are mainly navy and bright blue.

I pieced the 36 blocks using Laney, my pretty Maui Blue Singer 301. Like working a puzzle, I moved them on my design wall until I was happy with the layout. Cat Nap Blues is 54” square after I added a 3” border.

Quilting this one was a challenge, even with my  Janome machine. I used a new ruler and even though I practiced first, it gave me fits on the quilt. The fabric wanted to drag as I changed direction on the waves, and my thread kept breaking. I persisted, and although there is uneven stitching and several boo-boos, I decided it is good enough.

I do like the double row of waves, so I'll practice more before the next attempt. And I'll use a busy print instead of a solid color backing. After I washed and dried, the stitching looks better. Certainly not show worthy, but it will keep me warm and give the cat a place to nap.

Accuquilt dies used:
55763 Trapezoid
55018 Small value die (2" squares & half square triangles)
55017 Strip 2½”
55032 Strip 3½”

Sometimes perfection isn't necessary

Brainstorm

Having more scraps than I know what to do with is a constant state for me. I'm always looking for project ideas that use leftovers. And I love to experiment with shapes to create new designs.

This scrappy table runner is the result of a recent brainstorm. I had just moved a quilt made with Windspinner block, and noticed the curved section. Could I use that portion by itself? Off to the cutting table I went. I sewed two together at the angled end. The arrangement reminds me of a braid or ruffle when stacked in rows.  It might make a pretty border, too. 

Miscellaneous purple, blue, and gray scraps are paired with neutrals. I added 3” borders and ruler quilted in a wave pattern with purple thread. Brainstorm is 16” x 40” size.

While I was playing, I saw another color placement option. I haven't started that quilt yet; I'm still cutting. It will be larger and use more remnants. Here's a sneak peek of my design wall.

This old brain still has ideas sparking!

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6289 Windspinner
Accuquilt 55032 Strip 3½” and 55017 Strip 2½”

Stay curious, and always take time to play!