Sewing 2025

I emptied 2 large spools and 12 small one in 2025 mostly on charity projects. This isn't close to what I did last year, but I had a few months off this year.  

UPDATE: While cleaning I found 1 more large spool and 1 more small one.  

First big cold and snow of the year

 It's 27 and snowing.  We had about 3 inches when Paul went out this morning.  He plowed but it's still coming down at 2:00pm.  Storm got as far as the stones steps before she gave up on the morning walk. She did make it all the way around the house on the afternoon hike. Sylvester doesn't even try.  He's content to watch the birds from his hot pad in thebsewing room.  We have a bell collar on him because he is so quiet.  I was at the machine this morning when I felt a paw on my shoulder.  I turned around to have him climb onto my lap. I hadn't heard him come in or jump up on the table.

Last night I tripped as I was wriggling out of my jeans.  I went down hard enough on the bed frame to knock the wind out.  It hurt enough that there should be a dinner plate sized bruise, but there is nothing showing.  It hurts to lift, cough, and hiccough. 

January is fabric diet month.  I'll be finishing binding quilts for Comfort Covers and using bits and pieces and pre-cuts.  I have enough supplies that I shouldn't need to buy anything for at least this month.

Beautiful Jacks

In quilting lingo when I have a date with Jack, I'm not stepping out on Paul.  I'm unsewing.  Paul turned these 4 Jacks.

The top two are single blade, bottom two each have a small blade and a large blade.  The blades can all be reversed for safety, leaving a chrome blunt post.  All have cocobolo wooden handles that Paul turned and drilled for the blade compartments and the pocket clips on the single blade variety.  All the hardware are included in Penn State Industry kits.  Handles were sanded to 12,000 grit, polished with EEE Ultra shine compound that says it doubles the grit (to 24,000), finished with friction polish and then waxed with Heritage Wax, a micro crystalline wax.  Very interesting grain patterns on the different handles, but they were all cocobolo wood blanks.

Mable

Named for Mom Lapp's seamstress, Mrs. Reading, a World War I bride and widow.  I used her scraps to dress dolls as I sat at her feet for many hours.  I remember her arthritic fingers and wrinkly lips as she held pins between her lips.
I saw this 1948 Singer 66 in Craig' List and decided to dip my feet into the Vintage Singer Sewing Machine realm. Bob at Fryes Sewing Center cleaned her up and rewired her.  She sews like new.  It takes some getting used to.  New machines have some conveniences that I have gotten used to: needle up/down button and needle threader are 2 nice things to have,  The speed controller is also handy.  I don't know if I would have suggested that J2 make a quilt without this safety feature.
I'm hooked on the old gals.  I may look for another; the Red Eyes have beautiful decals as do the Sphinxes.