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Saturday, June 14, 2025

Not Floss Friday but Stitching Saturday

Happy Weekend, Friends.

Instead of yesterday’s Floss Friday, I celebrated National Sewing Machine Day and shared my collection of machines. You can find that post by clicking here, in case you missed it and are interested.


Today I am listing my May stitching stats and sharing a new start.


May’s stitch count is 6,337 on six different projects. There hasn’t been any new progress on the following since I last posted about them:

-       - Parrot by Salty Stitches Designs (love this one)

-       - Memorial Day by Hands on Designs (NOT loving this one)

-       - Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings (love this but it will be a years long project)

You saw my finish on May’s Calendar Crate by Stitching with the Housewives, but I never shared the final finish. As a reminder, this is the series that is displayed on the piece from Hobby Lobby and is just inside the garage entry.


This will stay up until I either finish July’s or when August rolls around. I never started the June piece…it’s on the list.


You also saw my finish on A Honey of a Tiny Town by Heart in Hand. The bee display has been moved to the Hoosier cabinet. This is how it stands for now. I may add another stitched piece, and I also may get out the Rae Dunn Queen Bee tea pot, honey dipper and cup.


Bee Display 2025

I decided to join Hollis Hands Create in her summer stitch along. She encourages stitchers to start a patriotic pattern on Memorial Day and finish by Labor Day.

 

This was my start and finish last year…


Liberty House by Brenda Gervais

This is what I selected for this year’s SAL…


I’m stitching American Sampler by Primrose Cottage on 40 count linen by Fabrics by Stephanie, in the color Chocolate Milk. I’m using most of the called-for floss.


With the weather finally turning nice, it has been difficult to stay inside and stitch…or sew.

 

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.

 

See you soon,

 

Friday, June 13, 2025

Halloween Figs and National Sewing Machine Day

We are changing things up a little this week.  In recognition of National Sewing Machine Day, this post will focus on quilting progress and sewing machines instead of cross-stitch.

First, here is Block #14 of the Halloween Figs Block of the Month


Shooting Star Block

It measures a very wonky 8.5” and is pinned to remind me to try making it again after the other blocks are complete. I am sure I will have enough fabric.


This is Block #15


Goose in the Pond Block

It measures 15.5” and I love it! I may replace one of the same sized appliqué blocks in the quilt with another one of these blocks.


Next, is a sewing machine parade…after all, it is National Sewing Machine Day.


From the internet…


June 13 marks National Sewing Machine Day, a celebration of one of the most transformative inventions in textile history. The sewing machine revolutionized how we create clothing, textiles, and other fabric goods, making it possible to create more complex and intricate clothing patterns and stitches at a scale and speed not possible with hand-sewing.

 

#1 is Hattie. This treadle machine belonged to my husband’s maternal great-grandmother of the same name. We are not sure how old it is, and I have not been successful in researching model numbers for the Consew brand machines.  It works like a dream, according to my machine repair man. I just need to attach the new belt I purchased and give it a whirl.


Early 1900s (?) Consew Treadle Machine

She came with several attachments and needles.  Apparently, you could also get this machine wired for electricity. This is purely a treadle.



#2 is a bread box from the same great-grandmother. I name her Mam-may because that is what her grand and great-grandchildren called her.


99-13 with knee control, born January 20, 1926

I used Mam-may to make a temperature quilt back in 2018. She also sews very well.


#3 is Flossie. Flossie is my mama’s nickname and she, along with my husband, gave this one to me a few years ago for my birthday. This little work horse goes with me on camping trips and was used to make a farmhouse quilt. I will share more about that quilt in a future post.


Featherweight 221, born February 15, 1939

#4 is Myrtle. Myrtle was my husband’s maternal grandmother and this was her machine.


Kenmore 158.850, born March 1965

I used this one to make a baby quilt…ok, it was for my granddog.

 

#5 is Keni. This is my very first sewing machine and it truly is a beast. It will sew materials that give newer domestic machines a fit. For instance, I reattached leather straps to a backpack once. This was before I bought my current everyday machine.


Kenmore 385, not sure when it was manufactured.


#6 is Pfaff. I purchased this little machine when I was taking some classes at a local quilt shop. I needed something that would provide more than just a straight stitch. It is a great travel machine as it only weighs 12 pounds.


Passport 2.0


#7 is Minni. I gifted this machine to my daughter when she was in high school. I had hopes of turning her into a quilter. Just so you know how that went…I have the machine 😊


We have a fondness for Kenmore

#8 is Jani. This is my everyday “go to” machine.


Janome Horizon Memory Craft 9400 QCP

#9 is Sergio. My mom gave this to me in the mid-1990s when my children were small and I used to do a lot of garment sewing. I use it today to serge my cross stitch fabrics.


Brother Overlock 1034-D

Randy at Randy’s Sewing Center in Fayetteville, NC services all of my machines. He had a shop in Stuart, Florida when we lived there. He and his wife moved from Florida to North Carolina to be closer to their children. He is fourth generation in the business and knows both vintage and new machines very well.


I used to own two Brother sewing/embroidery combination machines. The first one was limited to a 5x7 hoop and the second one was, I am convinced, built on a Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend. It caused more frustration than enjoyment. I must note that I did not purchase those machines from Randy.

 

If you read to the end, thank you for allowing me to share. Each machine has a purpose and a very sentimental attachment.

 

My cross-stitch update will be tomorrow, Saturday.

 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.


Joining Alycia for Finished (or not) Friday.

 

See you soon,

 

Friday, June 6, 2025

Floss Friday – A Honey of a Tiny Town FFO

Good day, friends! 

I finished stitching A Honey of a Tiny Town a couple of weeks ago. It has taken me a while to decide how to fully finish it.


I put together this flat finish on a board, but I’m not sure I love it. The cross-stitched piece is attached to sticky board with two layers of fabric behind it, also attached to sticky boards. Those three pieces are hot glued together. Then the entire piece is attached to the board by removable putty. This will allow me to take it off the board if I change my mind later.


A Honey of a Tiny Town is designed by Heart in Hand. I stitched it on 25 count Lugana in the color Barley by Lori Holt. I used two floss threads over two fabric threads.

The word "Hive" was supposed to be backstitched on the middle house but I attached a bee button instead.


Finishing this has inspired me to unpack my other bee stitching. 







Since this piece is so large, I may not be able to recreate the display I had last year. You can see that one in this post.


I have my May stitches counted but I need to photograph the projects, so I’ll share those with you next week.


Tonight is Friday Night with Friends hosted by Cheryll at Gone Stitchin'. I'll be hanging out and continuing to attach bindings to quilts.


The weather this weekend is supposed to be rainy. I'll be running the Farm Fresh 5K on Saturday to raise money for a local food bank. The remainder of the weekend will be cleaning my house. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?!?


What are your plans? How is the weather in your area?


I'm linking up with Alycia for her Finish (or not) Friday.


See you soon,

 

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Halloween Figs – Month 6 Block

Hello, Friends!

This will be a quick post as I do not have much to share regarding quilting. Since my last post I’ve been spending time outside of work with my mom, exercising and running errands with my hubby.


I’ve also been attaching bindings to quilts but no photos yet. We’ve had some gloomy and rainy days. The sun finally started shining this week.


This is Halloween Figs Quilt Along Month 6 assignment. It is the only pieced block from that month. I am still not planning to do the applique’.


Milky Way Block

It was an easy block to assemble.


That is all I have to share today but I’ll be back on Friday with some finished cross stitch.


Linking up at the following:


Wednesday Wait Loss


Finished (or not) Friday


See you soon,