Half Way with Barbara Brackman's CW BOW's

I can hardly believe that we're already half way through Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW's.   It just goes to show that time is speeding along and before you know it Christmas will be upon us (oh! dear!)

I didn't get time last week to do a blog post, but did get the block done and posted it on Barbara's flickr group.   http://www.flickr.com/groups/civilwarquilts2011/

Everyone's blocks are coming along beautifully and new members are joining all the time.   This is this morning's effort.  #26 Barbara Frietchie Star.

This is last weedend's #25 Calico Puzzle.

I have been reading some of the comments on the flickr site that people have been making and the general feeling is that everyone is enjoying this weekly process so much that the thought of it all coming to an end at the end of the year is going to be quite sad.   Some people have suggested that another project get started, like the Dear Jane blocks, or The Farmer's Wife blocks.  

It seems as though the weekly blocks and the sense of community that a lot of quilters are feeling is the component that is the strongest.   That we get to share our weekly efforts, get feedback and inspiration from others is something that people who otherwise would not get to share these things, makes what we do, have some meaning other than just for ourselves and our immediate friends/family.

I guess we will see what eventuates as this year's BOW's draw to a close, but we still have 26 more delicious blocks to go!!!!

If you have been following my blog you will know that a wonderful lady Lyn of Blue Bird Quilts blog http://bluebirdquilts-lyn.blogspot.com/ was generous enough to send me some wonderful vintage hexie blocks a while ago after I had commented that I had never owned any vintage blocks at all, in response to some she had.

I couldn't let her generosity go unacknowleged, so I made a little 'thankyou' gift for her.

Now that she has recieved it I can show it to you!   I had some precious pieces of 30's fabric left over and because I just love fiddling with little bits I made a pincushion.   I hot glued it to a small plate to give it some stability.   She tells me she loves it!  

It is four little Foundation Paper Pieced blocks designed by Carol Doak from her book '300 Paper Pieced Blocks'.  I reduced each little block down to 2 1/4" x 2 1/4", so the pincushion measures approx 5"x 5" which includes the 1/4" border.

As I mentioned in my last post I will feature some of my vintage sewing machines.  So this week another of my dear old girls makes her debut.

This wonderful old case houses a little black beauty.   It is one of my prize possessions and travelled an awful long way to live with me.   This machine is the Singer 301a and was manufactured in Anderson, South Carolina.

 I don't know the year of manufacture as when the factory closed down all the old records containing serial numbers and dates of manufacture etc were destroyed - such a shame!  In Britain however these records have been kept and made available so people with old British made Singers can look them up.  If you have an old Singer made in Britain  and want to know your sewing machines' birthday, check out:   http://www.singerco.com/support/machine-serial-numbers

These full size machines are the big sisters to the little 1/2 size Featherweight.   Like the Featherweight they are also made of aluminium, so are light enough to carry to class or weekend retreat.   They also have a slant shank which makes the sewing area very visible.   It sews like a dream and I was lucky enough to have lots of attachments included in my ebay purchase.   The original Manual was a later addition, so lucky to have managed to get that little item on ebay too.

My machine has a short bed extension, but other models have a slightly longer extension bed, they also come in a tan colour.  Her decals are in great condition, and I just love the uncluttered - almost deco - lines of this model compared to other Singers which are all round and Victorian looking!

Because these machines were not made for the Australian or New Zealand market they were designed to run on 110v and not 240v.  So to get around that little problem I had to purchase a magic box called a Stepdown Transformer.

This neat little item plugs into our 240v mains power and delivers 110v when my machine is plugged into it.   So easy and safe.

Here she is all safe and sound, I made a fleecy sock to put the foot pedal and cord in so as to protect the bed of the machine from scratches.

I was asked recently about names for my machines, I have only named two of them, and the Singer 301a is one.   Her name is Celeste.   I named her after my mother's best friend we all called Aunty Celeste.   It was she who taught me how to sew on her beautiful old black Singer, which had a knee control, when I was just a child.   I used to play on my grandmother's old treadle but I really didn't know what I was doing until Aunty Celeste show me properly.

I hope you have enjoyed meeting Celeste and in another week or two you will meet another of my dear old girls!!! 

In the meantime I hope you all have a great week (and yes I have just finished sewing on the binding to my big bedquilt which I will show you soon!!!) and try and get in as much sewing time as you can!

Take it easy,

Merilyn