Charity Sewing Continues

 Even though we can't get together at the library, the charity sewing group continues to work on projects.  These days they are kind of social distanced drop-off-completed/pickup-supplies-for-next-round in the library parking lot affairs.  The past few go arounds we have been doing baby quilts for local newborns.

How To Make Decent Masks Video

The hospital in my home town decided after a month of turning down donated masks that, oops, they actually needed some.  My sister has started churning them out.

With so many people giving 'tips' on how to make them there is a lot of bad recommendations floating around.  So I thought I would add my own, but hopefully not as bad.

Making Masks - Like Everyone Should Be

Yep, if you can sew you should be pumping these guys out whenever you can.  Even if your local hospital isn't taking donations (not very bright) you can always mail them to someplace like:

Yale New Haven Health System

Regional Operations Center

Attn: PPE Donations

600 Derby Ave. (Route 34)

West Haven, CT 06516

Singer 201 Spa Day. Using A HA-1 Numbered Needle Plate On A 201

If you watched 201 treadle conversion video you may have noticed a couple of photos where I had the 1953 201 stand in for Swan Queen for some expounding on what I was doing in a couple of places.  When I shot those pictures it was pretty obvious that the 1953 needed a bit of cleaning.

Prepping For NETOGA, About Six Months Early

As I mentioned in this post, I wanted to have my quilting blocks done for the NETOGA (North East Treadle-On Gathering and Academy) before panic time set in around July.  Doing some experimenting I made four Dutchman's Puzzle blocks last week.  On Sunday I decided to get the other dozen completed.

Happy Valentine's Day. Making The Wife's Gift Using Black Swan, Wicked Queen And The 29K72 For The Win.

During one of our pilgrimages to Osgood Textile a couple of years ago we had bought some leather along with a few dozen pounds of other fabrics.  My wife had asked me to make her a bag out of it.  The same style as this one I had made her.

Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone

I've been sewing, casually, for about 39 years.  Sprinkled in that time there have been spans where I sewed more rigorously.  When I sew, it's usually things like this.

Today On Pimp My Treadle - Singer 125379 For Black Swan

It hasn't been lost on me that this last batch of posts have all been about stuff I've gotten and not about working on the machines.  It was pretty warm here today, up in the 50s, so I decided to rectify the situation by looking for a project I could complete in a day.

Black Swan's New Parlor Cabinet

I had mentioned this cabinet earlier.  I was planning on putting the 66 that came with it back in to take photos, but I've been using it so much that it doesn't make sense to take it out of service for what would probably end up being a week or so given all the stuff that gets me side tracked.  So here is Black Swan in her "new" cabinet.

Even More Singer Goodness - 201-1 Belt Cover Located for Black Swan

Another awesome find on the interwebs arrived.  After a year of part time searching I finally located the final part to complete Black Swan.  If you haven't read about Black Swan, she is a Singer 201-2 that I converted into a treadle machine.

Black Swan 101 Wheel Guard Installed and Darn-it!

Happy New Year!  So what did you do for New Year's Eve?  As for myself I spent the evening cleaning the 101 wheel guard that came in the mail yesterday.  It wasn't in too bad of shape, but it needed a bit of Turtle Wax Rubbing Compound to not look completely decrepit attached to Black Swan.  Once it was polished up I noticed the 15-30's hand wheel, which I had just given a quick nylon brush cleaning to previously, was looking a little grungy.  So at 12:00am New Year's 2016 I was hand rubbing a spoked hand wheel.  Par-Tay!  And yes, I have the most understanding wife in the world.

Black Swan And The Sounds Of Silence

Black Swan is purring like a kitten now.  But it wasn't easy.

A little backstory.  When I bought her, she had a broken needle.  I had just assumed that sometime during the years of neglect something came along and randomly snapped it off.  I assumed wrong.

But first there was also a user created problem.  Last night I just ran paper practice targets though her.  This morning I actually loaded her up with thread.  And... no stitches.  The hook turned, the needle went in an out, just the threads were not locking.  I was bummed.  Something was seriously wrong with the machine.  I KNEW! I had done everything correctly.  Well I hadn't.  In my excitement I had managed to put the needle in backwards.  D'oh!  Once that was resolved, with much blushing, the stitches came out just the way they are supposed to.

Treadle 201

It's like Ed 209 from Robocop, but way cooler.

201 Cleaned Up

Well it took just over two days, but here she is.  All clean, new grease and oil.  Just got an eight amp electrical cord for the pedal I'm going to put on and then give her a few revs to get the lubrication flowing.

It Followed Me Home, Honest. Can I Keep It!?

So I stumbled (while digging maniacally) across a little treasure today.