This month’s skill involved learning a new handstitch for closing an opening.  You see, I normally use a tiny overcast stitch or machine topstitching to close an opening on a stuffie or an envelope style quilt.  A recent project required a more advanced method of closing the opening.

Take this…a memory pillow that uses the same verse that appears on the memory quilt featured a few posts back.

A lot of work went into this special pillow and the customer wanted neither an envelope style nor a zipper closure on the back to facilitate pillow form insertion.  She asked me to stitch the bottom opening closed.  So, I did just that using the ladder stitch.  I found this video and this video to be helpful in explaining the process.  I used a size 7 sharp needle and waxed doubled thread that matched the background color of the fabric.  Keep your stitches 1/4″ or less.  The process felt really strange at first, but I think the finished product looks quite smashing don’t you?

I also learned another clever trick this month (sort of after the fact, though)…how to minimize those pointy corners. This tutorial shows how to adjust your corners to get rid of the excess fabric that will not be filled by the pillow form.  I will definitely try this trick next time.  Also note that the standard home dec seam allowance is 1/2″ and her calculations include this in the cutting instructions.  Simply double your desired seam allowance and add it to the pillow form size to determine the cut measurements.

My sister-in-law found this machine at the Habitat for Humanity store in Marianna, FL.

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It’s a Singer sewing machine.  Based on the serial number, the machine appears to be a model 99 made in 1947.   It is a straight stitch machine WITH the back-tack feature.  The handwheel and needle mechanisms work smoothly.  IMHO, it’s worth making the minor repairs needed to get this old girl back into service.  (The other option was to let it be a decorative object in my studio).  My father-in-law is going to rewire the foot pedal and refinish the case.  It obviously needs the bobbin plate cover, a spool pin felt and who knows else.  I’ll take care of those once I get the machine.

So thankful for all the folks online who freely share their knowledge of vintage sewing machines!