Tag: crafts

Happy 250th Birthday America!

July 3, 2026
Celebrating the 4th by sewing patriotic themed blocks on my American-made Singer 301A!

The pattern is Star Salute, which was part the 2026 Liberty Box from Fat Quarter Shop. Fabric used is the FQ bundle that came in the box and the white-on-white background came from another quilter downsizing her stash. Binding will be a denim blue cotton from my inventory. The pattern includes an pieced backing option which consists of a large center star made from leftover HSTs and white yardage, plus some light gray fabric I already have. In case you’re interested, the finished size meets the QOV guidelines. This particular quilt will most likely be donated to my guild’s Quilts for Cops partnership.

My 301A was made in Anderson, South Carolina in 1957. She came to me via the Florida Panhandle, where my niece found her at a yard sale for $125.00. She was farm fresh, but still had the original bobbin case, set of presser feet and foot controller in the trapezoid carry case. There’s no telling how long this sewing machine had been in someone’s shed or attic. Outside of a spa day, the most useful updates Miss Carmella’s received have been the acrylic extension table, stick on thread cutter, walking foot, and FW Shop seam square/seam guide duo.

After much experimentation this past week, I’ve learned how to compensate for the lack of an adjustable needle position to achieve a scant 1/4″ seam. The original presser foot in tandem with the seam guide consistently works the best for me. The secret for me is pinning on the left side instead of the right. It does feel awkward at first, but careful pinning means my seams match and no points on HSTs and FG are cut off.

FYI – the acrylic extension table is from Taylor Made Tables and the stick on bee thread cutter is from Lori Holt. Besides an LED light bulb, the only addition was a set of matching crocheted spool pin doilies from a local maker.

Miss Carmella is ready to complete our quilt top over this July 4th weekend!

Enjoy the fireworks, food and fellowship while you stay cool in the heat!

It’s travel season for quilters!

June 22, 2026

A common question appearing in many of the different quilting groups I follow is, “What sort of sewing machine should I take on my trip/to my retreat?” The litany of responses that follows usually includes mentions of Featherweights, machines from big box stores, and smaller computerized machines found at various sewing machine dealers. My thinking? Take the machine that does everything you need it to do at the retreat and preferably one you can transport (lift, unpack, set-up) unassisted.

Martha Pullen, the heirloom sewing guru, often said that all you really need is a sewing machine with a straight stitch and a fully adjustable zigzag stitch to make beautiful things. (I’d also add an automatic needle threader and top loading bobbin to those criteria!) Mechanical or computerized? It’s your choice.

Here’s the thing: you do not need a super fancy sewing machine at classes and retreats. A Featherweight is a great little machine for piecing blocks. I love my Featherweight, but from a practical standpoint, you’ll be happier with one that does a few other stitches in addition to a straight stitch. Circled in red are the stitches I’ve used in classes and at sew days over the past two months.

Elna 450 showing stitches actually used during recent classes and sew days.

A $200 budget and a trip to your local big box store can net you a decent travel machine. I found three viable options in-stock at my local Wal-Mart store: Janome Signature Charm, Singer M3220 and Janome C30 in blue. To me, the Singer offers the better value of the two mechanical options. My money is on the computerized C30, though. Same stitches as the Elna 450 shown above (and Elnita EC30 and Janome TM30), but this model does not have a speed control slider.

Need more options? Scout your local thrift shops and FB Marketplace for a vintage machine.

Revisiting cross-stitch after a L-O-N-G hiatus

June 8, 2026

Cross-stitch was really popular when hubs and I got married many moons ago. Eventually, the quilting bug bit and I set my cross-stitch supplies aside. However, there’s this one unfinished project that’s left me frustrated every time I pull it out to work on it.

I took the unfinished project to my Friday sewing group at the library. Their recommendations: (1) stitch using a really bright task lamp and a pair of slightly stronger reading glasses. 2) DO NOT RIP OUT any existing stitching. Merely blend the four colors (which are one shade apart) in that section as best I can and keep on going. Wise advice. I’ve made noticeable progress.

At the JK Quilts 2025 spring retreat, one of the daily projects featured a tulip cross-stitch design with Sulky 12 wt thread over 14 ct Aida fabric. I didn’t actually start the project until after I returned home, but I’ve actually enjoyed cross-stitching again! I like the sheen and feel of the Sulky thread and not having to manage 6 strands of traditional DMC floss. (A single thread of 12 wt thread equals 2 strands of traditional DMC floss). The 14 ct white/off white Aida cloth was much easier for me to see with standard reading glasses and overhead lightling.

If you like to stitch for a good cause, the Haven 2026 Charity Quilt & Stitch Along with Fat Quarter Shop has a new start date – Friday, July 3rd! Find all of the updated details here. This means you still have time to order a quilt kit or pull from your stash (and your friends’ stashes)!

This morning, I pulled supplies from my stash to make the cross-stitch version of Haven. I need a small, portable handwork project for upcoming travel and shortened summer sew days at the library. I’ll actually stitch it using Sulky 12 wt thread over 14 ct Aida cloth. Other than white, there are no exact DMC to Sulky matches for this project on the color conversion chart.

Here are the color substitutions I made using Sulky 12 wt thread already on hand:

Navy: Color 1199 – Admiral Navy Blue
Dark Blue: Color 1095 – Turquoise. (the stitched sample has more of a teal look to me than blue)
Light Blue: Color 1205 – Medium Jade (same reason as above)
Green: Color 1156 – Light Army Green
White: Color 1001 – White

Sulky – DMC conversion chart (free download) from Sulky website.
Sulky 12 wt petites color chart (free download) from Sulky website.

Serious x-stitchers may be interested in the Sulky 12 wt petites color card (with actual thread samples) that is available for $25.00 from the Sulky website.