Oh if Singer could Talk

Artie Viola (Roseboom) and Charles Albert Mader on their wedding day. These are my grandparents, Dad's parents. Grandma was born April 2, 1897, and died Oct 7, 1982. She and Grandpa got married July 24th, 1918.

I don't know when, or where this sewing machine was purchased. But This Singer Treadle Sewing Machine has been in my family a good long while. Using the serial number, my brief research indicates the machine dates back to 1910.

My Dad doesn't remember if his Mother purchased the machine new or from someone else. Many items have been made on this machine through the years. My Dad's older sister, Aunt Mary learned to sew on this machine and had it in her position for many years.

Grandma and Dad in 1944 when he was home on leave from The Navy (Seabees).

Aunt Mary, High School or shortly thereafter. Aunt Mary wasn't one to have pictures taken, so I only have a few of her. She was a tall woman, a big woman before time took it's toll. She cared for her invalid husband for many many years which also caused her to age. She lived a very simple life, and was truly very old school. She lived her whole adult life in a log cabin.

This simple 2 bedroom log cabin seemed a perfect place for a vintage Singer Sewing Machine to call home for something like 60 years. My Uncle Al built this log cabin. Aunt Mary passed away just prior to her 92nd birthday, about this time last year, after spending the last 2 years of her life away from her beloved log cabin. Rest in peace, Aunt Mary. You are now home.

I don't know when this picture was taken, but Uncle Al died in 1995 so this was well before his multiple years of illness and invalidism. Mary with her white gloves on. I believe this may have been an anniversary picture. In later years, she was quite thin.

I'm sure if this machine could talk it could tell many fascinating stories about my Grandmother, My Aunt, and more. Look at the beautiful carvings on the side of the machine.

This vintage sewing machine is still partially threaded, see the white thread coming up from the bobbin? This is how it currently looks, as it sits in my office/craft room. It's been partially dusted; but needs to be washed. My work in progress is to clean it up with some Murphy's Oil Soap for the wood, and probably just soapy water for the metal parts. To give a little lift.

The treadle portion before we moved it from Aunt Mary's log cabin. Notice the leather strap that operates the treadle....it has 1 staple in it where the cord apparently ripped from use. My Mother taught me to sew on the same type of sewing machine. She too had a staple, several...as I think back on hers. My Mother, like My Aunt and Grandmother used her machine often. I think Mom actually sewed more, as she made almost all my clothes in my growing up years. Dad traded in her Treadle Singer Sewing Machine for a newer model; so I'm thrilled to have this one in my position. Such a nice memory of my Mother, my Aunt, and my Grandmother.

Here's it is in it's current home. Sorry for the poor picture here with the light. Snapped this photo quickly this morning to add to the post. The wood is cracked in a few places, there's some minimal rust on the iron works, and some wood trim missing from the top right drawer; but I think she's in pretty good shape for someone/something a 102 years old.

My work in progress here is cleaning her up as much as possible, looking through old pictures in hopes of finding some where it was photographed showing it's place in my family history.

Work continues on my feather and fan afghan. Hope you all enjoy the day. WIPW badges and links in sidebars, please join us.

Better late then Never

I'm late, I'm late...this post was suppose to be typed and up yesterday. Sorry folks. This is my Sunday YOP post which is a day late. You can see I'm more progress with the afghan. You can see a couple of rows of the next tweedy color mix. Continuing to explore and think of options in completing this afghan. Found a wee bit more of the gray and am trying to figure out how much yardage I have with the one skein of the tan....I might be able to go with just those 2 colors and the 6 tweedy's. The Red Heart Skeins don't give yardage.

One this color section is done, I plan to get started on Sand Box Afghan to mix a bit with the crocheting time and the knitting time.

Hope you're all enjoying the weather and the end of the school year stuff. No little ones here, just remember that as being an eventful time of the year.

Badge and url in sidebar.

Happy stitching.

Needles Take 3

Ok, where to begin. Wanting a break from crocheting edges and joining squares to make afghans for Bridge and Beyond, thought I'd start a knitting ghan. Started this Feather and Fan Design on a pair of Addy Turbo's, and even though we all know those to be excellent needles I was having trouble with the k2tog (knit 2 together), with tightness. I never thought I knitted tight and thought perhaps it was the combination of the Caron Wintuk (grey section), and the very blunt needle (the turbo's). And it was curling so badly I was having a hard time getting the yarn to move properly. Switched to my Denise Interchangeable s (a better point to pick up the k2tog'ers, and by connecting 2 nice long cords was able to get it to be less curly..easier to work with). It wasn't good, but it was better. I still have trouble getting the yarn to move, as the acrylic in Caron Wintuk and the Denise seemed to grab at each other........then after multiple long rows (250+ cast on stitches), the Denise's came apart...and naturally the yarn moved nicely off then!

Switched to new needles, got the length I need (60 inches) to spread things out and do less tugging and pushing the stitches along, and low and behold the knitting tension seemed to improve, as did the movement of the yarn/stitches. And using lace needles with a better point, was the combination I needed. The k2tog are a huge improvement.

While not totally stretched out, as it would go off the needles, it's enough you can actually see the pattern, the yarn, and the colors better then previously posted pictures. Solving the color of what comes next as I go. Posted about that problem, see previous post for YOP post on Sunday.
Here's a close up of the 3 colors thus far with the 4th skein at the ready. I'm probably going to have each section a different width, as I have only 6 of the multi-tweedy skeins and you can see it doesn't go far based on what's already showing, which was 1 skein. Probably going to start looking through the blue stash and hope to find something that works. If not, will move onto the brown stash (though the blue is larger).

AND, the new needles. Chiao Goo, notice how much lower in price they are then the Addy Turbo's!

My plan is to finish the current tan-ish section, add the next tweedy section, find something in my stash to make the next section; then move back to crocheting edges and joining some donated squares for Bridge and Beyond. Plan to go back and forth between this ghan and the crocheted ones.

Still contemplating a name for this afghan, sing out if you have thoughts. All I've come up with so far is Earthy Feathers, which I'm not really sold on...not knowing all the colors that will be involved yet.

Work in Progress Wed badges and links in side bar. Have fun and join us.