Three simple rules for using my Featherweight...

1.  Make sure the flat side of the needle is to the LEFT. The LEFT, dangnabbit!
2. Clean out the bobbin case area after every sewing session. You'd be amazed what likes to lurk in there.
3. Do not send angry emails to perfectly nice eBay sellers because you were silly and didn't follow rule #1.

Now if only I could remember them. Today was an exciting day--Beppie and Ann and John and Randy and Lynn (whew!) all came to visit the apartment after dropping their machines off at the Byrne Sewing Connection. We had a lovely time! I'm looking forward to the possible trip out to Burkholder Fabrics on Monday, but we'll have to see about that.

My chosen colors. Love that contrast! The red was
exactly what I was hoping for, not too dark, not too light.

As for the Just Takes 2 quilt, it's been coming along nicely! I've got four out of six of the blocks done so far, the only ones I haven't done are all applique, so I'm going to wait a little bit and look at some tutorials online and talk to Beppie and Ann before I take a stab at them.

So, I ordered some new pads for Faith-Ann's bottom, because she wobbled a bit when I was sewing. They finally arrived after some shenanigans with the mail at work (not doing that ever again!), and I sat down on Thursday to put them in.

One of the feet, midway through the carving.

 They had solidified or something--well, not all of them. It was actually pretty funny to see: one was missing a screw, and had been glued into the depression; another was smushed and melted over the screw, one had solidified into cement, and the final foot was fine, if a little grey from age and wear and tear.

Left: a chunk of foot. Right: what it's supposed to look like.

  I ran into a problem though--the screws were so old they were locked into place. Worse even still, they were almost chipping off when I tried to use the screwdriver from my Janome to get them out, they were so old. 

All of the feet, in their various states of repair. :)

Thankfully, Glenn came to the rescue with his lovely box of tools, and with a little elbow grease and a better, stronger screwdriver we got all three of the old screws out and replaced the pads. I had to chisel out the foot you can see in the picture above--luckily it came out in nice little chunks. I still can't tell if it used to be a foot, or was some cement someone poured in the foot to make it sit level. She sits so prettily on the table now, and once the replacement screws come in next week she'll be all better. 

Tadah!

The various blocks, ready to be assembled.

I love working with this color combination; it's the perfect combination of dark, powerful red and pure white. I do wish I'd been a little more adventurous in my color choices, but I think I'm going to be more than happy with the clean lines and colors in the quilt. I'm still working out a few of the kinks in my piecing on Faith-Ann, but now that she's got her needle in the right way she's powering through with those lovely seamlines I love.

My progress so far.

This is of course my first BOTMesque project, and I'm having a ton of fun with it. I've been winging it while quilting for a while now, so it's a nice change of pace to have someone else tell me what to do and how to piece the blocks. The next set of blocks are being released tomorrow, so I'm going to have to pick up the pace to finish the two applique blocks I have left. I don't think it'll be a big problem, since I have Monday off for the holiday.

I think my goal for the spring is to save up enough money for a new camera. Unfortunately I'm cursed with having a low light area to take pictures, and no matter how hard I try I can't adjust for the dim room. In the meantime, I hope you'll continue to enjoy the pictures I post, and bear with me for now. :)


Looking forward to Monday!