Elna Supermatic!

Yesterday, I convinced a few friends to join me in a road trip across Wisconsin.  I called it "Thelma and Louise Trip". There were four of us (Kimberly, Heather and Sarah).  We stopped a quilt shop in Endeavor (Homespun Fabrics) that I have wanted to visit for years. It was a cozy place with a wood stove and a big classroom. I bought a few small pieces of fabric, including a quarter yard of the Hoffman Challenge fabric-- we'll see if I complete something in time to enter!!

Homespun Fabrics

After Endeavor, we pointed the car towards Princeton.  Our destination was "Huser Daddy Antiques"!! They advertised a 1957 Elna on Craigslist.  Before we could find that place, we got distracted by this beautiful old victorian house.  It was an antique shop, too!  As it turns out, Princeton is a gold mine of antique shops!! The old homes all along the way (Portage, Montello and Princeton) were very cool- I love to daydream about living in something like this! =P  Princeton would be a great spot for a girls weekend, there were all kinds of stores to explore and apparently they have a massive flea market every weekend in the summer.

After the victorian house, we found the shop we were looking for and...

TaDaaaaa!!!  Here is the Elna:

I'm hoping to find a true grasshopper someday.  They were made from 1940-1952.  This one is a Supermatic and came with a bazillion 'discs' to switch out for decorative stitches. This machine is probably a better fit for me, because I don't currently have anything that does zig zag stitching.  I confirmed that it runs, but haven't figured out how to thread it and actually sew with it!  This brings my total machine count to 3 (Featherweight, Singer 66 and now the Supermatic!).

I just looked through my blog for info on my Singer 66 and I never wrote a post!! Here is a short story-- I was fortunate to find the machine for sale on Craigslist. $15 and 2 miles from my home.  Someone was looking to liquidate their stuff prior to moving.  The cabinet was a little rough, but had potential.  The machine is a crinkle coat. Once I knew it's model year, but I can't remember right now-- it's WWII era.

I spent a few days with my mom, stripping and staining the cabinet and lubing the machine.  It runs well, but I haven't sewn anything on it. =(  I do love the cabinet and it currently serves as a cat bed pedestal for Finn.

Linking up with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts, Let's Bee Social!

xoxo
Kristin

Fannie's Fleece Jacket

 Yesterday I made the cutest little fleece jacket for my furbaby, Fannie.  She has zero need for a jacket.  She loves the snow and doesn't mind the cold at all.  Her favorite thing to do is to make snow angels by rolling around and when she is done with that, she eats the snow.  Kind of crazy!!  We have had another difficult cold snap this week.  The wind chill factors were well below zero for our walks. I'm hoping that spring weather is not too far away!!  But in the meantime, she can look adorable when I take her to daycare! =)

The pattern is from Simplicity.  The title said "It's so easy" and it was!!! I might be tempted to make a few more.

In other sewing news-- I made another zippy pouch.  This one is from Lazy Girl Designs, the Sweetpea Pods.  The pattern was well written, but I'm not totally in love with it.  It's ok.  Maybe I'll keep my clover clips in it? 

xoxo

Kristin

Zippy!

A few years ago I developed a small obsession with making zipper pouches and other zippy accessories.  I bought a bundle of zippers from ZipIt on Etsy and made all kinds of gifts.  My supply was starting to run low, so I placed another order this week.  They had 9" zippers on sale, so i bought an assortment of 100 for $30!  Woo-hoo!!!  Let the frenzy begin!! =O

Two weeks ago, I bought the pattern Sweetpea Pod from Lazy Girl Designs and was hoping to use my new zips to make some of these cute pouches--- Ooops!  I really should have read the pattern before placing my order!!  I need a 16" zipper to make the pattern and you use half of the zipper and it folds around both sides.  =(  Perhaps I need to place another order from ZipIt?

Yesterday, I tried a tutorial from A Spoonful of Sugar for a patchwork triangle zippy case.  I used 2" squares that were already cut for my leader/ender project and made the pouch a bit bigger than the pattern.  I like it, but I am already planning on making another and changing the dimensions.  I think making it rectangular will be a bit more functional.  After finishing this, I found that they have a Pencil Case tutorial, too.  Maybe that will be my next project?  Or another earbud case?

In addition to the zippy pouch, yesterday I made a '1 hour basket'.  This is my second one and because the tutorial includes time in the title, I had to time myself to see how close I was to 1 hour.  1:28!  That isn't bad in my book.  Once I made a 1 hour girl's skirt and I think it took me 6 hours!!

Can't wait to get back in my sewing room and create more goodies!

xoxo
Kristin

Linking up with Molli Sparkles and Sew Fresh Quilts -  Let's Bee Social