Smoke signals

Hello! Here I am! I am a major blog slacker. I have absolutely no reason for not writing. I started posts many times. I just didn't feel motivated to complete them. However, I have been sewing a lot and doing a lot of little projects around the homestead. I'm going to try to ease myself back in here by writing shorter posts more frequently.

Anyway, here is my finished wrap dress that I asked about like five years ago.

I decided to keep the pocket but remove the trim from it. I like how it turned out. It is easy to wear and comfy, great for doing house work. Here is what I look like doing house work. 

It has been so outrageously long since I posted, that about a month ago we completed the refinish on the cabinets that are without doors behind me, and we also put a coat of that Rustoleum paint on our pink counters. Here is an after shot:

This was a major improvement. The cabinets are great. The counter paint chips, but I'll take chipped cream over faded rose pink any day. 

Finally, to complete this loosely linked, random series of photographs, here is a pic of my Halloween sweetie dressed as Scooby Doo.

I have finally been getting some compensation for the many sleepless nights since she was born in the form of all of her best Halloween candy bars. I love that little pup. 

I hope everyone is doing alright in the aftermath of that crazy storm. So long for now...

The Half-way House for Wayward Sewing Machines

Look what my mother-in-law brought me from Grandma's basement!

This is what it looked like after I wiped some grime off with paper towels and water,
and I had removed the fly wheel and bobbin winder

Nice decals!

She had rescued it from her Great Aunt's basement and stored it at Grandma's. It is from 1924, and it has a cabinet that I will be refurbishing. I spent my time last night and today obsessively rebuilding it with parts from my other Singer 66 which ran, but it's decals were a little sorry. Aunt Ceil's Singer is really only worn where the fabric went over the base. However, it was very dusty and gunky from having sat unused in basements for several years- so about a gallon of machine oil, 55 Q-tips, half a roll of paper towels, a little soap and water, and  a fair amount of elbow grease later, it is up and running.

Love it!

I borrowed the base from the other 66, as well as the light and motor. I thought running it with the motor would help with the rehabbing and get some of that oil worked in. I intend to have it in running in the treadle base, though.
Can I just say, it totally blows my mind that you can pull a nearly hundred year old machine out of a basement where it has been sitting for decades, oil it, pull some gunk out of it, throw a few new parts on it, and have it sewing beautiful stitches through nine layers of fabric in half a day! Where will the plastic Brother I learned to sew on be in 100 years? They REALLY just don't make 'em like they used to!
Well, I have wanted a treadle for some time (Thanks Lorraine!), so this one will be joining my permanent collection (that makes 4 including the serger- not too bad!). BTW, I used this manual from TFSR (a really neat organization) to direct me with the refurb. If anyone has an old Singer, check this info out. It makes removing the tension assembly and other scary tasks unscary!
Next, it's on to the treadle base, which will need some cleaning, gluing and clamping, and maybe a coat of stain or polyurethane. It's very pretty, and I love having projects!
What about y'all- have you started any fun and crazy summer projects?