Hi! I'm Melanie, I'm a singer-songwriter-quilter-bag maker-and a mom! Are you a Quilter? A Bag maker? A Sewist? or a Fan? Join my Sewing List and get your free EPP supplies List: view.flodesk.com/pages/6287fd9e5177e0c449d5c6bb
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Melanie Grace - Mom, Vlogger, Performer, Entertainer, Singer, Guitarist, Song-Writer, Comedian. Creator and Star of Driving Around Karaoke, est. December 2013
I love that you left the zipper tab booboo in the video. And the bobbin situation too. Nancy Zieman always covered her booboos with a finger as if we couldn't see the bad sewing. I gave you a thumbs up for your honesty.
You can get about any machine instructions on line. Singer has all their manuals online. Google your machine model. I have a 1947 singer 201 in a queen Ann cabinet I got for 75$. I do all my sewing on it. It is so quiet and powerful. I was the best machine in its day and called the dressmakers machine.
Hello Melanie. Melanie here. Lol I did finally finish a project I started twenty years ago. A nice twin size scrappy quilt. Then sold it at a craft fair. Anything is possible.
Have you tried using steam? I’m going to experiment with steam, because during sewing my interfacing unglued on 1 notch/edge (curve clipping)… and I’m concerned as to durability with the dry iron method. Or maybe it’s just because it’s cheap?
Yes steam works and helps the vinyl be more pliable - just be sure not to touch the hot iron to the vinyl, then you'll have a hot, stinky problem on your hands!
Not sure where you live, but you could donate a lot a fabric to your local High School and give to their sewing class. I know I would be very excited to receive it for my classroom. Thank you for all you do!
my mom was a quilter and I got her material. I thought I had to finish her UFO and I wasn't getting to the things I wanted to do. Give yourself permission to give some of those away. It will be like an onion organizing and saving what you want one layer at a time. Touch and feel the fabric remembering where it came from it will help the grief process.
I am a 77 yr old gal who is spending my remaining years... "using up what i have"... I have long figured out that the "shopping" was a bigger part of the hobby than the actual "doing"... I hope lots of people see your video and take heed...My Sister was a yard sale freak and when she passed i inherited it all... to add to mine... my daughter does NOT sew... I have a yearly "sale" in our community of scrap quilts that i sell for 10.00!!! Yup you heard right... the joy of watching them fly off the table with people being so happy is something i live for! The "Charms on Point" from MSQC... is my go to.. i make about 2 a week... and i quilt them on my midarm with a stipple!
I also make quilts just for the joy of it. I give them away. I have quite a few now and am planning on selling them for not much money like you are doing, mostly to see the happiness they bring to others.
So sorry I missed your online course, but first I would like to say you are such a happy talkative a bit crazy in the nicest way , I always talk like that too when doing my quilting just happened to see this channel love it thank you 💕
You should never press directly on the interfacing… use the fabric side., or pressing cloth. Also, interfacing buckles if the temp is too high or iron is left on the fabric too long, it it’s polyester, it will melt since it’s plastic based.
I actually inherited tons of sewing and quilting things from a friend who passed away last year. I went thru it all and donated a lot to a local quilt guild. What I kept, I am using in older and new projects. My goal this year is to finish quilts that were put aside. I made a list of everything to keep track of them and hold myself accountable. I decided I do not want to be that lady that has x number of incomplete quilts when I pass on to my eternal home. lol.
I would have loved to hear you say how much you loved and appreciated her and her love for quilting…..I didn’t know her but she deserved some credit here from her daughter in law.. just out of respect . It I do understand your enthusiasm and I’m sure that you cared for her a lot.
So very sorry for you loss and the chores you had cleaning out her estate. Fortunately my mother downsized before her death and my husband"s mother (an active soon to be 91 year old) has downsized. Now I need to begin going through my house so my daughters don't have to do what you and your husband did! (P.S.) I'm a quilter and inherited my mom's serger so I gave mine to my youngest daughter. And now my younger sister is sending up my mother's quilting sewing machine. So I will have a total of three sewing machines!
I inherited my grandmother’s sewing machine and it turned up with a cabinet and several bags of fabric that were unexpected extras filled with treasures. Have made a variety of things for the family from what I call the nana stash.
My aunt was a sewist and when she passed I inherited her sewing room! Bernina sewing machine - singer serger - fabric - rulers - notions notions notions - it took me weeks to get everything sorted.
I am a tailor of some 40yrs and i have 11 machines the newest being a singer from 1992 and my serger is from 1984 and everything else is the 1950s. I wouldnt sew on anything else. They are heavy metal machines that can sew a bumper to a Buick. Modern machine are crap in my book. That green signature machine is awesome. Get u a new belt and a pedal, which u should be able to find on the Internet for about $25. Give it a good oil and im sure it will work great. Of course a sewing machine mechanic is going to say it will cost u $200. I work on all my machines myself. They are mechanical u can take care of it yourself. The needle shaft is free when u turn the wheel so shouldnt be to hard to get it going again. The feather weight is awesome of course, and with the case and attachments thats hard to find. Thats an incredible piece of sewing history.
Score! Montgomery Ward Signature: a great machine! 1.3 amp motor - it will sew not only lightweight, but heavyweight/lightweight vinyls. It's a low shank machine so any low shank feet will work. I rescue a lot of machines, and this would not cost $200 to bring up to speed, more like $50 (a new belt is around $12). Didn't get a good look at the wiring. Worth - to some, $50, to me (if I restored it, yes - $200)! And the color is exquisite. :) Your Featherweight is a prized quilting machine, for sure - more so than the Signature - especially for portability to quilt retreats etc. And, definitely more valuable than the Wards model. Lucky you!!!!
The featherweight (black one) is really nice. It's worth spending some money on it to keep it in good order. I use mine, from 1948, to sew with at quilting retreats. I've added some accessories from the Featherweight Shop.
1st time here..I was given my best friend/cousins everything to do with sewing when she passed away in 2016..I made like 16 quilts for her family members from her fabrics..I knew which fabric belonged to who became when she came home from a shopping spree we always discussed it. There was 1 quilt in pieces which I finished piecing but life got in the way and I never finished it. I am currently sewing the binding on the quilt and will be sending it off to family soon. I also have fabric in sewing motif that I am sure she bought for me. I haven't been able to sew it for myself just yet....it's still painful.
What a lot you’ve dealt with! You and your husband should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished! Don’t worry about anyone’s bright ideas about what you could have done differently! You did well! And I’m looking forward to seeing what you do this year!
So sorry for your loss. I volunteer at a local thrift store and it is really sad how many uncompleted projects, fabric, patterns, etc. are donated. It seems collecting and sewing are two different hobbies. I am also determined to finish my projects this year. 😁
