The “K” Word!

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the K word. I was looking for something a bit different to do last month and run across a knitting pattern I wanted to try. It actually called for using circular needles and didn’t look to terrible hard for someone that was a beginner knitter like me. WRONG! I either was counting the stitches wrong or I wasn’t holding my mouth right, I must have tried the pattern 6 or 7 times till I got frustrated and gave up.

After giving myself a few days to think about things I started at it again but this time in sections with much better results.

The blanket is crib size and will be given to a girl at work who is expecting her second child in April

 

Been Crocheting Again!

I know that I haven’t posted lately and for that I have only one excuse, lazy! Actually work has been keeping me a bit busy along with my other outside projects.

I started this sweater for my stepdaugther 2 years ago when I thought she was going to move down here and stay. Her staying only lasted a week then she went back to Virginia. I put the sweater up for a bit because of other projects and things that where going on. With Christmas creaping up on me again I decided it was time to finish it. I think it turned out rather nicely.

 

The Machine is Finished!!

I was determined to finish up the machine yesterday. Somewhere in the midst of taking it apart, cleaning it and reassemply I managed to loose an important nut that went to a movible part. I’m actually going to blame the missing nut on the cat after all I was doing most of the work on his dinner table.

Yesterday I learned that it’s much easier to set the timing on a car than it is to time a sewing machine. I spent close to 2 hours trying to get the timing marks right and the bobbin shaft tightened down. After that I set the machine in my treadle cabinet, oiled it and ran it for about 20 minutes and noticed a terrible rattle coming from the feed dog, it was loose. It still runs noisier than my 127 but that may be the nature of the beast.

Winding Down

I started putting the 66 back together today, trying to remember where all the pieces went is fun in a way. I started off with the most difficult ones first, they where the ones that I took off last. They where also the ones that I remembered where I took them out of. I’m pretty sure that I have one screw not in the right place but for now it’s staying where it is. Once I figure out where the right one is I’ll fix it.

Just as I was sitting down to eat dinner my friend, Deborah called. She and her boyfriend had been out shopping and had stopped at one of the local Goodwill stores. She spotted a beautiful Singer model 15 in a palor cabinet, she just had to call me and tell me about it. The Goodwill wanted $50 for it. She gave me the serial number, it would up being built in 1910 which is much older than any of my other machines. The cabinet is not any other that I’ve seen, I’m used to the standard 5 or 7 drawer. I will post pictures just as soon as I can get the cabinet out of back of my car.

P.S. Hubby says I need to get rid of a few of my other machines.

Last of the decals

The replacement decal came Thursday, I just let it be for the night and thought about putting it on and just life in general. It just wasn’t the time to be putting on a flimsy decal after work. I waited til yesterday after I had my coffee and just before I started my ironing. (I needed all the help I could get)! I let it soad in the water like it was suggested and took my time, it went on much better than my first attempt. It still has a few imperfections but that is mostly due to the decal being flat and going on a rounded surface. Something to concider for the next time. Anyway, here’s a shot of the machine with all the decals on.

 

the 66 with all decals

Now I need the weather to hold long enough to put on the Clear Coat.

Update on the Sewing Machine

I know that it’s been over 2 months since I posted last here, work is taking up all my time as well as a few other issues. The work on the sewing machine had been going really well until I started putting the new decals on and ran into a bit of a snag. The decals when the come off the backing are really thin and have to be handled really careful. They are soaked in warm water till they start to lift off and I didn’t give enough time to the large one that goes across the front of the machine. I streatched it so far out of shape that I got angry, ripping it off and then ripping it up.

It took me nearly 2 months to get the courage up to go back after it and ask the company that I bought the decals from to be so kind as to send me another set so I could finish. I got lucky, they sent me only what I needed instead of a full set and are only requesting that I pay shipping. (I’ll send extra!) I got the new decal today and will attempt to put it on maybe tomorrow. In the meantime I’m posting pictures of the machine I took today.

Progress on the 66

Today was a fairly good day even though I’d spent most of it running the roads. Along with restoring this sewing machine, I’m having a car restored and wanted to check on the progress at the upholsterer’s. My car hadn’t been touched and the guy was out so I couldn’t talk to him about when he might be able to start on it.

Between working and the rain I hadn’t had much time to touch the sewing machine till today. I was determined that I was going to get at least the first coat of paint on it. I’m using a Professional quality Rustolium in gloss black. I had bought some painter’s tape so I could mask off the areas that I didn’t want painted but couldn’t find that. Then I went looking for my Exacto knife and can’t find that either. So I found my husband’s masking tape and the razor knife he bought me to do what I needed.

     

I won’t be able to get back to the machine until Sunday, I hope the weather holds!

Naked Sewing machine!

I wish I could say I’ve got a few loose screws but when it comes to this sewing machine it isn’t sew. I couldn’t get every thing loose that I wanted to so I decided to go with it as is. I had bought some paint stripper that was citrus smelling and easy on the hands, applied it all over the machine and let it set for a while. (Got impatient and started using a scrapper.)

 

These shots show the paint thinner on the machine before I started to scrape it off.

  Here is a shot with nearly all the paint off of it. I think one more coat of paint stripper will do the trick before I can really clean it up.

Vacation

I’ve been on vacation all this week and don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything at all!

I had fully intending to go up north to Virginia and take my pregnant daughter, Jeannie shopping. I did manage that in between running with her and her car. Seems like on Saturday a week ago she stopped for gas and wound up with a half a tank of water and mud. She has managed to get that gas station shut down for the time being, they have paid for the gas she put in it that day and the tow back to her house. (Her’s isn’t the only car that got messed up from this either) She was supposed to get her car back today.

While I was there I went to my sister’s in Manassas to pick up the sewing machine I asked her to get for me. This one is a Standard Rotary that was made somewhere in the early 1900’s. From what I read production was stopped on them about 1910.

When I got back home on Wed. I decided I needed a day off from all the running and did nothing except for cook dinner. Thursday I did laundery and ironing all day, must have ironed and folded about 17 of my husband’s shirts. (I hate ironing!)

Today was a good day. I ran the roads, did the grocery shopping then got my grand daugther, Giana for the afternoon. I really would have loved to have her spend the night but she’s got a makeup day at school. Poor baby has to go to school on Saturday.

Tomorrow is my last day of freedom before I have to go back to work. Wonder what is in store for me?

What I Do Best!

 

 

 This is what I like to do more than anything in the world, tear stuff up! Here is a shot of some of the parts from the 66. The long straight pieces are from the inside of the machine.

 

   Here is a shot of the underside of the machine, I haven’t taken the last bar out of it yet.

 Here is a shot of what is supposed to be the bobbin assembley. That was sitting on the kitchen counter with the other parts. 

  This shot is where the wheel is supposed to be. I won’t have much time to work on more of the tear down till I get back from my daugther’s at the middle of next week. Hopefully the weather will be warmer and I’ll be able to start stripping the paint off the head.