Caring for your sewing machine.

Such factors as how much you sew, where you sew, what type of thread and fabric you use will determine how often you must clean your sewing machine. Don't rely on those cans of air. All they do is blow the dust around. For a good cleaning, get out your Q-Tips. Remove the presser foot, needle, faceplate, bobbin, and bobbin casing. Oh yes, unplug it first. No accidents allowed.

Remove any dust bunnies that may be lurking about especially in the feed dogs. Use a straight pin or a small flat head screwdriver to get in between the "dogs".

Oiling is just as important as cleaning, but remember 1 drop will do better than 2.

Check your instruction manual on which areas to oil. There may be some that you're supposed to leave alone. Rotate the wheel by hand and see which parts move. My theory is, "if it's metal and it moves - oil it." If it's rubber or plastic leave it alone.

Don't forget to clean out the bobbin casing before replacing it. They get very dusty on the inside.

Cleaning and oiling improves the efficiency of your sewing machine. By working with lint free thread such as Essential thread from Connecting Threads, you'll see a drastic reduction in dust in your machine. If you sew in a humid environment, remember to oil often to prevent rust.

After cleaning and oiling, wipe down the table top and machine with a paper towel. Re-assemble all parts and place a paper towel under the presser foot. Let it sit overnight. Any excess oil will drain on to the towel. Wipe down the area again before sewing.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

What a wonderful surprise

Blogging pal Pam sent me the most wonderful box full of goodies. She made me these 2 lovely bags. Aren't they gorgeous!

Also included were some items from her recent travels, a scrumptious maple hot cocoa mix, this wonderful recipe box and of course chocolate. She didn't forget a thing . . . except to put herself in the box so I could give her a big hug for thinking of me. Aren't quilters the best! Thank you sew much Pam.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

This lil' darlin' quilt is done!

. . . well okay, except for the binding. But "quilted is close" right?

I ran out of pins and couldn't finish prepping the kitchen sink. So I had to stop and get this quilted. It sure is nice to work on fresh spring colors on a gloomy gus kinda day.

If you've been wondering where to locate open pins for quilting, check the yellow pages or the web for your nearest dry cleaning supply store. Order them by the 10 gross or 1,444 pins. Be sure to specify "open". I use the same size that come with a dry cleaning tag.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

For this evenings' entertainment . . . .

I'll be pinning a larger kitchen sink using Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon batting (100% cotton). This must be quilted every 2" or less, is rather fragile (lock the cats in the bathroom when laying it out), but shrinks up beautifully. For a true antique look, I highly recommend it.

Julia will be keeping Bonnie Girl and I entertained while pinning. We'll learn how to clarify butter, debone a chicken breast, and even speak a little French. So until next time, Bon Apetite.

Don't raise the bridge . . . .

. . . . lower the river.

This piece of batting (sewn together from 3 sections) came out too small for a previous quilt top. So I went downstairs to the magic bin and pulled out a kitchen sink that needs borders. I'll make the borders just wide enough to accomodate the batting, back it in something from my stash, quilt it, and call it done! (I'm getting ready for some serious done-ness around here.)

From our favorite local library comes this wonderful trilogy that Bonnie Girl and I have been enjoying while I pin. She gets to watch, while I get to listen. See if your library has it, as it's very well done.

And last but not least the promo item for the day - Simply Cotton batting. Mary Jo's has it in at least 3 sizes. My order just arrived today. First the good news . . . full size (81" x 96") is $10.99 and king size (120" x 120") is around $18.00. It is similar to Warm and Natural, can be quilted up to 10", and is needle punched. Here's the big HOWEVER, however, they recommend that it be pre-washed (by hand) due to potential oils in the seed/hull remnants in the batting. You may remember when Warm and Natural had to be treated the same way.

The label also says that if you choose not to pre-wash, they recommend you wash your quilt immediately upon finishing. In other words, get it done speedy quick.

I'll be using this batting in several tops that have darker fabrics and non-white/light backings, things that I simply want to get done. For my good bed quilts, I'll be using Hobbs Organic which is my all time favorite and has very different properties.

If you want to learn more about battings, see if your library has Harriet Hargrave's Heirloom Machine quilting book. You'll find a wealth of info therein.

It's time for me to get those borders on, so until then, keep stitchin' . . .