My Sewing Room - Part 5

Are you still with me?  You haven't fallen asleep yet?

Now we are getting to the part of the room that has had heaps of changes.

  Isn't that an improvement.  Let's take a closer look.

Next to Joey's bed are some more sewing machines.  I still have to find a decent home for these.  They are, in the green cases, an Elna Grasshopper (the first model Elna), and an Elna Supermatic from the mid 1950s.  The Supermatic is in rather poor condition, but will do until I find a better one. The machine cover in the middle was actually made by me for Mum's machine, but currently covers my bargain basement $5 Bernina Record.  The basket on top is accessories for the machines.

Next is the bookcase that came from Mick's Dad's place. I'm glad we didn't paint it, as I'm really happy with how it looks with the pretty boxes.  They lighten it up, but there is still the warmth of the timber.  The boxes, all from The Reject Shop over the years, mainly hold fabric.  There is a button jar, a few books, a makeup case with crochet inside and a couple of other pretties.  You will notice that I don't have fabric out on shelves much, as I don't want it to fade or get dusty.

The suitcase on top was Grandma's and I don't think it has anything in it.  I'm not really sure.

Moving right along, Mum 's cabinet works rather well with the book case.  

The baskets on top all have a story.  The big red one was Grandma's,  The little one in the middle I made at school in 5th class and Mum made the lidded sewing basket.  It is all fully lined and padded.

The two cubes on the top shelf on the cabinet don't look very good, but are perfect for storing yarn and wool projects.  Maybe, I'll come up with a better solution, but this works for now.  The next shelf has some pretty tins, sewing machine accessory boxes and bits and bobs.  The boxes you can see, and more boxes behind the bottom doors, hold fabric and other bits and bobs.

I haven't labeled anything as yet.  I have some nice book labels plates to use, but never had, as I was never sure how they would end up being used.  I will get around to it.  In the meantime, I have a written list telling me what is in each box and tub.  That is working for now.

Finally, after all these years I have my mini quilts on the wall.

The ones on the end of the cabinet were both gifts from Lou, over the years.

The top left two are some of my very earliest quilting attempts, both made for Mum.  The one on the left was a magazine pattern. I didn't know how to do binding the correct way back then.  The second one is just a printed panel and I did blanket stitch over the printed blanket stitch.  The batting is very puffy polyester.  No binding on this one.

The sheep below them is a design by Anni Downs that was in a magazine.  I made it as a gift for Dad for his spinning room.  

The windmill was a challenge in a quilt show held in Bathurst in 2003.  There is a fabric that looks a bit like a field of wheat in the middle near the bottom.  You had to make a quilt A3 size that included that fabric.  Mick designed it and I made it.  A very early attempt at foundation paper piecing.   We both think this is about our favourite.  

Below it is the one I finished in 2018, being a Nundle project from some years ago. 

The Champion Ribbon is for my blue and white quilt that won a prize at the Bathurst Show.

Verandah Views is the one at top right.  It was another very old UFO.  Started in 2010, finished in 2018.

The crinolin lady is a tapestry completed by Mum.  It always hung on her bedroom wall.  

I can't remember where I found the framed vintage stitchery.  I do love it, and would like to find more. I've very rarely seen one for sale.

The final one is the lovely piece that June sent me in return for the tea towel I sent her.

The bookcase underneath houses magazines and books, funnily enough.

The little red tin houses another little Elna.  I've had it for a few years now and still haven't done a show and tell.  I will one day.

On top are the last of my bobbins.  In the centre is a Clarks Anchor Stranded Cotton display case.  I use it to hold my collection of vintage stranded cottons.  Not just Clarks Anchor, but DMC, Peri-Lusta, Semco.....

The  cute basket is Mum's and I use it as a catch all for things that I have to take up to her at times.

I'm really happy with how this section has turned out. It has the warmth of the timber, but lightened by the pretty boxes.  It is also nice that so many things have a meaning for me.

More soon.