and there are strange goings on in our hotel room…
I spent last weekend out of town, with one night in a hotel, with nothing to keep me occupied. Well, nothing except my 1952 Singer Featherweight 221, or “Winnie” for short. (If you would like to learn how I acquired Winnie and all her deets, just check out this post.)
I was planning on keeping myself busy in my hotel room by cutting out quilt squares and watching movies. Then I remembered I brought Winnie along to show to my Mom – who has always been fascinated by everything her daughters do. Well Winnie was in her case calling to me so I took her out… just for a look see… did she survive the ride in my trunk? Then I thought I would just start her up, after all it’s been a while since she went for a good run. Perhaps I could even give her a go with some of the quilting cotton I brought with me to cut into squares.
I remembered an article I had read a while ago on how to make a “Mini Dresden Spool Pin Plate” to protect your VSM from scratches from the spool. Do you think I could find the instructions again? Nope! (They were at home.)
Oh well, that’s okay. I was only trying to warm up Winnie. I’ll just wing it. After spending 20 minutes trying to thread the needle without my magnifying glasses (at home), I downloaded an app that magnified the needle eye and when I could see clearly, I saw that Winnie’s needle threads from right to left, which I would have known if I had read the instruction manual (at home).
I spent the rest of my time, smooth sailing through my project, folding my 12 squares in half and sewing them down.
Sewing the squares and clipping them apart was easy, but next came pressing the petal points. I had the fabric, scissors, thread, Winnie, pins, almost everything I needed, BUT no iron (at home). Who packs an iron for a one night stay in a hotel? Then I realized no one packs an iron for a stay in a hotel, because hotels supply their own irons (hidden in the closet)! So I was able to press my petal points afterall!
All the petals were then sewn together in a row, easily enough.
The end of the row being sewn to the beginning and then pressed into a circle. Unfortunately I couldn’t find anything to draw a centre circle the right size. (I would have probably had something at home.) My shampoo cap was too small! So I had to wing it, ending up with something that looked more like an octogon than a circle.
But Winnie and I got the job is done! All that was needed was the centre hole. Oh oh, I didn’t bring Winnie’s buttonholer attachment or templates (at home). I ended up poking my scissors through to make a hole instead. The eyelet buttonhole would just have to be made (at home).
My Mom saw Winnie and her make shift “Mini Dresden Spool Pin Plate” the next day. She was impressed that Winnie was born in 1952 and still looked so good… “someone treated her well!” Mom also said “Not only is she cute, but she’s got a little skirt now!”
Just in case you are interested in the correct way to make a “Mini Dresden Spool Pin Plate”, I have the link here. I wasn’t far off, just a little bit off with the shape of the petals and I needed a better centre circle. I think I might try this again for my other sewing machines, now that I have the instructions! It was a quick make… after I got the needle threaded!
Confess: Have you ever set up your sewing machine in a strange/unfamiliar place?
We have some organized sewists out there who are already well into their DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER projects. Check out LAGRANCOSTANZA and KLOONPATRONE on WordPress.
Or on Instagram we have:
Way to go ladies! If you would like to join in, here is my DESIGNIN’ DECEMBER post! We’d be happy to have you join the fun!
Happy Sewing!