This is the guy that killed her.

This guy. This is the sewing machine murderer.

Monogram pouches with a little bat frame.
Only the 'M' is currently listed for sale, but there are more letters available.

I actually made a little batch of them. Whenever I sew I try to do a bunch at once because I always loose my zeal for it halfway through and then don't want to sew again for months.

These are the letters that made it through to pouch form ('B' got screwed up and 'A' was somehow lost...) I will be posting them in the shop in a lazy and haphazard manner in the next day or so. I have to fight with every photo in Photoshop to try and make the black on black details show without washing out the blackness. Its *challenging.* Things always look fine on my screen then I upload to Etsy and it looks like crap.

I think I will try some more monogram items this weekend. I totally love how it looks. Expect some sort of monogram bookmark (yes!) or pin set (hmmm.) I will have to test drive a few designs.

What letters should I do?

She was only 39...

A horrible tragedy!

I mourn.

My hand-me-down sewing machine (from Grandma) might have just bit the big one. My 1970 Singer Touch and Sew 758 gave Gran years of service, and then got trucked down to Toronto with me a few years ago, along with its custom sewing table. For some reason I thought it was just immortal, and would go on working forever and ever...

Here it is in its skeleton making glory. *snifff*

I took it all apart and found that some gears have broken their teeth, and things are just wearing down. I use it to chug through serious fabric, thick felts and velvets and canvas, and hardly ever clean it, so I shouldn't be surprised. Plus Grandma sewed for a family of one billion. I bet if this machine had a notch for every pair of hemmed jeans it would blow your mind.

And it died exactly in the middle of me making a ton of new pouches. Argh! I almost went and got a garbage bag and just threw everything away. I was that annoyed.

So its back to my new sewing machine. I mean, its ok. I guess.

But its plastic, lightweight, small, has a foot pedal instead of knee pedal, a short ass cord, it jams and tangles, and its loud. I just really loved the solid heavy old machine that would sew through anything (including my entire finger!)

So I am grumpy. I should never have praised my grannie-machine on Twitter. I cursed myself!

I am going to see if the old one can be fixed, but gear replacement from a vintage machine shop is at least $70. I can get a whole new (1970) Touch and Sew on Ebay for $80. Will mull it over. Its not so much the money as the "this machine is ancient and must pass away" that is making me grouch.

That is the end of my complaining blog. Go about your business...

Bats! Work in progress.

Bats! Work in progress.
Originally uploaded by blacklilypie

I am currently working on sewing up a big batch of Stuffy Bats! I often take forever to finish my stuffed dudes. Sometimes they sit in this half finished state for a long time...We shall see if that happens.

Two of my three ceiling lights burned out and I have 10 foot ceilings (or something) and I can't reach them myself! It is dark like a bats cave in here! Maybe this will get me in the mood to sew little fangs onto these guys.

Big Project!

OhmygodIforgottoupdatemyblog!

Ok, not "forgot" so much as "was super busy." October is so full for me, both with things I control and things I don't.

The BIG project I hinted at is safe to show now. Its a quilt! I made this for two really good friends that got married. They have been together for like 9 years so its not like they need toasters and muffin tins. I thought something more traditional would be better for them as a keepsake. And the bride's favorite colour is orange... Its a pretty relaxed pattern with black and white prints. I hand tied all those teeny ties, which I think makes it look more traditional, and makes it warmer. I really like the backs of quilts. I really am winging it making this thing, I sew with only basic knowledge and luck. But the backs of quilts just "happen" and its so neat! I also added their names and the date of their wedding. They are a Halloweeny couple, so orange and black is just too perfect. :-)

It was a lot of work, mostly because it takes up so much space. But not difficult work, just A LOT! I told them they can never get married again , as I am only making baby sized ones from now on.

Now I have two weeks of feverish work before Halloween comes (yayayayaa!) and then November which is my "sell everything you got" month. I am like a big rolling snowball, if everyone stays out of my way no one will get hurt!

*coming soon to the shop*
-wool felted baby bats
-wool felted cats
-printed scarves
-mounted prints
-stockings

*phew*