Mobile Phone Cosy

I made this for my daughter a year ago using odd shaped scraps.  No sophisticated mitred corners here, the black binding was too thick and awkward.  It was a quick botch job, but it has held in one piece.  Don't look too closely - it could do with a wash.

Most important - the phone has been kept protected from knocks and scratches.

Brighton Pavilion on pink.  Very snazzy, very 60s.

The Twelfth Day of Christmas

   The Three Kings have arrived!

French Seams

Work has started on the little dresses, using the turquoise batik that Sew Scrumptious Louise brought round here. 

With my machines there is no such thing as zigzagging or overlocking, so seams are made the old fashioned way.  French seams take a lot of hard wear and washing and are ideal for children's clothing.

Here is the latest video, showing how to make a French seam quickly and easily with the help of the seam guide.

And for the sharp eyed, you can just see what is stamped on the slide plate, the date of the patent for Singer's vibrating shuttle machine - 1886.

Vintage Appliqué Tray Cloth

This beautiful little tray cloth has hand stitched appliqué on a tiny scale.  The pink flower measures just a fraction under two inches across.

There are about six miniscule blanket stitches to every quarter of an inch.

Browsing through my May 1937 copy of The Needlewoman, I found this interesting advert on page 3, under the rather racy picture of Mrs. Simpson.  Patterns were 2d at your local needlework shop, or send 3d in stamps and have them sent direct by Wm. Briggs and Co. of Manchester.

What I found particularly interesting is that they supplied the pattern "With the coloured organdie pieces already attached."

Somehow I think the lady who stitched the gorgeous little green tray cloth was skilled enough to cut her own pieces.  The stitches for the hems around the cloth are equally tiny.

The Treadler's-Eye View

When treadling, you spend 99.99 percent of the time looking straight ahead and concentrating on the stitching.  However, for the occasional split second you need to cast a quick glance at the wheel.  When pausing or starting you need to make sure the wheel never turns in the wrong direction.  You can't always guarantee you can get your right hand to the wheel quick enough, so looking out of the corner of your eye is essential.

Keeping your feet dead still when not stitching is pretty important too.  It's all on the video!

Serata Decals - Assyrian King

This intriguing figure is on the bed of the Serata Treadle.  

He also appears on the front and back of the machine.

When I posted pictures of this machine on the Quilting Board forum I asked for suggestions as to who it might be.  The best answer was Hammurabi.  After that I spent ages looking through pictures on the internet of Assyrian kings.  I ended up deciding that it was Sargon II.  It's as good a guess as any.  Whoever he is he must be very wise, sitting on that owl.

I emailed the Stoewer Museum to see if they knew.  Unfortunately they didn't, but I did find out that this decal doesn't crop up much in Germany, so it seems that they may have put this design on machines intended for export.

The Egyptian sphinxes were a very popular design, appearing on Singer and Frister and Rossmann machines, and are very sought after today, but I prefer the Assyrian style on this machine.

Update 30th April 2013 - I was delighted today to receive a comment from Assyria, who has identified the king as Ashurnasirpal II .  Although both relief portraits are highly stylised, the king on the machine bears more similarities to Ashurnasirpal II than he does to Sargon II.  I knew that someone, somewhere, would recognise the king, but it came as a great surprise to receive the message today.  Thank you Assyria!

A Hundred Years Old This Year

A beautiful treadle, manufactured in 1913 by Bernhard Stoewer in Stettin, Germany (now Szczecin, Poland).

It has a lovely dainty look about it.

Even with the cover on it looks pretty.

When I bought it I emailed the Stoewer Museum and they confirmed that the serial number dated the machine to 1913.

But of course, I don't love it just because it's a delight to look at, but also because it runs like a train.

A big welcome to Meg, the first new follower for the New Year!