Friday, June 5, 2009

Genie, the Singer (sewing machine)

10 yards of Poly-cotton white fabric, 8 yards of red gingham fabric, 4 spools of white thread and 3 days of sewing ... I'm just about done with Linda's kitchen curtains! I just have to make a door panel and should be able to finish that up tomorrow.
Thanks to my Genie sewing machine ... I couldn't have done it without her!

This is my sewing machine. She's pretty old. I bought this sewing machine right after I graduated from high school. It's just a basic machine and it's really all I need. I do have a really nice machine with bells and whistles that I inherited from my husband's aunt Ethel, but I prefer the simpleness of this one.
It's portable, so I can use it anywhere. I usually set it up on the dining room table when there's a big job to be done, like Linda's curtains, but otherwise it's upstairs in the spare bedroom/sewing room.

It has never let me down. I know how it sounds when it's running properly and the slightest variance in sound tells me that my genie is not happy and needs attention ..whether it be that the tension isn't right or the needle isn't sharp or it's threaded wrong, I can always find the cause of the problem almost right away.
Anyway, lots of time and work went into making the curtains, and I don't ever want to look at red gingham ruffles ever again, but they did turn out nice.
I'll take some "after" pictures once they are all hung.
Because of all the sewing I had to do, I babysat the kid in the afternoons at our house instead of his.
Rachel set up a "tent" for him in the play corner of our living room. In this picture, he's in his tent for a picnic of peaches and cream oatmeal and apple juice. The kid loves oatmeal and requests it every time he visits.

So I'd stop sewing for a while, play a bit with him and then go back to sewing while he played. He was so good and understanding about my sewing and sometimes patiently waited at the dining room table, keeping me company, until I was able to take a break to get back to playing with him again.
He's talking well now and always chattering about something or other so it was really a pleasant few afternoons, working while also enjoying the grandson.

I'll finish up the last door curtain panel tomorrow and probably start back with wool on Sunday.
I have a fruit candle mat that I will be starting on once I get a cherry pincushion made.
Happy weekend everyone!

4 comments:

Lisa said...

You are such a sweetie! I won't show mom your machine she will be jelious. Her's died awhile ago and hasn't had a good one since!
Hugs,Lisa

Tolentreasures said...

Love your sewing machine. I had one similar to that for years and it finally died. I have a Brother now and I like it but I go back to my OLD brown Singer for heavy stuff. I found it at a yard sale last year for $20 and it is like the one that I learned on and I love it. My grandchildren love tents, we are always making them in different places! I am having the boys all day tomorrow, have to find lots to keep them busy!

Cathy

Colleen said...

I love your sewing machine!!! If I had the room I would collect old sewing machines. I have 4 and they range from 1940's to now. The one I use the most is my basic no fuss machine.

appleberrycottage said...

Sometimes the old sewing machine work best! Many are made with metal parts instead of plastic. I have an old Bernette that I bought after college. I haven't needed to do anything but change needles.
Laura