My Janome 6600P has died.

I was innocently sewing along and my Janome 6600P started squeaking (high pitched) and then the warning sign came on and she froze up.
I opened her up and could not see what was wrong. The handwheel could barely move. I clean the bobbin area every two bobbins. I am OCD that way.
The quilt I was working on needed to be done ASAP.
So I got my Singer XL1000 embroidery machine out and finished the quilt.
Not fun as the features I love on the Janome do not exist on the Singer.

Today I took her to the dealer for an exam and hopefully a repair that will not cost an arm and a leg. It will be 10 days before I hear from them. Bummer. And I was bowled over with sticker shock on the new Janome 8900.

So...I set up my 1932 Featherweight (her name is Sissy). She fits in the cabinet almost perfectly. And I can maintain a good 1/4" seam width with her.
I oiled and greased her and she is purring away.

Lucky "helping" me quilt on the Singer XL1000.

We are all in love with those thread doilies. I whipped up one for me in less than an hour. Easy peasy. My first love has always been crochet.

Unfortunately Lucky Lucy has found the design wall. Not good...not good!
These leftover "wrong" blocks from my Dancing 9-patch fit this panel perfectly. So I have a bonus quilt that will go to GGS's brother in October.

Hubby likes this design. I am not sure. I want it to be much bigger as I have made 82 blocks and this is only 36 of them.

I like the Straight Furrows set. Much easier to make bigger...

Evidence that the older kitties are accepting Lucky Lucy. This is Bess. I do not know who was there first. I guess it does not matter.
XOXOXOXO Subee

Easy Street Clue#4 completed

Warning: lots of photos in this post!!!
See Bonnie Hunter's Linky post here: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

I am doing Easy Street in two colorways. But those Flying Geese units were just so cute I made them in five colorways.
I know. I am just a little bit obsessive.

I cannot decide which way is the one I prefer. And I had to stop myself or I would have made more in different colorways.

But then I had a plan....more below.

Here is Sissy. I pieced most of the actual colorway on her. She sews so well. But the chair in this room just kills my back. And my big sewing chair is too big for this room. It barely goes through the doorway.

Love this little sidewinder.  I use her all the time when sewing with Sissy or at retreats. Well...she is packed in the truck if I need her. But I usually have many bobbins already wound ahead of time.

Found...my lost container of thread. When I moved the sewing table in here I found this container underneath!!! Was not doing me any good not being used!!!

Here is my plan: I am going to make lots of Flying Geese, HST, Birds in the Air and/or more and keep them in these drawers. As I cut for a quilt I will feed these drawers. WHOOHOOOT! I am going to get so much more done!!

I tried and really liked the Grace Tru-cut blade sharpener. But there was just a tiny little container of oil. DH found this for me at a Hardware store. I am pretty sure it is what I need...any advice??

I bought and received one of those really big seam rippers from the seller on Etsy. Later in the evening he was sold out! Like that was a surprise with Our Bonnie tooting his horn! Mine is wood...beautifully turned.
I really do not need this items.  And it sure was not inexpensive. The leather sheath smells so good!!!
I am thinking of having a giveaway to celebrate the end of Easy Street.
Would any of you enter a give away for this item???

While waiting on the next clue I was making some pink string blocks(32). Then I made 24 more neutral string blocks. I have no idea what these will be used in. I just love making string blocks. These are 6 1/2" unfinished.

I did throw away the pile of trimmings. The food chain needs to end somewhere.

I really spread out when making string blocks. What you cannot see is the HUGE container of strings on the floor.  I keep them sorted by color now.

And another find. As I was searching for a box to ship out two cat beds I came across these blocks made eons ago. Michael Miller fabric. Each star is made from a different fabric. There are twenty-four 12 1/2" blocks....they just need a bit of sashing to be called a quilt top.

And a token kitty picture. This is my Pearl. Whole name is Pearly Piwacket.
XOXOXOXO Subee

Waiting on Easy Street's Clue#2

Here is a block I drafted in EQ7. I was able to use the drawing feature to add pieced units where solid squares were shown in the original block library. This sweet little block measures 6 1/2" unfinished size. I also drafted it in an 8 1/2" size to use some more units I have hanging around.
Too cool!!!

In my new/old sewing area I have "Sissy" my featherweight set up for piecing. She powered through a test sew of my new L&E project.
I have a mini design wall right next to the machine. (18"X 20")
It is a leftover piece of the big design wall in the living room. It fits under a shelf between two brackets. In fact it just is wedged between them..no nailing needed. And I have a cut out for the light switch. HA! And the batting is just taped on the piece of foam core board. This has been here for years. But I also have not sewn in here for years. Turning that sewing desk 45 degrees seemed to open up the area more though I need to be careful when I stand up. I sure do not want to hit my head on the shelving.
Things are not as spacious as in the living room. But this room is quite warm and cozy. Everything is so handy. Sissy seems to like it!!!

And last night was a sleepless night for some reason. So I opened up a container of waste triangles and trimmed them up to 2" unfinished. Sliver trimming is a pain but oh so necessary to get your units all the same size. These came from double sewing 2 1/2" squares to another unit. And I do not even remember what these units came from. And I have possibly 10 more containers full to the brim with these waste triangles. I figure this is a good restless night activity. I went to bed around 3:30 a.m. And the whole container is now trimmed.

I watched Our Bonnie Hunter on Quiltcam last night. MaggieMae was watching
Bonnie too. But when I snapped the picture she had moved. I will wait and try to get a better photo tomorrow night.
I made another pair of fingerless gloves while Bonnie sewed and talked to us. When I gave my grand daughters and daughters their gloves on Thanksgiving they were a bit hit. WHOOHOO! I hit the target with these little beauties.

Today I pieced, from a panel, a small lap quilt for DD #2 for Christmas. Got it all pinned up, quilted, labeled and bound. Ready for gift giving!!!!

XOXOXO Subee

Featherweight is up and running.

Our Bonnie Hunter has always some really clever ideas when it comes to setting up the sewing areas or using different sewing tools with different machines. It pays to really listen to her and apply her tips to your own sewing space.

This is Sissy. She was born in 1932. She has the scroll face and sews so beautifully.
I turned my sewing desk (back in the cutting room) 45 degrees so I could watch the TV without turning my head. OK...I like the set up.
And since I had removed the Janome 3160 QDC during the move, I thought I would give Bonnie's idea of putting a Featherweight on an old phone book and use the acrylic table that came with the Janome 6500. I had been using it with the 3160 and it was a bit too wide but the level was perfect. After I tore a few dozen pages from the phone book, Sissy fit right in the opening!!!

So I sewed on her for a bit. What a sweet sound these machines have. And such a nice perfect stitch.

No fiddling around with buttons...just sews a really good straight stitch.
Do not get me wrong...I do like the 3160 QDC. I bought it because it only weighs 12 lbs...has thread cutter...needle up/down...needle threader...all the features of the bigger Janome machines except the knee lever. (which I LOVE) Yet sewing on the QDC is not as pleasurable as sewing on the 6600P.
Right now the 6600P is set up for machine quilting.  The 6500P is on a quilting frame in the third bedroom.
And it seems so nice and cozy warm back in my little cutting room.
I am going to go sew a few more units for a quilt I designed the other night. I really like EQ7. It is the most user friendly of all the EQ software I have used.
XOXOXOXO Subee

My new Featherweight, Sissy

She sews like a dream. Man is she ever fast. I have yet to find the sweet spot in the pedal to have a little more control. It is either nothing or pedal to the metal. I am sewing barefoot. (with my big toe) Any suggestions?
For being over 70 years old she is a great stitcher. These machines are so easy to operate!
This is at the start of my sewing session. Yes, my sewing area is always neat. My house may be falling to pieces around me but my sewing area is in order!
Don't you think that the Art Deco Scroll Face is classy? I bought the DVD from the Featherweight guru, David. I oiled her and we sewed and sewed!!!! I am in love. I hope my Janome 6600P does not get too jealous!