August 27 2020
Started this today. Weather cooled. So I decided to take the 3 sweaters I have had hanging off the backs of chairs as draft prevention and cut them up. The 3 sweaters are washed and shrunk worn out and can no longer be worn. So I plan on cutting each into 5 inch squares. Laying out a design and machine sewing them together. We will see. First one was so linty I had to go outside and then my hand gave out from cutting and I attracted wasps! Photos later
5 inch square on top there
I have to remind myself that this project does not get done overnight. Take my time.ha ha.
Squares cut up completed for the "fancy" sweater oh my was that linty- had to do it out on the deck.smaller squares will be used as accents on plain squares.
Finished cutting up the red sweater December 30 2020
January 1 2021
finally finished cutting out the squares from the three sweaters.
July 22 2021
Weather cooled and I finally got around to clearing off harvest table and arranging the sweater pieces into a pattern. I have some leftover. Next is to sew them together using the machine.
September 23 2021
Adventures in Small appliance repairs today. LOOOONG
Working on this project with sewing machine I kind of thought I was "pushing it" with the thickness of the wool pieces. Some were flat some were nubby. That should be a clue. Stitching merrily along all of a sudden the slide plate that covers the bobbin tray loosens and will not stay down. Get that graphite grease everywhere. ugh I google every imaginable description with no results. Then just youtube search "slide plate" and up comes a video of a guy repairing and demonstration a vintage machine etc. I listen to him then realize I need to use a screw driver to lift a clip under there and then the sides will catch in a rim. Okay.
Back to stitching merrily along and a loud "clank" noise. uh oh did the needle break? no. I take it apart and try to move things manually and it seems to hit metal occasionally. I groan and figure the timing is off. Seriously I do not want to get that involved but I will check youtube and see if it is an easy fix. Then it appears to work again and 3 seconds later the CLANK again and the needle breaks. I needed a break anyhow to fix supper. So while that was cooking I was checking out a new machine at JoAnn's a heavy duty one. I will be doing more fat wool work and I work on denim and hate the denim presser foot I have. So....
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thinking of getting new machine Singer heavy duty 4411. with a walking foot I hope I remember that detail
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well machine did malfunction got new machine and it won't sew in that so far so. but had sewn together some and then found they were in the wrong order- had to rip stitches, This is what the new layout looks like
Had to re pin. I am now halfway through sewing together the 5th row with 5 more rows to go! Seems like forever but I can only do one row a day. If that
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started out sewing with yarn and that was too tough to pull through- switched to sewing with old bobbin thread on old bobbins!
re-threading the needle at least 6 times each row is a bummer!
LOL
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November 1 2021
Still needs some details but the squares are sewn together
close up of hand stitching of the squares. I changed stitches according to how easy it was to handle.
