All in all - 2015 was a lot better than 2014 - no major catastrophes but I was informed a month or so ago that I hadn't closed the loop on a project I'd been working on and that made me realize that it's a bit of a habit.
I figured, rather than necromancer a ton of threads, I'd just make a progress report.
So here we go:
The link I couldn't remember to Singer's furniture operations info:
http://www.core77.com/posts/22760/So...achine-Company - written by Rain. Thanks to Sandy for the personal email to remind me of where I'd read it.
Wood bases take 2: We were talking about making wood bases (I think it was this year?). I don't recall the thread in particular at the moment. This month, I spent some time working on bases for 4 machines that have no bases of their own. I'm sneaking up on the original Singer design. This has been the beginning of an attempt to develop my very rudimentary wood working skills to eventually be able to build the cabinet 68 reproduction from B and D Design - the plans of which DH got me for my birthday this year. I can post the measurements I've been using for the boxes if anyone else wants to try this too. The spartan box needed an adjustment that I did after this photo. Fir is not going to be my first choice going forward though - too much tear out and finicky issues with staining. I will be making at least one more, closer still to the original dimensions and I still have to wax these ones.
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http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...m-t263474.html
"Project Wee One" - In the end, we've decided to have her repainted - she has drip lines and she was not properly prepped. I had a guy I wanted to do it last year but DH had a contact at the dealership he works for. The guy I'd originally wanted to do it has said he'd do the paint job if I remove the existing paint. I decided this after I realised that the paint was far too soft and marking just by handling it and he confirmed that the clear was mixed wrong and wouldn't harden much more than this. It wouldn't be suitable for sewing on. This one is a "to be continued".
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...k-t266573.html
This featherweight became a parts machine and has resurrected 2 machines so far. I swear that screw was cemented in. Short of completely destroying the set screw and re-tapping, it wasn't going to come out.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...r-t256799.html - Oops! A 2014 project!
Some of you might remember me trying to recreate this:
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This was what I finally came up with:
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It's a piece of stair railing, some wood insert nuts, a set screw and a piece of threaded rod. It performs the same function on Lucey as it does on a vintage machine, only in reverse.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...i-t260246.html
This beautiful Gritzner is teasing me.
I have the tiniest bit of movement out of her - the needle bar and shuttle both wiggle a tiny bit when I play with the handwheel but it's still stuck solid. The bolt that I could take the handwheel off with is beyond seized and I'm starting to think it may only be a show piece. Because there are no decals already, I'm so tempted to dunk it into a 5gal tub of evaporust. I'm resisting so far.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...y-t258699.html
The 201 hand crank - Finished. We had a setback when I put the tub of BriWax on the bed weeks after it was supposedly dry. Some light sanding and a few more coats later, it's fully functioning and the circle is mostly gone. It's the second from the left in the photo above. Based on that photo, it needs another coat of wax apparently.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage-antique-machine-enthusiasts-f22/cracked-japanning-can-anything-done-t272894.html
My 15 with the RAF decals - It cleaned up well and I'm learning not to see the cracks. I think the shellac re-flowed a little because it seems that since the cleanup (using a couple of go arounds of Glenn's linseed oil and alcohol prep) that the cracks are slightly less noticeable. That's it - the second machine from the right in the photo above.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...h-t272507.html
This is on hold pending my discovery of a machine or that I even do applique on my embroidery machine. I opted against the Pfaff I posted about there and managed to resist all of the sales for Black Friday and Boxing Day (so far). I keep reminding myself that a blanket stitch is only one way of doing applique and I must prove that I like to do applique to begin with.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/general...w-t271572.html
This one was outside of the vintage area and I can't really elaborate on it much because it will likely get the thread deleted. All I will say is that it's vintage machine related and if all goes well, there will be an announcement on Friday on FB and my site about why I wanted to know.
And finally:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...B-t271265.html
I have 2 interim bags that I made. One for each of my currently assembled featherweights. I found that with the seams I made on the first one, the dimensions were too narrow for the 222K case on the first bag, so I made a second for the 222k. The shorter pockets were an afterthought that lead to me ripping practically the whole bag apart. There's a removable stiff bottom (Pellon but I think I'm going to use coreplast from here on out. Cheaper and stiffer.) and the webbing is one piece with one seam all the way around. The fabric is also one piece - the only seams are the sides and where the corners are boxed. In theory - it should be impossible for this bag to come apart and release a machine without permission.
Left to do is bias binding for the inside seams and I'm contemplating a zippered flap top. The next bag will have some sort of embroidery on the pockets to personalize it. I'm loving the turquoise bag - it has a Pellon stiff interfacing in it and it's become my shopping bag. When I go out all of my purchases go in there to make it easier to bring everything in the house. If I run out of space - I guess I'm finished shopping for the day.
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Anyone else want to weigh in?