Hushnel

I retired from Biomedical Engineering in June 2012, after thirty years at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami Florida. We purchased a 21.2 acre farm with an old Florida Cracker House originally built around 1868, and 1,600 square foot concrete block building, we turned into a workshop. I’ve been accused of being a craftsman. I started playing stringed instruments in 1962, been at it continuously. Had a few accidents over the years that interrupted my ability to play but managed to come out of them better than before. I could be called a little weak in risk management skills, I still ride the old Harley.

My interest in living history has influenced much of my life. I’ve learned the skills that would have been common a century or two ago. This led me into the black hole of fiber arts over 20 years ago and I started spinning, weaving, knitting, felting. I got into leather work early on, tooling, making bags, knife sheaths which got me into metal work, I started making knives and doing other iron work.

After I retired to the farm I discovered after 30 years of working and trouble shooting “state of the art” Life Support Equipment I was missing the mental challenge. I was looking through a flea market mall one day and saw this really abused sewing machine. It looked early 20th century and reminded me of a diesel locomotive. I purchase it from the vender, who I knew from a buddies band. I got the machine for $10.00. All I knew was that it was a Singer. Once I got it home I started working on it. It made me nostalgic for a time before I was born, almost sad, that we used to build stuff like this, art and function, designed to last forever. It was a Singer 301. It loved me so much it must of started sneaking it’s buddies in while I was out riding the Harley, maybe taking a nap. Now the list is too long, I’ve given away 3, 221s that I’ve come across, to my sisters and one to my wife, who for some strange reason decided to stay in Homestead Florida. I still keep my eyes open for the early singers including 301s, 400s are not so interesting and they go down from there. I actually like the vibrating shuttles and the transverse shuttle machines the best, you can’t beat that stitch. My oldest machine is a Wertheim Superba B from around the late 1860. Three great treadle machines are in my living tool, I have 2, 301s setting on top of these treadles and a 400, for when I need double needles or zigzag stitches. I have that first beat up 301 in a soft sided tool bag, ready to go.


I’ve been thinking of signing up for local quilting classes, though I’ve already done my first quilt project, I made it for my wife, who has said that there is no such thing as too big of a beach bag, so I made her a monster sized quilted beach bag out of sea shore themed fabric I found when riding the Harley down to Cedar Key. Quilting is huge here in North Central Florida, Even it’s history with the Underground Railroad is fascinating.