The weather sure has been strange this month with several highs above average and even breaking a record at 86 on the 20th. Then this past weekend the temperature didn't get above freezing for a couple of days and had the fifth largest first snow with 7.5 inches at DIA.
This month Loraine, Dianne and Courtney sent reports and pictures.
Loraine
Our most newest member tells of her recent machine and what she has sewn with it.
Two quick photos show my recently acquired older Bernina 830 (multiple built-in stitches), and a project I’m using to get acquainted with the machine.
The machine came as you see it: case, cords, packing styrofoam, manual, several feet, and table extension. This setup weighs ~ 44.6 pounds. Not easily portable by me.
My project is small (~ 3”x6”) lavender sachets I use throughout my closets to repel wool-damaging moths. I include two samples of my raw material: lavender harvested from my backyard and lavender purchased from Natural Grocers. I kept the pattern of the sachets and the stitches very simple (straight stitch - for simplicity’s sake, super easy & quick on this machine) . The sachet is refillable (annually), can be linked together for long garments and, hopefully, won’t ‘leak’ lavender. I love wool products and work to protect them from moths. I have quite a few more sachets to make & will likely play with some stitches, and maybe feet, as I proceed.
The Adventure continues . . .
Best,
Loraine
When asked if she used quilting cotton, she responded.
Yes, I use quilting cotton, prepped as follows:
wash in hot water with good agitation and tumble dry on high heat, to wash out any ‘loose’ dye and to tighten the weave to reduce ‘leaking’, rather like cotton ticking.
I make a fold-over top closure so no extra effort is needed to attach closures of any kind; it’s faster and less finicky. Finally, I add a hanging cord of some kind, whatever I have left over from other projects or something thrifted for this kind of use.
Dianne
Dianne tells of a small hand crank machine that she has had for a while, but what she has recently used to make some blocks. She has also included some history of the machine.
Vesta ½ size handcrank #1046384
Late in September this machine was taken out, oiled, adjusted, and used to sew exchange blocks for TreadleOn. The blocks had freeform curves, so using a handcrank to perform them initially caused some concern, but proved to be no problem.
This Vesta was purchased on eBay in 2009 from Sparta, Wisconsin. It arrived with no damage, but was quite grimy. The gears had to be literally scraped to get them clean and turning easily. The stitch length slider was frozen. Transverse shuttle machines were new to me, so it took some fussing and fiddling to get this one sewing, but it does sew nicely once it is figured out!
The closest manual found in 2009 is from Relics, “Instructions for using the Straight Shuttle Lock-Stitch Sewing Machines” which fairly closely matches the Vesta. The machine uses a bobbin with a hole in one end cap, and winding bobbins seems to require and extra hand, but once started goes quickly. Oil holes are clearly marked. This machine uses the 12x1 needle, so those need to be preserved and only changed when absolutely necessary. My notes indicate that a replacement needle (MY1014B or 8) was tried, but did not work. If someone has gotten that needle to work, or has found a different needle to work in this model machine, please send a message about it.
The LOD company, or L. O. Dietrich, is a very old firm, founded in 1869 in Altenburg, Thuringia, Germany. The three founders, Leopold Oscar Dietrich, Winselmann, and Kohler, had worked together with Clemens Muller in his sewing machine factory. They left and started their own company, but shortly after Winselmann and Kohler moved on and each one started a company. Winselmann made the Titan machines, some of which are very similar to this Vesta. The machines made by these firms were very popular, highly regarded, and widely available. Even today they are frequently seen on eBay and similar venues. In 1945, the end of WWII saw most of the company’s assets taken away as part of war reparations, and what was left merged with other sewing machine companies.
My best guess, judging by the serial number, (#1046384) this machine is an early one which might date from about 1890 to 1900. A similar machine (#1632485) pictured on sewmuse is surmised to be from 1920-1930. The low Saxony-style wheel, which connects to the main drive shaft at the top rather than the middle, is an attractive feature. It is a lovely, light weight little machine, still capable of sewing nicely and fun to use.
to be continued...