Hello from Western Mountain Maryland !! :-D

Welcome aboard

welcome from se TX

Welcome from Oregon. You might be interested to know that those "one stitch" machines are in high demand now. I hope you didn't give yours away.

Hello and welcome from Pennsylvania :)

I also live in Nevada (northwest) so maybe all of us here can get together

Sandy

Hello and welcome from northern California! You will enjoy it here, lots of help and friendly people!

Welcome to QB from PA. You are definitely in the right place!

Welcome from SoCal!

Hello and welcome from Florida!

Hi and welcome to the board from NE Ohio, glad to have you join us.

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!!!

Hi Rose! Silverado Ranch is just down the road from me. I live over by The District, just off S. Green Valley Parkway. I would be happy to "PM" you, if you would tell me what "PM" means! I'd love to get together. I believe there are a number of people in this area who are on this blog. It would be fun to get to know each other.

I didn't know my first "straight stitch" was now considered "vintage", but that makes sense since my nieces and nephews consider me to be vintage! I'd almost like it back (it was a very sturdy Singer) but it didn't do buttonholes. Anyway, one of my nieces has it now, and it's still going strong, and she's still using it. It's many decades old, but they sure knew how to build them back then. I'm having fun with my new stitches. Still don't know what I'm going to do with them all, but it will be fun trying them out.

Thanks for writing! MacThayer

Hello Mac & welcome to the board. crafty_linda_b sittin' & quiltin' on the Cal-Ore border

Hi Lynn! Thanks for writing! I haven't checked out Quiltique yet, but it's on my 'hit list'. I even have the printed out directions and map. So many things to do, so little time! I will be sure to get there, especially after your ringing endorsement!

I wish I did still have my one stitch. It's now decades old, and while it's been cleaned and oiled from time to time, it has only been repaired once. I did that. I remember the bill too. It cost me a whole $16. But then, I'm dating myself, aren't I? That's back when gas was 39 cents a gallon, and I thought $16 was outrageous! But it hasn't been in the shop since, except for routine maintenance. When I started working full time and going to school evenings, I pretty much stopped sewing, along with just about everything else except eating and sleeping. My older sister asked if she could have my one stitch machine for her daughter to learn on. Jill still has that machine (a sturdy Singer), is still using it regularly, makes and repairs most of her own and her kids clothes, and because she's divorced now, considers it a godsend because it saves her so much money. So I would never ask for it back. She wouldn't give it to me anyway! It's been her's since she was 9!

I was absolutely gobsmacked when I walked into the sewing machine store and saw all of the new machines with all of the stitches. I had no idea it had come to this, honestly. A computerized sewing machine? It never occurred to me. I was going to go for a machine with far fewer stitches, but my husband is a computer techie, and he was with me, and was absolutely enthralled with the fancy machines. He kept pushing me toward the fancier machines. That's how I ended up with one with so many stitches. He kept saying: "If you don't get one now, you'll start sewing and wish you had more variety in your stitches." He's probably right, I don't know. Am just getting started "playing" with the stitches. It sure is fun!

Oh, just as a PS, it came with a very thick manual that covers everything, including every stitch in detail, and how you can change that stitch by changing width or length of stitch. It's really wonderful, and almost a sewing manual in itself. You're absolutely right: it's invaluable. I don't know what I'd do without it. Right now I'm just getting comfortable with what the stitches can do, and trying out adjusting the upper and lower tension when switching fabrics. (I went to Goodwill and loaded up on a pile of clothes, towels, sheets, etc. of varying kinds of fabric -- spent $20 on this big pile -- and I can practice all I want on this fabric and not care when I throw it away. On the other hand, I could make a quilt out of stuff from Goodwill if I spent more time and care looking through things, I'm sure of it.)

Hi Vicki, Would love to meet and share tales. As of yet, I don't have anything to "show". I've just finally got my sewing machine set up, and have been playing with the stitches. The manual tells me how to alter each stitch, if possible, through changing the width and/or length of the stitch. So I'm slowly working my way through the stitches, trying to get used to them and what they look like, and think about what they may be useful for. I went to Goodwill and bought a huge pile of clothing, towels, mismatched sheets, curtains --- all for $20. I am trying out each stitch on several different fabrics, seeing if I have to alter the upper or lower tension when I switch fabrics. and seeing how the stitch looks and acts on the fabric. I'd like to make all of my mistakes on fabric that I can throw away with a clear conscience! So I guess you could say I'm picking my way through. Of course, I'm reading everything I can about quilting and sewing, collecting some good books, slowly building up my stock of notions so I'm have what I need to work with, and even buying some fabrics for when it's time to do something serious. But I need to get used to this new machine first, and since I've only been really working on it for just over a week now, I'm not really comfortable with it yet. I'm so looking forward to getting back to the kind of sewing I did as a teenager and into my 20's. I made quilts, almost all of my own clothes, and I used to sell formal dresses for proms, balls and weddings (but not wedding dresses). That's how I made extra money in college. And all I had then was a vintage one stitch!

I'm probably boring you by now! I do tend to get carried away when talking about sewing/quilting. Let's do meet. I have to go out of town next week, so perhaps when I get back, so say early August?

I didn't know one stitch machines were in high demand! I knew people were interested in them again. Yes, I did give my away. When I became busy working full time and going to school, pretty much everything else in my life fell by the wayside, including sewing. My older sister asked if she could have the sewing machine (which had been our mother's, who had passed away). She wanted it for her 9-year-old daughter who was dying to learn to sew. So I gave it to her, or rather to Jill, the 9-year-old. I'm happy to report that Jill still has it, is using it frequently, and in fact as a divorced Mom of two, is making most of her own clothes as well as the clothes of her two kids, plus other things, and she still loves the machine. I can hardly ask for it back at this point in time! But if she ever wanted to get rid of it. . .

Hi Sandy. I think that's a great idea! Count me in!
Sherrill

Welcome, from your neighbor in AZ! :)

Welcome from Florida :D

Welcome from Stagecoach, NV We are just outside Carson City about 28 miles east in a tiny town.

Hi from Ms.

Hi & welcome from Las Vegas...I have a 2 day class at Quiltique in August

Hello and welcome from Myakka City Fl.

Welcome from Minnesota and happy quilting :)

Thanks for the warm welcome! Love your Avatar. Did you make that? It's gorgeous!

Getting together with everyone from the Vegas area sounds great and the Cheesecake factory sounds great.I will try to post this on the general chat section so everyone can see it and see if we can set something up in August to meet for lunch.I am still trying to learn how to post on this board

Sandy

Thanks so much Sandy! That would be great. I'm looking forward to it. You have absolute control of my schedule on those days you mentioned.

Sherrill (MacThayer)

Hi Rose,
Did you notice the message that a bunch of area quilters are getting together for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory on August 23rd at 1:00 PM? This is for anyone from the area. Would you be interested? I just got back from a class reunion and am just getting my act back together here at home.

Sherrill (MacThayer)

Hi Vicki,

Did you hear about the luncheon for quilters from our area? It's at the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant in the District on Tuesday, August 23rd at 1:00 PM. Looks like about 10 people coming already. Should be a blast! I'd love to meet you there. Let me know. I can let the person who's setting it up add you on. The more the merrier!

Sherrill

Welcome from North Carolina!

Welcome to the board!
You'll love it here!