Meet the Alto

This is the Alto, a new design for a sewing machine, so it looks nice in the living room!
( I kid you not ). It has been shortlisted for this years Dyson Award.
I don't think I want to trade in my Bernina or Janome just yet, but it is interesting!

Watch this to see how it works, it has a few interesting features.

Finishes, Birthdays and More

I finished my blue/yellow 'Made in Cherry' quilt. If you came to our recent Quilt Show you may have seen me machine quilting it, and trying to explain what I was doing to non-quilters.
Working on the demo table is always a fun thing to do at the Quilt Show, it's really fun answering questions from interested people.
The most asked question was 'Is that design programmed in your sewing machine?' So then I had to explain about free-motion quilting. :-)

I didn't have any blue pegs Sonya, so I used yellow instead!

                
I'm happy with my quilting, it's nowhere near perfect by any means, but I feel like I getting better!

So now I'm going to start on my other Made in Cherry quilt. I pin basted it using this closing tool I bought from Carol Mahoney (merchant at our last club meeting). It really saved my fingers from getting scratched and sore.

In other news I bought some stickers to bling my Janome. 

Why don't sewing machines come in different colours like cars? Wouldn't that be fun when buying a new machine saying "I'll have that one, but in red please."

  

My youngest Brad turned 18 a couple of weeks ago, we talked him into coming with us (Mum & Dad) to Auckland for the weekend. Parents of teens will understand about him not being keen to go away with his Parents! But he actually enjoyed the trip :-) . Here he is in the Sky Tower.

The other birthday was the Sky Tower, it turned 15 on the weekend.
The last time we had been up the Sky Tower Brad was about seven years old, and he couldn't remember it at all, so I'm glad we went again.

Sky Tower Auckland, New Zealand

Here's some photos I took from the Sky Tower.

Rangitoto Island  in the distance. (it's a dormant volcano) 

Mount Eden another old volcano in the background

CBD as the lights are coming on.

The Auckland Habour Bridge (top right)

Antique & Vintage Sewing Machine Collection

I thought I would start this post with this eye catching blue toy/miniature sewing machine. Isn't she a beauty? Ok now I have your attention sit back and enjoy a few photos, with a little bit of info too.

We were very lucky to have local collector Bruce Sowry bring some of his sewing machine collection & speak at our club meeting last Saturday. I asked him if he could pick a couple of his favourites to hold while I took his photo. I really enjoyed listening to him speaking as he has a real passion for sewing machines and collecting. The stories of his finding bargains at garage sales, to chasing certain machines for years was very entertaining.

Some of Mr Sowry's collection, toy sewing machines in front.

The toy/miniature machines really appeal to me the most. The little machine in the centre is a Muller (made in Germany). Muller was the first company to ever make toy machines and this is one of their earliest models. So you could say it it the Mother of all these machines.

This machine still has the original box it came in.

There was an interesting story about this 'Bernina' apparently it was made in Nelson by a man who then sold them to shops so they could put there own brand name on them. Unfortunately the design was a copy of an Elna I think and as he hadn't asked permission to use the design, he had to stop selling them!

This machine is rare because it has been 'electrified' so that the toy could be sold as a portable sewing machine. Mr Sowry said that the instruction book was unusual as it was intact, and not covered in holes. He said it was very common to find books that have needle holes all around the edges, as children were rarely given fabric to sew with, so they sewed holes into the books instead!

Isn't this singer a beauty? I love it has its own seam guide and original box.

I love this fire engine red Vulcan.

This full size sewing machine had the most beautiful mother of pearl work. Mr Sowry said that this would have been a special order machine for a rich client. He estimated that when new a machine without this decoration would have been about 5 pounds, but with the decoration it would have been between 10 to 15 pounds! So that's a lot of extra money for the decoration.

Love the arch shape on this one.

This is one of Mr Sowry's favourites and probably the most valuable of his collection. He chased this sale for several years. The previous owner did not want to sell for many years, and then when she did, Mr Sowry's best offer was well below an Australian collectors. After being sure he had missed out, he was contacted by the lady's son who said his mother had decided she didn't want it leaving the country, so a deal was done!

Club members were asked to bring their oldest sewing machine for Mr Sowry to see. This little plastic toy was one of the machines bought along, the card says 'bought in New York, at least 65 years old'. Obviously it has been a treasured keepsake to still be here today.

Hope you enjoyed seeing some of the machines on display.

My Birthday Present!

Before I show you my Birthday present, have a look at this fabric. It's a fabric range designed by Michelle Marvig, and it's at the Fabric Barn. They are having a sale starting tomorrow, so I might have to pop back in and buy some! They have a lot of 100% cotton fabric in with the dressmaking fabrics too, like this Polynesian design below. So if you go, check them out. There are some that are 150cm wide so they would be good for backing. OK scroll down past the fabric to see my Present....

Here it is! Now I have to learn how to drive it! Hopefully it won't take too long. My husband picked it up for me today, but I've only had a little play as I had to take Youngest Son out driving. (I'm teaching him and we are still having a lot of bunny hops!) 

Children's Section - Quilt Show 2010

We had a Children's Section in the Quilt Show, to encourage the next generation of quilters. Any child that was related to a club member could enter. All the entries went into a lucky draw to win a sewing machine, and every child that entered received a gift of sewing supplies. 

 The lucky winner of the sewing machine was Kaitlyn. Nana, I think you can look forward to lots of sewing days with Kaitlyn! 

Here's all the entries, 

 

'Cat and the Flower' made by Kaitlyn 7 yrs. I am seven & did this stitchery. Nana sewed the binding for me. I had fun.

'B's' made by Emma 12 yrs, I love using sewing machines. Grandma helped with the hand sewing. Machine quilted by myself

'Maia's Quilt' made by Amie 14 yrs. Block of the month from Susan Claire. Made for my sister. Machine quilted by myself

'Jandels' made by Emma 12 yrs & Sarah 10 yrs. We made this based on a pattern but added some extras. Machine quilted

'Jessica's Quilt' made by Jess 10 yrs. Fabric from Calico Xmas. I got to use Mum's new machine to put them together. Mum helped with the borders and quilting. The lime green goes great with the purple paint on my bedroom walls.

'Kool Kats' made by Sarah 10 yrs- I don't like hand sewing so Grandma helped with that. I can now use a rotary cutter.

'Windmill's on the Water' made by Nick 13 yrs. I designed and made the top when I was 10. I quilted it on Mum's machine this year. Mum sewed on the binding.

'School Book Bag' made by Ella 10yrs. I chose the fabric, sewed the body of the bag & liner, & my name. Nana put it together.

 'My First Quilt' made by Sarah 10 yrs. My first quilt to learn how to machine sew. Grandma cut the fabric.

How your Sewing Machine Works!

Have you ever wondered about how your sewing machine works?

Click here and have a look at this animation it's magic!