Friday, June 1, 2012

Suggestions?....a (very) brief update, and Aurifil!

I've shared before that my machine sits on an old Singer treadle that belonged to my grandmother.  For piecing, it's great as a sewing table because not much work space is needed and there is very little fabric weight needing to be supported.


When it comes to sewing together larger sections or rows it becomes a bit more of a problem.  Yesterday I put a T.V. tray beside on the left and it helped a lot, plus I can move to my dining table in those cases (which I need to do for machine quilting anyways), however....


....the Singer has this awesome folding extension table that I so far haven't figured out how to make use of because there's obviously a big hole where my Baby Lock would need to sit!  Can anyone help me think of something thin, but very strong that I could place over that section that would be able to support my machine for times that I want to use the extension??

In other news, the Frankie top is finished!  


And finally, for you Aurifil lovers out there who purchase online, I recently heard about Pumpkinvine Corner via Katie's Quilting Corner podcast (which I recommend!).  Pumpkinvine Corner sells the 220yd spools for $3.69, the 1422yd spools for $8.79, and the huge cones (6452yds!!!!!!!) for $33.99.  Anyone know if the  huge cones can be used on a regular ole sewing machine?

Happy weekend everyone!

12 comments:

Toni said...

Frankie is fabulous, Heather! Not sure about how to cover up that hole...Masonite? I'm not really sure if that is the name for what I'm thinking of. I'll try to figure it out...

Teje Karjalainen said...

Hi! Your quilt is going to be beautiful! What a lovely collection of fabrics - flowers are so great! To cover the hole, I could find something from my hb's workshop, but I'm not sure if I found correct english word 'plywood' (?). There are several kind of those and they can be thin and strong. You could even paint it if you like to have same colour with the table. x Teje

Jenelle said...

That quilt is going to be gorgeous! For your table, maybe try a piece of plexi glass (you can buy it in the drafting section of an art store). When I was building architectural models, I would just cut and score it multiple times along the same line with a craft knife until I could break it cleanly. Just make sure to put some little felt square on each of the corners underneath to make sure it doesn't scratch your table. If you can't find plexi, thicker chip board (think really compressed cardboard, also in the drafting section) would work great and is actually easier to cut. Good luck and thanks for the tip on the Aurifil!

CitricSugar said...

I was also going to suggest plexi glass. But wrap the edges with duct tape or something so it doesn't snag your fabric. Good luck!

Frankie looks great.

Suz J said...

I'd do a two layer thing with the hole - find something that will build up the thickness of the right hand side of the table to cover the hole, and make it the same height as the LH side of the table - then using the ideas above, get a sheet of plexiglass (or something along those lines) to cover the entire table. That way all those odd little raised bits will be covered, and you have a nice, flat,smooth surface. Perfect for FMQ. I'd probably keep the table set up like that permanently - it's such a nuisance to always have to alter your sewing space.

Debbie said...

I sew on a very similar old Singer sewing cabinet. We've talked about getting a piece of plywood to cover the entire (open) service, but just haven't done it yet...Your new quilt top looks great btw. oh and my machine came with an attachment to accommodate those big spools...maybe there's one available for yours too...

Cathy said...

You can also buy a holder for cones that will just sand on the table. I used one for years with my old machine.

Kelli said...

I used to sew on a cabinet like that before my husband built all new cabinets for my sewing room. I would also suggest plexiglass or a thin sheet of MDF or masonite. The top looks great!

Alli said...

Well poo, people have already mentioned my two suggestions (plexiglass and a thread cone holder), but I still wanted to stop by and say your grandmother's sewing table is beautiful and I'm super jealous! :)

LuLu said...

Hey Heather,
You could take some template plastic and trace the hole. Then have plexiglass cut to a perfect fit. That's probably what I would do in your shoes. It's a gorgeous table and you are so lucky to have it! Loving your Frankie quilt by the way! Can't wait to see it quilted :-)

Jess @ Elven Garden Quilts said...

Oh your Frankie looks fab! Would thin MDF board work?

Kelsey said...

I have the same set-up/problem! I just found a piece of pressed wood/plywood or something in the basement, cut it to fit over the hole completely front to back and gave it a coat of paint. It's not pretty but it works perfectly!