It's my birthday...yeah!

I'm one of those weirdo March people that get excited about their own birthday. Today is my 45th. I've spent quite a bit of time on the computer today poking around visiting blogs, there is so much creativity out there! I've also happily been doing laundry! I will post pictures later of the new W&D. Phil and I will be heading to my mom's for birthday dinner soon, then I have fabric to press and cut for various projects.

My birthday present is on its way, it is an antique New Home hand crank sewing machine. I can't wait for it to arrive!

My last week has been focused on work, I love my job! I really do!

Also, the plans for a gathering in memory of Esther have fallen into place. Somehow, I managed to secure our clubhouse for a weekend in May that works best for everyone. I will be co-hosting with my friends Tina and Karen. We have a call for 12-1/2" heart blocks for the quilt we are making Andrew and also will be making a memory book. We are all sad, but working together on these projects helps to ease the loss.

Life...and saying goodbye to Esther

Today included moments I wish I could erase from my life. I received word of the passing of my friend, Esther. Esther was one of my antique sewing machine collector friends who was just a riot to spend time with. A tribute to her memory can be found here. This is a picture of her making tatted doilies for those of us in attendance at our treadleon gathering academy last summer (Michigan TOGA). The doilies are for the spool pins of our sewing machines. She was wearing her favorite shirt.

Esther's husbands message to me said she was struck by a virus and passed when it attacked her heart. He was unable to access her work e-mail address until just recently, so he was unable to notify us at the time of her passing on the 26th of February. Phil and I are going to have this picture printed for him and visit soon. It is probably no surprise that she was on my mind recently, we had talked a few days before she passed. I was asking her opinion of washers and dryers and trying to decide which of the hand tatted doilies she gave to me, to place on my little hand crank sewing machine.

It wasn't until about lunch time that I finally received word from my friend's Tina and Karen through my husband. I was in meetings all morning and it was terribly difficult to not fall to pieces when I received word of the loss of this wonderful friend. While I worked on, Karen and Tina started making plans on ways our group could pay our own tribute to our dear friend, and to try to soothe the loss of all. More on this later.

It was mentioned that my tag line and mission, reminded someone of Esther. It is fitting of what I know of my short years with Esther in my life that "What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others".

whoops...

I didn't get a post in for the month of February so blew that new year's resolution. Last weekend I had a great time when I went out dancing last weekend with my high school class mates. I also cleaned the National Arlington sewing machine head. This weekend I'm spending home doing some chores. I hope to put away the contents of three boxes of antiques. These are the kitchenalia items that I used to have hanging on my kitchen walls and on top of my many cupboards in the old house. In this home, not sure what I will do as surely, not enough room for everything.

When I took pictures of the Arlington, I was surprised when I saw this gorgeous picture of Phoebe looking out the window.

My washer is on the fritz. I knew it hadn't been cleaning clothes as well as I think it should so I'd spent a lot of time lately babying it along by turning the knob to run through the wash cycle twice and the rinse cycle twice, and restarting the final spin. The dryer won't dry in the first run, so we end up running it through again and then it seems to 'cook' your clothes. These are the washer and dryer Phil bought brand new nearly 20 years ago. We are adamant about cleaning the filters, and even wash the dryer filter because we use fabric softener. We can't see wasting anymore energy on the old machines, the parts to repair them are outrageous, and yet, can't see going without and using public laundry. So, we did our homework and shopped around and put a washer and dryer on layaway. This is big! Huge!! I've never had a brand new washer and dryer. I also searched around for local sales of newer models folks were selling, but what I found were the trouble models that did poorly in the Consumer's Reports ratings. We are getting a front-load washer, the basic GE model. They don't have a fancy name, but these are the ones that are recommended by Consumer's Reports and are supposed to meet all of our needs. I want something that cleans and cleans well. We don't have to go for the greatest and best features and buttons, but we want to get the best for our money and we want capacity. We did consider the high efficiency top loaders, but when we found out you still have to pack your clothes around the center nubby agitator or it will get off balanced, and therefore, you can't put as much in it as they claim. We decided to spend the same amount of money on a front-loader.

We also decided to paint the walls of this tiny laundry room. So, I don't know yet if I will like it as I usually paint in some kind of green, but I choose a bright sunny yellow with a bit of orange in it. I figure a laundry room has to be bright and sunny. The floor has a couple tears in it, so decided to get some of those stick on vinyl tiles for something different and minimal in cost. Here's what I came up with. I figure if the yellow is too much, I can always repaint it a lighter color It is called Sunset Glow...and glow it does! Certainly lends it itself to more enjoyment of doing the dratted chore of laundry. Another thing we did was remove the door to the laundry room. Wow, it opened up that room completely! We never close it because that is where the cat boxes reside.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year! I really wish the best for everyone in 2009. A clean slate and a chance to start over. I've also reconnected with my friend Erica who is one of the most creative people I know! Her blog is located at http://luboost1.blogspot.com/ Phil informed me it's great Stormy Kromer weather -- bitter cold and now it is snowing. His new hat arrived just in time. I was so disappointed recently, after receiving over three feet of snow, we had 50 degree weather that melted much of it, caused major flooding of our Grand River, and even thunderstorms! I prefer my winter to be full of snow. By the way, our car turned out wonderfully! We found the absolutely best mechanic in West Michigan! He is fair, honest, and thorough!

Since my computer system had to be reset last weekend (outlook crashed and caused errors) I've been trying to piece it back together. Okay, the problem was over 4000 e-mails in my inbox and folders. At least I was able to save all of my photos and files outside of Outlook. What I did lose was my inbox and all of my contacts. My friends, please send me your contact info again...

New Years resolution #1: I will delete, delete, delete, and not use Outlook as my archive. So far, I've been doing really well since I set everything back up and as of today, it's been one week. Much of my e-mails comes from my sewing groups, so unless it's of major importance to my New Home Sewing Machine Company research, I pretty much don't need to keep everything.

New Years resolution #2: I will go back on Weight Watcher's. I did really well until I was placed on a high dose of medicine that made me gain 12 pounds last May. I just went right back up from there. Finally, I gave up on the diet. Since, I've been changed to another medication that hopefully isn't the cause of such issues.

New Year's resolution #3: I will finish off at least one UFO (in the quilting world a UFO is known as an Unfinished Fabric Object).

New Year's resolution #4: I will post on my blog at least once a month...

I've decided to participate in a New Year's Eve Mystery Quilt from Bonnie at http://www.quiltville.com/ . I think what grabbed my interest is that Bonnie is using mostly civil war repros in hers and I have been itching to complete a quilt using Civil War repro fabrics. I've been collecting them for a few years, but haven't used them. As I underwent so much reorganization of my sewing room in 2008, I thought I had my arms around my entire stash and knew where everything was. But, when I opened the bin containing my CW fabrics and grabbed a small box that contained some miscellaneous CW fat quarter cuts from a previous swap, I realized I didn't have as many as I thought. Yep, I saw the fabric I bought at the quilt show in Chicago earlier this year. Yet, it seemed there was more...somewhere, so I poked around. Then...it happened...the sound of glorious music rang in my ears as the light shone down upon a HUGE shopping bag of fabric nearly FULL of CW fabrics! I hit the mother-load in my own sewing room! Well, it turned out I still was in need of three yards of 'double pinks' and some 'mustard' color fabrics. I called my local quilt shop and they were having a sale. I never go out and purchase fabric. Never. However, I need these for this quilt so decided to treat myself to a little Christmas present. I spent more than I should have but came home with a few extra yards for my stash. Now, I really feel naughty! Later I will take a picture of my progress on the Double Delight New Years Eve Mystery Quilt.

As I enjoy the people powered machines! Yes, I still love my e-machines but lately, the treadles are winning out and I've spent quite a bit of time lately (there's the 'T' word again) cleaning some of my treadle sewing machines and I felt it is only fitting if I use a treadle for the CW quilt.

I decided to use my very early Davis Vertical Feed New High Arm treadle which has a built in walking foot and no feed dogs. Another interesting thing about this particular machine is that the bobbin winder is underneath the table on the treadle irons. Although my Davis VF is 1884-5 ish, I am not fortunate to own any machines that date around the years of the CW. My oldest is 1880, but the VF on the Davis really is nice for accurate piecing. There are people I know that do all of their quilting on these very machines and all of their sewing on treadle machines. I may find myself dragging it into the kitchen so I'm not secluded in my treadle room.

Us collector's tend to name our machines, so I've named it 'Sarge' after one of my favorite and most memorable cats.

Here's a picture of the machine head. The decals are in very good condition for this model of Davis VF.

Here's the bobbin winder. It makes for an interesting stretch to wind the boat shuttle bobbins underneath the table.

Another note of interest, yes, I removed the picture of my Christmas Spider ornament. I did this because I suddenly had tons of hits on my blog for my spider alone and decided to reel him in some. I don't mind sharing my idea however, thinking I may go further with him in the future and put a tutorial out there.

I've also added a gadget that allows you to follow my blog. I didn't know about this feature, but think it is kind of fun.

Snow, snow, glorious SNOW!

It is snowing, snowing, snowing and we are due for 6-12 inches! Yeah! I know my friend Tina on the East side of the state is happy as well!

The threats have already started about who is going to find themselves 'down' in the snow today. Everyone knows I win every year! Phil always winds up waist deep and covered! =^)

Our car should be done in the morning and all will be fine again. I have considered walking to see if our clubhouse is available so I can baste a few quilts, however Phil is worried about me walking in the snow. I don't know why, it is a bit further down the neighborhood road but hey, didn't our ancestors brave the elements? We are too comfortable in our surroundings! I can't imagine having to go out and hunt for dinner, or forage for berries, or even work my way to milk the cows at some wee hour of the morning! We have it quite easy!

Stormy Kromer -- an update

I am pleased that the place Phil bought his Stormy Kromer from has sent us the following note:

Good Morning

Yes, you can exchange the kromer for a different size, just send the too small one back to us with a note saying what size he woulds like to have and we will take the tags off of the new one for the returned one and ship it out to you

Obviously as we are pleased with this service I want to tell you about them. They are Surplus Outlet and the link is here: http://www.surplusoutlet.net/

Thank you Surplus Outlet!

It's December, the saga of the Stormy Kromer, and other ramblings...

There is snow on the ground...unfortunately it is slowly trying to melt with last night's 1/3 inch rain. I do love the snow and like the fresh fallen beauty of it much better than the wet dirty ugliness it shows when trying to melt.

As usual, life is chaos and craziness. We have decided to fore-go the holiday decorations and though it seems a bit bleak, there just doesn't seem to be enough reason or energy to put into the typical Christmastime traditions.

This month Phil and I will share our 13th wedding anniversary. It seems that every winter I've heard about this 'Stormy Kromer'. Do you know what that is? It is a hat that men seem to desire if they have to perform any outside chores in cold windy areas. It's legendary, or so I've been told -- it has ear flaps and a bill but stays where it is supposed to. Apparently Phil was 'lacking' in man tools because he didn't have a Stormy Kromer. He finally broke me down and declared "This year, I'm getting a Stormy Kromer". So, he goes about ordering one and I say to him "don't you think we should measure your head". The response I received was "My head has been the same size 7-1/4 per the US Government." Did I mention he served with the US Navy?

The hat arrives...it is a beautiful blue just like the one in this picture below. He rips the tags off and puts it on his head (directions say don't untie the flaps, you just slide it down where you need it). The gorgeous Michigan weather is in his favor and he can't wait to get out there and blow snow. Out the door he goes...

I don't remember the first time he mentioned it, but I do recall the words that "I think my Stormy Kromer is too small". Too small I wonder? Of course I told him "you should have measured your head..." I admit, this conversation has come around a few times over the last few days, but the man sized Stormy Kromer is simply too small. I suggest he return it for a new one as he's only had it for a week. He said he can't as he's already disposed of the tags, receipt, blah blah blah..."

So, this morning the conversation comes around again. "Can you adjust my Stormy Kromer" he asks? My response is "I don't know, suppose I can try. You know you should have measured your head". He responds, "But I ordered it size 7-3/8" a full 1/8 of an inch larger for 'old age'. It should fit, I mean your head doesn't grow." I said yes Phil, your head doesn't grow. You were born a little baby with this big head because your head doesn't grow." Then he says, the US Government says I have a 7-1/4" head and the US Government is not wrong." Oh I couldn't help myself when I bust out laughing and said "Everyone knows the government is messed up (okay, maybe I didn't say the word messed but you know what I mean)! That is why the US is in such financial turmoil, and why Christmas at the Mikula household will be spent on replacing the transmission on my 2000 Olds Intrique. Yes, I will try to modify the Stormy Kromer...if that doesn't work then I'll shave his head. =)

http://www.stormykromer.com/view.php?id=History

Aside from life, stressing about our car, work, the economy, and the saga of the Stormy Kromer I have been focusing on my vintage sewing machines. The majority of my time this year has been on creating my Treadleroom out of the former store room, and cleaning sewing machines. I love to clean the machines and don't even mind getting dirty doing it. The process is very satisfying and I learn so much about how the different machines work. I think every collector goes through a phase and thins out the herd and I am no different. For me it is focusing on our New Home Sewing Machine Company research that I am researching along with my friend Tina. This means I am focusing on my very favorite New Home treadle machines. I've also decided to keep my other favorites which include my Davis Vertical Feed, a Standard, White VS I, and keeping just a few Singers (two 99s, my good featherweight, and my 201). I've recently sold a featherweight, 301, traded a Singer 28. Today, I'm selling a Singer 66.

Yesterday my friend Peggy came over and we visited a few little shops nearby and then proceeded to clean a very dirty Singer 66. This machine is definitely well loved and has the scars on the decals and cabinet to prove it, but the new owner will nevertheless be very happy with her performance and quality of stitch. The cabinet which was a dried out mess of scratches, is now a proud deep beautiful cleaned wood cabinet. I should have taken before pictures, but after feeling no attachment to this machine, didn't think it necessary. We started with Murphy's Oil Soap on the cabinet, then wiped on/wiped off a coat of Linseed Oil, and then Howard's Feed and Wax. The end result is amazing.

Today a young lady is coming by to purchase the Singer 66 treadle. Her family is building a home and they are trying to 'go green' so she wants a treadle. More and more people are going green and suddenly our treadles are more important to the world. Or should I say, the world is finally catching on. There is something so soothing when you hear the quiet sounds of a treadle sewing machine at work. I have webshots that show some of my favorite machines here http://community.webshots.com/user/abycats . It is also a fact that most cats can't help but be intrigued by the sounds of a treadle. Even my little Chloe' who is still fitting herself into our family seems to drop some of her defensiveness.

Once in a while some profound idea of something you need and want to do enters your mind and you can't forget it. This idea joined me yesterday when Peggy and I were returning from a visit at a local antique store. I can't share it with you yet as it will be something I think I have been driven all my life to do (evident by the box in my closet)...but, I am finally listening to the universe on this thing I need to do. I just need to figure out how to start. If Peggy reads this I'm certain she will call me wondering what the heck it is as even she doesn't know. I'm thinking this will be next year's big 'accomplishment' for me. More later, I promise.

Time, time, time, time...here I sit thinking about time again...time lost, time well spent, time forgotten. I've had a recent get together with my high school class mates and realized that whenever I get together with them some lost memory comes back to me. It came when the meanest little girl to me in elementary school's name came up. I said it and said it a few times "she was the meanest girl to me". I don't know why and I didn't waver when I just blurted it out, just that she was. Why would this person who obviously has grown after 30+ years still have the power to make me think she was mean. The last time I saw her as an adult, she indeed was rather rude to me, but certainly she isn't horrible. Then it came back to me. We were very poor and I had the wrong dark blue knee socks on at school (they wouldn't stay up I recall and she made it a point to draw attention to them in front of all the other little girls), then I was outcast from her when my grandma dragged me against my will to get a pixie haircut (and she like so many of the other little girls with gorgeous long hair had blue eyes, perfect teeth -- mine are hazel and not so perfect teeth and somewhat curly strawberry blonde hair), and then the worst memory I had as a child came back. I know she had nothing to do with it, yet I blamed this little girl for participating in something so cruel. As an adult, I know she couldn't have helped, I know this so need to remove my association of her with this act. There were plenty of other acts, but this one wasn't her fault I'm certain.

Here it is, the cruelest act -- one day I was riding my well used hand me down 3-speed bicycle down the road. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a white box in the ditch of the house next door. The box had a beautiful blue ribbon on it. I picked it up and saw my name written on it. I opened the box and inside was a recently killed gopher. I was heartsick and couldn't figure out why someone would do this to the gopher or to me. As the most recent mean thing that happened to me was from this little girl, I somehow blamed her for wrapping the ribbon on this box. I need to totally forgive her for the mean acts she did do to me and not lay blame on her for this one. Anyone who knows me knows that I love animals, always wanted to be a veterinarian, I made pets out of any critter, and still despise Walt Disney movies ever since I saw Bambi as a seven year old. So this was particularly heartbreaking. I don't know who the culprit was behind this but hopefully this person has received help. Me, I've decided that I'm disposing of this memory with the writing of these words. I don't have the room for it anymore.

So, moving on and with a little more space in my heart, I am planning out the rest of my day and as usual the list is longer than the hours. I need to do some chores, move a few things around in my treadle room (Peggy took a few machines off the shelves I was holding for a couple friends), move the mangle ironer, and finish up some sewing projects. I realize after writing this that I didn't mention the mangle ironer. It is awesome!! it is another tool from the past. I really need to take a better picture of it. If you want to learn about it, here is the best link I've found:
http://www.jitterbuzz.com/indirn.html#ironman

Well, off to finish up my afternoon. Hopefully I'll be a bit more diligent about updating my blog. I wish everyone a very merry Christmas!