Friday Night Sew-In

It's that time of the month again, it's time for the great Friday Night Sew-In, hosted by Heidi and Bobbi.  I'll probably not be able to post on Saturday morning so I thought I'd let you know what I'll be working on.
Firstly I'll be doing my second Roses from the Heart bonnet.  This one is for Ann Elizabeth Harwood who arrived in Van Diemen's Land in August 1820.  I haven't been able to find out anything more about her but will keep trying.  I'm making her bonnet with the remaining calico from the backing of the quilt I started with Jane Bottomley.  I only have the binding to slip stitch and the label to do and hope I will also have time to work on it at the Norfolk Quilters' exhibition on Saturday if I don't get it finished during FNSI.  This quilt is actually going to be a table cloth and so it is backed but doesn't have any wadding.  I suppose it's not strictly a quilt but a piece of patchwork.  I don't mind what it's called!  In fact I do mind what it's called, I need a name for it if I'm going to get the label done!  It is made using wonderful French General 'Lumiere de Noel' fabrics from Moda but isn't "Christmassy" and will be used all year on the table where Bonni, my lovely vintage Singer machine sits when I'm not using her.  Thinking cap on...
Oh I can't do another post without a photo so here's one of the full set of Global Piecers fabric postcards I received, aren't they great?

Enjoy FNSI everybody.

Happy Birthday Bonni

Thank you to everybody who helped me to come up with a name for my lovely Singer sewing machine who's 81st "birthday" is today, it was on 9th January 1929 that her serial number was allocated.  This morning I gave her a service and a dust and a brand new needle and started my first project - a little Sweet Treat Bag from a Moda Honeybun pattern (sent to me for Christmas by my GGCS partner, Sal).  It is so satisfying to be using such a great machine and if the snow keeps coming and the power cuts out I'll still be able to stitch.  Mummy told me how my grandmother used to take her hand sewing machine outside and sit in the garden and stitch.  Sadly this isn't her machine but it has been Mummy's for a long time (she's not sure where it came from originally).  The only problem I've encountered is that I miss having both hands to guide my work but at such a gentle pace I'm managing.

So please say hello to Bonni.  I wanted a Scottish name as she was made in Scotland and Bonni means "pretty" or "charming".  Michelle set me on the right path when she suggested the name Vivien after Vivien Leigh who starred in Gone With The Wind - Bonnie was the pretty little daughter of Scarlett and Rhett and GWTW is one of my favourite books/films.

Isn't She Lovely?

This is my very exciting acquisition - a vintage Singer sewing machine.  It was sitting in the guestroom when we stayed with Mummy and Daddy over New Year and I was allowed to bring it home.  To say I am over the moon is putting it mildly, I think it is an incredibly wonderful thing.
I did a little research at sewmuse and from the serial number:  Y6390437, found that my machine was made in Kilbowie, Clydebank, Scotland in 1929.  Wow, it's 80 years old.  The serial number was in a batch of 4,000 alloted on January 9th 1929 and the class/model number is 16K.

My gorgeous machine works but is fairly dusty as you can see.  As it is her birthday in two days time I will give her a lovely dust and polish and then do a little stitching with her, I can hardly wait!