Simply Stitchy

Hi all, Usually when I test drive a sewing machine to see if it works, I use random bits of left over fabric. For the Brother CS6000I, I decided to try it out on an actual project. (C) Olwen White   I've already featured this machine in a video on my YouTube Channel, Simply Stitchy When I first purchased the Brother CS6000I it really wasn't a happy bunny. The needle was hitting the needle plate and the machine didn't want to sew. It was covered in dust and debris, the case was dirty, and it had been sat forgotten in the back of a salvage yard's warehouse for eons.  Well, a few years anyway.  It was in desperate need of a spa day! You can see how I got on with fixing it in this video:    Spoiler alert - I got it working and thought it deserved more than some random fabric for its first sewing spree in ages.  Besides, I needed a new project bag for my knitting and crochet.  That's where the Minions come in. I'm a bit of a fan of Disney's Despicable Me Mi...

  (C) Olwen White Hi all Last year I had a go at processing raw sheep fleece. By that I mean, unwashed fleece straight off the sheep’s back. Still pretty much intact, complete with bits of straw, grass, bramble, and other debris that sheep tend to roll in. So my first job was to pick out as much of that jumble of vegetation and manure as I could. By hand… and yes, it was as icky as it sounds! Step 1 - Washing and Drying the Fleece For my first fleece, I used warm water and some Woolite . You can use a special scouring soap like Unicorn Power Scour , but I didn’t have any. I would have used hot water, but as I was processing the fleece outside, I couldn’t get it any hotter than warm. The camping stove I was using couldn’t cope with the sheer volume of water needed to wash a fleece. Besides, if the water is too hot you can felt the fleece rather than clean it, so I figured warm would be safer. I mean wool is usually washed in cold water, right? So warm should be fine… ...

  Hi all, I've got a new toy! Isn't she a beauty? Well, when I say 'new' I don't mean brand new. I mean new to me. She's actually an antique. She's a Singer 66 with Lotus decals from 1914. That makes her 102 years old!  Her name is Lotti and she is a very welcome addition to my vintage and antique sewing machine collection.  Made at the Kilbowie Factory in Scotland, possibly between January and June of 1914, this machine is 2 years younger than Grandma, My Singer 27 from 1912.  Singer 27 She's also in much better condition! Whereas Grandma has had a hard life and has damaged paintwork and decals, Lotti is in incredible condition for her age.    Lotus Decals Lotus Decals Back Lotus Decals Across the Arm The Lotus decals were added to machines that were made at the Kilbowie plant. Although they do turn up in other parts of the world, you're more likely to find them on machines in the UK. Interestingly, they are also known as Thistle decals. A nod to th...