Play Day!

The last time I took my Singer Featherweight to our prayer quilt group, I thought it was stitching awfully slowly.  Today I got out the Tri-Flow and the tools to give it a good cleaning.  The blobs and thread you see above were stuck behind the bobbin case.  I slowly worked them out.  I don't think I've ever used black thread in this machine, but that glob is not only black thread, but also black fabric.  That thread on the right isn't really black--and I'm sure I was the one who got it caught in there.

See the shiny rectangular slit to the right of the bolt?  I could have removed thread from there even without opening the machine.  But I didn't because I figured the moving parts inside could use lubrication.

After all that, I noticed that the plate on the bottom of the foot control is cracked.  I took it apart and found the scrap of fabric that's at the top of the first photo.  I don't know how it got in there, but it's from a quilt I made three or four years ago.  I hope someone who salvages these machines has an extra bottom plate so I can replace it.  Whoever put it together last substituted a too short wood screw for one of the screws in the foot control. I've had this machine for over 20 years, so I'm wondering why I didn't notice the problem with the foot control sooner.

I'm also wondering if it's always sewn this slowly and I just didn't notice until sewing on the treadle and the hand crank.


The photos below are to show comparison of the full size machines (in this case my Redhead Treadle--a model 66) to the 1/2 size Featherweight.   And the second photo compares the size of the Featherweight to the 99. I'm told some people refer to the 99 as the little sister of the 66. They refer to it as being 3/4 size.  Those are interesting comparisons, but they're accurate only in a figurative sense.

I managed to get some piecing and ironing done, but the rest of what I accomplished today was just some housework.  (Why did I say "just.")

I won't have another day off work until the school year is over.  I did my best to enjoy it.  We had our first day of 70+ temperatures, so I was able to open a window--just one because it's really windy.  I inspected the sprouting bulbs.  My neighbor scattered single daffodils around her yard, and hers are in bloom.  But I guess I get more shade than she does.  I did go outside and gather windblown objects--mostly some pots that haven't been planted yet. With the warmth, today was a perfect day to have off work.  Temperatures will be significantly lower tomorrow.  (In fact, there are winter storm warnings active for the NW quadrant.) I loved seeing all the blooming flowers in the Easter photos from friends in other parts of the country, but at 6500 feet, and with the unusual weather El Nino has produced, it will be another week or so before they bloom here.