New Machine Bernina clone? German made Karstadt brand.

Here's my new sewing machine. Karstadt store brand, 3001 super-nutzstich f. I got it for free at a garage sale this past weekend. The lady was German and this machine is from her home land so it had to be converted from 220 to 110. Later pictures show the external motor attached. Rocky and I want to change it so that it's not like that. It has 11 functions including chain stitch and an additional 3 step button hole. It also has darning/drop feed dogs capeabilities. It's a neato little machine. I'm searching all over the internet for more information. If you know ANYTHING about this machine, please contact me. Thanks. 

Extension table in place and cover. 

Stitch functions, the orange "C" at the bottom is the chainstitch. Dial is for sttich length and the hatchmarks at the bottom are for darning. Pushing it in reverses the stitch. 

Right hand side of sewing machine with cover removed and gimped up brother external motor. 

Attachments included, bobbin case, bobbins, black bobbin looking thingie is for chainstich, spool pin felt, oil, snap on feet. 

My Halfinger's died

So I needed another pair of felted slippers. I really love felted slippers and decided some time ago that I would make a pair for myself. I will probably make more than one pair but here's my first.
Some months ago I spent many days and evenings knitting a beautiful shrug. I used Plymouth Suri Merino yarn wich is so soft blended with Alpaca and Merino wool. Very soft too, and as I unfortunately found out VERY fullable. Once I was done the shrug was a little floppier than I wanted. I got gauge but I used a thinner yarn than the pattern called for. I decided to toss the finished project into the gentle cycle on my front load washer and full it a tiny bit. . . What I pulled out 10 minutes later was a shrunken thick 1/2 sized version of what I put in. I no longer had a shrug, I had a felt mat.
I didn't even blog it it was so sickening, all my work ruined!
After mourning my loss I decided to make good from my failure. I didn't know what but I knew something would come from the felt. Recently I developed a hole in my favorite felted clog slippers so I knew what, I just didnt' know when.
Tonight I sat down and made these slippers. Very comfy, soft and cuddly! 

Side view and the double layer quilted soles. 

Baby K makes a hat for Serge

Here's the last hat. Serge's hat. I quilted in the ditch for the patchwork front and in vertical lines for the main fabric. I used one of the patchwork fabrics for the binding and Baby K did all of the seaming and quilting!!!
At the end of my final class today as my student was leaving I saw a power cord for a sewing machine. I rushed to the front of the store to give it to her, glad that I had caught her in time. I wanted her to have no excuses to not have practiced some techniques before our next class. Well evidently I was not paying attention because I gave her MY SK power cord. I called her mom frantically trying to make arrangements to get the cord back, but her mom was busy with other classes and camps starting today so it wasn't until about an hour ago that she called me back and let me know that she will drop it off at the store tomorrow morning.
I was jonesing bad to sew, I really wanted that cord back. Never mind that I have an arsenal of machines to choose from and don't need SK's cord to sew something. I just missed it.
Having to use BK was a good thing though. I like BK and often I don't get to use her because SK is doing all of the work. 

Trio with covers. 

Pin Beast

As some of you know I start teaching classes at my local fabric store tomorrow to children. As I was gathering my supplies I realized that I didn't want to take Pinup girl, she's too big so I needed a little pincushion.
Pin Beast is born. I think he's small enough to hitch a ride in the rolling sewing case to class tomorrow. 

Friendship squares

I decided I wanted an abstract wallhanging vs. piecing all of the squares together. Here they are all quilted and bound and hanging over my happy place. This space is really starting to feel more creative. 

Karina's square slightly damp. I was having a slight problem removing the washout pencil with just daubing with water. I freemotion quilted rays from the sun at the top and grass below. Yellow binding. 

Christi's square with stitching in the ditch and freemotion within yellow border. Blue star binding to bring out the pretty blues. 

Jennifer's square Stitched in the ditch with some of the stitching extended. Orange boarder to highlight the special square she did for me :D 

My square with freemotion stippling in jeans thread. Green swirl border. 

SK's movin' on up!

Well as I blogged previously, after making a cover for Big Momma, some of my other machines were jealous. They had covers, but none so fancy as Big Momma's. Well nobody is going to be as fancy as Big Momma, but I figured that SK could move on up and get a quilted cover to at least match Big Momma's so she isn't misrepresented. Speaking of which, the colors are not showing up completely accurate.
Well here 'tis! I used pretty much the same construction methods. I made the following changes though:

1. size/shape
2. quilting of the fabric, this time I stippled the main fabric, and stitched in the ditch around the patches.
3. slits! Sojourner loves to show off her feet so she needed some slits in her skirt. . . that's not the whole truth. I often use her with an extension table and I wanted a cover that could be used with or without the table so I needed it to be able to convert between the two. That's why I put slits.
4. binding at the bottom. I just hemmed BMK's bottom, but for SK since she had the slits I decided to bind the edges.
   Man I didn't know what I was in for. I tried to use my binder foot. That was a BIG mistake. After 4 attempts of about 7 or 8" of stitching and frogging it all I decided to just sew the binding like I would on a quilt and then turn and stitch it down.

I'm having fun making these and I have all of the fabric picked out and the patches stitched out for the last one. . . Now to just figure out Serge's sexy shape so that I can finish his fitted cover.

Come to think of it, my fabric trash bag is looking pretty shabby compared to these covers. I guess after Serge's cover I'll be quilting a new one. Hopefully I can recycle the embroidery/applique I don't have that file anymore, it was for my Brother machine.

Cover converted with extension table in place.

Top view, close up of stippling. 

Mom's bag bag

Here's a bag I made for my mom. It's made of recycled/repurposed plastic shopping bags. I cut them into strips (my mom cut some too) and then I crocheted them into this. No pattern, no recipe, just did it till I liked it. I hope she likes it. It measures 14.5" wide and 14" tall. 

They arrived!

My sew in lables from Dianna Wright Originals just came in the mail. I absolutely love them. She did an excellent job, both with the graphic I provided for her and the additional layout and design of the labels. I don't think I could have gotten a better value or fit for what I wanted for them. I am motivated to make something just to be able to sew them in!

My Ray Boy's Heroes

Here's Charmie climbing his mountain wearing his new Super Hero Cape! Charmie and Mardie are the Ray Boys and they are Heroes!
Notice their insignia of the sun.
Romans 8:28, 31, 37. Philippians 4:13. 

Charmie Hero says, "I'm going to save this day!" When asked from what he said, "The night!" 

Ray Boy M! 

Back of Charmie's 

Back of Mardies and lining. 

Around the house skirt

Here's a skirt I whipped up for "around the house". It's very simple. 2 rectangles seamed on the sides and a casing for the waist tie. I think I'll make another, or mabye some shorts or a jumper, just some things to throw on when I'm around the house. I'm trying to keep them cute enough though that if I have to step out for whatever reason I'm still decent.