Before and After

Here is a Singer 66, made in 1915, before I cleaned it with Goop hand cleaner (pumice free version), Maas metal polish, and sewing machine oil.  Sewing machine oil does not damage decals, so the Goop was the first wave, then finishing up with oil.  I use little scraps of cotton quilt batting to clean with.

Here it is, after.  This of course, is the opposite side, but I assure you the filth was spread uniformly.  There was also a wee fossilized mouse in the pillar of the machine.

Here is my Little Plastic Bricks quilt, before.

Here it is after.  It really needed a fourth column of blocks, but I had just re- folded everything and was loathe to start cutting again.  Strips were 2.5 inches, chopped into bricks, sewn back together and then that long strip sewn to itself.  I used the mechanical randomizer, AKA the clothes dryer, to mix the bricks after they were cut.  Thanks to John G. for that term!

Below is a close up with the little prairie points I added because it seemed dull over there.  Have to wait a while to quilt it- I’m broke and I need batting, so that slows things down. Maybe next month.

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10 responses »

  1. Oh, one more comment…I love what you've done to that machine. You've really added some charm and elbow grease. Yuck, fossilized mouse!! Found one once in a move…it was on our storage shelves! They are not fun to find! We had a problem one winter and found the entry and then had no more problems, but that little critter really made me jump when I found it!

  2. cute quilt top! the prairie points are just right, and I would never have thought of that. I think the "red head" decals are among Singer's prettiest and this machine cleaned up beautifully. Congrats on another good one!

  3. Wow, elbow grease and Goop makes magic happen! You turned that Singer 66 into a real beauty. Good on you.And your quilt top is *wonderful*! What a great way to randomize patches too – I'd never have thought of that. Have you had any thoughts about how you might quilt this one?

  4. Those before and after sewing machines are mindboggling–WOW! And I love the added history details; thank you.And ohmygoodness do I love that quilt. Wow! COOL!!(While sending up a quiet prayer towards your shaking off that germ.)

  5. My little ones are starting on a similar "brick" quilt. I let them pick out a jelly roll so they've already got the strips. I am going to have them stitch 2 strips together before cutting shorter blocks though – just to make the stitching a bit easier (starting and stopping). Mine are a bit younger 7, 7, & 5 yrs)so I want to make it easier. They are having a blast with the hand cranks! Susan

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