I have always loved sewing since I was a little girl at about 10 and started making Barbie clothes on my Mother's treadle Singer sewing machine. Actually this machine was originally my great grandmother. My uncle had installed a motor on the machine but I was not allowed to use the motor until I was a little older. Mom made almost all the clothes for herself, my sister and myself on this machine. I remember standing in the middle of the kitchen table so Mom could use the hem guide to hem our dresses. When the dresses were done we would spin in the living room to see how far out the skirt would go. That was of course after we sometimes found a wayward pin in the waistline. Not only was Mom an inspiration for my sewing but also my Aunt Kate. If Mom didn't have a solution to a problem with a pattern, Aunt Kate surely did. And then there was my friend's Mom, Mrs. Muir who lived up the street that was always helpful when I needed it. They all encouraged me to keep sewing and I continued to use the old Singer machine. When I got my first full time job, I bought my own new sewing machine. It was a Pfaff cabinet model and I bought it at Witherill's from Mr. Thorne. And, this machine went in reverse! I soon upgraded to a Pfaff free arm machine and then to a Pfaff 1471. I am fortunate to have three beautiful daughters and I can't begin to tell you how many hours are on that 1471 making them clothes from infancy right up to adulthood. Play clothes, dress, coats, 1st Communion dresses, dozens of Halloween costumes - even in high school and prom dresses. For many years I did little sewing and missed what I call "my therapy". There is nothing more relaxing to me than to spend an evening sewing. So, last Spring I bought a used machine. I said, I don't want a fancy one - I don't do embroidery but the 2170 fit the bill for the features I wanted and it did embroidery. Well, I was soon taking classes at Knecht's and have found a love of machine embroidery. I was jealous of the other sewers with their Creative Visions and soon upgraded to one. I am having so much fun with this machine and have found a whole new world of sewing in embroidery. I thought that I would share some of my projects as I go along. I don't profess to be and expert seamstress but I love sewing and I love sharing these with you. Hope you enjoy them too! Thanks for looking.
REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY PICTURE FOR A LARGER IMAGE!
The girls asked me to make them a roll to hold all their toiletries when they are traveling. I came up with this design to hold small bottles of shampoo, etc., the size that can be taken on an airplane. Using two coordinating fabrics, I sandwiched them with Sew soft batting and quilted them together. I cut lengths of vinyl and attached binding strips to them and then sewed them to zippers. They were stitched to the main fabric on the binding strip above the zipper to separate each pocket. The bottom pocket was made by cutting the fabric a couple inches wider than the main piece and boxing the corners and stitching it on. The entire outer edge is finished with a binding strip. The blue one has part of a coat hanger inserted and the beige one has a large metal ring on a tab to allow these to be hung on the back of the bathroom door in a hotel. Just add your items, roll them up and tie them with a bow and you're ready to travel. Kris wanted a smaller one but you could make them any size, make the pockets any size and even divide the small pockets for a jewelry roll. So many different things you could use if for. Get your imagination going. 
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