Monday, October 14, 2019

Come on in...





and help me sew.




I have cleaned up the sewing room just for you.
 You can choose which machine you would like to use.
 The old White makes a beautiful stitch and has been
 electrified, so you won't have to wear yourself out
working the treadle.




Or, if you'd rather, the Bernina is cleaned and oiled and ready to go.
 She's a dandy and hardly ever misses a stitch.



We are sewing doll parts today, so we'll set the machines for a tiny stitch.
  If you are a quilter, you won't mind those little hands.




This old machine belonged to my grandmother.
 I am ashamed to tell you that it is my fault
 that she's no longer in working order.
 I'll never part with  her, though.




Sarah is one of the granddaughters' favorites.
When they come visiting, I can always tell that
they have played with her, for after they go home,
I usually find her slightly rearranged on her shelf
 in the old cabinet where she lives.*
 I think they like her best because she is dressed so fine.
 A good friend, coincidentally also named Sarah,
sent me vintage cloth for all her clothing.
 I especially liked the plaid trim.

*For some reason, since I made each of the girls
 a doll of their own and gave it to them last Christmas,
 they don't seem so keen on playing with the sewing room dolls. 
 I can't help wondering why...



I have vacuumed and dusted and rearranged,
sometimes tackling only one shelf or one drawer per day.
 Even the dolls needed a good dusting.
 However, now that the room is all organized and cleaned,
I am almost hesitant to mess it up again.









And, before you go, if you'd like, we can go walk the trail with Millie.
 We'll trek down to the pond where it's beginning to look more like fall.
 Now, that the weather has turned cooler,
 the leaves should start to change more quickly.
 Like Anne of Green Gables,
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."





28 comments:

Kim said...

I could sit on that beautiful chair and sew on your glorious Old White machine all day. How tranquil your sewing room looks. I can only wonder of the secrets Sarah could whisper to me of your stitching times in your delightful room. I do love the look of a tidied up sewing room, alas, mine seems to become messy much too quickly.

Hootin Anni said...

Oh my goodness! These dolls are magnificent!! Ps...I learned to see with a treadle. In fact, I"d prefer those to electric.

Gorgeous hilltop stroll.

Prims By The Water said...

Great stroll and I so love being here in Michigan where we too have an October. What a wonderful sewing room you have...wish I had one. I have a small sewing machine of my grammas who used it jud=st for sleeves as she was a seamstress. So loved that you were able to sew a doll for your granddaughters. They will remember it forever! Janice

Lady Locust said...

Your dolls are amazing and I love your machines. Do you name them? My most used machine is an old singer named Gracie. Also, would love to see a clearer shot of your book shelf - wink wink 🍂

happyone said...

Sorry to say I have no talent for sewing.
Your dolls are beautiful.
I love Octobers too! : )
Don't know how many baby blankets we have made but we've doing it for about 5 years.

lil red hen said...

Want to come straighten my sewing room? The quilting frame takes up so much room I feel cramped sometimes and then when I add the ironing board I begin to feel trapped. :) Oh well, at least everything is in one room.

Love the new dolls; they have different expressions on their faces don't they. It is a good day to sew; computer, close yourself off!

Yesteryear Embroideries said...

How much I want to come and stitch with you! And then take a walk with you and Millie! Your dolls have such a sweet expression on their faces! I cannot blame your granddaughters for wanting to play with Sarah! This will probably be one of their favorite memories that they look back on! Enjoy your pretty sewing room and the pretty fall weather!

Rose said...

Oh, my your dolls! I so would love to see some of the process of making one. The head and the hair and all of it. They look like they take so much work. I learned to sew on a treadle, so that would not bother me with normal sewing, but don't think I would do too good with free-motion sewing.

Sandra said...

This must be one of my favorite post from your blogging. I love your sewing room. I love seeing your dolls. How special to have them keep you company while you sew. I could never pick a favorite from your doll collection; but I do believe I am loving the doll with a blue ribbon in her hair and the paisley blouse. The sewing machines and your sewing room decor are wonderful. I do believe I have a few of the same books as you have! It makes going in to work on a project even better when you love the room you are working in. Happy to hear you are working on some dolls! Right now I am working on some quilting. Doing some hand quilting daily and trying to find time to sew some quilt tops as well. I do believe I have enough to keep me busy for another 10 years! I hope to blog again someday; but will continue with my break for now.

Granny Marigold said...

Your sewing room is so neat and tidy!!
Like HappyOne I don't have any talent for sewing. I do have my mom's old Singer treadle though. And a portable that I use for rare mending etc. It weighs so much that it sits permanently on the counter in the laundry room ( so I guess it's not really portable, is it.)

Hill Top Post said...

The old White is heavy too. Ever time I move it, my back is messed up for several days. So, I guess it's not really portable either.

Hill Top Post said...

There's not much extra space in this room, so I have to keep things put away. I don't do well with a lot of clutter. I do hope you will keep in touch!

Hill Top Post said...

Rose, these dolls are made of cloth, then the head is covered with paper clay and painted. I hadn't thought about doing free-motion sewing on a treadle! I don't think I could do that either.

Hill Top Post said...

One of my favorite memories will always be watching those girls open up the Christmas dolls I gave them last year.

Hill Top Post said...

I would rather come and help you quilt! Ha Ha! You probably wouldn't allow those Ugly Duckling Stitches in one of your beautiful quilts!

Hill Top Post said...

Somehow, I am not surprised that you would want to sew on the old White! I can only imagine what lovelies you would stitch.

Hill Top Post said...

Anni, it would be fun to see my hill through the lens of your camera!

Hill Top Post said...

That's funny! I also like seeing what books my blogger friends have on their bookshelves.

Hill Top Post said...

Oh, but you do sew! I love your baby blanket blocks that you sew together by hand.

Hill Top Post said...

And, this Christmas the girls want new dresses for their dolls. And, hats too!

jenclair said...

Thanks for inviting us into your sewing room! What fun to see all the sewing machines! I love my Bernina, but the old machines are such objects of beauty. Seeing your dolls peeking out and observing what is going on in your creative space is amusing. They are so life-like I can imagine them commenting on your activities. :)

Hill Top Post said...

Thanks Jen! I love my Bernina. It's nothing fancy, but that's what I wanted. Before it, I sewed on a Singer which sometimes gave me fits. I still have it and use it occasionally. It has a narrow hemming foot that I use when making ruffles. I haven't been able to find that same foot for the Bernina. I'll bet we would have fun sewing together!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

I would love to come for a visit and sew on one of your lovely machines! It's so fun to organize our spaces, but I imagine if I come to sew we'll have to clean again. Your photos are so lovely, Mary. The last one is card worthy. Also I love seeing your Beatrix Potter volumes on the shelf.

Vee said...

Your sewing room with all its treasures is completely charming. I’d enjoy peeking about.

Jean Tuthill said...

I love seeing your sewing room. It is so nice and tidy. I bet it won't stay that way for long. I find that winter is my sewing time and I am ready to get back to my quilt making soon. I have my old White sewing machine, 56 yrs old, that I use for most of my sewing. Love the picture of your property and wish I could walk there with you.

Leigh said...

Oh my. I bought a White Family Rotary treadle machine earlier this year. I really need to finish it's refurbishing so that I can start to use it. Hopefully this winter! When I have some time indoors.

Henny Penny said...

Oh, I absolutely LOVE your sewing room! Your dolls and the beautiful old sewing machines. Okay, now you've made me not want to go back into my sewing room. Guess I will go stand and stare into it for a while. See what needs to be done. :) I love your taste in decorating...the curtains, the dark wood, and that beautiful wing back chair. Sigh!

Faith said...

Oh to have a cozy place, to go and ponder the next project. Shelves filled with lovely craft books and binders, and bins of Crochet thread and yarn. Pretties. Your room is lovely, and I particularly like your grandmothers sewing machine. How wonderful that you made dollies for your grandaughters, a treasure for them no doubt. And oh I enjoyed my walk with the beautiful month of October, so much to see, the quietness of the forest, the birds, and little critters as they await the changes of the season.