Thread LOVE!

March seems to be a month of love for me.  Vintage sewing machine love, Spring is finally here love, and since my Superior Thread order just arrived, thread LOVE!

From left to right, we have King Tut Canaan, a gorgeous variegated thread in soft grays for quilting my next project, Masterpiece, in a sweet baby pink color, and Superior's titanium coated needles, which I'm also using for quilting.  I just tried these needles recently, and I can't believe the difference.  Just taking them out of the package, they feel different, smoother than a regular needle.  The quilting experience was lovely.  They are not expensive, either.  This is my second pack, and I'm never going back!

Time to go sew.

Until next time...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas

The White 614 - More Vintage Sewing Machine LOVE!

HELP!  My husband is out of control with the vintage sewing machine shopping.  He just loves to shop, for anything, for anybody. Point him in the direction of something you are interested in, and he will find it.  So...I didn't really need this White, but he brought it home anyway.  It is a lovely blue color, and in amazing condition.  I believe it is a 1972 model, barely used.  No scratches. Very clean.  Almost no lint.  I found a free manual for this machine online and went through it. After a little bit of cleaning and maintenance, it is sewing beautifully.  I sewed a little bit on Trent's sleep pants last night with good results.

This machine has three feed dog options, lots of decorative stitches, and can sew with a double needle.  The needle position is adjustable.  Buttonhole stitching is built in.  It came with a few presser feet, the regular foot, a zipper foot, and an open toed foot.  That sounds like a shoe - haha!  

I'm not sure how much I'll be sewing with this machine, but it is a lovely addition to the my collection.  Someday I'll have to have a massive vintage machine sale, I suppose, but for now I'm thankful I have a sewing studio, a storage building out back, and a little log cabin down the road.

Until next time...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas

The Rocketeer - Vintage Sewing Machine LOVE!

Yes - the last thing I need is another sewing machine, I mean really, you can only sew with one machine at a time, and I've been so enjoying the Singer 301.  It's excellent for piecing.  But yesterday...my husband texted me with this picture of a Rocketeer he found at the local thrift shop.  It was only $18.00, in the cabinet.  Plus he offered to use his $18.00 to purchase it.  How could I say no?  I've always wanted one of these machines, just because of the great design.  That is how they got the nickname "Rocketeer".  Singer did not come up with the name, the sewing public did.

This machine is completely gear driven, no belt.  It has a number of different stitches available on the front dial, plus it takes cams.  The needle position is adjustable, and the feed dogs can be dropped (actually the plate comes up).  It appears to be in good working order, but very dirty!  After some cleaning, maintenance, and a little love, I'm sure this will be both beautiful and fun to sew with.  I'll post more pics and info about this machine when I get her cleaned up.

Until next time...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas

It's Beautiful Day...

...in the neighborhood.  Won't you be my neighbor?  My little neighborhood is up to 20 Home Sweet Home 3" blocks.  Here are the new houses from last night's sewing:

House One

House Two

House Three

House Four

House Five

House Six

House Seven

I'm not sure how far I'm going to take this project, but I'm having fun on the journey.  If you want to stitch a few Home Sweet Home Bitty Blocks, here's a link to Quiltmaker magazine's blog tutorial:  Home Sweet Home Bitty Blocks.

Until next time...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas

New Neighbors

Five more new homes in the neighborhood!

I've moved my Singer 301 into the living room. It's wonderful to be able to stitch a bit while watching television.  This house looks like it's about to go up in flames.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I've been watching The Bachelor.  I saw one of the early episodes this season and became hooked!  My oldest son has been watching it with me.  I just knew Whitney was going to be the winner, but I had to watch anyway.  

At least I did get a little sewing in while it was on.  This one could possibly be a farm house.  What do you think?

And the fifth new home in the neighborhood.  This one has a fun personality, with all the dots.  It looks like they are having a party with lots of confetti, or blinking colored lights, or maybe floating flower petals.  What a delightful fabric.

Here's an aerial shot of the neighborhood, taken from my helicopter - (HaHa).  It looks like there are at least three more empty lots.

Again, if you want to join me in making these cute little houses, here's a link to the free Quiltmaker pattern:  Home Sweet Home Bitty Block.

Until next time...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas

Bitty Blocks House Blocks

Have you seen Quiltmaker's new Bitty Blocks?  They are going to have a free Bitty Blocks pattern available on their blog, Quilty Pleasures for each month of 2015.

 The block for March is called "Home Sweet Home".

Isn't it just too cute?

While I was sewing the little houses, and arranging them on my design wall, my little artist got busy with a design of his own.  Looks kind of modern to me.

These house blocks finish at 3".  Adorable!

Plus they are addicitvely fun to sew...like chocolate chip cookies.

I really like the roof fabric on this one.

I was easily able to cut all the pieces from a jelly roll.

They look like cute little beach huts to me.  I could maybe sew a few palm trees to set them off.

Or a bright pink flamingo.  Hmmmmm....

Here's the eight blocks I made all together.  They are just so cute!!!

Here's the link, so you can make some, too.  Bitty Blocks Tutorial.  Have fun.

Until next time...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas

Spring is Coming!

Here in North Carolina, Spring is on it's way.  I just know it is. Our local groundhog, Sir Walter Wally, was very, very, wrong in his prediction this year of an early Spring.  My boys were out of school for most of the last two weeks due to various snow and ice events.  Thankfully, they are back in school this week.

The last storm we had yielded nine inches.  For our area, that is a lot of snow.  We built snowmen, threw snowballs, pulled the sled around our unfortunately flat landscape with the riding lawnmower, and enjoyed it as much as possible.  There is still a lot of snow in our yard today.  Tomorrow it will be 70 degrees here.  I'm so happy!  The next day we have another chance of snow.  Yep - that's North Carolina - Spring is trying it's best to come through.

Simplicity 9555 Sundress Pattern

One of my favorite parts of Spring is the new Spring dresses.  I always daydream about the pretty dresses I'm going to sew while browsing at the local thrift shops.  I've just added the above pattern to the Curlicue Creations Shop.  This would be lovely, especially in the longer length.  I have many other "Dreamin' of Spring" dress patterns, if you're feeling the itch to sew.  Maybe a little sewing will help the flowers to bloom.  Please note that all of my patterns are in factory folded, uncut condition.

Insul-Bright Batting

If you'd rather do a little kitchen sewing, I just got in a whole bolt of Insul-Bright insulated batting by the Warm Company.  At only $2.49 per yard, you can stitch up all sorts of goodies to brighten up your kitchen.  Think hot pads, oven mitts, casserole carriers - endless possibilities.  

Until next time...stay warm...please visit the Curlicue Creations Shop...and have a super day!

Get Creative!

Jennifer Schifano Thomas