CAMPING AND SEWING WITHOUT ELECTRICITY - Off the Grid

Now, WHO is wanting to camp and sew??

A special THANK YOU to my sister who sewed this adorable pillow for me! 

This pillow sums it up for me as a seamstress, as I am wanting to take my sewing business on the road. That means work camping, off-gridding, boondocking, sewing out in the boonies, you-name-it! 

This hand-crank beauty I had purchased a few months back can handle no electricity. She's over 100 years old and very low maintenance! Just give her a little oil here and there, turn her wheel, and she will hum and tap dance all day long. 

Short video of this hand-crank in action

But there are times when I love using my electric machines... 

When I had first purchased my Aeiusny Portable Generator, it didn't dawn on me I could plug into a sewing machine... 

  So this week, I'm sharing my experience sewing without electricity, using a small portable generator. 

I'm hooked up to a Singer Quantum Stylist 9960 with 600 computerized stitches at 55 watts --- a pretty decent sized machine. 

I plugged my Singer into the portable generator at 100% charge and kept a diary of every. single. second. 

For the first 3 days, I sewed off and on with several miscellaneous items, documenting on the sheet the exact duration and remaining % of charge. I ran the machine a combined total of 4 hours... 

At 85% charge, I realized I had a deadline looming on getting something HUGE sewn for a festival. 

I figured a picture is worth a thousand words. 

With 28.5% charge remaining, I had sewn a full sized historical gown without electricity.  

I now have confidence that I can tackle any sewing project with a portable generator! 

Live Simply and Enjoy the Ride 

ANTIQUE HAND CRANK OWNERS MANUAL - Jones Family C.S.

Photocopies of the owners manual for the hand crank Jones Family C.S. sewing machine.

Serial #357221

END OF BOOK 

More pictures of my hand crank HERE 

HAND CRANK SEWING MACHINE - no electricity needed!

 Jones Family C.S. Hand Crank serial #357221

Do you like to sew and not be plugged to the grid?

I'm impressed with this workhorse! She was born in 1924 and built like a tank! Cast Iron, well-designed and sews like a champion.

It didn't take long to pick up speed running the hand crank with one hand, and guiding the stitches with the other. A nice soft clickety-click-click rhythm that is strangely comforting and rewarding.

Even though this machine comes with a wooden box top for storage, she's too pretty to stash away, so I don't.

Fortunately she came with a lot of supplies - spare bobbins, needles, and some accessories.  When I originally begain shopping for one of these machines, I was looking at models on Ebay and Etsy. There were plenty to choose from, but I didn't want to risk damage through shipping.  Thankfully, I found a local woman selling hers, and she patted the machine fondly to say goodbye while I gladly handed her the money.

 Handy built-in slide box for storage. 

Room for storage underneath and the owners manual! The book is almost 100 years old, so you can imagine how it is barely holding together.  I'll post copies of this for preservation. 

I am very impressed on how smooth this machine sews leather! Once the wheel is spinning, it is like clickety-click, click, clicking over butter.  Now don't get me wrong, I love my electric machines, I own 6 of them, and I can honestly say if I had to get rid of them all but two... the hand crank would be one of the keepers. 

This particular model has the ability to go into reverse, which is perfect for reinforcing stitches. The only thing she can't do is sew in zigzag. 

If you're thinking about buying an antique hand crank sewing machine, especially a Jones, here's a wonderful website that goes over the history. I'll try to get a video out soon on how well she runs, or I should say, how easy it is for us to run, as we're the manpower ;)

                       More info/history on the Jones machine  HERE

Photocopies of the owners manual HERE 

DOLL VACUUM COVER

My most recent project is the pioneer doll vacuum cover. This is 100% handsewn. No sewing machine, no serger. Just wanted to create something with a simple needle and thread - which I find very relaxing.



Online at www.ozcrafts.com/country04.html you'll find several varieties of doll vacuum covers to choose from. The pattern I had used is Sweet Suzanne. Not wanting to paint her face, I decided to go with the primitive look and leave it at that.

For bonnet, I used a child's size pattern.

Now, no more ugly vacuum cleaner to take up space!

Cloth Dinner Napkins

While visiting my mother in Missouri, I admired all her crafty creations. Beautifully crocheted table runners and rugs created from colorful old tee shirts, stacks of fabric coasters, quilted wall hangings, embroidered blouses, and even a crocheted "warmer" for her drinking glass. I especially liked her gorgeous stash of cloth napkins. I had to try this for myself.

I used a paper napkin for a pattern, selecting a wide assortment of cotton prints that would match my country kitchen.

No, I haven't gone "green"... but this is just one of many ways that I can cut back on unnecessary spending, not to mention, it gives our meals an elegant touch. Since I've introduced the cloth dinner napkin, we've been eating more frequently by candlelight!

Hello Dolly!

Here's my newest creation - Miniature stuffed doll necklaces. Upon a search on the web, I do believe I'm the only one doing this. These are 100% hand sewn, and only 6" long.

My daughter and I are both sewing these for the Pioneer General Store at the living history museum where we volunteer.

We're having a lot of fun designing these!

Daddy - Daughter Dance 2009

Dress is finished!

Colonial II

I still need to hem, add more lace, ribbons, and pearls, but at least this gives you a general idea.