Aunties Sewing Machine

We're having a party for my husbands birthday today so I'm leaving you with a picture of what I did yesterday. Altho I knew how to sew and had made many things for my girls when they were small, I had never made a quilt before. My aunt is a wonderfully talented quilt maker and I asked her to help me make one. I wanted to eventually make one for each of my 3 girls and my grandchildren. So she did so graciously. And I am forever indebted for her teaching me some tricks of the trade. I absolutely love quilting and have taken right off with it! And my aunt knows this. So one day last week she called and told me that she's downsizing in the house, comtemplating moving to something smaller and said she had a sewing machine for me if I'd like it. Well come to find out it's one she bought when she first graduated from nursing school. I didn't ask exactly but I'm guessing around 45 - 46 years ago. She bought it with her first paycheck from the nursing job she had gotten at the hospital here. I am so honored to have this. And I'm going to use it to make my 3rd grandchilds quilt on it. And he's almost a year old so I really need to get a move on! As soon as I read the book and figure this baby out....ANNNNNDDDDDD HERE SHE IS>>>>>>>>>

Tomorrow I'll take a picture of her opened and set up! She's an old gal but quite the beauty!

On the right you'll see a stack and whack quilt I've made but I'm still handquilting it. Paying to have someone machine quilt my quilts  really doesn't fit into my budget, but maybe someday I'll have one done that way. The designs you can have quilted on them are simply gorgeous. But in the meantime I just do mine by hand. Sometimes it takes me a whole winter to finish quilting one, but I enjoy sewing in the evenings with the quilt draped across my lap. A nice way to stay warm at the same time!

And if you're wondering what that furry thing on the left is....that's a lamb footstool. My BIL and SIL raise sheep as a little side venture along with their cattle. She brought that down at Christmastime for the grandchildren to use. It's so sweet!

Have a wonderful day everyone!