Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

Antique Needle Box

Look at this pretty sewing needle display box I ordered. I thought it was the perfect decoration for a small shelf in my workshop and I was delighted when it arrived full of beautiful original vintage needles. It also arrived with cobwebs and lint bunnies...but fortunately, no spiders or bugs! It obviously spent some time in a basement or old barn but the lovely needles and wood-divided sections were worth the brief vacuuming time.

I just adore the tiny packets of perfectly preserved needles and they are so charmingly presented. There is an excellent assortment of brands, sizes and styles, (even some with GOLD eyes!!!) and even though they are 100% usable, I am going to keep them as they are...rowed up for easy viewing. The 'Made in England' packages are my favourite and I was happy there were some actual Dorothy Frances ones remaining in the set. I think the little messages, artwork, and design of the labels and sleeves are such a wonderful representation of the era (e.g. the 'War Economy Pack") and I'm excited to show off my collection to all who'll take a peek.

Vintage Singer Walking Foot

I was so excited when I bought my vintage Singer 301 sewing machine and found a walking foot hidden in the drawer of the cabinet. Unfortunately, when I was quilting a rag quilt for my husband that Christmas, the foot fell apart. It's always a risk and challenge using and finding parts and feet for the old machines so I figured I was out of luck in this case.

Lately I've been searching the web for antique sewing items and I just so happened to find the exact Singer walking foot I needed. Because the 301 is a slant machine it is that much more of a specialty item to source so I snapped it up. The foot arrived in no time and after getting it attached correctly, worked like a charm. I'm delighted to be able to easily stitch through quilt layers again with this beautiful machine. The foot came in its box with instructions and the original receipt for $6.25! (dated April 15, but no year). They certainly have appreciated in value so I hope it survives longer than the other foot did!

As a bonus for being the seller's first customer, she included a lovely little roll of vintage ribbon. How sweet, and another pretty item to showcase in my workshop. So the moral of the story is never give up (once again). Sometimes finding just the right thing takes a bit of searching and a sprinkle of patience.

Vintage Iron

I am having fun finding new vintage items to add to my sewing collection. Small, inexpensive notions and retro gear are the perfect additions to the theme without taking up too much room or cash. My latest wish was for a 1960s era travel iron. These old irons are awesome for quilting because they are super hot and have a good point at the tip, not to mention they are adorable. Despite being a 'travel' version, this little iron has some weight and heft to it - also a good feature when pressing patchwork.

I found a General Electric iron on-line and it is in great shape - almost like it was never used. The cord is perfect and it came complete in the box with manual and water bottle to make it a steam iron. It has a temperature dial to select the appropriate heat for the desired fabric and a flip-down handle for travel. It works perfectly and is so comfortable to use. They really don't make 'em like they used to.

I think this iron is so cute and charming BUT the vintage models do come with a caution. First of all, they get extremely hot so care must be taken while using to avoid burning - both the fabric and one's skin! They also have no modern-day shut off system so one needs to be vigilant about unplugging them. A good rule of thumb is to NEVER leave them unattended when plugged in! There are stories of dangerous fires from these irons so it's important to be careful and be extra attentive. Also, most of the older irons have cloth cords. While mine is in perfect condition there are some worries using an iron with an old fashioned, un-certified plug. I will use my new/old iron occasionally when I am piecing patchwork but for the most part it will be a decorative item in my workshop.

Vintage Singer Blind Stitch Attachment

I am so excited to have found this vintage Singer Blind Stitch Attachment. It came complete in the box with the instruction booklet and original bill of sale from 1963. It works perfectly and again, is such a wonderful example of Singer ingenuity. To be able to achieve alternate stitches and functions on a straight-stitch only machine is pretty incredible.

The specialty foot is quickly attached to the presser bar with a screw after removing the regular foot. There is an adjustable guide to rest the fold of a blind hem against to achieve various 'bite widths' and the foot moves the fabric every 12 stitches to allow for them. I don't really do any hemming on clothing (and I only tested the foot on a small sample fabric strip which I probably folded incorrectly) but I'm sure there are situations when I might want to use an invisible hem stitch. I will have to practice folding the fabric better since that always confuses me a bit. No matter what, the box looks great in my cabinet and is an excellent new addition to my Singer attachments collection.

You can watch my brief video to see the blind stitch attachment in action on my Featherweight 221...