CELTIC SOLSTICE WIP

I am a happy girl (see below)

My Celtic Solstice just needs to have its remaining borders attached...then, wait for me to put up my Handiquilter.  I am anxious to have it finished, but it can wait.

I cut pieces with the intention of making the king sized version and made a queen instead, leaving me with several black rectangles.  So, I cut a few more and used them as the border.  I haven't decided if a solid outer border is needed....may make the quilt too big but taking a photo of it has really helped in the decision making.
Even though I'm still kicking myself for removing the green (get over it, Barb!) I think it is turning out alright.  It will fit on our bed perfectly.  






MEET...ROSIE

Last Sunday, Doug and I went to an auction.  The sale bill simply said "Old Singer Sewing Machine".  My heart really started thumping when I spied a 201-2 sitting among the broken down furniture....not with the good stuff they have in another area and blocked off so they can keep people away to protect against damage.  She was pretty dirty and frozen up...just the way we like them...ha!  With a closer look, the wiring looked really good.  She had an ugly sticker on the bed with a drawing of a wasp and "Singer Stinger" scrawled across it.

We took a seat close to our conquest, taking note of how many people stopped and seemed interested.  There were two others; a lady who looked like a sewer and an antique dealer type.  The lady sat in the back and didn't bid on anything and the antiquey guy sat in the front and was doing a bunch of bidding and buying.  My hopes of getting this gem on the cheap was fading.

I asked Doug his thoughts of what our top dollar should be.  His reply was "We are going home with it."  I knew he wasn't kidding......more heart thumping. 

Finally, after about 3 hours the auctioneer announced "Next up for auction is the sewing machine, sold as is, where is."  Thump, Thump, Thump!

He started at $20...no bids.  $10...no bids.  $5...nope...$2.50 and the bids started to fly between sewing lady and antiquey guy.  Quicker THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.

Sewing lady hesitated and Doug got into the bidding and then she dropped out.  Doug just kept his number up in the air and kept the bid pressure on antiquey guy.  He won the auction...$37.50 !!!!!!!!!!  YES !!!!   Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump!!!!!!!

We get her home and Doug can't wait to get going on her.  With a lot of oil and very little muscle with a pipe wrench she is free and  sewing a pretty good stitch.  The tension is pretty tight but the mechanism needed to be cleaned and adjusted..that's all it took.  She does need a rubber wheel for the bobbin winder and that is on order!

What a sweet machine!!!!  I can't even explain what a great find this is !!  Doug said when she's sewing, she sounds like a space ship, like in the Jetsons......so, Rosie is her name.  

Rosie was the Jetsons robot maid and Wikipedia describes her as "an outdated model, but the Jetsons love her and would never trade her for a newer model."  So appropriate!

My first block made with Rosie.