Sewing - Penelope

My friend Sue sent me this little kit as a RAK.

I have an old Singer sewing machine just like the picture. It truly is a family heirloom. It originally belonged to my "little" great gran, who was born in 1901, and was hand powered at the time. It passed to my gran on her marriage, and she made many clothes using this machine for herself and my mum during the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1967, my grandad paid for a motor to be fitted to the machine as a wedding present for my mum, and my mum stitched her wedding dress herself with a little help from this workhorse - which doesn't do fancy stitches, only straight - it doesn't even do reverse!

The sewing machine moved south when my mum did, and was put to good use clothing myself and my sister - often in matching dresses, but hey, that was style in the 1970s! About 1980 Mum was finally able to afford a more up to date machine, and the Singer was put out to retirement. For many years, it was loaned to a family friend's daughter - it must have been a good fifteen years or more - and was given up for lost. But good friends come through, and the machine was returned, still in excellent working order. Mum was contemplating selling it, but as my modern machine had never been reliable, I offered to exchange it! I think my mum was relieved I wanted it, because this machine is so much a part of our family history and has sentimental value. My sister doesn't sew at all, so at least there was no arguments :o)

The machine is very very heavy, and setting it up usually requires a phone call to my mum for help, as it has it's little quirks :o) But swap it for a modern model? No thanks!

As for this design - a very quick little stitch, and the finished piece is going to be made into a pincushion, when I find the piece of "perfect" fabric I know I have somewhere in my stash!

Design Details

Fabric: 14 count aida, white
Threads: Anchor stranded cotton
Designer: Not credited
Chart Details: Penelope "Momentos" PM10 Sewing - Coats Crafts UK/Wm. Briggs (c) 1996
Stitch Count: 26H x 26V
Stitches Used: Cross Stitch, Back Stitch
Threads Used: Anchor stranded cottons in 883, 884, 295, 75, 398, 400, 403, 77. Cross stitch in two strands, back stitch in one.
Embellishments: None.
Modifications Made: None.