Sewing room tour

Toy Singer sewing machine with hand-turned wheel, given to me by my Grandmother.

I think back sometimes to when I first started this blog and realize I don't always post the way I intended to in the beginning. I thought I would show more of my sewing projects and crafts, but it seems farm life is often the focus of my blog. (And of my life, too.) I'm constantly buying cute patterns and I know I'll never have the time to sew them all, but I'm always thinking maybe a little one in the family would love a stuffed animal or toy to play with like I did when I was small. One of my most treasured possessions to this day is a little stuffed dog my Mom made for me. I never played with dolls very much, just once in a while, but I LOVED stuffed animals of all kinds. Along with making the little dog, she also made some little clothes for it and for some of my other animals as well. I had the best dressed animals in town! I still have a fondness for them and every time I sit down at my machine, I think of Mom sitting at her machine. It's a bittersweet memory, but one I will always hold dear to my heart.

One of my other most prized possessions is the sewing machine Hubby bought for me. I had a wonderful little Viking machine, a no-frills model with basic stitches and easy operation, but every time we went into Joann's Fabric in Knoxville I drooled all over the Viking embroidery machines. Not long after Mom passed away, Hubby and I were walking through Joann's and once again I got lost in the Viking department. Hubby started talking to the sales lady and found out we could trade mine in and get full price of my machine marked off the new one! I was so excited... for the first couple of weeks all I did was look at my beautiful new machine! Hubby said, "Are you ever going to sew anything with it?" I was fascinated by the embroidery feature- I just loved to watch it sew on it's own! Since then I've rewarded Hubby by embroidering many shirts for him- mostly with tractors on them. It was such a wonderful thing to help keep my mind occupied after Mom passed away, and Hubby was so special in getting it for me that I will always cherish it.

This is my machine- a Viking Scandinavia 400.

I also have a Singer serger... I don't use it very often- mostly when I'm making a skirt or hemming something- but it's still nice to have. This machine was at a local WalMart that was closing out it's fabric department-it was originally $200 and I got it for $90! I was so thrilled- it was the last one they had.

I don't keep a lot of different embroidery thread on hand, just basic colors, so if I need a special color I have to go buy it. But I do try to keep normal thread in a variety of colors- Hubby bought this thread rack for me this past Christmas and it has been wonderful to have them all displayed like this.

My sewing table is actually a Martha Stewart dining table from KMart- it has one large drawer where I keep my small scissors, extra needles, and other notions. It's big and sturdy and it has lots of room. I keep my other necessities in a plastic bin next to the table so things are always close at hand.

I have more to show you from my sewing room, but I'll save that for another time- have a wonderful weekend, everybody!