Bluegrass in Greenville

Do you like bluegrass music? So do we! After enjoying a Grey Fox in July, we made the day trip to "Bluegrass in Greenville" down in the Catskills Mountains. 

Last summer, we bought a 1957 portable record player and in our search for records, we found an album that was made by a guy who was from our area, Smokey Greene! And he's still using the case on the cover. This album was made in 1981. 

Smokey was at the festival! Today, he's in his 80's and has been playing music for 68 years. We got the chance to meet him and shake his hand. We asked him if he would sign our album when we see him again at the Washington County Fair. Of course he said he would!

He plays his sets with his son so his voice can have a rest. He is also an amazing musician. 

Next up - Jessie Alexander. This is an older photo, since the boys are now young men, but they tore up the floor with their picking!

Here's the Atkinson Family. Another group of mega talent. They have a nice mix of covers and originals. Their harmonies were spot on. 

We stayed until it was too cold to be sitting outside. The event goes on all weekend, is small and personal, offered camping for the weekend, had some vendors and a food stand. We'd go back again next year! 

Look up some if these groups and give them your support. The record industry doesn't show them much love so it's up to us to keep them pickin'!

Vintage Machine Eye Candy

It was a fun day atv the flea market. For some reason, the vendors pulled out their sewing machines and accessories!

This is the creme de la creme of the vintage machines. The Singer Featherweight. It had the original carry case and some accessories. The case had a missing latch and the machine had quite a few nicks on it. It had served its owner well. It was post 1950 but not the 1951 anniversary model. Very nice machine, priced at $350.

This is a Wilcox and Gibbs chain stitch machine. They were made from 1880-1950. Priced at $95. I absolutely love the circular design but passed on it. 

Attachments! But they're for the Greist brand. Fun to look at!

Here's a Wheeler & Wilson treadle machine in a very nice cabinet. $700. Whoa!

The wonderful a Singer 99. The vendor said it sews and offered to plug it in. He was asking $100, which is a good price! It looked great but I passed on it once I tried to pick it up. This is a solid girl!

Side note - We enjoy seeing things like this. This RCA Victor record player screamed 1960. It reminded me of the Silvertone amps from that time. No one knew if it worked. I hope someone buys it and gives it a chance to entertain again. 

Mini machines that were for youngsters are too cute, aren't they? They were over $100 each. 

A repurposed treadle base. Sigh. 

Oh my. These babies really need some love and tenderness to maybe come back to usefulness again. I didn't even ask how much. 

This caught my eye. The cabinet was closed but I saw the power cord on the ground. When I lifted the top, this Featherweight rose up out of the base! The drawer had all its accessories. It was an older model, not shiny paint. Actually, it was filthy! The machine lifted out of the cabinet. Oh yeah! I was interested!

Can you say "singer copy"? $125 for this gorgeousness!

It would be a good table for a sewing room!

I ran into this beauty after we had a bite to eat. <3 u sweetie!

What is it about these boxes that's so special? The cool goodies inside, that's what! You can spot the green box with the red logo with little effort. I picked up this accessory kit so I can pass it along to another Singer owner who doesn't have it. 

I saw this and knew what it was...

Voila! Didn't buy but the price was low. I had it down to $40. 

A turquoise machine made by White. Lovely!

Remember the Featherweight in the cabinet? She came home with me. I was able to buy her and the accessories on their own. I got a good price! Her motor ran but didn't sew. After cleaning and oiling and reassembling and adjusting her, I got a nice stitch to come out of this machine made in September of 1935. 

So I think I made out really well with the cool machines I got to see and the one that made it home with me! Do you have a vintage machine? 

Bargel-love

Can you sew strips of fabric together? You can? Then you could make a Bargello quilt!

Pick out fabric that ranges from dark to light.

The trick is to keep your strips in perfect order! Numbering them is going to keep your project on track!

Lay it all out on a design wall or large surface to see what your pattern looks like. 

Then sew it all together and put on simple borders. 

Not so hard, is it? But the end result is fabulous! Want to do a Bargello workshop? Let me know and we can set a date!