A Tale of Two Sewing Machines

I'm not sure if I've shared with you about my new sewing machines. Yep plural, I have TWO.

I went from none to two when someone asked my mom if she wanted a sewing machine… I think. Mom knew I was looking into sewing and they gave them right to me! How lucky and nice is that!

You won't believe them.

Machine Number One: The Seventies Model

This is the Singer Touch & Sew 756.  It does the fancy zig-zag stitched and the like with just a turn of the dial. Apparently it was one of the first of its kind in the fancy-stitch department. :)

This is the manual that came with it. Don't you just love it!

I can't seem to get the bobbin to engage yet… I'm working on it.

Then there's Machine Number Two: The Probably 1950s model.

Yep, 1950s. I've got a call to make to singer because apparently this early of a model isn't dated, but you can call in the serial number and they say they'll tell you when it was produced. The last copyright date on the manual is 1952.

Really though isn't it just BEAUTIFUL!

I looked it up and apparently these machines are known to work hard and work forever.  Sometimes they need new wiring so I'll check that out, but it works. Moves a little slow but I hear that means it may just need a little oil…

Don't you love how it folds into this little table? :)

So right now I actually have zero fully functioning sewing machines.. but soon… because I need to get on those curtains for the kitchen. :)

Anyone every oiled up an old sewing machine before??

Car Funnies and Curtain Dilemmas

So after work I headed out to our little employee parking lot and as I came around to the driver's side of my car I noticed that someone had parked RIGHT next to me, about 0.25 inches from taking off my side view mirror.

No hard feeling, I don't mind someone parking close. It's a tight parking lot and I understand.

But then I had to get in.

There was not even enough room for me to fit my body between the cars, much less be able to make it all the way to my door handle.

I should have taken a picture, and I'm pretty sure the security guys inside must have been laughing on their cameras as I had to go around the car, to the passenger side door, crawl over the seat, over the stick shift… and then figure out how to climb back out again to shut the door.

Crazy times at the clinic.

But we do have another little dilemma at the house. We're trying to figure out a window solution to the window above the kitchen sink:

 Yes, that's me in the reflection of the window... and yep, I'm on

my phone talking to my wonderful mom... and yes, that's my phone plugged

in on the left because I never charge it when I'm supposed to...

Anyway... As I've perused Pinterest and Houzz and the likes I've noticed that a lot of people don't even cover their kitchen windows, they put up a valance, or lace or something… but our kitchen window faces the main road and I've actually had friends tell us that they loved seeing us in the kitchen as they drive by.

Hope that wasn't one of those days I ran to the kitchen in my PJs… creepy.

So here are the two competing ideas… I have the fabric, and really all the materials needed for idea number one, but I'm just not sure…

The Easiest: Burlap Flowy-ish Curtains (is that the right term?)

Like this below, but without the white fabric at the top. And think brushed nickel instead of the black curtain rod and rings..

or The Fancier "Casual" Roman Shade

But then I saw this one by Martha. And realized it does in fact look a little more kitchen-y and maybe a little cleaner. Imagine this in tan burlap instead of red… it's a lot more labor intensive (and I have to repair my sewing machine first) but may be worth it.

That's the big debate today at the Hess House. What do you think? Thinking ease of making it, function of hiding our PJ-ed selves, and of course the look!

What do ya think??