My Featherweight machine

DH decided I need a Singers Featherweight machine to take to volunteer sewing and classes.  Because my favourite quilt shop has a limited amount of electrical plugs, he also purchased a hand crank for the machine.

A lot of hours were spent spent cleaning and doing maintenance for the Featherweight.  It just purrs now when in use.  The hand crank arrived today and within minutes I was able to test it out.  Talk about quiet and smooth.  And such accurate stitching.  If seams don't line up it will definitely be operator error.  I won't be able to blame the machine!

 Now to find an old stroller with springs or pneumatic tires to safely get the machine to classes without damage.

For those not familiar with the Featherweight, they weigh about 11lbs.  The end folds up as above.  Because this part folds DH was worried about the bolt that holds the front plate on damaging the surface.  There are protective pads that can be added, but they fall off easily.  So DH used shrink wrap tubing:

And here's the hand crank.  It folds up so the machine can go into it's case easily.

Convertable shoulder bag/back pack is finished!

First...the Janome 1600P has been sold.  A lovely couple drove 2 1/2 hours to come try it out and it went home with them.  Wish they lived closer, I would really enjoy sitting down over  a cup of tea or coffee and talk quilting - or life in general with them.  My hope is that they enjoy using the Janome as I did.  It's a great machine and sews through almost anything.

Now for the bag!  Its finished and ready for the trip.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  Zipper closure, zipper pocket on each side, inside divider along with two zipper pockets and a pocket behind each of the zipper pockets.  That's a lot of pockets!

The two white "patches" showing are lists of podcasts I listen too.  These can (and will be) removed once I'm back from vacation.  But while we are in the parks at Walt Disney World other listeners to the podcasts notice them.  And they are quite the conversation starters.  We have met a lot of people that we now keep in touch with via my park back packs!