Treadling X2

1896 Singer treadle sewing machine!

I did a lot of spinning in May. In June I took a break and knit another felted bag using Log Cabin Wool. (the soft fuzzy one in the middle)

There were 2 skeins of white all ready to make another bag. Except I think I'll make mittens! I dyed one of the skeins with blue and green food color. I really like the color it came out.
You never know what you're going to get!!

I may have a "bag problem"! They are addictive to knit and although I've given a couple away...   
I seem to have a few on hand.

I finished plying 2 "Fine" singles inspired by the latest issue of PLY.  Sara gave me a birthday gift of fiber from One Lupine. And a baby lamb! Stuffed :)
It was very nice fiber and I did my best to spin thin. So different from the fat fluffy 3 ply I was getting into a spinning groove with recently. Probably a good idea to change things up. The other fiber is Mohair. Yikes! Never tried that yet and may procrastinate a bit longer.
Since July I have spun 5 more skeins of  the grey Romney from Log Cabin Wool. I finished carding the last of it into 4 batts but set it aside last night to begin working on the 2 Tunis fleeces from Montana!

Meanwhile . . .

I've had my grandmother's Singer treadle sewing machine since Aunt Vena gave it to me in the 90's. I got so far as buying a new belt for it but gave up trying to get it to work when it didn't just GO! and moved on to other things. In June I started oiling all the moving parts (and wiping down the dust).
In July it sewed stitches for the first time in about 50 years!!
It still needed some work as the bobbin winder was seized up so I had to wind it by hand. The wire spring on the tension knob was pretty much nonfunctional. I ordered a new one. It cost $1.69 plus s/h. Plus there was a $3.50 minimum so I ordered an oil bottle.

BUT IT SEWED! 

I have since fixed the bobbin winder.
With a hair dryer!
When days upon days of oiling failed to budge a thing someone on Ravelry suggested a blow dryer. It was like magic after just a few minutes of heat I had a perfectly functioning bobbin winder!
(Also worked to loosen the stitch length knob. ;)
I have now sewn 16 twelve inch crazy squares and am now deciding whether or not to use my new-fangled vintage Viking 960 with its nicer selection of feet attachments . . . 
or keep treadling!

In June I decided to rip out our old patio stones that had begun disintegrating from winter rock salt and build this new walkway. Tom helped me collect rocks from the woods with the ATV.  I spent 2 weeks putting the "puzzle pieces" together. My brother made me the bench!