Dinner in the Garden III

 

 

My mother left me a beautiful vintage set of Oneida Community Morning Star silver plate flatware, service for 8. This highly collectible pierced floral pattern dates back to 1948. 

 

Morning Star is perfect for traditional or modern settings. Deep sculptured carving and pierced detail add depth and richness to the floral design. It has the appearance of heavy hand-made silver. Every knife, fork and spoon in Community Silverplate has been made with Oneida's unique balanced plating process. This assures a heavy plating of pure silver scientifically placed on each piece for maximum life and additional layers of pure silver are placed on the back of most pieces at the points of greatest wear.

Dinner in the Garden II

 

 

I remember walking through the antique stores of Manhattan, Kansas during the 1970s.  That is where I fell in love with pink depression glass -- Dogwood in particular.  I was entranced and became obsessed with owning as much of the elegant ware as possible.

 

Dogwood is also known as Apple Blossom and Wild Rose, and was manufactored by the Macbeth Evans Glass Company from 1929 to 1932.  It is one of the most popular patterns produced.  Made in pink, green, crystal [clear], monax [white], cremax [beige], and yellow; it is most abundant in pink. 

 

My mother had a few serving pieces of pink depression glass in the Hocking Lace Edge pattern.  I inherited them as well. 

 

 

During this education in the world of glass, I found the wonders of the simple undecorated blank stemware produced by Bartlett Collins Co.  This glassware was called "blanks" because they were produced to sell to other glass factories to be etched with their own custom patterns before re-sale to the public.  But I like the plain pillar optic design of the pieces without embellishment.  The pink crystal is lovely, and goes with any of the pink glass patterns perfectly.

Come With Me To My Garden -- at Dinnertime

My mother left me an historic and beautiful display of antique eggshell nautilus china Ferndale by Homer Laughlin.  Eggshell Nautilus china was designed by Frederick Hurten Rhead and sold by the Homer Laughlin China Company from 1937 until the 1950's when the pattern was discontinued. The eggshell design was one of the company's most popular china styles and was described by some as a joy to behold.  Elegant scrollwork was the hallmark 

of this delicate china.  While the Homer Laughlin China Company is still in business today, eggshell nautilus china, originally sold through catalog sellers, such as Montgomery Ward and Sears, now offers only a memory and a glimpse of the past.

Finest Quality, Lightweight Eggshell Ferndale pattern N1577, made by Homer Laughlin form 1937 to about 1950 in Newell, West Virginia, USA. It is a hard to find pattern and is in the Eggshell Nautilus line.  Eggshell made by Homer Laughlin, was made in two forms of Nautilus; original and eggshell.  Eggshell is the lightweight version. Eggshell Nautilus has a pedestal foot and a smooth handle.  Both patterns have a shell-look shape to them.

Delicately covered in pink and yellow roses on background of lovely floral sprays is the motif of the elegant pattern.  Wide ivory border, usually found on only the finest china, genuine 22KT gold line on rim and gold color line on inner circle.  Embossed rim gives the final touch aristocratic distinction to this deluxe quality dinnerware.  The bottom of the piece has the stamp of HLC Eggshell Nautilus. 

 

Necchi Lelia My Love!

 

I just found a Necchi Lelia 515 sm in a case at the thrift shop today for $10! It looks to be in great shape, and I can't wait til I get home to play with it!

This machine was built in Italy between 1963 and 1971 with all metal internals and a cast metal body and was designed for household use.   The 515 Lelia was the top of the Lelia line.  These machines where very well made with great precision by Necchi and this is demonstrated by the quiet hum of this machine as it works effortlessly through both heavy and light materials. 

It is built like a tank,  runs like a dream, and will outlast any modern machine.  The cams are interchangeable with the ones for the Necchi Nora and are very hard to find.  I have my eye on four of them as we speak.  Wish me luck!  There is a built in buttonhole attachment for the Lelia but I doubt I will ever find one.

Here is more information about Necchi sewing machines.

BC Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black; Italy

BCJ Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black; Italy

BF Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black, Green, or Pink; Italy

BF Mira Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Gray; Italy

BF Supernova Flat Bed; Straight Stitch; Oscillating Hook; Gray; Italy; 1955-1962

BU Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Black or Green; Italy 1948-1953

BU Mira Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Olive; Italy; 1952-1956

BU Nova Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Dark Green or Black; Italy; 1953

BU Supernova Flat Bed; Manual Zig Zag; Oscillating Hook; Gray; Italy; 1955-1958

Esperia Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Italy; 1958-1961

Miracle Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Black; Italy 1955

Miranda Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Olive; Italy; 1961

Supernova Ultra Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Automatic zig zag; insertable cams; Italy; 1958-1963

510 Lelia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Straight Stitch; Pink/Cream; Italy; 1961

512 Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Cream & Green; 1963-1971

513 Lelia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; Buttonhole; Pink/Cream;
Italy; 1961

514 Nora; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Automatic; Insertable Cams; Gray or Pink;
Italy; 1957-1961

515 Lelia, Flat Bed; Automatic with BH; Insertable cams; Cream & Pink; Italy;
1963-1971

522 Lycia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag; White; Italy; 1955

523 Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Manual Zig Zag with BH; Pink; Italy 1963-1971

524 Lycia; Free Arm; Oscillating Hook; Automatic; Insertable Cams; White;
Italy; 1955

525 Flat Bed; Automatic with BH; Italy; 1963-1971

530 Mirella; Free Arm; Straight Stitch; Convertible to handcrank; Pink; Italy;
1963-1971

532 Flat Bed; Manual Zig Zag; Oscillating Hook; Pink/Cream; Italy; 1954-1962

534 Supernova Julia; Flat Bed; Oscillating Hook; Automatic with BH; Insertable Cams;
Lavender; Italy; 1961-1971

544 Lydia; Free Arm; Rotary Hook; White; Italy; 1962-1971

554 Flat Bed; Automatic with BH; Cream & Beige; Italy; 1963-1971

Chain, Chain, Chain...Chain, Chain, Chain...Chain of Fools

Yes, I could have bought a Wilcox and Gibbs antique chainstitch sewing machine, but I wanted something a little more versatile. I wanted a machine that could not only chainstitch, but do decorative stitching with less expensive cams than is available for my Viking 6030. I did a little research on PatternReview online site, and then did more research on Ebay.

I was able to buy a Singer Touch and Sew 603E [one of the last models with metal gearing] and 20 decorative cams for less than I would pay just for a set of 8 Viking cams. 

I received this machine with 20 decorative cams and a variety of different feet.  It also came with a couple of attachments which convert this lockstitch sewing machine into a chainstitch sewing machine.

 

 

Why would I want a single thread chainstitching machine you ask.......?  Chainstitching is useful for basting, stay-stitching, fastening removable trimming, hemming curtains and draperies that may need to be altered, sewing temporary tucks to extend the life of children's clothes, making welting for corded seams or tubular cording, attaching hem tape and elastic waistbands, repairing knit and stretch garments, and making stay chains to anchor linings, or hold belts or shoulder pads in place.

 

I am going to have to have my Singer 603E serviced before I can sew on it, so it will be several months before I can start to use it.  But I think it is well worth waiting on.

All Aboard the Viking Express!

 

 



I have ignored my Viking 6030 sewing machine for a long time.  Now that I have gotten back into sewing, it is time to re-evaluate this lovely old machine.  After all, besides a good straight stitch, it is one of my mechanical mechines that does embrodiery stitches with cams. 

My Viking came with stitching cams that have 4 patterns to each cam.  They are labeled A, B, C, & D. 

I recently found a few more of these fairly rare cams sets on Ebay --  B, D, C, E, F, G, H, & I.  So, I set out to bag me a set. 

 

 

I am going to have it serviced right away, because my Viking is going to be my "go to" sewing machine for most tasks I think.  Or maybe it will be my Elna 33C Special, or my mother's Nelco J A-38?  I love having choices......