Toys for Tots has been collecting and distributing toys to youngsters at Christmas time for 60 years.  Many individuals and organizations participate.
Bernina, one of the sewing machines used by quilters, fabric artists, and dressmakers, will celebrate its 75th anniversary by spreading cheer to youngsters through Toys for Tots.  Participating Bernina dealers throughout the country will be a collecting point for toys.
Bernina also will donate money from particular sewing machine purchases.
 Quilters, click here for more information about the Bernina Toys for Tots program and participating Bernina dealers.
(I learned about this program from Jenni at www.QuiltersVillage.com )

Chloe at Tangled Thread has discovered another neat idea…a bobbin winder, Sidewinder bobbin winder from Wrights.  This enables you to wind your bobbin without taking the thread from the machine.
Also,  if you order it, using the code Chloe provides, you’ll receive a discount.  What more could you ask for?  Time saving gadget and a discount.

         Chloe, in her post, Tuning Up An Old Treadle Machine, at Tangled Thread, brought back memories of sewing and quilting with this machine in my childhood.
  Ah!  The old treadle sewing machine!  That’s what I learned to sew on.  My mother had one; my aunt and grandmother had one; my 4-H sewing leader, Aunt Mary, had one.  I spent many hours at the treadle machine in each of these locations sewing.
In fact, we have one today that someone gave us.  We don’t use it for sewing, but have at various locations used this as a plant stand or side table.  …read more

“The electricity is off.  I can’t use my sewing machine!” we dread to hear as quilters and fabric artists. 
Also, if you’re conducting a business where you promote and sell your items over the Internet, you’re likely to be devastated when you hear,”Your server is down.  The electricity is off.  Your computer has a glitch.”
All of these challenges occurred in our household recently, in addition to b5media having some downtime, which disrupted my ability to post here.  So occasionally my blog posts were rather irratic in April.
A friend in another state, who also conducts business utilizing the Internet, had server and computer …read more

With our modern computerized sewing machines, some so automated they’ll sew without you touching them, many quilters may not realize that there once existed “people-powered” or non-electric sewing machines.  I learned to sew on a treadle machine, so called because there was a flat plate, about 12x 9-inches square under this machine on legs that turned the needle and enabled us to stitch items.
When these sewing machines were invented in the mid-1800s, they were the height of modernization.  Seamstresses were delighted they no longer needed to stitch clothing and quilts and do mending by hand. 
Finally my 4-H teacher bought a …read more