Puttering With Sewing and Soup

Last week was hectic.  Today allowed a little relaxation.  I puttered, playing with a couple things I've been wanting to do.

I like button-front blouses...short-sleeve.  I never wear my long-sleeved ones.  So today I shortened the sleeves on two of them.  The result is perfect for summer wear.

Singer Model 15-91

The sewing machine is a vintage 1940s Singer model 15-91.  Isn't it a sweetie! I've used this machine on a ton of quilting projects...except that I've lost the quilting bug.  Nowadays it gets used for short mending tasks such as this.

Once upon a time, during my quilting days, I "collected" vintage Singer sewing machines.  At one point there were thirteen Singers residing in our house.  None of them newer than the 1960s. All of them in top-notch working condition.  Some of them took a bit of elbow grease (and WD-40) to get them up and running again.  Those old machines, if regularly cleaned and oiled, will outperform any modern day machine.

Paul Revere 1776 Copper Pan

But having ovarian cancer has caused me to look askance at all the "stuff" in our house.  Over the past three years I've been slowly getting rid of some things including some of the sewing machines.  I gave away several, sold a couple, junked one (and sold the parts on eBay).  Now I have only four...this black 15-91, a 1940s Singer 221 Featherweight, a 1960s Singer 403 and a marvelously well-maintained Singer 66 treadle from the very early 1900s in an oak parlor cabinet.  The 403 has zigzag features.  The Featherweight is too cute to get rid of. The 15-91 is my heavy-duty stitcher when I machine-quilt. And the treadle? Aw, I just like it. A lot.

My second putter task today was to try out one of my Paul Revere copper pans on our new gas stove.  The copper conducts heat quickly and I love how this saucepan simmered up a small batch of soup. And isn't it pretty!

The soup?  Using some leftover beef and noodles I added a can of beef broth and sauteed some onion, celery, and shredded cabbage, adding them to the pot.  A cup of canned tomatoes added to the flavor.

I'm still tired from the hectic past week. But I'm feeling better.  Being able to putter was a nice way to relax a bit.
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