Girl and Boy

I can whip up one of these embroidered cosmetic bags in a day on my new Janome Horizon Memory Craft 12000 ...if I keep to a schedule.  

Embroidering the designs takes the longest time.  

Sewing up the bag is quick and easy even with a lining and zipper.   

(Sorry I haven't washed out my blue chalk line markings yet.) 

This time I chose a cute girl and boy cross-stitched embroidery figure design.  

However, trying to determine the correct thread colors has been a challenge though.  

I only have about 12 different embroidery thread colors.  

And the girl and boy figures used around 9 thread color changes each.

That's what takes time...pulling out and rethreading a new color.

  

I think I have the mirror image positioning down now.  

I picked my 9 thread colors and started sewing.  

Imagine my surprise when I realized I had  chosen yellow for the little girl's face and hands.  

Another lesson learned.  

Use the machine screen to go through the colors and their assigned areas more carefully.  

My machine only assigns Janome brand threads numbers and I don't have any Janome threads.  

It's not easy trying to match the tiny boxes of colors shown on the machine screen. 

My little boy got a pink face and hands since I don't have any flesh colored thread.  

I embroidered "girl" and "boy" above each figure but the "boy" looks more like "box" !  

LOL!

I sewed a line of decorative stitches in blue thread across the top of the bags...a spool of thread and scissors for the girl and a house and car for the boy.

I need more embroidery thread in lots of colors! 

Hubby assembled my white Ikea cabinet for me.

The drawers slide beautifully.   

It fits nicely next to my vintage Singer 201-2 machine and No. 42 wood cabinet (which has now become my ironing station).  

Design pattern is named "Paperclips"!

You can find out anything on the Internet.  

For example, I never knew the age of my paternal Grandmother's vintage Singer sewing machine.

 I did some research the other day and I not only learned what year it was made but the actual day, the quantity and where it was manufactured ( some sources from ISMACS International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society web site):  

Source indicated my serial number Singer Sewing Machine Model 201-2 was born on February 27, 1940 in Elizabeth, New Jersey (quantity 10,000).

The Singer website said the 201-2 was manufactured (or it is possibly was the year this model number was allotted) in 1939 (here). 

It is a no fuss straight stitch sewing machine with electric motor and with reverse stitching and weighs 30 pounds!

Copy of the vintage 201-2 manual (here) if you're interested.  I still have mine! 

And it is a work horse of a sewing machine...able to sew through several thick layers of fabric with ease. 

One article entitled "The Best Sewing Machine Ever Made" made my day (here).

And here are two great reviews of this wonderful vintage machine (here) and (here).

Isn't this cute fabric!
(source:  Pinterest)

My Grandmother made many beautiful clothes with her Singer 201-2 sewing machine.  

(Source:  Pinterest)