Time With Friends

Last week I spent visiting an old friend that I have known since elementary school.

Here we are as kids:

And here we are last week!

Things haven't changed a bit!

On the last day I was visiting her, she casually whipped out a seriously antique sewing machine and asked if I could make it run. (Answer: "Um heck yes!") She says it belonged to her great grandmother. It definitely seems old but uses electricity so also can't be too old.  I'm thinking 40's? 30's?

Anyways, we got it up and running pretty quickly. Instead of foot pedal it has a knee pedal. The only tricky thing I was unable to figure out is how to stitch backwards.  The instruction manual doesn't mention anything about it, and when I tried to manually twist the wheel backwards it cause a huge thread tangle. So I'm thinking it just doesn't stitch backwards at all.

Getting some help as I work out the kinks. He was very excited to be in charge of the knee pedal.

Reading the instruction manual and threading the bobbin

Here is the million dollar question: my friend doesn't know how to sew, but I want her to use the machine and not just put it back on a shelf, especially since I got it running and all threaded up for her.  Is there an incredibly simple and easy sewing project that involves only straight lines I can recommend she do? She wants to make a t-shirt quilt but I'm thinking something even smaller than a quilt.  Maybe I will suggest a pillowcase, those are super simple.  I just hope this machine gets used now that it works!