"Vintage" Morse Fotomatic ZigZag Sewing Machine. 12.8.21

Yesterday we made the trek to Portland and tried out a Morse sewing machine that was offered on Craigslist. It works differently and it will take some time to learn sewing on it as well as the maintenance. However, it has a wonderful sound and feel, and I'm sure I'll enjoy learning to use it, very much.

Morse sewing machines were made from the late 1940s to the early 1960s, as far as I can determine from internet histories. The company owner, Philip Morse, imported them via his own company, from Japan. They removed the Japanese factory labeling and marketed the machines as American made. Eventually, the FTC got on him and the company jyst sort of vanished. As far as my readings, Morse sewing machines were made by Toyota, Brother, and Pine factories in Japan. There is no way, apparently, to tell who made this one. The fraudulent labeling was because American thought at the time was that Japanese goods were inferior to American. However, they were very high quality, solid, innovative sewing machines. Some modern sewing enthusiasts are quite fond of their Morse sewing machines. This machibe must weigh 45 pounds, has an enameled steel body over a cast iron frame, and I bet it will outlast my new-ish digital Brother sewing machine. Also, that new digital machine is very picky about the thread, tension, and needle, and often skips or messes up stitches that the 1990s non-digital Kenmore has no problem with. I hope this Morse is just as good. Even though I read that the Japanese labeling was removed from Morse sewing machines, mine does show country of origin.

The previous owner told me she recently oiled the machine, so I have a little tine to learn before it needs it again.

Soil pH. 16.6.21

I want to check the pH of garden soil before I do anything that might change it. As it is, the existing raised bed soils have been very successful and productive. Of course, I want the soil to stay healthy for the long term, and replace minerals that the plants might remove and that might leach out from watering. I also want to add biochar for long term soil carbon and drainage, and that might raise the pH. How much is an unknown quantity. I bought a paper strip based soil pH testing kit. Here is the prelim result for one sample from a raised bed whose top layer of soil grew garlic and beans in 2021 and the majority of that soil was from a source that screens yard soils that are brought in to their facility.

My guess is this is read as closest to pH 5.0. Then again, that might be the shadow, and maybe it's much higher. Maybe the bottom row is reading 7.0. This is confusing. Maybe I'll try a different test.

Quilt Notes. 12.5.2021

Here is that same quilt. Once I get going, it all starts coming together.

Next comes the border, then start putting it together with cotton batting and a backing. The only part that isn't men's shirt fabric is the white border. I made multiple miscalculations with that, and wound up with slightly too little to complete the quilt. I have more ordered. Crossing my fingers that it is the same. Otherwise I will figure out something else, I guess. It's a very good feeling when something starts coming together and I can see the beginning of how it will look. I think this one is my favorite so far.

Quilt Notes. 12.3.2021

Here is the progress on a quilt started this summer. So far I'm very happy with how it's coming together. Squares cut out, ready to start.

Sewn into traditional "Nine-Patches".

Now sewing on the borders, which are a white on white texture cotton fabric. So far, this is the most enjoyable I've done. Some aspects become more comfortable with time, and I'm still learning. The old Kenmore sewing machine is definitley more enjoyable than the modern digital Brother machine.

Planting Third & Last Apple Tree Hybrid, Calypso™ x Golden Sentinel™ 11.30.2021

This was the last of the three seedlings from the Calypso™ x Golden Sentinel™ cross that I grew out this spring. It is the least promising of the three - leaves are green, although petioles are red. The tree had more vigor and more widely separated internodes, so I strongly suspect not columnar. The branchlets are long and spiky, not short and stubby, so I suspect they are branches, not spurs, so I suspect not columnar. There is also no red color to the roots, another indication that the appkes will either not have red flesh, or not much of that. Still, it's hard to throw away a tree I grew from seed, without giving it a chance to prove itself. So I planted it in a sheltered (fenced) although not ideal spot. Here it can grow and not be in the way or too much work, and maybe we'll see what it can do in a couple of years. This was the most vigorous of the three. It also had the heaviest root mass. Not root bound but headed there. I bare rooted it using the garden hose as usual.

Planted, watered in, and the start of vole collar added. I need to get out there with tin snips and wire or zip ties to do the rest.