Rustosis.com

Florida Flywheelers - Inside the Crafts Building

This is our workhorse antique Singer sewing machine that we use for projects, or just to make repairs on our costumes. Marilyn is busy cutting squares for a quilt her friends will assemble, so you can see her cutting board and other tools in the background. Like she says, this little Singer really sings!

This little electric Singer is one that we have in our collection. It might look like a toy because of its small size, but it can sew like the big ones. Right now, it is collecting dust in one of our windows as it is not quite as easy to use as the one above.

This is our smallest loom. It can weave cloth or rag rugs like the piece on it right now. Just behind it is our quilting frame with a finished quilt hanging on one of our warping racks.

This loom with its own bench and warping tools was recently donated to the Flywheelers. Although it is modern, it works in the same way as our other loom, by hand and lots of mathematics!
This is our largest loom. The warping pegs on the back beam help keep the threads from tangling or stretching out of shape. It is warped to make another rag rug, but is capable of doing intricate patterns. It is about the size of an upright piano.
Last, but not least, is our spinning wheel. Next to it is a bag of white fuzz that is carded wool from an art supply house. The basket has two hand cards in it, which would have taken a spinner hours and hours of combing to fill the big bag you see here. Imagine in the old days, women had to make their own clothes, their family members' clothes, and household linens themselves. Thank God we are in the 21st Century and this is a fun hobby instead of a chore.

Just click the picture to continue.