Grandma Eleanor has decided that Hobby Lobby is her favorite store now. Every time she comes over to our side of town, she wants to stop in there. I took her by there last week and she wanted to buy some frames for some horse pictures that she has painted recently and wanted to frame. Since those particular frames weren’t on sale that week, I had to talk her out of buying them and told her I would bring her back when they went back on sale so that she could get them for 1/2 off. That finally registered and so we left them til later and went back this week and got them on sale. Saved her $20. I knew she would like that and she did! Check out Eleanor’s little beret that she likes to wear. Isn’t she a sporty little thing?! 
And so we continued to work on the chair this week. Finished up the seat cushion and she started sewing the back portion too and that’s as far as we have gotten. See how cute it’s looking? I’m SO happy to get this project going and finished, so I can mark this one off my list.
So, since we’re traveling, I thought I’d leave you with a little bit more of Grandma Eleanor. I knew ya’ll would get a kick out of her, so I did some more videos for your viewing pleasure. And I got a larger memory card, so I can do longer videos. My little camera does a pretty good job with these. Now, if I can only figure out how to edit them into one video instead of keeping them all separate.
Sit back and enjoy a little more Eleanor. I think you’ll have fun listening to more of her stories, a little about sewing for Mountain Brook ladies back in the day, as well as other sewing and art discussions. This is Eleanor just being Eleanor. She insisted that she wanted to take home the ottoman and work on that at her house while we are gone, so we hauled it over there. That’s fine with me.
Enjoy!
Eleanor begins sewing. I tried to get her when she was talking, so the others have more of her actually chatting.
Eleanor Sewing & Talking
Eleanor Talks about Sewing for Mountain Brook ladies
Eleanor Breaks some threads. We had a little problem with the bobbin thread bunching up and knotting & had to keep stopping and checking on it. And we noticed that some lint kept showing up on the needle too & seemed to mess things up. Any of you sewing girls know what might cause that problem? I also had a little problem filling the bobbin, so I’m wondering if that is what caused the bobbin thread to knot? You can see that Eleanor gets a little dramatic when we have sewing machine issues.
Eleanor talks about art.
Hope you enjoyed more from Eleanor, she’s a hoot!
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{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
Grandma Eleanor is adorable! I’m thinking about recovering one of my old chairs, so this inspired me to get started. Love your blog and will definitely put your button up on mine!
Thanks,
Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition blog
Well, seeing Eleanor reminded me of my Mom in so many ways! Thanks so much for showing us those videos. She also reminded me of how long it’s been since I’ve turned on my sewing machine! I used to make Halloween costumes, recovered chairs and even quilted a little. I’ve just got to get back to that so I can teach my daughter!
Love your blog!
I love it when you post about Grandma E…she is wonderful…such a treasure…round #2 of chemo down this past tuesday…6 to go…keep me in your prayers…Becaues of Calvary, Robyn
Grandma Eleanor is fantastic! I don’t know what causes a sewing machine to do what yours is doing, but mine has the same affliction. SO frustrating. I can’t wait to see your finished slipcover!
She is definitely a HOOT!
Hi! The lint could be causing your bobbin thread to knot up. You might want to clean out the bobbin area. I use the canned air that you use to clean a computer keyboard to clean out mine. Then I use a soft bristle tooth brush to clean the throat plate area. It can get packed in there, too! Hope this helps!
I’ve read your blog for a while now but never posted before. Love the videos of Grandma. You have a build up of lint in the area around your bobbin carriage. If you remove the throat plate and look down inside you will see lots of lint from the thread. You may be able to get to it by removing the bobbin and sticking a very small brush behind the carriage to get to the lint.
Oh I am loving Grandman Eleanor…..LOL!!! They had money but they were helpless….priceless!!!! She is FIERCE on that sewing machine! If I filmed my Grandma….it would be out of control!!! She is 87 and line dances! Wouldn’t that be a heck of a post! Granny line dancing! Older people have so much to teach to us, and often time we over look them. I have DIED laughing when she told you that you could save money on yours clothes if you made them. Clearly she doesn’t read your blog…LOL!!! You can buy a whole Ann Taylor outfit, shoes and purse for a $1.50!!!!! That was GREAT…I love it. You should make it a weekly thing! Maybe we should start a new meme….Getting to know Grandma!
Oh my! Grandma Eleanor makes me miss my Gamma so much! I lost my Gamma in June of 2008 and I wish I had videotaped her talking and doing ordinary things. Those videos will be a treasure for you and your husband one day!
My grandmother was a home economics teachers and was named as teacher of the year by McCall’s magazine in the late 1940′s/early 1950′s. I have the article somewhere, I should find it. in 1976 my Gamma had a massive cerebral anyeurism and they told her she wouldn’t be able to walk again. Well she fully recovered and made it all the way to the National Beef Cookoff in 1979 with her Hamburger Pie recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing Grandma Eleanor. Please tell her that she warmed my heart today. I really think you should do a weekly feature on her!
Bless her! She is a hoot! Love me some grandmas…they ar the best! She has great taste to…Hobby Lobby rocks my world!
Rhoda! She is just adorable….does she have any idea that so many people read and love your blog? She is going to be one popular lil granny! Next time Im your way I will just have to meet her! ps…your slipcover is looking sweet!
Eleanor is a sweet lady and certainly a blessing in your life!
I noticed that about your button and re-added it to my blog. I have buttons in several different places on my blog…I keep getting more and mroe!
Nancy
She’s a pip! {As my grandma used to say}.
I checked your button on my sidebar and it’s still there – intact and all. I even clicked on it to make sure it worked and it does.
Thanks for putting up these videos!! I really enjoyed watching Grandma Eleanor a lot :0) she reminds me of my own Grandma…I think we have a little blog movie star on our hands hehe…can’t wait to see the slipcover finished!
I love her! She reminds me of my Nannie, who is 98 and lives in NC.
“They were helpless, but they had money.” I love it!!!!
Love, Love, Love Grandma E !!! She reminds me so much of my Mom, brings tears to my eyes. We need more of her! Tell her how much she is enjoyed.
What a treasure Grandma Eleanor is. Reminds me very much of my dear Grandmother-in-law, Mame. The chair is looking great!
Ohhhhh I just loved getting to see Grandma Eleanor’s videos, reminded me alot of my grandmother. Made me nearly cry because I miss my grandmother so much.
You give Grandma E a hug for me, she’s such a sweetheart.
Tracy
I have really enjoyed Grandma Eleanor. I think I told you my MIL is 91, so we have to treasure those ladies! Love the way the chair is turning out and can’t wait to see the finished product. Linda
I love her! How sweet!!!!
Rhoda, I’m listening to Fannie Flagg’s book, “Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven,” on my way to work, and I’m picturing your grandmother as its central character; she’s adorable!
I agree with several posters that your bobbin race area needs cleaning. I clean my bobbin race and bobbin holder at least once during every project, and my favorite tool is a soft unused make up brush. Someone mentioned a toothbrush, but this scares me a bit; it’s better to use something softer.
Also, please buy some sewing machine oil, and add just a tiny drop here and there, then sew through some scrap fabric to get rid of any excess.
Next — AND THIS IS IMPORTANT! — use a new needle. It’s funny how many sewers don’t realize how essential this is, but needles are soooo cheap, and they’re hard-working little things; let your tired old needles go on to their final reward after a few hours of sewing with them. Put in a new one whenever you start a project (and sometimes in the middle of a large one, like your slipcover). I’m guessing that, with the fabric you’re using for your lovely chair cover, you could probably use a number 12 or 14, and if it’s a tightly woven, nonstretch fabric, a sharp, rather than universal needle, will help your machine chomp through those seams and lovely binding easily.
And my fourth and most important piece of advice is to make sure you’re sewing with a good quality thread. I love Mettler silk finish cotton thread, and use it for pretty much everything. Come to think of it, old thread shreds, too! Could that be the problem?
Gee whiz, I think I’ve written myself a little post for my own blog here!
At any rate, I hope this helps,
Jude from dolce cape cod
I love Hobby Lobby – you can get some really great deals there! Your chair is really coming along and it won’t be long until it’s gracing one of your beautiful rooms that you’ve created!
I just love Eleanor….how wonderful to have her in your life. It was fun to watch the videos and I know you have fun with her and picking her brain. There’s nothing like older folks to get good and fun information from, right?
Also, LOVE you decorations on the wall behind E. sewing…..very nice!
Boy, is your Eleanor cute
And, yes, if your bobbin isn’t in JUST SO it will cause your thread to break. I would try completely re-filling the bobbin from scratch and that should do the trick
I just added your button to my blog. I’m so proud! You’re my first button! Haha! Come see…
Grandma E is wonderful to listen to.
She sure is working hard on that chair!!!
I love that she not only sews but paints too!!
Treasure her
Hi Rhoda
I enjoyed your videos of your Grandma. I hope that I will still be sewing and able to help my grandkids with projects in their homes when I am older. What a treasure Grandma Eleanor is. Thanks for sharing her with us.
Hugs, Rhondi
Love the videos of Grandma Eleanor. It’s fantastic that she is still able to sew and do it so well – WOW! Must be something in that GA water!
I want to hug Grandma Eleanor! That is one of my absolutel favorite names! Don’t tell anyone, but if I have a girl sometime in the future that’s what her name will be. I love it!!
She is an adorable looking lady. I bet she is a load of fun! Love the hat.
Grandma Eleanor makes me miss my grandmothers and my great-grandmothers terribly! Thank you for sharing these videos — I find Eleanor so comforting to listen to. : )
She is precious, I love her. I love old people. I wish I had a grandma like that. I bet she is fun to be around. She keeps you laughing at least.
Grandma Eleanor reminds me alot of my dear MIL. She was always sewing something or other for herself or her apartment that she used to call a “doll house” because it was so tiny. Listening to you talking with Grandma E reminds me of conversations with my dear Mom, we are always repeating everything we say at least 2 or 3X. Grandma E is doing a great job on your chair and I’m sure she’s so happy being able to help. TFS her with all of us once again. Sheila
Gramma Eleanor is such a sweetheart to sew the slipcover up for you. She is obviously very talented, in more ways than one. I love your accents, it remind me of my granny and aunts in Oklahoma. She particularly reminds me of my aunt Margaret, very down to earth and matter of fact. Thanks for the videos, I enjoyed all of them. She is blessed to have a granddaughter-in-law like you, too. Hugs, Cindy S
Hi Rhoda
I just love her! The stories she must tell… amazing. Thank you for sharing her with us
That chair cover is going to be beautiful!!
xoxo,
rue
That is so sweet. My mother who is now 73, use to do crafts and sewed a lot. She sewed all my daughters little dresses as a small child but now sitting at the machine is to hard on her back. It’s hard to see them lose the spunk and not be able to do the things they once could do. Enjoy her!
Pam
She is adorable.
Eleanor is fabulous. I think you should do an Eleanor page on YouTube. People love to watch grandparents, great-grandparents. Very popular! People would love Eleanor! So glad I found these videos
Sorry, Rhoda… I see these videos are already on YouTube! Guess I wasn’t paying attention!
Holy cow she is DARLLLLLINGGGG!!! I love ya’ll accent!! I love accents! Wish I could buy one of those!!
Happy Junk!
Heather
These videos of Grandma Eleanor are truly priceless. You and your husband will treasure them for years to come.
I totally agree with Jude: change the needle; make sure it is the right size and type; oil the machine; use new, good quality thread; refer to the owner’s manual for threading the needle and winding the bobbin; and make sure the bobbin is placed into the bobbin case correctly (again, check the owner’s manual). If you don’t have the owner’s manual, there are many online or available through the manufacturer.
If you are going to be doing more sewing, you might want to watch JoAnn Fabrics and Hancock Fabrics’ ads in the next 2 weeks. I think they both will have the notions wall on sale (50% off) around or on Labor Day. This is a great time to stock up on additional bobbins and assorted needle sizes.
I so enjoy your blog and look forward to reading it every day.
Mary
Love her. She looks a lot like my grandma! My favorite line was “They were helpless, but they had money. I should’ve charged ‘em more.”
These are great videos – I’m sure your family will always treasure them.
Grandma Eleanor is wonderful. I’ve learned the hard way that when those older family members go, all their knowledge and memories go with them. There’s so much I wish I’d asked my grandparents and even my parents. So, all those little stories Grandma Eleanor tells are really precious – and those little videos will be a treasure to your family.
You are so lucky to have her and she is a darling. I can’t wait to see the finished chair. You have inspired me also, and I thank you for it. Sorry we didn’t get to meet in Nashville last year.
Barbara
Eleanor, I love you!
You are a doll – and isn’t Rhoda too?????
(((((Eleanor)))))
((((Rhoda))))
xo,
Kim
Oh Rhoda, YOU are so fortunate to have Grandma Eleanor to help you out with sewing a slipcover. It looks great, too!
She seems like such a nice grandma! All of my grandmas and my mother have passed away. No mother-in-law either, I just wish I had more time with all of them. I love your relationship with her, it’s cute! I have a few older ladies from my church who have “adopted” me! They call me all the time and we go out to lunch. I am happy for you and Eleanor.
Thanks, JolieAnne