My First TOGA

Yes, I finally got to my first TOGA (Treadle On Gathering & Academy). The sewing machine repair class was the first part of last week, then there was the day of road trips and the conclusion of the week was a two day TOGA. Every TOGA is evidently different depending on the location, the leadership, and the events scheduled. This TOGA meets in a small country church outside of Monroe NC. This year there was a total of 75+ folks that attended one or both days. There was lots of food, several classes that gave us a chance to use our people powered sewing machines. There was buying and selling of all things Sewing Machine related. On Saturday there was a raffle of donated items... everyone brought things to be raffled... most were sewing related...the money collected was used for donations to the church for it's use and to help support the TreadleOn website location.

It was a wonderful event... I am so glad that I had the opportunity go share and rub elbows with folks that enjoy a common passion....

Odd Sign Spotted

As we cruised around Monroe NC looking for good coffee we happened upon this sign next to the back exit from McDonald's on to a side street that entered an older subdivision...

This is not the type of sign we expected to see....was this Chicago, LA, or New York City... Not small town North Carolina???

Smyrna UMC cemetery

Cemeteries are "restful" places that tell a great deal about the country, people, and the times...the cemetery that accompanied the church of the TOGA location was no different. There were granite, marble and slate markers. Of course, the slate ones were the most interesting.... some were now just oddly shaped pieces of stone but others had small pieces of the carved or chiseled message remaining...

Harry's sewing machines

Don't let anyone tell you that I've got lots of machines..... This man has machines, and they are lovingly cleaned and ready for display in his company's offices. Harry had a great time sharing the stories of how he acquired his many babies... The hunt, the bidding battles and the triumphs... these are just a few photos of the hundreds of machines in his collection...

sewing ad

This was too good to pass up...

(Hanging in Harry's museum)

TOGA Road Trips

After the three days of dirty hands and sitting in class folks had the opportunity to either join on the Road Trips in Charlotte NC, take the advanced SM repair class, or move on to other pursuits... I've heard about Mary Jo's fabric store for years... so there was no doubt what I was going to do :) I was going road trippin... Mary Jo's first, followed by Long Creek Mills (thread's of various sorts) and Harry B's SM museum at Fox Company.

So for all you folks that have never been to Mary Jo's here are two photos...

Sewing Machine Repair Class

I had the opportunity to attend a sewing machine repair class in North Carolina June 15-16-17, just days before my first TOGA (but that is another post). I was surprised to see that the members of the class brought a wide variety of machines to work on... from my none electrical treadle heads to high speed industrial machines. I know more then I did when I walked through the door...Ray gave us permission to dive into the innerds of our machines, from low tech to high speed the mechanices are the same. It was great fun and very educational. Ray's class is well worth while...

KIP on the Square

World Wide Knit in Public Day was shared with dear friend Sonja down on the Marietta Square. Sonja and I couldn't find any local event put on by a yarn shop so we made our public demonstration on the square... we positioned ourselves near the gazebo where we watched a constent flow of "new couples" get their official engagement and casual wedding photos done for the "paper".... what a social event. It was free entertainment. We wondered how many photos we'll be in???? No, they'll airbush us out or do some magical cut and paste on the computer... we'll be resigned to cyber space..... What a fun day...