A little while back, I needed to show the portability of a couple of my sewing machines. Since I am a proud homesteading homebody these days, I had to get creative with showing how one can take the machines to places. Rather than the norm of being fixed to a cabinet in a sewing room.

Piggy and I sewing on my Singer 301A. She’s my little velcro chicken that loves to be cuddled and held.

My husband built a beautiful chicken coop and we have an area where we have a table and chairs to sit down at right in front of the coop. Obviously that was a brilliant spot to show a sewing machine’s portability.

The unfortunate thing is that area is in the “chicken zone”. Fellow chicken tenders (lulz) know what I mean. Chickens can be cute, cuddly and just overall amusing. However, they do poop on everything. So, to sew anywhere near them is a little risky.

I mention it in my 221K vs 301A video that I set a brick/paver down under my foot pedal when I sew in the chicken zone. What a nightmare it would be to clean off any ick off an original bakelite foot pedal. Aside from that protective measure, I don’t do much else to protect my machines from them. I do wear a pincushion on my wrist when I sew, which makes me a little nervous. I have one chicken in particular that likes to be held and I worry she might try to get my attention by nipping at me and accidentally grab a pin. So, I’m very cautious with that.

While they are interested in my activities (hopeful I have treats) and are definitely familiar with the sounds that my machines make. They just do their normal exploring of the yard while they are out. My girls are not free rangers, they are only out freely when we are out with them as well with our two large dogs.

Sewing for chickens - I’ve known for a long time that there are “extra” chicken people out there that make clothing for their chickens. I had a friend that wrote a book on free range chickens over a decade ago and I got to meet some very fanatical chicken folk while attending some of her book signings. But there are practical items that chickens do need sewn for them. Saddles from being picked on or mated with too much by roosters. Or in my case, I have a girl that had continuous sour crop issues. (A pendulous crop.)

Red Chicken (Her name - long story.) Wearing the second iteration of my homemade crop bra.

I decided to sew her a bra. While I was worried about my girl and desperately wanted to do whatever I could to relieve her discomfort. I did find it completely comical that sewing a chicken bra has been one of my more difficult sewing projects to date. I had three iterations before I got it just right for her. I sacrificed a couple old bras for the elastic straps and closure and a twill skirt to construct it. She hated it for one whole day. She hasn’t had sour crop since.

Honestly, that was something I never thought I would ever have to do. Thankfully I had machines, supplies and patience to make it happen. However, I prefer to have my girls flock around me while I sew rather than sewing for them.

xo-Thea