Sorry everyone – I’m makinga ba…s’up of this job!
Third try now!
oh double d..n – I am absolutely totally rubbish at doing this – can’t find the pics I want now – will close and try again tomorrow – apologies to anyone who takes the time to look and thinks “what a dork”!
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You got the piccy fine and the embroidery looks smashing with all the tonal variations and shadows
Thanks - but where I my other ones? so far can't find them - had a problem with computer virus last week and been without the computer for over a week - so got to see if Ive saved them on a disc somewhere - and of course - they are never labelled properly!!Jan
What a great idea. It came up fine. Just loved it. Cathy
Thank you - but now panicking I cant find the rest of my pics of my daughter wearing stuff!! Perhaps after all "real" photos are still a good idea!
Personally, I prefer the real photos, because half of what sewing is is the fitting and colour choices made for a particular person. So even on a custom fit dressform, you still only get part of the "completed" garment. Cathy
Excellent, excellent, excellent, Jan! Good for you! Thanks for sharing.
Gloria
Thank you - I do like using free machine stitching I must admit!
Your free-motion skills are excellent. I'm still practising. If that's your serious face, you'll have to do one of your having-fun face :). As the other poster said, our kids aren't always as tactful as we hoped we'd raised them to be.
Gloria
Now that surely deserves a "Best Of Show" ribbon at the fair!
I use this to show kids at school my "serious" face - and to show how to draw with the machines! Thanks Jan
Absolutely Fabulous - the expression is marvellous. You should be very proud of your work
Katina
Edited 7/25/2008 11:45 pm ET by Katina
My daughters say they saw this expression a lot when they were younger!Jan
trust our kids, eh? and we thought we'd raised diplomats...
Wow! Jan, that is so cool!!! You always do such interesting creative work. It turned out great! I like it better than most of the "self portraits" that I've seen in Quilting Arts magazine. If you haven't seen it, they have a website: http://www.quiltingarts.com, they also have a television show here in the states now on PBS. Thanks for sharing and for the inspiration to do more free motion work. Mary
Thank you Mary - I do like to do this sort of stuff - but time is always an issue - but - I am working less hours in September at start of term - last 2 years of paid work till retirement - so I am hoping to actually "get my finger out" as they say here, and "put my money where my mouth is"and do more stuff!
Is it just me Mary -I presume you -like me-like to do creative stitching with the machines - but there is never much evidence of it in threads chats? The numbers of posts are so far down below other textile arts stuff that I am really surprised at it. I thought lots of creative stitchers would jump at the chance to do it. It is actually so much more easier to manage than making clothes but I suppose others are creative in equal measures across various disciplines and we can't all like the same things.
However after saying that, I am too easily sidetracked into other things. I see someones work eg. felting for one thing and then I have a run at doing a bit of this for a change.I am a true Libran - love creating yet get bored easily!
Anyway - down to work this week though - deadlines getting nearer!
B in touch Jan
I think my greatest pitfall, so to speak, is that I love to learn new techniques and don't really care if I make an end product or just enjoy learning the process. Then I am on to the next thing that my muse comes up with. Since retiring, I am finishing alot more items, but then I give them away as gifts. It seems there is always someone with a request for this or that item, but that can get so boring making it to thier specifications. Hopefully after this Christmas, I will make more things to keep.
I did manage to make myself a few sundresses and some summer tops this year. I used to love making art to wear.
Currently I have a new puppy who will need a warm coat. I am making her a new harness of black ultrasuede and ladybug fabric. This popped into my head when I ran across a ladybug charm in my stash that I will attatch to the leash loop. I ran right out and bought the fabric the same day. It's all cut out, I just have to stitch it up.
I need new home dec accessories for my living room, so there are so many possibilities of using needle arts there. I've already started a crazy patch pillow cover and bought some fabrics for other items.
I am so inspired by your self portrait so that project is high on my to do list. Thanks again for sharing your excellent work of art! Mary
Mary - you have just confirmed to me what I already suspected - I will be working with my machine even more when I fully retire. We creative "bods" are just progammed to "do" all the time!
The only thing I must say is that I cannot say I enjoy doing home decs. I do them of course 'cos part of me thinks a)its cheaper b) I get what I want and c)I can be a little different to others...its just that usually I find them a little boring to do - hours of fairly straight sewing and I always get a "pain in the neck" quite literally!
However I still would never buy ready mades unless I was really, really, desperate or lazy. This is from someone who changes the colours of rooms quite often too!I have looked at the Quilting mags - and I did have a phase of doing a bit - but I would never have the patience to do a large quilt now (did when kids were young)so I stopped buying mags purely for quilting info/inspiration. I have a very good parent at school who drops off for me every now and again her old quilting/patchwork magazines - which are great for inspiration at school!
Edited 7/29/2008 1:48 pm ET by JanF
Hi Jan! Sorry it took me so long to reply! I don't get any mags delivered anymore, we had a problem locally with them getting torn and so I buy them at Barnes and Noble usually. Quilting Arts mag. is the only quilting one I get because it has such unique ideas. Threads and Sew News and Creative Machine Embroidery have been my favorites forever.
I had given up on sewing for myself for quite awhile because I was so difficult to fit. Finally tackled that and am back in the "groove" again.
The pillows I will be making will be a variety of techniques so that will make it alot more fun to do. My couch is kind of tailored/modern chocolate brown leather, the fireplace wall is ivory brick, hardwood floors, very neutral so I can get away with alot in there. This time I'm using chocolate, ivory, blue, carmel, and rust fabrics as that is the color in my large rugs. I'm taking my time and just making things as inspiration comes. It opens into a large country kitchen at one end so you can see the dining room table. It went from bright yellow country garden style to a more neutral pallete and simpler style, no brown though as I have alot of black accents.
I also have changed the colors in my home many times. Once, even had black couch and black pleated honeycomb shades when I got tired of the country look and went ultra modern. I've mellowed as time goes by and don't like so many chotchkies on display. Hopefully, I'll finally be satisfied with this look and keep it a long time.
Hi Mary - you've got to explain - what are chotchkies? Sounds as if they might be what we over here call nic-naks??
Lots of ornaments and deco bits. I don't do them much myself - like the minimalist look! Then , like you , just accent things like the odd cushion etc. - However Pete is the type that takes cushions off the chairs etc. when he sits down - says if they needed one they would design one to go with the sofa etc.These men!
Jan, does your man complain if the decorations on the pillows make it uncomfortable to nap on also? Cathy
I used to have that problem, but now I guess comfort is more of a priority, the sizes and shapes vary alot too these days.
Yes - usually with an exaggerated "no comment" attitude when he puts the cushion on the floor!
Quite nice to know these masculine traits are universal!
Yeah, men, can't live with 'em/ can't ...........hmmmmm, then again, guess I can do whatever suits me as long as it doesn't hurt others, right? , ha ha. My hubby did the same thing, I'd get so mad when I'd see those pillows on the floor! Being vertically challenged, I need the pillows or I can't reach the floor! Besides, I'm a creature of comfort these days.
yes, same thing as knick/knacks, I used to think I had to display everything, especially gifts, to show my appreciation. You wouldn't believe all the angels, fancy glasses and tablewear, bunnies, fairies, and bear items I have in boxes now, they still have sentimental meaning so I just put a few up in my studio, bedroom, or kitchen and change them out seasonally or on a whim. I still collect shotglasses, but that's about it for the collecting vice/addiction. I prefer to have clear surfaces these days so they are easier to clean and less distracting in general. But my sewing studio is frequently "organized chaos" depending on how many projects I have going at once. I really purged my fabrics, now I guess it's time to downsize and maybe have a yardsale this fall.
My usual method is to completely clean the studio and put things in order before I immerse myself in a new project. .within the next few days, I pull out all the magazine clippings, sketches, fabrics, trims, etc, that might be used. Then I edit them out, but might just put them aside instead of in thier proper place for awhile. At the same time, I'll be working on current projects. It seems just when everything is humming along, it's time for dinner or other worldly things.
Mary - how did you know what I was doing at the moment?
I have suddenly thought that all the piles of fabric under our bed(even though they are in plastic boxes)give off a slightly "musty" smell - so they are all in the hall now after I have thoroughly cleaned through the bedroom.(I think the smell is in my head really)
Trouble is we have so little storage places - I made Pete go through one of his cupboards in the spare bedroom -chuck out all the things he didn't like or use - and now today - Ive got to be ruthless with my fabric stash.
I realise that although I love fabric - if I can't see it - it gets left alone ....for what possibly has been years. I still buy more stuff and use that when I am doing new projects.
Its got to stop.
I'm just going to keep any fabric I fancy for corsets(which will only be smallish amounts) and the rest will go to school with me in September - and be used there .....or stored there??
I know I am going to have terrible parting pangs - I have always had loads of fabric stashed here there and everywhere, but I really must be rational about it. Trouble is I get each piece of fabric out - love it again - and then start thinking what I could make.
There really are not enough hours in my day anymore.
I keep seeing in my head the pictures I saw(Ithink it was on Threads) about the woman who had rooms FULL of fabric all over the place, knowing that I wasn't quite that bad - but sympathising with her too.(Actually I might have been envying her space)
I actually realised the other day that I have a physical yearning to be able to see all my threads, fabric, colours, braids etc all at once - so that I could visually scan and pick what I wanted.(Just like in a shop) I swear it felt like an ache to me - hence me being more structured about my stash!
Wonder if its why I felt ill yesterday evening??
Jan, you are not alone. Take a deep breath. Fabricaholics of the world unite. I actually did try to pare my stash down once. Abject failure. I have 35 rubbermaid boxes full of fabric and wool. It is not gonna happen girl. So instead of making myself sick, I made a new rule. For every 3 pieces of old fabric used, I can buy 1 piece of new fabric for my stash guilt free. Some of the old stuff is really out of date so it gets used as muslins. It was sale stuff anyhow. Scraps get THROWN OUT or DONATED. I am not a quilter, and most is not suitable for that anyway. Now, I use the old stuff first. I buy a pattern I like, then look for something suitable in the stash first. I almost always find something perfect. I also use poly fabrics for linings rather than buying lining. That uses up fabric also. I have actually pared it down a lot. And the local Brownie troop benefitted from what I did pare down. Cathy
Well - lets put it this way - boxes still in hall 5 hrs later - been out to buy shelf and drawer liners(could I possibly be putting off the final decisions)and about to go and sort out the spare bedroom drawers etc. - to which I am relegating the stuff I really cannot throw(lots of hoovering going on - but not a lot of sorting of fabric yet.....done my clothes though - and Pete's). I'm determined to rationalize - but Oh crikey its hard!Jan
You've inspired me to go buy some shelf paper and redo my drawers and linnen closets and guess it's time to start on the kitchen cupboards again too. Hmmm, I must have skipped Spring Cleaning this year, because that's when i usually do them. Guess "Old Timers Syndrome" set in more than I realised. ha ha
Oh Mary - don't start me on the kitchen cupboards! You are correct in so much as that I never really got around to "spring" cleaning this last year, so my cupboards are going to have to be done before I go back to school too! I am feeling a little more positive about the fabric though. Mind you - when i bought the drawer liners yesterday - I also bought about 9 packets of drawer sachets - onlt to get home and find nothing in them. I know they were in the sale - but boy am I going to let rip when I go back to the shop this morning. Mind you, got to watch it - cos its the store that also has fabric etc.
I was going to make my own lavender bags - but a)couldn't find loose lavender(stuff in my garden wouldn't fill an egg cup) and b) these bags were only cheap and I stood in the shop and thought - I can't make them for this money - hence buying them. Its cost me more in petrol going back!
Anyway - I digress - off to do more sorting. JanBy the way - I can probably rival you with a selection of threads too - DAREN'T go anywhere near that - these i use for free-motion embroidery, of all kinds. This would be a step too far!
Edited 8/7/2008 4:52 am ET by JanF
Yeah, that's where I draw the line, I couldn't possibly "purge" a single strand of thread. I have been teased by family that I should take up weaving though.
Great ideas there! We all have to figure out what works for our individual situations. Way to go with coming up with so many uses for your stash!
It might be a good idea to "store" some of your fabric at the school in the fall, as you mentioned. When I really purged my fabric stash, I donated it to Habitat for Humanity's resale store, also lots of pretty Waverly wallpaper and kitchen accessories that matched some of it. Talk about "pangs"! I knew as I was driving to deliver it all that it was too much too fast. But I was so determined to get a handle on it and start downsizing. I've been good about buying fabric ever since that day though. I think mainly because I don't want to go through that angst again. Of course, for months I would get out this pattern or that one only to realise that I'd given away that "perfect" piece of fabric. I am glad that I did it, but there was alot of angst. It's so silly how attatched we can get to "material" things sometimes. Especially when they are in cabinets and boxes that we don't even open!
At least on Gatherings we share the same obsession so can commiserate, right? Good luck on decreasing your stash, I don't know if it's better to make a clean sweep or to gradually do it. Hope it works out well for you if you decide to do it.
I must confess, it lead to a new obsession, threads. I learned to do bobbin work, ordered some embroidery designs for my embroidery machine for Digibobbe, and also love to use heavy threads and yarns and things in my serger. I traded the fabric addiction for thread/yarn/etc. Of course I can justify that it doesn't take up as much space, just three large drawers and several plastic bins. But will I ever use them all? Probably not, but I can look at them on a whim. They do inspire me to do more artistic type projects.
It could be worse, it could be Jack Daniels! ha ha Mary
"It seems there is always someone with a request for this or that item, but that can get so boring making it to thier specifications."Mary, are you doing this out of the goodness of your heart, or are you charging them for this? Artists are allowed to make One Ofs and Limited Editions. Many in my circle of family and friends used to sucker me into making things for them, made to their specifications, for free. And then they did not appreciate it. When I started talking about making a living from my sewing and crafting, the requests dried up. Those who did appreciate what I did, still ask, and I still do, but it weeded out those who were taking advantage of me. Cathy
That is so cute. Such talent on this site. Wonderful.
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