I’m feeling like I have multiple personalities

I don’t know about anyone else but with a blog, website, smugmug, flickr, twitter and the Gods only know what else, I’m feeling like I have some sort of split personality.

There are bits here, bits there and all with different looks etc.  Well my brain can’t cope anymore, so a couple of weeks ago I decided they all needed consolidating somehow.  A similar look and feel would be a start but even better would be to pull everything together, preferably in one place.

Decision made the madness truly started.  I swear I’ll go bald from all the hair pulling if I don’t get it sorted soon.  I’ve spent hours poring over support files and even resorted to asking for help at work.  The upshot of all this stress is that the hosting for the websites has been changed and I’ve reluctantly come to the conclusion that the blog must move as well.

Blogger has been brilliant but it simply doesn’t provide me with the level of control I’m now looking for – or if it does I can’t figure out how to do it.

So the upshot is that if you’d like to keep following my ramblings on life, the universe and 42 you will need to look here…

www.blog.fantasiayarns.co.uk

This blog will stay here so hopefully any links to it will remain valid but all new posts will be on the new blog.

A Work In Progress

This last week has been busy and unfortunately sewing machine-less.  So I decided to spend my little sewing time working on my version of the Forever Friends Bag by Lynette Anderson.

I decided to do the motif as simple stitchery instead of appliqué.  In part because I really need the hand stitching practice and partly because I can do it sitting on the sofa watching tv.

It also gave me a wonderful excuse to buy more of the variegated threads that are available.  Yeah, yeah I know… any excuse hehe…

I’m not quite finished as I’m super slow with hand stitching but I’m having fun.  Ooooo and my sewing machine is now back home safely much to my relief.  Thanks to everyone who sent their prayers and good vibes for his return.

Isn’t it weird…

Isn’t it weird when normally separate areas of your life join up.  This happened to me today when I was reading a colleagues copy of New Scientist.  This issue was a few weeks old but an article caught my eye which I thought you might be interested in.

It was about a 5 year project called Leapfrog (yes it’s an acronym, no I don’t remember what for) that has been working towards automated custom tailoring.  The basic idea is that you would be scanned by lasers that would then adjust various ‘standard’ patterns to your measurements.  Changes could then be made by you, to provide even more individuality, and then at the press of a button your info would whoosh off to an automated factory.  That’s where all the robots would make your made to measure suit or garment.

I swiped this image off the Leapfrog website.

They had some pretty funky ideas in there as well such as metal mesh adjustable tailors dummies the controlling computer could easily alter to your exact size.  Then pins would pop out and hold the fabric in place (yes I had many macabre thoughts at that point in the article). 

It was all fascinating stuff but the guy they interviewed from Savile Row didn’t seem concerned by the competition.  He believed that lasers and computer software would never be able to replace the judgement of a good tailor.  I hope he’s right… if the robots get so sophisticated they can offer sensible fashion advice, I think we’re in serious trouble as a society.  I mean just imagine what a hacker could do!?!

Relief

Just a short, brief little post.  I’ve just heard that the patient has made a full recovery and can be collected on Friday.  Yup, that’s right…

My beloved sewing machine is coming home!

Something to cheer me up…

Last week I placed my first order with Quilter Cloth after hearing about them from a friend.  Soon this arrived…

I eagerly opened it to find…

Tanya Whelan Dolce Lana Green

and this…

Princess Mirah Tropical Punch

and OOoooooo my… THESE…

Summertime Friends 7 Fat Quarters

If my sewing machine had been working properly then I would have been in heaven.  As it is they are sat on the side awaiting it’s return.  All I can do is dream about the scrummy things I can make with them.

Please say a little prayer

Friends.  Please take a moment to bow your heads and say a little prayer to whatever deity you believe in, or if you don’t believe, to just send out healing vibes into the universe.

A member of the household is sick.  Exactly how sick is not yet known and we are determined to remain hopefully at this point in time.  My beloved Brother Star 120E has been hospitalised.

This photo of the patient was snapped quickly on my mobile just before heading off in the car to drop him off.

It started with a small snuffle in which the occasional sneeze caused  a brief tensioning problem.  However over a few weeks the sneezing has worsened until there was nothing to do but face the inevitable.  The sewing machine equivalent of phoning NHS direct.  The advice given along with much searching on the internet led to one inevitable conclusion.  Hospitalisation and full diagnosis by a professional was in order.  Given this will involve invasive procedures I took care to reassure him it would be as painless as possible.  If a transplant is needed he will go immediately on the transplant list and I won’t rest until I find a suitable donor.

So please spare a moment to think positive healing thoughts and pray for a speedy return home for my beloved sewing machine.

I just couldn’t resist

I’ve bought a new sewing box for myself.  Naughty I know, but I just couldn’t resist.

Yes, I know it’s a little twee compared to my normal sort of thing with it’s blue and white spotty fabric.  But those dinky draws are just so cute!

I mean, I do have a lack of storage for my odds n bobs. I really do!

And that big drawer is big enough for a few fat quarters to be within easy reach.

The lid also comes up to show a load of little compartments and a nifty couple of shelving bits that open out to give bobbin storage.  Of course now I have extra storage, extra shopping is obviously in order hehe…