[Sherry]

Yuck, my house is full of smoke, now don’t panic we dont have a fire here. I live in the blue mountains NSW and they are back burning. Th smoke is so thick cant see the bush which is only 1 house away and the sky has that awful orange hue to it. It started yesterday and we have another couple of days to go.

So off to close the windows, should have thought of that yesterday and to wish for a slight breeze to hopefully clear the air a bit and then maybe me eyes will stop stinging. I know I should be gratefully because it will help in the summer months because we have had some horrible fires in Australia the last few years, so I will stop whingeing now. Hope all the possums, koalas and echidnas got out of the way safely.

[meleliza]

The latest sewing news locally is a very strange mix. For one thing, Joann is opening a new store in a pretty easy to get to location only about 15mins and one bridge from the city. I’m cool with that even though I was mad at them on my last trip. Secondly, a Philly landmark burned down last night in a 3 alarm blaze killing a fire chief! It was Jack B fabrics, a dark, crowded little place thats been a Fabric Row staple for 37 years where I get my silk lining and some other random things. The entire building came down and the one next door. 300 people nearby lost electricity and the Red Cross had to come in to help. Very sad. I was just there on Monday and I have to admit I’m a little stunned. I feel bad for the new business next door too. They were just getting ready to celebrate one year, apparently.

[Tamara]

Oh! That is sad! But they would have insurance surely?! Will there be an investigation into the whole thing? Does it sound suspicious or was it just an accident?

I’m finding it hard to type fast! I cut my finger on a sharp knife while preparing dinner and the bandaid is inhibiting my typing progress!

We had our “local” sewing shop shut and I didn’t even know! Not that I really care as this is where the woman who claimed to service my machine (and didn’t) resided. I was more devastated when Mr Q sold it and retired!

That was a few years ago now so we have had no great dependency on it and haven’t felt the effects of it shutting. Still, a different situation from one of your favourite fabric spots burning down! Hope they can re establish.

[meleliza]

I’m sure there will be an investigation. There was only a little article on the news website. I’m not sure it will even make the tv news. There are probably fires somewhere in the city every night and not all that many people are as interested in sewing as me! It was a dusty, overcrowded old building full of fabric and cardboard bolts, so a complete tinderbox. Apparently it started in the basement and they suspect it was an electrical short. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was still knob and tube wiring in there. I’m sure they have insurance, but I wouldn’t know the details.

The old shops have been closing down one after the other for various reasons. I don’t imagine this one will rebuild. The neighborhood around them has become quite yuppy and has the single most sought after public school in the city. So, real estate is really expensive there as are rents. The old fabric stores seem unwilling to change with the times and around them are opening coffee shops, organic spas and fancy thrift stores.

[with love Heidi]

I discovered today I’m a finishing snob. I was taking in a friends skirt and I noticed that the seams in the waistband weren’t finished! Yes the skirt was lined but the lining hung free and these seams were not enclosed. When I did my alterations I finished off the seams I sewed so they won’t unravel. My friend commented that my comments on the sewing were similar to her engineer husbands comments on a new building!

[Jennifer1568]

I am reading the book, Steve Jobs written by Walter Isaacson. He was a fanatic about constructing everything simply and having the design beautiful inside and out. He used the best materials even when they were really expensive. I want to do that with sewing, too.

[Tamara]

No wonder his products are impeccable!

I was always told to get the best quality you could afford for everything you use in sewing. Unfortunately, it means taking pot luck with some things as the quality is not of high standards but if you use great quality threads and fabric as your keys, you shouldn’t have any problem and that goes for interfacings too.

As for being a finishing snob, count me in on my own work. I have been known to unpick a whole seam and do it again as deemed great by others wasn’t given the ok by me! I am tempted to do the same on a recent seam as it is just “getting up my nose with its crookedness”.

I think also it stems from having a good eye for detail – not ringing my own bell there – but usually people with a good eye like good finishes. Understandably though, we want our projects to look great and I think that is why it casts over others work too – because we want it to look great!

I’m getting the smocking pleater out today! Liesl’s recent post on smocking has given me inspiration and I havent actually smocked much since I made this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justsewit_tk/7635919784/in/set-72157632552589712 and this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justsewit_tk/6157968368/in/set-72157632548152675. So I am now going to get the pleater out again and try my hand at something new.

I love smocking and have realised that even though I smocked for both my children when they were very little, I can still incorporate bits into my current sewing. Not to mention sewing for me which on Liesl’s blog post gave me the idea from her suggestion!

The plan is to do the smocking over the holidays with a view of sewing it up when term starts again and this way, I can still stitch even though the machine will be in having a service and it wont impede on spending time with the kids.

Four school days until the holidays…. So looking forward to sleeping in a bit!

[needlewoman]

Hi everyone, I’ve been absent from this forum, and my home for about a fortnight; however, tonight I was able to catch up with recent photos of your creations, and so pleased to see that Spring has arrived in the northern hemisphere. I hope all concerned enjoy it!

You may remember that just over 3 weeks ago I told you about sending some flowers to a dear friend whose latest books were “launched” amid a large group of his friends and relatives in Melbourne. I went to Melbourne myself on Easter Saturday to spend Easter and my birthday with A as we both knew it would his last as he was enduring the last stages of lung cancer. Well, my dear friend died 2nd April (my birthday) early in the morning. I was able to visit him a few times during his last days in hospital, and saw how very ill he was so although I was sad, I was also relieved to be able to kiss him goodbye on the morning he died.

As many of his family were overseas, the funeral was not held until last week. It was a peaceful ceremony as was his burial in Melbourne General Cemetery. I stayed in Melbourne as it was not financially practical for me to return home until last night. Adrian was a good, special and precious friend to me for 35 years, and I shall miss him for the rest of my life. He was also a great supporter, and admirer of my sewing – whether cross-stitching, quilting or making kids’ clothes, and I shall miss his loving ‘audience’ for my work.

However, life goes on, and a creative life is an important one to pursue. Many people have texted/said kind and loving words to me during this last two weeks, and it was good to be able to see his family when they returned to Australia, and share with them, Adrian’s farewelling.

My next jobs are a couple of quilts for fund raising events which I need to work hard on as I have “lost” some precious time as a consequence of my extended holiday which included some very canny and successful fabric shopping. I look forward to sharing the products of these purchases with you in the next few months. Take care, and tell your favourite people how much you love them – often.

Fiona

[meleliza]

Fiona, I’m so sorry for your loss. He sounds like a wonderful friend. I’m sure it gave him some comfort to visit with you in those last days.

[Tamara]

Fiona, my sincerest condolences on the loss of your dear friend. I am so sure that Adrian would feel the same about you providing him with comfort in his last days. It takes strength to do such an act without bringing friendship or kindness into it. It is certainly very difficult to watch a loved one slip away.

Cant wait to see your wonderful future creations – I’m sure Adrian would be very proud.

Tamara

[Lightning McStitch]

If there’s one thing I can offer to be, it’s an appreciative audience for any sewing endeavours. Sorry for your loss needlewoman, and don’t let your achievements go unnoticed so long as the rest of us are still here.

[Tamara]

Today my 7 and a half year old son took his first solo trip on the oldest slowest quad bike we have on the arm. We originally had him learning to drive this go kart that was built for my now 18 year old nephew about six years ago – the same one young Noah tried driving and collided with a tree in and luckily wasn’t hurt. The trouble is with Pop “teaching” him, he was prone to taking the growling commands as a way to start panicking and think he was out of control. Of course having said that, the belt kept coming off and it is apparently hard to steer for the adults so it was decided he would take to the bike instead.

I have a golden rule when it comes to bikes and kids. Helmets must be worn and driving is strictly under adult supervision until they are at least the age of ten! Ok that’s two rules! But you get what I mean. It is a big step for a child who keeps looking behind him and wanting to tow things with his ride on toys and bikes (lots of hand me downs to the youngest in the family you see).

Me? Not overly happy with the decision being made without my input but I suppose it would have to happen sooner or later. I would have preferred waiting until eight myself. And the trip was only 300m in distance so it wasn’t like we were asking him to bring a mob of sheep in from the back paddock.

[Robin]

That’s such a milestone isn’t it? Must be nerve wracking for you. As a kid growing up in the suburbs I was always envious of my friends on farms who got to drive all kinds of cool things.

[Sarvi]

Same here, Robin!

[Tamara]

I was nervous when at the age of two weeks my husband strapped him in the carrier and rode the motorbike (two wheeler) up to the other house 300 m away. And I was just as nervous when I saw my fil stand right away from the quad bike yesterday and hop in the go kart that is so difficult to control. I was so nervous I insisted on walking beside him all the way!

Not every farm kid gets to learn to ride a motorbike because of the type of farm they live on – I have friends whose dad has a dairy and they never learned but they did learn to drive a car on the farm when they were young. I suppose that will e the next step but not until at least his teens!