No More Excuses

Art to Wear is signed, sealed delivered!
Have been at it all day, hand delivered it to the photographer who lives about half an hour away. Will now finish the last part of the technical article (that I did not realize I still had to do, DUH!) and then clean up the images I have taken them and get them on the blog.
I have had too much on my plate at the one time yet again, and my shoulder has been giving me lots of trouble: pain mainly despite anti-inflammatory drugs, so have had other some limitations for the last week or so.
It is cold today, and wet, wet, wet! How can we possibly have winter starting to gallop up when it was so glorious last week?
Photos and Newsletter this week are the next things to address.
Back to the article

Down to the wire

Have been sitting out the electrical storms, new modem and working out last minute technical sewing challenges.
I thought I had my Art to Wear nailed and then I tried the outfit on a mannequin (courtesy of my local shoe shop, Foot of the Mountains) in Glenbrook, my local shopping centre.
If you've ever been in a store filled with women with something on display, you will realize that 15 different ideas and opinions are directed at you --all at once!
However, I realized I had a draping/technical issue with the "Outer Limits" (my entry for Art to Wear) and have subsequently made a simple top to go under the garment, re-fashioned the straps and am undecided about the petticoat to perhaps go under it. I think I have only 2 more seams to stitch, trim all the loose threads and then press it all. And still no photos yet. However, I think I could have sold the outfit then and there to some of the ladies and I am going to re-work all the panels into separate garments later on.
However, it is to be delivered for (professional) photography on Tuesday, so there are no more chances or excuses for not getting finished. I think.

More Electrifying!

What a storm last night! I thought it was exploding over our house at times and then we had horizontal rain. Our little Silky Australian terrier is a sook at the best of times but she was almost convulsing with terror last night, and I was truly scared at times.
I was sewing when it started and with a great big "bang", our power went out and returned some time in the small hours of this morning. Dinner (which I had thrown in the crockpot) was again by candlelight and I spilt a glass of red wine over the new book I was reading with one of the thunderclaps.
We have part of our neighbour's liquid amber over our lawn and driveway, and limbs of trees strewn allover the yard...cleanup day today.
My son pulled all the power leads out of computers andI think we are all OK on the communication score.
Let's hope it is not 3 nights in a row

Electrifying!

No, I did not forget to blog: a terrific electrical and thunder storm saw us very romantically (HAHA) eating and reading by candlelight yesterday, and sorting out an unwell modem today.
I am down to the wire on my Art to Wear ( I hate to imagine how many hours I have spent on this garment), only a few more days to go. I will take some images tomorrow and post them as soon as I have worked out how.

Sort of Kind of Day Off

I actually Sort of Kind of had a Day Off today, playing in the garden while the weather is at its best in Autumn, though I think it was still a bit summer like today...or was that because I was actually working hard (and working my hubby harder). Did some planting and weeding and by the time I got around to taking some photos, realized I did not have my camera charged (who's a dope?).
It was nice to have a fibre free day

More Lost

How did I lose another day this week? As I said, I have been busy, but this is getting a bit scary losing so much time. However, I have been productive and tomorrow I plan to take some images and start posting them (when I work out how) so I can talk in 'colour' and pictures rather than just word in black and white.
I love all the new technology but I don't like the way it takes time to learn and how much you need to repeat your actions to remember them and to make it second nature. However, I would prefer to have this issue rather than using the teenage lament of "I'm bored" (perhaps that should be 'I'm boring' because I haven't bothered to get out of my own way and learn something to keep myself occupied) and just wasting whole days sitting idle.
I think I feel a bit like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland , just lost.

Lost

No, not the TV programme, just yesterday.
I have been having a real ball going back to my all time love of FME (Free Motion/Machine Embroidery).
There is something simultaneously energizing and relaxing doodling with machine needle and thread and embellishing a simple piece of fabric. I have been enriching some glorious black wool fabric and some natural white wool knit for art to wear. Creating wings for Nike (the Goddess, not the shoes) has proved, and in fact is still proving an interesting and worthwhile challenge as I work out how to make a bolero/wing outfit for initial display and then to actually be worn at a later stage.
I am using conventional machine and overlocker thread to keep a matte finish to all my work: my hubby was v.v.impressed with my efforts so far and with someone who lives with my out-of-brain creations on a regular basis, to get that sort of accolade is truly something else.
Off to share the rest of the night with the birthday boy (aka my hubby) and no more stitching for the rest of the evening

Onward and Upward!

Flat out like a lizard drinking today, out for a walk first thing (isn't this time of year just THE best weather?) and then a real wriggle on with art to wear. I had a "Lights On" moment (and someone was home) about a way to present some surface embellishment and have been going at it relentlessly.
I am not trying to be cryptic about what I am doing--all will be revealed--but while it is a work in progress I prefer not to do any show and tell in case I change my mind. I will only say that it is very textural this year!
Back to work!

Gobbledegook

I have had lots of response to the machine Embroidery and Textile Art article and the link on my email for my upcoming Newsletter.
Now, I don't understand why, but when some of you have been on the website and clicked "Contact Anne" I am getting a whole raft of letters of the alpahabet that seem to have been selected at random..sdmwpri[wertnbwnw9...that sort of thing. This is not happening for everyone, just some people. I will talk to Kay and Paul aka my computer gurus tomorrow. If any of you have gone that route, try contacting me via the newsletter link and leave a message.
I will send an email out next week to try out the system. In the meantime, please bear with me as I learn this foreign language called computer. I already understand the language called overlocking/sewing/knitting/crochet/textile art, but in an endeavour to keep my brain somewhat healthy, (seniors week here in NSW, Australia), the pundits suggest learning a new language. "Computer" would not have been my first choice of new language, but it seems I am stuck with it at the moment.

Sewing One Handed

Seems I am taking 3 steps forward and 2 steps back at the moment! I tripped and jarred my already damaged shoulder and can only let you try and imagine the pain! Lots of analgesics, anti-inflammatories and rest (sort of, kind of, maybe, sometimes, when I am asleep) have it down to not gnashing my teeth with every movement.
I have been doing some needle felting (with a machine) as I can manage to manouevre fabrics and surface embellishments one handed and I am developing an previously unknown skill of left handed crochet...not for the fainthearted, just those running late.
I hope I am going to see some of you at Darling Harbour in June so that you can see the fruits of my left handed labour as well as some of the mixed media production I have done (Am still doing!!!!!) this year

Up all night?

I was emailed by a friend yesterday who was marvelling at my keenness and commitment to blog daily at odd hours. I checked the time on the posted blogs...nooooooooo, that is not me at those hours, that's the joy of the intergalactic airwaves and the fact that the posts are dated for the US timezone.
I actually wish I was over in some cold spot at the moment...3 am hot flushes and night sweats would be more bearable in a cold climate. I have the airconditioner permanently set on 'menopause' (the coldest setting, highest fan!) and to top it off I am of course working with pure wool fabrics for my Art to Wear. Perhaps I could have thought that one through a bit better.
After the end of this month I am planning to post images as well as have some sort of interactive forum for all my fellow bloggers and discussing techniques and processes of textile play.
Tell me what you think of the idea. Just go back to the main page and email me via Contact Anne and if you could put "Interactive Forum" in the subject line, I will get an idea of how many of you are interested in the concept.
Now I must stop procrastinating and finish off all my samples for the overlocker/serger article.
Too many things happening at once, yet again!

Well and truly sidetracked!

I said yesterday that I only sidetracked myself for a bit yesterday...not quite true. I decided to play while I was getting dinner (yes I am one of those Goddess Superstars who cook--but I don't clean!!!--as well as stitch) and I will only say that dinner was very late.
I took my play from yesterday and started some knitting and crocheting for this year's Art to Wear. I am busy re-thinking my garment again.
I am sure I am not the only one who sidetracks themselves as much as I have. I always say when I am presenting at shows or events, that unless you stich/knit/cook, it is hard to fully understand creative passion when there are not enough hours in the day, days in the week or weeks in the year when your brain is giving you more ideas than you can create in a lifetime.
I suppose that is my rant for the day, and seeing I overdid my shoulder yesterday, my blog for the moment.

Samples

I have been nose down today making overlocker/serger stitch samples for an article coming up in Machine Embroidery and Textile Art later this year. Those of you who are not real overlocker buffs can sympathise that I am re-creating every basic stitch that I have written about (all 5,4,3,2 thread stitches as well as all forms of Coverstitch). Believe me when I say I am sick of both being at my overlocker all day and secondly, changing stitches and needles etc.,...and I do this for a living!
However, I will say that it is good to get back into some real work at last, even if it is to do all the bread-and-butter stitches which are the foundation of all my creations. My mind started wandering to play ideas and I only lapsed into decorative wotk for about a thousand metres of stitching.
Will let you know the issue when it comes out, but off to finish a little more.
BTW, I am already starting to get sign ups for my newsletter...and I thought I was going to be slowing down a bit. Apparently not.

Evaporation

If anyone is suffering high humidity, put it down to me! My days have been evaporating so fast that I am left high and dry wondering just where they all went.
A quick trip to the doctor had me spending the rest of the day having X-rays and making appointments for scans: my right shoulder (? now X-rated??)has been v.v.sore since I fell over on tram tracks in Melbourne and seeing I am right handed, it has been a real problem trying to "rest" it...HAHAHA, how do you do that in my line of work. Of course, the up side is I can't do the washing or hang it out.
I have also been trying to get up to scratch with my new ideas so I need another 48 hours in the week in addition to a wife or perhaps 2. I will be starting a regular newsletter, and as I do not want to aggravate the heck out of people, I am asking for you to sign up for it. And, no, I will not be selling or sharing your address with anyone, as I hate that invasion on my privacy myself!
Hope to hear from you soon

Long Tomorrows

I tried getting back to blogging the day I said I would: I had some issues with connectivity for a reason seemingly only known to my computer. I did as I always do and pushed every button to get it working as it should, and then, 'bingo' I had a computer again...hate them when something goes 'wrong' or I just don't understand the problem. $*&$&@*@()!!!!!! When I get a few spare minutes, I will look at getting this one to the computer doctor.
I am developing a new way of presenting any of my new e-books them: it's in the pipeline. The current books are fine but will be reviewed and updated as the new ones come on board. More work than my fat quarters need at the machine or computer, but about time I pushed the boundaries of my art.
Watch this space.

Back on Track

Sorry I have not been on the intergalactic airwaves recently.
I think it has just taken me a lot longer to get over surgery, travel and my Mum's death and funeral than I thought. It has been a jam packed end of last year as well as beginning of this year already, however....yes, there's more in store.
I have been hatching up some new e-books with my computer gurus, some new ideas and other things guaranteed to keep me firmly on my backside (fat quarters converting to half acres!!!!!!!!!!) for the next 'while'. That's what you say when you don't know how long all this is going to take!
I am busy finishing off my garment for Art to Wear for June: pre-event photography means everything has to be finished by the end of this month which means my fat quarters are firmly entrenched on my sewing chair. Theme is 'Black and White', elegance and sophistication. My brain has been bursting at the seams with ideas. I need a wife.
Back to work, will talk tomorrow...promise!