Sewing machine nightmares

Here it is another day of sewing machine frustration. I had my machine serviced not long ago and then DH decided to recover a chair for some one and thought that teddy bear jointing thread would be just the thing to sew the heavy fabric. I think he has done something horrible to my tension. so if I can't get it right today it is going back to the shop for another service.
I have hit a quiet time. I have lots of half finished things and not a shred of enthusiasm for any of them. I am still having trouble with my hip. Been to the chiropractor 5 times in 2 weeks and it is not getting any better. I was resting it but this has not helped so I am going to do what I usually do and ignore it. Today I went to the gym and then did the 2 Kilometer walk at the local wetlands. It is a lovely sunny day here and the wind is like ice. Still there where lots of birds on or around the wet lands. No 1 granddaughter tells me that if it is in the water it is a duck and if it in the sky it is a bird.
Work is busy and leaves me little time for my art work. I am still going for my art classes which are great fun.

Thursday

Still at home, I have been out though. Went and babysat the Granddaughters for an hour while Greg and Bronwyn (Favorite Daughter) went and picked up the trampoline for Caitlins Birthday on Saturday. She wants "lots of presents and Chocolate in a cake". Direct quote from her.
I have laid out a scarf to felt and I am trying out the needlefelting thingy Greg made me on a bag to match the scarf. It needs a bit of adjusting but is working well. I have my 3 monthly check up post hysterectomy today and Greg is driving as My hip is still giving me grief. Then off to the Chiropractor to see if he can get it back in the joint. I found a pack of Panadeine forte from the operation so I have popped one of those and the pain is much less.
so all in all a quiet day. We have our art class tonight which is fun.

Another Day

Well here I am two days in a week. Wow, today I am at home. I moved wrong and put my hip out. I have been to the Chiropractor and I will go again tomorrow. I have too take it easy and not get cold, to avoid muscle spasms. So I am staying home from work tonight. I have been cruising the web a bit today. Looking at the workshops for Fibre Forum Ballarat 2009.
www.manmaid.com.au

I have entered the ballot with my choices of Catherine O'Leary or Carol Ventura. Yes both felting one crocheted and the other nuno. Apart from that I have used a rubbing plate and a gold shiva stick to dress up the fabric for Titania's nightie. I think it will be smocked. I am contemplating the finished results. Greg is making slate frames for embroidery and also some wooden thingy's to close capes and scarfs. Photos soon. But if you read this and want to enquire email me.
stitch1peta@yahoo.com.au

Today

Here it is nearly a month since I posted, so much for posting every day. I am back at work which is a big drain on the textile art time availability. I have a great job which allows me to juggle time off to suit me. Yay. Tomorrow night is Twisted Stitches how quickly that came around. We are doing a bit of a round robin. Choosing a different colour each month and adding on to the piece we were given last month. We agreed that nothing was sacred so if I decide to hack something to bits and resew it the owner would have to grin and bear it. This months colour is yellow. Here's my bit of yellow. I used hand dyed fabric then topped it with a bit of gold organza. I have pushed the gold organza through a bit of mesh and then ironed vliesofix onto it and then ironed that onto the yellow fabric. I painted a piece of tyvek yellow and then added yellow hot fix Angelina which I ironed straight onto the tyvek. It sticks together very nicely. (Got this tip from Art Quilt Monthly from Unique Stitching which is one of my links)Then I machine stitched a grid and then cut it into squares and ironed it again. The tyvek shrank nicely. I then machine embroidered the square down. The little knots are a strip of the gold organza, a strand of variegated yellow embroidery thread and 3 mm yellow silk ribbon. I tied this into together and knotted it about 3 cm's apart doen the length and then sewed it on and then cut between the knots. Great fun. You can see this more clearly in the top photo.I hope Sandy likes it. I haven't worked out how I am going to put it into her piece but I will take before and after shots.
I haven't done any more on my dol but I have painted the fabric. I had it all planned out how too make her costume but I have changed my mind and now need to think about it again.

This Week

What Have I done this Week and What I Will Do.
I have done a lot of work on my new doll. Her face is finished, her body has one arm attached and quite a realistic pair of boobs. I have sewn the feet and have a left and right leg which is always good. Later today I will stuff them and might even get them sewn on. I do have Twisted Stitches tonight so that will slow me down a bit.
I am still thinking about her hair and how to place her for display.
I started painting some silk for her outfit using a technique from Fibre and Stitch. I’ll show that when it is done and before I cut it up. I am thinking a smocked dress would be pretty good.
I have spent a few hours playing with my granddaughters.
I spent quite a lot of time writing my Presidents Report for my Doll Clubs newsletter. I also had to write a Presidents report for the year as our AGM is coming up. I also worked out the challenges for the rest of the year and the format for our last Funday for the year in September. I doubt that we will continue with the monthly meetings, we don’t get a lot of members at them and petrol and time are precious commodities. It depends on what the new committee want to do as half of the current committee aren’t continuing and I am not running a meeting every month next year. Hopefully someone else will want to be President and I might have a shot at the newsletter as I have been writing a fair chunk of it this year to help out the current editor.
Greg and I went our last night for takeaway and then too see 'Mamma Mia' which was excellent.
I have read the new Nora Roberts ‘Tribute’ which was excellent as always and I have started to read ‘The Complete Idiots Guide to Getting your Romance Published.’ As that is a long time goal of mine and my daughter had the book so I borrowed it. It is actually a good read.
Washed, hung out and brought in two loads of washing. Quite a milestone as I am post-hysterectomy and haven’t done anything housework wise for months. I did this without any pain which is good but I did break something on the machine and now it won’t spin which is bad.
Cooked lots of Matt’s favourite foods as he is home for a week from Army stuff in East Timor.
I didn’t shop for food which I will have too do tomorrow as I go back to work on Thursday, so tonight we are having curried veg and rice which is fine as we both like vegie food and I didn’t get anything out of the freezer meat wise. Matt is staying with his girlfriend so he won’t be forced to eat vegie but he wouldn’t care anyway.
I am going to research SALA South Australian Living Artists as a advertising venue for our Quilt Exhibition next year. Attendances in November have fallen off for the last few years so moving it to another time of the year is our first port of call.
This week I am going back to work on Thursday and on Thursday night Greg and I are starting our art classes. We don't have anything we both do to discuss and let me tell you we don't have anything in common either.
then Friday I have work and then the Folk and Decorative Artists meeting. Then work on Saturday and Sunday. I am determined to have this doll together by Sunday and progress on her outfit as well. I need to plan out her shoes I have an idea but don't know if it will work or not.
Just another normal week here.

Tilly in the Tub

Here is a photo of Tilly's head, she is going to be a sleeping fairy for our display in November. I am using the Tilly in the Tub by Christine Treleaven. I have reduced the pattern as she is quite a big old girl. I got her eyelashes from our local discount store (Cheap as Chips for the Aussies) they cost $2.00.
I have made her body and I am going to stuff it tonight. I found a piece of silk in my stash and I am going to paint that for her costume.
My inspiration is from Shakespeare. 'I know a bank where the wild thyme grows and Titania sleeps'.
I know that Titania is supposed to be the beautiful fairy queen but Terry Pratchett fans know that the fey can be devious and my Titania is aging gracefully.
I was going to wait up for No 1 son's plane to land. He is coming home for 10 days from East Timor. His plane was delayed and he missed his connection in Sydney so he will now be landing about 8 am. His girlfriend is picking him up and bringing him up here. All the family are coming for dinner tomorrow night. Corned Beef with white sauce and then lemon meringue pie for dessert. His favourite. In fact all my kids would nominate corned beef or a good roast lamb as their favourite.

Saturday

Today I have started to paint a head for a doll. I am using Tilly in the Tub but dressing her. She is asleep but you'll have to wait and see. I am also changing her feet a little. I put a lycra overlay on her face. I also finished a flat face for my goddess doll. I painted it with textile medium to see what happens. Hopefully I haven't mucked it up. It is taking forever to dry. I also finished the last of my straight stitch pieces. I am now planning how to put them together.