Technology GURU

I love technology. It doesn't always love me - OK let's face it - that is likely due to my ignorance (and lack of reading manuals!)

Anyway - I am very happy to report that I had no problem downloading the latest audio book to my iPod. That is because my iTunes is up to date and I have the UserID and the Password written on a piece of paper that I see every day.  Oh yes - the minute that paper gets lost - I will have trouble. Guaranteed!!!

I am preparing the blog posts for the week of Jan 5 for QUILTSocial. I am so excited about this sewing machine - I WANT this machine. It is awesome!!!   No - it is beyond awesome. I am in love with this sewing machine.  So much of what it does (well all the other models are similar) is automatic - but I think you appreciate this so much more if you know what it is doing.

These new blog posts required the making of several videos!  And I am becoming good at it.  I must say that the MOST important command on the video camera is buried two menu levels down and I struggled to find the command that allowed the cell phone to become the remote control.  But I found it and then I was on a roll.  Let's just say that it is VERY difficult to sew while hugging a tripod and a video camera. In order to get a good view of the sewing area - well it was interesting.  I still have a bit of video to preview this morning and then send it off to be published.

And while I was editing photos - I was using my Wacom tablet.  Oh yes - I am HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY - but it comes with a price.  All this learning takes a LONG time. I am way behind - but who cares!!!!!!   OH - I am also learning tons about other software programs - like EQ7 (a software design program). That is from watching videos while I do handwork at night. And Photoshop Elements - yes - I barely scratch the surface of what can be done in that program, but don't always think that my photos are what they appear to be!!!   I have learned how to clone, how to erase and therefore - I can get rid of things that I don't want public ..............yet!!!!!


Anyway - have a look at what happened yesterday.

Got another charity quilt done. Yeah - just have to make the binding for this one and then TWO bindings to sew on later today.

Charity quilt - DONE

Oh yes - the studio is a MESS - a HUGE MESS. But you know what - I LOVE it that way. It means that stuff is happening. It is crazy but I am thriving in here at the moment. It really isn't that messy - it truly is a very organized chaos!!!!!

Study space - a crazy organized chaos

 I am trying to find things to sew that need to get done as well as something that I can use in the QUILTSocial blog. If I am going to work on something - it should have two purposes!!!

You remember last week, some one gave me a bunch of fleece samples. I sorted them into two piles.....

All the plaid fleece together

All the funky fleece together

Well - let's give this new sewing machine a whirl at sewing fleece. Normally I would sew this with my serger, but since I am experimenting with this sewing machine - let's experiment.

I trimmed all the pieces and laid them out. Two of the pieces weren't quite big enough but with a partial extra piece - I made two "blocks" that were pieced. All that remains is a 6 inch square and two small strips from that stack.

The pieces are laid out (notice the background - the messy studio floor - GONE)

And here is the final piece - totally sewn together!!!!!!!!!!  I will likely get a big piece of fleece for the backing and just quilt the two layers together!!!!  It will be toasty warm for someone. 

Oh - let's just say that I LOVE this sewing machine. I may give up my serger!!!!!   That is all I can tell you at this point - the rest of the details will be on QUILTSocial during the first week of January.

I love making stuff from nothing. I bet I could NOTHING for the rest of my life and just use what other people don't want!   Think about it!!! But it made me feel great to use up this fleece and within ONE WEEK of receiving the scraps!!!  


However I did need to get into my box of sewing machine needles. What a mess!!!!  At least everything is together. But there are duplicates of the literature on needles but I found exactly what I was looking for. I bundled all the loose packages back into their respective bundles and everything got put back into the tin.
Organization is key to success!!!!!  

Sewing machine needles (I keep this organized in ONE tin that is labelled)

The other day - I was telling you about my "new" WACOM tablet.  It isn't new - I have just started to use it. I do like it, but it is going to take a bit of time to get used to it. You use the pen instead of a mouse to do stuff on the computer.

WACOM tablet

Now I have the opportunity that I have always wanted - instead of making formal looking arrows to point something out................

formal arrow - boring!!!!

I can now draw right on the photos to highlight anything that I want!!!!

See - I freehand drew that black circle on the photo!!!!   It will only get better as I learn more!!!!  

 I would love to take a class in Photoshop. I can't imagine taking a class when I was just starting out. There is so much to learn that I would NOT retain any of it. But now that I basically (OK - very basically) know my way around - I would benefit so much more from a class.  I am NOT good at taking classes so I must be careful.  A friend of mine who is big into photography mentioned some on-line classes that he took - I must ask him the name of the website and do some investigating.  It really is a matter of time - not sure how I can shove one more thing in my day!!!!


A comment on my blog recently mentioned the Energizer bunny. Yep - got one of those. Not sure who gave it to me, but here he is!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Energizer bunny - just keeps on going and going and going

On that note - my head is spinning with menus, options, needles, threads, seams and projects and I must get working on the QUILTSocial blog.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!