2012 Learn Something New Challenge

[pinecone]

I bought a book a couple of years ago on Needle Tatting and also the needle and a spool of variegated thread to practice with and never learned how. Maybe I caqn get that done this year. LOL.. I tried tatting with a shuttle and do NOT like that.. This new book has instr for lefties also and that is why I bought it. I just kept getting balled up with that shuttle when I tried that way.. (No lefty instr.)

I too am a leftie and tried shuttle tatting to no avail. Just couldn't seem to get the "flip".

Some sites I found:
http://www.ringoftatters.org.uk/tips/tips.html
http://www.craftsitedirectory.com/craft/lace-making/tatting/
http://www.tribbler.com/tatman/
http://www.thisntat.com/lessons.html
http://www.georgiaseitz.com/
Sharon Boggon is a good one to look up on the internet too. Goodness, I didn't realize how many book marks I had.

Hmmmm, quilting or tatting........

piney

[bridesmom]

Wow people! I'm impressed. Ok, here's my dining room as of this morning, and I hate to admit it but by late this afternoon it's a tad worse, but its coming along! Good thing we eat in the living room in front of the TV!

[lendube]

Yeah, I'm glad to see so much enthusiasm on this thread. Let's check back again in June! But it will be so nicely organized when you're done! I'm wondering (and what's holding me back from starting the same thing) is how exactly do you separate the photos? I mean it's obvious if the subject of your album is alone in a shot but what if it's more than one subject? If you're doing it for two is there a third pile that you sub-divide as evenly as you can or do you make copies? What's your method here?

[Mom of Six]

I am going to try to learn to take time for myself.

[temom]

I want to learn how to sew a blouse. I know that Marty and Lennie had nice blouses, and I think I even bought a pattern. But that is as far as I've gotten.

[bridesmom]

Lennie, if I had a plan it would help! I get ideas for pages, write them down then try to find the pictures to go with. Today I took pictures of the pictures I wanted copies of for each kid, those will be printed, then put aside. I think I will now sort into years, I'm only working on from my first marriage to my 2nd marriage to start, it's really not organized, so we will see how it goes.

[LeapFrog Libby]

My friends that make them for their kids always copy the photos on their printer and keep the originals. Then all the kids can have a copy of the one shot..

[bridesmom]

That's what I've been doing. I was printing off 2 copies (one for each plus the original) and all of a sudden I thought why?? I do plan on taking the ones that I've scanned into the computer and doing a table book for me I think. Emailed DD's girlfriend and she is so excited to see the pictures, it's nice being able to edit them a bit, though a few will take more than what I can do, so my girlfriend who is a photographer has agreed to try to edit a few of them for me. Have another bag of recycleable today. Some pictures are so fuzzy or the people so small you can't tell who it is, so no sense in keeping them. I love the fact that my mom labelled all her pictures. I have a few of a young man that she was very sweet on in the 30's and I think I may attempt to find his family and send them off, as I hate to throw them, they are good pictures.

[susandf]

I want to draft/alter a sewing pattern for a top that:

1. fits
2. does not have the same circumference at the bust, waist and hem.
3. zips closed in the back - because not being a gymnast, I am not able to open or close an underarm zipper!.
4. has a empire waist - located on my ribcage just below my bust - not 4" lower or 2" higher
5. does not resemble a maternity top or have a peblum (sp?)
6. does not have batwings for sleeves
7. does not include a bow or strings that tie in the back
8. can be embellished, if I am so moved
9. will look fashionable - even when constructed from 15 year old Stash fabrics
10. but most importantly - fits!

I have tried a number of patterns - with less than successful results. I guess I just need to read those articles on how to sew clothing that fits.
Any suggestions?

[lendube]

An awful lot of folks recommend "Fit for Real People" by Pati Palmer and Marta Alto. It's subtitle is "Sew Great Clothes Using Any Pattern". It's from 1998 so the sample styles are quite dated but the rules and techniques are not. They take on a variety of body types to show specifically how to alter commercial patterns to fit. It's a terrific book. I got it on Amazon a while back. I really, really need to not only read it again but actually take time to practice and understand what they're teaching. Sounds like it's what you need too.