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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Doing Stuff 

Well, at least I've been painting the heads of some pins. Don't ask because I won't tell. All will become clear at a later date.

I finally decided to upload the updated web pages piecemeal. Not the ideal sort of a way to do things but seeing just a few pages sorted out and uploaded gives me incentive to go forward. So I've gotten three of the catalog pages done for the moment -- Alphabets, Blackwork and Needlework Tools. No, not all the links lead anywhere yet, but they will in the next few days.

It takes time because I have to dig through boxes of discs and files to find the graphics I need. Some are rubbish and have to be rescanned/photographed. Just the sort of picky stuff that happens to all of us.

More pages tomorrow. Confessing in public always spurs me on.....

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Comments:
"The work of art is supposed to defy time . . . "? Pfui. Art is supposed to express something the artist or (formerly) the patron wants expressed - beauty, love or pride of place in the case of family portraits, etc. I might not like Ms. Huws' work either, from the sound of it, but that doesn't mean it's not art.
And how does Ms. Greer equate melting your brain on TV with sewing to actually produce something (useful or beautiful, doesn't matter)? I won't waste any more of my time on Ms. Greer than I do on the TV.
 
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Monday, August 27, 2007

Very Little Space Given 

When Sharon B. brought Germaine Greer's latest art vs craft article in The Guardian to our attention, my first response was "don't give the twit any blogspace" but I guess I should comment briefly.

Not much space is required because Ms. Greer has no credentials as a judge of craft or quilting or possibly of the "fine arts". So her opinions amount to merely the "I saw something and I personally didn't like it" sort of remark. No need to give it much thought or any authority.

Now, I know next to nothing about automobile design, and I certainly don't know whether a specific example is "good design" or "bad design". I can merely offer an opinion as to whether a particular automobile appears aesthetic pleasing, convenient, well constructed to me. I can't offer any sort of an expert opinion on the subject and have no intention of offering a judgmental opinion on same.

So, Ms. Greer - sorry you didn't like what you saw. And shame on you for judging a discipline you don't understand. Next time, just say "gosh I didn't like it." Bad use of a bully pulpit there.

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Comments:
Well said Linn - its just a pity that such a powerful voice does not understand textiles and textile practice
 
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Barbie and Ken, Not 

Annie Meyer Hesse has a site to make you laugh and long to attend one of her Art Gone Wild Weekends. The dolls on display in the gallery are a dream for all of us who have a huge stash of bits and pieces needing a home. Why not create a doll? Annie offers kits of the molded bits you need and patterns to help you along.

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Saturday, August 25, 2007

Shhhhh!!! Secret Book Weapon 

Okay, all you craft book addicts, I'm going to share one of my best secrets.

Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon is a mecca for booklovers. A visit there is a treat and their online presence is a joy.

If you set up an account on their website (free), you can subscribe to their newsletters. Now one of the best of newsletters is one that alerts you to every used craft/needlework book that is added to their inventory. You can set the e-mails to arrive daily or weekly or whatever. This gives you a bit of an advantage in snagging that elusive book.

Of course they have other special interest newsletters, but with up to 100+ new craft titles added each day Mon-Fri, who has time for anything else?

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Friday, August 24, 2007

Follow That Blog 

For suitable reasons, Sharon B's blog In A Minute Ago can be found at a new address. Change your blogrolls, change your RSS addresses, change everything but don't lose a minute in making sure you don't miss a single read.

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Comments:
Thanks Linn for spreading the word about my blog move - I appreciate it
 
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A Lot of Work 

The Meridian Arts & Science Ministry of the SCA has updated their photogallery of members' work submitted for judging at A&S events.

Have a look at the wide range of projects produced with great skill and care, but also it is interesting to note that documentation of not only the methods used, but the historic accuracy of the items produced. This is Science Fair taken up a notch.

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Thursday, August 23, 2007

Get Lost 

Be prepared to get lost for lots of minutes. Visit Tedeisenstein's Galleries for page after page of illuminated manuscripts, grants of arms, medieval and Elizabethan documents.

Excellent quality graphics.

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Saturday, August 18, 2007

Casting Bread Upon the Waters 

I've been very blessed in my designing career. I have never actively pursued publication in magazines or sales of my designs to distributors. When folks turn up at trade shows or directly request samples of my designs, I send them out. Sometimes the sale comes along years later.

I received a fax from the folks at Keepsake Needle Arts yesterday. They want to include another of my booklets in their holiday catalog. I think I had given their buyer a copy of this some three years ago and it just now seems apparently to fit their needs.

You never know when a good thing may happen.

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Comments:
Congratulations. What great news.
Happy for your order.
 
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Thursday, August 16, 2007

New Books 

At last, the first books of the two new series are finished.

My research leads me to rather obsure modelbuchen and I chart a lot of the double-running designs from the originals into computer design programs to produce charts and stitch diagrams. I will be publishing a series of books focusing on the work of the early (16th-17th century) publishers.

The first book features the work of Hans Hofer of Augsberg, Germany (1545) . This edition is cataloged in Professor Lotz' s bibliography as Lotz 18.

The second series of books is drawn from my personal collection of Victorian pattern books which we often lump together under the misnomer of "Sajous". Sajou was not the only publisher of these little booklets although they were prolific producers.

I've chosen as first in the series a little booklet whose publisher is unknown but believed to be German in origin. It is a tiny little red book, hence the title of my book "Alphabets From A Little Red Book". Each chart has been digitally reproduced and a modern chart created as well. I've included the doodles that an early owner of the book pencilled on the original pages as well.

Now to get the catalog updated. If anyone lusts for a copy before they appear in the catalog and the shopping cart, let me know and we'll get them out to you.

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Sneezing, Sneezing, Sneezing 

Seems that between sneezing (lots of things blowing around in our dry heat) and taking antihistimines that zonk me, I only get to the computer for a very few tasks. Blogging has gone by the wayside lately.

I'm also spending a fair amount of time putting the last minute touches to arrangements for our annual London Needlework Tour.

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Thursday, August 09, 2007

Eileen is Back 

I'm glad to report that my good friend Eileen Bennett's website is once again available. So visit The Sampler House and check on her latest projects, teaching schedule and lots of other goodies.

Like many of us, Eileen has had distressing health problems in recent years but she is all repaired now and back on the road with a few bionic bits and pieces helping her along. She now ought to be good for another few hundreds of thousands of miles. Of course given her busy teaching and traveling schedule, that won't take her long to run up on her odometer.

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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Little Projects 

A little progress here. Finished up a promotional flyer for the new blackwork book and have finished most of the text for the new Sajou/Victorian replica book. The website goes forward at a snail's pace.

It's been hot, hot, hot around here. Our local farmers are struggling. We had a very hard frost in April and are in the midst of a terrible drought. Farmers are selling off their cattle herds because not enough grass was harvested to feed them and it is not practical to buy feed for the winter months. That is a real dent in a family's budget because those cattle are the cash crop for the small farmer here. The deer have been very sociable lately however. Young fawns and even a teenaged buck munching in the next field lately.

Kids are back in school now and I took advantage of the Tennessee tax free days this past weekend to stock up on a few bits and pieces. Paints, sketch pads, markers and the like. No sales tax on the weekend on clothing and this year on many art supplies. It is meant to help out families putting together the supplies for THE LIST of stuff students have to take to school these days. When I was a student we had far less sophisticated art supplies, but they were furnished to us. A few pencils, a few pads of paper, our schoolbooks and a pot of paste along with the standard Crayolas would get us a long way.

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Sunday, August 05, 2007

Back to Work 

Nothing like a bit of interesting research to kick start the blogging.

I'm in the midst of a research project exploring embroidery/needlework done by prisoners. In a search for some specific quilts, I found the Australian Quilt Register - a wonderful online resource.

WARNING!! Be prepared to become lost in reading all the stories of the quilts.

While there I turned up information to add to research notes on one of my heroine embroideresses - Elizabeth Fry, the Quaker prison reformer. Do read about the Rajah quilt stitched by women prisoners aboard a convict ship bound for Australia.

More about Elizabeth Fry another day.

Then I had a strange thought. Why not create some ATCs honoring favorite needleworkers? If I can convince a few others to make up some sets as well we could gather in a very special collection.

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Comments:
Oooh... I like the ATC idea!
 
and you said you weren't feeling brilliant! We have 5 people already for the ATC class :)
 
Thanks for the link, I'm sending it on to mother. KS did a quilt registry several yrs ago but I don't know if any of it went online.

And this reminded me of a book I read about another ship of female convicts sent to Australia. The captain brought several bolts of linen on board for the women to sew shirts from, which he then sold whereever they made port. Never mentioned if the women got paid :).
 
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Thursday, August 02, 2007

Not Feeling Brilliant 

Yes, I know I haven't event thrown a link on my blog lately. I've just been doing such boring things I don't have anything to say that would interest anyone in the least.

Lots of sorting "stuff", getting rid of "stuff" and repacking boxes that were moved across country. All this activity might make one feel morally superior, but sure doesn't make for brilliant conversation.

So in my recreational hours I'm simply reading mystery novels and being generally lazy.

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Comments:
Sounds like you are being pretty busy to me and its good to hear you are taking the odd break too!
 
The answer to life is 42.
 
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