Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Doing Stuff
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.....
Labels: Alphabets, Blackwork, Needlework tools, Skinner Sisters Books
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.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Very Little Space Given
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.
Labels: Art vs. Craft, Germaine Greer, In A Minute Ago, Quilting, SharonB
Barbie and Ken, Not
Labels: Annie Meyer Hesse, Dolls
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Shhhhh!!! Secret Book Weapon
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?
Labels: Books, Powell's Books
Friday, August 24, 2007
Follow That Blog
Labels: In A Minute Ago, Sharon B
A Lot of Work
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.
Labels: Needlework Exhibit, SCA
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Get Lost
Excellent quality graphics.
Labels: Illuminated Manuscripts
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Casting Bread Upon the Waters
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.
Labels: Needlework Business
Thursday, August 16, 2007
New Books
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.
Labels: Blackwork, Modelbuch, Needlework Design, Sajou, Skinner Sisters Books
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sneezing, Sneezing, Sneezing
I'm also spending a fair amount of time putting the last minute touches to arrangements for our annual London Needlework Tour.
Labels: Needlework Tour
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Eileen is Back
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.
Labels: Eileen Bennett, Needlework Designers, Needlework Samplers
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Little Projects
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.
Labels: Life the Universe and Everything
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Back to Work
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.
Labels: Australian Quilt Register, Australian Quilts, Elizabeth Fry, Needlework Prison Schemes, Quilting
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 :).
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Not Feeling Brilliant
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.
Labels: Life the Universe and Everything