Amazon Shuts Down Fabric.Com

I am astonished at this information. Amazon expects me to buy my fabric directly from them? I don’t want people who don’t understand fabric cutting my yard goods. What about all those Kennesaw, Georgia, residents? Are they now without jobs?! I’m incensed at this action on Amazon’s part. It’s outrageous. There’s no way the decision-makers at Amazon understand people who sew—our likes, our dislikes, our allegiances to fabric manufacturers, our sewing and quilting needs. No. Way. I learned about this action off a random sewing blog this morning while I was looking for something else. I am extremely disappointed in … Continue reading

Jan of All Trades

Today’s Me-Made item is something you don’t see often. It’s a sound-dampening blanket for an upright piano. The first picture shows it in use in Youngstown State University’s black box theatre, the Spotlight Theatre. When one plays for musical theatre productions or performances of singers who deal primarily in musical theatre, there is rarely the issue of an imbalance of sound between the piano and the singer. The singers are almost always fitted with a microphone that broadcasts their music through the house sound system. But when playing for classical music singers, they are usually not mic’d. They are taught … Continue reading

My Mojo is Back!

I’ve been having sewing machine problems for about a year now. The most frustrating thing in a sewist’s life is walking into your sewing room with a hankering to sew. You sit down, put the pedal to the metal, and nothing good happens. Argh! I took my main machine in to the dealer and she just said, “User error.” I call bullsh*t on her. I’ve been sewing since I was 13 years old. I know what I’m doing, and this machine had a problem. (It’s known in the jargon as “birds’ nests.” My Spousal Equivalent even knows the term now, … Continue reading

A New Look at Book Covers

A Grandma Sewing Tutorial I never had to have my books covered in high school. At least I don’t remember having to cover them, but that was a long time ago. I barely remember what classes I took in high school. I do remember, however, cutting class as much as possible during my junior year. I didn’t love high school. My sweet DGS is now three days into his high school experience. He texted me the other night and said he had a sewing project to complete before Friday, asking when I’d be available to assist his design efforts. When … Continue reading

The best kind of compliment

Thursday afternoon, around four o’clock, I was working killing time in the TV room when an incoming text pinged. Here’s what I read: “So, I have now seen both [your sons] with these handy fabric/mesh bags that they carry all of their gadget cords in. Do you happen to have an extra?” What a compliment! A) To notice something I made; B) To realize I made it; and C) To comprehend that you’re in such high standing on my friend list that I’d make one for you in a heartbeat. I didn’t have any extras around, but I dropped what … Continue reading