An Introduction...

Let me introduce you to Mrs. Mole. The name will be self explanatory shortly. Mrs. Mole writes one of the best sewing related blogs I have seen in a while . She is a career alteration expert, has a degree in fashion design, a highly entertaining sense of humor and has been sewing for over forty years, not a bad resume! Her blog,  "Fit For a Queen" , tells the tales of her many clients for whom she alters clothing. Her stories are hilarious and her skills impressive. But what Mrs. Mole has more of than anything and anybody is Patience with a capital P!

Mrs. Mole's posts are mostly text except when it comes to showing her often very complicated alterations. She does do wedding gowns and formals by the score but has her share of clients that she would prefer to throw under the bus, or should I say kick under the sewing machine"?  I have just recently found her blog through links on Pinterest and am so glad I did. Check her out. The entertainment value will have you smiling, laughing and wondering where she gets all that patience. I think she could be a diplomat to the Middle East. Just thought I would share this wonderful find with you all. If you have ever thought of going into the alteration business, you really need the reality check that this blog brings to that type of work.Through it all, Mrs.Mole still passionately loves altering clothing. I think she is a saint.

When telling her tales she changes names and occupations and never reveals her true identity, therefore the name, "Mrs. Mole."  I don't blame her. She is brutally honest in her assessments of her clients. Her honestly is coated with the best humor which makes it all a good read. Highly recommend.
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Halleluiah!  The floors are all installed and we are so glad we waited for what we wanted. They are gorgeous hickory with a yummy red undertone. They look great. Now we have to fill in all the nailholes in the millwork and give a quick second coat to the white trim. We are really happy. Some of the new furniture needed has been ordered and we are still shopping for the rest. The worst is behind us. We have guests arriving the week after Christmas so the hustle is on. When  all is said and done you will all be invited to the Grand Tour, big sigh of satisfaction here. I can't wait to get back to some serious stitching.

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Can you tell I attended a website building seminar for work this week? I came home and started playing with the blog as a result. I would like to publicly thank Shams, of Communing with Fabric,   who graciously answered a question for me and was a big help in my final decision about the "look".  I am thinking it will be fun to change my header photo about once a month to keep things interesting. What you see in the header today is a piece of silk brocade my daughter brought me back from Singapore. It is one of those fabrics I just like to admire and it reminds me of my daughter's thoughtfulness while on the other side of the planet on business. Happy Sewing!.....Bunny

CAPTCHA !!!

Sounds sort of like "GOTCHA" which would probably a more appropriate title. In case you don't know Captcha is WORD VERIFICATION.  WV is that aggravating window that pops up after you make a comment on someone's blog. Because automated spammers can't read, by requiring you to read and write the barely legible letters and fuzzy numbers you prove you aren't spam to Blogger and your comment gets through. 

I hate this stuff. I don't use it on this blog. In the years I've been blogging, I think since 2008, I think I have plucked and deleted 3 spammers from my comments. I can handle that. Don't make my visitors go through this misery, Mr. Blogger, Please!!!

When I go to a blog, make pithy responses, and then am asked to read the Captcha to make my comment go through lots happens. First I stare at the damn thing and shrivel as I think, "here we go again". Once my fury subsides I squint. Is that a c or an e? Is it upper case or lower? Is it totally foggy at the home with that address number being hijacked for verification? I type it in. BUZZER buzzzzzz as in wrong answer! I don't like those buzzes in my brain. What I said is really important, at least to me so let's try again. Click the little  twirly for a new Captcha. This one is worse than the last. I swear this is getting very aggravating. Try again, fail again. I don't know about you but three times you out in my world. One more try, often on the third try the dummy's Captcha seems to come up, a little clearer, less letters, no spaces. I might make it this time. Damn! This sucks, I flunked the test. I got it wrong again. I quit, leave your blog and begin cursing. You did want to know what I had to say, right? I mean you are asking for comments so please let me comment and not leave your blog in frustration. Is anyone else with me on this? 

If you would like to disengage word verification, AKA, Captcha, go to your blogger page and click on the little clipboard drop down next to your blog, next to the one you use to start a post. Click on  overview. On Overview on the left, click on Settings. On Settings click on  Posts and Comments. Where it says "Show Word Verifications" click no and shut that sucker down. I guarantee you there will be a lot more commenting on your blog! If you see a spam commentor, just delete them. It won't hurt. 

There has been much written in blogland about Captcha. From what I've read most don't like it and disengage it once they know how. I hope you are one of those. I so want to comment on  all  the wonderful things you are sewing, give advice when asked, and sometimes just tell you that you brought a smile to my face. Pretty please........Bunny

I Can't Stand It!

The internet is a great big arena.  Pinterest is loaded with all sorts of crafty, artistic people of all levels. But anyone can touch a keyboard and claim to be an expert on anything.  But let's not propagate crap, OK?

First, I am the first to say I am not the expert on sewing. I have never claimed that. If I were I wouldn't be learning something new nearly every time I sit at the machine. But being at it for over fifty years can give you a vantage point, you know what I mean? And from this perspective I am seeing some awful information out there.

I have seen people do major treatises on sewing, all the Basic, 101 style tutes. I love that and most are excellent.  At least as long as the tute is done by someone who didn't start sewing last week and who knows from lots of experience what they are talking about. Our young new sewists, and there are more by the day, are learning how to "sew shoddy" because info is being put forth in a digitally artistic fashion on colorful blogs and sites. Talk about salesmanship! If it looks cool, it must be right, right? Uh, not always.

And the poor followers, oy,,,,How long do you think it will take for them to realize that their outfit doesn't look that good and why?  It's what I call Walmart sewing. Is that what today's newer sewists are aspiring to?  Is this a different attitude, a generational thing, an all around sloppiness, any or all of the aforementioned? I know this is the age of instant gratification but does that mean we teach and make instant junk? Yeah, I know I'm old school, but please feel free to enlighten me if I am not getting something here.

And how did someone(s) feel that they had enough knowledge to teach potentially the world through the internet  when clearly they can't master the most basic of skills? Again, I have seen mucho misinformation on very very popular sites and blogs with over a thousand followers in some cases. Is it all about having a blog or is it about  passing along quality information? I do think it's the former, not the latter.It's one thing to say, "this is my way of doing it which works for me but may not for you". If the results are great, more power to you. But to just put out misinformation and clearly shoddy instruction is another.

FWIW, I love some of the blogs I have seen of eager beginning sewists. You follow their journey and see their hard work and effort. You watch them stumble and then learn to do it the right way that's needed. Some of their efforts are just amazing and they are to be commended. I really like reading those blogs.

In sewing there are many ways of doing things and many are correct for the same task. I don't argue with any of that. But please, please, don't pass yourself off as someone who can teach skills to others when you don't have them yourself. Learn to press seams open. Acknowledge that your garments could look better If the seams are lined up. Go shop and try on and look inside and take pics with your phone of quality garments at higher end stores. Don't think because it is for a child it needn't be properly made or look that good. Please do this before you decide you can teach. Stop me now. My BP is rising. I have just seen some unbelievable baloney  being put forth as tutorials from more than one who claims to sew.

This vent is put forth with the best of intentions. I want people to love to sew. I want sewists to be proud to wear their garments anywhere. I want newbies to access quality information, like on sites like Pattern Review or any number of fabulous blogs published by those who generously share quality experienced knowledge. I want newer sewists to take classes from pros, the likes of which are available at reasonable prices on Craftsty or PR. I want sewists to just plain SUCCEED, step by step by step, skill by skill. Many the fabulous sewist who is totally self taught but it takes study, and practice, practice, practice.  I want newbies to love to sew and be proud to wear and have others wear their efforts. I detest that  self proclaimed experts are taking them for a ride.Please tell me I am not alone in what I see here.Well, already some of you have and thanks for confirming I am not delusional. Off the soapbox and bless all the many, many sewists who work hard at their passion and seek great knowledge. Seek out quality sources and be open to learning from those who know what they are talking about, no matter how the information is presented. You will be glad you did and will develop a lifelong love of the art........Bunny