Sweet Fabric [Search results for flip] 

Square by Jess

Did you know that Flip is coming to Australia? It's going to be available in time for Christmas.

I'm one of the lucky folk who gets to trial the new Mino HD Flips. The camera arrived yesterday & so I decided to make a little Quilt Project video for you.

I have a gadget geek brother who owns an earlier model of the Flip which I've used a bit...you can see those efforts here.

Obviously the quality is far superior using the new flip & the addition of a tripod jack is fabulous as is the mobile phone size. It's smaller than an iPhone & just as easy to use.

The most appealing thing for me is the fact that our videos can easily be stored (if I can do it anyone can) in the same place as our images rather than hanging around on teeny tiny digital tapes which neither myself or The Date know how to manage on the computer.

I guess the main questions are...
Would you buy it? Yes...built in USB (for quick & easy camera to pc transfer), built in battery, super easy to use. Tick, tick, tick.
How much is it? Look here.

So you'll probably see a bit more video around this space in the next little while if I can get over the fingernails-on-blackboard-cringe when I have to listen to my own voice.

The most exciting video news in ages is that Handmade Nation will be released on DVD November 3. This movie made me proud to be a maker of things. If you haven't seen it (or even if you have) signup to receive an email alert to let you know it's available.

I do love French Knots & I trot them out at every opportunity. Time consuming if you cluster them - yes. This lot represents about 4 hours of knotting!

But I remember they were mystifying for such a long time. Maybe it was the quick movement of Vicky's hands...they always seemed beyond my reach. I always ended up in a French mess!

I've had a few people ask about French Knots so I've prepared a little video of how I French Knot. For me the key/secret is the "correction" which you'll here about & see if you watch the video. I hope you find it useful. It's a great stitch to have in your "kit".

I'm working on my video skills. Obviously I was holding the piece too close to the camera...ah well...practice, practice, practice.

Video made using The Flip.
Thanks to Flip Video, I love this piece of equipment.

Getting on with making & thinking about making this week.

I've been to the Op Shop this week too. As we're moving I've sort of given myself a loose set of rules about the things I'm allowed to buy at Op Shops.

I'm allowed:
stackers (& other complimentary ceramics), fabric if I know what I'm using it for, clothes (for need only) & gifts for friends.

In my space this week I've got:
complimentary ceramics
fabric
& a gift for someone special

Additional bits & pieces:
mixtape postcard
a music box beginning (which I think is getting flicked)
the Flip video
still the felting stuff
still the beginnings of the nanna bag.

Pop in & add your link if you're playing this week.

just a stack of bookmark related stuff:
templates, cds & my flip video used to make a couple of dinky how to videos for the CD & the Kit.

I've cut out a whole lot of templates for myself as the house is dangerously close to being finished .... SO excited. I'm hoping to share a "walk through" with you over the weekend. I'm a woman on a mission, I want the nice list checked off before the move!

You can visit last week's favourite space here.

Don't forget to pop in and add your link if you're playing along this week.

Another explosion.

Beginnings
Middles
& Endings

An abundance of dear fii & how cool is that softie? Collaboration between myself & the big girl. It's "The Hearse Whisperer" from The Floods. She morphs into a bird when you flip her skirt.

On my desk...the players
On my desk...fresh updates

I'm in real need of a haircut...it's feral.

I have been enjoying a bit of length though. I've been knotting my hair in a makeshift bun & then giving it a bit of a shake to encourage a bit of softness & a few whisps too.

This got me to thinking about a plastic tool I had in the 90s which basically fashioned a fake french roll. I don't yet have the length for a french roll but can get away with the reverse version pictured above.

Of course I had to set about making myself the little tool.

I just folded some heavy duty elastic through a biro casing...

& then tied it in a knot, forcing the knot back inside the pen tube.

This is how to recreate the cheats casual (& whispy) upstyle.

- Put your hair up in a pony tail.
- Feed the knotted end of the pen up from under the pony tail to the top of pony tail.
- Flip your pony tail through the elastic loop.
- Pull the pen gently. You'll need to guide & ease your pony tail though itself so that the whole "style" isn't too loose.
- You could use a bit of hair spray at this point if you like.

Yesterday while I was waiting for all the muffins to cook I spent some more time in the pool room trying to sort everything out.

I love to fold. The pillowcase collection looks magnificent but the other set of shelves is looking a bit sad.

I've seen a bit of sorting & folding going on around the place & this morning I popped in here. It made me want to rush out & buy lots & lots of lovely new fabric. (contradiction?) Then I remembered...I don't do that.

So, I got to work with the vintage sheeting. This little exercise required the use of my maths brain as well as my very rusty dramatic skills...OK so I totally got stage fright & the video is pretty awful but I had fun with the logistics. I set myself up a ghetto rig for the flip & away I went.

How to fold a fat quarter...the video.

This may or may not be an original way to fold squares of fabric. I was trying to hunt down a folding technique last year as I seemed to remember this sort of thing from Patchwork House when I learnt to quilt (about a million years ago). But Mr Google turned up nothing. I combined my memory of nappy folding (which I also loved) with my idea of how I remembered the fat quarters at Patchwork House.

Formula: width of shelf (w) x 4 is the size to cut your squares.

So...if you're a collector of fabric & your shelves are six inches wide you need to be buying 24 inches of fabric to make them fit snuggly on your shelf.

Amy likes to fold too...check her tute out here.

or buy one if you feel so inclined.

I had no end of trouble with the making of my own video. There was much swearing & carry on I can tell you.

It's three strikes & you're out around here. The Flip has been benched! So...I've ended up with a how to make up the cuff.

There are a swag of videos on youtube demonstrating broomstick lace & you can check those out right here.

How to make a contortionist cuff
View more presentations from kootoyoo.

I've had a number of "can I buy" requests. Historically, the making for money thing hasn't been kind to me...it's taken the joy away.

BUT the requests got me thinking & then I came up with the "more than one & less than a few" idea. I was so enormously chuffed with myself that I decided to actually make a couple for sale.

The Sometimes Shop will be stocked for one week only & then they go to the present cupboard (more affectionately termed the craft-skeleton-hiding-cupboard). Free Postage within Australia.

Just to let you know that I have reinstalled JS Kit comments on this blog.

I really like the chatty nature of the comment system.

How to make the most of JS Kit comments:
Sign up to JS Kit OR comment as a guest BUT be sure to leave your email address.

I have configured the reply system so that you should receive an email when someone (either me or another blog reader) replies to your original comment.

I quite understand that some people find email replies annoying and in this case you should choose not to provide your email when you leave a comment.

I honestly think that this system is the best that is on offer if you have a blogger blog.

If you are one of the few people who do not receive the reply emails despite including your email address, I apologise. BUT you will be able to find your replies in the comments of the original post.

I welcome your feedback on this system. If you've got something to share please do & sorry for the flip flopping.

pin toppers. For the stitcher in your life. Just another little thing that's been keeping me out of mischief.

I had planned on sharing the crochet cuff how to today but the Flip ran out of batteries halfway through the filming.

Today's a huge day with kid's activities so I won't get to it today. Assuming I can make them all be quiet for half an hour over the weekend then it'll be Monday.

Happy weekend all.