Ten Things on Thursday – 12
Did you get any sewing done this week? There was understandably a whole lot of distraction, so congratulations if you were able to sew despite it. Or maybe after the events of this week, it’s the sewing that is going to get you through it. Life is tough. It twists, turns, lifts and often will try to break you. Hold strong, my friends. Take a breath, take a break, feel your heart, and think clearly with your head. This too, shall pass.
- As an American living in Australia, I have had my eyes glued to election coverage for the past eighteen months. It finally culminated into: Sadness. Disappointment. Frustration. Hopelessness. Confusion. Tears. What an opportunity at progressive leadership, lost. However, this hasn’t changed anything about how I feel towards my fellow humans. I will always dogmatically stand for what I believe is right over wrong. It may be a long game, but eventually good will always win. Love your neighbour, even if you have to occasionally glitter bomb them.
- House of Cards is going to be resonating-ly good this season.
- I’ve had some design start-stop-start-stop-start-stop experiences lately. Have you had those? Like, you think you’ve got it, and then realise it’s more like that Destiny’s Child song, “No, No, No!” In the words of Aaliyah, “Dust yourself off and try again.”
- I stopped into my local comic book shop this week for more boards and they were sold out! They actually told me they had a lot of quilters coming into buy them. Y’all bought them right out from under me! Thankfully today, they got another shipment so I picked up another hundred. Let the re-folding continue!
- I managed to clear out over a 100 emails from my inbox. It was a mammoth exercise with another 150 still to go. I’m now accepting applications for an unpaid internship as a Molli Sparkles executive assistant!
- Mr. Sparkles and I have been binge watching The Crown on Netflix this week. It is capital D, divine! Let me be the first to say that I would totally be Margaret.
- Due to all the jewels around my neck I consistently have back problems. Occupational hazard! One of the things I think might help my quilting ergonomics is dropping my Juki TL-98P into my sewing table. (Said table is an IKEA table topped attached to an iron Singer sewing table base.) Any of you with big tools have some guidance or surefire tutorials so I don’t break a nail?
- Irons are hot, and they burn. Enough said.
- I have a feeling that quilts are about to get even more political. Are you ready to make a statement?
- Probably the best news of this week: Apparently, three of the five Spice Girls are reforming into a new pop group! Geri, Emma, and Mel B (affectionately now called, GEM; can you even stand it?!) There’s even an IG shot of them in the recording studio! I may have Pirates of Penzanced myself just a little bit.
Is number 10 from Pretty Woman? I think it is, but it’s been years since I saw that film.
Loving The Crown while rushing with a HUGE crochet project for Christmas. But Matt Smith as Philip (the dick head) is a bit distracting. I keep hoping the Tardis will come and take him away.
Crying along with you. The best response at the moment seems to be sewing. Sigh.
Thanks for acknowledging the awfulness of the election – it’s so weird to me that it’s all I see on my normal social media and yet the quilt blogging world seems mostly to be ignoring it.
I made a drop-in table using the tutorial here (http://frommartawithlove.com/diy-ikea-sewing-table-tutorial/) and I put in the direct link to the craft room redo post from my (mostly defunct) blog in case you want to see how it came out, what I should have done differently, and how I slightly modified it.
We must always hope, and keep hoping. Many will be elated, many more overcome with dismay, 4 years will fly by, we hope, and the next election might see a change that you really will like. Meantime, I have watched TV, turned it off, washed and ironed some fabrics, and tended to the sick cat. Almost 6 a.m. here, and debating if I will watch the morning news!!! Have faith, and hope.
I bought the giant size Sew Steady, which has fixed everything except ergonomics. The work surface is too high. I could fix it by cutting a couple of inches off the table, but I can’t bring myself to do that, since it’s a nice table. I have a Bernina so having to reach under the work surface to get to the bobbin was an issue.
I’m also totally bummed by the election. I keep thinking about how the electoral college was intended to override poor choices like this. If not now, why have it?
Love that you identify with Margaret in The Crown. My mum always said she was the naughty one. I haven’t even finished the last season on House of Cards and there’s another one the way! And I haven’t started The Crown or seen Amanda Knox. Netflix is so much more difficult to watch than programmes recorded on MYSKY. I have to struggle with the silly PS3 controller (which always needs recharging). Help!!
When I saw you’re now accepting applications as your assistant, my eyes lit up as I’ve now joined the ranks of the unemployed! But then I saw unpaid!! Babow for me! I think it would be great working with you!
Anyway have a sparkly good day xo
I’m sad, disappointed and so weary of hate and racism. Not only that, but the election outcome will seriously affect my fabric budget as I am now compelled to donate many of those dollars to groups supporting justice and human rights. Here is the tutorial for a sewing table I’m planning to use next week: http://bluedinosaurs.com/diy-platform-sewing-table/ Peace out!
I completely agree with you on our elections. My response is to be kinder to everyone. Dropping my sewing machine into my table has made a huge difference in sewing comfort. Here is my post with a link to the original tutorial.
http://kayakquilting.blogspot.com/2013/08/more-sewing-machine-love.html
Good luck!
Oh, I have been trying to sew. I have to get up often to blow my nose but I let the tears fall on the cotton quilting fabric. They are absorbed well. More than ever before, I feel more resolved to stand up for love, kindness, tolerance and inclusivity. I will happily be your intern, and I will pay my airfare to Australia and back. I could honestly use some sparkle right now.
You are so wise – the sparkle dust does not get in the way of insight. We simply cannot lower ourselves to the lowest common denominator. And there are things that people have struggled with – poverty, lack of jobs, hopelessness. If we work to address these issues – then there won’t be need for a President who blames others for causing them.