Artist being sued by Copycat!

Please read this and pass it on.

John T. Unger

We as artist's and consumers need to be aware of this. It happens more than you realize. Most small buisness artist can't compete with companies that have money and therefore they don't try and give up or judgment is deferred to the real criminal because the artist doesn't have the funds to FIGHT! We all need to fight back against bullshit like this.

Sewing machine attachments

I have a very old sewing machine, vintage, antique, whatever you'd like to call it. This machine is made from metal, not plastic parts and is probably about 50+yrs old. I only had a couple of feet for the machine and never really paid it much mind as to the uses. I've used the button holer foot and the regular foot and that's about it. I decided I needed more attachments and went on an ebay hunt. I found some, low shank, WOOHOO! I had no problem finding numerous attachments for my brand of machine but they were all long shank and totally don't fit. My grandmother had given me some attachments for doing embroidery with my machine but they were long shank and didn't fit. No big deal really, I don't plan on doing embroidery by machine anyways. If ever I do decide to do machine type embroidery, I want a machine that is designed to do that, specifically.

I get the parts from the ebay seller and it has a little booklet with it, AWESOME! They fit my machine, doing the happy dance. Only 1 foot attachment wasn't in there that should have been but no big deal because I already have that particular foot anyways, don't need 2. I'm happy, oh so happy to finally have parts that fit my machine to make some of my sewing ever so much easier.

Looking at these new attachments I'm scratching my noodle wondering how the heck they fit on my machine, consult said 1940's looking manual and get the ahh HAH feeling. The pleating/ruffler foot looks like some alien contraption or torture device. LOL! I'm almost scared to use it, hahahahaa. I open up the booklet and begin reading and realize that some projects I have done could have been sew much easier if I had known how to use the attachments, even the few I had.

One of the projects I'm somewhat working on is going to be so much easier to do because it calls for a very small hem. I now have a rolled hem attachment that will make that much easier to do. I can now do dainty and delicate materials with nice hems.

I still have to make a duct tape dummy but with my weight currently fluctuating, I'm wondering if I should wait. I do want a nice dress dummy that has adjustable nob things all over it but that's going to cost a bit and with car problems, that'll have to wait too. Glad, I'm not having to make things for other people that would require a dress dummy. Now to just find time to sit down and play with my new attachments. I still need to finish the other arm cuff too.

Sewing

Well, I finally finished one of the cuffs and will probably start working on the other one tonight. I've already gathered the ruffle part of the matching cuff. I like them, except I made them a we bit to big for my wrist, so they are a bit loose. I think I may need to change the method of closure to maybe a button and elastic cause threading the 2 holes and trying to tie it on yourself is a pain and pretty much impossible.





I didn't get to the duct tape form this weekend but I did manage to clean off my kitchen table, which about killed me. Okay, I'm exaggerating but the amount of stress I felt from doing that, was horrible. The S.O wanted to use the table for some of his stuff. First he just wanted to move all the loose stuff off the table that was piled a mile high, into a box and even brought out a box. I felt anger, tears in my eyes, lump in my throat and just anxiety. I was in the middle of cooking breakfast and started the clearing off process and by the time breakfast was done, I couldn't eat it I was so upset.

I tried to figure out why I was getting upset. Everything on that table hasn't been used in months, if not years. I have been in a creative funk for several years now and having to put that stuff away just reminded me even more of how much stuff I have. I have a lot of crafting stuff but at the same time I don't have enough room not only to store it but to create with it. I think that is the core of the issue, not having the room to feel free to create without someone complaining about the stuff laying around. I still feel a little hurt about it but at least the feeling sick to my stomach is much better.

Sew Me

A little update, I've been sewing, well attempting to. This is the current project i'm working on, wrist cuffs. They are made from scraps that I have. Right now I have only one just about done, playing around with some decorating ideas. I didn't finish the edges on the grey cotton material because I want it to fray and have that kinda tatty look. I need to find get some black ribbon or rattail cording to tie them with.
Close up:




I have other projects in the sewing category but I seriously need a body double or something. I need to break out the duct tape, old t-shirt and bra and duct tape myself a double. I need extra hands though, I'm sure my daughter and J would look at me like I was nuts, then again they already think i'm crazy. LOL! :)

I need to get some newspaper or some of that expand a foam crap to fill the double with and maybe some kind of contraption to hold it up. Right now I feel that not having some kind of sewing dummy to work from is hindering my work progress. I have numerous sewing projects on the board but really need that double since I'm not a contortinist. Guess that will be my project this weekend, duct tape double!

Chainmaille

Hello to my readers (listens for cricket chirps). My significant other and my daughter have both been going to this role playing game called HeroClix once a week together. It's great cause I get several hours to just veg out, go shopping (when I have money) or sleep if I want to. At the comic book store where they game, they have dice bags made using chainmaille techniques. The bags are cool, kinda wide and use aluminum and rubber rings. The use of rubber rings is kinda new and kinda cool. I don't know many people that actually buy these bags but they seem to sell.

The S.O asks me why I don't make any and try to sell them. I'm like to who? Even big gamers don't buy chainmaille bags. So on a bored whim last night, I pulled out some anodized aluminum rings I have and played around with them. My bag is not exactly like some of the patterns I have saved but then again I really wasn't working off of one, just fiddling around. My little bag looks a bit more like a tube than a bag. LOL!

Still Alive n Kickin

Well, I'm still here not much to report on the creative front though. Most of the time I just don't feel like myself, tired and bummed mostly. I did finally get some mending done and I finally after months of it just sitting, sew the ties on the wrap pants I made. These:


I have ideas for other wrap pants and even some other sewing projects but when I get home, I really don't want to do anything but sleep. I know this creative slump started years ago but the fire that happened just a few short years ago was the kick in the pants. Since that fire, I haven't done much at all in the way of making things even with the non-stop ideas. I know that there are other factors contributing to this continued slump. I just keep telling myself it can't last forever. I try to keep telling myself that things will get better even though the little voice in the deep recesses of my mind tell me other wise. I keep getting thrown ideas left and right and then I make the mistake of opening my eyes and reality drains any energy that just happened within that spark of creative thought.

So here I sit, fondling my pretties, my precious treasures and telling them that some day they will create beauty to just be patient a little bit longer. Some of my lovelies I know I'll have to say goodbye to for whatever reason, okay the demands of money to pay the demands of a sustainable life.

Destashing

It seems like I've been working on destashing, cleaning out and getting rid of crafting supplies for years now. Okay, it has been years. LOL! Yesterday, when I got home from work, I pulled out one of the boxes of crafting supplies that is marked to get rid of. I was just throwing stuff in there, no real organization to it. While trying not to think about the crap that is continually going on in my life, I sorted the box. I pulled out numerous items that I figured might go quickly on Etsy cause well, some of that stuff I've had since like the 80's. Honestly, sometimes I feel like I should just give it away but right now I need money. If I didn't need money, I probably would just donate it all to goodwill, salvation army, kids, etc. I still have another box of stuff to get rid of, the FABRIC box of doooooom... LOL! No, just kidding, it's not doom but it has lots of fabric in it.

So for those of you who read this blog, if your interested in seeing the stuff I've listed on Etsy, go here

OdetteDesigns Etsy