Ann The Gran Community

Wow,

You all have such great ideas ! I am going to have to print all this stuff off for future reference ! I have threatened to put little mini gps trackers on my things,so when they get misplace I can find them that way,kind of like the phone if you lose it,set of the ringer,or the car if you can't find it ,you set off the panic button,LOL.

Have a great day everyone and keep those idea's pouring in !

Not too wordy at all!  In fact, good ideas can require a lot of thinking and action, and you have made them very clear.

Thanks!

Pat

Hey all....

 I've made a very extensive list that is sure to give my poor long suffering husband an ulcer.  (chuckle chuckle snort)...

I have Catalog Xpress, and it's awesome too...once I figured out what it actually does.  i.e. It records the path to a design, not the design itself.

 There is one thing nobody mentioned...An Ott-Lite.  The lamp in Judy's sewing room actually looks like one.  Is it, Judy?

I have two, and my absolute favorite thing is the one that has a magnifiying glass attached (approximate size: 5" diam).  Like some of the rest of you, my arms are getting shorter since I'm older....and I can't see worth a hoot to clip threads or even thread the needle.  Absolutely love that Ott-Lite!

Rita

Rita,

How correct you are!! I love mine. I only have the little table model, however; I put it on top of the shelf above my machine and it illuminates the entire place really well. I have a Brother Innov-is 4000D and the lighting on the bed of that is AWFUL!! I have emailed Brother about this several times...certainly wish they would listen to me....WE JUST PLAIN NEED MORE LIGHT ON THE BEDS OF OUR MACHINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kath :o)

One more thing I forgot to add about the Ott-Lite.  Joann's frequently has them on sale for half price. Right now their web site has a 50% coupon off any regularly priced item.

Rita

Yes Rita, it is an Ott-light. I have two of them,one in my sewing room and one in the living room for my hand embroidery as well.I would not be able to see anything without them ,lol. these old eyes are not getting any better with age either ! Along with everything else ,lol.

Judy and all...

Yeah Boy!  This getting old is for the birds.  They say your vision is the second thing to go...not sure what went first cause I can't remember. 

Was very interested in seeing some of the "gadgets" that people use.  This is a great community.  Kind of reminds me of the old sewing or quilting circles our grandmothers used to have.  They didn't need formal lessons for embroidery or sewing or cooking for that matter.  They all learned from each other.

Rita

Huh? 'scuse me? Huh? Rita I think it is the hearing is the first thing to go LOL ! After the eyes and the ears,I think it just slowly enter's the entire body,LOL! As my brother say's" Gettin old ain't for sissy's " LOL

You all are so terrific.  And, I so agree, no one had formal lessons, they got together and learned from each other.  That is why ATG is so terrific, we become a group, then friends and then - well family.

There was a little poem and if I can recall it, it went something like this:

I don't mind being grayer,

I don't care that I'm half blind;

It's alright I am slower now,

But I really do miss my mind....

For those of us who miss our minds, go thread that needle and enjoy yourself, Pat

Thanks for all the tips.  I am having trouble finding Ed's Wonder tape.  Can you direct me to a site? 

Sandra in Arkansas

Give us a couple days, Sandra, and we'll see if we can't get it here. We'll check with our distributors to see if any of them carry it.

BB

Hi Cathy,

I have to agree with some of the others that scissors are very important.  Buy the best that you can, I have a pair of embroidery scissors that belonged to my grandmother and they must be at least 100 years old and work fine.

The one thing that I could not live without in doing ME is MyThreadBox.  I download so many patterns and each one has a different brand of thread that they use and the names of the colors blow my mind.  With this program I just put in the brand of thread the pattern is calling for and then the brand that I use and it matches it.  How simple is that.  You can find the program on the web if you do a search.  I think I paid about $80.00 for it.

I use pre-would bobbins so I don't need a winder and I have the Hemingworth Thread Caddy which another thing to look at.  The machine sits on the base of the caddy so it can't fall over, be moved and is a sturdy as a rock.  The top removes for easy threading so I love that.

Hope this helps.

Marge

Just a short note to let you know that, thanks to suggestions from this forum thread, we have added Hugo's Amazing Tape to our online store. You can find it at:

http://www.annthegran.com/Product.aspx?t=1&i=8343

BB

I have heard about this tape.  After seeing the product here at ATG, I can see it will be an asset for me.  I am always looking for a way to keep things 'bundled' up.

The description says I can even close a suitcase. . .  Well, I will be checking that one!

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

HH Marge !!!!,

    I have thought of you SO many times!!! It was great talking to you on JUNE 17th!!! 

It's been way to long since then!!!!

   I've mentioned you some times in my blogs or comments...not sure if you have picked up on that or not...but just know that I think of you often!!! 

  I just LOVE your picture of the white poodle!!!. How cute is that??!!! I know you told me about your poodle business in Florida.

Wow...actually they also very beautiful & such fluff!!!

  I have more than 1 pair of scissors now. ( One Gingher with a wing on it and I also got a really neat kind of 'squeeze type'

looking tweezers only they are actually a kind of scissors. They are super light weight and don't hurt my fingers or wrists at all.

OK...I will check out the other 2 major items you mentioned.  

I have heard about pre wound bobbins there in Florida at the CC and some M.E. friends here. I still love using the SideWinder though for the same reasons I mentioned in an earlier blog. A couple of my friends have since bought them and they like it too.

   LOTS have been going on & still trying to do blogs on new subjects etc. I just got my 8th one done....that should make m3 8 times more advanced than when I started!!! LOL....Not!!!! I am starting to actually understand some of the conversations between you experts....you being one of them!! My goodness...I remember you in Florida knowing a ton not only about MEing but computers too!!! Now that is a dream made in heaven!!! I am getting going to download designs ( hopefully ) for the very 1st time this next week. I have been shopping up a storm and buying designs but have yet to download the...but Monday will be a NEW era....and I will be one step closer to doing designs here at home, other than the ones that are IN my machine already. Wish me luck!!!!

   Take care...& do let me know how you and the storm(s) turn out. I'll be thinking of you!!!!

Cathy in Oregon

HH Linda.... Oh I am SO sorry....I just looked this up after all this time. You wrote it in May!!!

Better late than never they say. I do have a pair of Gingher scissors now that have a funny side to it. They feel really sturdy and I believe they are for embroidery but I use them to clip whatever I am doing unless I use my little light weight 'squeezers.' Oh I did get a really cute small ruler from my M.E. tutor and yes you are so right...it's OSOOO handy!!! It's clear with pink writing!!! I guess I really have been shopping because I just bought a blue marking pen but I thought I got the kind that fades....I'd better check!??? lol

Oh what a GREAT idea of having the bulletin board behind your machine for the printout!!!etc...
Oh I LOVE that idea...THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!

Desk chairs....I'm happy with the 2 I have. One has arms to rest on & the other is a 'health ball chair' It's quirky and supposidly very good for the back. I can bounce if I want!!!

Did you ever get the SideWinder???? I'd love to hear!!! 

I'm so sorry I didn't write to you sooner!!! 

Hi Cathy, Hi Marge!!

Yes the bulletin board is great. I used to have one at the old house in Michigan,sadly I have no room for one here,and I must say I miss having one a lot!! They come in handy for a lot of things,but someplace to put the patterns and thread colors for your pattern is a very helpful visual aide while sewing.

I have 2 Sidewinders now. I got the first one and loved it so much,then about a month later they came out with a pink one for cancer awareness so I got one of those too for obvious reasons. I haven't yet used the pink one,I will save it in case my other one gets broken or something.

I do have to say though that the other things I use most of all is my lip edge ruler and rotary cutting tool and mat for fabric. I am more apt to get a good reliable cut with these things.There are so many things that have made my life easier and have given me the gift of time in the sewing room,they are too numerous to mention them all. I think they have all been mentioned in here at some point! lol.

Off to the sewing room!

Judy/AKA Suzy

I have had this tape or one simular to it for a couple of years now.  Mine is blue.  It works very well hold the thread on the spools and for wrapping fabric.  I have also used it to wrap items in a gift basket.  I don't think it would work on a suitcase.  You can reuse it for quite a while but then the oil from you skin will adhere to it and then it doesn't work anymore.  I just throw the piece out a cut a new one.  I am in the process of replacing all my thread with Hemingworth which come with covers so I'll have to find more uses for the tape.

Marge

Hi Cathy,

Have been keeping up with you on the blogs.  Will try and call you sometime this week.  I am still waiting for some pictures of your first project.  You have done one by now haven't you?  Would love to see your sewing room, you must have everything the rest of us just dream of.  When you do get going I guess we had all better watch out.

Glad you like the poodle, he is Ch. Marsuz Be My Deuces Wild, aka 'Jackpot'.  He finished his showing career at #3 toy poodle in the country.  He is my buddy.

I have been keeping busy, right now I am doing 25 logo patches for my dog club, trying to finish a quilt and thinking about Christmas presents.  I have several ideas and in fact bought some material for them.  Have to find some Chilli Pepper material and I'll be all set on one gift anyway.  Have done a globe tree skirt for my daughter-in-law and will give that to her next week.  If I don't do it now I'll forget that I have it and the tree will go up without it.  I will try and post a picture of it before I give it to her.

Like I said before will try calling sometime this week.  In the mean time stay busy and download all those designs.

Your Friend
Marge

Please be careful when using a small paint brush to clean dust from your machine.  I did so and the brush fell off the handle down into the nether regions of my machine.  The repair shop had a good laugh!  I had thought it was a clever idea, also.