Tinkering with Tech

I probably spend as much, if not more time, researching and messing about with Tech than I actually DO anything with it. I have become a serious Nerd about tripod ball heads, cold shoe mounts and “overhead rigs”. What this really means is suspending a camera above a table in order to get a birds-eye view of a project. The main issue is that even small cameras will weigh down articulated camera arms. My solution was to attach a straight arm to a pole clamped onto the table and use a tripod ball head to change the camera angle. 

I made 2 videos this week that I have yet to edit on sewing scrap strips with the Bernina L890 to make new patchwork “fabric”. It all takes longer than you would imagine to make a short instructional video - to practise the technique, make sure the film and sound gear is working, then edit out the pauses and bloopers.

I also had a haphazard list of things to do at some point this week, some of which actually got done. I had bought a mini Dyson second-hand to hoover up fluff around my sewing machines but it did not have a charger. I got a non-branded one from Ebay but the battery kept dying, I was ready to chuck it out when I came across a Youtube video advising me to wash and dry all of the filters. So far, the issue is resolved! 

I have an exhibition coming up in March - The Creative Craft / Scottish Quilt Show in Glasgow. I have a generously sized space but the quilts that I want to take are all large and will soon fill up the wall space. I wondered whether I could make a slideshow of the rest of my quilts and play it on a digital photo-frame. Most of those have small screens which would not have much of an impact. I was rooting around in cupboards upstairs looking for a backpack when I came across the old family iMac computer. It had become very slow and semi obsolete but I wondered if I could use it for a slideshow. I fired it up and experimented with moving some photos into an album and as long as I can find something to balance it on at the show I will be able to show my quilts off on a big screen. I have already googled vintage tea trolleys, antique plant stands, bar stools and fake Greek columns…

When I managed to avoid spending hours pointlessly researching on the internet, I have done some stitching on the crazy coat. I have got the pockets done, even though the prairie points are not facing the way that they were in my head. I made a bit of a hash of trying to do lazy-daisy stitch until I watched a tutorial where the Stitcher used an embroidery hoop, After quite a while my “daisies” became a bit more uniform. For me hand-sewing is awkward and anyone watching would wonder how I could be so cack-handed. Some of the stitching looks awful but I am working on the premise that nobody will squat down to peer at the bottom of the back of my coat to scrutinise;)