Try It and See

One of the reasons that I like Amazon so much is that it is possible to order something, try it out then return it easily if it is not suitable. It is also a very good place to go and look at reviews for stuff. Youtube is also helpful - to a point. I find that there is so much information that after a while there are too many conflicting opinions. For some time I have been hankering after a better monitor for my Mac Mini desktop computer. I had a small, basic Dell but I needed to use external speakers, an external webcam and had to press buttons underneath to change the HDMI port if I wanted to watch TV on the Amazon Firestick. I could hardly see the subtitles from across my room.The other annoying thing was that the text was always a bit fuzzy. 

What I really wanted was a Mac Studio display but it is more expensive than most other monitors. I spent ages researching which monitor to get instead of the Dell but I decided that I really wanted the Mac one. I could not find how I could watch TV on it since it has no HDMI ports. There was no clear information on Youtube as to whether an Apple TV or Amazon Firestick device would work properly so in the end I headed to the Apple Store for advice. After asking all of my questions we came up with a simple solution on how I could use the monitor to watch TV and not have to get up change the volume. I can sit on my sofa watching TV over the internet and use a wireless keyboard / mouse to choose different programmes, adjust volume and pause the action. 

One of the major tasks that I had set myself this week was to come up with a couple of L890 projects to make and film. I thought I could make ruffled denim strips into patchwork and possibly use the coverstitch to make rope bowls. It was not particularly successful trying to make denim ruffles since the fabric is too heavy to gather just by altering the differential feed. A ruffler or gathering foot on a domestic machine would give more pleasing results. Similarly, I wondered if using 2 or 3 coverstitch needles would be a speedy way of rattling through rope bowl construction but after experimenting for a while I decided that a basic zigzag on a domestic machine did a far better job. Although I did not have anything to show for a full day of trying things out in my workshop, it was a worthwhile exercise of discovery. Sometimes you have to have a go at things to find out what ideas works and which ones do not;)

Another time-wasting / useful activity this week included tidying out my tech drawers. Really it allowed me to see how many different mini tripods I own and which items needed recharging. As usual I have forgotten which cameras and mic combos I like to use to film videos so I will probably need to remind myself for at least half a day and maybe I will make a note of what works best. 

I spent a day at Aberdeen Sewing Machines teaching the staff there how to get started with the Bernina Q24. They were delighted by how quickly they could get quilting on a real quilt. I will go back in a couple of weeks to see how they are getting on.

At the weekend I bought another dodgy old lamp that will need some replacement parts. I took Nessie for a partial hair-do but have to go back next week to finish it off because I had let her hair get too long - she hates being brushed so it was a tad tuggy. Freya came to visit and celebrate my birthday by making me a cake and going for a walk on the beach. 

I have added a bit more of my awful hand-stitching on my patchwork coat. I did not originally plan to add so much hand work but that seems to be the way it is going now. I might use the L890 to apply some chain-stitched lines. I still have some Indian ribbon that I have never used so I could add some of that. It will definitely be a “maximalist” type of coat - I just hope will I like it and wear it!