Can we develop the darkside

[Lowena]

Ooh,I love that  @BrendaP I love it just as it is

[Kenora]

I love it as it is but IMHO an extra (darker) border would take it to another level.

[Celia]

Looks lovely as it is but if you want it larger then that’s a reason for another border.

[Ploshkin]

I agree with Kenora - another border so that the yellow is sandwiched.

[Happymrsg]

When I first came on TSP the abbreviations drove me nuts. I've never been on another forum and I'd never had any sewing tuition. It took me ages to figure them out. I found it extremely frustrating. I remember someone started a thread with ISO in the title. Turns out it means 'in search of'. Really?!?!?!? 
This year's BOM was very basic and built up skills as the months went on. I think most people learnt something; I know I certainly did. Threads weren't covered but I just tend to experiment on scraps. I lengthen my stitches slightly for quilting but my settings will be different from yours so if Iminei says things like lengthen your stitch to 1.8 I've no idea what that means. The wadding used will affect it too I imagine but again I don't know so I'll practice on a scrap. The BOM is a great way to build skills without jeopardy. You're certainly not going to waste your Sunday best fabric on messing about. 

Ha, same for me; the previous incarnation of this forum was my first experience of a forum & I struggled with abbreviations, many non-sewing related.
I haven't a clue what BOM is & I can't find it on Google

[wrenkins]

Block of the Month. Now that you know you have to join in. It's the law! 

[Sakar]

@Lowena : Thanks for this thread, it's really a good point to discuss. I am sorry to say that atm I have no time for the dark side, because I am mainly sewing clothes for or little Wolf. So no, sorry, I have no quilts or other WIPs or UFOs to share with you 

@LeilaMay : Who said that????  do not listen to such comments!!! Everybody has started once and your projects are great!!!

[Flobear]

I have just had a look in the diary section of the Dark side and find that I fell into the abyss  first wandered in on 1st October 2019 so in 11 days' time I may have to start a new diary for my official second year of Dark-siding.

Not that I'll have anything much to put in it as house moving / hunting is taking over my life but eventually...

[Ploshkin]

......eventually you'll have a new house that needs lots of quilty stuff @Flobear

[toileandtrouble]

@LeilaMay I wouldn't take it as criticism.  Remember lots of us are ' a certain age' and need the right glasses for everything. " First glance" usually means "I have to look very hard in these glasses".  I don't think it was meant as a criticism of the quilt, just that  clamping it to the table  to pin meant  a table cloth was expected there.  Its only when you notice the bits hanging down that you realise it is a quilt top.  When it is all laid out level it will look quite different.
[Anyhow, I think the sewn in placemats idea has mileage, they would always be nicely spaced out that way!]

[RJR_38]

I’ve been doing less quilting and patchwork at the moment and more bag making which I think ‘falls in between the cracks’ of lightsiders and darksiders lol. I post finished pics of my bags in the accessories thread but don’t do more than that as a I wouldn’t know where to put WIP posts.

I’m currently working on a big bag to store sewing tools and projects in. It has project pouches that come out (they Velcro into the bag) and a removable too wallet. It is my first time sewing with mesh and I was really worried about putting zips in mesh but it was actually ok.

I might make another woven ribbons quilt before Christmas - it is such a simple but effective design

[wrenkins]

I'm hoping to encourage more darkside activity in the sewalongs so I hope you'll all be putting your money where your mouths are. 
This year's programme will continue as is until the New Year and then I'll see about running parallel schemes so that the darksiders have more opportunities to enter the comps if they wish or just 'sewalong' as the title says. At the minute the only chance they have to win a fabulous Winner's Badge is to complete the BOM so it's only fair that the sewalongs and comps should be more inclusive. There will still be garment and accessory sewing but hopefully I will be introducing an option each month to include everyone. The BOM may or may not be part of this. ( for @Iminei) There's a lot more thinking to do.  :thinking:

[RJR_38]

I like the idea of opening up the monthly competitions and it wouldn't require much of a tweak. For example this months Tartan comp could have easily allowed darksiders to enter (I'm working on a Christmas wall hanging that includes a Tartan Stag for example) or bag makers (I have made some with Harris Tweed).  This might encourage more people to post and inspire others to try something different.

I tend not to do well with sew alongs as my work schedule means I struggle to keep pace- I even have lots of time and want to sew ahead (school holidays) or can barely keep my head above water so to speak (term time)

[wrenkins]

My thinking exactly @RJR_38. The little coaster that I made as a wee gift for someone had a scottie dog with a tartan bow. Not exactly competition worthy but it was cute (I thought) and might make somebody smile. Your bags would be perfect for this.
I'll be posting regular reminders about what's coming up too because although I have a copy of the comps on my desktop, I never look at it. I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

[Manuela]

@wrenkins, there is a sticky thread with the upcoming contests in the contest section.
@RJR_38,while I don’t manage the contests anymore, I can assure you that I tried to be as inclusive as possible. Toward the end of last year I put a brainstorming thread up and asked what people want to see/sew in the contests for the current year. That was the base for this year’s contest schedule. Pleasing everybody will never be possible, particularly when the criticism comes from members who didn’t voice and requests/preferences. I tried, obviously not very successfully so.

*steps down from the sandbox*

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