The Sewing Place
Reception => Hi, I'm new... => Topic started by: Sara-S on September 03, 2019, 11:13:30 AM
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Hi everyone. I am somewhat new to machine sewing,having started last December. Mainly, I do small-scale quilting and free-motion embroidery. I have also been known to sew little bow ties for my stuffed animals. (Note the well-dressed monkey who serves as my avatar.) I don't do clothing, as I have absolutely no talent for it.
A little more about me- I am retired for the last 5 years, after a long career as a Biology teacher in the New York city public high school system (mostly in Brooklyn.) I have lived on Staten Island for the last 20 years. My husband & I have been married for almost 28 years. No kids, unless I count him. ;)
My other hobbies include archery, raising Bonsai trees, making scented candles and making soap. I am looking forward to getting to know you and learning from you.
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Hi, @Sara-S and welcome. :drink:
Small-scale quilting? We have just the thing. 0_0
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@Pearl I am intrigued. I am always open to new ideas. What I have done so far is to make some placemats and table runners. I love working with jelly-roll strips and have some waiting for project ideas.
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If you have made placemats, a mug rug would be a piece of cake for you.
Come and join us. (https://thesewingplace.org.uk/index.php/topic,8129.0.html)
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Hi! You can get sucked into trying lots of things here.
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Hello and welcome!
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I've done mug rugs. Mostly, I do those to test new techniques. I understand that there is some sort of mug-rug exchange that is done in the fall here. I suppose I could try a new design for that.
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A big welcome from me too!
Grab a brew, and a piece of cake, and make yourself at home!
Jessie
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Hello Sara and welcome to the TSP!
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Welcome, @Sara-S :drink: :flower:
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Hello and welcome from me too
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Welcome @Sara-S you sound busy :)
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Hello @Sara-S and welcome from me too! :toast: DH and I had an unfortunate incident with a wheely bin on Staten Island but the rest of it was lovely :D
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Welcome, Sara-S.
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@Sara-S - welcome from me too. We look forward to seeing you over on The Darkside. :)
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Hi and welcome. :flower: :sew:
Fond memories of NY visited in spring 1981. I am thinking of maybe sewing machine at least try ...again. I see you started machine sewing December last year, did you find it easy? Lucky you being in NY with all the fabric shops. I see a Youtube video about NY garment district fabrics/ Bernadette Banner. Is very nice seeing fabrics etc.
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Hi and welcome from me too xx :drink:
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Hello Sara-s, welcome from me too. You have some interesting hobbies.
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Hello Sara_s
saw your interest in archery in the cutter thread and thought here was a decent place to say hi - small world :)
My youngest daughter (who brought me to this forum when she decided she wanted a new sewing machine) is also my archery buddy. We both shoot "traditional" so she is mostly English Longbow and I am slightly more modern hybrid/recurve wooden bows. We live on the edge of Sherwood Forest in UK and have a great trad supplier there, so I make our own wood / feather arrows. we also get to field shoot in the woods there
I also got to work on Manhattan Island a couple of years ago, not really a city person but loved it - so friendly :)
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@HappyCampers nice to meet a fellow archer! I guess traditional is perfect, when you live near Sherwood Forest! I admire the beauty of traditional recruves & longbows, but I can’t hit anything with them.
Occasionally, just for fun, I shot an Olympic-style recurve, but mostly I shoot compound. I like to compete and have won quite a few. This would be a lot more impressive if you don’t know how few entrants there are in m shooting category- Silver Senior Female. :D :D
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Hi Sara-s and welcome I see one of your hobbies is cultivating bonsai trees. My son bought me one for Mother`s Day and said I had to look after it. I think he thinks it was funny as I am hopeless with plants! Any tips so I don't kill it straight away?
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@Alikat what kind of tree is it? Also, what is the climate like where you live? I can tell you much more, once I know those things.
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Well Sara-s - I am told it is a Bonzai Ficus Cera. I have got it on my window sill (in the sun when the sun comes out here which is not too often!) in a centrally heated house. If I open the window I will move it so that it is not in a draught.
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Welcome from a fellow newbie x
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Well Sara-s - I am told it is a Bonzai Ficus Cera. I have got it on my window sill (in the sun when the sun comes out here which is not too often!) in a centrally heated house. If I open the window I will move it so that it is not in a draught.
First, a bit of nit-picking from a spelling nerd; it’s Bonsai. “Banzai” is a Japanese battle cry.
Ficus is a tropical plant, so it’s fine indoors. You can put it outside in the warmer months. Keep soil moist, but not drenched. Since it is a tropical, it should be misted regularly, as central heating makes air very dry. Look for some plant food that is meant for tropical plants.
Also, check the surface of the soil. Some vendors will glue a layer of rock to the surface, to make it look pretty. But that impedes water absorption. If that is the case, just peel off the rocks.
If you could post a pic, it would be helpful.
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Sorry it took a while to post a pic:
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@Alikat the plant looks nice. The soil...not so much. It looks like the plant is in very densely compacted soil. That means the roots won't get enough air and the soil won't drain well. I recommend moving it to a slightly bigger pot and replacing the soil it's in, with bonsai soil, which is mostly inorganic.
If you are not sure how to do it, here is a video that goes over the basics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQEOsErVjEs
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Ok thank you for all the advice. :
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Hello-
Greetings! Hope You have a great time here in this group!
Many good memories of NYC - my first wife was from the Bronx. Five years ago i took my family there on the way to my parents in Buffalo. We stayed in midtown and had a grand time!
WD
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Hello from me, too - I make clothes and always imagined that piecing for quilting must be much harder! Thanks also for the tips on bonsai trees, very interesting :)
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Hi to all of you!
@Sewnow you are right that quilt piecing is challenging. On the other hand, you can get a way with quite a few mistakes and still produce a usable quilt.
Back to the bonsai, I thought you might like to see one of my trees. This is a small-leaf ficus that I’ve had for about 10 years.
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Lovely. I hope mine will look like that in 10 years!
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It’s entirely possible. I will add a few other tips now;
1) Get & read a basic book on bonsai care.
2) Get a few plants. People who only have one tend to “love it to death”.
3) No matter how skilled you are, sometimes plants die. It’s frustrating, but comes with the territory. If a plant dies, just get another one & move on.
4) Never raise a plant you can’t lift.