All I have been dreaming about today is See’s candy. I had it for lunch and it didn’t make me feel better.
I got inspired by the QA challenge, “Creative Art Quilt Reader Challenge: “What’s in a Name?”, discussed in a recent issue. My idea fits perfectly into my Women’s Work series. The entry is due on March 1 (or thereabouts). I wanted to finish this project by the end of vacation. I have a scanner, so I thought it would be manageable. I’ll add a little techno-quilting wizardry, and some embellishments to the mix, send the thing off and be done with the project. Famous last words.
I scanned some Michael Miller fabric that I wanted to use (and can’t find more of IRL). When scanning it, I can see the weave and the images aren’t sharp. You can see how it looks at: http://home.netcom.com/~jlapac/WomensWorkFabric6.jpg.
I have asked some of my smarter friends, but if you have any ideas for how to fix this image (or rescanning tips) or web places for copyright free images, let me know in the comments. Your assistance would be appreciated.
To console my tattered quilting pride, I have been sewing on and off all day and am making some progress on Serendipity Puzzle.
I am at a point where I need to cut a few more of the colored triangles and a bit more of the background. I am waiting until I cut a bit more lavender, some of the yellow stripe and, perhaps, some more of the brown before I sew the remaining blocks together. I want to be able to rearrange the elements within the blocks before I sew them.
The progress that I made is some kind of miracle considering the way my sewing space looks. My sewing space is small in the best of circumstances (cutting area is about 2.5’x2.5′).
It has been full of boxes for 7 months due to the neverending construction going on downstairs. This is not ideal for sewing, but manageable. This week DH decided to redo his closet. Now my sewing space looks like this:
I am glad I have a space to sew, though.
Shoot, I know I have some of that fabric too! Unfortunately it is in the stoopid storage place (aka my studio!). Can you resize smaller the scan to make the images clearer? Some of the Dover clip art books have household item pictures, maybe the library has them?
what she said — and maybe if you up the dpi? or if you scan smaller parts?
Julie: send along that fabric! I need it! Just kidding unless you DON’T need it. I tried resizing the scan it is better. I got some help as well and beween the two may be able to work with what I have.
Kristen: I think too much DPI is the problem. I downsized it and it seems to work better. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of choices on my scanning software and don’t know if I can upgrade it or use something off the shelf. Need some help on that from someone.
Having a space of any size is wonderful and I believe we expand to fit our space! Some of us of course just continue to expand – thank god for elastic waistbands.
Did you make the sewing table? It looks like a nice old Oak Desk. I would love to have a straight wall behind my desk or sewing table – My walls are actually the slanted ceiling from the loft. Much to Tom’s dismay I have push pinned a ton of things into the ceiling – Like I care if it has to be patched in 10 years! LOL
What kind of scanner do you have?
Deirdre: My sewing table is a Horn. I bought it 10 years ago when I bought my new (then) sewing machine. It is solid wood with a pneumatic lift for the machine and has a flip up back (against the wall in my picture) for easier machine quilting. I also have a side table that goes with it, but it has been in the dining being used as a sideboard and cookbook holder for the past 10 years, so I don’t know how it is for sewing.
Tell Tom that walls can be patched. 😉 We just put a large piece of thin steel up in the kitchen to use as a magnet board. Can you do something like that or with cork instead of push pins?
I have an HP psc 750xi. It is printer/copier/scanner. The copier part gets the most use.