tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78632384503695528492024-03-19T00:50:28.372-07:00Touch And SewHow to sew a straight line when you're blind or have low vision, and other adventures. Follow me as I try my hand at sewing after 25 years, beginning with quilting class .Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-38613152823502357222016-04-05T04:08:00.002-07:002016-04-05T04:08:28.306-07:00Still Alive!<P>My oh my, you probably think I've died after my last post back in November 2014 and no update since! I'm very sorry about that.<BR>
<P>So in 2014 I had had 2 sessions of chemotherapy — half doses were all my new kidney would tolerate so in total I had effectively one dose. At that point they decided not to stress the kidney (or me) with more chemo. In February 2015 I had a fairly short session of radiotherapy, 17 sessions, one each weekday.<BR>
<P>And that was that! I was very tired and a bit down having gone through all that, but by July 2015, a year since I fell down the house stairs, I was ready for the follow-up brain MRI scan. It showed no residual signs of the lymphoma, yay!<BR>
<P>I know the doctors don't use words like "cured" until you've been 3 to 6 years without any relapse, but at the moment I am feeling a lot more positive again, and to all intents and purposes I am back to as normal as a blind diabetic with a kidney transplant tends to be :)<BR>
<P>Afraid to say I still haven't quilted anything to report of. What I have been focusing on, second half of 2015 onwards, is my poetry writing. I've written poetry for 25 years now, since my later teens, and I've occasionally talked about it on this blog. With the encouragement of poets and editors that I know I've had a website designer set me up a <A href="http://gilesturnbullpoet.com" target="_blank">new website, Giles Turnbull Poet</A>. It became active about 6 weeks ago, but I am aiming to do a blog post on the site once per week. I have to be careful about adding poems that have the potential to find homes in magazines and competitions, so only extracts of 1 longer poem appears on the site at the moment; I will figure out some other extracts that could go on the site, plus there have been a couple of publications alrady during 2016 — I reached the shortlist of Cinnamon Press single poem competition, and publication in Rockland Magazine and Fair Acre Press' Maligned Species project with a poem about stinging nettles. This week I have been writing articles on blindness and poetry for Corncrake Magazine in Ireland, and for the forthcoming summer issue of Poetry Wales.<BR>
<P>You can still <A HREF="http://twitter.com/bix_cool" target="blank">find me on Twitter</A> and I'm still on Facebook.<BR>
<P>I hope all is going well in all your personal and quilting lives, and I'll keep popping by to see what you are up to on your blogs :)<BR>
<P>Giles xx
Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-24623528898142029592014-11-16T11:18:00.000-08:002014-11-16T11:18:58.057-08:00Long-overdue update!Sorry for the lengthy lack of an update, though since my kidney transplant <P>I'm afraid I haven't done any quilting! I still have a Rainy Days theme quilt to finish so maybe I'll give that another go :)<\P>
Some of you may know from Twitter and possibly Facebook posts that I've been been going through the mill a bit lately ...First week of July I fell down the stairs and the next thing I'm aware of it was September! I was in hospital and eventually diagnosed with a cancer related to my transplant (I think that sentence is only the second time I've used the C word lol ... I just feel in better health if I don't) ... anyway I've had 2 doses of chemotherapy and am now waiting for an MRI scan to see how the treatment is going. I think they expect to do another dose (possibly more) but you never know, the MRI may show things looking ok. Apart from feeling a bit exhausted at times I am feeling well though maybe a little at a loss as to what the future holds!<\P>
<P>In some sad news, I had to say goodbye to my cat Bix last week. He was nearly 19 so lived a good long life, but he needed an anaesthetic to have a cyst removed, and he didn't recover from it well ... he came home but 2 days later we took him back to the vets and she didn't like the look of how he was. They kept him overnight but he died peacefully. I'll miss him greatly. There are a few photos on the pages of this blog so I won't struggle with getting Blogger to let me upload a new one!<\P>
<P>So, sorry for only having miserable news to report at the moment, but hopefully things will be looking up by Christmas :) ... speeking for myself I could really fancy a short holiday somewhere soon :)<\P>Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-48668064801887676312013-10-06T03:34:00.002-07:002013-10-06T03:34:23.148-07:00back on my pins<p>My goodness, it's been a long time! I can't remember how much I said earlier in the year, but in March I went on the transplant list for a pancreas and kidney, and since I was the only person in the UK with my blood group waiting for both organs, in the first week of June I made it into the operating theatre! ... and to cut a long story short, that's been the story of the last 3 months!</p>
<p>... well mostly. The op took about 19 hours, so a pretty long ordeal and I was a bit zonked for a few days after. It turned out the pancreas wasn't working very well so a couple of days later they opened me up a second time to investigate. All seemed OK so they didn't do much and that was that. ... until a few more days went by and I got really ill. They said it had become life-threatening and rushed me back into theatre to remove the pancreas. In all honesty I was so not-with-it that most of those days are a hazy mix of events and weird immaginations!</p>
<p>But the really good news is that despite a slow start, the kidney seems to have settled in and be working well. I certainly feel significantly better than I have for what must be the last 20 years. ... That's not quite the end of the tale though, because after I was discharged I was home for maybe 5 weeks and then got pretty ill again. I lost all my appetite and my weight plummeted, so the doctors put me right back in hospital for another 2 weeks!</p>
<p>But I've been home again for a month and have regained almost all the weight I lost (nearly 2 stones or 30lb) and with the help of weekly physio I've regained much of my strength ... I still have a wheelchair for anything more than short walking distances but I can walk further every week :) ... and my appetite is now enormous compared to how it has always been!</p>
<p>As for quilting, well I haven't been near a needle (well not a quilting one anyway) or thread, but I am rather thrilled that for my 40th birthday (which fell exactly a week after the surgery!) I got one of those die-cutting machines, like the Baby Go-cutter but a different make as recommended by <a href="http://thelittlestthistle.blogspot.com">The Littlest Thistle</a> ... I'm yet to try it out but the time is fast approaching! ... Just before the transplant I had dug out the top for a Rainy Day quilt that I started, oooh must be 2 years ago now! and I had begun to start hand stitching all the rows together, so I'll crack on with that very soon now :)</p>
<p>I'm not quite back up to full speed online yet, but am getting better at reading blogs, and hopefully I'll have updates on not one but two quilt projects that I hope to at least begin before the end of the year! :)</p>Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-35348257144118297802013-05-30T10:59:00.001-07:002013-05-30T10:59:25.936-07:00putting the quilting hat back on<p>After what must be a good 18 months of no quilting (if you don't count buying fabric!) I have finally assembled my weapons and am ready to wield the needle and thread once again! I have a WIP that is a rainy day theme and it's about a quarter pieced so far ... with the help of mum the pieces were all laid out and assessed, namely that I need to cut 3 more pieces but there's fabric for that ... I need to pop to the quilt shop in Monmouth to buy some white fabric (which forms part of the top) but there shouldn't be too much work ahead to get the top hand-stitching finished :)</p> <p>Unfortunately we paired up the pieces for my immediate sewing tasks before I thought to take a photo ... but I promise next time the pieces are laid out I will snap them for another post ... this will probably be mid-next week once the white fabric shopping expedition has taken place :)</p> <p> ... for now I'll just say that it's good to be back in the quilting sphere with needles threaded and fabric waiting!</p>Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-34591523605394427832013-05-19T09:49:00.001-07:002013-05-19T09:49:24.684-07:00The Mountain Grows ...<p>It was one of those Cash n Carry days ... take as much cash as you have to the quilt show and go home with as much fabric as you can carry! OK, it was a bit more than that, being a lovely chance to meet up with Lorraine from <a href="http://monkeybusinessandquilts.blogspot.com">Monkey Business and Quilts</a> and Amy from <a href="http://magpiemimi.blogspot.com">Magpie Mimi</a></p>
<p>First things first, let's talk fabric ... and I even have a photo for you! :) First of all Amy gave me my Christmas Present (what can I say, it's tricky catching up with me since I'm not very mobile and keep popping in and out of hospital!) and it comprised a big bag of Liquorice Allsorts (no photo of those but I can assure you they've been opened and are rapidly vanishing!), a absolutely gorgeous piece of velour fabric, and an equally lovely pack of fabrics with colours and contrasts that I have a chance of being able to see :)</p>
<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfJQY8olW_lATb4xkhrklnh9VJzU0UtWqDxtc1NGmM-7EkJt-z0M8Iz2A2s1ib-H2blsoA_iNWH9aaUvem4jo79oxGvblE3J4kEkTLfsC_tsLo1xyKqPQDS-H1EiJjbP1D2OwZORhEmY/s1600/malvern+fabrics+2013_1567_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNfJQY8olW_lATb4xkhrklnh9VJzU0UtWqDxtc1NGmM-7EkJt-z0M8Iz2A2s1ib-H2blsoA_iNWH9aaUvem4jo79oxGvblE3J4kEkTLfsC_tsLo1xyKqPQDS-H1EiJjbP1D2OwZORhEmY/s320/malvern+fabrics+2013_1567_sm.jpg" alt="Photo of fabrics. In the middle is a Yorkshire Tea tea towel, above it is a Japanese print that is white dragonflies on a dark background. Below the towel are from left to right, a piece of red felt, a pack of liberty print fabrics, a pack of fabrics from Amy, and at the bottom is a piece of purple velour." /></a>
<br>... and although I certainly am not in urgent need of buying more fabric, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do so .... especially when there was a beautiful selection of Liberty print fabrics ... so I bought a pack of "very fat eighths" ... I'm hoping each piece might be large enough to make a cushion from, maybe using a different fabric for the backs.</p>
<p>The sharp-eyed amongst you will have spied a couple more fabricky-looking things in the photo ... yes, there's a piece of thick red felt that still feels really wooly in texture - it's fab and the plan is to make a tapot to applique onto my Yorkshire Tea quilt (more on that in a mo!) ... and right at the top of the pic there's a Japanese fabric that I could see since it has good contrast between the dragonfly motifs and the dark background ... no plans for this yet but it may work with a half yard of Japanese prints I bought in a shop sale about a year ago!</p>
<p>And finally, in the centre of the photo is the Yorkshire Tea towel that is the theme for a quilt ... The Yorkshire Tea folk on the Orient Express trip liked hearing about my quilting so sent me 5 tea towels to turn into a quilt. Now this is where the questions start! I'm open for suggestions about how to make this quilt ... please bear in mind my low level technical skill though!</p>
<p><b>Question 1: Pattern suggestions:</b><br>
The tea towel could form a centre panel with other as-yet-to-be-acquired tea-themed fabrics around it ... or it could be chopped up and used as smaller blocks as part of a traditional or modern style pattern ... What do you think might work? Bear in mind I can use anything from 1 to 5 of these tea towels! ... Plus on ebay there are other tea towels with scenes from Yorkshire villages that I thought might add nicely to the quilt.</p>
<p>... actually that's the only question at this stage, I kind-of combined two questions into one - how many tea towels to use and then pattern suggestions. Any and all ideas gratefully received!</p> :)Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-21787851845348072952013-05-14T13:28:00.002-07:002013-05-14T13:28:37.792-07:00Assuming the rain stops...<p>Malvern is definitely on! I'm going on Saturday ... Of course if it continues to rain the way it is right now then I may be canoeing to get there ...but hopefully by Saturday all will be dry and sunny and soft clouds of batting will be floating in the air ...</p>
<p>I'm delighted that Lorraine from <A href="http://monkeybusinessandquilts.blogspot.com">Monkey Business and Quilts</a> and Amy from <a href="http://magpiemimi.blogspot.com">Magpie Mimi</a> are confirmed attendees so lots of crafty gossip will be had along with cups of tea while feet get a rest from wandering around the rather large quilt show!</p>
<p>If anybody else is thinking about going to Malvern but isn't quite sure just yet (maybe you're waiting to see if the floods will subside before you leave your house uncertain whether it'll be 20ft under water by the time you return?) ... then do keep your eyes pealed for a quilter wielding a white cane ... there probably won't be too many of us in one spot at the same time! Do say hello ... and if you know in advance that you're going do leave a comment or email me and I'll let you know my mobile number so rendez-vous can be planned at the watering hole! :)</p>
Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-86826310333495732162013-05-11T10:52:00.000-07:002013-05-11T10:52:07.389-07:00quilt plans<p>It had totally slipped my mind, but it's Malvern Quilt Show this week! Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th ... is anybody planning to go? I met up with Lorraine from <a href="http://monkeybusinessquilts.blogspot.com/">Monkey Business and Quilts</a> last year, and I think <a href=http://magpiemimi.blogspot.com>Magpie Mimi</a> is going with her sewing class one of the days ... leave me a comment if you too plan on going, or drop me an email and maybe we can meet up for a coffee there!</p>
<p>In other news - and I apologise for this being a little slow in appearing! - the Orient Express trip was absolutely fantastic! A really perfect day! <a href="http://t.co/JgOmWehS8M">Here's an annotated photoboard page</a> ... it was so much fun to dress up 1930s style!</p>
<p>... and the Yorkshire Tea folk enjoyed hearing about my quilt-making and have sent me 5 of their tea towels to make into a quilt! Unfortunately they're all the same design, but I plan on adding a tea towel with some Yorkshire village scenes plus some tea cup and teapot fabrics ... I will post pics later and consult you all for advice on making a from cotton tea towels ... I'm assuming it'll be like using t-shirts for quilts but having never done that either I don't know what precautions to take etc! ... The aim is for the end of the year I think, and hopefully Yorkshire Tea can find a suitable event to auction it for charity ... </p>
<p>No updates on the transplant ... had I had the false alarm middle-of-the-night phone call to go in for surgery in my last update? Well that came just a week before the Orient Express trip, but I got a reprieve when the organs didn't make it to the hospital in good enough condition to use, so I got sent home again! There have been no phone calls since then, but I suspect there'll be one before too long - one per month seems about what to expect with my blood group!</p>
<p>Hope this post hasn't been rendered too unintelligible ... Internet Explorer and my screen reader don't seem to be the best of friends this afternoon! ... I blame the weather which is hammering down and according to quilters around the country is likely to bear hail at some point!</p>
Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-84172268239346557252013-04-16T01:28:00.005-07:002013-04-16T01:28:29.847-07:00top (and bottom) of the heap<p>I'm afraid there's not been much quilting going on ... ok, there hasn't been <I>any</I> quilting going on, though I have been thinking about quilting! ... For the last month I've been tethered to my phone, because I'm top of the transplant waiting list so as soon as the call comes I'll be heading in for a new pancreas and kidney! To be technically correct I'm actually top and bottom of the waiting list, since there's only me in the whole UK with my blood group waiting for the kidney pancreas combo .... of course the upside of a short waiting list has a downside that organs come up a lot less often!</p><p>
I did actually think I'd be in by Easter, but nope, not even a false alarm call yet! At this very moment though I'm holding my breath hoping not to get a call for the next 10 days ... because I entered a Yorkshire Tea competition to win tickets on the Orient Express .... all you had to do was say in 30 words or less why you love Yorkshire Tea ... and I won! </p><p>
So now I'm fiendishly planning what to wear .... dress code is smart, but whether to go modern smart or Hercule Poirot 1930s Murder On The Orient Express smart ... I'm tending towards the latter and perusing cravats! ... So far I've found a pair of Mr Messy cufflinks in the clearance items, but trying to convince myself I <I>don't</I> need them!</p><p>
But back to the organs ... once I'm in I'll be recovering for 3 to 4 weeks, and I am intending to finish the top for my rainy days quilt! I've got more fabrics with rain and clouds and umbrellas and ducks (especially yellow ducks) than I need so there's no excuse! I'm about halfway through the top but it's been languishing since I came back to Wales (kind of ironic given how much rain we've had!)</p><p>
I'm still doing the writing class, though we had to fight for this week's to not be the last .... I thought we'd have to turn up with signs proclaiming <b>The Writers United Will Never Be Defeated</b>, but it didn't come to that; we didn't have to riot or anything ... we sent our hard-woman Lowri to do battle with the nicely-scarved boss, and after backup from the tutor arrived and words were exchanged with the big boss, we got an extension until half-term ... after that the class is no more .... oven the 10-strong morning class will be finished and they cover all their classroom hire costs between them with no funding or discounts! ... all very crazy, but if they think that empty classrooms will bring in more money than writing classes whether with 3 or 10 people, then I think they need some basic maths classes!</p><p>
Anyway, we'll see out the rest of this half term and then think about hot-footing it over to Torfaen where the tutor runs the same class for the neighbouring county. In other writing news my booklet didn't make it to round 2 (a shortlist of 4) in the Poetry Business competition, but I've 3 poems entered in the Cardiff Internation and am about to enter Poetry London's competition ... so keep your fingers crossed for me please :)</p><p>
Only other news is that Tai Chi is going well. It's another small group (2 of us plus an insjtructor and assistant) so that's great for helping the blind guy fingure out the new moves! We've just reached the quarter-way point ... i.e. we're halfway through the first half and then I think it all repeats in reverse for the second half! It's surprising how much the slow Tai Chi movements do give you a work out!</p><p>
Finally it's Mr Bix's 17th birthday at the end of the month (I thik it's April 29 though I will have to dig out his birth certificate to check!) ... he's still in fine fettle, in fact he's here curled up by the keyboard purring while I write this!</p><p>
Hopefully I'll have some photos from the Orient Express for you before I head into hospital, but if I don't get to update Touch And Sew before I go in then you can always check with nix_cool on Twitter and I'll fire off a quick tweet before I vanish! :)Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-39331170615553876212013-02-16T06:19:00.002-08:002013-02-16T06:19:44.333-08:00Breaking News!<p>just in case you thought I'd fallen into a long deep sleep .... well I might not have done any quilting with all the recent flurry of tests building up to a relatively imminent pancreas kidney transplant, but I've been busy gathering all the very latest news on the intrigue surrounding what kind of meat is really in our favourite foods. In a nutshell, if you thought that beef stew once ambled around a field happily saying moo, you're probably wrong ... hobnobbing with other horses might be closer to the truth!</p><p>
So here are the hottest news stories in town, gathered from unverifiable news sources in the middle of the night. Some might even be true ...</p><p>
1. News Headlines: Equine equality - Horses demand right to be lasagne too.</p><p>
2. Playground Patter: United Kingdom forecast to become duller than Belgium as children afraid to be caught horsing around.</p><p>
3. News Headlines: Cows seek equality, demand to run in the Grand National.</p><p>
4. Poetical Statistics: 81% of the 20% meat content in 95% of supermarket burgers is dodgy. Even stevens it may or may not be horse. And 100% chance it'll make you podgy, of course. </p><p>
5. News Headlines: Daisy the horse claims she's a cow born into the wrong body.</p><p>
6. Bible News: And the animals came in 2 by 2 hurrah! Except the cows - one found to have been a third hourse in disguise. All beef products now found to contain traces of horse DNA. Supermarkets to sue Noah's estate for gross negligence.</p><p>
7. Countryside News: Call to cull abattoir staff. No way to tell which have infected the meat supply but a genral cull likely to be 30% effective. Badger Union says its members will vote yes, but abattoir staff say a cull has no scientific credibility.</p><p>
8. Honest Harrys Used Animal Showroom: Genuine cow, 3 years old, only 20,000 pints of milk on the clock. Mechanically sound, 4 new hooves ...</p><p>
9. Honest Harrys Used Animal Showroom: : Genuine horse. Full service history. Novelty cow horn. 6 month's tax and M.OO.T</p><p>
10. Horse headlines: What next, bacon?</p><p>
11. Heathen herald: And the serpent said to Eve, "take a bite of this tasty burger". And the rest, as they say, is horseshit.</p><p>
12. Bedfordshire Insider: Milton Keynes' plastic cows found to contain plastic horse DNA. Children distraught, poor lambs. Parents say the wool was pulled over their eyes.</p><p>
13. News on the Vine: Uncertainty in the wine world as experts debate which wines to drink with meat that might be beef or might be horse. Sales figures suggest customers recommend Bulgarian reds.</p><p>
14. Comic Controversy: Desperate Dan demands to know what was in his cow pie!</p><p>
15. Hollywood Headlines: Traces of "holy horse" found in Batman movie. "Horseabunga!" exclaim Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!</p><p>
16. Braking News: Traces of beef found in school meals.</p><p>
... and that's folks, as they say in the trade! Remember, don't believe everyrthing you read, especially not on food ingredient lists!</p>
Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-65581943237163487182012-12-31T07:13:00.003-08:002012-12-31T07:13:28.625-08:00Round-up / Wind-down<P>Well it's the end of another year and we all survived the end of the world, which has got to be a good thing! At the end of 2011 I did a challenging list of things I wanted to complete before the said end of world, and I've successfully completed precisely none!</P><P>
In fairness it's been a challenging year all round ... my marriage finally disintegrated in mach, and I started dialysis at that time too. Then in April I got pretty ill with peritonitis, a dialysis-related infection, winding up in hospital for 2 weeks and deciding that I'd be better off back in the UK where I had family and friends in case of emergency, and to help me get out and about and doing fun things :)</P><P>
So all those things came and happened and got in the way of any quilting. Then in november I got another mild case of peritonitis, followed by a not-so-mild recurrance that landed me in hospital again for 3 days just a weekend shy of Christmas ... luckily under an extended dose of antibiotics it seems to have cleared the infection and won't need more drastic treatment! Phew!</P><P>
But enough of the excuses, the short story is that I haven't sewed a stich this year ... but I do hope to re-visit <a href="http://touchandsew.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/between-now-and-end-of-world.html">this year's to-do list</a> in 2013 and complete at least a handful of the projects.</P><P>
... And to help me in that I received a nice giveaway prize from the <a href="http://talkintuesdays.blogspot.com">Talki' Tuesdays</A> twitter chat, which is a scrap pack from <a href="http://www.daisyjanie.com">Jan DiCintio / DAISY JANIE organic fabrics for hobby & home</a>. I had a choice of scrap packs from her website, and after some very helpful advice from <a href="http://archiethewonderdog.blogspot.com">Archie the Wonder Dog</a> I decided to leave the selection up to Jan herself! I mentioned being able to see strong contrasts and geometric shapes, and the pack I received was, i suspect, hand selected along those lines. I am delighted to be able to see the general patterns on all the pieces, which are a really good size so I should be able to get several squares from each piece, and they all fit well with the fabrics in my stash picnic-basket so should quickly find thBeir way into a quilt! .. So what better way to end the year than with a photo!</p><p>
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Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-78276952041689343422012-11-29T11:00:00.001-08:002012-11-29T11:00:08.826-08:00What the postie brought <p>Yesterday and today have been rather good! it's always a good thing when the postie brings nice things ... I had been told I was to expect parcel but had no idea what was going to be in it ...
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Today I was looking forward to a trip to ken Picton's hair salon in Cardiff Bay for a haircut, and I'm really pleased with the result! They always do it nice, but the girl who cut my hair today has got it perfect I think!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGtc9L45i-WheK8U_D2NyGIu82qP9LDMh8lQ09umX0YlIoi19SwHHdyp0Uf2iHVB1u-h5ZaYVAqzTeq3nXoci85ktsimq_cTDPEzgj2nAHCGxHXVjYv4f121OXtk4oPB1zh6Q2AOR10w/s1600/narcoleptic+cushion_sm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGtc9L45i-WheK8U_D2NyGIu82qP9LDMh8lQ09umX0YlIoi19SwHHdyp0Uf2iHVB1u-h5ZaYVAqzTeq3nXoci85ktsimq_cTDPEzgj2nAHCGxHXVjYv4f121OXtk4oPB1zh6Q2AOR10w/s400/narcoleptic+cushion_sm.JPG" alt="photo of me with my new haircut and holding a beautiful handmade cushion" /></a></div></p><p>
As you can see in the photo, I'm holding a very lovely handmade cushion ... it really is fantastic and came all the way from <a href="http://narcolepticinthecupboard.blogspot.com">Sarah Narcoleptic</a> way up north in the Shetlands. i can confirm it is an incredibly comfy cushion, and i was only thinking the other day how much I needed one to rest my back when i'm leaning against the radiator, and my head when lounging on my bed listening to audio books, so it is absolutely perfect! ... one of these days I'll get my quilting engine in gear and rattle off some nice handmade goodies of my own because there are lots of people I would like to make things for and feel pretty rubbish for not having been able to!
</p><p>At the moment I'm preparing for a test trip on the train ... I've booked the assistance service to make sure I get on the train and find a seat and get off again ... if all goes smoothly tomorrow I'll be undertaking a more exciting trip next week to see the band Orbital in bristol, so that train trip is a little more complex! if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks you can bet I'll be stuck at Bristol temple Meads trying to find the right platform to come home! lol</p>
Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-10080445087726464682012-11-26T14:48:00.002-08:002012-11-26T21:48:02.306-08:00What they really think of me ...<p>Homework for my writing class was to describe ourselves as writers but from the perspective of somebody else ... So this is my homework, written by somebody who knows me very well ...
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My writer
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I really don't understand that thing he keeps tapping away at, all clickity-clack and noisy fan, though it's nice when he makes it say 'Bix Cool,' because I am quite a cool cat if I say so myself, and Bix is my name, or at least it has been since when I stopped living with that strange old lady who called me "Bumpkin Vectis," which had something to do with my pedigree name; it certainly made me feel a bit simple. I much prefer being a Bix and not being kept outside in that wire enclosure; my human is the best and I've known him for over 10 years now, which is 70 in cat-years, so I should know.
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I don't think he can be all that good as a writer though, because every time I fancy a fuss he stops what he's typing and obliges without grumbling; a real writer would carry on and world be damned. If cats were writers Romeo and Juliet would have been a couple of scenes, plus a break for lunch, a couple of snoozes and a rub-a-dub-dub of a fuss at the end. I wonder how many published writers have cats? You have to admit it's no easy task being a creative writer and the human to a cat. I guess I make it easy though because I'm always a good boy, sometimes a very good boy! I know because he stops to tell me at least once every 10 minutes. I must admit I get a little confused though when he asks, "who's a good boy?" and I think, well I am of course, have you forgotten?
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Sometimes I think I purrrr too loudly, but it doesn't seem to bother him. Maybe it's like background noise, other cats tell me their humans like music or the picture box on when they're doing things other than listening to the music or watching the box. What does stop him tapping away is if I stretch out so I'm up close to the black tappy thing and put my paw on his arm; especially if I do that but forget to curl my nails away! Sometimes he says Ah!"" when I do that, but in a short sharp way, not a nice soft "aaah" or "awwwww" that means he's happy.
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When he says, "I'm just popping to make a cup of tea, I'll only be 5 minutes." I Sometimes try and improve what he's writing; I'll push the buttons and make it say qqqqqqwsssgfgfgxxxxx, which makes him laugh. My record is seventy seven perfect number 1s. Occasionally he says I've been trying to send e-mails or order catnip from the internet, though 'catnip' is the only word I recognise in that sentence.
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I’m not sure what poetry is all about. He writes a lot of that and seems to spend as much time changing one word to another, and then another, and then back again as he does writing the main thing. He’ll often mutter about poetry that isn’t really poetry, like there’s a set of rules and poems that he calls “really prose” have broken them all. The more i think about it the more I realise he spends an awful lot of time just staring into space, occasionally humming and ha’ing. If it’s a good day inspiration will bite him like fleas bite my non-pedigree friends, and then he’ll rattle off a few lines and look rather pleased with himself. I have to admit though, poetry isn’t really my thing.
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Oooh, tuna! Do I hear somebody thinking about opening a tin of tuna?
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<p>*** Human Edit: this is the creative monster behind this post!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoeFI16ZVeSllTFpwA7RQHMc2457JqAA1o12seoihLobC65kt8JdVlptiZ82-N6MwXrrCdcvBGIvKp_c1_MOWZFWWGyji3fend6yyk5A8Nw35OmIbw0-gIvQuapbkFzq0WHdc0PvkfdQ/s1600/bix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="263" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoeFI16ZVeSllTFpwA7RQHMc2457JqAA1o12seoihLobC65kt8JdVlptiZ82-N6MwXrrCdcvBGIvKp_c1_MOWZFWWGyji3fend6yyk5A8Nw35OmIbw0-gIvQuapbkFzq0WHdc0PvkfdQ/s400/bix.jpg" ALT="photo of Bix sprawled out on the patio one summer, looking very photogenic" /></a></div>
Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-52439611617201952232012-11-18T06:28:00.001-08:002012-11-18T06:28:38.408-08:00Sunday afternoon hooker<P>Being a Sunday afternoon hooker (thanks to <A href="http://thelittlestthistle.blogspot.com">Katie Thistle</A> for that snappy title!) was what I wanted to be telling you about ... there was a beginner's crochet class at the local craft shop and I turned up hoping to take the class.</P>
<p>But I got there to discover an almost full shop! i was a little annoyed because I was running 10 mins late and there was one space for somebody who hadn't turned up yet ... but they didn't suggest I wait and see if she did show or not ... Maybe I imagined it but I did feel there was a trace of "how would I show a blind person how to crochet?" in her voice, which is what really disappointed me ... especially as I bought a crochet hook and thread there a month-or-so ago ... maybe she didn't think that but sometimes you just get that kind of feeling ... the same one you get at a job interview and you just know by the way they ask the questions that they're just going through the motions and you aren't really in with a chance at the job, pfffft.</p>
<p>But in news of the more fun kind ... I won another giveaway at the 2nd anniversary edition of the <A href="http://talkintuesdays.blogspot.com">Talkin' Tuesdays</a> witter chat ... I won a scrap pack of what I think is organic fabric ... it's by <A href="http://www.daisyjanie.com">Jan DiCintio</a> who designs and produces organic fabrics in Reading, PA. I will take photos as soon as it arrives :)</p>
<p>... In other news, I have had a pair of insoles made by the hospital ... apparently I have very high arches ... the insoles have a metatarsal bar across the middle ... personally I think that's a fine name for a bar ... can't you just imagine wearing a t-shirt to your next sewing retreat saying "I got drunk at the metatarsal Bar!"</p>
<p>And finally, by next time I post there's a very good chance I'll have entered quite a high-profile poetry competition. You submit a booklet of poems and from that they shortlist 4 poets who get invited to submit a book-length set ... the winner of that gets published (the competition is in association with WH Smiths, which for US readers is a UK national chain of newsagents and book seller) ... the competition judge is Simon Armitage ... so keep your fingers crossed for me! :)</p>Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-47452894239032238062012-10-16T06:21:00.003-07:002012-10-16T06:21:29.560-07:00Men Quilt Too!Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-40828952553634038962012-10-09T13:43:00.000-07:002012-10-09T13:43:20.181-07:00Foiled again ...I've always had issues with Blogger, mainly that most of the buttons simply don't work with my screen reader meaning I have to manually do the html code to make things bold, linked or insert images. ... that explains the several posts that were missing paragraph breks when I forgot to add them manually!</p><br />
<p>You may be thinking I've stopped reading all your posts lately, given the total absence of any comments from me ... this is not by choice, so I thought I'd better do a quick post to explain myself!</p><p><br />
Blogger has apparently changed something in its templates ... for the last month or so, if your blog opens a new window for people to leave comments, that new window stubbornly refuses to cooperate with my screen reader. I simply can't get into the box to type my comment, nor does the submit button work ... in the very rare instances I can get into the comment box and remember to copy my comment to the clipboard, then at least I get the chance to paste it into an email and send you that when the submit button doesn't work .... but in most instances I'm not even getting that far.<>/p<>pSo, in a nutshell, a big BAH! to Blogger ... I wish I was able to leave more comments, but I'm certainly still reading all your posts! ... hopefully Blogger will de-change whatever they changed but I'm not holding my breath! ... Maybe they did it because they didn't like my helpful message I sent them explaining how much trouble people were having with their spam prevention random words thing, and how both visual and audio challenges were verging on the impossible ... I had a helpful suggestion on how they could adapt this system but I guess they don't like constructive criticism ... I'll save my breath in future! ... Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-66867148342478535102012-09-06T14:27:00.001-07:002012-09-06T14:54:00.612-07:00eye spy ...I have had quite a productive week writing-wise. I went to the little town of Usk (Brynbuga to give it its Welsh name, which as you can imagine lends itself to some unflattering pronounciations by people not so sympathetic to Welsh language!) ... they have a small community college and it has a creative writing class starting next week ... it's really a beginners level class but there's a more advanced group meet too, so hoepfully the tutor will allow me to jump straight in with that ... I shall find out on Monday when I meet the tutor!<br />
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i've been working on a little website to support my booklet when it's ready to launch ... very soon! i've got the bio page about done and the reading room page which has some excerpts to whet your appetite! Just need to finish up the front page and sort out a sales page ... but it's all getting there :)<br />
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I've also got a couple of volunteers proof reading to make sure I'm either spelling in English or American, not a random combination of the two depending on where I was living when I was writing individual bits! ... I've also got a potential offer of help from a graphic designer with the cover, so the booklet might even look decent!<br />
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Future plans still include a descriptive quilt reference, outlining the history of traditional quilt blocks ... ideally with modern examples drawn from the blogosphere quilt world! ... I want to write what i want to read - a book that doesn't just show pictures but also describes them for the non-visual reader, and gives some history and stories behind such quilts. I know similar things have been done before but I think the descriptive angle would make it a good addition!<br />
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Finally ... for future work, if you're walking around where you live, or somewhere you're visiting ... why not jot down a few words describing its character - the colours, sounds, smells, sights that make you love (or hate) it. It doesn't have to be full paragraphs, just standalone sentences or even one-off words ... email me them or comment and I'll try and write something that reflects the place .... I might not be able to see them myself but I can use other people's eyes! :) ... no timeframe on this, it's an open invite to scribble down anything at any time!<br />
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In quilty news I won a giveaway on the Talkin Tuesdays quilt chat on Twitter last week! So a package from the lovely Fat Quarter Shop (who are regular sponsors of Talkin Tuesdays) is on its way ... I'm very excited! ... especially as I have a couple of small projects I'd like to make a start on - it's been hard to get started on things with not feeling so hot in June and July, but August has been a lot better and hopefully that'll continue through September!<br />
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Oh and I'm off for my hair cut at Ken Picton's salon in Cardiff Bay on Wednesday so yay to that!Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-1015238377840534322012-08-19T11:01:00.000-07:002012-08-19T11:01:00.888-07:00have Your Say!I have a couple of questions that I'd love your opinions on .... feel free to respond to any or all ... :)</P>
<P>To set the scene .... if you've followed Touch And Sew for a while you have probably noticed that I enjoy writing! It's basically been "what I do" for most of my working life .... I've written long boring plans and studies for local and national government transport departments; those of you who've known me even longer than my blog may remember that I co-founded and was contributing editor for a music magazine called Splinter .... a gorgeous glossy affair that made it into many independent record stores and even local Borders branches; following that I did music reviews for Atlanta music Guide .... and on top of that I just plain enjoy writing my own poetry and prose!</P>
<P>So I was thinking how I can build up some useful writing examples to help me hopefully get employed in a writing / editing role next year after all my transplant cutting and pasting processes are done and I'm back on my feet! ... and since I read a lot too I am thinking a book review blog would be pretty perfect!</P>
<P>So, questions:
<OL><LI>What do you think of that idea?</LI>
<LI>Based on other blogs that might do this, what do you think of things like the Amazon adverts that people can click on to buy the books you review? .... Do they annoy, do you just ignore them, or do you even click on them sometimes?</LI>
<LI>if you are also an avid reader, would you like to contribute reviews of books you've read (your choice of what you read and/or review!) .... anything from short snapshot reviews (100 to 200 words) up to more substantial reviews (500 words or so) .... and by answering this it's no commitment to contributing .... feel free to opt in or out based on how many people eventually follow the blog!</LI></OL>
<P>That's it, those are the questions I'd love your thoughts on! .... Just to add I'm thinking I'll be reviewing all kinds of books, from modern fiction to classics, books on crafts and quilting through to science and poetry .... I have a vary varied consumption of the written word and that variety will be reflected in the reviews! ... that's also why I'd really love it if anybody wants to write reviews too .... that's far better than listening to me all the time ;)</P>
<P>Finally, feel free to comment any other thoughts or ideas that spring to your mind .... however warped and twisted (your ideas i mean .... I *know* your minds are very warped and twisted!)</P>
<P>Thanks! ... GilesGileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-18410040244615946452012-08-10T05:55:00.000-07:002012-08-10T05:55:07.624-07:00Playing Hookie<P>Today was my mobility lesson in which we've been popping into Abergavenny on the little local bus service ... we've found useful places like the library and the bank, and today it was the turn of the wool / craft shop! :) </P>
<P>Inspired by <A HREF="www.intheboondocks.blogspot.com">Lisa from In The Boon Docks</A> relating how she found a cushioned crochet hook to be really comfortable to use …so I asked about them in the shop and tried out what they had.</P>
<P>They did have the cushioned variety, but only in packs of 3 for £15, which seemed rather a lot for learning with! …however they did have something similar …a hook made from ash wood that is very comfortable to hold, so I got one! :)</P>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHVMwPtl2a39cjXE-Y9IDbjpunOpt1xSeQMZdgPBcsTlvJcWzQWRe7nnYfJElWlf5almZabnMJomnC-Rpcs-JOu3IycDOxztZ8332JI9h49TMIi8iprDZb10u1ze6Ajpk8d3sqSzXs18/s1600/crochet_P1479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHVMwPtl2a39cjXE-Y9IDbjpunOpt1xSeQMZdgPBcsTlvJcWzQWRe7nnYfJElWlf5almZabnMJomnC-Rpcs-JOu3IycDOxztZ8332JI9h49TMIi8iprDZb10u1ze6Ajpk8d3sqSzXs18/s400/crochet_P1479.jpg" ALT="photo of a chunky wooden crochet hook tucked into a ball of yarn." /></a></div>
<P>As you'll see i also got some nice pale blue yarn …this is also kind of a recommendation from Lisa because she mentioned that cotton yarn could be unknotted easily …I figured that would be handy when you're just starting out, so I picked some nice cotton yarn in the shop while I was there.</P>
<P>So all in all a productive mobility lesson! …The learning crochet will have to wait a little while as I need a voltage converter to charge up my book player in order to listen to the audiobook I have on learning to crochet …I'm a little intrigued how easy it'll be to learn without being able to see pictures, but I am assuming they wouldn't have made an audiobook for the blind if it wasn't possible to follow along without sight! .</P>
<P>So, what do y'all think I should try to make first? …(no prizes for sugesting a knot!)Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-12919066499452371642012-08-09T08:44:00.001-07:002012-08-09T08:44:53.294-07:00Meet Horace TurnbullHere he is, my pet spider! His name is Horace, he has 2 huge orange eyes, 2 orange legs, a big orange smile and is yellow tie-dye at the front and blue tie-dye at the back! He is the first thing I ever sewed and this year was his 28th birthday!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5W07-DClHYfbi3VE12TF_RTVzgEfbHcQ-6Uty8WMgVav6vEifcEkx-j79zTW6XE1aQsfmKB5ZZo231JNDQeDgUhSBtAp_WuQRwktVen5m1SeoKh7RQZmHUyOPrFyp53uAQ0YFKEJz6w/s1600/Horace1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5W07-DClHYfbi3VE12TF_RTVzgEfbHcQ-6Uty8WMgVav6vEifcEkx-j79zTW6XE1aQsfmKB5ZZo231JNDQeDgUhSBtAp_WuQRwktVen5m1SeoKh7RQZmHUyOPrFyp53uAQ0YFKEJz6w/s400/Horace1.jpg" ALT="photo of Horace the spider taken from the front." /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGekQEp6uEZvxIpGiO8PD-THFBpyoj2kAQMV2iMYUp8dtUMdetKEQh-HPN0n-CdLByOGvg6hqdurBLSE5bMepP_dcl3yFZVW8x8qR5-mDq1lZIh5yl_jd75A-XlcNrHCW2-2bYMWvWIdM/s1600/Horace2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="294" width="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGekQEp6uEZvxIpGiO8PD-THFBpyoj2kAQMV2iMYUp8dtUMdetKEQh-HPN0n-CdLByOGvg6hqdurBLSE5bMepP_dcl3yFZVW8x8qR5-mDq1lZIh5yl_jd75A-XlcNrHCW2-2bYMWvWIdM/s400/Horace2.jpg" ALT="photo of Horace the Spider taken from the back." /></a></div>
Talking of spiders, if you've never seen the BBC cartoon Spider! you really need to …I'm sure it'll be on YouTube!Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-9341559095298984912012-08-05T03:31:00.000-07:002012-08-05T03:31:09.321-07:00Quilt KittyI discovered there's a fantastic competition going on for the real quilters ... this is my entry, a photo of Maggie helping to make a quilt ... who am I kidding, she makes the quilts, I just get in the way!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIumci3_UenAkYgFCuAVFxvHjo6j4Rdc0ViLUNi49jubY1HCzSXFwXALXKbL93bTVsOgjqL5anmVH1V8r9Iedku5QKw0zywIfN-tfhciSNardt_RwDtZuA8DXRWhAoEdZ9yKhgwChT-c/s1600/maggie+and+giles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="387" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIumci3_UenAkYgFCuAVFxvHjo6j4Rdc0ViLUNi49jubY1HCzSXFwXALXKbL93bTVsOgjqL5anmVH1V8r9Iedku5QKw0zywIfN-tfhciSNardt_RwDtZuA8DXRWhAoEdZ9yKhgwChT-c/s400/maggie+and+giles.jpg" ALT="photo of Maggie and Giles making a quilt" /></a></div>
<P>(I think this is the photo ... I didn't name my file so well!) ... here's the link to the competition on <A HREF="http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/the-2012-pets-on-quilts-show-is-here.html">Lilypad Quilting</A></P> …so go on, head over and enter your cat, dog, budgie or frog in the competition!</P>
<P> …and Maggie says she'll be delighted to have your votes in the People's Choice category …since she's currently stuck over the Atlantic waiting for the summer embargo on flights to end so she can fly to the UK I think she deserves your vote :) …Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-54676389832250280062012-08-02T10:53:00.000-07:002012-08-02T10:53:15.769-07:00Gee up!<P>I waas doing some background reading about book publishing and small preses ... and I came across a fascinating blog article about binding your own books ... seriously high quality saddle stitched books like you'd get in a bookstore ... I was amazed that it is definitely do-able in the comfort of your own home! ... I'm not planning this for my booklet this time, but I definitely might give this a go one day ... for the craft-minded (that's everyone reading this blog!) it sounds like a lot of fun and a fantastic sense of accomplishment!</P><P>
If you fancy a read the article is here: <A HREF="http://nomediakings.org/doityourself/doityourself_book_press.html">http://nomediakings.org/doityourself/doityourself_book_press.html</A></P>
<P>Tomorrow is my mobility lesson ... a repeat of the last 2 weeks going into Abergavenny on the bus ... except this week we're going as far as the wool shop :)</P>
<P>As for my booklet ... I've been very productive and the Kindle version is finished all bar the cover (which needs a photo) and any added extras that might make the booklet easier to navigate or more appealing to potential purchasers ... the hard copy version is almost sorted too which just leaves the research into getting it printed ... i'll post more when I've got the cover sorted!</P>
<P>This all takes me back to the fun of co-fouding my own real glossy music magazine, almost 7 years ago now ... my how the publishing world has changed since then ... but how wonderful it felt to be on real store shelves, in places like Borders and those truly independent music stores ... there's a lot to be said for being indie :)</P>Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-91714068348205439612012-07-31T07:41:00.001-07:002012-07-31T07:41:20.953-07:00Talking |TuesdaysFor my UK and European friends, plus anybody Stateside who wants to chat earlier than the usual 9pm ET time, tonight is the first early session for Talking Tuesdays!
This is a Twitter chat about all things quilting and sewing ... there is a fast-paced chat with many folk, some of whom you'll know from Blog land!
There are giveaway prizes if you sign in on the blog to say you're chatting ... here's the link for that:
http://talkintuesdays.blogspot.com ... the chat is then on Twitter, to post you just inclue the tag #talknt2 in your tweet ... to follow the chat it's probably easiest to use the website that shows all tweets that have that tag ... I'll edit this post later when I find that website! (I use a talking twitter program so don't use the website!) ... hope to see you there ... don't forget 6pm UK time! :)Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-8072580096896307692012-07-27T12:12:00.003-07:002012-07-27T12:44:15.953-07:00before I win the Euro Millions ...<P>
edit: it has been brought to my attention that I managed to write this without paragraphs! I'm going to edit it now to make it more readable! Thanks Sarah for spotting that!</P>
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I was looking forward to writing a blog post later this evening to let you know that I was 1 of the 100 lucky winners in the lottery, which is guaranteeing 100 millionaires tonight to celebrate the start of the Olypics.
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I selected my numbers and went online to create an account, because being me I forgot to buy a ticket earlier in the week ... at which point I got to read the informative message that web services were temporarily unavailable ... though they did appologise for any inconvenience caused ...
It's my million pounds that are feeling inconvenienced! Oh well, better luck next time! :p
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Meanwhile I have some exciting news ... after long deliberations (I'm talking years here, how's that for procrastination?!) I have decided to put pen to paper ... well not exactly, the pen was put to paper over those several years, I have just taken this long to decide what to do with the output!
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My fabulous friend <A HREF="http://magpiemimi.blogspot.com">Magpie Mimi</A>, in addition to her Etsy store (which you ALL need to go visit!) is trying out a store on Big Cartel.com ... it has a useful free account which can be used to guage interest and usefulness of their web services, and I too am going to set up shop, so-to-speak.</P>
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I am going to do my own booklet of writing which I'll produce as a photocoppied 40-page booklet, which will keep prices (and costs) down to a minimum ... I'm aiming for no more than 4 pounds cover price, ... though obviously if I can sell a cool 250,000 copies then I won't be far short of those folks who come out on top in tonight's lottery!</P>
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More realistically, I'll be hand-numbering the first 100 copies (no mean feat when you can't see what you're writing!)</P>
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I am also having great fun preparing a Kindle version ... that'll be a little cheaper, though I haven't decided whether I'll pitch it at the 3 pound mark where I can get a bigger cut of the sale price than Amazon (who take a whopping 65 percent if you charge less than 3 pounds!) ... I do realise that pitching it at the 99p price point is where you're more likely to get people to part with money for a copy though!</P>
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Anyhow, enough rambling about the economics ... I'm having fun pulling it all together ... let's face it, it's good to be doing something while I wait for those transplants! I'll post again before publication and let you know how things are looking, along with some snippets to tempt you into buying a copy or simply telling everybody you know, and have ever known, so that I can hit that quarter of a million sales target :)</P>
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if anybody has a photo they've always felt is crying out to be the cover photo on a book, drop me a message and tell me what it is ... if it fits in with my writing I could use a good photo! The one I had in mind to use seems to have been exactly that ... a figment of my mind! ... I am sure I remember taking it in St George's Park in Bristol, but I haven't the foggiest where it is now! (the photo, not the park!)</P>
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PS I have started using a text editing program that has sound effects like an old typewriter so I am really getting into the writing mood :)</P>
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Watch this space, as they say!</P>Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-62251253137028964942012-07-15T11:29:00.003-07:002012-07-15T11:29:43.544-07:00A stitch in Time ...What's this then? Two blog posts in a week, what on earth is the world coming to? ... well it's stopped raining so i've come out of hibernation and goodness knows some blog updates are long overdue!
I thought I'd give you a quick update on why things have been quiet in Touch And Sew land ... and it's quite simple really, I haven't done any sewing type things at all! The slightly longer explanation is mainly due to health factors ... and I'll update you a little on those!
If you've been following me for a few months you'll recall that I started dialysis back in March and returned to Wales in May. I saw the hospital consultant for transplants fairly early on and so several trips to the clinic for blood tests have ensued ... the result of which is that apparently my blood group is fairly uncommon, so I'll be emailing you all asking if I can borrow one of your kidneys shortly ...
Haha, not really. I'm on the waiting list for a pancreas and kidney so, since people are generally using their pancreas and don't tend to have a spare one, it kind of rules out the living donor options ... aren't you glad!
Having an uncommon blood group means there's less donors but also there are fewer people on the waiting list ... One person in fact! So sometime between Christmas and Easter I should be ready to go!
So all the blood tests and heart check ups have taken a lot of time lately, and I've also not been feeling too perky - you can get a lot of nausea as your kidneys stop working and also lack of appetite and difficulty sleeping, and I've been getting all of those and just not feeling up to any big projects!
That's why I've not been entering many giveaways ... I feel rotten for winning lovely fabrics and then not getting anything made with them! I've got a fantastic fabric stash now including several lovely giveaway prizes, and they're all crying out to be made into something nice!
just to reassure everybody, I haven't given up on quilting but I don't have any great expectations of getting anything made this year ... once I get through the transplant surgery I should be full of beans and keen to get started on all those things I hoped to do this year!Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7863238450369552849.post-63577328261679049972012-07-12T11:09:00.002-07:002012-07-12T11:09:41.116-07:00Fabric FinderJust a quick question ... does anybody know of any octonauts fabric? My mum wants some, presumably to make something for either my niece or nephew! Let me know if you`re aware of any such prints ... thanks!!Gileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11350484616771510066noreply@blogger.com3