Wednesday 26 January 2011

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY

G'DAY MATE!
That famous Aussie greeting will be expressed today by millions. 
Today is Australia Day, celebrated on this day each year because it was on the 26th January, 1788, that Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony on New South Wales and became its first Governor.  Details of our local celebrations are on today's Newsletter and it shows a magnificent Aussie Sculpture depicting our way of life in past gone days.  If you're not a subscriber so haven't received same, it will be added to my website after today's Public Holiday.

Our own flag is flying high!  This is truly "celebration month". 
It is 12 months now since I commenced this blog.  My how time has flown and how much technical stuff I've had to learn!  I'm so pleased from the emails I receive that you enjoy reading my postings. 
Also, this month we celebrate our Website's 10th Birthday with a new special every day, so you need to visit the website daily for some fantastic bargains.  Just 6 more days to go, so if you haven't taken that opportunity yet, there's still a little time left.
I've also become a year older this month, not that this should take much celebration! 

If you want to know what's happening here, read it in my Newsletter.

Thank you to those who let me know "what kind of bird is this?" from my last blog.  Seems we have a lot of Black-Winged Stilts around our dam.

I promised you some photos of my new little chicks and because they've grown so much thought I'd better also show you their progress.  Note how the colourings have changed in such a short time.  Also note the wretched Henny Penny (Tumbling Weed) problem all farmers are experiencing this time of the year.  Appropriately named for these images!













Must show you the beautiful blooms of the Crepe Myrtle trees I have alongside the Warehouse.  Glorious colour.  The second image is a weed growing in the bottom creek paddock which John never scarrified this year.  I know it's a weed, but it makes a pretty bloom right through the paddock.












One of our next door neighbours have a Trotting Track and breed trotters.  I see these images as I go walking on our property so thought I'd share with you.












During the week, a customer asked if I sold the metallic mylar embroidery sheets?  I don't because I'd read that one needed to be careful with laundering the article if this was used.  If you've used this product, will you add a comment here please or email me?
I do sell Mylar Embroidery Sheets which are opalescent and iridescent mylar which is a film that has the metallization built into it.  Could this be what was meant?  Don't confuse the opalescent mylar with the gift wrap sort of stuff found in newsagencies and florists because that is not designed to be embroidered over and you will be disappointed when you wash it.  That stuff will damage your needles and the colour will bleed and even rub off over time.  Someone else asked for any tips in using it, so you may like to comment about that too.

I'll start the ball rolling with what I've found when we've used it during our Machine Embroidery Retreats.
Use a design that is digitized for the use of Mylar because they usually have some underlay stitching before placing the mylar into place on the top of your fabric.  They are also not heavily digitized so as the mylar may show through the stitching.  Mylar Embroidery Sheets are just one colour; the beautiful iridescent colouring varies according to the colour thread you are using and often the type of thread too.  Anything goes, but it varies, so do experiment.
The mylar may be scotch-taped down, but that's not vital.  Simply stitch your design then tear away the Mylar.  Don't throw these small pieces away, keep them for another project because you can overlap small pieces for your next design.  Any little "pokies" left you may easily remove with tweezers. 

I love my very fine anti-magnetic Pro's Kit Tweezers.  Sometimes we found in class that if the design had a large unstitched area, the Mylar needed to be removed from that part of the finished design too, rather than have a section of exposed Mylar.
May I also add that the coloured Mylar available does not wash, so beware. 
Mylar Embroidery Sheets are very economical to use, so much fun and the results are nothing short of brilliant.

What do you have to say?

2 comments:

  1. I think your weed may actually be a type of Mullein there are 250 different varities. Verbascum thapsus is the medical variety.Still it is a pretty flower whatever it is.

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  2. Gosh, really? I must look all of that up to see exactly what that means. How very interesting, thank you. Is it Peta? Appreciatively, Judy

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