IMPORTANT NOTICE

 I think Google may be about to start charging me for my blog, so I may move to a free version - and that means a new name!

I have transferred the last six years of blog posts to what may be a temporary blog, or may be the new one.

To cover all bases new posts are being added to the new blog and I'm adding the link here

2022 Week 6 Blog Post 

The name of, and the link to, the replacement blog is: 

  SLIKStitchesBlog.blogspot.com

Sorry!

Hope to see you there

2019 Wk 48 - Drat and fiddlesticks

Fact 1: I had thousands of photos of my phone - some were family photos, some were blog photos and some were ones that had come in through WhatsApp etc and stayed.  And my phone was using battery at an alarming rate

Fact 2: I used to have to save my phone photos to my PC to be able to add them to my blog, but some time ago (my guess is September 2016*) a new option appeared so I could add photos from my phone which saved a lot of time.

Fact 3: Someone suggested that I delete some of my photos from my phone to see if that helped with the battery usage.

Have you guessed what happened?

Fact 4: I saved the family photos from the phone to the network, but I deleted the others that I'd used on the blog starting at about 2013, up to about April 2018: I planned to carry on later.

And the reason I can quote the dates?  Almost every photo on the blog between September 2016 and April 2018 has been replaced by this

I have done the hair pulling and the screaming at the computer and the crying - and finally the thinking ... Google give me 60 days to change my mind about deleting photos - phew!  So I think I have reinstated most of them!

I have managed a bit of sewing too!

This planning

and this cutting

and this making-binding-by-bodging happened (sorry about the striped ironing board cover, makes it difficult to see what I'm doing but the binding is purple and then red)

and making this

And this

And then doing this ...

More to follow when it's been pressed under a weight to get the vinyl creases out!

I've started working on this with the Kaffe Fassett 3" squares I got from Jackie - I'm really loving the fabric!  : It's planned and ready to stitch

And I've done the prep for the next Chertsey Museum class - we are doing scrappy pennies

These were fun to do.  They all started the same but I did different embroideries

And finally I've received another Pudsey themed hexie flower from the Facebook swap group I've joined.  Roll on next month

2018 Wk 20 - What happened to the blog?

Sandra recently messaged me to tell me "Your blog seems glitchy - or is it my computer".  She went to to explain " I've noticed some weird glitchy things involving your blog.  Your posts list in my blog reader, but when I click on them, it just opens another copy of the blog reader page.  That's been happening for a while, and I assumed it was a bug with the blog reader.  However, when I actually GO to your blog, to the homepage, your first/latest post isn't clickable - it's viewable at the top of the page, but it isn't clickable so I can't go to the first post.  Also, if I click on Comments to post a comment, it goes nowhere.  If I scroll down the page though, and go to a different, older post - I can get the post page up and I can comment."

I have no idea what the problem is, but if I create a blog post on the iPad and then try and edit on the PC I get this message

Eh?

Anyway, apologies if it misbehaves, and if you have ANY idea how to correct it please let me know!

I am creating this post on the PC so it might behave better!

Terrific Traffic

I was loading up my Blogger page to create a post when I noticed a spike in my views

I then noticed a new 'traffic source' of www.freequiltpatterns, so I investigated.

I know some people have had problems with their blog posts being re posted as someone else's work, but surely that couldn't account for extra visits to *my* blog.  But if you go to the Free Quilt Patterns website and scroll down a bit you see this

And the links all link back to my blog - imagine me doing a happy dance! I am, as the kids say, "well chuffed"!

Griping about Google & some Crafty Stuff

A few years ago I changed my blog address from Slikstitches.blogspot.com to Slikstitches.com.  I did it on a whim, and if I could turn back time I would not have done it!

At first my blog vanished for a while, then last year I had problems paying my renewal fee ( I blogged about it here).  I eventually discovered I had to log into wallet.google, and update my credit card information, so when I got this year's renewal email I checked on the above post and checked my credit card details and sat back smugly,

BUT - this time that wasn't the right place to update the card info - it seems they sometime look somewhere else!  It's taken me a month, but I've finally sussed it - I have to log on here using an email address I never use - I don't even know how I can use it! (B@SS.COM), using a password that I haven't used for years (SS) and change a different saved credit card option. [Billings/Domain Registration / Access Billing Ac]

So now I have it saved here ready for getting hopelessly lost next year!

But because no blog post in compete without a photo or two . . .

Jackie's My Small World is looking awesome

I embroidered a blanket for my Great Aunt, and mum has delivered it

Lesley at Crafty Church embroidered this for her sister

And my God Daughter created and machine stitched this for a friend

Oh, and Lisa received her Christmas Quilt

That'll be FOUR layers now on her bed - a bit like the princess and the pea!

Christmas Post (and giveaway reminder)

Our local scout group run a Christmas Card delivery service on the Sundays leading up to Christmas.

The scouts, cubs, beavers, guides, Brownies (and any others I've forgotten) design a stamp: one is chosen and printed onto stickers.  You can buy these stickers in some of the local shops, stick them on cards with local addresses, post them in boxes in the same shops, and they get delivered by the kids.

This year the exec (the adult leaders) decided they wanted to award the delivery boys and girls with a badge to go on their uniform . . . tonight was to be the first meeting back after Christmas, could I design and make 30 badges in time?

Luckily the answer was yes!

One was approved . . . and the other 30 created and whisked away for tonight's meeting before I got a chance to photograph them!

 

If you haven't yet entered my 1000 posts giveaway you might like to leave a comment on this post.  (If you are a no-reply blogger make sure I can get hold of you)

Nearly 1000 Posts (and a giveaway)

My Blogger page tells me I'm nearly at 1000 posts - Yes One Thousand!

I thought I'd do a little give away to celebrate that I've stuck with this since June 2010 and that at least one person has commented on each and every post!

I've made something - it's useful, a bit old fashioned, small enough to fit in a handbag, and incredibly labour intensive - I wont be making another one!

This is all you get in the way of clues!

Do you want a chance of having it?  With maybe a few extra goodies thrown in your general direction?  No hoops to jump through: just add a comment and I'll randomly select one of you!

I think this post will be #991: I'll draw the winner's name on post #1000 which I guess will be middle of January.  Good luck everyone

(If you are a no-reply blogger please make sure I can get hold of you)

Griping about Google

Some years ago I decide I would like my blog name to be SLIKstitches.com rather than SLIKstitches.blogspot.com: a small change, but the idea made me happy, and for £10 a year I figured it was a good plan.

Groan.

The switchover was a problem, and for a few weeks I thought I had lost my blog, but eventually I found an on-line geek who could understand the problem, and give me a solution - yippee.

The next few years I spent days before the anniversary trying to update the payment details; so last year I wrote notes on how to find the info. 

So a few days ago my email arrives

And I wonder whether last years' notes will help at all

 Ah, probably not

So I follow the link

Hummm,

I don't have so how am I supposed to click it?

A bit of Googling and it turns out that I need wallet.google.com. 

So, for *this* year I am sorted - and next year I'll check this post and see how much they have changed again!

Blog Botheration

Just a brief post, Plum emailed me as she couldn't post a comment - has anyone else had the same problem?

Plum wrote " its not really liking me trying to leave a comment – I had to have a couple of goes the other day too.  I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned it, but for the last few weeks your blog has wanted me to accept seeing all content, including non-secure content (or whatever the wording in the little cream box is that comes up).  Have you changed something about it?"

I haven't changed anything, but don't know if the problem is me or Plum.  Please message me if you are having problems too. Benta@SLIKstitches[dot]co[dot]uk

It's no fun reading a blog with no pics, so here's a recent finish, all bound and waiting for a new home. :-)

BC and AC

For a long time I've referred to my "BC years" (Before Children), but I am thinking of the next 17 weeks or so (after this six weeks off school) as the "AC weeks" - After Calm.

The school hols have been lovely: no alarm clocks, sewing pretty much what I fancied, when I fancied, not many places to go to for specific times, seeing people I love to see . . . you get the picture.

Today school starts back, just teachers, but certainly alarm clock and lots of "can you just ..." and "where is the .." and what on earth happened to ... ". 

There will be 30 new four year olds start on Wednesday, which also means about 20 new families that I need to get to know; we are starting a new lunch ordering system (that I was trained on 7 weeks ago, guess how much I remember) and I have a new Head Teacher who is new to being a Head Teacher as well as being new to the school.

I love my job, but given the choice I'd choose permanent summer holidays!

So there will be less sewing and less blogging.  I hope you enjoyed your summer as much as I enjoyed mine

Blinking Blogger

I do wish Blogger would leave things alone - sort or Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It approach.

I usually check on other blogs via my iPad, and it gradually dawned on me that I was getting the mobile view of all (nearly all) blogs, rather than the web view.  This meant I couldn't see your buttons, I didn't get to appreciate the time and effort you have spent creating backgrounds etc, and for those of you who advertise, I couldn't see your ads, so you had no chance of making money through me.  This wasn't just me: it applied to everyone who used any type of tablet or mobile device

For those of you who are more visual:  this is what my blog looks like on the PC

I have spent time choosing the font, the colours, the buttons, the background: arranging it just so.

However, this is what it looks like on the iPad

Not quiet the same!

It seemed I couldn't change how I saw your blogs, but each blogger can change how their own blog is viewed.

SO - if you like your PC / lap top view you could ensure that I see that view, even from my iPad.

Karen, at Sew Many Ways, and Paul, at Spice Up Your Blog both gave me advice on how to change MY blog - If you want to change yours too, either visit Karen' post here, or have a go at these instructions.

While you are in Web View, go to [Design], top right

Next you want to select Template, and then click on the settings cog below [Mobile]

And then choose NOT to have mobile template available, and [save]

Sorted!  Karen is conducting a survey as to what people prefer - if you want to have your say, click here and you can put your twopen'th in too

Interestingly, after I changed mine, I noticed I was seeing other people's as the desktop view - Have google been monitoring our chats?  If so maybe there is such a thing as people power, and maybe they have done a U-turn

Blinking Blogger

For some reason, Google + seems to have reset me as a NoReply blogger.  I have followed Jennifer's advise and un-Plused me.  Hope this works!

I have added the button to the side bar, but if you need it, here is the link

Flipping Fonts

Thanks to all who commented on the font change - that wasn't what I chose!    My original font started loading on my ipad as a fancy script, so I changed it all to an ordinary font, but it looks as if Google then changed it to impact - which IS difficult to read.

So now it's just Arial, boring, but very readable!

After showing pictures of the first half of the A to Z sashing I also changed my mind about the layout, so I've now redone them so that each text block is the same width: makes it a bit tidier

Bothering to Blog

I followed a link to another blog the other day, and what I read really made me stop and thing . . . Why do I blog?  It started for me as a record of what I've made, and somewhere to record HOW I made something, so I don't have to re-invent it if I decide to make it again.

My best friend, Jackie, (a flight away) and my mum (90 minute drive away) would visit regularly to see what I'd been up to, and then a few more people joined - and now I have 62 followers.  While this is a huge boost to my ego, it was never the point.  Sometimes I blog when I don't really feel like it, sometimes I acknowledge people's comments only because it's polite to do so, and sometimes I comment on other people's blogs because I feel I ought to . .  but is that really the point?

I found one blog where the writer had TURNED OFF THE COMMENTS facility!  How brave is that?  I'm not sure that I can do that, as I do love to get comments  (down, ego, down) but I have decided to join the Blogging Without Obligation movement.  If you click on the logo (to the right, and below) you can go to Tiffini's explanation.

So - I will still be making stuff, and  I will still be blogging about it, and about other stuff, but I have released myself from . . .

• Feeling I should make something just to blog about it
• Feeling I should apologise if I haven't blogged for a while
• Feeling I should comment on someone else's blog just because they blogged about something
• Feeling despondent if no-one comments on a post

And released myself to enjoy blogging when I have the time and the inclination, and to enjoy reading other people's posts, and to comment when I get the urge, and respect that others do the same

Phew :-)

I'M BACK

Sorry to be shouting

but my lovely blog is now working again

and I am so happy

I 

am

a

very

happy 

bunny

Too busy to blog!

I have been busy making stuff, and busy being lead down dead ends trying to revive the SLIKstitches blog.  The making has been fun, trying to get to communicate with someone at blogger reminds me of the saying "the impossible I can do at once, miracles take a little longer!

Anyway, enough whinging - I've mostly been working on blocks for the texture quilt, just 4 more to go, then I need to work out how to arrange them.  Here are some photos

Suffolk punches from A at Stitching Science (thank you A)

Not sure if this is smocking or pleating, but it seems to be called honeycomb smocking

This block is four squares of corduroy with the nap in four different directions

This is a very loose woven fabric given to me

This one is ripped fabrics with some extra threads pulled out.  The strip is made by alternating back and front of the fabric

and finally a pleated one where I have stitched the pleats down so there is a twist

Blogging on an ipad

Ah, I think I have discovered a problem with creating blog posts on the iPad, I hope you like the BIG photos! I will change them when I get onto the pc ;-)