magikquilter March 28th, 2008

Interesting week as I branched out into unknown territory after a newspaper article showed a subversive party being held in a church. Got my first insulting comment from someone who left a link back to a porn site and also my first comment including a bible verse. So both ends of the spectrum. And in the middle was Justin who led me through the whole debacle and assured me that the church council shared my concerns and outrage.

So I will soon be getting back to sewing as it is cooling off here now and am feeling more inspired after I had the brilliant idea of cataloging my fabrics so that I would know what I have available in storage. I am now in the middle of photographing everything, no small task, and in the process am rolling up my really rare samples of chintz etc which should prevent them wearing on the folds. I saw somewhere online recently where a quilt shop was selling plastic holders to store your fabric on [much like the cardboard that the quilting fabric is wrapped around] but for now am going with gift wrap rolls and will eventually make my own from cardboard. I sent some of the fabric photos off to some of the flickr fabric groups as love to browse there myself. To see my fabrics just click on the more photos under the flickr photos in the sidebar, if there is anything you like or want and need to have for your quilts just email me through my contact page.

Speaking of flickr I had an email yesterday informing me that I have been banned from the quilts and quilting pool. Am baffled as to what I did wrong as checked the group rules and there was nothing there. So I sent off a request for clarification to the quilts and quilting administrators as advised by flickr as they have no idea either. Also asked why if I had done something wrong nobody had informed me. The manner that I was informed left a lot to be desired, I pride myself on straight talking but guess that some people leave the dirty work to others.

I had always been uncertain about that particular group as my quilts are more throws really with very little actual quilting, and that quilting done in large, though neat stitching in the more modern style. The reason I do larger stitches is that I have quite a lot of pain in my nerves in my hands and spine and this is a way that I found hurt less and allowed me to still feel like I am a quilter. After this debacle with that flickr group pool though I am glad to have found some other groups recently where the emphasis is on crafting and the joy of crafting in all its forms. I particularly like the fabric groups as think they are a little touched like myself with fabric madness and I like their style! The groups I have been joining at present however I am asking in the group discussions if my photos are appropriate to the group rules or more importantly their unwritten rules. The real reason that I was disturbed over the quilts and quilting pool is that through this group I have met many wonderful women who like myself have had to give up so much fine work and in some cases their health is so fragile that I shudder to think what their reaction would be to them being summarily banned without warning or explanation.

I had fun this week thrift shopping though we had a shorter shopping week, which could be why I am a day behind with this post! The handbag is a mid size and am very happy to have found it as love purple and as you know patchwork. The two little glasses are glorious and am sure my mum had some like them in the sixties. The necklace is stunning and works really well with my tans and browns and burnt orange clothes. That Liberty fabric shirt is actually a mans, can you believe it? The polaroid sunglasses are my third purple pair that I have found!

I am also really happy to be spending less as am not shopping at my local store anymore and instead of $50 a week am now spending around $25/$30 and any money that I have over shall go towards products from indie designers. Realised a little late I know, that thrift shopping in itself is not the answer to over production of goods, that if more consumers bought good quality homemade items they would have to shop less as will have what they want and the product should last longer. And in the process be helping small home businesses like Janey’s and Katherine’s and Kara’s and for that matter my own.

Speaking of small indie businesses my handbag from Janey arrived and it is stunning. She had it up on her etsy store for ages and it did not sell and have no idea why as it is so well crafted. Thank you so much Janey, not only s she gorgeous folks she is truly a lovely human being with a feisty personality and blog. Pop over and say hello to her sometime, you won’t regret it. I have put up a photo of myself showing off Janey’s bag, this is a rare photo for me as for some reason the camera seems to make me look like a dead eyed zombie. Think its because I try to pretend that the old nerves and things aren’t hurting but the camera knows, it is all knowing. Maybe the Native American Indians were right when they thought the photo took their soul. If so then all the people at the Vodka O party are in real trouble. Sorry couldn’t resist it, promise I will be back to some sewing blogs soon, this expose stuff is starting to get to me. Have a great week.

Tags: charity shopping, flickr pool quilts and quilting, Liberty, purple patchwork, Vodka O

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magikquilter March 26th, 2008

Yesterday had an interesting dialogue via email with Justin Whelan the Chairperson of the Uniting Church Paddington’s Church council. Earlier yesterday Justin left a comment on my blog post on the party in the church. I can confirm that the party was held in the church not the hall or other venues and that the church council is as outraged as I was at this occurrence. The church council was not approached or informed of either the intent or content of this product launch. They are currently investigating matters and especially to see how it happened and if any staff were involved.

My impression is that the church community is deeply saddened by this event and will not let this matter rest until they have pursued it thoroughly and have put procedures in place that will ensure nothing like this happens again. I know a lot of people have felt outraged by this attack on our faith at our most precious time of year but just imagine how the congregation of this church must feel. It is such a pity as they have a strong outreach program to the community and definitely appear to be a church where deeds not just words are important.

Words however can deeply hurt and I can well imagine that they are now on the receiving end of a lot peoples displeasure. They shall probably come under serious scrutiny in the future from the public. The politics within church hierarchies are no different to those outside the church, some people have ambitions and jealousies and past hurts and the only difference I have seen is that often in churches the people involved in these things are too nice [read cowardly, past experience talking] to speak to the people involved in the issue they often find a way around problems rather than facing up to and addressing these issues. I did not get this impression from Justin, he actively sought to comment on my blog after I would assume trying to find what was being said about the debacle. Now that in itself is what has really impressed me about this matter, the way the church is being up front about their outrage and using all means to communicate this to the public. They have a statement on their website for all to read about their take on this and it is powerful.

I believe as I said before the main fault here lay with the people behind the product launch who knowingly subverted a church as a means to make money at the time of year that would get them the most press coverage. Then we have the Sun Herald for not considering that Amy Cooper and her coverage of the party of the week, which was featured on Easter Sunday would be morally offensive to the public and to the many Christians who in attempting to honour their faith in this age of materialism have not chosen an easy path.

Finally one strange thing to come out of this is that I have been outed as a Christian online. Not that I was keeping it a secret for sinister reasons but because I believe in deeds being more important than words. Not that I am above using words when they are needed…. look 590 words!!! There are a few things that I will take a stand over however and this type of thing is one of them. I recently said no to a friends daughter’s 21st birthday party invitation as it was a devils in angels clothing costume party, obviously a fifty plus woman would look ridiculous and also just could not do it, it went directly to my interior monitor of what I will do as a Christian.

Oh by the way Justin pointed out that Vodka O is spelled with capitals so there was nothing sinister in their use but I think it was the way they were used that was offensive, in the context of the Lord’s Prayer etc.

Tags: Easter, materialism, Paddington Uniting Chuch, the press, Update, Vodka O

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magikquilter March 24th, 2008

Just to let you know I am instituting a policy on comments. After my last post I received one rather abusive comment and checked back to the website to see if any dialogue could ensue only to find it was a porn site…so maybe I should not be surprised at the comment left. However should I receive any more in that vein I will delete them. If they are just expressing a strong differing opinion then fine but any that provide a link to porn or offensive sites I shall not enable the link back.

Things I deem offensive:

Women who are in compromising sexual positions…even though it may be their choice

Any site that calls women sluts…speaks for itself

Any comment that implies that I am bigoted…the reverse is probably true

Any rant of any kind that is not relevant to my post

I was accused of thinking I was some kind of authority and hey guess what on my blog I am…if not here then where?

Tags: abusive comments, bigots, Comment policy

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magikquilter March 23rd, 2008

Tags: Easter, Paddington Uniting Church, Passion, sacrilige, subverting Christian message, Vodka O

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magikquilter March 14th, 2008

This week did not do much vintage shopping as had a big problem over the donations that were being given away from that store. Some of them were quite good and silk at that, not to mention new from Lincraft! Was told I did not know what sold and that they were basically unsaleable, this in front of a shop full of people. Well thems fighting words and had been really concerned for some time since I bought a large shopping bag of embroidered items for about $40 and was then given two bigger bags full of goods of better quality than I had bought.

So I contacted the area manager who said no donations should ever be given away as if they had no value and that anything that is not paid for cannot leave the store. So there has obviously been a mix up somewhere along the line between policy and implementing that policy. I should say here that I did ask the manager if they were throwing away any damaged embroidered goods if I could have a look at them to see if any could be used by cutting them up etc. Thank goodness I was able to rescue so much embroidery which I gave to another branch of the same charity. One pair of crochet gloves that were rescued sold for $25! I just hope that they do not decide that some of the type of things I rescued are unsaleable and throw them out. The reason I asked was because there were no stained tablecloths etc going out that could be cut up and restyled. And I did suggest that scrap bags could be a money spinner as you only have to look on etsy and ebay to see what sells. I know some of the larger stores have older volunteers who are there to price the manchester. I had offered to go in but honestly after the hostility I faced when I tried to explain the situation to a staff member I just cannot be bothered inflicting more abuse on myself.

They do get inundated with donations at times but these vintage linens may well be from deceased estates and the attitude of staff or volunteers at the many charity organizations sometimes increases the impact of the grief if they perceive that their loved ones donations have no value. It is ironic that in trying to save these items for future generations that I may be inadvertently the cause of their destruction. I have to trust that the area manager somehow managed to instill into the staff the true value of these items. I feel that they are blessed in this particular person as she has suffered loss of an unimaginable kind and is in the very real position of knowing what the impact of tossing items out would have on remaining loved ones.

Neither my husband nor my son thought apparently that it was worth the trouble involved to pursue this matter. Even knowing the sheer mortification of having staff turn their backs on me when entering the store does not make me question my decision as cannot stand by while these things go on. My son after much discussion said that the biggest problem with the world today is apathy, I believe it is selfishness. In the incident that I next detail for you both of these “virtues” ensued.

In the same store I witnessed a previous manager run downstairs to tell the fifty odd year old gentleman that she did not want his donations. He was putting them into the donations bin at the time so have no idea how she knew what he had put in there. As she ran downstairs she was saying “I have had it with this”. She had a heated argument with him and he then said he would take the donations back and would never again set foot in or have anything to do with the charity. I was appalled as who knew what these donations meant to him? Could they have been books from a dead child or a broken marriage or an aged parent who has been placed against their will in an old persons home? That is just it we do not know and it behoves the staff to graciously accept those donations in the spirit they were offered. Not the “people like nice things” whine that came out of the manager’s mouth when she realised she had gone too far. And all this in front of a shop full of people who were too intent on not missing a deal to even consider speaking out.

You may ask what did I do then? I followed him outside the store after shaking my head in disbelief at the manager,who knew me quite well, and told him I was mortified by that outburst and that I personally knew that it was not the policy of the store to refuse donations and that they would be appalled at the verbal abuse and victimization. He was shaking with rage and who knows what other emotions and repeated that neither he, nor if he had anything to do with it would anyone else he knows after this, darken the door of that particular charity again. I do not know if he reported the incident, I think he made a good case himself anyway and that is another thing that the manager should have been aware of…we live in a highly skilled area with a large university presence and he was able to run rings around the manager verbally once he got started, all this without being abusive back. What a remarkable thing to take that kind of victimization and not get down and dirty with it…he certainly left the store with his pride in place whereas nobody else in the store that day could say the same.

I did phone the area manager as was concerned as this was the fill in manager for two weeks and thought that the stress of the position was obviously getting to them. I do not know what ensued as do not have the same confidence that I do with the current person in the position but I do know that I could not go in the store for over two weeks as felt really sick about it. The fill in manager saw me shopping in our mall one day and asked me to come back as she had missed me.

So that was in contrast to this week when I did try to explain to a staff member why I had spoken to the ‘boss’ and to assure her that I had in fact put in a good word for her. She would not talk and turned and walked away from me, leaving me standing in front of a store full of customers. This is also a person that I had done free alterations for as knew money was tight with her. I shall wait a few weeks until I feel that I can handle whatever may be dished at me …as I said to a friend I have enough angst in my life I do not need to add more!

Here’s hoping I have some stuff to show you next week, I am intending to do a little trading myself so keep posted if you are looking for luscious jewellery etc

Tags: apathy, charity shops, deceased estates, donations, honesty, intergrety, reclaiming embroidered vintage items, vintage embroidered carving cloths for the table or buf

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magikquilter January 25th, 2008

It has been a few days now since I heard about the death of Heath Ledger. If anything I am more sad now. He had so much life ahead of him, so much of life to explore with his daughter. Perhaps his death was just a desperate attempt to get some sleep and was therefore an accident, he had obviously been troubled for some time since filming the Joker. From personal experience sleep difficulties are just that, difficult, and can impact both your day and night. It can take a long time to re-establish a sleep pattern and is quite a painful process. Some people never get a normal pattern back and have to adjust to life in a new way. The hours though when everyone else is asleep can be very lonely ones at first and very trying.

I remember him so well from his role in Monster’s Ball, an incredibly moving performance of a tortured soul. Then A Knight’s Tale, almost the polar opposite of the other. I have seen several of his other films but those two stand out to me for some reason. Possibly because he seemed so beautiful in A Knight’s Tale, in appearance and in his sheer youth and vitality. Monster’s Ball was such a different Heath and I guess that is the whole point, he became his characters and if in becoming the character of the Joker he ended up sleepless and moody then it is certainly too high a price for our entertainment or even for the sake of art.

One’s health is far too precious a gift to squander on a public that is known for its voracious appetite for amusement. If the role did not cause the sleeplessness then it must have impacted on him. How else could he give us such an insight into despair and madness unless he searched the very depths of his being? How long does that darkness stay with a person? Who knows if his sleeplessness was a symptom of depression but was just ignored because well, he must suffer for his art?

This art that has been shared with a world that probably doesn’t deserve such a gift, if John Gibson of Fox News Channel is anything to go by. What kind of a world is this where people like Gibson are so intolerant of anything that they don’t believe in that they will crack jokes about Heath on the day of his death because he played a gay man so convincingly on screen? Forget the later apology it was about who he had upset not what he had said and probably ratings driven.

Cannot people anymore tell fantasy from reality? He was an actor playing a role, but he was also an incredibly brave young man who must have known what kind of vitriol the role would engender. But could he ever have imagined a world where spite and small mindedness would mean that some members of the Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka, Kansas would boycott his future memorial service?

He may have publicly discussed and privately reflected on death, much to the disgust of Gibson who seems to equate thoughts of death as being unworthy of the young, as if it personally insulted him somehow, but Heath was not afraid to examine the subject because now that he was a parent he felt that he could die as he would go on in his daughter. It does not mean that he wanted to die. I expect that he thought it was a long way off and hopefully in a different time when people are not judged for their skin colour, the sex of their partner or in his case the roles they were brave enough to undertake when they were young.

Rest well Heath, you achieved much in your brief time here and I am so pleased you were able to know the joy of being a parent, you who obviously brought such pride to your own family and to a wider audience. May all of us consider the people in our lives who may be suffering in silence. Do not also be silent, speak the words that need to be heard.

I am here for you.

It will get better with time.

It is amazing what humans can endure.

Tags: death, films, Heath Ledger, John Gibson, Joker, joy, memorial service, Monster's Ball, parent, sleeplessness, suffer for art

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