Best form of flattery

ldingeldine · January 23rd, 2009

It is a complement when someone wants to do what you did, and I have learned that when I see something and think Oh I can do that, It is not always true. Some things look eaiser that they are. But I am always game on for trying.

**LouAnne** · January 24th, 2009

I have a memory problem. I go to the store. Someone or I will say, "Yeah, I can make that, cheaper." Then, I go home and immediately forget what it was that I "can make". I guess that means that we didn't really need it. Now, my daughter will say, "Sure, you can make it --- but will you?" :-}

**flbaker** · January 25th, 2009

Originally Posted by Trish

They say imitation is the best form of flattery. Does anyone do what I do, see something in a shop and think I can do that. It started with my daughter taking me to see a knitted jacket in a high street retailers. I also have knitting machines, and was told " you can copy that Mum" which I did, but in the colour and yarn that she liked. Since than I have recreated many items both for myself and members of the family. Wish I could make shoes, but miracles take a little longer.

Shoes, when you do let me know your secret. Yeah, I like the challenge also of copying some of the details that I see to add to my own designs. Since daughters are out on their own I've cut back on designing clothes,I find too many bargains of late to pass up but then I do tweak them a little

**flbaker** · January 25th, 2009

Originally Posted by Simpleuser2000

You have a talent when you can recreate a knitted garment. I have been learning to knit and it is not going too well.

We just gave our daughter a knitting book for Christmas "Knitting Patterns 300 Lace "little did we know it was all in Japanese. She actually can follow it and has already made 4 items, says that
of all the books on knitting she has, it's the best book ever,and best present

**flbaker** · January 25th, 2009

Originally Posted by Trish

Have you thought of crochet some say that it is easier then knitting. I do both, fortunately. Both have their merits.

My daughters and I do knitting but I like crochet better ...

**Trish** · January 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by flbaker

Shoes, when you do let me know your secret. Yeah, I like the challenge also of copying some of the details that I see to add to my own designs. Since daughters are out on their own I've cut back on designing clothes,I find too many bargains of late to pass up but then I do tweak them a little

The nearest I have got to shoes is socks, I can knit them on my knitting machine and I have also mastered embroidering them on the tops. I am hoping to make my grand-daughters some slip socks, am looking for the rubber compound that they put on the bottoms. do you think that this will count as indoor shoes

**srobins96** · January 26th, 2009

Trish, I found the gripper stuff at www.fabric.com yesterday..I can't remember the price but check it out..

SewCalGal · January 26th, 2009

Yes it is a compliment to see something you like enough to want to replicate it. And I love it when I create something that someone else wants badly enough to replicate.

**flbaker** · January 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by Trish

The nearest I have got to shoes is socks, I can knit them on my knitting machine and I have also mastered embroidering them on the tops. I am hoping to make my grand-daughters some slip socks, am looking for the rubber compound that they put on the bottoms. do you think that this will count as indoor shoes

The rubber stuff your looking for, I have a container somewhere that I bought for rugs,if I can find it I'll post the info .... Why can't you count that as shoes

I would

**Trish** · January 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by srobins96

Trish, I found the gripper stuff at www.fabric.com yesterday..I can't remember the price but check it out..

Thanks, but I am in England and stuff here is really hard to find when you are into individual things. Have a job even getting the fabrics I want. Will check it out anyway and once again thanks

**Trish** · January 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by flbaker

The rubber stuff your looking for, I have a container somewhere that I bought for rugs,if I can find it I'll post the info .... Why can't you count that as shoes

I would

Yes why not, thanks for the support

**Buttons** · January 26th, 2009

I agree with you. I always tell me daughter the same thing. I can make that cheaper, only to get home and think of a hundred other things that I have said that I could meke and haven't. My daughter said you may have thousands of embroidery designs but will you put them on anything. We have so much material and ton's of patterns but I just spend so much time thinking about things I should be making and always collecting embroiddry designs. I do sew and right now I have a pr. of baby booties started for my new grandson and tonight we are going to make burpies and whatever else we come up with. My daughter has tonight off work so we'll make something. I just don't want to pay full price for something that I know we can make it cheaper.Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, Love gives us a fairy tale. Buttons

**motoandnutty** · January 26th, 2009

Buttons, you are definitely not alone - if I spent a fraction of the time I spend planning things in actually making them I would have a mountain of finished items by now LOL
The main trouble is that most of my fabric stash is stuff that cannot be replaced - and so I want to make the very best use of it that I can.
I very rarely buy fabric in shops as I am committed to re-cycling where ever I can, but that means I have already put quite a lot of effort in the reclaiming of the raw materials before I begin the process of manufacture - and I get emotionally attached to some of the little scraps (yes, I am a 'basket case!' - but quite a happy one...)

**ronnieh** · January 26th, 2009

Oh I understand the hesitation to cutinto/use precious things. I am really try to tell myself now - it is just fabric - get on with it and get over it. But soooooo hard. I remember years ago - I was sewing for my son's wedding - his bride to be's dress was ok - it was only money to buy extra fabric if I made a mistake. But I was making the groom a 3/4 length jacket out of a gold/pewter brocade type fabric. I had bought a remnant that my favourite supplier had brought in from Europe - a designer offcut. I had already spent a couple of hundred dollars on it- I had just enough and there was no more. I spent an afternoon on my music room floor - only space big enough - laying out the patterns and when time came to cut I just burst into tears! An hour or so (and several cups of coffee later) I plucked up the courage to cut. And yes - it worked - and it really was a special coat. But there are so many times when I just can't bear to harm a special piece of fabric no matter what it's size. BTW motoandnutty - I am fascinated by your idea of reclaiming raw materials. Maybe that is a discussion all on its own!

**motoandnutty** · January 26th, 2009

Thank you ronnieh, but I don't advocate anyone going to quite the lengths that I do - it is a bit too much of an obsession for most people!
I share my home with my teenage daughter and my mini mountains of 'stuff', which is fine for us, but not conducive with 'normal' family life.

kargrace · January 26th, 2009

[Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, Love gives us a fairy tale. Buttons[/quote]
What a great quote & so true. I consider my three granddaughters my "fairy tale".

**ronnieh** · January 26th, 2009

Too true motoandnutty - stuff just grows when one has an obsession. Although when we were in Scotland for 2007 I recycled plastic shopping bags by crocheting them into a bowl for my potatoes - didn't want to buy one when we were only there for a year LOL. But you know - that bowl snuck home to Australia with me - I justified it by reasoning that the boxes were sea freight and therefore we paid for volume not weight - and the bowl was packaging! It is just the right size for holding my large cardboard wheels of velcro.

Simpleuser2000 · January 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by ronnieh

Too true motoandnutty - stuff just grows when one has an obsession. Although when we were in Scotland for 2007 I recycled plastic shopping bags by crocheting them into a bowl for my potatoes - didn't want to buy one when we were only there for a year LOL. But you know - that bowl snuck home to Australia with me - I justified it by reasoning that the boxes were sea freight and therefore we paid for volume not weight - and the bowl was packaging! It is just the right size for holding my large cardboard wheels of velcro.

Do you have a picture of that bowl?

**Buttons** · January 26th, 2009

Hi, I'm the same way. I love to take things apart and make something out of it or just buy remnants of material at thrift stores. If I can make something out of it, then I feel quite proud that I didn't spend a lot of money and it makes me so happy. It's amazing what other people don't want or need.They may have spent a lot and I just get it for a small amount of money. A lot lmore people are now shopping thrift stores, garage sales etc and those of us that do are richer in the long run . So get what you have to from where ever and have fun.Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life, Love gives us a fairy tale.

**ronnieh** · January 26th, 2009

Originally Posted by Simpleuser2000

Do you have a picture of that bowl?

I do indeed have a picture - but it is so long since I uploaded stuff to the internet I will have to figure out what to do LOL. Hmm - I am sure I have to make it smaller for a start!