[Aled]

I have two thumbsticks drying in the garage, going to put linseed oil on them over the Christmas hols. Also plan to look for another nice hazel stick, next week, to make one for my brother.
Cheers
Aled

Linseed oil seems to be taking a long time to dry!
Cheers
Aled

[Willow_Warren]

This is the apron I made my neice for Christmas:

Child's apron by Willow_Warren, on Flickr

And this is the start of my new cross stitch:

Cross stitch by Willow_Warren, on Flickr

can you guess what it is yet?

Hannah

[GrannieAnnie]

It's a bikini top?   

Love the apron!  It's lovely! 

I have treated myself to a new toy!  Shouldn't do I know, but I have been a goodish girl for a while now! 

It's a Silhouette Portrait Cutting Machine.  Just trying to get used to it at the moment. 

Gina gave me 2 cards that her next neighbour had made for her and Terry for Christmas.  They are lovely!  So I thought, right, die cutting machine or something defo needed! 

Has anyone already got one?  Would love to talk with someone with more experience than me! 

The cutting mat was so sticky that although I tried photo paper for my first attempt, it still stuck fast to the mat!  However, looking on the Amazon reviews someone said that it is very sticky, so best to rub something like a towel or shirt over it to help get rid of the sticky a bit.

The other thing is, trying to get the cutting mat in the right place.  Instructions said to line up with the left hand mark, but I've cut the edges off a couple of things so far!   

Just trying a snowflake!

[Willow_Warren]

Oh... I bought a silhouette portrait nearly a year ago now. Used it loads for Christmas things. I used a tea towel to de stick my mat. This week I've been cutting some fabric for applique, may post some photos tomorrow.

Loads of ideas for it in pinterest!

Hannah

[GrannieAnnie]

OOOoh, hi Hannah!  That's wonderful!

Have only tried it so far with card, but I did get a little pack of vinyls with it too, so must find something for that!

Where do you line the cutting mat up?  One review I saw on Amazon said that you are better lining it up with the right hand line, rather than the left, but I also found that if my design is near the top edge, the cutter starts to cut before it gets to the paper.

That's probably me, just getting used to where to place things!  These are the ones Gina's neighbour made.  Aren't they lovely?

[Willow_Warren]

The cards are lovely, you can see they are intricate and a lot of effort has been put into them.

These are the bits I have cut out of my silhouette and then blanket stitched appliqué on my sewing machine.  The white fabric is 4½" x 4½" (cut with mat and ruler) the fabric was cut out on the machine, fairly small and intricate pieces for fabric and it gives a really accurate cut, more than I could do with a pair of scissors.

I'm a novice at sewing part though this having only done it once before but I'm still not too happy with the quality and on one bit for some reason my sewing machine decided to change stitch size mid way, which was very frustrating!

_MG_0326 by Willow_Warren, on Flickr

This is how I load my Silhouette up when using an A4 sheet of paper:
_MG_0327 copy by Willow_Warren, on Flickr
I press the button the pink arrow is pointing to when loading paper using the mat.

When loading with vinyl press the button the blue arrow is pointing at.

I don't think the portrait machine has changed since I bought mine, but I know the bigger brother the Cameo has a different screen to load and upload the media.

Have fun with it, I think everyone has cut their mat at some point!

Hannah

[GrannieAnnie]

Ooooh something else I've learnt! lol  Thanks for that Hannah.  Your hearts are lovely!  I had a little look on youtube just now and found out how to use my own designs too.  I did see somewhere that you could only use the Silhouette designs, but then there was a video showing how to trace your own!   

Yes, the portrait I have is the same as yours.  the card etc can only be fed in portrait, but if I wanted a landscape thingy, I can just rotate it round!   

When you use vinyl, do you still use the cutting mat?  I read somewhere that you don't?

[Willow_Warren]

yeah, just rotate stuff in the software for landscape.

You are right, no need for the cutting mat for vinyl, I've only cut vinyl twice so I'm not expert!

Hannah

[chrissie B]

Ive said it before and I'll  say it again  some very talented and acomplished people on this here site xxx.
chrissie b

[GrannieAnnie]

I now what you mean Chrissie, some of this stuff is wonderful isn't it?   

[Madame Cholet]

Just finished this might be enough forward mits too.

[chrissie B]

Yes the stuff is great and its nice to know people still make things , im going to make a pinny for my self when i find some nice material.
chrissie b

[joyfull]

I want to make myself a 40's style wrap around apron - just got to dig out my sewing machine

[Madame Cholet]

Do you do re-enacting Joyfull

[joyfull]

no but I love 40's and 50's stuff - the music, the vehicles and lots of household stuff from both the States and the UK (including my 50's English Rose kitchen units which are awaiting blasting and re-enamelling).