Technology and possibly my old fashioned approach - it started with banking...

So today I fear I may have come across as terribly old fashioned and possibly a tad rude when out yesterday. I popped into HSBC in Truro to put some cheques into the main account for the charity I am chair of trustees of. I looked around for the counter - there isn't one. I peeked my head round the corner where 'Business' was printed on the wall, a business desk I assumed, but looked like one of those advice booths were you sit and talk to someone rather than somewhere to actually do business. So I hovered in the main area until the 'front of house' person was free and noticed me. I asked if there was a counter where I could pay in cheques. I was informed "no madam we no longer have manned counters but I can help you pay them in using the machines “she indicated to the machines. One of which had swallowed a customers card moments earlier, and given the conversation between 2 staff this was not the first time that day that, that particular machine had taken a customers card hostage. I'm afraid I, possibly a little firmly, declared no thank you I prefer to deal face to face over a counter and walked out. I am afraid I got back in the car and drove to the business branch on the other side of town where I know there is a counter service.

Is this unfair of me? Am I being ridiculous?

Here's my thinking: I'm a firm believer in a little human interaction during the day, I don't want to constantly be dealing with everything through a machine. We are constantly forced to turn to our phones, laptops, automated systems (the most annoying of all "press one for blah de blah, press 2 for ..... alternitively you can find more information at..... your call is important to us" as they play Michael Jacksons Beat it - is that way of sayign sod off?) to manage simple tasks in everyday life. I am not against technology, far from it, I love technology as much as the next person. As a teacher I try to stay up to date, and consider myself good at doing so, and bringing it into the classroom. I am not adverse to it in my personal life either, as you can see I blog, as well as using internet banking, social media and various apps on my iphone from photo editing to tracking my health/sleep patterns. So you can see that I'm a fan of technology, however... I firmly believe that it has its place. Where possible I like to interact with people and when technology hinders this rather than aids it (I mean being able to video call family hundreds of miles away is amazing, however having dinner with someone who is staring at their phone - not so much!) I think it needs popping to one side.

I don't by any means suggest I am perfect, I am sure there are more occasions I could separate myself from my phone, and I will try to increase the time I consciously separate myself from the constraints of a screen this year.

Principles - For me part of it is the principles of the matter.
- There’s the customer service aspect, I expect to be served by a person not a machine.
- A person is paid a wage, which feeds a family, provides employment. (I mentioned to the man at the desk in the business branch, that I had been into town and was disappointed there was no counter service offered and my preference in dealing with a person rather than a machine. He understood and when I commented it's also about making sure people have jobs, he did replied that the machines go wrong often enough to keep them busy and in a job.)
- Which brings up another point - If the machines go wrong so often and need human 'hand-holding' why have them in the first place? Surely stick to face-to-face customer services, but hey that’s just my thoughts.
- I feel a certain amount of security in handing cash/cheques to a person to be processed, I don’t know why, logically I know there is a small risk of human error in the same way a machine might chew something up. But somehow I am just much much happier dealing with a person. I have never yet used a machine to pay in cash or cheque. You may have also noticed I mentioned that the money I was paying in was not mine or going into my account, I only mention this as I feel an added sense of responsibility when this is the case.

Maybe I just don't trust the machines.
Maybe I am just stuck in my ways and don’t like change.
But then maybe I like the idea that in our day to day business we interact with other human beings each operating in the roles/skill set and each providing a service to others. Whether that be the postman, plumber, doctor or teacher.
I know that my job gives me purpose and satisfaction and that I personally would hate to be replaced by a machine.

Another everyday machine - You might be asking - so you don't use the self check outs in supermarkets? I confess my response is not often, I realise this sounds hypocritical and this whole experience has highlighted to me an issue. Having thought through all my views and written this post, I will think twice before using self-check out machines. Not because I am entirely against them, I believe they have their place (perhaps when you are grabbing a sandwich and a drink on a quick lunchtime run from the office these have there place, maybe in replacing the 10 or less items) but instead because I am for creating jobs and keeping people employed.  But I think I will be more thoughtful in my approach...

I understand this may be a controversial post and I do not expect you to agree with all or any of my views. However we are each entitled to our views, and you are welcome to comment on my post so long as it is polite and not malicious. We are all entitled to our opinions and should accept differing views even if we do not agree with them

Christmas Napkins

 A few months ago I spotted a lovely little Christmas tree shaped napkin hanging in my favourite fabric shop. I purchased some fabric I'd had my eye on for a while now, but until now had had no excuse to buy it, and the owner was kind enough to give me a template. I was away!

2 FQ's (fat quarters) of contrasting fabircs makes 2 napkins as 2 pieces can be cut from each FQ.

It's simly a case of stitching right sides together, leaving a gap to turn in the right way.

 At this point I have 3 top tips:
1.)  I now keep a golf tee in my sewing box. This may sound bizarre but stick with me. My other half is a keen golfer and so I am not surprised to find golf tees in my car, hand bag etc. It just so happend there was one at my desk when I was turning my first napkin in the right way, and so I looked around for something to prod the corners with. I have in the past made the mistake of using sissors or a pen/pencil and rippign stright through the fabric. The golf tee is perfect, its not so pointed that it will break through the fabric/seam, but pointed enough to get the corners nice and smart.
2.) Top tip number 2 is once turned in the right way, roll the edges between your fingers to make sure all of the piece is in the right way and the seam isn't tucked in further than necessay.
3.) Now IRON! I was always one for missing out this step with any sewing, probably why it was never terrible accurate or precise. This is most definitely worth it, it not only makes your work look better but helps it to hold its shape when you go to topstich.


I was really pleased with how the first 2 sets of 2 came out that I went back for more fabric to make them into sets of 4.

4 set made up in different colours - minus buttons

Diamond Challenge & a few more napkins - When I set up my page I initally was just going to offer the one option of a postcard - I had calculated that I would need to make 12 postcards to get in 12 donations of £5 to make my £60. After posting a photo of my napkins on Facebook and receiving good comments I decided to offer a set of 4 as an option for a £10 donation. (The costs of all threads/fabric/postage covered by me). This idea took off and soon I had 4 orders awaiting my attention. 

The buttons really added the finishing touches.

Blue set, my favourite and soon snapped up.

Fabric Christmas Postcards

It has been some time since my last post, a post which was ranty and for that I have to apologise.

However I am back and have a whole list of post to write, so fingers crossed you won't have to wait long for updates. Many of the post subjects I have jotted down on my little post-it here were Christmas presents and so I am finally able to share them with you without spoiling any surprises. My creative juices have been flowing this last month and I have made loads... be prepared for the flood of creativity that will follow.

So, the question is - Where to start???

Christmas!! Let's do Christmas before we are too far into the new year and it because the unspoken subject again.

A bit of background - Back in October (doesn't that feel like a long time ago already), I joined a group on Facebook called 'Raggedy Ruff Free Motion Embriodery' (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1046433398787278/) and is run by a wonderful lady called Andrea. It's a group where lots of people are learning to Free Motion Embroider/Quilt (FME or FMQ). Andrea provides lots of support and a monthly pattern for everyone to have a go at and share. --> There will be more about this in a future post - look out for Free Motion Embroidery/Quilt.

Off of the back of joining the above group I became aware of a group called  'UKqu xmas postcard swap 2016', intrigued I looked a little closer and found that it is a group in which people sign up and make a fabric Christmas postcard. At the beginning of December they receive an address to post it to and in turn receive one in the post. I decided I couldn't pass up such an exciting opportunity and signed up. It was a lovely experience and a great group to be part of with everyone supporting and encouraging each other.
Here is the postcard I created:

I'm rather proud of it for a first attempted.
 
Diamond challenge & a bit more sewing - Inspired by this and my recent visit to receive my Gold Duke of Edinburgh award - another post coming soon. I decided to take up the Diamond Challenge (set up for this year to celebrate the 60th year of the scheme). The challenges asks/requires each participant to raise £60 to go back into the scheme. I thought for a bit about what I could do, it was a bit short notice to organised a sponsored something and I wanted my donors to receive something in return. I spotted my postcard prompted up on my desk awaiting its address and an idea sprung to mind. For a £5 donation I would create a one off postcard and post to the donor as a thank you. (I later extended this to include different Christmas gifts for different donation amounts - another future post will show these.)

I received 2x £5 donations in turn for postcards and can now show them without spoiling the surprise.

A little dancing penguin - happy chap!

Naked or hidden - There was a whole debate in the swap group about whether postcards should be posted 'naked' for all to see or hidden in an envelope for safe keeping. I decided to split the difference and posted in a clear plastic card sleeve - although this offers the best of both worlds - visible for all to enjoy along the way and all protected from rain/mud etc, I will have to consider this in the future as it's not exactly environmentally friendly.

I loved making these so much (also made a Christmas Pudd one, but seem to have been in a rush to post it and not taken a photograph), and am thinking I might try and get a head and get some made ready for next year - is that being too organised?? Maybe 1 a month, I have plenty of scraps of Christmas fabric now. Will keep you posted....


A belated Merry Christmas to one and all xx