Debbie Data Base

I've been using this data base app that is specifically for collecting info on Sewing patterns. But this week it started turning on me. It won't let me add photos. I spent way too much time trying to bend it to my will yesterday. I wrote to the author - in New Zealand asking for help. No response yet.

Then, this morning, the issue was my swim think and I worked over all the possibilities and then moved on to what if I rolled my own? I could make a giant doc - oh, wait, maybe better in a spreadsheet... I almost, for a minute, wished for the days of Microsoft Access. I got over that quickly, however.

When I got home, I poked around and found a neat little app that I can run on my chromebook and phone and back up to Google Drive. And I think I'm going to use it to build my own. I might even move my Flickr fabric album over into it.

I also had another different sewing adventure yesterday. There's a magazine in Finland that has some very cool designs and patterns for them. I liked a bunch of the patterns in an issue from 2015 and ordered a back copy. It arrived yesterday. It has pictures and patterns for all of these outfits:



The patterns are amazingly on 4 sheets - back and front of two large pieces of paper. There's a clever scheme for figuring out which lines to trace. At first glance, I thought it was impossible but it turned out to be only tricky.



You trace the pieces of the pattern/size you want and then use the result to cut out the fabric. I'm starting with that hoodie in the middle on the bottom row but I'm doing a cowl neck instead of the hood.

I just realized that I wrote about this yesterday. Rerun!

So today I will get started on a test of that hoodie... The pattern looks solid but just in case, I'll make one up using my Goodwill sheet fabric to make sure before I cut into the good stuff. I'm actually having a difficult time finding good, medium weight cotton knit fabric so I sure don't want to waste what I've found!

Or I might just get the data base rolling. Or both. Nothing else on the agenda so I can do what I want. But, first, I think I'll put some clothe on.

drive bys

I've taken to enjoying a poor man's (woman's?) mocha... I leave the k-cup that I used for my morning coffee in the machine, add powdered hot coco mix to the cup and then run the the hot water through, mix and Yum!

---

This morning, Zoey hopped onto the counter while I was getting coffee and meowed that she wanted breakfast. As usual. I got her bowl and dished out of the can some of the same she had and gobbled up yesterday. She took one whiff and left. If that's what you are serving, I'll go without. Fine. I took my coffee and toast and went to the computer. An hour later I went back to the kitchen to find the bowl nearly licked clean. Ha!

(no subject)

• 13:53: OMG. I just got my first @ottobredesign magazine. I'm confident I can make the clothes but making the patterns loo… https://t.co/F064T385FQ
• 14:02: This is the #whistlersweater from @lovenotions . It's a really interesting pattern to make up and gives a fun top w… https://t.co/E9ELlPwIlM
• 15:14: Turns out it wasn't bad as I thought. Those Fins are clever. Pattern created. Now... to find a good candidate from… https://t.co/cXnHQmEn1F
• 07:43: OMG massive PTSD blast here. This was my dorm room only in the 60's and NEVER this tidy. Or with electricity outle… https://t.co/S4ZTRf1WIi

Baby Sitting

Our building has no service elevator or service entrance. When people move in and out, they go through the lobby and into one of our two exceedingly slow elevators. The lobby is behind a door that must be locked at all times with the only access being via secured and registered keys.

During a move, movers are in and out with furniture. Stopping to unlock the door a million times is just not practical so we hire a security guard to sit in the lobby and make sure no baddies sneak in while the door is propped open.

Only today the people moving in arrived 4 hours later than they said they would and the security guard had to go secure something somewhere else. The building manager is out today and the backup manager is 1. busy 2. has to leave before they will be finished.

So... on the suggestion of the board member they got a hold of, they called me and asked me to volunteer. I didn't mind one single bit. Honestly. I have the password of the coffee shop next door. The sofa in the lobby is pretty comfortable. It's a little chilly here with the door open but if it gets too bad, I'll run upstairs and get my coat. Meanwhile I'm earning brownie points hand over fist with everyone from the new people to the management company to the board. They are all so grateful and promise to compensate me. Ha.

So far no bad guys have tried so get in. Or, put another way, I am batting 1000 on security.

In other news, I'm getting a raise! My monthly social security check is going from $2,274 (after Medicare is deducted) to 2,300! Spending spree ahead.

I spent the entire day building my new data base. And it is perfection. There was a bit of a learning curve. It's been a long time since I've done any database work. I did kill more than an hour trying to figure out how to get one screen to look like I wanted it to but I did it! So far I have full info on 20 patterns cataloged. And I probably have about 20 more to go but that's just data entry.



And I have it saved to the cloud. It's on my chromebook and mirrored to my phone. I'm pretty jazzed about it. I do think I'll probably add the fabric stash in. I can set up and back up 2 libraries for free. I don't mind paying but the first tier that gives me what I want is pretty pricey and gives me about 10 times more than I could ever use. I don't think I need it.

I have about two more hours of security duty so I think I'll just keep entering data.