Darn this Thread!

Sometimes, I think it's nice to big people up. Actually, I'm often bigging people up. I figure there's a lot of smalling down in the world, so why not temper it with a bit of loooooove? 
Now then, Twitter, I have discovered, is a self-selected meeting of minds - whatever you're into is what you choose to hear about, and in business terms this is a fabulous resource.  Twitter is like the office - my Twitter for instance is full of sewing people, eco-friendly people, PR, social media and marketing people; and also people interested in sewing and being eco-friendly. So it's the first place I go when I have a query, question, or general wondermenting moment in life....

I have, over the past month, whilst we work our little bottoms off on our new collections, been tweeting iron-jawed, grimacing, grumpy tweets along the lines of, and I quote - 

"Today I will be mostly sewing like a beginner, snapping needles, snagging thread and drawing like I don't know what hand I write with *shod" 

and

"For heaven's sake, what's the best thread to use for free motion embroidery you sewing Tweeps?"

And this, along with this Tweet from fellow sewist Abi at SewYou -

"SEWING PEEPS: Has anyone used BrandNameY threads? Usually I use BrandNameZ .... how do they compare?"

- prompted a great exchange of minds from two essentially competing businesses.  Or even an exchange of great minds, I like to think, said she, with a smug smile on her greasy fizzog.  

I responded thus:  

OriginalStitch says: Don't know, but i'd be interested to know! I'm using BrandNameX - nice and silky but do catch up in the needle a bit.... 

And so began this thread, all about well, um, thread....

 

Darned pesky varmints, yon cotton reels...

SewYou: Yes, BrandNameX are notorious for being a bugger to sew with, hence my avoidance! will get off eBay job lot BrandNameY; send u 1. 

OriginalStitch: Don't you just love Twitter for exactly this type of tip?!! Of course I'll have to use up my busload of BrandNameX first...*frowns* 

SewYou: Possibly obvious question, but have you tried going up a needle size or two? 

OriginalStitch: As in towards jeans needle? Think I'm using an 80...you think more like 100 is better?  

And then this thread continued unwinding over email, since that lovely lady DID send me a reel of cotton to play with!  Now, how kind is that?  And in thanks I sent her a little packet of patchwork squares, buttons and other sewing notions (of very little use or value in the great scheme of things, but sewists and stitchers are terrible magpies, hoarding fabrics and buttons and things and going "Oooh....buttons! Mmmmm, patchwork....")

Darn pesky varmint, yon interfacing...

And the email thread went along the lines of, and this time I will just give you a completely non-sensical jist of the conversation, coz it sounds fabulously bonkers that way:

"Ah, no foot on....fabric in your hoop....suck eggs....heavily embroidered....machine-led motifs or letters....egg-sucking beginner....the colours aren't as bright or varied....needle-through-finger accidents....been there, have t-shirt.....A&E were very unsympathetic.....lots there I ain't doin'....trying to avoid the interfacing....however tight I pulls 'em....find an eco-friendly version....they come in light, medium and a stronger one....rip it off...an iron-on one....the double-sided fusible interfacing, yes...the glue is an absolute complete !*?&$?!?@! to get off your iron....sort it in a jiffy....temporary adhesive spray....it won't, um, come unstuck....that's a complete a**e that is....."

Do you see?  How very, very professional it all sounds! This is just like YOUR office conversations, no?! And so, the lovely Abi from SewYou helped me out with a technical problem, even though she and I compete in the same sphere.

So I say thank you Abi, who you can find here, and all the other Twitter people who answer questions and are prepared to dish out knowledge rather than fiercely guard it.  

When they call it social sharing, it is just that.  Sharing.

So share with us now - what's your best piece of office jargon?!  You know, the kind where when you first started you thought they all sounded really pretentious, but now, you use all the time, in absolute seriosity?!  I think Abi and I would love to hear it.  Dish!