Natalie

a fat lady (she/ they) who makes stuff

Free Palestine, Congo, Sudan

website: https://www.fancyladyindustries.com
shop insta: https://www.instagram.com/fancyladyindustries
personal insta: https://www.instagram.com/definatalie
on the land of: Yugambeh people

Public Key

npub1q05agdc9ephvmnujcklpefp579n5f9xlvgmw8hh4tue4nteaxknqusk85s

NIP-05 Address

natalie_at_aus.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsq86w5xuzusmkde7fvt0su5s60ze6yjn0kydhrmm647v6e4u7ntfsprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0d4hhxarj9ecxjmntgwaj80

Publishing to

relay.momostr.pink

Author Public Key

npub1q05agdc9ephvmnujcklpefp579n5f9xlvgmw8hh4tue4nteaxknqusk85s

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Last Notes

2025-04-30 11:55:23 UTC

I've been having ECT in hospital, so far I've been here coming up on 7 weeks. I've been hand stitching and crocheting a lot.
ECT has such a stigma but I've noticed it has made a huge change in my mood in comparison to TMS. I'm hoping to come home Friday!
#mentalhealth
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2025-02-07 10:41:18 UTC

Today at the Lair we met a woman who was trained in traditional kilt making in Scotland. She was stunned that we were interested because no one apparently wants to learn the precise mathematics and hand sewing, or do a craft that doesn't earn much money. People would rather buy wool/ poly blend pleated skirts as more of a novelty costume instead of regarding and wearing the kilt as part of more dressy or formal wear.
The kilt maker returned with one of the kilts she is working on. She does 10 hand stitches to an inch with a tiny needle to precisely line up the checks. The piece of paper with all the measurements was incredible, right down to fractions of a millimeter because it all adds up when you have 30 pleats that must taper from waist to hip and still maintain the pattern.
Each kilt this maker crafts has 8m of hand woven tartan from Scotland in it, and the fabric alone can cost AUD$400+ depending on the rarity of the tartan. Her labour is additional and she is very picky about who she will make kilts for. They must not be stored in mothballs, they must be worn regularly.
My ancestry is Scottish on dad's side, we have a tartan, crest and motto, and the kilt maker said that our name isn't on the rare list so it'd be readily available. I hate our tartan because it's ugly as hell but I'm going to tell dad we should buy a few metres of proper Scottish woven cloth.
We have lost our regard for cloth and the craft of garment making because it happens out of sight, made by brown hands, and as disposable as toilet paper. A kilt was a lifelong garment, by day it was dress and by night it was warmth. Nothing is cut from the length of cloth in a kilt, it is truly zero waste.
Anyway. I just love textiles and sewing and fashion and I want to share that with other people.
Australia is now the world’s biggest consumer of textiles per capita. We send more than 200,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill every year.
You don't need as many clothes as you think you do.
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2025-02-05 22:58:59 UTC

QUEENSLAND RESIDENTS
Please consider signing this petition if you demand protection of and expanding access to gender affirming care in Queensland.
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=4202
#queensland #brisbane #bne

2025-01-09 00:55:29 UTC

Testing the platforms to see how many #Brisbane people I can find.
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2024-12-21 05:57:46 UTC

Nick's new car has a CB radio. Today I discovered that men say the most wretched, disgusting, sexist shit on it and I have a proposal: women, get on the CB and let's talk about hormones, periods, childbirth, menopause and any other little spoken of body horror you care to share.
It will be the CB TMI TAKEOVER.

2024-12-05 08:09:28 UTC

Capcut is putting a watermark on free account videos now and I'm really mad about it because I can't afford to pay $150 a year to make little videos to try and sell my tshirts. And I don't sell many tshirts either.
Does anyone have any recommendations for free to low cost android phone video editing apps where I can overlay text in nice fonts, adjust the colouring and speed and record voice overs?
I make reels for my shop and the charity I volunteer for. No one is making any money here. It's pretty fucking depressing, horay!

2024-12-05 05:32:43 UTC

Handypeoples, what is the most affordable but least shit method to protect a concrete floor? I will be ripping carpet up in our lounge so I can use it as a sewing room but I'm not sure of the best way to treat the concrete.
#homereno #househaving

2024-12-03 05:14:50 UTC

I have been working on my ko-fi page! People have told me I should do a Patreon or ko-fi for years and honestly, I don't feel right just taking people's money without giving anything back. I have a lot of stuff I can give back if you're interested in creating and sewing sustainably and affordably!
I've already put up some sewing patterns and a crochet pattern as well as a printable poster. There's also free phone wallpapers and colouring pages! You can swing me a one-off donation if you find something useful, purchase stuff from my shop or sign up to a monthly pledge to support my ongoing creative practice.
It's all about how I use second hand materials (TRASH!) to make things, the projects I'm working on, tips and tricks for new sewists and other things that pop up in my creative endeavours. The top tier includes random things sent in the mail because often I'll work on prototypes and then I end up with all this stuff and I don't know what to do with it!!! Please, let me send it to you.
https://ko-fi.com/natalieperkins/
#handmade #sewing #sustainability #patreon #kofi #creativetoots
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2024-11-28 20:53:23 UTC

I'm experimenting with selling my yarn garlands on instagram today. It saves me so much time compared to writing all the products up on my shopify store. Will anyone buy them? Who knows.
All the yarn is second hand and diverted from landfill.
https://instagram.com/fancyladyindustries
#handmade #sustainability #christmas
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2024-11-25 20:41:51 UTC

I've been having deep sad thoughts about being a business failure. Some people manage to amass huge followings and thus success with their products without really trying or even having a good product.
I'm super proud of what I make (clothes and accessories) and how I make it (salvaged fabrics, made ethically in sizes 8-32.) It just involves a lot of education and self promotion that I have little energy for after doing all the making of the things. I don't even think educating people on why they should spend more money on less clothing is very effective! After doing this for a couple of years I am coming to the conclusion that my demographic is financially comfortable people aged 25-55 with a punk aesthetic. It's not a huge demo!
If I had the energy and the resources I could take photos of people modelling my products! It just takes a lot of spoons that chronic illness robs from me.
I am a maker, I was born to make stuff for people - I don't want to make things that have a negative effect on people and planet. My brain threatens to give everything up but I know I wouldn't, I just keep finding a way to persevere.
https://fancyladyindustries.com/
#handmade #microbusiness #chronicillness
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2024-11-23 12:48:33 UTC

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Marshmallow dress complete! I did a lot of hand sewn finishing because I really like hand sewing as a very grown up person.
Putting an invisible zip in a dress with a self stripe fabric is a trial, especially when that fabric likes to shift. 😭
#sewing
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2024-11-20 23:02:26 UTC

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Matching stripes* for this special dress! It's going to be a marshmallow cloud.
*To the best of my ability
#sewing
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2024-11-20 20:25:59 UTC

I'm making a bridesmaid dress and I'm thrilled to be finally cutting into the good fabric after calico fittings. I say I never sew things for people but I've made a wedding dress (pictured) before as well. Maybe I just like making things for queer people only.
I'm not terribly confident making things for others because of the fittings involved, and I am very nervous about running into fitting issues I can't fix. Or ruining the fabric. Or just making something someone hates.
#sewing
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2024-11-18 01:28:16 UTC

I'm officially anemic! Time for an iron infusion.

2024-11-08 23:49:41 UTC

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oooh where are the thimbles from? I can't find one I like/ that fits!

2024-10-31 07:13:17 UTC

People who can wear oodies and sleep under minky fleece blankets will survive the apocalypse because I will simply top myself if that's all I have for warmth.

2024-10-29 05:12:06 UTC

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oooh I have a 50 year old Elna! I just need it serviced.

2024-10-29 03:09:45 UTC

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what presser foot do you use for the rubber backs? I think I have a teflon foot somewhere!

2024-10-29 02:53:13 UTC

I've been buying vintage fabric/ sheets from a destash group and everything has been awesome so far but one of the latest pieces is a rubber backed curtain and I can't use it for dresses like I had intended. 😭
Guess 50 hats and 50 bags with a cute fish print are happening!
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2024-10-29 02:04:50 UTC

My brain needs a hug!

2024-10-26 11:48:33 UTC

Any of youse voting for the LNP don't come crying when they decide actually, they do want nuclear and to treat women as brood mares.
#qldvotes

2024-10-24 12:58:19 UTC

I really need to figure out who my target market is because idk what kind of person who can afford an $80 t-shirt is into the diy ethic/ absurd clown aesthetic.
Rich clowns shop here.
#handmade #clowncore
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2024-10-24 11:46:22 UTC

I don't know how governments like Israel and Australia just expect people to be ok with them kidnapping babies? Like, surely "times were different back then" doesn't cover the child abduction industries both countries ran.
edit: I MUST add that in Australia the government is still taking First Nations kids. Times were different right... now?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ItGR2y4_lA

2024-10-24 00:43:07 UTC

I just found out some people don't like moss on their garden rocks??????????????
#Mosstodon #lichensubscribe

2024-10-23 12:32:33 UTC

I had to add glucosamine and fish oil to my evening tablets for Arthur Itis. I'm so tired of being chronically ill, pals.
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2024-10-20 23:07:03 UTC

I have too many opinions today. Whoops.

2024-10-17 22:09:03 UTC

My favourite genre of headline is "x finally breaks silence about y!" when x has never had anything to do with y.

2024-10-17 21:30:20 UTC

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It's weird calling the shop work because I don't get paid but I guess it will do. If people buy my stuff I get paid but yeh... that's not happening in this economy. I've been trying to make stuff for an online shop restock but it's hard with all the exhaustion and hand incapacity. Which is probably contributing to the depression. Which requires money to treat.

2024-10-17 21:27:07 UTC

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I finagled my way out of work so I have an extra rest day. My hands are exceptionally buggered today so ... great?!

2024-10-17 06:35:08 UTC

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Blood test ✔
Voted ✔
I have absolutely zero energy today, and as it is I am almost having microsleeps when I'm driving home from the shop of an afternoon, so I'm extra worried about going to work tomorrow. But if I don't go the shop can't open.

2024-10-17 05:23:50 UTC

I'm reading about rheumatoid arthritis while trying to motivate myself to go get my blood test done so I can find out if I have it.
I do not want digital ischemia.

2024-10-03 20:58:12 UTC

I used to be the most oversharing oversharer, ever since livejournal times. 24 years!!!!!!! These days I'm just so tired - but I can't be tired, I need to grind! I'm a struggling artisan who just wants to faff around all day.
Here's some stuff I made lately, all from salvaged and recycled materials.
#handmade #textilewaste #slowfashion
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2024-09-22 20:37:41 UTC

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I'm in Australia and we don't have Ace bandages but I suspect bandage fabric is manufactured to the specific width and length. Fabric that is kind of a similar weight with good elastic recovery is ponte.

2024-09-20 09:00:12 UTC

I have been busy/ brain drained but here's a photo of Lucy.
#dogsofmastodon
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2024-09-17 19:40:14 UTC

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wtf I just watched this post disappear from my timeline

2024-09-17 19:38:14 UTC

It's frankly disturbing that no one I follow is talking about Israeli state sponsored terrorism and how they implanted explosives in thousands of pagers imported into Lebanon and exploded them all at the same time killing at least nine people and injuring THOUSANDS. (As of 3 hours ago when this story was last updated.)
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/17/dozens-of-hezbollah-members-wounded-after-pagers-explode-in-lebanon
#freepalestine

2024-09-12 11:21:12 UTC

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I've had my olfa rotary cutter for years, and we used them at my old job in a fabric shop. They used to cop it daily and I've never seen a broken one!

2024-09-12 11:18:05 UTC

I just roll my eyes at people who are all "it's the girls, gays and theys!" and in the next breath struggle to comprehend nonbinary pronouns... Please fold your brain in half so you get just one wrinkle.

2024-09-06 12:46:06 UTC

I need Australian crafters to get across one thing. Or two things.
You say wool, but you mean yarn. You say cotton but you mean thread.
Thanks cunts.

2024-09-03 14:10:49 UTC

I finished a skeleton sewing machine for my shop's decorations! It's stuffed with scraps and actually everything except the thread and htv vinyl is diverted from landfill.
I was inspired by a skeleton sewing machine decoration that [@inarticulatequilter](https://mastodon.art/@inarticulatequilter ) posted and couldn't get it out of my head.
#sewing #halloween
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2024-08-29 05:54:01 UTC

Someone donated some amaaaazing wax prints to the Lair and I could not go past this 5m length so I spent my last $30 on it (cheap tho!!!) because I thought it'd be perfect for my Frocktails dress.
I spent a week hemming (pun lol) and hawing over what pattern to use but ultimately decided on Birgitta Helmersson's zero waste tier dress because it goes with the whole textile waste hill I am gonna die on. Though technically I'll have fabric left, I think the dress will only have used up 3m and what's left is a whole intact piece.
Yes, I have cut into the large flower motif butttt I think it'll look more interesting. I'm doing view D which is a maxi length with a second tier.
#sewing #ZeroWasteSewing #TextileWaste
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2024-08-24 19:21:34 UTC

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I updated my shop the other day and forgot to tell you, I guess that's why I'm bad at making sales 🤣
All of my products are made from trash. I mean, they were headed for landfill but have instead been diverted and turned into useful and beautiful things!
https://fancyladyindustries.com
#microbusiness #handmade #textilewaste #sustainability
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2024-08-24 19:10:35 UTC

I love what I'm doing so much. I love the people I volunteer with and all the people we get to talk to and help. I just wish I could make a living doing this.

2024-08-21 22:07:59 UTC

5 years ago I was having TMS and in constant mental crisis. It seems like another person ago. I feel like a wholly different person.

2024-08-17 00:01:36 UTC

I can't find a thimble I like so it's just bandaids. And another on the middle finger of my other hand because I almost always shove the pointy bit down my cuticle. 👍👍👍
#sewing
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2024-08-16 07:15:59 UTC

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there's a fancy stitch one that was included, I think it mentioned it was for stretch sewing but I didn't have much time to look through it. A physical copy of the manual would be brilliant though. I downloaded a pdf but I like having all my manuals at hand. Thank you!!

2024-08-16 07:13:17 UTC

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there's about 20 cams included with this machine!!!! I'm terribly excited about them because I miss the lovely stitches on my old Pfaff and they're very similar. I want to sew more bags so this sounds like it will be excellent!!!!

2024-08-16 07:10:42 UTC

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I am genuinely stoked that you both go hard for this machine!!!!!!! I will add it to the two overlockers, three sewing machines and one cover stitch I already have. Oh actually I bought an overlocker today but I'm gonna switch it with the wimpy new one I bought a couple of years ago.
As I tell people, I could have far more destructive hobbies!!!!

2024-08-16 06:39:50 UTC

This was donated to the Lair today. I did a quick test sew and had a look over everything and it is great and now I'm tempted to buy it when it's priced. Neither my new or old Janomes deal well with thick fabric, even quilting through two layers of fabric and one of wadding is a struggle 😭
Does anyone have an Elna SU and can vouch for its ability to sew through many layers?
#sewing
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2024-08-12 22:25:02 UTC

Everyone: here are the symptoms of perimenopause!
Diabetes Australia: Type 1 diabetics can go through early menopause.
Other uterus havers: Hey is anyone else experiencing this shit? Turns out we're headed for perimenopause, sorry fam.
Me: Oh I'm 44 this year, mum went through early menopause, this must be why all those things are happening. I'll ask my GP and endo.
Doctors: you're too young. Oh your mum went through it early? *shrug*
Me: guess me and my sandy vag will just sweat, bleed erratically, wake up at 4.30am daily, and swing wildly from mood to mood for the next 4-10 years.
Rando going through perimenopause: don't forget, itchy ears are a symptom!
*Me mid cotton tip in ear hole*
Mother fucker!
#perimenopause

2024-08-02 19:40:28 UTC

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Creepy Guy came in to the shop again yesterday. He squeezed my shoulder again. Then he moved behind me, grabbed my shoulders and started to massage me. I stepped away and asked him to stop.
It feels like his behaviour is escalating. Reporting to the cops is useless, they don't protect women. I have told the head of the organisation and they are taking it seriously. I'm the manager. I need to be strong and tell him he is not allowed to enter the shop the next time he appears. I'm scared. I have to protect my staff, and myself but it's terrifying knowing we are alone.
There's an epidemic of femicide in Australia right now. The men who commit these murders are usually intimately involved with the victims, so statistically we probably aren't going to come to harm but there's a risk. There's always a risk and women and nonbinary people go through life with this knowledge always in their minds.

2024-07-24 12:25:02 UTC

tw: sexual harassment
There is an older guy who keeps coming into our shop and he says he's looking for silk. We show him if we have any in stock but more often than not he comes back before we can restock. We suspect he knows this, because he is Creepy as Fuck. The last two times he has come in he has touched my shoulder, no actually today he squeezed my shoulder and asked if I would be his girlfriend. Uh, this is big NO NO NO territory of course, but I freeze. And I don't know how to tell him to leave and never come back. I hate how men do this. They KNOW they make us uncomfortable and we don't know how to tell them to fuck off because we're taught to be polite and inoffensive.