Sewing Update
Dec. 12th, 2005 12:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
threadwalkerIt was a busy weekend. Was up at 5:30 am on Saturday to take the moms to SF for a day being girly. I got them facials, took them shopping, and I got a consult on hair products at Nordstrom. I'm afraid I've just gotten hooked on Frederic Fakkai hair products. The cream was amazing.
On Hair and men:
And odd though it sounds, my hair got more compliments and attention in a few hours at Nordstrom from the gay men selling hair and skin products than I've gotten during the entire rest of my dating career from boyfriends, etc. "Ohhh, it's so glossy" ..."Oh, honey, I just love your hair" ... I was so flattered, they probably could have sold me anything at that point! LOL. You may say, "but that was the point", but trust me, the boyfriends all wanted something, too, but never thought to flatter my hair. And these weren't even all sales men, they were buying hair products, too. Honestly, when it comes to skin and hair product, some of my best "girl friends" have been gay men. sigh. So WHY? Why is it that the only men who appreciate my hair wouldn't even be on the list of potentials if I weren't already happily married? One of life's little mysteries.
Sunday: A friend came over around 10:30 to sew. She's making an Italian Ren and I think it's going to be really smashing if she can finish it. She's really enthusiastic about her project and game for almost anything, which is fun. It was such a pleasure to hang out with her, too, because she's a kind-hearted and sincere person. I always feel invigorated when I've been hanging out with someone who can find the silver-lining in something. Overall, it was a very enjoyable "play date".
One of the best parts of all this project work with others is that it helped me focus on my own project and get a little motivated. How cool is that?! I haven't felt inspired in a while. Yay!
And the cure to insomnia is my boring hoop-skirt sewing details
I suppose I could force myself to wear the skirt as it is. But I won't. What a silly, goofy thing it is! This is made worse because I can't find the leg supports for my dress-maker. The dress-maker is balanced on a 4ft candle stand, which only "mostly" holds it up. The torso of the dress form ends up leaning over to one side. The goofy little hoop skirt is hanging from it, also tipping over. It's the leaning tower of hoops!
Everytime I look at it, the whole thing cracks me up. I'm going to wear that? E-gads! At least no one will see it. In fact, it's so silly, my son was threatening his uncle by saying, If you're not nice to me, I'll make you wear that!, pointing at my skirt. hahahaha!
Pattern comments: The pattern for the fabric skirt was based on Alcega's saya for a fat woman: rectangles and triangles. I scaled it up until I had something that was just slightly on the good side of "not too small". (I have no desire to have to shape shift to get through doorways!) Instead of pleating up the casings (which is a perfect technique if you're doing it by hand), I used bias tape for casing (much more machine friendly). It spirals between top and bottom instead of being a series of stacked hoops. The entire skirt is made from left overs: navy blue cotton twill for skirt and a rainbow of bias tape in different colors for the casing. The waist is a draw string that has a tie at each side instead of one in center front. The rigid "hoop" material is some sort of reed stuff I picked up at Lacis. I'm very surprised at how well it's holding a shape. I only got it because it was so cheap and I'm in a mood to experiment. Lucky find. I wonder what it really is? I'll have to hit a basket supply store with a scrap so I can get more.
Speaking of shape, I'm not sure I like the shape, but a lot of that will depend on how the final dress comes out. From the start I was working "blind" on a flat skirt and had no idea what it would look like until I got the rigid material into it. The next skirt will be draped over this one and I won't be working "blind" on the hoops. In the meantime, it's shaped a lot like a bell and it makes me think of some German and Spanish skirts. This shape might, in fact, work best for this, so I draped the forepart over it. We'll see because I'm going to try and fix a casing issue tonight and assemble the fore-part tonight.
Casing issue: Part of the silhouette problem is the last few feet of casing at the top. I added it as an afterthought and didn't want to take the time to mark it. Unfortunately, it wobbles around the top, distorting the shape of the skirt. I know better than to eye-ball something, but every now and again I have to relearn that lesson. I guess I'm just stubborn. When I've fixed that I may actually like the bell shape.
I'm suddenly really glad I decided to make this out of left-overs and not the silk I was eye-balling. I'd be pretty unhappy if I'd jumped in with the silk.
So tonight I need to fix the casing and assemble the fore-part.
And make marmalade.
Tomorrow I need to work on my doublet - probably the cf closure and the collar lining.
Unfortunately, I messed up my left shoulder on Sunday, triggering an old karate injury. I have no idea what I did, but I can barely raise my left arm to lift. I guess this is part of old age - randomly triggered sport injuries. Bleck. At least it's my left and not my right shoulder! Not that the injury will stop the sewing or marmalade making. It's just bugging me right now, so I'm blurting it out here.
On Hair and men:
And odd though it sounds, my hair got more compliments and attention in a few hours at Nordstrom from the gay men selling hair and skin products than I've gotten during the entire rest of my dating career from boyfriends, etc. "Ohhh, it's so glossy" ..."Oh, honey, I just love your hair" ... I was so flattered, they probably could have sold me anything at that point! LOL. You may say, "but that was the point", but trust me, the boyfriends all wanted something, too, but never thought to flatter my hair. And these weren't even all sales men, they were buying hair products, too. Honestly, when it comes to skin and hair product, some of my best "girl friends" have been gay men. sigh. So WHY? Why is it that the only men who appreciate my hair wouldn't even be on the list of potentials if I weren't already happily married? One of life's little mysteries.
Sunday: A friend came over around 10:30 to sew. She's making an Italian Ren and I think it's going to be really smashing if she can finish it. She's really enthusiastic about her project and game for almost anything, which is fun. It was such a pleasure to hang out with her, too, because she's a kind-hearted and sincere person. I always feel invigorated when I've been hanging out with someone who can find the silver-lining in something. Overall, it was a very enjoyable "play date".
One of the best parts of all this project work with others is that it helped me focus on my own project and get a little motivated. How cool is that?! I haven't felt inspired in a while. Yay!
And the cure to insomnia is my boring hoop-skirt sewing details
I suppose I could force myself to wear the skirt as it is. But I won't. What a silly, goofy thing it is! This is made worse because I can't find the leg supports for my dress-maker. The dress-maker is balanced on a 4ft candle stand, which only "mostly" holds it up. The torso of the dress form ends up leaning over to one side. The goofy little hoop skirt is hanging from it, also tipping over. It's the leaning tower of hoops!
Everytime I look at it, the whole thing cracks me up. I'm going to wear that? E-gads! At least no one will see it. In fact, it's so silly, my son was threatening his uncle by saying, If you're not nice to me, I'll make you wear that!, pointing at my skirt. hahahaha!
Pattern comments: The pattern for the fabric skirt was based on Alcega's saya for a fat woman: rectangles and triangles. I scaled it up until I had something that was just slightly on the good side of "not too small". (I have no desire to have to shape shift to get through doorways!) Instead of pleating up the casings (which is a perfect technique if you're doing it by hand), I used bias tape for casing (much more machine friendly). It spirals between top and bottom instead of being a series of stacked hoops. The entire skirt is made from left overs: navy blue cotton twill for skirt and a rainbow of bias tape in different colors for the casing. The waist is a draw string that has a tie at each side instead of one in center front. The rigid "hoop" material is some sort of reed stuff I picked up at Lacis. I'm very surprised at how well it's holding a shape. I only got it because it was so cheap and I'm in a mood to experiment. Lucky find. I wonder what it really is? I'll have to hit a basket supply store with a scrap so I can get more.
Speaking of shape, I'm not sure I like the shape, but a lot of that will depend on how the final dress comes out. From the start I was working "blind" on a flat skirt and had no idea what it would look like until I got the rigid material into it. The next skirt will be draped over this one and I won't be working "blind" on the hoops. In the meantime, it's shaped a lot like a bell and it makes me think of some German and Spanish skirts. This shape might, in fact, work best for this, so I draped the forepart over it. We'll see because I'm going to try and fix a casing issue tonight and assemble the fore-part tonight.
Casing issue: Part of the silhouette problem is the last few feet of casing at the top. I added it as an afterthought and didn't want to take the time to mark it. Unfortunately, it wobbles around the top, distorting the shape of the skirt. I know better than to eye-ball something, but every now and again I have to relearn that lesson. I guess I'm just stubborn. When I've fixed that I may actually like the bell shape.
I'm suddenly really glad I decided to make this out of left-overs and not the silk I was eye-balling. I'd be pretty unhappy if I'd jumped in with the silk.
So tonight I need to fix the casing and assemble the fore-part.
And make marmalade.
Tomorrow I need to work on my doublet - probably the cf closure and the collar lining.
Unfortunately, I messed up my left shoulder on Sunday, triggering an old karate injury. I have no idea what I did, but I can barely raise my left arm to lift. I guess this is part of old age - randomly triggered sport injuries. Bleck. At least it's my left and not my right shoulder! Not that the injury will stop the sewing or marmalade making. It's just bugging me right now, so I'm blurting it out here.
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Date: 2005-12-13 10:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-20 05:17 am (UTC)p.s. I think you're a super fun play date too :-)