Day 92 - Skulls

So last night I was online shopping, well I am poor so more like online screen shopping (like window shopping in the real world), and I saw this adorable skull hair clip. It was about 4 dollars and I thought well I can afford that, biut when I put it my Amazon shopping cart and hit the check out my cute little skull was all of a sudden 30 dollars. Holy Shipping, Batman! So I was like FTN (Fuck That Noise) and starting searching for another one. But every seller was the same, I hit Ebay but again every auction had the same result. Cheapest I could ger was 20 bucks. Then I thought, why was I being so lazy? I have polymer clay. Man up and craft damn it. So I did.
Here is the inspiration.

And here is the finished product. TA-DA!

What do you think pretty good eh?

Day 91 - More orders

        Some people at work found out I sew. When that happened the  orders came rolling in. I have three new orders for alterations and construction. I wish I could do this full time. But honestly I don't know if I could make enought money. My current job pays very well, for what I actually do anyways, there are benefits and a pension. So I would be crazy to try to quit and do something else right? Right....

Day 90 - An Ancient Repair

My aunt has an old crocheted granny square blanket. Well she has several. I believe that they were made by my great-grandmother on my mother's side. But the one I am talking about is damaged. I need to figure out how to fix it. I have no idea where to start as I have never done this before.I think it will just take a little time and several hooks. I may also need some replacement yarn. I am not exactly sure yet but I will have to look into it.

Day 89 -Project Clean Sweep

        Okay I know this isn't really a project. But I feel it needs to be done. I need to purge my home of all it's unneeded junk,*ahem* crap * ahem*. I have so much stuff all over it isn't even funny. Don't get me wrong. I am not a hoarder. I am a packrat. The difference being A) That I can throw things away. B) There is no rotting food or animals in my home. C) My house is not over run with stuff. I just have several closets and storage room that could use some organizing. There is also just some minor projects that need to get done. Like hanging art. Repainting the mail box. Sorting my craft supplies. Organizing the wrapping paper. Also don't assume I am a neat freak. I am pretty messy. Clean but messy. I just think wrapping paper being stored in the upstairs hallway in June is a little much. It is a long weekend due to Canada Day and I can get so much done. I will also rest but honestly I will rest better knowing that I have a well organized house. Man, am I getting old or what.

Day 88 - Long weekend ahead

        So I thought it would be a shame for Canada to come and go without me mentioning. Canada Day!! For those of you non-Canadians, Canada Day, previously Dominion Day, is July 1st every year. It is a stat holiday for all us working shmucks. It is the anniversary of the union of Canada into a Dominion. Well the union of Upper and Lower Canada with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This occured in 1867. Because I live in Ottawa, the captial of Canada, Canada Day is usually crazy. Masses of people in the downtown core. Fireworks all over the city, music, partying. And food food food!!!! We in Canada love to get down. We in Canada know how to get down.

Day 87- almost back to normal

        Okay guys so after 4 days my hand is almost back to normal. Well at least the swelling and blisters went down. It is still tender and red in parts but otherwise alright.I will be knitting up a storm this week. I have some supplies I need to pick up before I move on to some projects like stuffing and light pink wool. Otherwise how am I going to make Bacon, Gir's best little pig buddy. Anyway not much else to report. I will try to write something more interesting in the next few days.

Day 86 - Why do I do this to myself?

        Arrrgggg........I always do this to myself. I promise myself that I am going to rest, my hand, my mind, whatever. I never do. Today, I cleaned the kitchen, the bathroom and did laundry. Plus I helped write a business proposal for a friend. Yeah I suck at rest. Yes I do.

Day 85 - Still playing hooky

        I planned being able to rest my hand today but my aunt is moving next weekend and really needed help packing so that is what I did all day long. My hand didn't really get to much rest. So hopefully I can rest it tomorrow. But we will see. Night all!

Day 84 - Weekend off

        My hand is still hurting and I am going to take the weekend off from crafting. At least the blister is going down. But my hand is still pretty swollen and i am having a hard time closing it and typing for that matter. Anyways the christening gown is done and I have nothing else due immediately so I am not too stressed about it. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Day 83 - Voila

        Even with an injured hand I had to finish the christening gown. So Volia! It is done. Yay! Here is the finished product.

  

 The full gown.

Lace up close.

Day 82- Awwww Shit!

        I burnt my right hand today. Boiling water, both sides of my hand. Awesome. I guess I am just talented at getting hurt. Hence my hand is swollen, slightly blistered and sore. Very sore. It is currently submerged in a bowl of ice water. I am writing this with m y left hand, which sucks hard as typing with one hand is so time consuming. Anyway I am putting myself on light duties until further notice. i.e short posts to come.

  

Day 81 - My hands are sore.

        I have been sewing and knitting up a storm this past week between hand sewing lace and starting more armwarmers. So my hands are sore, really sore. I am taking the night off to let my hands rest up. Even typing is a bit tough. Okay I am done whining. But that as much of a post as you guys are getting tonight. Sorry.

Day 80 - Hand sewing lace

Project : Christening Gown continued.....

          So yesterday I started sewing the trim on the gown. It is this waved and tear dropped cotton lace. I think cotton. Anyway the lace is so soft that I have to sew the curve down or it curls and looks all floppy. I used the machine to stitch it on the hem, which was so annoying. Basically 3 stitches, turn, 2 stitches, turn, 3 stitches, turn repeat 61 more times. But it ended up looking really good. The sleeves were another story, remember this gown is for a baby girl under a year old. I had such a hard time installing them in the first place because they are so small and the side arm of my machine was too big. There was no way I was going to try to machine stitching that. I hand stitched the sleeve lace. It took a bit little longer but again I am quite happy with the end product. Sometimes hand stitching is the only way to go. I now have to decide if I am going to add lace to the bodice or not. But I that is a question for tomorrow. That and button holes.

Day 79 - Christening Gown

Project : Christening Gown

        Completed except for trim. I have some lace to put on and the bottons on the back. Besides that it is complete. Yay. But the lace is going to be a SOB. Serious SOB. Oh well one step closer. Here is a picture the gown with a special model. Not as cute as the recipent of the gown but best I could do. 

Day 78 - Christening Gown pictures

Project - Christening Gown

         I attached the skirts. And sewed the sleeves. I am going to attach the yoke to the skirts tonight if I can. Here are some pictures. They are not very good but I guess I am not a great photographer. Sorry guys.

 The slit in the back for buttons.

Yokes and sleeves.

Yoke with skirt lying.

Day 77 - Rainbow Armwarmers - It's a start

Project : Rainbow Armwarmers

          I started knitting the armwarmers today and I will tell you that this, I was surprised by how vivid the colours are. I have also noticed that the colour change is not consistent. Order, duration and thickness all vary. It looks lovely so far. I have no idea what it will look like when it is done. I only they are not itchy. We will see. 

  

Day 76 – Up coming project

        Besides a christening and a wedding gown, I have also been commissioned to make some linen coats, well more like over shirts. Strictly linen though. No cotton poly mixes, no rayon or unnatural fibers. Strict up linen. I will be making a rub off of a garment my client already has. If one goes well she want several more in all kinds of colours, to match her wardrobe.

        I feel like I may have talked about this before. If so I am sorry guys. I have written so much I am having a little trouble remembering everything I have published.

  

Day 75 - On account of rain

        Today's blog will be postponed on account of tired. I have no idea why but as I type this I can hardly keep my eyes open. I had a massage today but that doesn't make sense. I had massages before. Anyway, I will write tomorrow. 

Have a great night.

Day 74 - Rainbow Armwarmers

Project  : Rainbow Armwarmers

         Even though I have yet to finish the Christening gown yet I will have some time tomorrow away from home that I may be able to craft in. We have a work retreat and I never participate in activities. They are all outside and I am very fair of skin and I am very prone to burn. So I decide to take my laptop and some wool to pass the time. I will start on the armwarmers if I run out of battery power on my laptop. I will be using the same US 3 DPNS and pattern as the red armwarmers. Here is the wool I will be using. Funky eh? 

Day 73 - Christening gown pictures

Project : Christening Gown

Now don't get too excited just some progress pictures here. Nothing huge. 

This is the collar with understitching.

Day 72- Understitching complete!

Project : Christening Gown

        So I finished cutting out the lining and I started constructing the gown. The collar calls for understitching. and the collar is practically the first thing the is sewn together. Well shoulders are first then joining the lining to the top fabric. Anyway it was much easier that I expected and makes a really finish. Very classic. I should be able to finish the construction by the end of next weekend, I have appointments after work all this week so I will not be sewing very much this week I don't think.

Day 71 - Project Christening Gown

Project: Christening Gown. Step One : Cutting the main fabric – complete. Step Two : cutting the lining fabric. To be completed by Sunday afternoon. Step Three : Construction. Step Four : Embellishments. Step Five : Delivery. To be completed by June 22, 2012.

That's the plan. Now Let's see if I can do it :)

Day 70 - Ironing- You rat bastard

        If you can't tell I hate ironing. Okay well that isn't completely true. I don't mind ironing if it is 20 minutes and under. But today, today I ironed for 2 hours. I washed the eyelet and lining fabrics and then spent several hours ironing it smooth. But the eyelet was a bitch to work with. It is going to wrinkle like crazy. I hope the pictures come out well anyways. For the Christening that is. Anyways I had a lot to do today so I was only able to get the ironing done because it took so God-damn long. I will cut out the pattern pieces tomorrow. I have realized that that although the pattern does not call for a skirt lining I will have to add one. The eyelet is too thin to be left unlined. You should be able to see her baby chub, which would be cute but not appropriate in church :p

Day 69 - Understitching

        (Understitch) stitch used to prevent a facing from rolling to the outside of a garment.  Made by pressing seam allowance toward facing and then stitching close to edge of seam on the facing side.

       Definition found at www.learnhowtosewnow.com/learn-how-to-sew-glossary/

        I have found some great resources on the internet. http://www.learnhowtosewnow.com/basic-sewing-tutorial-understitching/ 

        Also  http://unfinishedprojectparty.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/sewing-how-to-what-is-understitching/

        As well as these videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRtA6_2QiPE and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_FTGTyDVIA&feature=fvwrel . 

        Hope you find them helpful. 

        Here are some pictures of the materials I will be using an eyelet and lining.

 

        These pictures aren't doing this fabric justice. Basically how bright white it is.

Day 68 - Friday off

I have this Friday off. I know, again. And I need to work on the Christening gown. It had due date right? I don't have enough time in the evening to set up my sewing work station, well cutting station. And I will definitely need my cutting station. I am working with a white fabric so I always lay down some clean sheets or table clothes to prevent the fabric from getting marred. I am going to preshrink the fabric tomorrow by washing it and drying it on high. The construction should be pretty easy, except for the pattern calls for understitching, it is a technique I have never actually used before. I have found some tutorials and hope it is a s simple as it seems. I guess we will see Friday. Wish me luck.

Day 67 - Wookie

        I am not crazy about the face so I think I am going to redo it. But in the mean time enjoy these pictures from his trip to Hoth with some Ewoks.

 Here they are enjoying the terrane.

                                                          Sliding down the slopes.

 Hiding from Wampas

And building a snowman. 

Day 66 – Project – Christening Gown

Project: Christening Gown

        My best friend's big sister had a baby and now the little critter, cute little critter I might add, is getting christened. But alas they were lacking a gown. So in steps super bf to the rescue. They picked up the pattern and material for me so all I have to do is cut and sew. The baby isn't on hand so I am going with a pattern instead of designing something. It needs to be done by the last weekend in June. So I better get moving honestly. Here is the pattern. 

        I will picture track my progress and post as I go. I want the majority of the sewing done by Sunday. IF not this is going to suck. I mean it will be a challenge if things do not go as planned.

Day 65 - Project Wookie

Project: StarWars Wookie

        I finally figured out how to make my Wookie in crochet. I am using a chocolate brown fingerling angora wool, the crochet needle is a G (4.25mm). He is under 6 inches tall. He towers over the Ewoks and is a great addition to my StarWars collection. Watch for more to come. 

 Before

 After

Day 64 - 2 birds with one stone

Project: Heart Print Pants- Complete!!!!

Project: Red Armwarmers- Complete!!!!

        I finally finished both of those today and started another project, which we will write about tomorrow. Not much to say besides that. Pictures to be added tomorrow. 

Day 63 -Avocado Update

Project Avocados

         Since I updated the project list yesterday I thought I would give an update on the avocados. I realized I have done that in a while. I have a third plant started so here are a picture of each. Well I actually started a fourth as well but gave that away as a Mother's Day gift. 

      

         The second biggest plant is still having a hard time. I tried giving it more sun and it burned some of the bigger leaves. Hopefully it won't kill the plant.

This is the new baby plant. No big leaves yet but they are coming along nicely.

 

Have a great night everyone.