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The nice find at Poppy...
Oct. 1st, 2007 11:30 am |
Bamboo silk brocade, One of the good finds at the Poppy Fabrics going-out-of-business sale. 4 yards. Might be enough for a dobuku... |
I've learned a few useful things...
Sep. 30th, 2007 02:34 am...from the tousando Wafuku board just today.
(I'm ignoring the spider running across the computer, I'm sure it's killed numerous other more annoying creatures)
Of course, what I've learned has opened up new questions. If I'm smart I take things slowly.
On the other side, we had a fabulous time in wafuku at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
didjiman and karisu_sama's party. We drank large amounts of wine (including some pretty rare stuff from jorhett) and large amounts of junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo sake...
(I'm ignoring the spider running across the computer, I'm sure it's killed numerous other more annoying creatures)
Of course, what I've learned has opened up new questions. If I'm smart I take things slowly.
On the other side, we had a fabulous time in wafuku at
didjiman and karisu_sama's party. We drank large amounts of wine (including some pretty rare stuff from jorhett) and large amounts of junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo sake...
West Kingdom 12th Night...
Sep. 27th, 2007 12:02 pmShamelessly stolen from trystbat
West Kingdom 12th Night A.S. 42
The Royalty of the West
and the The Barony of Westermark
cordially invite you to attend
Grand Coronation Festivities
January 4th-6th, A.S. 42 (2008)
Doubletree Hotel San Jose
I'm trying to figure out why West 12th Night is "Grand Coronation Festivities" but that's not a big deal.
Since the only historical we've got at the moment that fits is Japanese, I expect that we're going to look at hooking up with the Japanese crowd (and it's another excuse to get more Japanese done for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
furcon in a timely fashion).
trystbatWest Kingdom 12th Night A.S. 42
The Royalty of the West
and the The Barony of Westermark
cordially invite you to attend
Grand Coronation Festivities
January 4th-6th, A.S. 42 (2008)
Doubletree Hotel San Jose
I'm trying to figure out why West 12th Night is "Grand Coronation Festivities" but that's not a big deal.
Since the only historical we've got at the moment that fits is Japanese, I expect that we're going to look at hooking up with the Japanese crowd (and it's another excuse to get more Japanese done for
furcon in a timely fashion).I signed up...
Sep. 25th, 2007 05:55 pm...for Tousando, an SCA-ish Japanese recreation resources web forum.
They've got a pretty good wafuku board, but since the board service doesn't allow you to configure email notices of all new posts on a board, only individual threads, I'm not sure that I'm going to actually get any use out of it.
Is an RSS feed or a mail notification option too much to ask for?
They've got a pretty good wafuku board, but since the board service doesn't allow you to configure email notices of all new posts on a board, only individual threads, I'm not sure that I'm going to actually get any use out of it.
Is an RSS feed or a mail notification option too much to ask for?
Surprise, Surprise!
Sep. 24th, 2007 04:30 pmWe stopped at the Anderson Outlet mall on the way home from Redding, mostly because I forgot to bring sunglasses and the sun finally came out on Sunday morning. We also stopped at the Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet store. We hadn't stopped in a while, because the last few times they just didn't have tall or long size shirts.
This time they had shirts, but they also had yardage. $10/yard is a pretty good price for quality wool plaids. Didn't get any, because we don't have any plans that call for wool plaid, but if you're desperate for good wool plaid for Victorians and the drive up to Anderson is reasonable for you, it's worth checking out.
This time they had shirts, but they also had yardage. $10/yard is a pretty good price for quality wool plaids. Didn't get any, because we don't have any plans that call for wool plaid, but if you're desperate for good wool plaid for Victorians and the drive up to Anderson is reasonable for you, it's worth checking out.
What is this cosplay?
Sep. 21st, 2007 11:54 amFrom a friend who was in the Nippon2007 (Yokohama Worldcon) masquerade:
The Japanese contestants were confused by the American way of doing things. Apparently, they don’t do skits and the audience usually gets to inspect the costuming up close.
The Japanese contestants were confused by the American way of doing things. Apparently, they don’t do skits and the audience usually gets to inspect the costuming up close.
Silicon Saturday...
Sep. 20th, 2007 06:30 pm'k, so I wouldn't normally suggest bailing on a convention for something else, but this is in the morning, when the con is kind of slow.
Saturday morning (October 6) is the monthly Peninsula Wearable Arts Guild meeting in Saratoga. It's at 10:00am. We're going. If you want to join us for an early breakfast at the Coffee Garden and then head to the meeting (it's a $5 donation requested from non-members), let us know. We'll probably have room for a person or two in our car.
Saturday morning (October 6) is the monthly Peninsula Wearable Arts Guild meeting in Saratoga. It's at 10:00am. We're going. If you want to join us for an early breakfast at the Coffee Garden and then head to the meeting (it's a $5 donation requested from non-members), let us know. We'll probably have room for a person or two in our car.
Two words...
Sep. 20th, 2007 01:05 pmMuppet Pants!
Got more done on the scrubs pants, probably just under 2/3 done. Need to buttonhole for the drawstring, set in the elastic, and hem. That's it.
Still very happy with the pattern.
I have started...
Sep. 19th, 2007 12:12 pm...on the stmungo scrubs pants. They're cut out, and I'm about 1/4 way through putting them together.
Still loving the Kwik Sew scrubs pattern. Directions are rock solid, and some of the weirder bits are really worth it.
Thinking things over, I would not do this pattern in some other knit, unless it was a real tight knit with very little stretch. The eyelash is totally saving this, making all kinds of little flaws disappear.
I am so glad that the Pfaff 332 is back and working. Except for its lack of a knee-bar speed controller, it's an absolute dream of a machine. Parts are getting scarce, though. If it ever dies I expect I'm looking for a Pfaff 1222E to replace it.
stmungo scrubs pants. They're cut out, and I'm about 1/4 way through putting them together.Still loving the Kwik Sew scrubs pattern. Directions are rock solid, and some of the weirder bits are really worth it.
Thinking things over, I would not do this pattern in some other knit, unless it was a real tight knit with very little stretch. The eyelash is totally saving this, making all kinds of little flaws disappear.
I am so glad that the Pfaff 332 is back and working. Except for its lack of a knee-bar speed controller, it's an absolute dream of a machine. Parts are getting scarce, though. If it ever dies I expect I'm looking for a Pfaff 1222E to replace it.
'splodey brain (again)
Sep. 12th, 2007 12:27 amI've got my scrubs pattern done up in true-grid. It turns out that K and I are going to take the same size scrubs top (barring any lies on the envelope). Pants are a different matter, I'm going to take a large with a 5" extension (easier to hem up if I'm wrong) and K is going to take a medium, possibly without any extension.
At this point I love Kwik Sew patterns. They're on nice sturdy paper. The size gradations are color-coded. Every edge is labeled. I wish I could say that about any dozen other pattern companies.
The 'splodey part (because I hate cutting, but it wasn't really that bad)? Got some more artwork restored, and it looks like I'm down to a bit over 300 albums without art.
At this point I love Kwik Sew patterns. They're on nice sturdy paper. The size gradations are color-coded. Every edge is labeled. I wish I could say that about any dozen other pattern companies.
The 'splodey part (because I hate cutting, but it wasn't really that bad)? Got some more artwork restored, and it looks like I'm down to a bit over 300 albums without art.
It's always the projects I can't do...
Sep. 5th, 2007 05:15 pm...that I'm most excited about.
I'm happy with the results on the Japanese project, but I could have done better. Of course, that's why I used cheap clearance-rack plaid and sale calico. This iteration was more about learning how the garments went together. Still, the plaid and the purple look great together, and I'm wishing I had made my mistakes on something less interesting. And, of course, after being in the "I'm so glad that the next project isn't Japanese" state for Saturday night and Sunday, I'm already excited about the next iteration of Japanese.
Of course, if you rewind to 3 or so weeks ago, it was all about shopping for St. Mungos (because I thought I had good fabric for Japanese, and then I realized it's all in the warehouse and the deadline was upon us).
So we've got Mungo's to start on. Scrubs have to be done for Silicon.
I've got patterns. I like the Kwik-Sew pattern because the pockets, collar and yoke offer plenty of opportunities for embellishment. The women's pattern and misses' pattern have a button-down scrub top that is pretty cool too.
I've got fabric. The gallery isn't even up to date, I've got a stack of fabric I found while re-sorting the boxes of fabric from the garage that I haven't photographed yet (A copy stand! A copy stand! My Kingdom for a copy stand!).
I've got sewing machines and sergers that aren't overdue for a visit to the shop. I've got needles. I've got thread.
I've got a cutting table that's clean, and needs to be folded up long enough to vacuum the studio. Might get to that tonight.
I'm happy with the results on the Japanese project, but I could have done better. Of course, that's why I used cheap clearance-rack plaid and sale calico. This iteration was more about learning how the garments went together. Still, the plaid and the purple look great together, and I'm wishing I had made my mistakes on something less interesting. And, of course, after being in the "I'm so glad that the next project isn't Japanese" state for Saturday night and Sunday, I'm already excited about the next iteration of Japanese.
Of course, if you rewind to 3 or so weeks ago, it was all about shopping for St. Mungos (because I thought I had good fabric for Japanese, and then I realized it's all in the warehouse and the deadline was upon us).
So we've got Mungo's to start on. Scrubs have to be done for Silicon.
I've got patterns. I like the Kwik-Sew pattern because the pockets, collar and yoke offer plenty of opportunities for embellishment. The women's pattern and misses' pattern have a button-down scrub top that is pretty cool too.
I've got fabric. The gallery isn't even up to date, I've got a stack of fabric I found while re-sorting the boxes of fabric from the garage that I haven't photographed yet (A copy stand! A copy stand! My Kingdom for a copy stand!).
I've got sewing machines and sergers that aren't overdue for a visit to the shop. I've got needles. I've got thread.
I've got a cutting table that's clean, and needs to be folded up long enough to vacuum the studio. Might get to that tonight.
Saw Stardust. It didn't suck. It was, in fact, pretty damned good.
Did a bit of clean-up on the studio. Got sewing machines put back on their shelves. Got spools of thread bagged and boxed (we're talking industrial spools and cones). Got the cutting table cleared off. Got unused fabric bought for the Japanese project folded but not yet boxed.
Sewing machines need to go into the shop. Working on the Japanese definitely made this obvious.
Need to do a bit more cleaning in the studio and take a few sewing-free days. Japanese is off the schedule for a while, as wizard scrubs forstmungo are next.
Did a bit of clean-up on the studio. Got sewing machines put back on their shelves. Got spools of thread bagged and boxed (we're talking industrial spools and cones). Got the cutting table cleared off. Got unused fabric bought for the Japanese project folded but not yet boxed.
Sewing machines need to go into the shop. Working on the Japanese definitely made this obvious.
- Singer 4/2 thread serger is chaining the safety stitch fine, but dropping the chain on the 2-thread overlock
- Pfaff 332 needs a new spring bail on the tension control; part of the spring snapped off and it's not holding the thread in place
- Elna Supermatic just needs a tune-up
- BabyLock serger definitely needs a tune-up and lubrication. It's starting to stick when it warms up.
- The Kenmore probably could use a tune-up; it hasn't been in to a shop in years.
Need to do a bit more cleaning in the studio and take a few sewing-free days. Japanese is off the schedule for a while, as wizard scrubs for
stmungo are next.Spent money...
Sep. 2nd, 2007 03:04 pmWe went to Eddie's Quilting Bee this morning to check out an Elna Stella TSP they had out of the way on a top shelf.
If you don't know what it is, the Stella TSP is a very high quality very small portable sewing machine (and a beautiful piece of industrial design). It's actually functional enough it would be good as your only sewing machine. I tried it out, it's in very good condition and still includes most of the original accessories (although it needs a snap-on ankle for the two feet under the cover). It's missing the instruction manual, but that's not a grand disaster, it's pretty easy to set up and use. If you need a very small portable machine with stretch stitches and a free arm (albeit a weird flat free-arm), and it'll kick a Singer Featherweight's ass any day.
We just don't need it. We've already got machines that do everything it does, and we've got machines that, while not as small, do pack up nicely. If you need a portable machine to take to events (like, say, Costume College or Costume-con) go buy it. If you get to Eddies before the store moves in two weeks, you'll probably get a really good deal on it.
On the other hand, we also tried out a Baby Lock Embellisher needle-felting machine. The basic technique with it is so dirt-simple it's amazing. It was on sale (like everything in the store), but there weren't any units in stock. New units are coming in Tuesday, so we rang up for one and will be going back Saturday to pick it up. Of course, that now introduces a whole new set of materials we've got to start stocking...
If you don't know what it is, the Stella TSP is a very high quality very small portable sewing machine (and a beautiful piece of industrial design). It's actually functional enough it would be good as your only sewing machine. I tried it out, it's in very good condition and still includes most of the original accessories (although it needs a snap-on ankle for the two feet under the cover). It's missing the instruction manual, but that's not a grand disaster, it's pretty easy to set up and use. If you need a very small portable machine with stretch stitches and a free arm (albeit a weird flat free-arm), and it'll kick a Singer Featherweight's ass any day.
We just don't need it. We've already got machines that do everything it does, and we've got machines that, while not as small, do pack up nicely. If you need a portable machine to take to events (like, say, Costume College or Costume-con) go buy it. If you get to Eddies before the store moves in two weeks, you'll probably get a really good deal on it.
On the other hand, we also tried out a Baby Lock Embellisher needle-felting machine. The basic technique with it is so dirt-simple it's amazing. It was on sale (like everything in the store), but there weren't any units in stock. New units are coming in Tuesday, so we rang up for one and will be going back Saturday to pick it up. Of course, that now introduces a whole new set of materials we've got to start stocking...
Back from PEERS...
Sep. 2nd, 2007 12:50 amIt was a somewhat smaller event than the last one we went to.
Clothing was finished. Remarkably comfortable in hot weather (well, that shouldn't be a surprise).
And it's official. The directions in Marshall are kludgetacular, but it's also really the only comprehensive source for modern Japanese-style patterns that are designed to scale to sizes other than the standard Japanese kimono pattern size.
Clothing was finished. Remarkably comfortable in hot weather (well, that shouldn't be a surprise).
And it's official. The directions in Marshall are kludgetacular, but it's also really the only comprehensive source for modern Japanese-style patterns that are designed to scale to sizes other than the standard Japanese kimono pattern size.
Yukata is done...
Sep. 1st, 2007 12:55 pm...and the hakama are pressed for hemming. K is working on his yukata. This stuff is going to get done in time for PEERS. Wow.
The yukata is mostly put together. It just needs a collar. K should be able to knock his out quickly tomorrow. His hakama are hemmed, I still need to do mine.
The Marshall "Make your own Japanese Clothing" book is a bit of a mess. Sure, everything is there, but it's a pain to make sense of the instructions.
The Marshall "Make your own Japanese Clothing" book is a bit of a mess. Sure, everything is there, but it's a pain to make sense of the instructions.
