GiRD 4 - ARGH

So i cut out my dress, being very careful to measure it because i thought it would be tight/small according to the measurements i made of myself.  I finally got around to sewing it up today and guess what i discovered? The dress is too big.  The sleeves are the right size but the back and front are too large. Because of that, the dress wants to lay with the neckline too loose and too low, becoming a boatneck of sorts when that's not at all what i'm going for.  I'm also not sure if it's as long as i'd like, which is horrible but there's nothing i can do about that without buying more fabric.  I'm going to see if i can fix it w/o doing that but certainly not tonight.  I am simply too frustrated.  This is why i never sew, nothing turns out the way its meant to. /cry

GitRD 3 - complicated cuts

So Simplicity patterns are finally on sale at work.  It took me a couple of hours, much measuring, and lots of careful adjustments, but i managed to make the Simplicity 1800 pattern's shoulders fit the McCall's 6612 dress body.  The cap of the shoulder is very strange, and i will probably have to figure out a facing/lining for the shoulders and back collar, but otherwise i have cut out the entire dress.  This was rather nerve-wracking, and i really wish i could have found a pattern that was closer to the original product, but i think that i am ready to sew and that it will be a passable replica.  But of course i have work tomorrow and now i need rest.

Oswin/GIRD update

So the shoulders on the McCall's pattern are definitely not the same as what's pictured.  I'm considering on using Simplicity 1800 for the sleeves portion of the neckline.  I'm not decided yet, i would like to wait for it to go on sale for 99c at work but am impatient to sew this dress as soon as possible.  I didn't find an alternative on the McCall's site unfortunately.  Apparently some have had trouble with this pattern. /:  I'm not sure i can get it to look the same (or as good) as the dress that Oswin wore.  I have a wide neck, broad shoulders, and wide bra straps to hide.  I might have to do something out of character and make a muslin mock-up before i cut the red knit (not that muslin will fit the same).  Maybe i have an old pair of knit sheets that would work better.  This is going to be an experiment, no doubt.

the girl in the red dress

I am going to make this dress.

Source: thesun.co.uk via Luinel on Pinterest

At least...a version of it. First of all, i loved Oswald, second of all, i loved her dress (and her apron, but i digress), third of all i think it's close enough to the reboot Star Trek Uhura's costume that it could work for a Doctor Who or Star Trek convention (i really need to go to a convention someday). Of course, i probably couldn't be going as Uhura (makeup, wig, too much work), i would totally be going as Janice Rand instead. xD Or any anonymous yeoman, i suppose.

Source: comicbooked.com via Luinel on Pinterest

Today, at work, I saw the perfect pattern going through my check lane...McCall's 6612. It's on sale for 99c this week and i grabbed the last one in my size as soon as i clocked out. Phew.  View A is cute but a little short for me.  I plan to go with view B...which, oddly enough, isn't pictured on the McCall's website.

Pickings are slim for knit fabrics at work...we have travel knit in black, heather gray, and brown (i keep meaning to make something in those last two colors), and then some prints for the rest of the (thinner) knit fabrics, but we just so happen to already have the Fall and Christmas fabrics out, so i was able to find a really nice darker red fabric. I can't decide if it's more of a maroon or a brick red, but i'm sure it will go great with my Burgundy Boots / Maroon Converse. I'm not even going to try to find her shoes.  Sometimes i love working at a craft store because with a coupon and my employee discount the fabric came to $14.25. I never could have bought a dress for that price, let alone on in my size! So this won't be identical...but i think it will be close enough for people to be able to tell once i've got a belt or communicator on.  As for her apron...

Source: dw-cosplay.livejournal.com via Luinel on Pinterest

I'm not planning to include that in the costume, though i'm sure i could modify a flour sack apron in a pinch.  The fabric is thick enough that i really don't want to be wearing any more bulk if i don't have to, and since i probably won't be baking in this dress, i just am not going to buy the apron. ...  Yet?

Differences...Oswin's dress has a different neck (can't decide if it's asymmetrical or just pulled that way? but it definitely has modified raglan sleeves) and slightly less draped than the McCall's pattern is.  I'm sure i'll fill out the front more than she does and i think that it's close enough to get by with.

making my own hammock - tree huggers

I was too tired last night to stay awake to sew so this morning I an stitching the last part of this vacation's hammock setup.



These tree huggers are modeled after DIY Gear Supply's TreeStraps.  My first strap was 6'4" long and the strap was folded back 6" at each end (they must have given me a couple of extra inches, because i asked for 7' for each strap).  There is about 2 1/2" open at the ends opposed to their 2".

making my own hammock - hammock construction

Pattern

I have been reading Just Jeff's Hiking Page on and off for over a year now.  It was his site that got me interested in sewing my own hammock, actually.  To be extra sure that it will support my weight and in case i ever want to camp somewhere that gets cold at night (not completely unheard of) i have opted to sew the Two Layer Hammock.  Jeff copied Risk's ZHammock.  I did not use a zig-zag stitch, but i did leave the sides open near the ends so i can insert a mat/pad/underquilt if need be.  Risk has some nifty mods to his gear that are food for thought as well, but on this, my first foray into sewing camping gear, i'm going to keep it simple.  I'm not going to start counting ounces but since i am considering trying backpacking someday i do want a lightweight setup, so his mods probably won't be that applicable to me anyway.  But they are shiny.

Construction

The most difficult part of this project was the first seam somehow.  I was delayed even sitting down to start several times and it took me a long time to pin everything into place.  I was hesitant while sewing at first because this fabric is slippery and i had never sewn anything similar before.  Fortunately the dining room table was cleared off and i was able to spread out the fabric to pin it (mostly flat, hanging off the sides and end) otherwise it would have been hopeless.  I did things in a different order than Risk did...i started with the rolled hem at one end (he's got a nifty diagram...i sewed green red red green and omitted blue seams).  I turned it under 1 1/4" twice for a combined 2 1/2" lost at each end.

Then i had to figure out if my machine worked.  It's an old Singer that only sews in a straight line that was once my Grandma's (i'm pretty sure it's one of the machines i learned how to sew on).  Fortunately the manual was still with the case to remind me how to thread it, wind the bobbin, etc., and i was soon able to start with surprisingly good tension.  I sewed once with the folded seam on top once and then again with it turned towards the bottom, trying to sew closer to the edge of the hem the second time.

first rolled hem

It isn't pretty, but it's serviceable.  It turns out that the little machine does still work after all these years!  The rubber belt gets a little warm/stinky when sewing/winding at full speed but i had very few issues compared to my other machine that i received as a present when i graduated from junior high.

ready to tackle the side seam

Next i pinned one of the long sides from end to end and measured out the first side seam.  I gave it the same double-run treatment.  Then i pinned the opposite side and sewed it in the same way.  And lastly i pinned the second rolled hem, which required me to trim some of the red/purple fabric away because it was cut slightly longer than the brown.  It was a lot easier for me to pin this second rolled hem than it had been for me to pin the first.

second rolled hem

stay/top stitched to imperfection

 The last thing i did was turn the entire hammock right side out.  This required me to pull the hammock through itself.  I stay-stitched all of the seams to reinforce them.  Once again, this came out a lot uglier than i would have liked, but considering that this is the first time i have used Rip Stop Nylon it could have been a lot worse.  The entire project took me less than four hours from start to finish.

Unlike Risk, i did not hem the free edges on the sides of the hammock.  This fabric has salvages with a frayed look but i'm pretty sure that it's not actually fraying, that's just how they were left after the fabric was woven.

Suspension Prep

whip it good

This afternoon i whipped the ends of the hammock as outlined by Just Jeff.  I'm happy with my knot but am surprised by how much of the hem is sticking out above the whipping.  It feels like a lot, and definitely looks thicker than the hammock in Jeff's examples (which is because it's double-thick, of course).  Tree huggers are on the menu tonight, and hopefully my first hang will be Tuesday night.

Now i know that i said in my last post that i'm saving ~$60, but this isn't strictly true.  That is $60 is i went with a barebones, less-than-ideal setup.  To buy a similar hammock at REI that apparently doesn't work right with the pad inserted it would cost me $95.  I paid $42 for my hammock materials, an additional savings of $43 were i to buy the hammock that's most similar to what i'm sewing.  So of course if you consider what i would have bought if money were no option...i might have chosen just to buy a Hennessy.  In that case the bug net, tarp, and snakeskins would have been included, but i would be saving even more money by customizing my setup.  This also means that if something wears out i can fix or replace what is broken rather than the entire hammock tent.

still knitting

As usual, i cannot believe that it has been so long since i posted. Since my last post i have finished the Fair Ginny sweater (save for the zipper), finished my Bible cover (well... kinda, it's turned out to be a flop, and i'm not sure what i'm going to do to fix it), crocheted several sample granny squares for Ginny's Hex vest, and worked a bit more on Tangy Giselle. That's about all, at the moment, except for the fact that i bought fabric to sew passport covers, need to work on the Ohm bag, and also want to dye a white shirt my grandma got me at a thrift store, because i'm sure there's no way i would be able to keep it white. School is less than a month away now, and the chances for a new pc and camera are on the horizon as well... my laptop is about to give out and i want to have a new digital camera for the cruise i'm going on in November.

December already?

Another present project down, three to go, and i'm dreaming of knitting my grandma some socks with a new elastic-y cast-on that i saw online. Today i joined Ravelry and archived what knitting needles and crochet hooks i have. i wish i could knit more!

re: messenger bag

i got most of it sewed on Saturday but my machine will not sew the strap on for nothing. i'm going to borrow a family member's machine to put on the finishing touches and then put the two parts together. i didn't really have enough fabric so i'm going to be making pockets on the sides which are great for my water bottles (just the right size) but i hope they look okay. Pics are probably not going to be forthcoming for a while though. ): i've got no-nothing digi camera to use (okay, so sue me, i liked Jar Jar in ep. i).

i am so sorry that i haven't been writing lately! i haven't had the time to knit lately hardly at all. The semester is over next week, hopefully my sewing and knitting will be able to resume then. My goal is to knit everyone's Christmas presents this year!

messenger bag... almost done

Yep, after being unable to find a messenger bag or sling backpack that i was happy with for the new semester i started knitting my own! It's all done now in Lion Brand thick & chunky in Denim and going to be reversible with matching courderoy. I need to sew the lining and then put them together. The project will cost about $40 when all is said and done but it's my own creation.

Other projects that are almost done: my ecru newsboy cap and my coffee brimmed beanie.

Happy Harry Potter Day!

i wore my PoA inspired skirt today (along with a white shirt and marroon tie) and was pleased with the response i got (no one could tell that i sewed the skirt myself). i didn't get my scarf done (i just hit the 3/4's mark), but i worked on it during certain classes (per usual), something which really cracked up my Women's Chorus professor (i was knitting during warmups and "wearing the scarf at the same time"). My next project is going to be to finish the GoF cloak i've been working on, after that i haven't decided.

Harry Potter Day costumes (gasp)

I've got two new projects! I'm sewing two pleated skirts, one for Harry Potter Day, the other possibly for the Harvest Fest at our church the night before. Work on my GoF cloak will resume soon, and i plan to sew one skirt (a charcoal with subtle burgundy stripes that are perfect) to wear with the cloak (to the premiere of GoF as well) and the other is a turquoise and orange polyester plaid that i'm considering wearing to the Harvest Fest clad as Kitty from That '70's Show. Pics will hopefully be forthcoming.

update (finally!)

We've been a bit busy with a new baby in the home. I've finally found the chance to upload some new stuff that i was working on before the birth day event. Dealing with computer problems: more to (hopefully) come soon with pictures.

ETA: This post originally contained links to my webpage, but those pages no long exist as i have moved all meaningful content to this blog or my Ravelry projects.

first post

I've been wanting to write more about my knitting and sewing designs for a couple of years now. It started when i began designing my Hobbit Lass costume shortly after joining the NC Fellowship. After I was done I found that i couldn't stop designing and dreaming up new things to make. It's amazing to me that i moved to Charlotte, NC, in August of 2003, joined the group, attended a viewing of the Two Towers at our fearless leader's home, and i designed and completed a costume before October 31st when the group attended the Renn Faire in Huntersville. This was of course months before attending Trilogy Tuesday in Raleigh--in costume--with a lot of other kindred spirits (thanks so much to King Cardlothien who organized it for us).

Since then i've taken knitting up again and am sewing both projects that have been on the backburner for a couple of years and new ones. The NC Fellowship was a good place for me to become passionate about both or the above because so many of the people there were just as crazy as me (if not crazier) and wanted to have costumes just like i did. I learned a lot there and miss belonging to a group like that.

I have found that i still greatly want to share the entire experience with others. Because my focus has switched to blogging since then it seems natural to me to start sharing my ideas here. I'm all fired up from reading other peoples' knitting blogs and have been inspired by a lot of movies lately (as well as spoiler images for upcoming movies). I think that knitting and sewing will always be a part of my life... i don't know about costuming. It's important to me that, if i sew a costume, i can wear it in real life, too. Parts of my Hobbit lass outfit got a lot of wear for quite a while. If i'm going to make a costume i have to be comfortable wearing it in public or what's the point?

The name for this blog came from a strange but perfectly natural place... My sister and i have had a secret syntax for a long time; it's not that we've made up a language, it's just that we know each other so well and are passionate about so many of the same things that we can talk to each other kind of in code. You wouldn't want to play Taboo with us while we are on the same team (we slaughtered the other team at a New Years party a couple of years ago)! We spent last spring break in Yuma and i quickly got fed up trying to find a single swimsuit that would modestly and attractively fit a young woman who has DD or DDD breasts. I finally said that i'd just have to design my own suit and market it to the public along with a line of clothes and lingerie. That evening we came up with a name for such a store: Big Tracts of Land.

Fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail may understand the reference: at one point in the film a young man is being coerced into marrying a woman with "big tracts of land" by his father. When you see the bride it's obvious that land isn't the only thing she's well endowed with. It was just a joke but i fell in love with the idea. The funny thing is that my sis is pregnant and now having the same trouble finding stuff that fits because of her new size. Now i'm not planning to sell anything here, but i just thought it would still be a good title for showing off the stuff my sister and i have made. Who knows how long this site will last or where it will go, i'm just full of tmi on the subject to comfortably stay quiet.