Last night, I hemmed 180″ or so inches of velveteen overskirt. By hand. And stabbed myself in the thumb about two feet from the end. Where’s my Purple Heart medal now? Guess there’s the blood to add to all the sweat and tears that have gone into this costume. I also finally sewed skirt hooks
My carpool driver is on vacation this week. I got a ride to work yesterday, but I had to take the bus to work today. I decided to make the best of it and sew during the hour-long trek. Even though I don’t have coffee until I get to the office. Quelle horror! Wasn’t too
I never tire of dumb jokes. But I do tire of hand-sewing. Yes, “hand” is a four-letter word to me. So I’m taking a break before I dive into hemming the overskirt, which is now pinned up and ready to go. My back is already killing me from hemming the front of the forepart by
I tried semi-valiantly to get some sewing done this week. Did get all the ribbon ties on the sleeves, and tonight I assembled the base skirt for the forepart. Unfortunately, it’s a smidge short and the best way to hem it would be to add a facing or bias strip. I don’t have the time
Ta-da! Mom beaded one sleeve, I beaded the other. We are certifiably nuts. She, even more so, because she’s also beading the forepart. And I married into nutjobs because my stepmom-in-law helped bead the forepart and called today to say she could come back this week and bead more. Wow. I am the luckiest (and
12 noon to 8pm — beading! Me, Mom, and Deb. We finished both sleeves and about half of the forepart. Mom took the forepart home to finish herself, and she also took the trim home to pearl, if she has time. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow, I’ll assemble the inner sleeves and hopefully get to all the fastenings.
You know why I keep posting about all my piddling little bits of progress on my costumes? Because, as the World’s Slowest Sewer, each and every stitch sewn feels like a huge hurdle crossed to me, and recording it gives me a sense of satisfaction and also hope that I can do more. I can’t
I’ve finally been beading. Watching an awful Sharks game is apparently more conducive to beading than watching an engrossing Bronte adaption. Doesn’t look like much, does it? Well, it isn’t. I suspect Mom has gotten farther along on her sleeve, even though she started later than me. And hers will look much tidier, of course.
So here I am last night, prepping the top edge of the skirt for cartridge-pleating. I’m using a strip of gingham because (a) I have a boat-load leftover from a previous cartridge-pleated skirt, (b) it makes for super-fast and easy marking, that is, no marking needed, just count off the squares, which is simpler when
Didn’t bead a stitch, though I did sew the skirt panels together and measure the waistband in preparation for cartridge-pleating calculations (as if I actually calculate that, hah! I’ll just wing it like I always do).
Two hours to bead five rows on this one sleeve. 20 rows total on this one sleeve (and I started at the wrist, so I’ve only done the short rows; haven’t gotten to the widest rows yet). Two sleeves total. I don’t do math, but let’s just calculate that at 18 gazillion hours to finish
I’m having a rather “what would Kendra do?” time with this costume as I realize I really have to just suck it up and do a boatload of hand-sewing. Especially on these sleeves. There are just so many bits that are too fiddly for the machine, either they plain won’t fit because they’re too thick
I did it! I finished my farthingale, despite having a nasty chest cold (*hack cough sputter*). It’s black and pink to match my black and pink renaissance corset. Screw accuracy, I want pretty undies 
Now I need a good lie-down. Whew.
This time, I sewed up the side seam and sliced a big ol’ chunk out of the front (after drawing various lines to see what worked, of course). I like it. I think it’s a fair resemblance to the actual Knollys sleeve. Y’know, if you get past the wimpy muslin ;-). I transferred the muslin
I’m thinking I can get one more thing done before the end of NaCoFiMo, but I need a bigger pair of wire cutters. Did more work on my farthingale, to the point of putting the wire cord in, but couldn’t snip it because my snippers are too weak for the big ol’ honkin’ wire I