Blue-Eyed Squid

Here's one from a couple of months ago which I hadn't posted.

During the time my bathroom was being given the workover, I was often "trapped" in the house on Saturdays. Sometimes it was an effort to find things to keep me busy... and it shouldn't come as a surprise that often that meant just finding something to make.

On one such Saturday I occupied myself improvising this squid for a friend who was one his way out of town for a couple weeks (although I doubt the squidlet went with him :( ). It's a lil bit Grimpoteuthis (dumbo octopus) and a lil bit Vampyroteuthis infernalis (vampire squid from hell). I can think of fewer combinations which would remind someone of me.

It's in a fleece with a strange print -- all those different patterns are all printed on the fleece, it's not pieced together. The printed buttons look to me like false eye spots -- you know, to fool predators. Its real eyes are stacked buttons in blue (like his).

Here's one for the people who know me.

Dorion by Bruce Beasley
Originally uploaded by Kaldoon

I discovered this photo today by Kaldoon on Flickr. It's beautiful, and the filter/effects used make it very unreal/otherworldly -- but it is, in fact, a real sculpture in a real place.

Not only is the piece quite interesting and the picture itself stunning, but those who know me will understand, in particular, why I found it so moving. (And it's not just because of the resemblance to a Klingon battle cruiser.)

Some fun facts about tractor ownership!

Did you know that it costs the same to replace the transmission in a 2006 Craftsman lawn tractor as it does to buy a new Craftsman lawn tractor? (For scale: Craftsman tractor $= Macintosh laptop $= computerized sewing machine $= week for four at Disneyland...)

Did you know that it costs approximately 3 times as much to have the oil changed in a 2006 Craftsman tractor as it does for a 2006 Honda Civic?

Both of these things -- and more! -- are upcoming, as my tractor is seriously illin'. I'm not complaining exactly. I love my Lawn Stud and am committed to keeping him spry. I'm just mildly surprised.

I've also been lately contemplating the possibility that I've inherited my mother's anti-magnetism.* She's one of those mythical creatures who can't seem to wear a watch without it dying within a day. I've never had adversarial relationships with technology -- quite the opposite -- but the past few years I've noticed something interesting.

My new 2004 RX-8? Failed dead on the road 4 times two years of ownership.

My new 2006 Civic which replaced it? Overnight in the shop several times, including a completely dead 2-year-old battery, and replacement of both front struts within the first year.

And let's talk iPhone. I got mine in October of 2007. Well, I got my first one in October. I'm on my fourth one now. #1: DOA, #2: Speaker failure, #3: Case separation, #4: Starting to act fishy.

These problems have always been quickly and warranty-edly handled by their manufacturers, dog love 'em, but it makes one wonder: Am I technically accursed?

No, it can't be. My dear Nigel has served me faithfully with very few problems (which I could not fix myself) for 5+ years now.

Oh crap. Quick, give me something wooden -- and without a battery -- to knock on!

*This may also explain the oft-puzzling nature of my interpersonal relationships.

Bat Glass

Bored, burned out and generally disgusted, "making" is such a part of my routine that if I go too long without, it just makes me feel worse. When I can't get my shit together to do much of anything else, sometimes the best thing to do is something quick and easy, just to get my hands involved.

Acid glass etching is very satisfying. Out of my cheap set of wine glasses, I wanted to set one apart as mine. So now I have a bat glass.

Why make a batik surgical mask?

Because.

I'd show the pleated details, but it's much more interesting in context.

The return of Spring.

The return of mild weather means the return of outdoor photos and the return of the Saturday Dress.

Oh this one was a treat to try to photograph. Have you gone crosseyed?

I've never worked with gingham before -- and maybe someone can tell me the proper name for this fabric with the little poufs of thread ends dispersed regularly throughout -- but I'm a sucker for patterns and this one was calling my name loud and clear from the clearance rack. It's light and flowy and in a dark enough navy to pass for black.

This was Friday after work. I had Saturday evening plans (which may or may not have involved a mechanical bull), so I picked up a couple of yards, surprising myself that I managed to start planning a whole 12+ hours in advance. Time to wash, dry and even iron the fabric before getting started Saturday early afternoon. (There is no such thing as Saturday morning at House of SFLAG.)

Sewing has made me a fan of dresses like nothing else could. I chose a pattern I already had, Butterick 5030 (view C), a pretty little number in a shape I think flatters me. I didn't realize initially that it's a wrap dress, but that's a good thing. Gives me a little flexibility in the chest region. I love the fluttery sleeves and the gathers across the front shoulders.

I'd say I got started around noon and finished the whole thing sometime before 9. It's a very simple dress, but as I've said before, I'm not the fastest stitcher. I don't rush myself, so there are a lot of breaks, a lot of screwing around, some singing and dancing, 50-90 emails, glass after glass of iced tea (leading to glass after glass of wine, typically). But get this: I did no modifications. What's wrong with me? I made the dress just like I was supposed to, according to the directions. (Except the lower hem. I skipped encasing the top edge and just folded it up and sewed. But look! No bias tape!) So I don't really have much else to say about it.

I did wear it with the red belt shown in the photo, along with black footless tights and metallic silver ballet flats. After a night that turned out to be, blissfully, a lot longer than I expected, both the dress and I survived.

Christopher Hitchens

Just in case there is anyone left whom I didn't tell... I met Christopher Hitchens last week.

He debated his brother, Peter, at the Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids (and what a place that is). At the book signing after the event, Christopher was fairly intrigued by my name (which I'd written on a Post-it so he could personalize God is Not Great with the correct spelling) and gave me his best doe-eyes while the stranger in line behind me snapped this photo for me. (Actually, this picture was taken after the one where Hitchens is kissing my cheek. Ahem.)

Honestly, I could go on and on about the event, but I'm betting that most of the good people who read this blog wouldn't really care to hear it. (Although there is a post in the offing about the custom iron-ons I made for the shirt I am wearing in this photograph. A little more this blog's speed.) Unless you DO care to hear it, in which case email me, and I'll prattle happily.

Or, if you prefer, you can watch the simulcast of the event on Youtube, without my uneducated commentary.

Hmm. I'm considering whether I need to retouch this photo a little. I look quite red in it, but I think I actually WAS quite red in that moment. Christopher Hitchens had just kissed me after all.

New website things!

I've been putzing around with Google's features/tools -- several of which I use daily -- and have decided to integrate a couple of things into SFLAG. The one or two people who read this may or may not have noticed a couple of new things in the RH navigation pane: First, hopefully, you've discovered that I have my own domain now (and yes I am master of same). Beyond that, the newest additions are "Things Happening" which takes you to my (public) calendars and, lower down, my "Things from the Aggregator" which are items I've flagged for sharing from my RSS feeds.

That's it. Just working on my nerd cred and doing my best to make shefightslikeagirl.com your one-stop SFLAG shop.

Infamous Light Shade

Infamous Light Shade

This is one of the photos from the auction, by the way. If anyone has a 24" version of this pattern lying around, I can take it off your hands for you. As long as you PACK IT properly and ship UPS.

Screw FedEx

This is completely off the topic of most of my posts here, but I gotta get this off my chest (and into the public).

I've been in the unfortunate throes of a small bath remodel which has become a monster. After many problems and disappointments, one thing I splurged on was a pair of vintage channel glass light fixtures which I found as new old stock on ebay. They are big and beautiful and in a great color for my (overwhelmingly) green new bath, and there were TWO of them, which was significant. I was so enthusiastic (for once) that I went the Buy It Now route and paid the full asking price, because I wanted to make sure I got the pair.

After about a week and a half, I was delivered a big box of shattered glass. I was heartbroken. I had already been convinced that this project was cursed, and this certainly didn't help. My only comfort was that the shipper had insured the package for the full amount. Because of this, I went ahead and had my contractor move the electrical boxes from their over-the-mirror position to the lower side spots appropriate for the new fixtures. Because I knew this was going to be resolved. It was INSURED after all.

I called FedEx to put my claim in motion. The recipient of the package can't make the claim. It doesn't matter that I'm the one who paid for the broken item. Or that I received it. The only thing they could do for me was allow me to make an appointment for FedEx to come and pick up the box of shattered glass to confirm that it was, indeed, a box of shattered glass. Which they picked up, inspected, confirmed and REDELIVERED to me.

The seller is being uncooperative. He is now not answering the phone. The insurance on the package apparently makes no difference, except that the SELLER can make a claim against it and get my money twice, I guess. FedEx is doing nothing on the claim. As far as they are concerned, it's "closed" since the seller/shipper is not responding to their requests for contact.

Long story short (too late!) I will never voluntarily use FedEx. Not that I did THIS time either, and not that I can say that UPS would behave any differently.

Oh also? Ebay and PayPal have been equally useless. Ebay's dispute policy is apparently to send a finger-shaking email to the seller exhorting him to get in touch with me. PayPal? They give you 45 days to file a dispute, and when you do, they say "make sure you give it enough time!" Not only did I do that, I gave him additional time because, in the early days of this dispute, he claimed to be looking in his stock for another glass shade, which he was going to send as a replacement. (What he did send me was another box of shattered glass -- of the wrong size -- which I received last week. How stupid of me not to jump to the immediate conclusion and call out the dogs IMMEDIATELY.) It has now been 55 days since I paid.

Now it escalates to my credit card company. Two years ago when my wallet was stolen, Chase handled it like professionals. We'll see what they do with this. (I'd have called THEM today, too, but, uh, my wallet is in my other jacket. Seriously. And yes, Jim, I'll have that $6 tomorrow, I promise.)

And then the tentacles come.

Sometimes everything just seems to be going wrong.

And then you make a squid. :)

Then you take a kind of terrible picture of it on your poor cat, vow you'll take a better picture of it tomorrow, accidentally blow the levels out in Photoshop, decide it looks kind of cool, then post it anyway.

Yay squid!

In case you're wondering, the body is giant-inspired, but the fins are more Humboldt. I also realize that the eyes should be oriented 90° around the collar, but I like it this way, so thanks for not mentioning it.

The Hood

If there's any question why I (still) live in Michigan, this should provide at least part of the answer.

This is literally my neighborhood.

ETA: Not that I'm all that fucking thrilled about it either.

Caution! Wild Animals!

This is a project I am very proud of, even if it did take me months to complete. Granted, several of those months involved the shirt being forgotten under a pile of other projects...

Some time ago, I bought this pattern, Butterick 4188. As much as I like it, for some reason, I decided to modify the front. (Something to do with a genetic inability to do things the way instructed.) I scanned the tissue pieces and voodooed the front panels in Adobe Illustrator to allow the insertion of -- you guessed it -- a zipper. I found a very nice dark teal woven (which the cutter at Joann suggested be my "signature" color because apparently it goes well with my coloring) and, uh, some King Kong flannel in the children's department. Oh who am I kidding? It all started with the King Kong flannel.

I cut all the pieces out and then somehow they wound up under my "mend" pile. I think I was afraid to build it, actually, because of the huge modification. But then the Dirty Show was coming up and, as usual, I decided the two rooms full of clothing I already had simply were not good enough. With that mend pile as high as it was, I dug through it to see if there was something I could finish rather than starting something new. That's when I refound the shirt.

As usual, the coloring in the photo doesn't do the piece justice. The zipper is a pale lavender and that lettering is a nice bright orange.

After a couple of dedicated evenings, it all came together. And amazingly, it fit. But the resolution brought with it another question: What exactly does one wear with a teal King Kong detailed shirt? Why, a teal King Kong detailed skirt, naturally.

This one was a lot easier to figure. I started with Simplicity 5914, a simple gored skirt, and decided to insert Kong-patterned piping to pull it together. Of course, I've never made piping, but part of the pleasure of sewing, to me, is building the skillset. I know that I could sew for the rest of my natural life and never reach the limits of the techniques other people have mastered for centuries. But I love the learning, so wherever plausible, I like to add to my repertoire.

Turns out, piping is pretty easy. In fact, I see a lot more piping in my future.

I wore the outfit to the Dirty Show with a pair of tights which were a slightly lighter shade of teal and black ankle boots with bows. (I almost wore dark red patent leather heels for the contrast, but was talked out of it at the last minute.) This time I think the testimony to the success of the outfit is the fact that very few people mentioned it. I makes me a little paranoid when people immediately ask me "oh did you make that?" Why, does it look like some hack stitcher sewed it?? This time around the couple of comments I did get were about how cute the Kong detail fabric was. So I was happy. Naturally, today's pictures are after I've worn it, so it looks a little wonky on the dummy because of the creases and whatnot, blahblah excusescakes.

Sally and Syd

Over at craftster, stitcher Aixbelle tells the story of two cute little monsters, Syd Delicious and his friend Sally. Syd was on his way to his new home in Seattle, when they stopped to take some family photos by Puget Sound.

That's when the seemingly unthinkable happened.

A rogue wind rose up and swept the two friends out into the Sound. At least, that's how it appeared. We all prefer -- and choose -- to believe that Syd and Sally simply had too many adventures left in them to settle down, and so broke free to make good their escape. Syd even looks to be hopping away in that last photo.

Their story inspired from me The Ballad of Sally and Syd.

Sally and Syd were loverly beasts,
The first ones invited to all the best feasts.

Syd's big red heart could hold the whole world,
And Sally's droll little mouth was oft wrly curled.

To their friends they were lavish -- and none was a stranger.
They set out to teach us that not all "monsters" mean danger.

"There is too much to see for us to stay in one place,"
Sally whispered to Syd (whose ears dwarfed his face).

He silently nodded and -- quick! -- looked around,
And when no one was looking, they jumped into the Sound.
Yes hand in stripey hand, they splashed into the Sound.

Custom Leather Gratification

Here's another example of a project I may not have posted at all because it was so simple, but I like how it turned out. Not so much with the pictures because the colors are all wrong, but the theme of this post is instant gratification, so I'm not going to fuss with it. (The leather is a nice warm greige and the stitching is bright orange. For the record.)

Recently, a coworker gave me a 15 gallon bag full of leather scraps. These "scraps" ranged from credit card size to almost a half-hide, so I was thrilled to get 'em, even though I'd never really worked with leather before. I've wanted to, I just... didn't really know how. Or what.

This past Saturday, I was loading up my pockets on my way to check out some architectural salvage (does anyone have a pedestal sink they want to move?). For some reason, this time, it made me a little nervous to stuff my iPhone in my jacket pocket with my wallet, even though I'd done it a hundred times before. (Wait, have I even had the thing a hundred days yet? I don't think I have. License!) So I decided to look around real quick for something to use as a case. If all else failed, I figured I could whip up a small pouch out of some spare quilter's cotton, or whatever was around. What happened to be most around was that bag of scrap leather, sitting under my cutting table.

I'm pretty sure it was the first piece I pulled out which happened to be a long rectangle, just a little wider than the iPhone and about 2.5 times as long. I slapped it on the table, laid the phone down and wondered, okay now what? Stitch up those edges, okay, I suppose that would be fine, just kinda seems like a waste... If I could just get the leather to kinda... mould to the phone. That would be way cooler. I tucked the leather around it a little and gave a thought about whether I'd have to get the leather wet for it to shape that way, although it seemed to be perfect as long as I was holding it. Maybe that was the answer. If I could hold it in place...

I brought it over to the mechanostitcher which was already threaded with bright orange (why?), installed one of the leather needles I just happened to have on hand and snapped on the zipper foot. Holding the edges with the iPhone still wrapped, I straight-stitched tightly up one side and then the other. Then I trimmed the edges where the bottom layer was now extending beyond the top layer. I was going to trim it all the way up the flap, but then I looked at those punched holes -- which were already in the rectangular scrap -- and thought the trimmed edges could actually come in handy.

So, five minutes from concept to completion, and back into the pocket. I didn't find a sink, but at least I have a custom leather case now. And I know Nigel can handle it.

Craftster's Best of 2007

File this under "self-promotion" or "easy to make happy," your choice.

The venerable craftster.org this week posted their Best of 2007 list. And what do you know, my skulls and roses dress made the list.

It's one (really awesome) thing to actually get complimented on a project while walking down a street in Toronto. It's entirely another to have it noticed and singled out by people who actually know what they're looking at.

Mephistuffoles Presides Over Beanie Hell

If you have extreme Beanie Baby sensitivities or tend to over-anthropomorphize the inanimate, you may want to look away. However, if you're only mildly sick in the head, you may find this as funny as I did.

I almost never dress up for Halloween because if I were to do a costume the way I want to do it, I would be way overdressed for any occasion I might be invited to. Then I'd either feel like an idiot or like a superior jackass. Either way.

This year, though, I decided to work the pun-as-costume angle, and also managed to work in something I've been wanting to do for years.

I admit, I had done the top a while ago. I was in a second hand store one day and came across this really hilarious devil Valentine plushie, complete with fuzzy red hair and a nice big red flaming heart on his chest. I walked around with that thing for minutes thinking, "What on earth would I do with a stuffed devil?" But I couldn't put it down. So I devised a plan.

He became bisected vertically and hand-stitched to a store-bought black top, with a little bit of padding for his body and keeping his arms and legs free. His giant feet flop around when I move, and grabbing his hands is rather irresistible, if in dangerous territory. ("Watch it, buddy.")

For this year's costume, I decided to take the concept one step further -- well, actually, about 10 steps, as that is how many teeny beanies gave their lives for the project.

Let me tell you, those things are sewn together like crazy. To represent the tortured beanie souls, I picked each one apart, bear-rug style, removed the guts, and hand-stitched them all over a store-bought black skirt. I used red embroidery floss and intentionally made the stitches rather ragged, in an Ed Gein inspired way. And you know, it took me twice as long to sew sloppily as it would have to sew evenly. Damned OCD.

Below that whole mess I wore flame-printed tights and some nice Cenobite buckled boots and became... Mephistuffoles and the pits of Beanie Hell.

No, no one really got it. Even the ones I explained it to. Genius is so rarely appreciated in its own time.

A Tale of Two Footies

Get ready, it's sewing geek time!

I like narrow hems. I hate sewing narrow hems. I like bias tape. I hate basting/sewing bias tape. Specialty foots* to the rescue!

I have a Husqvarna Lily 550, a beauty little quilting machine I've mentioned before, officially named Nigel. ("We're only making plans for Nigel. We only want what's best for him." He likes being sung to.) Being the schmancy machine that it is, I knew there would have to be some awesome life-affirming options available to spare me the infernal drudgery. The company website confirmed this. And ebay informed me that a Husqvarna-approved narrow rolled-foot hem could be had for the low low price of... glurk $25! Plus shipping!

Upon learning this, I did what I usually do -- put it off and continued to suffer. And suffer. And suffer some more. Then, while making the foresty party dress, I was stricken with the dread realization that not only did I have all those hems to roll, but I was going to apply bias tape to the neck edge as well. Oh the tedium. But wait! This is an opportunity for research!

Nigel is the only sewing machine I've ever owned, and it seemed perfectly reasonable to me that each manufacturer would have proprietary foots. Turns out... not the case. There are essentially four different attachment methods and basically any machine since 1980 uses the same snap-on method. Well, that's good news! It means that someone else probably makes the foot I want for a less twitch-making cost (especially since I ultimately wanted two). Enter Ultimate Sew and Vac!

Turns out I could get a 6mm rolled hem foot and the adjustable bias tape foot of my dreams for $25 total. With shipping! I ordered them right away (too late for that dress, of course).

They arrived today and I was so excited. And such a dork. I wanted to try the rolled hem first and huzzah it snapped right into the ankle, just as I expected it to. I grabbed a scrap for a quick test and klonk the machine stuttered, startling me. The heck? It's not complicated, and the foot is on... I turned the wheel by hand and discovered that the needle was colliding with my sweet new foot. Dammit dammit dammit! I snapped on the bias tape foot and... that one, too! What the hell! Okay, so, do I send them back or try to sell them on ebay or maybe someone I know wants -- no, wait. Eh, what have I got to lose? I grabbed a small file and went to town.

It actually seemed like a long shot because those little footsies are surprisingly heavy and the metal seems pretty hard. But "Project Runway" was on, so I wasn't going anywhere for the next hour anyway. After a few moments I noticed the shavings and knew I was on my way. Had to move quite a bit of metal, but eventually, clean, snap, test... success!

6mm rolled hem is going to be great for most medium weight purposes. Which, for me, means pretty much all the time. I also tested the adjustable bias tape foot with the skinny and the wide purchased tape and it worked great with both (after the filing, of course). This, I believe, is a foot that is going to get much usage.

Oh geez. I just realized I now have 13 machine foots. Granted, about 8 of those came with the machine, but... I have a sickness, verily.

*We can have the discussion later whether the plural of foot in this context is foots or feet. Actually, no, let's not -- "foots" amuses me, end of discussion!

Holiday Dress

As usual, something possessed me to make a dress for a party about 2 days before the event. Joann was having one of their 99¢ pattern sales, and I am not allowing myself to buy more fabric until I have scoured through all the stash, so the net out of pocket was 99¢.

I wanted something tropical, for some reason, so was happy to find some vintage printed cotton in the stash. I would guess it's from the late 60s or early 70s, but I can't say for sure since I bought it resale some time ago. It also has a strange stain-resistant coating, according to what was printed on the selvage, which sometimes made it slightly slippery while sewing.

The print is so gloriously busy that it's difficult to see all the details, and there are some good ones. It started off as Butterick 5132, where you can see the big tucks across the front and the gathers on the shoulders. Of course, I made a lot of adjustments to it (because why would I ever do something the way it's supposed to be done?), beginning with that infernal rear zipper. As a single woman living alone, I vowed to never again voluntarily install a back zipper if there is any way I can avoid it. (No more rear zippers! Ever!) I thought about going with a side zip, but ultimately decided to do an invisible zipper down the front, with mixed results. I had already intended to wear a big orange flower on the dress (I know, what a seemingly random thing to plan ahead of time) and it's a good thing because there is a big of an awkward gap there. Plus, of course, I used bias tape to edge the neck opening rather than the facing as designed. Part of that was laziness, part of it is my abiding love for bias tape.

I also had to open the arm openings an additional 2", which seems quite a large amount to need to add. Otherwise the sleeves were too tight on my upper arms. I considered skipping the shoulder gathers and just letting the self-sleeves come down a little longer, but when I did a test with the elastic on the shoulders I decided that I really liked it better with the gathers.

If the ties are cinched too tightly in the front, it makes for some kind of sticky-outy action on the hips from the fabric folding over toward the front. Not a big deal, but an interesting complication.

If I were to make this dress again -- and I'd consider it, although I have 5439393 other dress patterns on deck -- I think I'd want to go with a somewhat softer fabric, perhaps a jersey. And I'd recut those damned arm holes before building it.

As it is, it's definitely wearable. I wore it to a friend's holiday party, as planned, but with slim black slacks and a black zip-front sweater. I know, I made a point of making it out of a tropical fabric and then heavied it up with the black, but you'll just have to trust me that it actually looked pretty good that way. I can certainly imagine wearing it this summer without the extra stuff, or hmm maybe with some light green capri-length leggings. Well, there's another project for the list...

The things that I find in my yard...

I honestly would never have guessed we have these things in Michigan. But one day, there it was. Hanging from a branch next to my driveway. Scaring the crap out of me. I had to mow around it for months.

I should have photographed it before I cut it down, but the truth is, I was so excited when I was at the end of the driveway and I realized that the nasty vicious hornets (or whatever they were) were gone that I scurried straight over to the garage for the nippers and cut the damned thing down. The entryway wound up collapsing -- it hit the ground and crushed, revealing some fantastic details in the layering and... stuff inside. It'll get dissected before too long, but for now it's just so darned pretty, the whole thing is sitting on the bench on my porch.

And here's your scale to fully appreciate the ginormity.

Update: After a little bit of research, I'm quite convinced that this was the hive of the baldfaced hornet. Now I'm not normally bothered by bugs, flying or otherwise, but I instinctively stayed far away from these buggers. After reading that page, I'm glad I did. "Run like hell" indeed.

Detroit at 52 mph

I finally got a new phone.

The ear speaker (as opposed to the speakerphone) had broken on my dear old Sidekick II a while ago (like, months), and I never seemed to know where my earpiece was, so I stopped using it as a phone. Then the email server stopped cooperating with Hotmail. Then I was sporadically not getting text messages.

I continued to stubbornly hold off replacing the handset until T-Mobile released the new Sidekick LX, which was slated for the end of October. That would answer all my problems! Right? Well. The day the hardware was released, I called T-Mobile -- with whom I had been out of contract for something like two years -- and told them I'd been waiting for three months to get this new phone, remaining loyal to T-Mo the whole time, no matter what everyone said about them and their smelly service.

"I have a corporate discount. I'm willing to sign a 2 year contract. I've been a customer of yours for three years. What's the best price you can give me on the new Sidekick?"

"$299.99."

"That's insane. I can actually get an iPhone for $300.* And ATT's service plan costs about the same as yours." (*I have a friend.)

"Well, I can understand why you'd want to get an iPhone then."

So not only did I finally get a new phone, I got a Jesusphone. I resisted. I really did. It's all T-Mobile's fault.

It takes pretty good pictures, though.

Another happy swap!

Over at craftster, a painting caught my eye. (Yes, people post actual art there, too.) I emailed the artist to ask her if it was for sale. I was disappointed to find that the painting was already spoken for, but thrilled to hear that she generally just paints for friends or trades. I sent her to my Flickr stream to take a look at some stuff I've made to see if maybe we could work something out. She liked my Bride of Frankenstein bag, so we agreed I'd make her a sorta steroided-up version.

It's difficult to photograph, but here are the pictures. The printed fabric is encased in vinyl for durability and the piece features some interior and exterior embroidery and a stolen (shhhh) wrist strap. I also made a wallet, with nothing stolen.

In exchange, Brenna made me this fantastic Frankensquid. Obviously she and I are fans of the same colors as her bag and my painting look like they came from the same palette. This is the picture she sent me before I received the painting. It went up on my wall about 15 minutes after I unpacked it, but I haven't taken a picture yet. Really I need to hang it a bit higher -- my art usually goes low-ish, but this one really wants to be higher.

Couldn't be happier with this swap. Makes me want to do more ASAP!

Saturday at Home

A typical Saturday:

Wake up around 10am, but refuse to get out of bed until around 11.

Roll out, drink a glass of water, check email, eat something really shitty for lunch. Think, hmmmm, what am I going to do today? Nothing? Yeah, nothing sounds about right. Until later. Wanna go out later. Go see some music. What am I going to wear... Ugh, this again. Hm, maybe I should make something. Haha, yeah right, make something when you've got no projects started, no ideas, and you want to wear it tonight. Lunatic.

Become unable to give up the idea of making something, obsess slightly, and start thumbing through the pattern database. Find something that flips a switch and makes me remember the big pile of supercool Japanese slinky (technical term) that's been in my stash for years. Make this deal with myself: You can only make this project if it involves zero purchases and you can finish it today without rushing and cutting corners.

Put on some random basic cable marathon, make a big pitcher of iced tea, and start laying out pattern pieces.

Four and a half hours later, stretch out all the back and shoulder aches, and be a little amazed that the dress turned out so well. Shower, dress, fail at taking a self-portrait in new dress, head downtown.

Shrink Plastic

Yes, shrink plastic, aka Shrinky Dinks. This is not trademark Dink, if I recall, but it's all the same stuff.

I had an idea for a larger swallow pendant in bright red. So I got it all colored and cut out and chucked in the oven. As I watched the magic happen, some extra magic got thrown in -- the bird was not shrinking and flattening as predicted. The horror! As I watched the thin pointy tail curl up and start to stick, I thought ruined! Then I rethought, no wait, it actually looks pretty cool. Yoinked it out and let it cool. Turns out I was right, it IS cool.

I strung it up on some relatively fine silver chain, gave it a star (which is closer in color than it looks in the photo) and called it done. I actually like it quite a lot.

For the record, when shrink plastic curls or does not flatten, it's actually not ruined at all. It can be reheated and pulled apart with a toothpick, and if it is not flat (and you want it to be), you should press it under an oven mitt immediately upon removing it from the oven. No big deal, in reality.

Critter Wednesday

If turtle has shown up, you may need to ask yourself some questions. Are you not seeing what you should? Are you not hearing what you should? Are you or those around you not using discrimination?

Walking down the path from my home to my car on my way to work this morning, amid the leaves and sticks and recently-dropped berries, a tiny prehistoric shape caught my eye. It wasn't moving, just sitting there on the pavement. It's funny how vividly living things can jump out from general detritus.

I knelt down to take a look and found a perfectly miniaturized version of the giant turtle who had visited me two summers ago.

The details on a turtle are amazing. Although this one is clearly brand new, they always look a million years old. I was worried, at first, because the creek behind my house is a couple hundred feet away -- what was this tiny fella doing all the way on the other side of the house? But, recognizing that he and his fellows had survived millennia without me to carry them down to the creek, I resisted that impulse that all children have when they find a baby bird, and left him to his own. Well, almost. I had to get a good picture of him first.

He had hopped up into the grass and was rather quickly making his way north (the creek is east). I pulled him out just for a second, and was surprised to find his shell slightly soft (not to mention quite dirt-caked). The tiny feet and claws swam through the air, but never withdrew into the shell. His beak already looked sharp and powerful, but he never opened it. I took a couple of quick close-ups -- couldn't resist the tail, medieval-weapon that it is -- and put him back where I found him, where he quickly made good his escape.

Most people would probably like to think of a tiger or a stallion or even a kitten as their totem, but I swear if I had a Patronus, it would probably wind up being a giant snapper.

Open Call: "Cyrano" at Haberman Fabrics

I don't know how many people get to this blog from links at other locations, but this call goes out to anyone in the Detroit area who is interested in sewing or theatre.

Next month, Haberman Fabrics (Royal Oak) is having an interesting-looking event showcasing and discussing the costuming for the Michigan Opera Theater's upcoming premiere presentation of the opera "Cyrano." I don't know much about theatre costuming, by which I mean I know nothing. So, of course, this event is pretty irresistible. (That they are giving away tickets and backstage passes to the performance is a good bonus, because I think this is one I'd like to see.)

So! Anyone want to join me?

Tuesday, September 11, 2007, at 7pm, at Haberman Fabrics in Royal Oak. Advance tickets are $10, or $15 at the door.

Details at http://www.habermanfabrics.com/special_events/cyrano/nose_for_design.htm

Surprise Package

When I came home tonight, there was an unexpected package awaiting me on my doorstep. And for once, it was not:
1. Misdelivered
2. Notice of audit/lawsuit/etc.
3. My stuff being returned from a friend who is going underground.

This time, to my delight, the box contained a new Panasonic DV camcorder with a note of congratulations from the Mountain Dew summer sweepstakes, which I enter maybe 2 or 3 times a week (whenever I drink a diet Mt Dew).

Who's the porn queen now?

Doe and Fawn

I know this view looks familiar, but this is actually a new experience at the house.

Last night I was sitting in the living room watching TV, when once again, some motion in the front yard caught my attention. Initially I just saw the big doe standing there, rather still, not doing much of anything. Since this has become fairly commonplace, I went back to watching TV.

A couple of seconds later, though, I saw the speckled little fawn stroll across my windows. This is why we get this "quick, get the camera!" view looking through my living room and out the front windows. (Yes, that couch really is that orange, by the way.) If you look at the full view of the pic, you can see the little fawn munching on the tree right next to the walkway to my front door, while mama stands in the background, keeping an eye out.

They spent a bit of time around my place, pulling on various leafery. The fawn was almost unbearably cute, but difficult to photograph because he kept moving, and because it was after 8pm, so getting the light was difficult. He would pull some leaves off and then flap his big ears, scratching with a rear hoof, then trot around looking for more of... whatever it was he was looking for.

Eventually, they moved around to the back of the house (with me stalking them from the inside), preparing to move back down the ravine. That was when I noticed the doe's side. I don't know much about deer, but it looks to me like this could be molting. I was much more alarmed when I first saw what looked like scars on her side. I do, after all, have a pack of coyotes living back there, too.

Optical Greeen

Sometimes I take pictures of things after I've worn them. Like I'm either so anxious to wear the thing that I can't spare the 90 seconds to photograph it... or, more likely, I don't trust that it's not going to self-destruct the first time it leaves the house, so I don't want any evidence before it's proven it's mettle. Thence, the wrinkles in the front. This shirt served proudly at a friend's concert Saturday night. And it didn't explode once.

If you view the picture at its full size, you'll see that those are not exactly optical illusions in the print. It's actually a really great stripey, pointy, overlappy three-color (or so) design. I knew it was going to be a shirt, because I like shirts that make people go crosseyed.

This particular sewing pattern -- Butterick 4985 -- has an interesting construction, with the lower bodice being separate. I also like the puffy sleeves. Muttony! My big challenges were doing even gathers (and there are loads of them -- top sleeve, bottom sleeve, under bust...) and installing those button holes. Those are both things I'm not very experienced with. Turns out, not so threatening. I built the matching fabric-covered buttons, too, which I really like.

I admit I'm kind of a spaz for zippers, so I'm definitely thinking about how I'd do another version in a heavier fabric with a zipper in the front. Hmmmmm.

But first, I have to iron this one.

Detroit Urban Craft Fair

Everyone who is in the Detroit area should put this on their calendars for Saturday the 4th. (And if you're going to go, let me know and we can say hello. I'll be the one on the big fat scooter.)

This is their second year, and I'm sure it's going to be a good time. They've been building up to it for months.

And yes, this is a paid announcement. They promised to give me some stuff for posting -- and I'm all for free Detroit crafty gear!

Details at www.detroiturbancraftfair.com