Costumeology: The Dark Fairy

NOTHING makes me happier than donning a pair of wings (or fangs, or tutu, or pirate garb, etc.) before hitting the streets of LaLaLand to go about my daily routine. Now, under normal circumstances, I would be looked upon as a few eggs short of a dozen if I decided to show up to the cube farm sporting a clown fro. However, October cannot be considered "normal circumstances" so digging the tutu(s) (yes, I have more than one) and wigs out of the back of the closet became priority one a few weeks ago for this is the most spooktacular time of the year!

This particular Halloween season brings three dress-up opportunities for moi and y'all know I'm not about to wear the same costume three times. Mon dieu! So, lets take a looksee at what I've thrown together for one of my upcoming alternate egos, shall we? Without further ado, I present to you my Dark Fairy garb...



Now, every femme fairy needs an ethereal little skirt, don't you agree? Yeah...So, even though I have a plethora of tulle in my closet, I didn't have any tulle related vestments in this keen red and black color combo and no standard pink sparkly fae wardrobe would do for me this Halloween. Nope, I'm looking to personify the classic trickster fae folkette. As such, I worked up this cute little dark netted number last night in the span of hour...And what a satisfying hour it twas too!



These beauties have been adorning the wall of my closet for months! Oh, don't worry, they weren't at all lonely for I have LOTS of wings.

Anyway, are they not spectacular???

You know you want a pair...And you can purchase them here along with many other amazing versions. Her wings are awesome and really well made.

Anyhoo, as I said, these lovelies were sitting in my closet for eons, urging me to marry them off to a sampling of perfect accompaniments. I was obliged to comply. Just look at how amazing my wings look with their tutu comrade...



But wait, there's more!



No self-respecting fae would be caught dead with the ears of a human! Nope, only pointy elfin ears will do this All Hallow's Eve!

Um, am I the only one around who has spirit gum in her cosmetic case year round???

Ahem...Let's move on.



Lastly, I purchased this very cool kit from Sephora to aid me in achieving each of my spooktacular looks this season. Methinks the store should offer these boxes of wonder the rest of the year as well. Come on, you can picture it. Ice Queen makeup for winter. Flower Fairy makeup for Spring. Golden Goddess makeup for summer. It would be amazing right? Yeah, I agree, retailers have no vision.

My Dark Fairy costume just needs a little liquid leather and fishnet to top it off. Then I'm good to go!

Ahhh, Halloween, how I love thee!

Jean-ious

In between my melt-downs (and actually, during them as well) I've been crafting. Can we all give a huge shout out to crafting...my personal savior? Yep, no amount of misery can stem the tide of my creativity. Um...err...or my attempt at creativity as the case may be with this next example of handmade glory...



Oh yes, I made my own jeans.

Now, I'd like to say that the process of making one's own denim pantalones was one that I enjoyed immensely, but then I'd be fibbing. Oh. My. God. Making jeans is hard peeps! Firstly, how many pattern pieces should one really have to deal with in one project? One pair of jeans has like, oh I don't know, a bazillion pieces! Damn the belt loops!

*Ahem*

Okay, so I knew I was in trouble when I began to liberate my pattern pieces from their paper frames. I'd cut out one or two out and think, well, that's got to be all of them. Then I'd look at the stack of folded pattern pile-age in front of me and think, Really??? Pinning all those pieces to the denim and cutting them out was no party either. However, I must admit that cutting out pattern pieces is NOT my favorite part of the sewing process. It's kind of like cleaning toilets or folding a hundred white socks. Boring AND tedious. Yay! Anyway, after three hours of cutting I began what I thought was going to be "the fun part" of making my own jeans.

Okay, if you have jeans on, I want you to strip from the waist down right now.

Yes, I mean it! C'mon, humor me.

Are you nekked? Okay, good. Now, turn your jeans inside out and look at all of the pieces sewn together that create both the front pockets and fly.

Are you feeling my pain?

Fine, you can get dressed now. Thanks for playing.

Needless to say, it took me four three hour classes to sew my denim dynamos together, from controlling the stitch line of the reinforced stitches to putting in the fly to riveting the pockets. I whined the entire time (my version of whistle while you work). Oh, and let's just say that I came to know my seam ripper INTIMATELY.

Now, here's the sick and twisted part of this whole thing...I have a stack of fabric, both denim and corduroy, that I intend to use to make many a pair of future jeans. I must be a glutton for punishment, eh? Or, perhaps, I could turn this process from one of torture to tickled pink (I mean blue) with just two little words: assless chaps. A pair of those would look smashing in ladybug print corduroy and won't have as many pattern pieces to contend with.

I'm a jean-ious.

My First Quilt

I apologize for my silence (again) peeps. I have been unable to write, think, concentrate...my divorce has become (as many divorces do) very contentious. I mean, I haven't even been crocheting or knitting, which is very unusual as you all know. Although, I have not been sitting idle either. Instead, I have been sewing, quilting, spinning and weaving. There is something about those four activities that doesn't require me to sacrifice a huge amount of braincells in order to create, whereas knitting and crocheting, for me, are all about the process of design. Needless to say, I just cannot wrap my brain around any sort of creative puzzle at the moment.

Don't ask me how or why I am currently capable of following quilting directions, but I can and here are the results...



Is it ironic that I just finished a quilt covered with skulls???

I know, I try to avoid being sick and twisted, but I fail time and again. Oh well, that's moi!



Other than the obvious morbidity of this pieced work, I give myself a big pat on the back for making it through the piecing, layering, quilting and binding process with relative ease. As a new quilter I was a bit incredulous that I could actually make one of these fabric masterpieces. I mean, there are lots of pieces and they have to fit together! No small feat, I can assure you. However, I prevailed and I loved the process.



Did you notice the gold quilting thread?

And do you like the Frida backing?

I know, more tortured female artist juju...Definitely a quilt of the moment for me.

Maybe my next quilt should be all about freedom...

Quilting Stats
Pattern: Around the Block
Quilting Instruction: Rebecca McClure/Sewing Arts Center
Machine: Husqvarna Viking Scandinavia 400
Fabric: Alexander Henry
Made For: My Beautiful Daughter

My First Shirt!

Oh yes, I actually cobbled a shirt together with fabric, needle and thread!



For me, this is nothing short of amazing. Okay, it took me five weeks to make this piece of apparel in my weekly sewing class. But hey, I deserve a pat on the back for moving through this at times painful sewing experience nonetheless. However, I figured if I could master a yoke, collar, cuffs, setting in the sleeves and actually lining up my button holes, I'd be that much more the skilled seamstress! Check out the parts...







Not bad, eh? In fact, I am wearing my bee-you-ti-ful bee attire today in the office and not one person has uttered that dreaded question, "So, did you make that?"

Now, we all know this question and what evil lurks behind it. Yeah, what the inquirer really wants to ask is, "Hey, why are you even wearing that thing that looks as if it were cobbled together by a chimp on crack?"

Or, "Were you blindfolded (and on crack) while sewing that garment together?"

Or, "Let me guess, that shirt, is it? Yeah, well, whatever it is...could it have been made as a collaborative project between you and a chimp...um, while blindfolded, your brains addled by copious amounts of, um, crack, perhaps?"

Yeah, not one person has said anything remotely like the above to me today. Because of this, I'm calling this top a win/win. Yep, I learned a few new skills AND I actually made a wearable garment!

So, my top looks relatively store-bought AND the best part, aside from the stuff I mentioned prior that is...it has BUG BUTTONS!



It's all about the details peeps.

Sewing is definitely less scary after the completion of this project. Now stay tuned for my foray into quilting...

Seams Difficult

LittleLinoleum benefited from my new found seamstress abilities (yeah, right) this weekend. I fashioned a pair of PJ pants for her in a festive cupcake print.



Lena was so cute, putting them on immediately upon completion. Thankfully, she didn't see all of my mistakes!

I'm telling you all, sewing continues to be a vast frontier for me. Pattern directions that are seemingly simple upon first inspection always prove to be just a wee bit above my head when the project is underway. Peeps, I struggle with even the most simple of sewing processes (i.e., buttonholes are never in a straight line, turning corners inside out gives me a run for my money and let's not even talk about sewing evenly around zippers). My fellow tailors and seamstresses, will this ever change or am I destined for perpetual sewing reform school?

I sure hope I can overcome my sewing issues because I recently invested in one of these...

Sew Cool!

So, sewing. Yep, I've been taking lessons at the Sewing Arts Center in order to round out my fiber and fabric skills. Sewing is basically the final frontier for me with regard to all things fuzzy and soft. I've got the crocheting, knitting, weaving, spinning, embroidery stuff down for the most part. So, it was a logical next step to begin tackling my fear of sewing head-on.

Oh yes, I did say fear.

You see my peeps, I am a fudger of fiber. Oh I know it looks as though my works are technically sound, and for the most part, this is true, BUT (and this is a big but), I tend to not get too hung up on perfection as I like to finish objects born of my crafty pursuits on a regular basis. Getting caught up in the technical minutiae seems to be my own personal precursor for project abandonment, and I hate having lots of WIPs cluttering my world. I'm kinda big on the whole beginning-middle-end type o' process.

With this said, I believe that the fudge component in sewing to be relatively slim as compared to the other needle arts. I mean, once the fabric is cut there is no going back and mistakes? Yeah well, they become a bit of a challenge to hide. If you are sensing that I suffer from a slight case of sewing neurosis right about now then you're right on the money.

My cure? Classes with Russell at the Sewing Arts Center! Yes, indeedy. He's an awesome teacher! Lest we forget my apron foray...Well, after feeling more confident post apron, I decided to take my needle and threading to the next level and try the skirt class. After 4 sessions I finished this lovely A-line diddy...



I even set in a zipper...



I can feel your ooohs and aaahs right now.

Really though, I haven't felt this accomplished for a long time, and I have a ready-for-Spring Squid Skirt to show for it! Yay!

This month, I'm taking a quilting class...may the force be with me.

P.S., Many, many thanks to everyone for your kind comments on my last post. I'm in for a trying year and it's a comfort to know that you guys are out there sending me good vibes. Hugs all around!

Seamingly Simple

So sorry for the lapse between posts peeps. I'm traveling to New York next week to spend a few days in our Manhattan Cube Farm. As such I've been busy prepping for my meetings. There's nothing like the inception of a new year to fool my mind into thinking I will get a handle on the unhandleable (my NY practice). Oh well, I will flex my muscle nonetheless!

Oh, but I haven't just been sacrificing trees to the gods of paperwork this week! No, I've also been basking in the glory of my sewing sensei, Russell, of Sewing Arts Center fame. Yep, through the end of March I am spending one to two nights per week with said sensei in order to hone my sewing skills via a variety of classes.

January is all about the skirt and last Tuesday was my first class. Needless to say it was illuminating. My classmates and I spent the evening modifying our patterns (if needed), cutting out our pattern pieces and fabric pattern piece doppelgangers as well as embarking on a bit of sample seam sewing. Russell demonstrated a couple of seam techniques that we will be using on our projects: (i) the French seam and (ii) the flat fell seam. His contention is that fine finished seams are easy and a must for novices to learn. And after completing sample versions of both seams, I agree with him. I am a big fan of the private side of my home sewn garments looking just as fine as the public side.


A less than perfect example of a French seam. As is my way, I began this particular seam on the wrong side of the fabric instead of the right side as I was told to do. What can I say? I have a long and very familiar relationship with my seam ripper.




An almost perfect flat fell seam. Fortunately I didn't screw up two types of seams in one evening!

My next class will be all about seaming and pressing my garment. I haven't decided which seaming technique I will use to assemble my skirt. However, I have a week to mull it over while in New York. Exciting stuff!

February, I am tackling quilting! Wooo hooo!

Poultrypalooza Apron Redux

Tuesday evening fellow cube farmer, Rebecca, and I headed over to the Sewing Arts Center for a fabulous course in apron actualization taught by shop proprietor, Russell! I am a huge fan of apron-age and have tried my hand at one before, a poultry-themed lap wrap, but it didn't exactly display expert sewing technique. Basically, I just threw it together sans pattern, working from applique to finished product. The fact that it came together at all was more a result of luck than anything else.

So, needless to say, I do have a little sewing technique under my belt, albeit far (very far) from expert. Rebecca, on the other hand, is quite the avid seamstress, yet she is always interested in honing her skills and she's way into aprons (check out her etsy store!). Therefore, when she told me that Russell was teaching aprons and she was planning to take the class, I told her I was in!

I figured I'd do a little tribute to my first apron by revisiting the poultry theme in my second attempt...


Thanks for modeling Kristen!



Is it not darling?

Check out those wood scallops!



And the heart-shaped pocket!



This lovely piece of apron technology was also constructed sans pattern. Well, not entirely. Russell had us create a pattern for the bottom scalloped edge by using a quilting template and some freezer paper while in class. We also used a technique called the burrito roll to attach the scallops and apron strings to the body of the apron. All I have to say about the burrito roll technique is nea-to.

I am so proud of my little chicken apron! There are definitely more Sewing Arts Center classes in my future. Next up, I tackle the dreaded shirt...

Angelenos, won't you join me?

Practical Crafting

Well, I had my year end review yesterday at the Cube Farm. The good news is that I am still employed because as luck (or constant effort shall have it) I'm indispensable. The bad news is that management cannot reward me for my efforts with anything other than praise. Yep, salary is flat and bonus is down. Hell, at least my wages did not decrease and I'll receive a bonus! Nonetheless, I am mired in disappointment. As the sole breadwinner at Chez Linoleum, my finances are really stretched. No matter how unrealistic the thought, I was really hoping for a bit of monetary relief. No such luck. Oh well, I'll just have to quell my anxiety about my current state of affairs with an extra dose of crafting.

As such, my penchant for making has taken a turn for the practical. Whereas turkeys and bacon will always have their place in my creative pantheon, what I could really use right about now is a special pair of socks to comfort my tosies as I witness my 401K lose all of it's value in a tanking stock market...


Likin' those Holly Berry Jaywalkers!

Needless to say, thoughts of my Depression Era grandmother have become omnipresent lately. She was the master of frugality, saving pieces stale bread to make breadcrumbs later, forever mending holes in articles of clothing that had seen better days, throwing all of her aging foodstuffs into her world famous "Garbage Soup" and she pretty much made every single pair of pants that she wore. Literally, a rainbow of gabardine to be had in her closet. My Nana could stretch a dollar better than anyone I knew/know. So, in honor of my maternal grandmother I've taken up needle and thread. I don't know that I'll save any money by turning to my Singer in my time of woe, but my wardrobe will surely benefit by the addition of a few hand sewn necessities such as drawstring pajama bottoms. Here's one of the Halloween-themed pair that I recently worked up...



I've got stacks of fabric in my stash waiting to be transformed. You can be sure that the whole family will be sporting pj pants for the holidays before I'm through. And who knows, I may even try my hand at a bit of quilting...

But wait, there's more! My practical crafting also extends beyond the borders of hooks, needles, looms, spinning wheel(s) and sewing machine. Oh yes, let's not forget the artful, yet practical culinary crafts. 'Tis the season for cooking and baking and trying my hand at all sorts of magical kitchen delights. For example, last summer I acquired these handy attachments for my Kitchen Aid Mixer that I've yet to test drive...



Because nothing brightens my poverty-stricken day more than handmade tube steak!

Ahem.

So, even though my wallet is a lot thinner these days and the world a lot messier, I can take heart in the fact that I've got a roof over the clan, food in the fridge, fuel in the car...um, just a wee bit of yarn in my stash (okay, I'm understating...whatever) and few fundamental skills that will allow me to occupy my mind and fingers while riding out the tough times we currently face. Stay positive kids...We're chicks (and dudes) with myriad tools and we ALL know how to use 'em.

Big hugs all around!