I may pull this off, yet.

Instead of fixing what I did to my dress muslin by interfacing the cut-up pieces, I decided to use the medium-weight interfacing to make a new pattern. I pinned the cut-up pieces of fabric to the interfacing, traced the pinned fabric to mark the stitching line, then added a six-inch hem to the bottom of each piece and a two-inch seam allowance to the top and sides.

Brief panic ensued when I ran out of interfacing at piece seven of eight. Duct tape + smaller pieces = useable interfacing piece. (I'll zig-zag along that seam this afternoon after work so there's no incidental shifting. Because that would throw off my pattern, and I don't want that!)

Nothing like a deadline for motivation.

It took me three months to complete the muslin for my wedding dress and 20 minutes to create problems for myself by cutting the dress apart along the stitching line instead of ripping the seams.

I have absolutely no idea what possessed me.

Tonight's plan: make muslin pieces into pattern pieces by stabilizing with Serious Interfacing. If that fails, backup plan: make new muslin from original pattern and get to altering.

I have less than a month to go. Better get to work!

Decluttering & cleaning

I've made myself a 66-point To Do list for the Great Craft Room Clean-Out ('06 Edition). I got started on the portion of the list concerning the Living Room, today. 3 of 9 LR items, completed; 3 in progress.

I also pulled my desk out from the wall, cleared it off, dusted and polished it, and dusted my computer. And vacuumed the Living Room. (Whee!)

Since I want this to remain a mostly-craft-stuff blog, I've started an adjunct blog here. I'll be tracking my progress and so forth over there.

Sweet. I'm looking forward to having a nice space to work once I'm finished cleaning and organizing!

CK not OK

I'm mad at Creating Keepsakes right now. I used to subscribe to their Simple Scrapbooks magazine, but had recently let my subscription lapse (with every intention of renewing once life slowed down a little for me).

No longer. A few weeks ago, I got an unsolicited package from them -- a DVD from CK's Essential Scrapbook video collection. I did not ask for this -- I'm not even a current subscriber. And as I've discussed previously, I'm actually trying to cull my craft supplies -- not add more.

Jenny's Robot Love Messenger Bag!

Just finished it last night ... a project that was supposed to take 2 weeks ended up taking 4. Typical, I guess. There was more hand-sewing involved than I anticipated. Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the result.
The bag is a pattern of my own design and features an outside pocket on the flap, 4 interior zippered pockets, an integrated key fob (because I hate losing my keys inside a bag!), 4 internal open pockets & a pen-holder pocket. There are two small bonus pockets on the outside of the bag, under the flap. I also made the strap adjustable in the best way I could devise, since I couldn't find any slider-thingys for shortening straps ANYWHERE. So I used buttons. :)

Pictures? Yes. (Below the cut.)

Craft Room Clean-up '06

It's time. It's definitely, definitely time. I've started losing basic supplies (like my Ginghers) while sitting at the sewing machine. Time for a change.

The first step was completed last year, when I painted the room (originally boring white) and hung shelves. Now, for the next step: sorting, purging (eek!), and organizing.

I heart Halloween SO MUCH.

When I was a kid, Halloween was one of my Very Best Favorite holidays. It was up there with my birthday and Christmas.

I mean, when else do you get to dress up as Whatever You Want (truly, in my case, thanks to my mother the Very Talented Seamstress), eat a lot of candy, and stay up half the night? The notion of one night for playing dress-up still appeals to my inner child and whimsical nature, but I never make the time to actually do anything about it.

I may have to make the time -- I came across the Most Brilliant Idea, Ever for a costume -- Pirate Cinderella. How cool is that? Not only is she my sort-of namesake, but the costume combines Princesses and Pirates. And pirates are extremely cool.

Plus, there's something hilarious about a princess who walks around saying, "Arrrrr!" all night.

Maybe we'll have to have a Halloween Party this year. Which means I need to get started on a certain Human's bear costume.

Swappy goodness

Now that my partner has received, I can post! Yeah!

I was in the Harry Potter Favorite Character Swap on craftster.org (craftster, how I love thee) and my partner was the fully-fantastic GoldfishGirl. Her favorite characters were Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Fred & George Weasley, and Molly Weasley. I wanted to send her at least one thing for each of her favorite characters.

What knitting?

I had plans. Great, fantastic plans.

I would make wardrobe capsules. I would clean my craft room. I would finish the bed quilt.

As soon as school was done for the semester.

Then I bought a bike. And I want to do nothing else. I think my Rockhopper is made of crack or something.

I am LOVING this new addiction.

Dance of the FO Fairy

Ruffles has been finished for a few weeks, now. I absolutely adore it and wear it every where. It looks purty and cute, on. By the time I was done with it, I was completely sick of short rows.

So, of course, the next project I decided to tackle was the Lady Eleanor entrelac stole from ScarfStyle. Apparently, this is the Winter of Projects that Don't Get Longer.

I'm also nearly finished with the World's Easiest Gift Scarf. (Yes, that's an exaggeration. The easiest thing to do would be to buy something.) You cast on the length instead of the width, and it's very simple.

Happily knitting away

I wound up having to set the seedstitch scarf aside because I ran out of yarn, so I got to start on Ruffles (aka the Pink Noodle Scarf). I also (finally) managed to hold the first Knoon Knitting meeting this season. Two of us attended.

But at least I wasn't there knitting and listening to crappy 80's music alone.

I'm getting to the point where I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on the Christmas present for MIL. After that, it's back to work on the seedstitch scarf (found more of the same yarn in my stash) and then, if there's time, the book I want to make for SIL.

It's almost October. It must be time to knit.

There's something about fall weather that makes me want to pick up the needles. I can go all summer and most of spring without caring a bit about yarn or anything crafty, really, but come fall, I'm ready.

I went to my Very Best Favorite Yarn Store, Ever today at lunch and picked up a few skeins of Lorna's Laces. I aim to make myself a Clapotis. Among other things, of course.

I'm also in the process of (not) making blackout shades for our bedroom. I've completed and hung 4 of them, but I'm having trouble finding motivation for the remaining 3. Once those are done, I need to tackle the window covering situation in the living room. And finish the quilt for our bed. And make shades to replace the blinds I removed from the Craft Room.

And finish organizing the Craft Room. It's slightly tidier than usual, but not much. (I can walk from one end of the room to the other if I stick to the cleared pathway.)

And then there's my Christmas list. Lots of plans, little action.

So, of course, I'm starting fifteen new projects. Hee!

January, a time of planning and sorting

I'm working up my Christmas '05 list. (Sick, I know, but a necessity for someone with a full-time job, a half-time class load, and a dozen people to procure holiday gifts for.)

I know what I'm making for MIL, SIL, and my nephew. I have a few fuzzy ideas for everyone else, but nothing definite. I've got an idea for my mom's gift that will either go over tremendously or flop completely. I think it'll be worth the risk, though!

Gave my SIL her birthday scarf, yesterday. She absolutely loved it. (Yay!) I made a ruffled-edge scarf from the Little Box of Scarves from Filaro 12-ply mohair in Imperial (a dark blue-purple) and Southwest Trading Company Bamboo in Purplexed (a variegated purple & fuschia). The effect of holding them together was very subtle and pretty. Topped off with a flower pin, and voila! A gift!

Today, I'm trying to get my sewing room a little more organized ... all the rearranging over the holidays left my room looking like a cyclone had hit it.

Pictures, soon, I promise.