Another weekend over...

They always seem to just fly by. Why is that? Here's to another work week, may it pass with postive excitement.

In continuing with the number list of points.

1. I was finally able to watch my first live episode of Doctor Who. In true Whovian style, with a fellow Whovian (Yay, Kashunga!), Jammie Dodgers and tea. I also am capable of furthering my reasons of not being on facebook with canon Whovian evidence. Having now watched said episode, I'm slipping back down the timey wimey slope and I'm watching back episodes again. Ehehehh...?

2. Tested cuffs on various people. I need to make more....smaller. People have such tiny wrists. The bigger ones are fine on myself, and a few others, but on just as many people, the ones I've made are too large. *sigh* Not a big deal, in the end since I was going make doubles again, but still....

3. Currently setting price at $25/pair. Covers my costs, though doesn't take my time into account, but allows for some profit. Fingers crossed they sell.

4. Ordered more grommets. Gonna need more grommets.

In short

1. Brown cuff sets are now finished. Beige set ready to start.

2. My mind chose to scream: "RIDE! RIDERS OF ROHAN." Heck if I know where that came from.

3. I used superglue tonight. I did not superglue anything that shouldn't be superglued together, including myself to the objects that were glued. This is a huge deal for me.

4. It's been nearly a month since I last watched some Who. I intend to fix that now.

Reduxing

The good and bad thing about having this table, is that having never done this before, nothing is set in stone. I am making things up as I go along, changing styles and ideas as I sew, grommet and pay the blood price. The downside is that I seem to making very slow progress on the finished accessories.

Finished: Those same 3 lace wraps, two blue and tan sets, two black and red sets.... and that's it. More waiting in the wings, mind. The black and white ones are pushed to the back burner because I'm not satisfied with them, and then I ended up making another fabricland trip for more fun fabrics, since I'm running with a current motif that seems to be working. So now there's two brown ones, and two beige ones, about to be trimmed, and four more pairs of other fabrics basted and waiting to be sewn.

But the four pairs that are done...look amazing. I'm really happy how they turned out. Far better than they were going to be originally. Perhaps these will sell after all!

In other news: Secret Project Viridian is underway. A true experimentation in accessory design.... no idea how they'll turn out but that's part of the fun of these.

One of a kind sale this weekend and then Doctor Who on Satuday. (*fangirlish scream*) Easter stuff too. Add some sewing as she's full already.

At least I get three days off... :D

Costumer's Rhapsody

Is this the real life? Is this just cosplaying?
Trapped under fabric, No escape from this ruffling.
Open your seams.  Use iron and lots of steam...!

I'm just a poor girl, speaking financially...
Because the cash will come, cash will go
Sales are high, funds are low
Anywhere the con goes, doesn't really matter to me, to me...

Mama, just burned a hole,
Into the brand new floor
Through the carpet, and subfloor
Mama, I had just begun
Now you want me to throw it all away.

Mama, Ooooooh...
Didn't mean to overdye
The tub should be fine again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on, as if nothing really happened...

Too late, my wig has come
Shipping took way too long...
I've been waiting all this time.
Goodbye everybody - It's time to go!
Time to leave it all behind and embrace my youth.

Mama, Ooooooh...  (anywhere the con goes)
The body paint is dry,
Will it last until the end of the ball?

I see a little advertisement of a sale.
Fabricland! Or JoAnne's! It’s the end of year clearance!
Flannelette and Lining- now are buy one get one free!
Overlocker, Overlocker,
Overlocker, Overlocker,
Overlocker, it's on sale - magnifico!

But I'm just a novice and nobody loves me
She's just a novice in a huge community,
Trying to avoid satin monstrosity.

Heat'n'bond, superglue - why won't you let go?
Oh dear god no! - why will it not let go - let me go
superglue ! it will not let me go - let me go
superglue ! it will not let me go - let me go
Will not let me go - let me go (never)
Never let me go - let me go
Never let me go - ooo
No, no, no, no, no, no, no -
Oh my acetone, my acetone, my acetone where'd you go?
It's the only thing that will dissolve it and set me
Set me,
Me free!

I won't even stop if my sewing machine dies...
I won't even stop if I it takes me to moonrise!
Oh Cosplay - can't get enough of cosplay!
You'd better get out - You'd better get right outta here

Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Nothing is quite better
Cosplay makes you free
Nothing is quite better - Nothing is quite better to me...
Anywhere the con goes...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hammerspace

Or, rather malletspace.

Whatever. Mallet and I were bonding this evening. Together we applied grommets to both blue and tan, and the first of the black and white cuffs. We worked pretty well together. Little wobbly at first, but we're working on it. Mallet has some dents in it though. I might be hitting the hole punch too hard. Eh, learning curve.

Should be able to knock off the rest of the black and white sets tomorrow before work. The rest of them, I have to decide on which colour to use, though it might depend on the trimmings I use. Maybe I'll trim these ones first then experiment on the rest....

Had some glimmers of ideas for the Pattern Contest of Costume Con, and my Thistledown steampunk get up. Nothing....concrete, just glimmers. Attempted to sketch out the ideas. Reminded myself quickly why I never majored in art.

Now, off to watch Shakespeare stuff. I've developed an interest in it again, however High School English class of days long ago tried to squash.

Back to it.

Well, after a nice weekend away, visiting my old housemate from University, it's time to go back to work. On the plus side, March Break is officially over. And peace returns to the world. So does the functionality of my itunes updater, after two hours of trying to figure out why it was being useless. Now only if gmail would stop being a prat.

The goals, for this week would be:

1. Finish pressing out the next set of cuff bases (blue and tan) and seal the edges of those, and the tester wrap cuff.
2. Lovingly grommet all the things.
3. Trim the lovingly grommeted things.
4. Take stock of all that has been made, determine what to make more of, and as such, make it.

My outlying goal for this, is to be finished creating stock by the first of May. That way, I can take the time to fine tune things, finish my own costumes and other such Animenorth related things. That's about a month and a half, balancing work, tutoring, and other important things like coffee nights, and TV.

Totally workable.

Onwards to Monday.

Stockpiling

Okay, so getting there with making product.

 I've got three single wrap cuffs made (white with silver, white with green), one completed laced cuff pair (purple), and 6 pairs waiting in the wings (white with white, red and black, black and white). Once the grommet setter gets delievered, I can set those 6, trim them and move on to some more. I'll probably make few blues ones, some more purple once I get some more scrap fabric from Ash's stockpile, and some green.

Spats to follow in those same schemes for the most part, with addition of 11th's spats. Experiments in a second type of wrap cuff in different colours than the previous, will be next as well. I also need to test the pin/hairclip idea I had during work.

Supplies are good, though I might need some lining for the wedgewood blue cuffs, if I don't have enough of that neutral colour, and I do need some lining for the purple still, but the only purple lining is 18.00/m and that's way way too high at the moment. Need to wait that one out.

Slowly but surely...

We have confirmation!

The registration is accepted, the payment is cleared, we are full steam ahead!

I repeat.

Full steam ahead.

Operation MAKE ALL THE THINGS is underway.

Let's stitch.

Springing forward.

Just changed the clock. So not tired enough to warrent how late it now is.

I just looked in the mirror, and realized I have the mad scientist hair going on. Help considerably by the hat I was wearing all day, it is truly a sight to behold. However, the hair merely a byproduct of the creativity.

Finished the bases for the two pairs of white lace full cuffs, and I need to work on some trimming ideas, but I also experimented with a sort of lacey wrap around cuff that ties with a single ribbon, that uses the really wide vintage lace I found. I need some....thingies to decorate it, but it looks kinda cute. Much more delicate that the more corset-like lace ups of the full cuffs. Should have enough lace to make.... 6, probably. Might need some more of the wide ribbon. There's another piece of slightly narrower cream lace I could get another 3 out of. No idea if I can find that in any of the stores, so I hope they turn out. Might end up being slightly one of a kind due to the limiting reagent.

No idea how much to make overall. 10 pieces? 25 pieces? 50? Better too much than too many? Enough to cover the table cost and then some kick back? No idea.

Mmm... there was something else.... can't remember though.

Oh. Pennies. Right. Must experiment on pennies.

Sandstorm by Darude is my sewing song right now. The backbeat reminds me of the sewing maching rhythm.... at least when I sew.

The Queen St. Quest

I'd say Operation Get-stuff-on-Queen St. was a success. It was a lovely day, there was a lovely lunch, and we bought findings and trims for our booth. I think I have good bases for a bunch of accesorries now. Not everything I need but a good solid start. In summary:

1. Lunch at The Red Tea Box, on Queen St. West. Go there. It's wonderful. It's a fun place, and the food is wonderful. Must go back if just for the Cinnamon Plum Tisane, not to mention Ashley's mighty cake of justice she ordered.

2. Findings: Got some braiding, and some lace. Still need to get (if it comes in it) a white version of the pleat trim I've used in black before. Picked up some aligator clips for the hair, some feather charms and pendants for the wrap around cuffs. No luck getting rabbits. Seriously. No rabbits at all. Rather disappointed in that.

3. Fabric - I managed to find a linen that looks nearly spot on to 11th's tweed jacket. It's finer in the weave....obviously since it's linen, but it's got the same look, down to that orange stripe. They only had a scant yard of it left, though I bargained $10 for the yardage, rather than $19, which I couldn't justify. Should be perfect for some Whovian Spats.

4. Ribbon - Not on sale. Not pleased, though I had a coupon to shave it down a bit. Picked up silver and white, though I was wanting brown, red and gold as well. I'll have to wait it out, or coupon horde.

So, excellent day, and some good shopping. Need to do a few more trips around for some other things, but ah, it was nice to get some fresh air with friends.

My budget book is up to date for each material, as well, so I can precisely determine my cost for each accessory made. All seems nicely controlled.

But I seriously need to make stuff now.

Allons-y!

Math. And Rabbits.

Okay.

Okay.

So. This weekend is turning into a notion blitz weekend. Fabric stores, craft stores, you name it, there is the plan to hit that. I need to be ready. I require precise measurements to work out the cost per accessory ratios. My haute couture production line must have rigid control to minimize waste. This means Math.

And Rabbits. Rabbits for the accessories.
Not...real ones. Material or metal ones. Bespoke like.

Each cuff requires 50cm of trim.
Each spat requires 110cm of trim.
Specialty side lacing for spats is 50cm.

Plus how many can be made of a measure of material. Factoring in patterned versus plain material.

And I just totally bought an industrial quality #00 grommet installer with brass and silver grommets. Because I enjoy pounding the snot out of material with my rubber mallet.

...I must work out the grommet charge with the shipping overhead.

Math. Needs more math.

Where's my calculator...?

I hope we get confirmation soon, 'cause Canada Post likes to lose things on me.

The tally, please

I have completed....

Wait for it.

One cuff.

OH YEAH.

...

So, I haven't quite made the progress I was intending. I partially blame it on having never mass produced anything before, and therefore I am still getting the hang of establishing what I want them to have on them, how many to make, what's the fastest way to make them etc etc.

... The one I made looks good, though. Like a little wrist corset or something.

Ohhhh! I did finally try using my new grommet installer kit, that has the often reccomended two piece grommets/washers rather than the fabricland special. SUCH a difference. There's no rough edges. It's...smooth. No more fraying ribbon. And I was rather quite enjoying pounding holes into the fabric. Much gentler on the hands than the stab and awl method I've had to use in the past.

One again, people, the right tools, makes the job easier. Just sayin'.

I've got a few more pieces prepped for trimming at least. Might be able to make a few more of the current style I've started before trying something new. Not to mention finishing Red's bodice as well.

Ah well, it's a learning proccess. My goal is to make back what I've spent basically. So long as I can do that, I'm happy.

And maybe pay for my ticket. That would be nice.