Haul.

I went to Fabricland. I left with these.
I have no idea what they will become.
I do not care.
I am a Dragon. Dragons cannot be burned by cheap and excellent fabric prices.

I need to stay away from Fabricland.

At that last sale, I saw a bolt of fabric I wanted. But, someone had put it on hold. The hold didn't say how much was being held....but it was sitting there. Held. Untouchable. And on a stupidly wonderful sale. There was woe. So, passing by yesterday during an errand run and a stop for a pumpkin spice latte (the elixir of the autumnal gods) I ventured inside and we tore the drapery section apart in hopes that the hold fell through. Or least random person x just wanted like 2 inches of the stuff.

Perhaps the autumnal gods (who are likely the patrons of the costuming world) were appleased by my promisary consumption of the aforementioned latte. The bolt was there. And had enough material on it for me...and likely someone else. And so, the only woe in the end was my VISA card's.

I must stop buying fabric. ... I was going to say I had too much, but I just bit my own tongue. There is never enough. Plus, I do know what I am going to make from it for a change. Unlike magpie-ing it for no reason other than I can.

And good news, my folio submission successfully mailed! I received the confirmation on friday. Now I shall cross my fingers, consume another latte, and hope its good enough to make it into the folio. Could you imagine if someone actually wanted to make it? I'd... I don't know. Shame my ancestors will all the freaking out I'd probably end up doing, heh.

Ah well. Onwards to Monday and a hopefully a productive week on my part.

I really shouldn't be let loose in Fabricland

*sighes*

I did damage.

I don't even know what I bought. (Not true.) It just added up.... but at least I have my petticoat material, upper part of the underskirt material, some trims and fabrics for the booth I have yet to reserve. It makes me feel productive? I also made three flower parts....which is nothing, really. Whatever. I was busy. I picked a bushel of apples with the family. And ate the same amount, give or take. Perhaps I will do something more tomorrow. Or at least order my ebay stuff, as I still haven't done that....

Meh.

List

Stuff I need to get:

black suiting fabric - 3m
lightweight fusible interfacing - 1m
Silver thread
metallic machine needle.

And because researching your patterns is a good thing, people cut down the pattern in the neckline and say to ignore the facing and use bias tape instead. Therefore I will add:
Single fold bias tape.

Pleated black trim (5m)
crochet lace (5m)
black and white pregathered small lace (5m)
Red trim?
black velvet ribbon?

Cotton eyelet for tardis petticoat - 8m
solid cotton for skirt base - white or black - 4m

Gotta hit up ebay this weekend. Shipping fees make me wince.

The Word.

I never really need an excuse to purchase new book. In fact, I am privately amused when I make excuses for why I buy a particular tomb of knowledge. Case in point, I've kind wanted a(nother) book on the night's sky, because the only little one I had was not full of enough OMGNEBULAS for my liking. It just so happened that I am currently tutoring my charges in Astronomy. What is a girl to do????

Atlas of the night's sky. I got it on sale. Go me.

Also, in true research style, I ventured to my local library and demolished the collect of costuming books, ranging around the 1960s era for Project Powertrain Warranty. I found a particularly awesome one, that was a collection of pages from the Sears catalogue from 1960-1969. I find it amusing of the things that have changed, and the things that have come back again - fabulously.

Goal for tonight; make list of things needed at fabricland since they're on sale this weekend. Reread through pattern again, because one of those steps doesn't make sense yet. Watch Face off on Space?

Howl.

Just thoughts

1. I might be able to locate a key accessory for Project Powertrain Warranty at the mall. This could make things potientially much easier, and even cheaper than expected.

2. If I am pleased with said Project, than I will wear it for Halloween. Not that anyone outside of its respective fandom will have any idea what it's from. Whatever. Halloween is for those that celebrate it.

3. I need to figure out the Costume Con hotel. How many days I can afford to attend, etc. Programming runs from Friday morning until Monday afternoon. That's at least, a Friday, Saturday, Sunday experiance. Three nights for sure. I don't think I can justify doing the Thursday, however famous that would be. Have to figure out where the cost cutting would be, in order to do it all. I mean, the old convention method of bringing all the food possible wouldn't hurt....but really that's how it's been for years with Animenorth. Fingercrossed, we can get Animenorth/Fanexpo Artist Alley booth, I'll at least have something to throw against it. ....Be better if I could sell enough stuff somehow before hand to offset it.

4. The next month or so is going to be very busy with things, but I'm getting the itch to make booth things. Starting earlier would be a huge plus, but not having a confirmed table makes me hestiant about wasting time if we don't get one. Techincally Costume Con is before either of those two but booth things take a whole lot less time to make than my current costume agenda.

5. Note to self: Look for Tardis underskirt fabric at Fabricland during the sale. Especially if I need 8 metres of the stuff. That's all.

Satisfaction. Just add Fabric.

After a looooooong day at work, nothing is better than a trip to the mighty Fabricland. (Intel: 50% off sale in the next few weeks.)

1. Got the 60s pattern. It should work well.
2. Checked into zipper. Saw one I liked. Will wait for sale.
3. There was a nice plaid. I bought some of the nice plaid.
4. Blue Corduroy for $3/m. Hello Tardis Spats. Guess I can now make you again to sell since I have the fabric to make more than, well, two pairs. We're in business again. *grooves*

I can always tell when Right Brain is the one in control. My grammar gets truncated and my writing voice changes. But she's the creative one, so I'll let her be.

My new project needs a code name. I shall call it....Project Powertrain Warranty.

That is all.

For the Horde!

Pattern hording.

It is time.

Fabricland has informed me that they are no longer going to be carrying Simplicity patterns. This is.... a crisis. They have patterns I require. They have patterns who have a destiny to be mine. I must act.

Therefore: I go to website. I make list of patterns I need. I go to fabricland. I....renew my membership for the year, 'cause I have do that anyway. I then buy the patterns. ALL the patterns. I must save them. ALL of them.

*centres and focuses inner dragon*

I have also discoverd there is going be a Supernatural Convention. While not on a great weekend, I really do want to go for one day. I have never been to a non Animenorth/FanExpo convention before. I would like to fix that. Why not start with this one?

Of course I have an outfit design in mind. It's me.

Could double as Halloween at least....

...Patterns....

Suddenly...fabric.

I went to Fabricland.

It was good.

.....

My Visa card cried.

Seriously, though. One must take advantage of the sales when one can.

I got Quetzie's pattern. I now understand why there is so much fabric involved. I didn't see a material I liked for it though, I will have to keep my eyes peeled. I also picked up some more of that black and white material I used for the spats. Now I have enough to make more accessories for future Crafter's Corners, and perhaps something for little ol' me.

And then, the silk. <3 My silk was there. My silk was also on sale, for cheaper than it would have been with the 50% off. Instead of the $19/m I would have paid at the 50% off price, it was on for $16/m. That extra three dollars comes in handy when you kill the whole bolt of fabric. I was worried there wasn't going to be enough. There was just enough. So I took it all. My silk. Mine.

(I clearly have a problem.)

So, now all 9.4 metres of the duponi and I have apparently committed to making a T.A.R.D.I.S. dress. Just in case I was having doubts before, I'm locked in now. Once I, y'know, finalize the design. My mom likes the design so far, but like me is iffy about the top. I'll have to do more research on that section. Also, keep my eyes peeled for the black and white fabric. I'll have to check a store that has more home decor fabrics, since I think that's where I'm likely to find that kind of stripe, but as the seasons rotate so does the stock.

So... yeah. Fantastic.

Now, I just have to update my cost spreadsheet for my supplies, and I might make one to control my spending for costume con. Shouldn't take more than a few minutes!

*happily humming, just add pencil crayons*

I haven't used these babies in years. I literally had to dust them off.

Oh, how they laughed at me for wanting 50 colours of pencil crayons. (They didn't. No one cared.)
But, now I have proven their worth. (I probably got them on sale.)
Now, I unleash my majesty. (I colour like a 5 year old. Staying in the lines is for grown-ups.)

Or, in my case, I print off the line art for the patterns I'm considering using for various projects, and happily colour them in, like a kid with a colouring book. Except I'm shading ballgowns instead of unicorns. With the aforementioned ability to stay in the lines.

Eh. It's helping me visualize. Kinda like how I use my favourite Barbie stencil to draw human outlines. If there is anything scarier than my colour ability, it's my ability to draw human outlines. I could make an abstract painter weep for their mothers. But I draw a mighty stick figure. And you should see my plant cell diagrams. Those 'ill get your cytochrome complexes goin'. (Bad biology humour, ladies and gentlemen.)

Anyways, I had a point to this.

Right. Pencil Crayons. I gave myself a hand cramp colouring buuuuut, I am now creating a binder of ideas for Costume Con, so at least it's for reason. Currently, planning Quetzalcoatl's design.

Oh, 50% sale at Fabricland this weekend. Remember that, if I have time.

I really need to read those books I got from the library. I already renewed them once, and still haven't cracked them open. Ah, well. I have until the 17th.

Oh. And the Tony's were fantastic last night. Love watching that show. Special mention to Cinderella and metamorphasizing dress. I heard the cosplayers cry out as one. I, myself watch it in slow motion twice.

And those are the thoughts for the day. Onwards to Tuesday.

Well, huh.

My first evening post convention with nothing to do.

It's...weird. I feel like I should go back to sewing things but... I don't have anything to do. I mean, I will soon enough but I've  been working so many nights I've become accustom to it.

..... I just chilled out and watched tv.

Meh, I deserved it. We had inventory today at work, which is always a pleasure, especially when still recovering from con fatigue. So I needed a night of nothing, right?

Ah well, I'll start ideas soon. It's a straight on battle to Costume Con now, balancing with next year's shows I'm committing to. Going to have to pace that all carefully to prevent being bogged down.

I need to go through my supplies to see what I have leftover, and keep an open mind for inventory pieces in the future. Also, my fabric containers looks like fabricland exploded again so I really have no idea what's in there anymore.

...And Quetzalcoatl went disco in my head. Thank Daft Punk for that one.
...And the TARDIS went Lindy Hop. That would be So You Think You Can Dance chiming in.

Anyone else? No? Good.

Going back to the post-con stupor now.

Under pressure, *do do do do doo.*

I find it entertaining that when one wants to write a new blog entry, one clicks "compose". Considering the weft and weave of the English Language these days, "compose" sounds almost....archaic. Dignified.

I wish to compose an entry about the salad I consumed.
I will compose email, consisting of OMG did you see that?

However, I much prefer the word rather than, well, I don't know. "New message"? "Start yo email"? It's proper.

Also, this blog entry is being written with distinctively terrible British accent. I blame too much BBC.

Anyway. The point of this composition is merely the awareness that it is well into April, and I have SO MUCH STUFF TO MAKE before the end of May. Seriously. Fetch me the T.A.R.D.I.S. I might need to do another lap.

I also need some hand cream. Me hands are reptilian.

Went to Sussman's. Got trim. Went to fabricland. Got more trim, another metre of fabric because I am a Magpie. Took pictures of two fabrics, currently not on sale, one that has that Paris pattern you see on dressforms everywhere, the other that is a lovely T.A.R.D.I.S. blue raw silk with a black undertone that reminds me of wood grain. There are things that I wish to make with them. Once they are on sale of course.

Checked out the patterns skirt I was looking at. Confirmed that one will not work, and one that will. The latter I might not even need a pattern for since it's just a simple couple of seams, some box pleats and a invisible zipper. Easy peasy. After all I have an ERA of AWESOME in my great zipper adventure. (Of the one that I have installed. But it was an invisible zipper!)

Hummmm.... Completed some more cuffs. Green brocade x 2, wine taffeta x2, and white. Now I have work my way through the pile of cut outs, and give them some basting love. Then that's it for cuffs. I need to switch to something else, because I'm feeling like I'm in a rutt. Even though they're all slightly different I'm not used to making multiples of things.

I still desire a poodle skirt.

New week. Let's make it a productive one, kid.

And, success.

Okay! So, I made some headway on this year's projects. Went to my Aunt's friend's house and borrowed her huge cutting table, and associated workroom and therefore Red's cloak, skirt, and bodice pieces have been cut out, (bar the interfacing for the bodice, which I can do at home.). Now I can start sewing them together.

Matching the pattern on the fabric was a pain though. Most of what I make is either plain unpattern material, or if it does, the pieces to cut out are all straight edges pieces, that require little to no matching. In this case, especially the bodice, and those freaking crosswise folds that make my head hurt....

Ah well. Fabric cut. Sewing can begin.

Also picked up a nice 4m of embroidered taffeta at Fabricland during the sale. $6 instead of $28. I'd call that a success. Didn't get a chance to go through the patterns though. Probably good though, or I would have impulsively bought patterns for 10th despite not having finished researching it.

Ah well. Allons-y!