Finished the dress

I finished the dress portion (rather, just the sewing... still a lot of embellishments to screen print or whatever) of my future Halloween costume. It's looking pretty good so far. I made some minor adjustments to the overall design of the dress, however. It's supposed to be pretty open in the back and I really don't want to do that. The grommet lacing goes all the way up the back and shall do the same in the bodice portion (the purple bit) of the costume. It shouldn't matter too much anyway since the long wig (that I've still yet to purchase) will cover up this portion anyway.

Other than that, I've been practicing the guitar a lot... at least an hour a day... sometimes I practice up to four hours. Mostly technical stuff. I'm getting more comfortable with the idea of playing an /actual/ song as opposed to chords and finger-independence exercises.

I can't wait to be able to play all the songs that I want to.... and to be able to mess around and /create/ music...

Need to keep practicing

I think I can get good at this guitar playing thing. I just need to keep practicing. I've already made some excellent progress (or at least, that's how I feel about it.) What I'd really like to do is get an electric guitar so that I could have both experiences- and not keep bothering my friend to use his electric guitar.) But, it's so expensive. I found a neat black guitar from Ibanez that is pretty representative of me. It's not horribly expensive and it's gotten a lot of good reviews...

So, I'll keep practicing so that I can justify getting this beauty.

Worst work day... ever

On the brighter side of things, I got done super early. In fact, I had the opportunity to go to the music store and buy a strap for my guitar... (There are blue skulls on it... I am hoping that this will help me with my technique and force me to not hunch over the guitar.)

I also bought some new picks to play around with- they are different materials and gauges and I find it fascinating that they all produce such a different tone on the instrument. Cool beans.

Blazer creation

Working on a Blazer from this pattern: http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/crossover-blazer-062012

I really like the way that it is turning out... except for the damnable sleeves! I can't set them in to save my life! (That's also not a 100% true. I did manage to do a nice job on the one, but the second one is proving most problematic. so, I will get to take it out again, for a third time...)

The jacket is made in a natural linen and is lined in black lining material (the same stuff that I used for my coat). Some things that I noticed: These two fabrics are not difficult to work with... until you try to put them together. They are similarly treated (washing and drying instructions), but use two different iron settings... I may have melted a tiny portion of my lining material. Another concern: I did it for my size of body, but when the blazer is closed, I am concerned about the mobility of my arms (being able to lift things)- I don't know if it would have been better to make the next size up, but at the moment, the blazer fits beautifully.

I will post pictures as soon as I feel happy about the final project. Overall, it's looking good.

Finished a bag

Here is what I started yesterday and finished today.. just trying to get through some of my scraps of leftover fabric.

I'm thinking I could sell these. It turned out really nicely, and, with more practice, will only get better... ^_^

Progress!

I am getting all sorts of projects done today (or rather, getting them nearer to completion!)

The Zelda costume is coming along nicely. Today, I will get to hang out with a friend and start planning his Gannondorf costume as well (I figure, if I'm going to have to build armor from scratch, I might as well take a crack at multiple sets... a better chance of using all of my resources.)

Knitting projects are coming along as well. Thursday, I plan on my sweater jacket. I think I might change the hood to a floppy collar... I will have to discuss this plan with Trish.

Other than that, all is well. There are mini-figs still waiting to be painted, and I still need to finish the character portrait of the half-orc (need to buy some copic markers), but I'm feeling pretty accomplished today.... an odd (and foreign) feeling...

Spring break

It's spring break and I'm trying to get some crafts done. I'm working on my Zelda costume (I made the adjustments to the pattern and I'm prepping to cut it as we speak...), I've got a knitting project that I'm trying to knock out (Old Man of Storr shawl knit in Lorna's Shepherd Sock yarn- Huron), and finishing up some mini-fig painting.

I'd like to get a couple copic pens to finish a character portrait that I've been working on for a friend, but I just don't have the money. Ah well.. it's tax season, and that's the way of it, right?

So, on that note, off I go to craft.

About the Zelda project: I got some really nice, white Satin... It's a nice quality and will drape well..

other projects that I actually finished: I made the Bell skirt... here's the link to the pattern... http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/bell-skirt-112012

It's in this fabulous gray fabric... some sort of blend, the waist is made from the same fabric from my "neck circle" thing.... here is the fabric swatch... http://www.ahfabrics.com/collections/468-estrelladelosmuertos/detail/2885-7591c?tmpl=component

Mini-craft time!

I made a dice bag today (well, most of one anyway...) it turned out relatively well and I think that I will be making these for my gaming group for future christmas presents. Super easy to make, the tutorial that I was sent (by one of my fellow gamers) was most excellent. The website is this: http://dragonchow.com/wp/

Again, super easy to follow and the product looks nice when it's all put together (even mine looks pretty good... hopefully, I will be posting pictures..)

Also, I'm going to be helping a friend of mine to create a pony costume (not for a con or anything, but a school function- should be a lot of fun). I'm looking forward to the challenge and have a couple of ideas swimming around in my crazy brain.

There are moments when I'm very excited about some of the things that I'm doing. I wish that I could find a nice balance and be happy with /all/ the things that I'm doing, but I know that's unrealistic. There are some people that I wish I could know better (probably myself included), but that's not going to happen.

How deliciously cryptic, right?

Future Projects

So, I went to the comic con here in Portland as Catwoman. The costume was a success... and it has given me a desire to cosplay a bit more. I'm planning on creating a Princess Zelda costume. It would be from the Twilight Princess. Luckily for me, I've already found a pattern that I think would work well for it. The next step is getting together the fabric (I'm thinking of using a matte satin, or a shantung, but haven't decided), fabricating the pauldrons and belt, and figuring out what to do about the ears and hair (I'll probably get a wig, but I've never used one before, so I don't know what to do...)

I'm quite excited by this new project and can't wait to do a test run for Halloween.

New skills

Learning how to play the guitar- it's very difficult and there is much to learn, but it is a lot of fun! I don't know exactly what my goals are with regards to this new skill, but I'd like to be fairly proficient at it. I've even been looking at some beginner-y type guitars and here is the one that looked perfect for me:

A nice little Yamaha (of the FS series...) Not sure if the smaller body will be better for me or the larger FG's will be the way to go. I look forward to the possibility of trying them both.

Nothing like

a poetry class to make you feel silly. It's one of those weird sorts of classes that I love the content, but always feel that my analysis is somewhat wanting. I love Hugo, Rimbaud, Vallery, and Vigny. The words are beautiful and do exactly what a poem should- they evoke emotions. I think that is the mark of a true artist... to be able to evoke an emotion in such a simple way. It's like looking at a painting and appreciating each brush stroke.. all the sentimentality that the artist was experiencing at the time.

There you have it. Beautiful, meaningful words that have endured for hundreds of years... this is the best that any of us can hope for.

Another commission!

A coworker of mine commissioned me for a hat! In order to keep the costs of the hat down, I chose to use Knitpicks Bulky weight Brava acrylic yarn. I'm quite pleased with the over all texture of it and think that it is soft enough to make this hat from. While not being my first choice yarn-wise, it has been a delight to work with and hopefully, my coworker will agree.

I anticipate that I will charge probably $25 for the hat... meaning that I'll have made a profit of about 10 dollars.... which is including the difference in the yarn, plus shipping and handling. Absolutely. Brilliant!

edit: a picture of the finished product. I'm quite pleased with it.. I mean, the pattern wasn't particularly difficult. It's a floppy hat. It's soft. It's a nice gray color (and will go with everything.)
In addition, it only took one skein of yarn, so I can make a few more hats and try a different set of patterns too.. maybe a modded hurricane hat theme. I like the spiral and it would be fun on this bulky yarn- I'd still make a floppy hat, though.

A Day of Days!

For doing things! so much accomplished today. I made a scarf, finished a hat, and started a plush toy. Not only that, but I read some /fantastic/ poetry by Vigny and Lammartine (I prefer the Vigny, for sure). "La mort d'un loup" and "Le lac", respectively. Good stuff that I think everyone should read.

One other thing that I'm proud to have started doing: taking pictures of my stash and posting the photos to ravelry. Needless to say, a lot is going to go to the "trade or sell" portion of the page (I have too much yarn that isn't suited to any of the projects on my cue... I feel kind of bad since some of it is stuff that was gifted to me...) I also condensed my stash.. it now fits neatly (well, it's in the container in any case...) into a single bin... booya!

Things that I still need to do: finish my knit jacket/coat thing, knock off a few of the items on my queue, and continue to work through my fabric stash as well... (O! Horror! I now have a fabric stash in addition to my yarn stash... I like being crafty and all, but it might wander into the realm of ridiculous...)

an update

pas grand chose a dire. j'ai recommence mes études et je n'ai plus de temps libre. A ce moment je n'ai pas le temps pour les projets artistiques comme je voudrais, mais si j'en ai quelques un, je posterai des que je puis.

En tout cas, je vais essayer de pratiquer mon français parce que je suis nulle.. mdr. Mes phrases sont trop simples et je manque du vocabulaire complexe et spécifique pour mon cours de poésie française du XIXeme siècle. Souhaitez-moi de la chance, d'accord?

Finishing of projects

The kid's cardigan is officially DONE! It looks exactly the same... except, all the ends are woven in. In addition, I finished a legwarmer (while watching the LOTR- Return of the King) for a coworker. I'd made a pair for her before, but her husband washed a single legwarmer. Needless to say, it shrunk. I was supposed to have done this ages ago and, unfortunately, I don't have enough yarn for a second legwarmer for this set. Oh well. I made a new one for the coworker.

Another project that I did today was a character portrait for one of my good friends. He's got a spectacular Drow character in one of our tabletop sessions, and, for a Christmas present, I wanted to sketch up the elf. I haven't decided whether or not I'm going to color it in, but I'm quite happy with the inks.

Today was another fun adventure because I'm trying to find a general practice (primary care) physician. It's harder than I thought it would be... which is almost sad. I didn't have much luck today, needless to say. My knee is still hurting. It's a bummer since I've been wanting to run, but it just hurts to do so.

Enough belly-aching, eh? I'm almost finished with another sewing project as well- it's in a fantastic black stretch double knit. It's a wrap tunic (I believe I linked to the particular pattern sites in a previous post.)

Tomorrow will be a day to finish that, I think. I gotta get it finished before Monday. It's the first day of grad school and I'd like to have the majority of my projects finished before I have no free time ever again.. Wish me luck.

Coat pictures...

Finally! I've got some photos of the coat that I made! Going to start this year off right and post picture of my projects...