Starting 2015

So I am part of a sewing group online and I have decided to take up the 2015 challenge! I am coping and pasting the full list here as a reference for myself along with the button link back to the original posting!

Anyone feel like joining in come and play!

2015 Sewing Design / Inspiration Challenge!

January: Create a mood board to refine a look or colour scheme you would like to use in your work. Make something from the mood board. This could even be assembling an outfit from things you already have (hopefully something you made) or creating a patchwork project which suits a particular decorating scheme.


February: Play with Shapes – explore silhouette and make a garment with a different shape to your usual choices. OR for quilters, try working with a different shaped block as a basic shape.


March: Create something inspired by an unrelated object. Check out this blog for an awesome example: http://teacupcorset.blogspot.co.uk/


April: Reimagine an item. Upcycle a second hand piece, or pull out a failed project and revive it in a new form.


May: Create 3 - 4 mix and match pieces that work together. I know this sounds ambitious, but remember you can pull out stuff you have made before!


June: Design your own fabric. Investigate digital fabric printing, like Spoonflower / Woven monkey, or try printing by hand – silk screening / printing etc. Heck, try potato prints.


July: Work with a type of fabric you've never used before.


August: Employ fabric manipulation such as gathers, tucks, smocking, or origami into a piece.


September: Explore the textile styles of another culture. Create an item which reflects a technique or style of another culture.


October: Costume Challenge - make an item based on a character from a movie / book / TV show. It can be completely crazy, or a subtle nod.


November: Write a tutorial or instructions (or make a video) for a project or technique of your choice.


December: Make a ‘memory’ item, inspired by something you feel nostalgic about. Could be a toy similar to one you had as a child, a quilt with memory pieces, or recreate a garment worn as a child / belonging to a relative.

I'm Tired!

Oh Madeline Kahn you said it sister!

http://youtu.be/-05BWHilRBA

I have done nothing, not a god damn thing since my last update. I have out-sourced my Middle Eastern garb to a friend. I am having harem pants and ghawazee coat made but I am making the belt and 7 yard skirt to go over the pants. I have the material for the pants and coat and are passing them on with money to be made in time for Sport of Kings and Banner War.


Ugh speaking of Banner War we are running out of time to get things in gear. I really want to win for best household presentation but it is going to take effort on EVERYones part. I found a replacement for coffee cans to use as bases for the wind wall. DUH! I work at a painting company so PAINT CANS! I am just crossing my fingers and hoping everyone else can aid in gathering the white sheets we need to use between the poles. We will see and hope.

only thing else I am working on is getting my craft area clean.... again LOL

After that sewing all the crap I have cut out and pinned then just left there (so lazy). Thing on the hirozion? Costume for Steamcon! I am day tripping it on Saturday. I was going to go all weekend but I scraped that idea. It is my first Stempunk convention and it is 10 minuets down the highway why in the hell would I pay for a hotel? Yes I know you are thinking "But LT you pay for PAX Prime and SacuraCon rooms why not Steamcon?" Because I go to the other two with friends and get shit faced and don't want to pay for a cab :P
Anyway the theme is international and I am doing as a Hatian voodoo mamma. As soon as I have some ideas down pack ill post them.

And (seemingly) far awasy is 12th Night in January. Now one would think "So far, you have forever to plan." Um did you miss the part where it is 12TH NIGHT! Pointy hats and the best god damn frippery money can buy and I WILL be a peacock damnit I WILL! Sketches coming soon.

Where in the hell have you been?!

Wow it has been a bit since the last time I posted anything here. I do not want you to think I have been just slacking off and not doing anything, oh no quite the contrary. Here are a few of my projects....

First is my first phone case. I am a Hello Kitty NUT and wanted something that just screamed "I LIKE BLING BITE ME!" It was not as hard as I thought and cost me (in total) about 10 dollar which is sad because if you look these things up on Ebay and Amazon they are like 100 bucks WTF? No WAY! I have had a host of people ask me about it and if I sell them. I am thinking about dropping a bit of cash on supplies and making several to sell.

NEXT!

I started doing archery pretty regularly in the spring and summer. There are bow stands but I wanted something to call my own so I made these two pretties. They are recycled dirty laundry frames and some left over water noodles from the kids boffers. a little decorative duct tape and BAMB! I am going to make some out of wood this coming spring.

And NEXT... oh yeah there is more :)

Because ALL the other crafting and such is not enough I thought I would give leather working a shot. I took a kick ass bracer class with some of my SCA household mates and made this pretty baby. Under the watchful (and ever patient) eye of Evrard de Valogne I made something I am very proud of.

And speaking of leather, archery and Evrard de Valogne... no not that ya pervs get your mind out of the gutter!

NEXT!

I decided to take Evrard de Valogne's next class which was a quiver to go with my bracer! I can not tell you how proud I am of this little puppy. I love working with leather and have decided that the next sewing machine i get will be able to sew leather as well. Evraed is doing another class and I am taking it to make another quiver. This time I am going to do something a lot more detailed and more than likely for my back or even a crossbow since I am ordering one soon.

And on to embroidery  I have not been working on this as much as I would like but I plan on picking it up at project nights on Fridays. I have found that tattoo art is amazing for practice. See my little fae? she is so pretty :)

So now you know what I am up too :)

My current project is GARB!
I have made a sleeveless black tunic for my son Rahim

And I also made him a red and black t-tunic to wear under it

For me I am making something akin to this

I have started on the top shorter tunic and have picked out the trim i am going to use on it. This Sunday at our household S&B I will pattern out and cut the longer under dress.

I will keep you posted on how it goes and post pics (if i remember to take them) of the wntire outfit as I work on it.

Oh a little side project I posted I was going to try... Harry Potter Wands. I made them for my kids and they loved the, Here is one...

Well that is it for me...

I also got ratted out by someone and the King and Queen called me to court at June Faire. I thought I was in trouble... nope I got my AOA *lmfao* I am now officially a "Lady" heaven help us all!

Bread

I looked into my 'special' cupboard trying to decide what to bake. I am not huge on sweets but I LOVE baking! I wanted to try something from scratch and my friend Mike (who is an amazing cook) gave me his stew bread recipe so I thought I would give it a shot.

The recipe is follows:

5 1/2 cups of flower

2 cups of warm water

3 packs of yeast

2/3 cup of sugar

1/4 oil

1 tsp salt

Mix the water, sugar and yeast to dissolve after it turns to yeastie goodness add oil, salt and flour (make sure to add flour slowly not all at once) until thoroughly mixed but not over mixed a gentle kneading is all. You do not wan it 'smooth'.

Add to oiled bowl and coat both sides. Allow to rise to double its size

Split into 2 loaves and let rise to top of pan but no further.

Bake @ 350 for 30 minuets and POOFERS you have bread. 

This bread is for serving with stews and soups.

Enjoy!

Tip Covers for Bows

So today I made 6 covers for my bow tips. Little leather tips used to go over one end of your bow to keep the string from slipping off. I needed these badly since I am sure I have spent a small fortune in strings because I leave them all over SCA camping sites when packing up.

So they are rather easy to make. First you cut out the pattern using a piece of card stock. It is kind of like a diamond with a long tail like above.

Once you have your pieces cut out you fold the tips over and sew them closed with strong string. I used the thickest embroidery needle I had. I also used the sharp tip of one of my wood working tools to make the 5 holes in the leather before sewing them up.

Once they are sewn closed they are all ready to use. Make sure you double knot the end of your string so they to not come apart and you are done :)
Simple, easy and functional just they way I like it.

More Mask Making

I put the last few layers of plaster wrap on my first mask tonight and it is drying. I have decided that I am going to make this one for display only and will more than likely give it to my daughter to hang with the others I have bought for her over the years in her room. I want to say something different so after I sand this one down and make it smooth I am going to paint it, give it a nice unicorn horn, decorate it with some fake hair to make a mane then cover the painted area with a glass like apoxie to give it a shine and make sure the bright colors of the mask are protected. This should prove to be a fun project. I will post more images as the project moves on :)

Archery N' Stuff

So I braved the cold today and went to archery practice. Other than about 30 minuets where I felt dizzy and sick i did alright. We shot for about 3 hours then packed up and hit the Nock Point. I had three bow strings I needed to pick up and Shelly got her new baby in the mail and needed one for hers. We ended up shooting for a few more hours and lord I am sore! The burn feels great and while I am tired I am glad I went. After coming home, showering and getting a nibble to eat I decided that i just HAD to sew so i grabbed some material and zoomed up to Shelly's place. I took some old fake suede curtains and made two bow carriers. It was nothing complicated but it was fun and now i can pack around my ever growing collection in style! I also dug up my arrow carrying case so I am all ready to go for the season! I am going to have some arrows made with the house colors, the paint job is going to be VERY blingish but that's how I roll. When they come in I will post a pic so you call can giggle at me.