HAPPY HOLLOWEEN FROM THE KITCHEN WITCH!!

Rain drops on roses and potholder messes

I made these. I really wanted to send these out. Really. But seriously, yuk-o-rama! 3 layers of batting and they still aren't protective enough. My corners are off and my stitching.............yikes! This is what I get for trying to avoid  binding the edges. I can make a corset, but I can't make a potholder. LOL  Can you say 'lame'? Sure, I knew you could.
I will try again will the proper insulating materials (even tho everyone tells me this works great. maybe I just have heat sensitive hands) and binding.

Maybe I will make some with this wonderfully horrible fabric from the 70's. The actual 70's, not a retro print. When the Brandy Bunch ruled the airwaves, this print was the bees knees.  I've got enough for two full aprons and a couple of potholders. it's gonna be fan-flippin-tastic! I see an ugly/pretty apron is someone's future.....but who's???????

Grommet Update

Well, all 30 of those little suckers are finally in. I fiddled with the placement long enough and just went for it!
Not too shabby! Add some boning and some binding and voila`.....d-o-n-e!!!
I'll be in full Regency regalia this Sunday at the Sacramento Main Library for an Austen Era Fashion show. See my How Austentatious! Button on the right and down a few spaces ----->

Setting Grommets

This technique is the same for using the grommet pliers or the hammer/mini anvil method. I was lucky enough to borrow a hand press. Thank you Liz from Pink Depford Doll Costumes!!
Here we go:

Gather your tools: grommets, press and an awl (shown later)

Male and female grommet parts up close and personal

Mark the grommet placement on the FRONT of your fabric. If you are using thin or delicate fabric, reinforce the grommet area with canvas or some suitable stabilizer.

Use the awl to gently make a hole from front to back. This method pushes the fabric aside   instead of cutting or breaking the weave. This gives you a stronger hold.

Push the male end of the grommet through the fabric and make sure your fabric is clear of the opening.

Lay the female end over the fabric and the male grommet. Set on your choice of tool.

Press (in this case) or squeeze the pliers,  or hammer the male end.

This is the inside of the grommet. See how the male end evenly curls over the fabric locking the female washer onto the garment?

The ''show" side.  Is that cool or what??? Only 28 more to go........

Can you take 5 yards of fabric and make it fit a 34" waist?

I can now!!!! Cartridge pleating, (proper term: gauging,) is easy, beautiful and fun! It is so much nicer than gathering and you can really get some serious fullness in a period  skirt. I can't wait to learn to do a split waist band next!
And then a little men's tailoring skills.......loving sewing life right now!!!

yes, I petted the pleats, it's awesome!!!!! It's soooooo pretty!

 

 

 

Halloween Apron is finished!

I wasn't sure I would like the halter top, but it turned out really cute! Wish it was my size. LOL
Next swap, I think I will follow a pattern and do something where I don't spend more time on design than I do on sewing/playing. That being said, I could make this one a lot more quickly because now I have a pattern and some practice.

 

Now I have two more aprons to finish (yes, I will use a pattern this time), finish re-boning my corset, make a corded petticoat, finish a sock monkey, make a chemise and maybe some matching pantilettes (or not) and get ready to fit a corset for a friend and on Monday.........learn to cartridge pleat!!!  Next apron I do after that will probably have that kind of pleating. LOL

 

You know where they can stick my vote?

Okay, the phone is getting on my last good nerve! You KNOW an election is coming up and there are a gazillion calls that want me to vote for AND against the same measure, or person, or guilt tax. Add that to all the literature in my mailbox, and I just wanna pitch a big ol' fit! How am I supposed to get anything done? My iron is going to run out of steam between phone calls....that I don't answer because caller ID says "800 service", "SFCA", "measure 19"
aaahhhhhhhhh   Can you hear it ring.........................again?

Now what do I do?

Okay, I have a problem. I pulled all the bright fabric off in the order I was going to sew it and the only thing on the dressform was the base fabric. Part of me just wants to make a matching ruffle with the orange fabric with the cat lace, trim it out in black and leave it all sexy. Gee whiz!!! Love the bright, but the sexy look is really growing on me !
As Karen would say; I need a waaaaa-mubulance. Cuz I am a whinin' and a fussin' and I was almost done.

Video Killed the radio star

I've embedded videos on my blog. Wooo and hoo!! I love channeling my inner geek!
More to come......yes, even a new and improved Star Trek Universe Tour 2010!!

R-O-W-E-N-T-A What does that spell?????

Crap! Calc! Sputter! Spit! 
Waste of good money! Feel free to add to the list.
It's not even two years old and I have to de-clac it every time I want to use it. No one wants an iron that leaves a trail of little crumblies. 
Can you guess who was ironing black fabric and got a crumbly,  white trail??? Can you guess who had a bit of a fit? Sure, I knew you could. (use your Mr. Roger's voice)
I just may have to got to Wally World and pick up an el cheapo Black and Decker for 19.99
Rant over. Now back to regularly scheduled blogging.................

Back to the All Hallow's Eve motif......only yummier!

Background play

     I've been trying to make my own backgrounds. (Like I need something else to distract me  LOL) Blogger makes adding a photo kind of easy, but there is little room for manipulation. You can go to some other blogs and upload/borrow a ready made background in html (would LOVE to know how to do that myself).

     In honor of my friend Hannah getting cable and, thus, being able to enjoy Project Runway with me, I have "Gunned" my background. Not like I thought it would look, but I"ll keep evolving and learning.

     In the mean time, any great tutorials I should investigate so I CAN make my blog more me????

Why is it always where you aren't looking?

    Yesterday, I spent far too much time looking for some drawings and measurements I made for my Fiesta! aprons.
     I am in Shawnee's Halloween Apron Swap and my swappee is a similar size to the lady I made the apron for and I wanted to use my drawings as a base for my apron.
    WWeeelllllllll, I looked high and low, up and down, in and out and everywhere in between. I recently cleaned, thinned and rearranged my whole desk area so I was dang sure I knew, just KNEW, where I had stashed my little white paper. I was wrong AND I was right.
     The paper is actually yellow and 5 x 7, not white binder paper. It's still attached to the pad I drew on, not loose. It has been sitting under another pad, are you ready for this? RIGHT ON MY DESK!! Hello!!!! Oh yeah, the part where I was right: I did save the paper. LOL
    I was getting ready to redraft everything and God said. "Gotcha!" Gotta love and hate that cosmic sense of humor, don'tcha?

     Paper in hand, fabric to cut!

Facebook......What the French Toast?

For the past week, facebook has been a pain in the ol' server.
Are they doing work I don't know about?
Has someone hacked their system?
Are they having technical issues? I don't know and I almost don't care.
I want to play scrabble and chat with my peeps. I want to look at reunion pics and keep up with the latest news. I want it to work all the time. Facebook is the big kahuna of the internet communication world and they need to get back to s.o.p.!!
Off my soapbox and back to regularly scheduled distractions.

Kitchen Fashion for the Halloweeniday

• The awesome skeleton fabric is for moi!! Love it times two and it is a medium weight twill so it will make a great apron. Plain and simple, but that's all you need with that fabric. 
•  The other 7 flavors are for the FAS 12 Halloween apron swap. Not sure what I am making but I think a massive amount of ruffleage will be involved!

Finally, a pic of me in the dress!

The clarinet players!! Donna, me, Robin
Can my hair get any whiter? Seriously!

To see all the pics go to: Class of 80 pics

Blogger won't let me upload the pic. Will have to send tomorrow from my computerr and not my phone

Never judge a dress by the way it looks on the hanger.

This is the dress I picked for tonight. I look pretty darn cute! Wait for dress number two

update: I wore the black and white one. Saving the other for the hubster's Christmas party.

 

Believe it or not, the gray one looks fab!! I know, I know! I tried it on as a joke but I look good in it. I am probably going to dye it black at some point.

Fashion Forward, I am sooooooo not ............................anymore

     I was pretty good about fashion in the 70/80's, but after me wearing my ''mom uniform'' for so long and being, well let's face it, a round woman, I forgot how to be cute. Being little bit too lazy to make the effort in the larger sizes didn't help and the fact that sooooooo much over the last 5 or 6 years  (butt-ugly, urban inspired 'chic') has left me feeling apathetic toward more than jeans and a cute t-shirt.
     My goal for the coming year is to make myself a few garments that fit really well that are basic pieces. Khakis and a few button-up shirts(shaped and cute, not lansend, men;s inspired) and a basic dress that can be worn over slim pants or "as is" and relearn how to accessorize.
     Mark, you still totally have you eye in the fashion world, so you will have to be my "Tim Gunn" . I know you aren't afraid to tell me if I am wear something that is ''some serious ugly".

  On that note, my choices for this weekend are:

For tonight's bbq with the girls. Probably a white sandal instead.And a plain bra, not the fuchsia one showing through.

For reunion: The classics:  black trouser with a jewel toned orange shirt or the not so little black dress.

I made this dress several years ago and it still fits. Thought about changing the sleeve out, but I have a thing for 3/4 sleeves. It does look better with the right camera angle and ten less pounds in the belly. LOL

   Yes, my legs are white.....get over it. I'll get some hose so I don't blind anyone....sheesh!
Hair? My lady is on vacation so my hair is too long to be cute so a french twist is high on my list of hair choices. Bummer, I am totally cute with my asymmetrical bob!!