Halloween's a coming!

Just wanted to add a few shots of the house as I get ready for Halloween, which is my favorite holiday in oh,so many ways!

I changed my wish...

to let it be two weeks from now! I just realized that in two short weeks I'll be on vacation and in London! Woot!!

I wish it were Monday!

Early September was very productive, both creatively and at work. Unfortunately almost all my recent time has been taken up by my mundane job, with very little left over for the "fun stuff". But by Monday, the big push at work should be over and I'll have my evenings back to sew again. I have made some small steps forward on the wedding sampler and the plan is to have it ready for the framer by the 16th of October (Just two weeks! Yipes!). The Surprise is also coming along, because it lives in my briefcase and I take it everywhere. A few stitches here and there can add up, I hope! More posts to come, after the 6th!

A hoodie!

Well, It's been a productive week. With perfect timing, the hood, with the exception of buttons, is completely finished. Today is the autumn equinox and it makes sense to have something new and warm ready today.






My bust of Hygeia is helping with a modelling photo, because I can't snap myself wearing it....my arms just aren't long enough. All the seams are flat felled, except the neckline, which I blanket-stitched to the inside of the hood. (No raw fabric edges anywhere, in fact.) I like how it turned out and I think it will be both comfortable and warm, which is all that's necessary. I'm in contact with a Scadian from Insula Draconis and will be getting some nice pewter buttons to finish it off. On to the next project!


* Working note: Grey wool and DMC black flower thread for hand stitching. DMC 701,721, 726,817, 3760 for chainstitch.)

Linen online

I was just minding my own business, when I came upon my third reference to an online store specializing in linen for re-enactors. I decided it meant something - like I should buy some! It's ordered and I'll let you know what I think after I get it. Twenty yards of bleached 100% linen (59" wide)for $99? Sounds like a deal to me! Hmm... chemises, napkins, all sorts of things come to mind.

Hoodlums

Over the weekend I gave in to impulse and started a hood based in part on the pattern in the Medieval Tailor's Assistant. I've been wanting one for a while and I had a chunk of leftover charcoal grey wool (from a cape I made for a family member) that was just the right size. I also wanted something to work on while ruminating over how best to make up my new green wool!

I made the actual hood part following the directions in MTA, but made the cowl part in two half circles, rather than a bunch of gores. I think it will lay better that way. It's completely hand-sewn so far and I plan to stick to that. Grey wool wasn't exactly the flashiest thing I could use, so I decided to embellish with a Bulgarian pattern of embroidery. I'm using a piece of a chemise sleeve pattern from Bulgarian National Embroidery: Western Regions. The original was silk on linen in long-armed cross stitch. I'm using cotton on wool for wearability and chainstitch for coverage instead. Here are some pictures of the work in progress.







As you can see, the embroidery is finished on one side of the hood and I've just begun the mirror image. I just noticed you can also still see the chalk marks. Oops!

I have to attach the cowl after the embroidery is finished and I've sewn down the facing. After that, I need to decide what to use to edge finish the cowl. I think I will probably blanket stitch it in black wool so it doesn't take away from all the bright embroidery. (Or overwhelm!) Then there are several buttons and buttonholes and it'll be ready to wear!

A good day in the market

Our local fabric sellers have been closing out their lightweight summer stuff for the last month or so and stock has been very limited. I've been anxiously waiting for the woolens to become available, because I'd really like a dress in something other than linen or cotton for the winter. I was hoping for a nice dark green that would contrast nicely with either my pink or yellow undergowns and today I struck paydirt! My favorite seller was getting out her wool fabrics and she had a really nice loden green dressweight. It's 60" wide and I got enough for a nice dress. Good thing next weekend is a three-day holiday for Bulgarian Independence Day! If I can get the pattern drafted this weekend, I should be able to finish it next weekend. Yay!