On Another Note...

I neglected to mention my other projects.

I have put more time into my Rainbow Patchwork Skirt, bringing the grand total up to 65.5hrs and nearly completed. I am not at all happy with the waistband, so I will be re doing that, I think.

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

Colour # Squares Progress

• White 13 squares cut, sewn together, serged, attached
• White 20 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Orange 30 squares cut, sewn together, serged, rufffled, attached
• Yellow 45 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Green 68 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Teal 102 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Blue 153 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Purple 230 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Red 345 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Pink 690 squares cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached, rolled hem completed
• Waistband cut, sewn, attached, serged, elastic inserted

*Total sewing time: ~8.5hrs*
*Total serging time: ~3.5hrs*
**Total time invested: ~65.5hrs**

I have also been working on the custom starghan for Rebekah, my good friend, & winner of the "In Loving Memory of Scarlette Adora" auction that was held a while back. I have one row to complete, then finish the trim & I can ship it out. Hopefully next week.

And it looks like my project list isn't going to get any shorter any time soon. A couple pre-orders in for Halloween already, a Christmas afghan to make, a couple little girls dresses to be sewn. I also have to conjure up some gifts for friends & family for Christmas.

Get your orders in soon for winter, or I simply won't have time to make them all!

Nothing to Report, Sir!

I haven't put any more work into the patchwork skirt since I last posted.
We managed to snap one of the pins off the plate when a needle bent & none of the repair or supply stores in the area have replacement plates, so we have to wait for one to come in.
I just wanted to show a quick couple pics, just so everyone can see what this beautiful monstrosity looks like so far!
My favorite purple, before I gave up taking individual pictures:

The whole skirt, laid out on the floor:

Hanging up, folded in half twice. For scale also, the TV is armpit height on me, so the stand it is hanging on sits at mid-thigh.

In Progress #6

I have opted to serge the hem before attaching the pink tier to the skirt, because this thing is just getting so heavy and cumbersome. BFF's friend actually asked if we were going for a record for world's heaviest skirt. Another 5 hours were put into it by us last night/early this morning, after a long deserved break (2.5hrs each). Then we called it a night. Well, we also managed to kill her serger :(
I was working on serging all of her seams from piecing the pink and got to a point where I couldn't do anymore of that, but didn't want to start pinning the red to the purple and ruffling. I pulled the tail of the pink and started to serge the bottom for the hem. The needle bent and caused a big mess, including breaking one of the pins on the base plate of the serger. It's currently unusable.
We finished piecing the pink, then packed it in and called it a night.
This morning, I decided to sit and start reinforcing the parts of the skirt that are already attached to one another. I did 3 rounds of this (white-white, white-yellow, yellow-orange) and got pretty fed up. I think this is getting put away for a couple days at least.
More later, but focus on something else now.

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Progress

• White                           13 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, attached
• White                           20 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Orange                         30 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, rufffled, attached
• Yellow                         45 squares              cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Green                           68 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Teal                              102 squares           cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Blue                              153 squares           cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Purple                           230 squares           cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Red                              345 squares            cut, sewn together, serged
• Pink                             690 squares            cut, sewn, serge in progress, hem in progress

*Total sewing time: ~2.5hrs x2 labourers*
                                 ~0.5hrs*
**Total time invested: ~53.5 hrs**

In Progress #5, or A Study in Pornography

Yesterday was a 3.5 hour extravaganza at BFF's house. She began piecing together the red tier, while I began serging all of the previously pieced tiers. Unfortunately, it is necessary to do the straight stitch on a sewing machine, because the 4th thread on her serger always breaks. I don't know enough about sergers to try to fix it, and she has tried and tried. I am going to go to a class to learn how to use it properly, and then teach her, since we apparently have joint custody of the orgasmic Janome 660D.

We worked from 11pm until 2:30am. That's a total of 7 man-hours.

Today, we worked a LOT more. Since DS has gone to his grandmother's house for the weekend, I am kid-free. Her eldest is at his Dad's for the weekend, and her twins were the only ones around. We dragged both machines downstairs to the kitchen, where we could work & supervise the little monsters.

We worked from 11am until 8:30 this evening. I managed to finish serging the first 9 tiers. She is got as far as partially piecing the final tier. I have also serged some of that one. In the meantime, I gathered the tiers, pinned & serged them together. Tiers 1-8 are entirely together, and awaiting a final run of the sewing machine for the missing 4th thread. We have finally both agreed that we are crazy and packed it in so we could have supper. It has been a long, but very productive 2 days.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I love this woman with all my heart? If you have ever found your soul-mate, then you will understand what it is like to find the other half of yourself. We have been BFF's since 9th grade - 15 years! And never once have we had a fight, or argument. We can go long periods of time without seeing each other or even speaking because of the distance between us, and when we see each other, it's like nothing at all has changed. The fact that she is completely willing to sit through the insanity of this project with me just furthers that bond.

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Progress

• White                           13 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, attached
• White                           20 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Orange                         30 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, rufffled, attached
• Yellow                         45 squares              cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Green                           68 squares             cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Teal                              102 squares           cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Blue                              153 squares           cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Purple                           230 squares           cut, sewn together, serged, ruffled, attached
• Red                              345 squares            cut, sewn together, serged
• Pink                             690 squares            cut, sewing in progress

*Total sewing time: ~3.5hrs x2 labourers Friday*
                             ~9.5hrs x2 labourers Saturday*
                                   2-day total: ~27hrs

**Total time invested: ~48 hrs**


Oh, and we have come up with some names for this monstrosity: "A Study in Pornography" partially because of the sheer variety of fabulous fabrics, and partially because of my love affair with her serger; "Candice's Amazing Technicolour Dream Skirt" a la Andrew Lloyd Weber; "The Skirt from Hell" is self-explanatory; "Hem of Doom" is also self-explanatory.

In Progress #4

Only two more to go!

BFF is experiencing car troubles, so couldn't make it today. Will have to either pick up her serger or go visit & get some serging done. Sooner, rather than later, by the looks of it.

It's now taking me 2.5 hours to sew together a tier - the blue & the purple both took about that long.

I think I will tackle the last tier next. Not because I love pink (which I do!), but just to get that one out of the way. I was thinking of tackling the hem, but I can't do that until I serge it all...

Also, I'm pretty sure my machine came with a gathering foot...I might give that a try, instead of hand-gathering each tier. I wish I had a ruffler foot :(

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Width of Row (appx)         Progress

• White                           13 squares             50"                                    cut, sewn together
• White                           20 squares             75"                                    cut, sewn together
• Orange                         30 squares             113"                                  cut, sewn together
• Yellow                         45 squares              170"                                  cut, sewn together
• Green                           68 squares             255"                                  cut, sewn together
• Teal                              102 squares           383"                                  cut, sewn together
• Blue                              153 squares           575"                                  cut, sewn together
• Purple                           230 squares          863"                                   cut, sewn together
• Red                              345 squares           1295"                                cut
• Pink                             690 squares           2590"                                 cut

*Total sewing time: ~2.5 hrs* (plus 2.5 previously mentioned)

**Total time invested: ~21 hrs**

In Progress #3

I have been dutifully sewing away, and trudging through it all. My machines have been less than cooperative in the past, but with the help of Google search, I am becoming an expert sewing machine repair person (only the one - the other is a "Singer" that isn't a Singer, so I can't find any info on it - don't ask)

I have the tiers that are complete pinned up and stacked beside my stacks of squares to be sewn. God, they fray a lot! 

I really hope BFF's car gets better soon, so we can tag-team this beast! If nothing else, I need to borrow her serger, but it would be ideal if she could serge the edges while I ruffle each tier. Then I can stitch them together, and she can serge those edges. Then, maybe focus on the hem from hell (I thought the Whirl Away Dress was bad!)

I'm taking a break from the tedium of sewing to do some dishes and take out the trash...EXCITING!

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Width of Row (appx)         Progress

• White                           13 squares             50"                                    cut, sewn together
• White                           20 squares             75"                                    cut, sewn together
• Orange                         30 squares             113"                                  cut, sewn together
• Yellow                         45 squares              170"                                  cut, sewn together
• Green                           68 squares             255"                                  cut, sewn together
• Teal                              102 squares           383"                                  cut, sewn together
• Blue                              153 squares           575"                                  cut, 
• Purple                           230 squares          863"                                   cut
• Red                              345 squares           1295"                                cut
• Pink                             690 squares           2590"                                 cut

Some favorites:

From the greens

 

 Also from the greens. Yes, I know it's Christmas fabric, but it's still pretty!

From the teals

Also from the teals - this isn't actually as royal blue as it looks, but more a deep aquamarine.

*Total sewing time: ~2 hrs*

**Total time invested: ~16 hrs**
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT:
I have finished my housework. Dishes done, garbage taken out, laundry sorted, I even managed to get a shower in there! So, since DS went for a picnic at the park with his father, I decided to do some more sewing!
It took me 2.5 hrs to get through the next tier (blue)!!!
I plan on doing more tonight, but now my labour total is 18.5 hrs and I'm still not done sewing the patches together!

This is really the only one from the blues. I wasn't really over-fond of the patterns that I had, but they work...

In progress #2

Well, after last yesterday's marathon cutting session of over 1000 4"x4" squares, I woke up with a sore back and a bruised thumb & forefinger. I relied heavily on my rotary cutter, but still reverted to scissors on occasion.

But, today I sat back on that floor with my cutting board on a cardboard box (I need more light in my sewing room!) and cut out 690 pink squares! Yes, I had enough for the extra ruffle!!!

After sorting everything and double counting (all while babysitting & taking care of DS), I decided to get started on the sewing. I have sewn together the first 4 tiers. Only 6 more to go! 

Then, I want to borrow BFF's serger and serge all the seams (cotton broadcloath has this horrible tendency to fray). Perhaps I can get the individual tiers all sewn together and serged this week, then I'll start the task of ruffling and attaching. I'm really dreading hemming this mofo though.

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Width of Row (appx)         Progress

• White                           13 squares             50"                                    cut, sewn together
• White                           20 squares             75"                                    cut, sewn together
• Orange                         30 squares             113"                                  cut, sewn together
• Yellow                         45 squares              170"                                  cut, sewn together
• Green                           68 squares             255"                                  cut 
• Teal                              102 squares           383"                                  cut
• Blue                              153 squares           575"                                  cut
• Purple                           230 squares          863"                                   cut
• Red                              345 squares           1295"                                cut
• Pink                             690 squares           2590"                                 cut

Also, here's some pictures of the squares all cut out before I started sewing, just so you can get a feel for what over 1600 tiny pieces of fabric looks like:

Separated into containers, pink & red on bottom, purple & blue on top, teal in the next, green & orange, and finally yellow & both layers of white :)

 Laid out on the floor, in stacks

 Panoramic shot - mostly because I wanted an excuse to use the panoramic function on my camera :)

Showing all of the different fabrics that were used















And before I stitched up the first 4 tiers, I shot a couple pics of my favorite fabrics:

 From the oranges

 From the yellows

Also from the yellows. Excuse the wrinkliness - it didn't look that bad when I cut it, but I have a feeling DS got into them a bit...













*Total cutting time: ~5 hrs*
*Total sewing time: ~2.5 hrs*
**Total time invested: ~14 hrs**

In Progress #1

I'll try to update with a little in-progress info whenever I can, using the chart from my last post as a guideline.

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Width of Row (appx)         Progress

• White                           13 squares             50"                                    cut
• White                           20 squares             75"                                    cut
• Orange                         30 squares             113"                                  cut
• Yellow                         45 squares              170"                                  cut
• Green                           68 squares             255"                                  cut 
• Teal                              102 squares           383"                                  cut
• Blue                              153 squares           575"                                  cut
• Purple                           230 squares          863"                                   cut
• Red                              345 squares           1295"                                cut
• Pink                             518 squares           1943"                                 
•    OR                              690 squares           2590"

*Total cutting time: ~5hrs*
**Total time invested: ~6.5 hrs**

Starting to Work

Yesterday, I went to my BFF's house for a much-needed break from reality & a visit. After some fun & adventures outside with the kidlets, we headed inside, where we inevitably began talking craftiness. Since 9th grade, we have been best friends. We're so much alike that we joke that we share half a brain, as well as a passion for crafts of all kinds.
I talked about my to-do list and my desire to dedicate a little more time to my passions. We went upstairs and grabbed her grad dress (that she made herself and wasn't entirely happy with the overall feel of) and changed it up to be a beautiful summer dress. We cut off the top (the part she had a problem with) and grabbed some thin jersey knit to make a simple twisted bandeau top. Eventually we will likely add straps, but she loves it, and I felt accomplished.

So, back to that to-do list. I have started #4. A floor-length rainbow patchwork skirt. I decided I like the skirt better, because then I can wear pretty much any top I own with it.
I knew this would be one of the biggest endeavors on the list, but last night, I finished sorting my fabric and ended up with one large rubbermaid bin of full yardages+, one large rubbermaid bin of clothing & linens to recon or use as fabric, one smaller bin of large scraps, several very small bins of small scraps, and a big box of quilting fabric.
I took out the finished quilt squares & tablecloths that are just awaiting quilting or finishing, as well as all the pre-cut batting & quilting stencils. I'm not a quilter, and although I would love to have the patience for it, I really can't imagine myself sitting down to such meticulous, detailed work for such a long period. BFF does simple quilts and enjoys it, so I am forwarding it all to her.
Today, I attacked that big box of quilting fabric and sorted it into it's various colours. Except for white, all of the neutrals got added to BFF's pile (she loves browns, and has already made a gorgeous queen size quilt for her bed)
I then sat down with my calculator, pen & paper, and figured out all the numbers for a 10-tier rainbow patchwork skirt, with 1.5x increases between the tiers.
Let me tell you now, this is one hell of a major project! The numbers that I have to use are as follows:

Rainbow Patchwork Skirt

Using 4"x4" squares, construct a 10-tier skirt with 1.5x increases, using the following colour scheme:

             Colour                      # Squares           Width of Row (appx)

• White                           13 squares             50"
• White                           20 squares             75"
• Orange                         30 squares             113"
• Yellow                         45 squares              170"
• Green                           68 squares             255"
• Teal                              102 squares           383"
• Blue                              153 squares           575"
• Purple                           230 squares          863"
• Red                              345 squares           1295"
• Pink                             518 squares           1943"
•    OR                              690 squares           2590"

The reason for the "or" is because I would really like to have more ruffle on the last row, but if I can't manage enough squares, then I will settle for a 1.5x increase instead of a 2x increase. Also, I wanted a HUGE waistband, so that just about anyone could wear it. I'm a big girl (5'10" with a 42" waist - ugh)

Beyond that, I then have to stitch each tier of patches together, then ruffle them, then sew each tier to the next. After that, the waistband, and lastly, the dreaded hem.

So, I have started cutting. I started with larger numbers, but felt that a 60" waistband would be far too cumbersome, and adjusted accordingly for a 50" waistband instead.
Thank god for my rotary cutter!

*Total planning & organizing time: ~1.5 hrs*

Wants & To-Do's

Don't we all end up with a mile long list of things to do? Things we want to own, or make simply for the sake of making them?
Right now, my major to-do is still trying to get organized. I have never been very good at it, so it's never really happened. With over a decade of chaos and multiple moves to sort through, it really is quite the chore. But I still manage to set aside time to craft. Of course, my son always comes first, but THEN comes organizing, and THEN crafting. OK, maybe crafting before organizing... hehehe
So, I have a couple things that I have to make for this summer:

1. I have been eyeing the jumpers that have been seen everywhere. Craftster use violentjayne (who's work I adore - one of my many Craftster crushes) has posted a few truly fabulous ones. I want to make a wide-legged, shirred-top, strapped one, and try to incorporate jayne's trapdoor idea (which is really quite ingenious). I feel like something with a flowy top, cinched at the waist, and wider legs will help hide my problem areas (read: flub) and accentuate the fact that I have killer tits and a waist that is over 10" smaller than my bust or hips. For this project, I have a large amount of olive green jersey. If that one works out well, I have a super-awesome thrift store find to make my second incarnation. The fabric is a light-weight knit in the most amazing azure with a slight pattern to it. It's soft & luxurious & reminds me of something that one might find a lehenga made of. I have a smaller amount of a similar fabric in the same colour, but with a white stripe. The edge of that one is a beautiful purple. It could easily be the sari worn over top.
Which brings me to my next project:

2. Make a simple sundress out of the azure/white striped fabric. I'm not 100% sure on which style I will use, but I don't think I want to incorporate any shirring into it. Partially because I've never done any, and taking on too many projects with a new technique will be too daunting. I was considering using the purple trim and some of the striping in a horizontal across my bust, with the remainder of the stripes in a vertical from underbust to knee. Just a simple strapless dress with an empire waistline & flowy skirt.

3. Another dress. I have this old piece of fabric that was given to me. I'm not sure what exactly it was meant to be, but it was store-bought & I don't think it was ever used. It's white cotton with a large blue floral pattern all over it. One end has a huge amount of wide eyelet lace ruffled on it. I want to use that end as the bottom of my skirt with the lace still attached.
The fabric goes almost 3 times around me, and is over twice my length, so no problem at all with making a dress. I was thinking perhaps a petticoat-style dress with a simple bodice? I might incorporate some shirring into the back of this one and opt for a slightly lolita-esque feel to the piece. Knee-length again, with 3 tiers on the skirt? I don't want to attempt any puff sleeves, though.... Or something closer to this one I found over at Hong Kong Badger. Either way, AntiCraft has a great tut for pettis.

4. A patchwork skirt or dress. Preferably rainbow. I have a bunch of quilting fabric that was gifted to me (two large boxes full!) And I'm not a quilter. It would be perfect for something like this, and I have wanted one of these for so long.








5. A lace-front button-down tank top. I bought a slightly oversized white button-down dress shirt. I plan to take off the sleeves & collar & add tons of lace trims down the front. I have several bags of mismatched trims in white & some more antique-looking. Perhaps dye the shirt as well? Make it all somewhat antiqued? This shirt is about the closest I could find online in a quick search. I want it to wear with my navy pinstripe bermudas. And a wide red or navy belt. And some cute red peep-toes, either flat or kitten heel.

As far as my organization goes, you can see my earlier post on my craft area. I have since opened all of the boxes & bins of fabric & separated lengths of fabric, folded them up nice & neat, and taken a sample of each stapled to a card with the width & length of each fabric. That way, I never have any guessing errors again.
I also pulled out all of my sheets, curtains & other miscellaneous household linens that I had set aside to use as fabric. They are neatly folded & patiently waiting for me to catalogue them all.
What's left to sort? I still have a couple of boxes of scrap to sort through, and a big rubbermaid bin of mismatched scraps & old clothes for reconning. I want to separate my scraps into quilting scraps, larger fabric scraps & smaller non-quilting fabric scraps. Anything I find not useful will be sent on it's merry way.
My yarn is still out of control, and I think I just have to use a lot of it up to get it under control. I have a 5-drawer organizer for it, and it's full, as well as a couple more bins & some random bags. Some of it was gifted, some of it was bought on a whim, some was bought with a project in mind, but never occurred (or never got finished - my unfinished projects are absolutely shameful)
I also found a multi-drawer organizer for $1 at a yard sale! I used it for all of my buttons, embroidery floss, beads & supplies. It was a bit rusty, but I gave it a quick coat of gold spray paint (I have a can from an old RHPS Columbia costume) Which means I have 3 smaller organizer boxes with nothing in them. I am going to either give them away or sell them.
I still have my under-bed storage system sitting empty (since there is no under my bed, just a mattress & boxspring on the floor). I think I will pull everything down from the space above my closets and fit it into those boxes, then put them up top. It should help keep everything a little neater and more organized.
Well, the organization part of this post is getting long-winded and depressing, so I'm going to cut myself short before I realize just how behind I am...