Top it off with a hat

I couldn’t find any buckram this year to make hats, but at Michaels I found inexpensive sheets of felt. They didn’t have dark brown of course, but I dyed a grey sheet quite easily. The sizing that made the felt stiff washed out a little, but enough remains to keep it crisp enough for a hat shape. I had drafted the pattern weeks and weeks ago, before I had even started the dress, by making mockups with...

Fruit full

I said yesterday morning that I was through with picking Saskatoons. It’s been 5 weeks now, I’m tired of picking the darn things. I have in the freezer over 30 bags, 4 cups each. That should be enough to sprinkle on cereal for a year right? Sage must have heard me because he’s been quite good about staying out of the bushes. He can have a few now, I won’t yell. Mot too many….they...

Time Traveller’s Wife

Started and finished in one day. Could not put it down, caught from the very first pages. Having seen the previews for the movie I had Eric Bana in my head the whole time…. not a bad thing, I’ll admit. Everyone who knows me, knows that I generally abhor time travel, and this book had its moments where I said out loud “hey…waitaminute…that can’t be right…”. And there...

Brave New World

I’m posting this after having finished. Far too bizarre to comment. (In dreamy hypno therapy tones…”I’m sure glad that I’m not a Delta or an Epsilon”)

That should teach me

Serves me right for not updating the site. I had a dozen comments in my comments admin section to approve, all about the Riverboat Dress. Two more weeks and I get to wear it The funniest comments are generated by the spammers. Their clever little robots sending out messages hoping to get past the admins. They crack me up. My explanation of the freight train caught “Are you a professional journalist? You...

Bodice and trim

A sewing marathon while staying at Sue’s place for a few days. Raided her Sewing Closet of Treasures and found some fringey trim for the neckline of the bodice, and pearls for some elegant swank. The bodice is finished at last with the addition of the trim around the neck and bottom, finished the sleeve openings simply with brown bias tape. It fits nicely enough, and honestly it’s an comfy top. This...

The overskirt

Once I had the underskirt sewn I was completely in love with the fabric. I knew I didn’t want to sew the long overskirt that was in the pattern I had bought which would only cover it up. What is called a ‘butterfly overskirt’ was more of what I had in mind, but didn’t want to order another pattern, so I sort of made my own. It’s not perfect, and probably not terribly authentic at...

The underskirt

The fabric is divine. Just a little bit shiny and bright, and drapes beautifully. Only drawback was matching the pattern across the seams. On one side front panel I matched dead perfect at the top near the waistband, which I thought was clever, until I remembered the overskirt would cover it. Doh! The next side panel I used my head and matched lower down. I don’t think it’s too noticeable that they...

An Edible History of Humanity

The history of food. Agriculture – humanity’s worst mistake ever, so the author tells us. We were better off as foragers with more free time, less labour, better health, taller, stronger, etc. etc. And corn (George’s people call it maize). Did we shape it over the years to suit us better? Or did corn take advantage of humans so it could leave Mexico and cover the entire planet? Food as a weapon-...

Lilies

No fancy name for these. Originally from Tim, they grow in the shade garden.