Really Interesting Things at Chez SilverRose...

Really ... interesting.
...
Okay. Any time now.
...
Y'all, I got nothing. I mean, there are all sorts of things going on I'm sure, but either they're too boring, or a little too private for this blog. So I'm kinda left with, well, nothing.

Let's see.... I made chicken noodle soup last night. That went well. Seeing as how Dan, Shoryl, and I are all still suffering the lingering effects of The Cold, it was probably even a really good idea.

Tonight, I nap, and see Shoryl in the evening. Friday is Dan's company holiday party, and Sunday is a birthday party for Sami (turning ... 9, yes?). Big plans, I tell ya.

I cast on for a new pair of socks last night. Yes, yes, I have several going all ready, but I needed something new. Fresh. So. More socks.

Okay, now I'm starting to bore myself with this recitation. Carry on.

(Perhaps on Monday I will have actually had my camera with me at appropriate times, and share pictures.)

Is This Recovering?

So, with the sewing madness done, last semester firmly behind me, and work finally, er, working out, what's a girl to do?

Get a cold, apparently. Shoryl's been fighting something for the last few days, so really the result was inevitable: stuffy nose, sore throat from drainage, tired and listless. Yeah, I got what she had.

Last night when I got home from her place, I crawled into bed and proceeded to sleep for 12 hours. 12 hours! I don't remember the last time I could sleep like that. Then, I was full of sloth as Dan and I spent a lovely relaxing afternoon together playing FFXII (which is slowly improving), while I knit in my pajamas. Well, I sort of knit. For most of the afternoon, I had at least one - and up to three - dozing piles of fluff draped over me. Who can resist that temptation? So, despite the 12 hours of sleep, I also dozed on the sofa...

Now, Dan's off babysitting. I was supposed to go with him, but the cold was threatening to royally kick my ass, so instead I have several hours stretching out in front of me that are, amazingly, totally unscheduled.

Let me repeat that: totally unscheduled. I can, in fact, do anything my heart desires, guilt free.

When I was in high school, Joey and I formulated the theory that an excess of orange juice and a good hot bath could cure damn near anything. Since that hasn't failed me yet, my evening will include: an excess of orange-strawberry-banana juice (the only juice in the house), a good hot bath, and maybe some time sitting in front of the computer playing Roller Coaster Tycoon and knitting.

The knitting? For the Red Scarf Project. I'll get you pictures as soon as the lethargy lifts and I find the camera, the camera cord, and proper lighting.

Tomorrow I have temple - including a make-up hour of meditation, and a dinner party. Monday I get the whole day off work, and I'm dragging Shoryl out shopping. (Hey, I may even bring the camera...) Tuesday school starts again.

But before all that happens, I need to tell this cold where to stick it.

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Days 7, 8, and 9 ... I think.

So where did I leave off?

Ah, yes. The fly was done, and we were not discussing why putting a zipper in took a certain costumer two days and three tries.

I wasn't absolutely exhausted for this part of the affair, so I managed to take pictures:

Pants, for the penultimate fitting.



Nifty pleats, that do not, actually, emphasize her hips, which I was afraid they'd do


Hemming them up (Picture taken while Shoryl was attempting to take off her shoes.)



So. That was day ... 6 or 7. I'm not precisely sure anymore.

With the pants in a good holding pattern (requiring only hand work to be complete), I started the jacket:

Reivyn once again "helps" Mom


So, with the pants almost finished, and the jacket cut, I called it a night and went to bed. (Stay with me, now, I think this was ... Thursday night.)

So on Friday, I started putting the jacket together. This was, perhaps, easier than the pants, but not exactly the easiest thing I've ever done. Shoryl (sensibly) wanted a breast pocket (which the pattern did not call for), that I was, more or less, able to improvise. I got some completely unrecalled amount of the jacket done before collapsing into bed on Friday night.

Saturday (that's the 30th, y'all. Down to the wire, now.) I was supposed to get up after a refreshing 8 hours of sleep (8! It would seem like a holiday!) to sew morning to night. At 10:30, when Shoryl called to say she was done shopping and ready to come over, I was still in bed.

Hmph.

So instead, I got up at 10:30 Saturday morning and started sewing. This is about where I lost any interesting in photographing what I was doing. I took a sanity break Saturday evening, in which Shoryl attempted (quite successfully) to distract me from the suit I was making on her behalf. A few hours later - not really awake, but refreshed - I started sewing again.

Reivyn kept vigil with me.



Dan went to bed around 4:00 Sunday morning. I was still sewing. Shoryl came over for final fittings around 6:00 Sunday morning. I was still sewing. Shoryl crashed out on my sofa around 10:00 Sunday morning, until I made her go upstairs and sleep in a real bed. I was still sewing. She got up around noon Sunday. I was still sewing.

At 12:30, I sewed the last button on, and handed her the suit. She needed it by 1:00 that day.

Now there's some masterful level 4 procrastination for you. But perhaps next time I should build sleep into my schedule? Of the 27 hours straight I was awake from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon, I estimate that I spent 20 of them sewing.

But, I gotta say, wasn't it all worth it? (Look at the lovely chains, y'all. That's Shoryl's work.)



If you're somehow still reading after all this, here are the modifications I made to this pattern. I would definitely recommend it.

• Pattern calls for pockets made of fashion fabric, lined with more fashion fabric. I made the pockets out of lining, with fashion fabric on the flaps. This made them less bulky.
  
• Because Shoryl is not, in fact, really shaped like a boy, I needed to add an extra dart to the waistline of the pants to insure a tight fitting waist. (This is affectionately hereafter known as the "butt dart.")
  
• The pants taper at the hem. Were I to make this again (please, gods, no...) I would cut the legs straighter for more fullness at pants hem.
  
• Added breast pocket
  
• Added lapel buttonhole
  
• Put in two buttons on jacket, instead of one.

But wait, there's more!

See, I'm not actually done with it yet - just close enough so Shoryl could wear it on New Year's. Here's what's left:

• Line jacket and sleeves
  
• Take out "cheater cuffs" and sew them by hand like I was supposed to
  
• Take facing of pants back into place (undone by my over zealous tightening of her suspenders)
  
• Widen upper buttonhole on jacket

I think there might be more, but I can't recall right now.

Gods, I need a nap...

Zoot Suit Pursuit: Unveiling

"Hot damn!"



That's my girl. :) (And my suit!)

I've had sleep now, and I'm happy. Real post detailing the last 24 hours of sewing later tonight, but I just couldn't wait to put a final picture up.