A Day of Pride

If nothing else, these make me proud:



Finally Done!

Okay, she makes me pretty damn proud, too:


My girl, snagging beads, in her new socks

We had a wonderful time at Pride on Sunday, though my camera didn't get much use. I did whip it out of my bag a few times to get pictures, like the one of Shoryl above, and these:


Geeks on Parade


Dykes on Bikes -- Shoryl promises that I'll get to be the girl on the back of her bike someday.

All in all, my first Pride was a good one. I even withstood 6 1/2 hours in the scorching sun, a picnic lunch, and several pests of the winged variety. Once we were done with the sun (and done shopping), Shoryl and I went out to dinner at a local oriental place, and came home to collapse into welcome air conditioning. Those pictures, however, I'm not allowed to show you.



**Thanks must be given to those who contributed to the development of the Pride Highs, without whom I never would have finished (at least, I'm sure they think so):

It's almost here again

CONvergence is kind of like Christmas for me: it comes at the same time every year, I know I'll have many, many obligations to fulfill, and yet, it's a complete surprise each and every year.

Hiya! Your insane costumer is back, this time with 13 sewings days, and 3 full costumes and assorted fiddly bits to do before then. Now until July 4th. It's my own personal run-up to the con.

On the docket:

• Formal gown for StemmedRose
  
• Add loop to Shoryl's suit
  
• Green shirt, tie, and handkerchief for Shoryl
  
• Green swing dress for me
  
• 5 4 Cthoompa Loompa plushies (no, really!) <-- One is done!
  
• Red Fraggle costume for me
  
• Bows added to 6 t-shirts

Days 1 & 2: StemmedRose's formal

My camera was dead on day 1, so you missed the making of a mockup. Even though I'm using a paper pattern, a mockup was needed. Why?



Because StemmedRose is a kindred spirit. Why do something easy, when you can do something complicated? So I'm making the top from one pattern, and the skirt from another. The patterns specify different fabrics (one is for a stretch, one isn't), a different waist size, and different seams (one has princess seams, one is just side seamed). What fun!

And all of this ... in an incredibly frustrating (but beautiful, I admit) woven jacquard. Which unravels like there's no tomorrow.



That's my first attempt at a shoulder strap. Apparently, this particular jacquard can unravel faster than I can turn a tube when sewn at a scant 3/8 inch seam. So I widened the straps and increased the seam allowances to 3/4". That seems to have fixed it. The laces and loops at the back of the dress were supposed to be turned loops as well. They are not. There is no way I could turn those in this fabric, so they have been replaced with ribbon, which looks just fine.

Two days worth of work resulted in: mockup made and fitted, pattern cut out, skirt assembled, bodice assembled, straps made, lining assembled. Also, I cut the tissue for Shoryl's shirt. Not bad for two days, but I'll need to keep it up if I'm going to make it to con with everything done (and suffering from the smallest amount of sleep dep possible.)

What's Shoryl doing while I do this?

Well, remember the 2000 individually wrapped candies from last year? Shoryl did 200 of them. And true to form - felt the need to pallet stack them.



(Pssst! I finished the rainbow socks! Shoryl and I head out to Pride tomorrow, and I'll have pictures tomorrow night. Yay!)

Small Circles of Life

It's been over a month since I blogged, and I could say it's been because I've been very busy. And indeed, this would be true. There are socks to knit, costumes to sew, work to do, and cleaning to be avoided. But, while true, it would not be accurate. A fine line, that.

More accurately, I've been savoring life. And my thoughts have been both too insignificant and too momentous to easily put into words. And perhaps a touch too private. But this blog is for me, yes? Those of you who come here to read what I'm knitting or to peruse my costume diaries may be forgiven if you skip posts that are not fibre related. This is one of those posts. And those of you who know me (or think you do) may be forgiven for skipping posts that are merely show-and-tell of my latest project.

My life is no more hectic or crazy than I wish it to be, as I'll admit in rare moments of honesty. As of right now, I have to finish knitting a pair of monstrous socks by the end of June, three costumes and assorted sewing by the beginning of July, three more costumes by the middle of August, and two more probable costumes by the middle of September. This is not, however, producing the expected panic. Perhaps this is because I am now completely overconfident in my abilities to sew anything in 8 days. But I don't think this is completely it.

My life has settled into small circles of events. Hm. Have to clean out the townhouse tomorrow of the rest of my stuff. Okay. Friday maybe go with Shoryl while she gets a tattoo. Okay. A part of my brain still says "Ack! Two sewing days lost!" The rest of me smiles and shrugs it off. Hello? Yes, shrugs it off. As in deals with it in a rational and controlled manner. How is this possible?

I'm content. I took a walk today. Outside. Those who don't know me fail to be mystified by this, but those who do ... are looking at the calendar and wondering what the hell I was doing outside in June. Was I pressured? At gunpoint? I walked under trees. I just did. And I maybe twitched at a fly or two. But there were many unidentified things in the air that did not make me twitch.

My life is ... good. I have an amazing woman, who loves me and whom I adore; a home filled with people that care about me; a job that, while not intellectually stimulating is not horrendous; hobbies that are intellectually stimulating. I don't know if it just took passing 30 to bring it to me (though I have my suspicions), but I'm content. I really don't feel like I have room to complain right now. Sure, there are still money problems, still critters that make me panic, still troubles to be dealt with. But in the face of all of this, I've found my place. It's like finding your sea legs, or being able to stand on the bus. It doesn't really change anything, but it makes the journey easier.

So none of this is world-breaking, or even particularly interesting to anyone but me. Perhaps next time I show up, I'll have some interesting pictures to show you of what I'm doing. Until then, I think I'll go meditate, then work on some sewing.

Oh, and I need to take toilet paper to the third floor. The small, mundane circles of life. And I'm happy to be here.