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Its been a nice, chill weekend. Brian's been on call since Thursday, so we were laying low to be conducive to that. We picked up some supplies for costumes and props that have been needed, got our house into some kind of order and Joss Whedon geeked with friends.
Thanks to Brian talking me down from the ledge this morning I've crossed a line in terms of my sewing. I can follow a pattern and have a lot of technical skills from years of sewing from different kinds of patterns. What gets me all of the time is tailoring things. This Inara bodice was something I wanted to do by myself, to kind of prove to myself that I'm not sewing-retarded. I started working on fitting the muslin together this morning for the top, and though I had a basic shape that went onto my body it needed a ton of tweaking. I knew this (tailoring doesn't come easy), but as I stood trying to drape it and pin it to myself, by myself I got very frustrated. I can't reach around the back. I can't easily pin darts where they should be (to fit into the prescribed patchwork pattern that this top should be in). Brian offered to help but really, I want this to be my project - not something he bails me out of. He's got his hands full trying to construct that crossbow.
It comes down again to the dress form. I want one - it would make my life so much easier. I even had one, but it was the wrong size. I donated it to a charity auction and resolved to buy myself one in the proper size but I never did. I kind of went back and forth between thinking that if I bought one I really needed to use it a lot (or it wouldn't be worth the investment). I've been trying to figure out if it really is worth it to have - do I want to go to that next level of sewing or is sewing really just not for me? When I get like this I get really unreasonable. I get to thinking that I just can do it, and that I shouldn't be sewing at all. That leads to other thoughts, like I shouldn't be in costuming groups, shouldn't go to Dragoncon, etc. Its silly, really. Brian was able to bring me back to reality by reminding me of tools he's had to buy (that don't get used often) to get the job done that otherwise couldn't be done without said tools. He tried to express that this costume top I'm making isn't simple at all, and there's no way I could do it (or other similar tailored projects) without a dress form. And, he reminded me that some of my very skilled friends who sew also have frustrations and make mistakes and have to rip things out 100 times before they figure it out.
So I went out and ordered a dress form. It should get here in 10-14 days, plenty of time to get the top done for DC if I stay motivated. I'll work on other parts (attaching the pleather waistband to my pants, figuring out the arm bands and gloves). Maybe I'll get that new Trooper Groupie skirt sewn - I want to find a circle skirt pattern, I have some awesome PVC for it that I bought in NYC in February when we were out there for Comicon.
The coolest thing is, that the JoAnne Fabric's store has a "Fall Fusion" magazine with coupons on the back now, for sale for $3. There's a 1/2 off a dress form coupon on there! The cashier told me about it, and the store actually called me 10 minutes after I got home to also let me know. Very cool. The sewing and crafting peeps may want to pick up this magazine - there's also 1/2 off coupons for trim, notions and fabric in there.
I'm excited about finally getting over this hump. I'm feeling good about my project, and I'm also happy for the enforced delay for a bit - I really want to keep reading Harry Potter.
Unrelated, here's pics from a dance studio cookout and my work trip to George's Island:
http://www.marmontianderson.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=40
http://www.marmontianderson.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=39
Thanks to Brian talking me down from the ledge this morning I've crossed a line in terms of my sewing. I can follow a pattern and have a lot of technical skills from years of sewing from different kinds of patterns. What gets me all of the time is tailoring things. This Inara bodice was something I wanted to do by myself, to kind of prove to myself that I'm not sewing-retarded. I started working on fitting the muslin together this morning for the top, and though I had a basic shape that went onto my body it needed a ton of tweaking. I knew this (tailoring doesn't come easy), but as I stood trying to drape it and pin it to myself, by myself I got very frustrated. I can't reach around the back. I can't easily pin darts where they should be (to fit into the prescribed patchwork pattern that this top should be in). Brian offered to help but really, I want this to be my project - not something he bails me out of. He's got his hands full trying to construct that crossbow.
It comes down again to the dress form. I want one - it would make my life so much easier. I even had one, but it was the wrong size. I donated it to a charity auction and resolved to buy myself one in the proper size but I never did. I kind of went back and forth between thinking that if I bought one I really needed to use it a lot (or it wouldn't be worth the investment). I've been trying to figure out if it really is worth it to have - do I want to go to that next level of sewing or is sewing really just not for me? When I get like this I get really unreasonable. I get to thinking that I just can do it, and that I shouldn't be sewing at all. That leads to other thoughts, like I shouldn't be in costuming groups, shouldn't go to Dragoncon, etc. Its silly, really. Brian was able to bring me back to reality by reminding me of tools he's had to buy (that don't get used often) to get the job done that otherwise couldn't be done without said tools. He tried to express that this costume top I'm making isn't simple at all, and there's no way I could do it (or other similar tailored projects) without a dress form. And, he reminded me that some of my very skilled friends who sew also have frustrations and make mistakes and have to rip things out 100 times before they figure it out.
So I went out and ordered a dress form. It should get here in 10-14 days, plenty of time to get the top done for DC if I stay motivated. I'll work on other parts (attaching the pleather waistband to my pants, figuring out the arm bands and gloves). Maybe I'll get that new Trooper Groupie skirt sewn - I want to find a circle skirt pattern, I have some awesome PVC for it that I bought in NYC in February when we were out there for Comicon.
The coolest thing is, that the JoAnne Fabric's store has a "Fall Fusion" magazine with coupons on the back now, for sale for $3. There's a 1/2 off a dress form coupon on there! The cashier told me about it, and the store actually called me 10 minutes after I got home to also let me know. Very cool. The sewing and crafting peeps may want to pick up this magazine - there's also 1/2 off coupons for trim, notions and fabric in there.
I'm excited about finally getting over this hump. I'm feeling good about my project, and I'm also happy for the enforced delay for a bit - I really want to keep reading Harry Potter.
Unrelated, here's pics from a dance studio cookout and my work trip to George's Island:
http://www.marmontianderson.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=40
http://www.marmontianderson.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=39
