Not a Three Hour Shirt

Chugging along on the cosplay. This is Baltar's shirt, inspired by this picture. I used McCall's 4079, a so-called "three hour shirt." Not! I admit this is the first time I've used an official, commercial, tissue paper pattern, but this wasn't even close to three hours.

Using a pattern was very helpful. I don't think I could have done the collar without it (and I barely managed with it). But the fit on this was a bit silly. The collar fit perfectly, but I had to cut several inches off the side. What kind of weirdly proportioned, tiny necked, huge chested person is this designed for...? I guess that's the unisex aspect.



A note on buttons: I am a crazy person! When Geoff was trying on the shirt, he said, "It's a little hard to button what with the holes being sideways." And I realized that I have always made button holes the wrong way. I don't know why, but for some reason I've never noticed that button holes run vertically. Ah, so that's the button hole guide has two lines. And that's why the buttons are always bunching (see above). Yes, I repeat: I am a crazy person.

Bag First

An awkward reality of conventions is that you need a bag, because unlike people on TV, you need to have a wallet and a phone and a camera and stuff on your person when walking around all day. Your costume may not provide one. Calliel on Craftster sums up the dilemma well here (and solves it pretty fantastically, too).

The character I'm doing this year* does at one point carry a briefcase, but never with this costume, so I decided to just go the matching bag route. Last year I did a matching bag (you can see it here) but I did it very last minute. This year I decided to do the bag first.



(Wow, this red is really hard to photograph!)

It's not perfect by any means. I was having much trouble with my bobbins-- turns out, do NOT use Class 66 bobbins with a Brother machine-- so there are tangled threads and bad tension problems all over the place, but I'm fairly happy with it. This is the first bag I've really tried to construct. It has a zipper and stabilizer and lining and all that good stuff - whereas last year I just made a fold-over tote with a cardboard magazine file in it for structure (I'm serious).



Check it out, shiny lining and all. No magazine file this year. Now I just need to get on with the dress and the jewelry and stuff. You know, the actual costume...

*No I haven't told you what character - you can guess if you want ;)

Luna Lovegood Scarf

Found this absolutely adorable pattern for Luna's scarf (above). Click here.

Long Throw Pillows

So thanks to Jelly Wares, I felt confident making these two pillows not match. I think it actually works pretty well. Anyway, I am too busy working on my next cosplay to fix it right now, so I stuffed them this weekend and this is how they will stay.

Inspired by images of Chinese dragons chasing pearls, I made these appliques to dress up my lackluster Target pillows. I've never made an applique before... this may be apparent. I used an awesome calico quilting fabric from Joann called Snakeskin. It looks like scales up close. The satin pearl is made from my scraps pile, and it is exactly the size of a spool of thread, imagine why.

Some people like to call Chinese dragons long, the Chinese word, to separate them from Western dragons. Although similar in appearance, they are very different mythologically. The long is not villainous or frightful, it is a symbol of power. The pearl it chases symbolizes prosperity. My husband would also like to point out that the one on the left is an "S" so he thinks that this design is now our family crest or something.

I added some more stuffing to the pillows while I was at it, because they were a little flat, and inserted a zipper, because these pillows were pretty tough to make, I want to be able to wash them.

Flesh Tank! TP Cozy

I've demonstrated a fondness for kitschy cozies, so add this one to the list.

I made this one for a friend who is a huge Narutard Naruto fan. I made it for Christmas but I only got around to photographing it now. It was kind of hurried, so I had to give it to him before I got to photograph it, and also before I was able to, um, buy thread in matching colors. Yeah.

This character's name is Choji. Choji is a kid that everyone underestimates because he is fat and sweet natured, but he is a tough cookie. His main attack is called Flesh Tank in the Hong Kong version I've been watching; he can turn his body into a giant bowling ball and steamroll his foes. I think it is translated as something else in the Cartoon Network version but you get the idea.


So it's his giant bowling ball form that conceals the toilet paper. His body is made out of various scraps from the remnant bin. His hair is made out of the same yarn as the White Mage above. His face, feet, hands, and Leaf village symbol are made out of polymer clay. Have I mentioned how awesome Fimo is?

Craftster Challenger

I just entered the latest Craftster challenge, the Dollar Store Round 2. My entry is here.

Craftster is addicting. Consider yourself warned!

UPDATE: Voting is now open. Vote here.

UPDATE 2: Voting is over. The dollar store wedding dress won, clearly. Wow! I'm so proud that 15 people voted for me when stuff like this was in the running. Congrats to everyone, and thank you!

Spock be Prosperin' - T Shirt

So what did I tell ya, huh? Geeky?

This is a design I did for the Threadless competition. After it did somewhat poorly in the voting, I decided to bleach stencil it using this process. The image was then touched up with fabric pens. I'm pretty pleased with the result.

Action shot:


This will officially be the first item for sale in my Etsy shop, should be up by the end of the day. Enjoy :)

I Painted Something

I found a cheap easel at Ikea, and was inspired to start painting again. I wanted to do something simple and pretty and saccharine; I also have a deep love for morning glories.

This is based on some photos I found on flickr. The medium is acrylic on canvas. I get all my supplies at Continental Art Supply on Reseda Blvd, the best art store in the valley.

How is this geeky, you ask? Where is the geek?? Just wait. My next post will be so geeky, you'll have to take a shower.

Almond and Honey Easter Cupcakes

I found some cooling racks at the dollar store, and was compelled to make cupcakes. Here's the recipe, inspired by Epicurious and chockylit.

Almond Cupcakes

    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup natural almond meal (almonds ground very fine)
    1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
    1 pinch salt
    1/3 cup butter
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 egg
    1/2 teaspoon almond extract
    1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°:F
In a bowl whisk together the flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer cream together the butter and the sugar, beat in the egg and the almond extract. Then beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition.

Divide the batter among 12 paper-lined 1/2-cup muffin tins and bake the cupcakes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Turn the cupcakes out onto a rack and let them cool completely.

Honey Frosting

    4 ounces or 1/2 package of light cream cheese
    2 tablespoons butter, softened
    1-2 cups sifted powdered sugar
    2 tablespoons thick local honey

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and honey until you get to the consistency and sweetness you like.

Frost and garnish with a whole almond.

Color Crisis

Ahhh! Why do I always do this? After I spent hours embroidering these pillow cases, I decided that the gold floss just doesn't work. I had doubts at the beginning, but for some reason did not listen to them. Why?!

So, I think I have to rip out all the gold and replace it. I'm thinking ice blue (like the pearl). It seems rather obvious now, these are going on a blue couch, I don't know why I thought gold. What do you think? This is how it would look (yay Gimp)

Miz Bear TP Cozy

When I was growing up, my mother had one of those oft-insulted toilet paper cozies. It was crochet or macrame, and it had a face - a cat I think. It was a little silly. But you know what? There was always toilet paper near the toilet when you were doing your business, and that is important.

So I really wanted a toilet paper cozy. I spent some time on Etsy and I found these, by LK Craft Creations. But I couldn't find the color I wanted, and really, the crochet might be a little much.

So I went thrift shopping trying to find a doll, a beat up abandoned Barbie, maybe, and I couldn't find any. It was weird. But I did find that bear, it was a Hallmark bear that sang a terrible song. I gutted her innards, removing the awful music box. I picked some fabric from my scraps that matched my wallpaper, then I sewed the dress and the ruffle and the hat around her.



Her name is Miz Bear, because she may be related to Mistah Bear. I think the hat makes her look very official, like a concierge. A concierge with toilet paper.



"Oh, my goodness! How embarassing..."

Fabric Store: Sally's Fabrics

I'm trying to start going to fabric stores that are not Joann Fabrics. Because Joann Fabrics is kind of lame. I just found Sally's Fabrics, in the Fox Hills Mall. There is also a Sally's in the Fashion District, but it is so much easier to park here. They are in the process of moving right now, so everything is 30% off. Which means I spent way to much $$ in order to spend less, sometime in the future. Very sensible, yes?

There are a lot of really nice fabrics here, but not much else. This is a fabric store, not a craft store. The sale prices are great. Unlike Joann's, they have a lot of "real" fabrics - nice linens, silks, and soft cottons for reasonable prices. The staff is friendly and fast. And I like that it is in the same mall as Old Navy, JC Penney, and Forever 21.

I Bought a Print

I just bought a giclee print from Terrace Gallery on Etsy. I plan to put it in my living room, somewhere. I've always had movie posters from my oeuvre on the walls, but these are starting to seem pretty uninspired and juvenile. Also, most of these movies suck.

So here's to a first step towards growing up my living room... :)