Craft time Thursday!

I don't think I'm crafty enough to make this a weekly thing, I really just wanted to mention that it is Thursday! Woo!

Also I made a calender, inspired by Design Mom, she's super cool.

I was originally going to use a standard cork board, but I like that these could be wrapped in cool fabrics to make them even more exciting.

The things I used:

(4) 12"x12" cork board things

(4) slightly bigger pieces of fabric. I didn't measure these at all just laid the cork on top

and hacked away.

Scissors to cut the fabric. Ya know.

Random tape we had.

Lots of paint cards from Lowe's, I'm not sure if taking this many colorful cards is illegal/frowned upon, either way no one said anything to me. So heist away!

Again I used some random tap we had lying around, it was either that or Elmer's glue, which would probably have taken years to dry, so I went with the tape. The cork boards I bought were super convenient in that they came with the white sticky squares. The squares are also the worst thing ever to try and tear apart and remove the paper from, if there's another brand/better product I would recommend that.

All finished. It took me like 20 minutes, 10 of which was dealing with those stupid sticky squares.

I wasn't sure about these pins when I bought them today, but they looked nice once I got them up.

Nice and easy and created enough of an impact that I felt like I was actually making progress towards our goal of getting the house ready for the house warming party. Hooray!

Operation: Not Crappy Graduation Dress Complete!

Drum roll!

Super short drum roll!

It's a little bit baggy, but all in all I like it.

Mainly, it looks good on Hannah that's the important thing.

I'm not sure what's next on the agenda. I've got a couple of projects yet to be completed, so maybe I'll start up on those.

But first my baby sister graduates tomorrow and then husband-face and I need to care for some devil chickens this weekend.

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Bonus!

Hannah as a ghost!

A dress and a radish!

My sister has blackmailed me into making a dress for her. Which is surprising because I'm pretty sure I've never been involved in anything remotely blackmail worthy, either way I was flattered. Thus I started on a dress for her graduation and I've got about a week left to finish it up, but here's some pictures of the design.

This is the back piece along with the half finished zipper.

The rest of the back of the dress.

The front.

Also the front.

That's about it. I'm just hoping the whole thing fits together. I'll probably cry otherwise.

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I promised you a radish.

It came from Hylinn's parents garden and it was delicious!

Procrastinating!

That's what I would say to you if you asked me what I was doing right now!

We're moving this weekend and I should be packing right now, in fact this is what our living room looks like.

Filled with boxes, thankfully not all of that is ours, half is our roommate's. Unfortunately, this is what I still need to pack up.

Basically all the things we own. I've made a very small dent. And what am I doing now instead of packing that is so important?

Yep... on a blanket that is supposed to be packed away, with a book that should be in a box somewhere. Oh well.

Floating Islands.

Spring always makes me so energetic, it's really hard for me to walk outside and not freak out a little. I mean come on winter is total crap. But I always get really conflicted in early spring, I've just spent four months basically hibernating and being generally grumpy and April, especially, just slaps me in the face and asks me where I've been, what I've been doing with my life. "You remember all that stuff you bookmarked and told yourself you were going to do but never got around, well get up and do it", April yells.

So I feel both guilty for letting April down, but also really happy it's here kicking my butt cause then I make stuff like floating islands!

These did not come from my brain. They came from here.

But they look super pretty and every time I look at them they make me smile. Victory!

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Small life update.

The business is still moving forward, just slowlier... yep I just typed that.

I've been doing some sewing work for other people, it's prom time in high school land!!

But I've got a really cool dress planned for my sister's graduation, so I will have original work up soon.

I've also been working on the business website layout as well as a personal website layout.

Personal website layout is for a maybe job.

Official

I'm not one for bringing things up before they're official. I feel like it jinxes them, cause I'm kinda crazy, but about two months ago I applied for a trade name and last week I got the letter saying it was all official! Yay!!

So now I'm officially a sole proprietor, meaning I am the only person responsible for all the stuff my business does cause I'm the only one in it. I am crazy nervous about starting a business, mainly cause I'm pretty sure I will screw something up at some point. There's a lot of paperwork and information flying around that I need to keep track of. Scary stuff, but sole proprietorship is pretty low key compared to any of the other options and it'll be a nice way for me to get a feel for running a business and keeping track of all this stuff.

If you curious about starting a sole proprietorship here's what I've done so far. I'm not sure what the rules are for other states, but all you need to do in Maryland is apply for a trade name, it could be your own name or some other name of your choosing. You can check ahead of time to see if the name you want is taken, as well as print out the application you'll need to fill out at the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation. From there you can mail it in with 25 dollars and wait the six to eight weeks for approval or turn it in in person and get approval right away, that it will cost an extra 50 dollars though as it's considered expedited.

Now I need to go talk to the IRS and get what is essentially a social security number for my business, register for all my tax stuff and get a business license. I'll let you know how that goes once finished.

Pwerple.

This is what I've been working on. This dress was much harder to sew than I expected it to be, which is why it took me so long. It turned out well, though the hem is giving me problems now so I'mma lay the smack down on those hopefully next week. As well as some boring business-like things.

Speaking of business-like things I mailed out the form to secure the name I would like for my fancy business. I haven't heard anything back, but it always takes approximately 12 years for paperwork to get sorted out. Not worried yet, but you'll know when I am.

In the mean time I've got a birthday party to go to and friends to see this weekend. Hope your weekend is awesome and full of cake!

Updates! Updates!

I'm dying!

That's an exaggeration, I have a cavity.
We finally got our health insurance cards since the job switch. The needed appointments were piling up, so I've been a scheduling fiend and neglecting all other aspects of my life. Hooray!

I'll do a for reals update tomorrow with pictures and all! Le gasp. I have pretty things to show you.

Weekend

*

I've been feeling pretty good lately.

Hylinn and I are going skiing all weekend. So I'll be dead when we get back.

Any supa exciting plans this weekend? Or even better lazy day plans?

See you Monday! Heart.

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*- As you know I save pictures and forget where they came from. Cause I suck.

Redesign

*

I've been flip flopping around all over this blog trying to figure out what I want from and what I want to do with it. And slowly but surely things are starting to work themselves out. So over the next couple of months I'll be rearranging, nothing drastic just tweaks here and there so everything lines up in my brain.

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*- This picture has nothing to do with my post. I just like it. Also via Design for Mankind

Fini! Almost...

*

Almost, I didn't plan ahead very well.

I started this project without picking out all my fabric. So hopefully the fabric I ordered today goes well with the rest of the shirt or I'm fucked!

Ok, that's an exaggeration, but you get what I'm saying.

But all the sewing has gone off without a hitch. Things are looking up.

Sleeves are becoming not a pain in the ass.

*

Collars are the next project to tackle. This one isn't too hot.

*

Kinda plain.

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*-Eventually I'll need to come to the realization that I need to hire a model. One day.

Patterns, soul sucking demons.

This was one of the pictures that popped up when I searched for "Soul sucking demon."

I decided that being the skilled seamstress and clothing maker that I am, that my next project would be to design a pattern for myself and then make a piece of clothing with that very pattern. Little did I know when I started at the beginning of this week that by the end my soul would be gone. Poof!

A footnote on my experience, it's recommended to have a mannequin or at least something people shaped. This also removes a step at the beginning.

What is recommended*:

1- Design a piece of clothing. Preferably something within your means of doing.

2- Drape fabric to get the desired look. Pin in place.

3- Cut fabric.

4- Lay out fabric pieces on pattern paper, trace. Add pattern shapes and lingo.

5- Celebrate

*- This is highly abbreviated.

What I did*:

1- Take my measurements. Feel accomplished, go to sleep.

2- Use 'How To Make Sewing Patterns**' to learn how to make draw out a pattern. Take a nap.

3- Wake up. Compare pattern to my body.

4- Pin the pattern to fabric anyway and improvise. This is how I role.

5- Pin and Sew.

*- Again, highly abbreviated.

**- This book is amazing.

I took a few liberties. In general it worked, it's not the best method or the most efficient and hopefully for my sake I get better at it. The best thing I can suggest is to buy the book I mentioned above. It gives a great overview of shaping fabric on a body and the basics of pattern making. One small word about the book is that's it's old, 70's old. So it's pretty much ancient technology. But for serious, because it's older the style of the patterns he lays out are slightly outdated. As long as you go in knowing that going in, it's no big deal. I didn't so this is how my pattern turned out.

The second line up is the waist line and also where the book recommends the bottom of the pattern should be. Hmm... So, I tried to modify it last minute to make is longer, that's the bottom line, but even that wasn't long enough for me. I ended modifying it even further once I got it on the fabric. Knowing how short he suggests the pattern to be the front portion turned out better.

Here's the design in muslin, not the most attractive fabric, but hopefully once I transfer it to "real" fabric it'll look nicer. Right now it just looks like a very large onesie.

I'll keep you updated.

Sewing Project 5!

And the second project I've actually showed you! Hooray! I should do a round up of stuff I made last year... We'll see.

But here it is!

Sorry for the super awkward picture.

I tried, I mean really tried to take pictures of this shirt on a hanger, but they looked terribad. It is at this point in time impossible for my to take pictures of clothing on hangers.

Here's some close ups of my stitching, this is the collar. Not the best stitching ever, but I want a record out there if and when I start making progress. And I like being honest with you guys!

Here's the sleeve. This being my first project with Robot I used a different stitch for every part to see how they looked. Some were so tedious to rip out, so I'll make sure I've got my shit together before I use those again.

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My next project create my own pattern! Away!

3 Weeks!

It's already and only three weeks into the new year at the same time. Such a weird feeling. And so far my goal of being more present on here is failing miserably, but I wanted to start my new posts with an introduction to my new friend, so that will be my excuse as to why I'm three weeks behind.

Meet Robot.

He's named that cause of the amazing noises he makes. I'll put a video at the bottom so you can hear too. And yes he has a mustache, what self respecting sewing machine doesn't.

I have lots of plans for Robot and I, and not just picnics in the park, but grown up, serious plans, that I'll be sharing here as they start happening. Right now my life is full of lists and "to do's." It's exciting, but very daunting.

Until there's more news I'm gonna leave you with Robot noises.

Hearts.

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He's so cute.