The Burdastyle Sewing Handbook

Well kids, I finally picked it up. Actually, Rachel bought it for me. The lady at the wonderful Sew To Speak said that if for any reason I didn't like it, she'd buy it back from me. The book starts with a section for beginners. It describes sewing tools, and tells you what you should have in your kit, shows you how to handle sewing machine, and goes over different stitches. I didn't realize that a book that covers altering patterns would also deal with beginner sewing tips. This plus 5 patterns, 3 variations of each, and the book's only $30? It's worth it! I haven't yet finished my project, but I started with the top. I was going to purchase a blouse pattern from their site anyway, and this had three! They encourage playing with and varying the pattern. The only thing I might like to see more of is how to tell what to adjust. But then, maybe I'm not there yet. I was amazed at how fast my muslin went together, and I'm super stoked to try the other patterns! Perhaps the most valuable thing I have learned, however, is that a 6x19" piece of one sided transfer paper just won't do. This is the first time I've ever used it, and frankly, I'm not impressed with what I got. Just some Singer brand stuff from Jo-Ann. I really need to order something bigger. You don't want to have to shift the tracing paper between your pattern and fabric, and trust it not to move! Anyway, I'm pleased with the book. Order it here or at your local shop! Happy sewing!

Anathema - Getting Down to the Wire!

I promise I'll get back to regular scheduled programming soon. But for now, I need your help. Rachel's kickstarter has only 4 days left, and we still have $1200 to raise! Please, please please spread the word! Even if you don't like horror or plan to pledge yourself, repost somewhere. It would mean the world to me! Here's the link to her marvelous lesbian werewolf epic fundraiser! It's basically a pre-order of the comic, with some added rewards like original artwork from the artist! Now seriously, who doesn't want original art? But it doesn't even get a chance if the funding isn't reached! Make her dreams come true!

Drawstring Backpacks

Remember how I said I found my evil twin?  Well, we hatched a plan for some of those draw-string backpacks.  Naturally, I can't share with you the full plan, but I will share this tutorial!  They've been super popular, and are clearly simple to make.  Material Girls does a great job of explaining, and makes a rather high quality version.  So cute!

Found: My Evil Twin!

Hello, friends!  I have, at this convention, met my evil twin.  She decided she was the evil one, so it's ok. Anyway, we have been feeding each others' madness, and we have devised many, many wacky ideas.  I may just share them with you, too!  We're talking bags, necklaces, clothes, hair, all kinds of stuff. The world just may not be able to handle us working together.  Mwahaha.  I'm even determined to make a pretty version of the shower curtain rings in our hotel.  See, they are the easiest things to open in the world!  Amazing.

Anathema Still Needs Your Help!

Anathema is nearly half way funded, but Rachel still needs your help!

She's got five issues, FIVE to fund with this thing.  I know what's coming and let me tell you, it's going to be an exciting ride!  Forbidden romance, action, mystery, Monsters created by a monster fanatic?  What more could you possibly want?

Now, I know some of you are probably thinking that comics are for kids, or for geeks, or are wondering how you even read one.  Let me tell you though, that it's an amazing way of telling stories.  You see, like a film, you have the option of telling things with words, or with pictures.  Rachel's got this incredible way of selecting which tells what, for the best results.  She wrote one comic for an upcoming anthology in which all the text comes from actual letters, but the story is told in pictures.  Glorious!

We're going to be at C2E2 this weekend, promoting this thing.  She's only got a couple of weeks to raise the remaining $10K!  So please help!

Why would a person need to raise that much for a comic, you wonder?
Well, it's like this:  Rachel is not an illustrator, so she has to hire one.  He'll do an 11x17 drawing for each page.     There's 22 of those per issue.  Then, because the illustrator only does the pencil and ink, you have to hire someone else to color those.  It's a basic fact that there is a LOT of work involved. Christopher Mooneyham is the artist, and he's stellar.  Check him out!

New Projects!

I hate a good bit of my clothing at the moment.  I've decided to try to make as much of my clothing as possible, mostly so that it will fit properly.  I've been scouring BurdaStyle.com for pieces I think I could pull off, and would actually wear.  The first one I found is the short sleeved blouse.




I don't think I would have chosen it, except I found this fabric at Jo-Ann last night:




This is a beautiful sheer (unfortunately polyester) chiffon, with velvety pink dots.  I can't wait to sew it up!  But, it's going to have to wait for a couple of weeks.  We're going to Chicago next weekend, and Rachel has asked me to alter some T-shirts, so they're cuter.  I tried to find some black jersey last night, but that's impossible to find.  Why?  WHY?

I did stumble across some fabric which will be a PERFECT print accent for the family room.  Observe, a day in the garden:




The brown matches our couch, and the blue is the color we've chosen to tie the whole house together.  Hooray!  I picked up the last two yards, because I just knew it wouldn't be there if I didn't.

I think I'm going to have to do white for the main part of the curtains, just to brighten the room.  And then I'll line them with block-out, to keep out the light.  Haha.  Paradoxical.

Anathema Continues!

Rachel just launched her kickstarter for the rest of Anathema, and it's off to a splendid start!  I couldn't be more pleased, or proud, or excited! 

Thank you for allowing me to shamelessly plug her!