cording and cookies

So, let's see... I am deciding on the designs for the frogging on my pelerine; I like the 2 I've posted here. I might try to incorporate both of them. I've finally cut the wool for the pattern, and I think I'll be cutting the lining tonight. 2 weeks should be enough time, although I wish I had started way earlier so that I could do a bit of embroidery like on this one

Patrick and I spent Friday night baking a lot of cookies to give to family and friends, and here is a sampling: they are oatmeal cranberry; virgin rum balls and peppermint decadence. And they are decadent.

I finished gift shopping yesterday! Now I get to wrap. Of course, I like to wrap gifts, and despair if I've got to use a gift bag. I made a fun little pillow cover over a purchased pillow form for my FIL (he collects Wicked Witch of the West memorabilia, and I used a transfered image sewn on like a patch), and now have to figure out if I wrap it or bag it. I think I'll try wrapping it.
I'm also dragging my feet on making a Pelerine to wear to the Feast of the 12th Night coming up in December. I think it's just the cutting out of the patterns that I dread so much. I transfered the original pattern pieces to tracing paper yesterday and now need to start cutting the fabric out. I also need to decide what trim to use.
Have a safe end of the year, my friends.

out of the mire

hmmm, feeling a weight lifted tonight. Earlier in the year I had agreed to partner with my then brother in law to create the images for a comic that he was writing. It was nothing like anything I had ever done before, but the idea of drawing comics intrigued me so I took it on. Since then, I've done very little actual work on it; I just couldn't get into it, and there was always some other project to do. So months later, when I start to sketch something I want, or spend hours sewing or reading, I feel guilty for not working on his project. Not good. I even agreed to stay on the project after it came to light that he and my husband's sister were divorcing. Probably out of guilt or some deep seated need to not disappoint anyone; I knew by then that I was regretting the decision to work on the project. Well, I finally let him know last night that I was going to drop the project. I quashed those guilty feelings and did what is probably the right thing for both of us, since I can't see me ever getting into it, and frankly, I have much higher priorities.
On a much light note, my Christmas shopping was done almost entirely on etsy and in the process, I aquired the most charming fingerless gloves. I received them via post today, and have not wanted to remove them since.

Winter Ball

Such a beautiful event! I only helped with a small portion of setting up, and can't imagine the effort put in to create such a night. Brava Steph! I had such a fun time that I didn't realize how exhausted I was until the drive home :)

Sleeves

Sleeve teaser!

Reticule

Lots on my plate costume-wise. I've finished my reticule, and even thought the color combination is not entirely Regency, I think it is otherwise perfect! I'm almost finished with my fan and dress, and mom is building a necklace for me. My shoes arrived last week, and I'm walking around the house in them to break them in. I'm debating about the fan, I really want to add lace on top of the solid color, but I'm afraid it will look Victorian and not Regency.
Thanksgiving was pretty nice this year. Very quiet though. We had dinner with Patrick's mom and Aunt and my mom. His sister and cousins joined us for dessert. Oh yeah, and 5 dogs all together. Dessert was much more lively than dinner! At least there was no fighting :D

gloves and dressforms and petticoats, oh my!

So, I've had a busy couple of weekends. My darling husband surprised me with a very useful gift; a dressform! I was floored and am still quite excited about it. Last weekend, I went to a couple of antique stores with my mom and lo and behold, I found a pair of opera gloves that fit perfectly. For $10. So I snagged them. I'll most likely still work on making some, but these will work in the meantime as I am working towards some bigger projects too.
I also found a little footstool which I will eventually be sanding down and repainting to be used for sitting on at Regency picnics. And, I purchased some costume pearls that mom will be using to make me a necklace. Fun fun.
I just finished making a petticoat, and am glad to be done with it. I made too many mistakes to count, but will hopefully be able to put what I've learned towards the other items in this pattern, the next of which I shall be starting this week.

So, I'm happy with this mock-up. I can alter my pattern to fix a few things and start working on a nice pair. I'm simultaneously working on a petticoat and gown for a Regency ball coming up in December. More on that later...

art tour

Today was part of a 2 weekend event here called Portland Open Studios. It's a self guided tour of local artists, and mom and I have made it an annual tradition for the 2 of us to take part of. At the end of the day, the sun decided to pop out and offer opportunities for some glorious trees. I'm just fascinated with the colors this time of year.

Glove project

I'm attempting to make my own gloves, as I have not been able to find an appropriate pair that fits my modern hand. After 2 failed attempts with another pattern, I'm trying this one, which seems to be working so far, if I can get the measurements correct for finger length. I have some trepidation about starting the thumb, but the pattern I found online seems adequate for me to muddle through.

experiment

I've been toying with the idea of a place to post my varying interests, and so begins the experiment of keeping up a blog. I'm not one to share much about my personal interests with others, even those close to me, but this somehow seems to be a disservice to those very people, myself included. I've also been attempting to become a more social creature, so this will hopefully aid in that endeavor as well.