I love sewing costumes... you can sew like ass and still get a decent looking costume made. I'm making my mesmer costume right now and I think it's pretty good. Shoddy sewing and no measuring or pining - but it looks like a mesmer 15k enchanters armor. Ya the +60 chamise :)
It's better pieced together than some store bought thing and even though it's practically a nightgown at least it's not see through like the flimsy Egyptian (gouald) outfit I paid lots of money for last October.
I'm basically done with the outfit, just have to sew up the Karcaws Minions cape and touch up some accessories. I have great earrings that my friend Maylyn got me but no holes in my head to put them in. I have to raid some craft stores and see if I can't get some clip on adapters or something.
I picked up some overalls and sweatshirts for Nic and Kenny. Nic decided that they were going as Mario and his brother :) So I am happy to oblige with such an easy request. Ainsley's Dr. Who garb was as simple as a trip to the thrift store, while Chloe's dalek outfit has become a challenge for thought (how do I make it so she can sit down in it at school?)
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Crash Course in Crochet
Most of you know I can knit, it was a natural talent that I discovered when I decided to do booties and cap for Dominic during my pregnancy. It was my first time knitting and I whipped them out in a few hours and decidedly became a knitter. I have since then enjoyed knitting and was looking forward to knitting a few things for some gifts this winter... Already on my list is a warm cap for Kathy and an item for our gift exchange. I've never done a blanket and I decided I'd try my hand at it and make one up for Nic's birthday. I love having deadlines, it really gets me working. I decided on a SpiderMan theme blanket, I'd say SpiderMan was his favorite character but it's a toss up between SpiderMan and Mario. In my search for a SpiderMan theme knit blanket I came across a cute little crochet piece of a web blanket in SpiderMan colors. Ah man, I don't know how to crochet. Haven't tried since those potholders in 3rd grade.
After talking it over with some crochet experts they assured me that crochet was much easier than knitting and that if I could knit, I could crochet. So I got the yarn, I borrowed the needles and I set out last night to temp fate and crochet Nic's 4th birthday present.
From a knitters perspective it's a bit more tricky. There are a lot more stitches to choose from and get wrong in crochet... in knitting it's basically picking up every stitch somehow. If you missed a stitch you know it. In crochet it's pretty random where you'll be poking your hook through. Trying to interpret instructions and pictures of how to do certain stitches was a job for your most seasoned boyscout. It wasn't until I frogged my work 10 or so times that I found some tutorials on youtube... quite good ones in fact. I seem to have some of the needle work figured out.
The only uncomfortable thing I have issue with is feeding the yarn into the piece. In knitting, it fits comfortably in one hand and is wrapped around the needle quite easily. In crochet the wrap around the pinky and interwoven between fingers thing quickly got tedius, tight and frustrating. For the most part, I've given up on the "book" way to hold the yarn and I'm trying out some Erin ways to hold it. I got much quicker just as I was thinking about bed and had to put stuff away so I think I'll be able to move along more tonight.
After talking it over with some crochet experts they assured me that crochet was much easier than knitting and that if I could knit, I could crochet. So I got the yarn, I borrowed the needles and I set out last night to temp fate and crochet Nic's 4th birthday present.
From a knitters perspective it's a bit more tricky. There are a lot more stitches to choose from and get wrong in crochet... in knitting it's basically picking up every stitch somehow. If you missed a stitch you know it. In crochet it's pretty random where you'll be poking your hook through. Trying to interpret instructions and pictures of how to do certain stitches was a job for your most seasoned boyscout. It wasn't until I frogged my work 10 or so times that I found some tutorials on youtube... quite good ones in fact. I seem to have some of the needle work figured out.
The only uncomfortable thing I have issue with is feeding the yarn into the piece. In knitting, it fits comfortably in one hand and is wrapped around the needle quite easily. In crochet the wrap around the pinky and interwoven between fingers thing quickly got tedius, tight and frustrating. For the most part, I've given up on the "book" way to hold the yarn and I'm trying out some Erin ways to hold it. I got much quicker just as I was thinking about bed and had to put stuff away so I think I'll be able to move along more tonight.
Monday, October 08, 2007
It's a Baby
Was a doula for the first time on Saturday. It was my first hospital birth I've ever been too and because of special circumstances it didn't go exactly as planned. But, it was a perfect birth.
It gave me insight into a different side of birth that I've not witnessed before and I cherished every moment of it.
Mom was great, she did a fantastic job. She was so happy with her labor and thats what I'm there for so I feel that I did a good job too. I'll go see them later today and make sure they're doing okay.
The hospital staff was great and I'm surprised at how included they made ME feel. They let me help move mom around since she was incapacitated, I got to hold her leg up to help her push during the birthing. They also approached me about most of the medical circumstances and let me discuss changes that were taking place with her. This openness between me and the staff was very essential to helping me fulfill my role in helping mom make decisions and feel like she is a part of the process. I was actually quite impressed. Though there was one moment the doctor was pressing mom to do something and I had to ask him to leave the room so we could talk it over. It was a much easier decision for her to to make when he left and I was able to completely explain why I agreed with the doctor. He really didn't give her the why he wanted her to do something which was very frustrating for her.
After looking back on a few moments that were scary for her, I'm so glad I was there. I really helped her out when she needed someone to look to for answers and support.
The hospital staff was impressed with me and has asked me to provide them with a card so they can contact me when they get moms in that don't have anyone to look to. She told me of a story of a Dad dropping off his teen daughter in labor at the front door leaving and coming back to pick her and the baby up after it was all over. (That's quite a dad, I think it should be a crime) But I would of been a great tool for the hospital keeping the young mother calm for a healthier birth. For me to get kudos from the nurses there and get the smiles and tears of joy from mom was incredibly rewarding. I was able to walk the line between the natural birth and medical birth community and I was able to ensure a positive birth memory for a wonderful woman.
Vaginal Birth, 15 hour labor, Baby Girl, 6lbs 1oz, 17in long, black hair, wide open eyes and happy :)
It gave me insight into a different side of birth that I've not witnessed before and I cherished every moment of it.
Mom was great, she did a fantastic job. She was so happy with her labor and thats what I'm there for so I feel that I did a good job too. I'll go see them later today and make sure they're doing okay.
The hospital staff was great and I'm surprised at how included they made ME feel. They let me help move mom around since she was incapacitated, I got to hold her leg up to help her push during the birthing. They also approached me about most of the medical circumstances and let me discuss changes that were taking place with her. This openness between me and the staff was very essential to helping me fulfill my role in helping mom make decisions and feel like she is a part of the process. I was actually quite impressed. Though there was one moment the doctor was pressing mom to do something and I had to ask him to leave the room so we could talk it over. It was a much easier decision for her to to make when he left and I was able to completely explain why I agreed with the doctor. He really didn't give her the why he wanted her to do something which was very frustrating for her.
After looking back on a few moments that were scary for her, I'm so glad I was there. I really helped her out when she needed someone to look to for answers and support.
The hospital staff was impressed with me and has asked me to provide them with a card so they can contact me when they get moms in that don't have anyone to look to. She told me of a story of a Dad dropping off his teen daughter in labor at the front door leaving and coming back to pick her and the baby up after it was all over. (That's quite a dad, I think it should be a crime) But I would of been a great tool for the hospital keeping the young mother calm for a healthier birth. For me to get kudos from the nurses there and get the smiles and tears of joy from mom was incredibly rewarding. I was able to walk the line between the natural birth and medical birth community and I was able to ensure a positive birth memory for a wonderful woman.
Vaginal Birth, 15 hour labor, Baby Girl, 6lbs 1oz, 17in long, black hair, wide open eyes and happy :)
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