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[auntiemeesh]

I feel as though I've been absent from the community for a little while. The sci/fi side of my brain took over for a little while, leaving very little room for thoughts of middle earth.

Okay, I'm on a total Farscape high right now. Oh. My. God. what a good show! I'll be gradually returning to normal brain function in the next few days and turning my thoughts more hobbitward. Maybe I'll even get some 'Courage' done this week. pipspebble did her usual wonderful job betaing chapter sixteen, which I have not touched since getting it back from her. It has been languishing in my inbox for at least a week, now. I hope to be able to look at it soon and figure out if there are any major changes needed in order to get the storyline where I want it to be. With a little luck, I'll be able to give it a lick and a polish and send it out to youThank goodness I still have the RotK EE to look forward to. Otherwise, things might seem a bit barren and grim now that the mini is over. Well, there is Lost to look forward to each week. I think that will help. And there is Serenity (the Firefly movie) coming out next April. There is still some goodness in the world of entertainment. These are the thoughts that sustain me.

I did, at least, buy the fabric needed to start on my hobbity costume. It turns out the party I'm going to for Halloween has a theme -- B rated movies. I am not familiar enough with B rated movies to have a character I want to dress up as, and I'd already decided to make be a hobbit lass, so I'm working on a compromise. I want to have a dress for a hobbit lass because I am hoping to make it to a LotR convention next summer. And I know plenty of crappy, B movies have peasant wenches in them, and the costume is nearly the same, so the dress will do for either. The difference is all in the accessories. I bought an absolutely adorable pair of boots to wear with the dress for the party. At least I don't have to worry about coming up with hobbit feet and ears in the next two weeks, lol.

Now, if only I knew how to sew.

Comments

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

Pssst! Don't tell anyone, but
I can teah you to sew!

:D

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

teaCh...Most days I can hardly believe what my diploma says about me...

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thanks, boo. My main difficulty with this pattern is that they didn't have the pattern in my size, so I'm having to size up as I go. I'm making new pattern pieces on tissue paper and so far they look okay, but who knows if they will fit right, lol.

I do have one question, since the pattern makers seem to assume I have certain basic knowledge that I just don't have. It says that seam allowance is included but not marked. I'm assuming that means that I don't need to cut any larger than the pattern, but that I will have to go through and mark the 5/8" seam on each piece before putting them together. Is this correct?

[wishkey.livejournal.com]

First, which pattern company? They don't all have the same seam allowance. Some costuming ones have 1/4" (which actually gives a nicer drape).

Second, are you sewing my machine or by hand? If you are sewing by hand, you probably will find it useful to mark seam allowances. If you sew by machine, there are a few ways to guide the fabric as you sew to get it in the right place.

How are you adjusting the size? Just curious.

You can find a lot of fitting help at Threads magazine's website. Frost and I also have a lot of books (and experience) on sewing and costuming. Don't hesitate to ask! :)
http://www.taunton.com/threads/

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I'm using a Simplicity pattern, and they said the seam allowance, was 5/8" unless marked.

Second, I will certainly be using a sewing machine, lol. I'm not ambitious enough to try sewing an entire dress together by hand, at this point. Not to mention the fact that I would like to have it done by Halloween and that will be a challenge as it is.

As for how I'm adjusting the size, the pattern comes marked for sizes 4, 6, 8, and 10 and so I'm looking at how they are spaced and following the same spacing to make it a bit bigger. Stupid pattern companies make them so small. According to my measurements, I need a fourteen (which is really frustrating as I wear an 8 regularly).

Thanks for all the help! I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go.

[maripo5a.livejournal.com]

Sounds very cool. Don't worry about being taken over by the scifi, it's all good. My very first fanfic (never finished, probably somewhere on my hard drive) was Star Trek TNG. :-) Looking forward to another chapter of Courage, though. :-)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

My first fanfic (also languishing somewhere on my hard drive, never finished) was for Farscape, a couple of years ago. It turns out that I can't really write sci-fi. I think that's part of why I found myself getting more involved in this community. It's so much easier to write hobbits than space battles, lol.

Of course, just at the moment my muse seems to have abandoned me altogether. I really need to force myself to just post what I have for 'Courage' and then try to fix things in the next chapter, but I'm just so frustrated with it. I think maybe it's time to start wrapping the Beast up.

[maripo5a.livejournal.com]

It could be that it's time to wrap it up, or you might just need a break. Or you might just need to slog away at it and keep writing, lol--whatever the personal writing demons demand. We are all at their mercy. :-p

[dreamflower]

Sewing is not that hard. Take your time with it. The worst part is the cutting out. Don't get too frustrated over mistakes. And you will be so proud of yourself when you are finished! Almost as proud as finishing a new fic! If you've any questions, let me know--I love sewing.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Dreamflower. Between you and uisceboo, I should be in good hands. I think that my main problem when I begin piecing things together will be figuring out how to alter the pattern slightly in order to make it all fit me correctly. I'll be sure to let you know if any questions come up as I'm working on it. :)

[dreamflower]

As for sizing up, or grading, the pattern for your size, it is not that difficult to do. Your plan of using the differences the pattern company uses is a good one. The Threads website the other poster mentioned is a good one, also if you've the chance to go to the library, Sandra Betzina has some good books on fitting. It is not unusual to need a larger size for sewing than for store bought. Off the rack clothes often use what is called "vanity sizing" and the sizes are not even consistent from brand to brand, while sewing patterns are more or less the same. Be sure to pin fit the pattern to yourself when you've made the adjustments--that's 3 sizes up that you are going, and it would be easy to make mistakes. Do you have anyone that can help you with the fitting?

[dreamflower]

Well. I replied to this, and it just vanished somewhere.(?) Let's give it another go. I think your plan for using the same changes to size the pattern up (that's called grading the pattern, by the way, is a good one) Just be sure to pin fit the altered pattern before you start cutting out: a RL friend would be useful for that, LOL!
It is not unusual to need a larger size in a sewing pattern. Off-the-rack clothes sizes are *NOT* standardized, and some companies use what is called "vanity sizing" (you can guess what *that* means, LOL!) but sewing patterns are more or less standardized, although the standards are not always that realistic.
Make sure to pin fit the altered pattern on yourself. A RL friend comes in handy for that step.
One suggestion: after you alter and pin fit the pattern, instead of cutting into it, use some el cheapo fabric (I sometimes use old bedsheets from the thrift store, or $1 fabric from WalMart) to cut it out first. You don't really need to sew it together, pin fitting would work OK for this step too, but that way you can really be certain it's going to fit before you mess up your fashion fabric. If you still need changes, you can make them on the mock up and *then* use *it* for your pattern!

[dreamflower]

Oops--there's the first one after all (?)

[pipspebble.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey, I know what you mean about Farscape! I am *still* on an emotional high from the last 20 minutes of the mini. Oh, and that last shot! Was that not just drop dead GORGEOUS?????? *happyhappyhappysigh*

I loved, loved, LOVED Aeryn firing her blaster in between labor pains: "It makes me feel better!" LOLOLOL! (Oh, if I'd only had one during MY last labor!) Hee, hee, hee! Now, don't get discouraged, you KNOW the Farscape movie will be out in a year or two. Yes, I know, and I'm still waiting for the X-Files Movie No. 2. *sigh*

SciFi is sooooooo hard to write. I wrote quite a bit of SW fic a few years ago - sadly only one, aborted, Farfic - and it ended up more fantasy than SF because that's just the way my brain works. The O.N., as you know, is pure fantasy.

Now, as to Courage: what seems to be the problem, me dear? I thought Chapter 16 was just fine. Really. I'm glad you got it, though, because I was starting to wonder if the reason you hadn't posted it was because I hadn't sent it. I've been up to my ass in allegators lately and it's hard to tell what I've done and what I still NEED to do.

I'll discuss Farscape ad nauseum if you want to write me off list. Don't want to give anything away to those who haven't seen the masterpiece that was Sunday and Monday nights. Now only ONE MORE DAY 'til more CHARLIE!!!! (Note to self: poke Nickey for more Jamie/Charlie drabbles...)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I don't know exactly what's wrong with 'Courage'. Maybe nothing. Maybe it's just me in a funk. Work has sucked big time the past three or four months and it starts to affect my entire life outlook after a while. I'm going to take a look at it this weekend and hopefully get it posted. Then I'm going to start wrapping it up. I need to be done with it, I think. Maybe if I can get done with 'Courage" I'll be able to start working on some of the other things I would love to do, such as the Companion Piece, that Hetty plot that has been languishing for a few months now. I think I'm even getting a Lost bunny. I've had no desire to write Lost!fic but after last night, the desire is growing. I may need to write some Jack h/c. Or some Charlie h/c. Or some combination of the two.

Alright, well, I'm off to the dreaded work now. Maybe I'll break my leg on the way in, and won't have to actually be there.