totchipanda

On Saturday I said THIS IS THE DAY and I sat down to finish most of the sewing on the Scout dress. In the AM I put the facing on and pressed it all (it feels too wide; it'll sit nicely when on the body but holding the bodice up at any angle, it's wrinkle city) and then worked on and attached the sleeves. The right sleeve fought me a lot, so I took deep breaths and said "after this I will eat lunch" and then did.

Attached the skirt, which was probably the easiest seam ever, and then of course I had to try it on! HEEEEE so swishy!! I also put on my Ettie petticoat and rolled up the waist so that the flounces would be hidden under the skirt, and that gave it a lil oomph. Some notes: A) the armscyes are VERY close but not uncomfortable; unsure if I would find the feeling of them to be too binding or what when worn. B) there is too much fabric in the bust. My darts are very pointy and also very blousy on the outer half of each side. I can probably take it up with a re-jigging of the bust dart but I'll need to revisit the changes I made to the original. C) I need more thread in that colour before I can do the buttonholes and hem, I definitely do not have enough to finish it. It is currently hanging in the closet to let the hem stretch.

Then I sat on the couch and dissociated for a bit. You see, my one social group was having a Lunar New Year dinner at a local restaurant. I had been unaware of the date, but assumed that I was not directly invited by anyone else bc my mother would be there, but Dad asked me to come and offered to spot me the cash for the meal. So, I decided to go. I needed to leave the house around 330 and I had initially planned to take transit two stops and then walk (it is VERY local) but not only was -buttfuck cold, but the train wasn't expected for nearly half an hour. (the advertising tvs said no delays reported, but then wtf was this??)

I cleaned off the car and managed to get it out of my icy well with 6" of snow on top of and around it. I was really anxious, I had many visions of us having a drag out fight where I walked out of the dinner after telling her what a terrible mum she was/is, but it was fine. They made some noises about how they haven't seen me in 5 years and I said yup, that's about right, and that was it. I was invited to their timeshare for a weekend in June (specifically for the weekend), and told about some local-ish events. I will NOT be going to the timeshare, and if i do the semi-local events, it will be on my own terms and my own schedule.

My therapist would be so proud. We had discussed me not letting my mum's presence at this gatherings deter me from going to things I really want to go to, and I'd even said to her then that my mum is not the kind of person who'd have a drag out fight about it, she'd just make some pointed comments and that was that. So I will consider going to some other wider events through the year and potentially saying hello at the Broadway shows. POTENTIALLY. Absolutely not to close quarters weekends. Not yet, maybe not ever. I need to figure out how to get to "this is a person i am friendly with, even though I don't particularly LIKE them. Alas, we are related."

OH she also had news of my grandpa, her dad (I call him Geepa). He has at least 2 kinds of cancer (skin and prostate) and was recently diagnosed as having autism (my sister had told me that at Beetlejuice, my response was "U DONT SAY".) He is not going to undergo treatment, as he will be 92 this spring and the treatments are worse than the disease at this time. I wanted to get out there to visit him, and now that I know when my mum is going (after his birthday, which is the day after mine), I will endeavour to go sooner.

After dinner on Saturday, I discovered that Amazon (boo hiss) had put up several new seasons of my ambulance show, so that's the next few weeks' watching sorted. Yesterday I did cross stitch a bit while I rotted and watched, but didn't do much else. That's ok :) Winter is for hibernating. And I made potato soup, which is so yummy.

Went grocery shopping yesterday, to get cheese and the other things. I was very careful in calculating what I got and while I did get a couple extras (bacon!!!!!!!!) I came in perfectly on budget and with enough to change to get a single bill back :D

At home I mostly rotted, had a sandwich for dinner and rotted some more. I did pull the stays mock-up apart so it could be used for the final, with a couple mods and finger-pressed the gores under. I will wait until it's mostly constructed before cutting the top down.

danabren pointed out that I don't *need* fusible interfacing and clearly people made stuff for centuries that was interfaced well before fusibles. So I think I will get some of that cotton poplin (my thought: it's black, under a dark brown facing, which ought to show less on the buttonhole edges) I used in the summer. Or just cut a secondary layer of the piece I need. IDK, i'll decide later.

I need to make foods tonight, so I have an idea for mushrooms and broccoli in the sauce packet for beef n broccoli. If I can get my poop in a group I can make some black beans to go with some other things, chili and bean & coleslaw sliders. I bought a loaf of bread last night but I should also make some, and that will depend on the weather. I'd also like to make more granola since I bought a lot of makin's for that and I have yogurt to eat it with.

Big plans as usual, we'll see how far my energy carries me lol.

It's Friday, which means I have nothing left on my plate for work and i am LE BORED. Cozy girls forced to run the world, etc.

So, planning. It's all I can do ATM. With the dress awaiting interfacing, I need to work on other stuff. OK FIIIIINE I could cut another stays body to work on, that's a good idea actually. I was looking at Farthingales for boning supplies last week since I have a few projects that require some, particularly spiral steel. I always thought it was just sooooo expensive but it's really not? I could do a complete order of boning and tips for like $20? (Granted, the tool to cut said boning would be considerably more.) OK that's the plan tonight, new stays body. I haven't stitched the original gores into the earlier version yet, and I think I shall attempt to shorten the body before I cut it out. That should help the hip gores hit where they need to go.

Perhaps I can make those changes to the corset too, and get that off my WIP list.

Right, super distracted there for a bit, I was telling my coworker that I haven't planned an outfit for my concert yet. What to wear!! So I opened some fashion brands' websites to see what's on offer ATM and the best thing I've found is a lace blouse. I absolutely love shirts with interesting details and also the mesh-with-nude-layers look, so I have some ideas. A few other ideas include some tops I could make myself over the weekend/before we go, so that's something else to consider. I shall ponder. The weekend is expected to be HECKIN COLD so I will be doing my utmost best to NOT leave the house at all. Whatever happens needs to happen at home.

I guess I did all of this on Friday evening/weekend? Full steam ahead on the Scout dress! OK so I started with making the skirt pieces, which I did as I suggested by printing the waist lines and just extending the lines out and making the hem. It worked really well! I then went on to trace off the bodice pattern pieces and shortened them right from the get-go. It was tricky with the darts and it was all kind of weird. My brain understood the assignment but didn't quite understand the HOW. Decided to cut a mock up too, JUST IN CASE, and I'm glad I did because it needed further adjustment.

The armscye was too wide and pulled at the front of my arm, and the back and side was great, but the front ended up like, really short. There was a significant rise towards center front and that would have been really really really obvious once a skirt was attached. What the heck? I noodled on it overnight and in the AM I pieced in some paper, redrew the waistline which ended up extending the darts (confused shrug) and now my pattern doesn't look all THAT much like the original. I also moved my pattern piece into the corner of the size 12 marking and traced the 8 armscye again, even though it was set at 8 to start with, and that removed a quarter of an inch. That was all I needed to change and then it was full steam ahead,

Y'all, don't be like me, press your fabric before you cut it when it's super wrinkly. I did my best but there was a lot of trimming later lol. I cut the bodice, sleeves and pockets and stitched what I could. I had only the smallest scrap of interfacing left, with which I got the back neck facing and collar (pieced) out of. Still need to do the front facing, sleeve bands and skirt front and really can't finish the project without it. Quick try on to check the armscye and waist length, and I am happy with it.

Sunday I brought out the ironing board and pressed the rest of the fabric. I know it was prewashed, hence all the wrinkles, and any time it was pressed and got the slightest bit damp I could smell the detergent I'd used? I think it was Gain in apple mango tango. Took most of the afternoon to get it laid out and cut, just because of being really unmotivated and spending time on the couch with the kittens. All pieces are now cut, I still have probably half a yard leftover (and I started with a little over 5 yards), and the skirt pleats are all basted into place. I just wanted to measure how far down the pockets should start since that was not included on the parts I printed before stitching it all together. Also I need interfacing to do the front of the skirt!

It is going to be SO CUTE and I'm excited to wear it. I can make a self-fabric belt but I also want to do one styled after my Brownies belt, which is a woven braid of tan with an orange center and a hook-and-ring closure. The possibilities are almost endless!

Cut a mock up of the Madeleine dress last night, out of the offcuts from a different mockup 2 years ago, and part of the skirt. It's a very busy print, but that is OK.

First impression: too long, as always, and the waist (cut at size 8) was too tight, although it did close. I pinned up the shoulders by the seam allowance, taking effectively 1.25" out of the bodice length. I even put on a real bra to make sure the bust fit properly. I had some gapping over my right (smaller) boob, and the armscye's were quite high now, I'll have to lower them...

Waitaminute. What if I tried shortening the waistline area of the bodice instead?

Pulled the pins out of the shoulder and tugged it down, tucking in and pinning about 2" around the front waist. The back was pinned to the zipper so I didn't test it there, but it was also too tall. I had my back length measured by a pro several years ago, around my belly button it is 16.5", but if you go with the oft-quoted "smallest part of your waist", it is 2" HIGHER than my belly button. I still had some minor gapping over the right boob which could be solved by stitching it 1/8" narrower, and I think I'd like to take the shoulder in 1/4" too. I tucked in the seam allowance for the sleeve but it still felt just a titch too wide.

Sadly, this dress pattern does not have a lengthen/shorten area marked, so I pulled out the Scout dress pattern (TY again danabren!) and lined up whatever marks I could (dart lines to princess seams, etc) to mark that line. Hmm perhaps I should try the less fitted shirt dress bodice first lol.

In around all that I was making and eating dinner, declined to do any laundry, dealing with my stupid uterus, and cuddling the kittens while attempting not to doomscroll about the LA fires. Haven't made a plan yet about what to do this evening but I'm sure something will come to me by the time I get home :)

First finished object of 2025: A knitted shawlette! I was doing a test knit so technically this is mostly-done-in-2024 project, but I did the last of the knitting on Friday night and cast it off on Saturday morning. Just need to block it (which I meant to do over the weekend, but my knitting friend wanted to see Wicked in theatres after watching it at home, and I was VERY AVAILABLE to accompany her).

I kind of lumped around the house the rest of Saturay. Picked up a projector mount stand for whenever I get around to that; it just screws into whatever surface so I might mount it to like, a lump of wood and clamp it to a table or something. Or if I ever get a dedicated sewing room again, to the ceiling. I have it and that's what's important! Worked a bit on another shawl and the socks, didn't sew anything and didn't cross stitch. Gosh, what DID I do on Saturday besides rest?? (to be clear, this is a very valid way to spend a day, particularly when it is as cold as it has been)

Sunday was the movie. I meant to start a project I could work on without looking at, but I didn't, and I immediately messed up the sock pattern so I just tucked it all away and enjoyed the movie. Didn't cry this time but I had chills all through the finale. When I got home, I had a sandwich and then took a 2 hour nap, and spent the rest of the day knitting and playing games.

Support your local library, friends! I was able to get Gertie's Charmed Studio book both as a book and an ebook, and the ebook granted me access to the included patterns. I know they have her other books too, and other books with patterns like both of Cashmerette's books. So now I am noodling on what to make and how to make it (the "how" more for the jacket; it's tailored but not as fully as a coat), and happily watching all of the sewing tutorials on her youtube.

I put (some of) this on Instagram, but I should put it here! And one day I should put the collected photos in a more shareable place! (Whoops, I forgot about Textilia...)

Cassandra Stays
Jordie bralette (no photo ever, it's sheer lol)
Black poplin Patina blouse
Blue & white plaid sleeveless Bruyere shirt
Green wool Seatoun skirt test
Blue floral Ettie petticoat
Green silk embroidered mitts (machine embroidered, hand-finished)
White twill Rilla corset (WIP; needs binding)
Green striped Seatoun skirt (WIP)
Green silk brocade open robe
Remade Shay dress bodice and reattached it + added sleeves
Brown striped Elsie blouse (WIP)
Blue striped silk Nicks dress (i am SO SCARED of wearing this; also it needs an under dress)
Red Sorbetto blouse
Brown Mitchell trousers (WIP)
Bibs for my neighbour
Clematis wristlet
Maxine tote x3
Sock Sacks x3
Cat doll + blouse, bloomers, dress and apron
SO MANY HOURS OF CROSS STITCHING. SO. MANY.
6 pairs of knit socks (my goal was 12, but I made 6 pairs in 2022 and 2023 COMBINED, so this was a vast improvement)
FINISHED crocheted baby Yoda from 2019!!
The majority of 2 Rainbow Cat Barf scarves
Frogged 1 project
Started some knitted/crocheted dolls
Emotional support chicken (named Rusty)
Started 2 shawls

I think that's everything. I went through my photo gallery to see what I might have missed, but aside from a couple things that I know I didn't photograph, I didn't find anything else.

I'm tinkling with ideas for upcoming projects, but I'll put those in another entry since we all know planning is the mostest fun!

Another sleepless night where I woke up after I should have left for work already *yawwwwn*. Calcifer did the thing where she darted out in front of me as I tried to leave the room and then stopped dead and hesitated, making me almost step on her. Kitten, move your adorable fuzzy little BUTT RIGHT NOW.

Friday was a total write off, but I did cut out and stitch a mock-up of the short stays. I cut an XL body and XXL gussets. Just holding it up on me, the back was overlapping, so the next day I stitched the seams another 1/4" in to approximate an L. Even put grommets in! That was much better, but the backs still touched and it was a little loose, over all.

Saturday I woke up and I felt like I needed to do some running around. Namely to pick up my brain meds, as I was nearly out of one and totally out of the other. Then I went to the thrift store bc it was literally 2 blocks away, where I found the case of a 1950s Singer buttonholer, which had a few of the dies and the plate cover, but not the attachment itself. Someone had opened a bag of thread and stuffed the bag and a few spools inside. It was the green case so not the one I need (I think; I've seen that the pink one has the slant shank attachment. I already have 2 1940s straight shank attachments), and I left it behind. Then I went to the grocery that was nearby rather than the one I normally go to, partly because I wanted to price-compare. A lot of the things I wanted were only slightly more expensive than the other store, sometimes by a matter of cents. It was fine, and suited my needs and energy levels. DONE.

At home, I forget how it happened but I found some strips of coutil that I'd cut for the Victorian corset I made in 2021 and I wondered where the remainder of the fabric was. There wasn't enough for a full corset or stay, but there would be PLENTY for a short stay! So I moved some boxes, which got the corner where I wanted to put one of the sewing machines open, moved that, found the fabric, reorganized the boxes, went and cut the short stay. I took a bit off my L pieces to approximate an M and cut XL gussets. Then I went and TOOK MY TIME (gasp who am i!) to SERGE THE RAW EDGES (GASP) and stitched away.

It is... OK size wise. I can lace it pretty snugly and still have a gap. I only have that one perfectly sized spiral steel and no short-enough straights, nor any sturdy enough plastic bones. I found one singular cable tie that is considered heavy duty without being the REALLY heavy duty type, but only enough for a couple of the seam channels. I did put the heavy heavy duty one in the front as the busk type, but I had bent over to get a dress out of the bin and that little bit immediately got pinched as my tummy moved. That was not a mood and makes me think a long stay will be more ideal in terms of getting the *perfect* silhouette. I need to add the boning before I can bind it, and it was rather late in the evening by then, so I put it down for the time being.

Also had pulled out aforementioned Victorian corset and changed many of the not-heavy-duty cable ties for straight steels and tried it on. I was sitting down, which helped to immediately adjust the bottom edge. The pattern was Truly Victorian and has a straight bottom, which would work OK if it was much shorter than it is but on me it is much too long. I pinned the adjusted edge in place and stuffed the bust improver in the front, which filled out the bust area and made me giggle. I love ridiculous underwear. Will need to use shorter steels in those channels now too, but that is a project for future me.

Yesterday I got up SO LATE after waking up far too early, and decided to bake! I made orange cranberry bread (but I took it out too soon, so the structural integrity is lacking) and bread. The orange loaf is delicious, the bread did not turn out well and I'm not sure if it's because I had too little batter in too large a pan, or if my yeast didn't activate. It is very old by now, so I will get new yeast and try again. The resulting loaf was short and dense, but tasty and edible. That all took 2 hours, so by the time I was done, I was DONE. I pulled out some really thick cotton canvas to make a mock up of the long stay, but decided (with Calcifer's help) that I should wait until I could print off the M pattern.

I am trying to think of my winter slow-down in an intentional way, so I decided that I was very productive already (two baking projects AND a pan of dishes AND scooped the cat box) and I would now rest. I put on a show and knitted until dinner time. After dinner I took a shower and laid around in bed, where I was awake until 3am and then slept through my 6am alarm and was late for work, whoops.

Tonight I hope to cut another mockup. I'm curious to see how the M body will work with the gussets (which I will cut open but not place yet). Get my show on again and knit some more. Cross stitch. A nice cozy end of December evening <3

danabren bullied me into working on the skirt last night, so I have the waist seam covered with bias tape now. I was going to start adding hooks but then decided that I should eat, only I couldn't decide WHAT, and by the time I did (basically a quesadilla filling on tostadas), it was so late that I knit a bit (and had to take it all out bc I missed *one* stitch right at the start. "This is ok, this is fine, it'll just be off by one row!" said I, and kept knitting, but it was lies. So I ended up taking out the three rows I had just done and putting it away.

Tire appointment went OK I guess. They brought me the tire to show me that the inner coating had detached and turned to dust, so they couldn't repair it. And since it's best to change tires in pairs, not to mention the other front tire had a bulge on it and has since April 2022, I opted for new tires. The invoice did note a bead leak so the facebook consensus was correct, it just wasn't something I could do anything about. Alas!! I was holding onto a chunk of cash for bill payments that thankfully aren't due until the end of the month/early next month, so I did have enough money to cover it. But wow that wasn't how I planned to spend the afternoon.

Afterwards, I finished my grocery shopping and went home, where I had a nice nap under the kittens. Evening was baking show, cross stitch and tostadas for dinner. I am hoping my new tires will handle snow and ice better than the last ones, but since the last ones were "not at all", that bar is very low lol.

Today I have therapy at lunch, where I plan to talk about my Plan with a financial company for debt relief, and then this evening I have a meeting with said financial company to discuss said debt relief. I am wondering if I should just plan to get some take out for dinner since this is a lot of emotional labour for me. I'll think about that, since the $80 I planned for the tire became nearly $400.