totchipanda

The stays are DONE!! OMG it seemed like it would take so very very long (and let's be real, it did!) I spent Friday night putting down the top binding for a short time until J messaged asking if we wanted to get cookies (Yes, yes we did), finishing it Saturday morning. It was super smoky on Saturday so I closed all my windows (need to get a fan) and did as little as possible to avoid feeling too stuffy. That was perfect for a day of Forensic Files and bottom tabs, which took roughly 8 hours of relaxed sewing.

Sunday was spent felling, which was both less time and the same amount of time because it was broken up by a lot of other things. I went to pick up the items I won on a charity auction, I did some dishes and cooking, I had to wait a lot while Calcifer napped on top of them. But then all of a sudden they were done! I used some off-cuts from one of the bags I made recently as the holders for the bust rail, which seemed to be at the right curve for the stays so I didn't soak it or anything. It was late enough when I finished it that I didn't want to get into the shift and lace it up, so that will be tonight (maybe) to test the fit. I still have time to put on a belly piece and I am going to line it, but as it is right now, I could absolutely wear it and call it a day.

The last thing I want to put in is an eyelet on the left front to tie my lacing to. I don't think I'll be able to tie it off behind my back and that seems like the best solution, bringing it over my shoulder and tying it there.

Y'all, what do I do now that I don't have the stays to work on??

Finished stitching the seam allowances down and pressed them as flat as I could. Restitching them back together is going much slower for various reasons - thicker thread, more closely spaced (I've measured them at 15 st per inch with doubled thread, pattern suggests 18-25), and the cotton I used for the support layers is SO TIGHTLY WOVEN that getting a needle through it is hard enough without the extra thread thickness! I need a needle that is both sharp and sturdy without being too thick. I got a few inches sewn before the thread broke and I called it a night.

IN other news, J sent a video about a building on fire in the city, not far from M's work. At first it was just filled with smoke billowing into the air. He sent videos of a smoke cloud when he was a good 50km (30 miles) from the city wondering if that was what he was seeing. He sent another video of the building well and properly on fire, and then the roof and front (or back?) collapsing in on itself, engulfed in flames.

According to news sites, ash and debris were falling all over, but the few fires that caught on other buildings were extinguished before they became dangerous. It's been so dry and windy these past few days, which did not help (except that the immediate area around it was recently excavated so there was no bone-dry grass to catch) and the building was old and made of wood. Eleven crews were out to contain it while it burned The good news is that no serious injuries were reported, no other significant damage to anything nearby.

I am having a lot of capital F Feelings about this fire because A: it was incredible (neutral) and B: the building was... well it was old. It was an airplane hangar built in 1942 by the US to support war efforts in WWII. The airport it was attached to closed several years ago and the airfields have been under redevelopment, and the whole area was and is an important part of the city's history. The building was declared a historic landmark in 2022 and now it is just... gone. The only one like it left now is the aviation museum.

The extra bit of space in the back was good, but the side got pinchy, so last night I angled those seams out too. Interestingly that made the front and side front panels want to angle out too. I think I'm ready to call it good and go ahead with the pressing and felling.

Friday night I finished the bag I had been working on, finishing up around 9pm. It's so stinkin' cute! The fleece adds a lot of structure, while the polar fleece one was softer.

Saturday morning I decided IT WAS TIME to fit the stays. First I had to sort out the ball of ribbons that had developed from over 3 years of being in a box, which the kittens enjoyed. Found some options to put into the bags, which were separated from the rest and I'll deal with those anon. Found a length of 1/8" poly ribbon that was juuust long enough to allow me to lace the stays from the front, loosely enough that I could still spin them on my body into position. I tied the top end to a metal knitting marker (shaped like a cat!) to allow me to pull it free without struggling to find it, and keep it from slipping back out.

First, I had done all of my fittings so far with the stays laced top down, and this time it was bottom up which really did make a difference. IMMEDIATELY it pinched in the back hip and I couldn't wear it for long. All of the back seams needed opening up a bit and so did most of the tabs. I marked changes with a Frixion pen and took it off. I continued to feel the ghost of pinching for most of the day and did not pick it up again.

Thought I might read a book, but I wanted a particular bookmark that has been lost since the first week the kittens were with me, so obviously I can't read the book lol. Spent a few minutes trying to find it, maybe, it had a tassel and they made it disappear. It's probably with the sparkleballs, of which I found one under the entry way table. Took a nap instead. In the evening, I made most of a wristlet, now just awaiting a zipper, and then spent some more time looking for the Kindle, which i hadn't seen in a few weeks! In searching, I found a sparkleball inside my covers (how?!), and then the Kindle right where I expected it to be only it had slipped down and was on an angle with the non-covered side facing out, so I hadn't seen it right away.

Sunday I made my changes to the stays and tried them on again. It was better but still not great. I think I need to add another lacing hole on the right side and lace them less farther down, possibly remove some length at CB. Thought I would pull them apart and start securing down seam allowances, but then Calcifer claimed them as a nap spot and I left her to it. I browsed my patterns but I couldn't decide on anything else to work on, not even another bag, so I just played video games instead until it was time to leave.

Evening with M was great. We went to a local restaurant which has chicken pieces the size of my arm for dinner, which is very popular and we had to wait. The inside was tiny and crowded and hot so we sat outside (it was so nice out yesterday) and adored all of the dogs we saw before taking our prizes back to her place. It was DELICIOUS! Then we sat down and started making friendship bracelets, which we'd planned to have many to hand out at our event in 10 days but we almost certainly won't lol. Oh well, it was fun anyway.

I am supposed to see my dentist today, but if the crown isn't ready yet, there's no reason for me to come in. I dreamed that the temporary one fell off and then was assisting a friend in documenting her stalker while being later and later and later for my appointment, so hopefully that's just a reflection of my nerves!

Bc why would I sleep like, ever?

Friday: wasn't sure if I would sit on the couch for a bit, but as soon as I got home and saw my bed, I crawled in and stayed there. Watched a whole bunch of Drag Race and crocheted the coat for the Grogu doll I was working on earlier this year (which was started in 2020). Totally finished it too, except for the button. All that was left was ears, stitching them on, and putting a lil mouth on.

Saturday: Took a cup of coffee into the living room and said "hello room I haven't seen in three days". Pulled out a shift, cut the tabs open, basted the upper edge of the stays down, and laced them properly through every hole, not just every other one. The waist feels like its in the right position, I waved my arms around to evaluate pinching and rubbing and it didn't shift, I still feel like I could move it around just by slouching or what-have-you, but otherwise it felt good. The bust seems SO LOW, even though it's definitely in the right spot. The edge is at mid-bust height, and I get some small upward lift which just feels like my boobs are being held just so and not flopping around OR being squashed. Next step might have been try on a dress or sommat over top but... nah. That was too much work.

If anything, I might shorten the back a touch and take in the bust area another half inch tops. The stays could lace closed and the lacing strips are more or less the same size as the back panels. I didn't wear the stays long enough to get a good sense of how they might wear over my hips, particularly at the back, though I did poke my fingers around back there and it might be OK. For the bust I really should make a size 38 and allow a touch more room for the bust at the front (basically an FBA). Otherwise, full speed ahead!

After nancing about in the stays for a hot minute, I played a video game until it was time to leave to meet my sister at the museum. She and her bf came down for my sibling's birthday lunch and they wanted to do touristy things, so we chose the museum. They have an exhibit on Angkor right now, with displays of pieces from the site and it was just so cool. Then we went through the human history (of Alberta, specifically) which covered pre-colonial contact up until very recently. It was very neat, and at times very uncomfortable (as it should be). I liked that the very first display we get upon entering the gallery is an ancient stone and an informational board in Cree.

We parted ways for a bit as our planned time of 1pm didn't work because the restaurant didn't open until 3 (which we discovered at... 11:30). I went to a local thrift store which does sizing by inches in non-gendered section and payment is by weight. They had a special this weekend of fill a bag for $35, so I took my giant IKEA bag and filled it! I got 6 pairs of pants (2 ladies, 4 mens; the mens pants are all wool and I figured I could cut them down with a pattern that I know works for me), three lenghts of fabric (a pink tablecloth? that's really sturdy, a length of muslin, and a length of white denim that might have been used as a curtain), and a couple of notions, all for $40. Three of the pants don't fit well, but that's ok! I can use them still.

Went home for a snack before heading out again for the lunch, and then after we left there I picked up cat food and litter and went to my dad's place to visit with some people who were up for both lunching and taking some stuff away ahead of my dad's move next week (they have been in their place since 2013 and recently discovered a huge crack in the living room floor, so the complex offered them another unit to move into completely). And then I went home. I was bushed! Barely made it through a movie while I did laundry and finished one of the doll's ears.

Sunday: Daylight savings, whyyyyyyyyyyy. Could not be assed to get out of bed at all until 11am. Spent the entire day in a very horizontal position on the couch. Finished the second ear, stitched both on and got the button for the jacket on, so the doll is 100% finished woohoo! Had a nap before heading out later in the day (almost 6pm) to take M out for dinner and then go to the Disney Immersive thing. It was neat, not a lot of people there (which we liked and that's probably why we booked it so late in the day lol) and while not quite what I expected, we enjoyed it. Home by 9pm and straight to bed.

Woke up at 4:30 AM today and couldn't get back to sleep, so coffee is my best friend and I will not be doing a whole lot of thinking when I get home. Or now, even. Thank goodness for video games and knitting.

Hyperfocus a-go-go! I started marking and sewing channels as soon as I got home yesterday because the light was still good, and finished about an hour later when it was failing. I've been using random thread from my stash (I have a few odd colours that I got from a friend) so bright chartreuse on ivory was really not great to sew with improper lighting. After that it was boning (with help, naturally) and clipped all the panels together, then located the zipper foot to stitch. Lastly, it was find the lacing strips I pulled off an old corset ages ago and figure out how to stitch that in place so I could try the thing on.

Then try on! Whee!! Initial fit appears to be good. I did not get the mirror out so I can't fully assess the fit yet. I'm pretty sure I have a /\ gap, which I expected. It was decently comfortable, the first tab at the side front curved against my belly and I could sit without being poked anyway. Waved my arms around in full circles to test the motion and if there was any poking. I *think* I might want to cut the underarms down a smidgen and definitely need to get the waist situated in the right spot before making any final decisions. Overall, pretty happy with how it's turned out so far.

And THEN I realized that it was like 8pm and holy hannah I haven't had dinner yet! I didn't even make a proper meal, I scavenged some snackies from the cupboard and fridge and called it a night not long after. Whoops? (and my care team doesn't want to poke the bear with adhd testing...)