Monday, May 06, 2013

8! …And Counting

Happy Blogiversary to me! Yes, Damselfly’s Delights is eight years old today! Who’d a’thunk it, eh? Every year I say that I can’t believe I managed to keep this up so long. This is post number 1352. Obviously I found something to babble about, huh? In my whole life any other journal I ever tried to write lasted about 4 days. I think it needed a keyboard or something. And of course YOU, my dear readers! Anybody actually been hanging about since the beginning?

Reading back in my posts, I’ve perhaps gotten a little less gossipy and indiscreet over the years. Not less personal or opinionated (heaven forfend!) but maybe more circumspect. At least I hope so! Less names named anyway. I don’t really want to breach anyone’s privacy or to be rude. I’m sure I’ve transgressed despite good intentions but I do try. I’m not a very good diplomat I’m afraid. Too forthright.

And I know my photos aren’t up to the wonderful pictures you get on some blogs. I am not really very good at it and I often forget to take a photo when I should. I’m even worse at posing for portraits! There’s no place in my house where there’s enough light and also without distracting backgrounds. Outdoors is also problematic. It rains a lot here for starters. T-Man is occasionally willing but doesn’t really get what exactly I want him to shoot. He doesn’t see that my hair is out of place and there’s a fold in my jacket or I need to hold my hands differently. My little old digital camera is tedious to set up for timed photography too so it’s at least as hard to take my own photos of myself. And no matter what I do, I always feel – and look – dorky and awkward. (Probably because I am dorky and awkward.) Now you know why I take so many photos of garments on Debbie Double. She’s much more cooperative and I can arrange her more easily.

I know the focus of this blog has shifted as my interests have. I used to do a lot of jewelry and beadwork. I don’t even wear it anymore. I’m still knitting every day but not spinning as much even though I still love it. Dyeing still comes in but only when I’m needing something dyed and it could be either natural dyes or synthetics. Weaving hasn’t been as large a part of my crafty world in the last decade but I keep saying I want to do more. Now that there is a reinvigorated sewing interest maybe that will encourage me to weave fabric for clothes. Who knows? I just go where my desires take me. And document it all on here.

What else to talk about today, besides the boring fact that I have another migraine? The weather has been super warm and sunny. I only managed to get my tomatoes transplanted into bigger pots before it actually got too hot (25C) to work in the garden yesterday afternoon. We aren’t used to this summer-like weather yet! Instead I went up to my studio (where it was also very toasty) and started working on the Celadon Dress project. That’s the handwoven dress refashion that I mentioned yesterday. I did manage to find my notes from when I started it – in 1997! So it’s nearly sweet sixteen, poor thing. About time it got turned into something functional instead of taking up space in the storage closet, no?

M7974 This sleeveless dress (pattern is McCall’s 7974, circa 1995) has a plain scoop neck, buttons down the front and straight tucks on the front and back bodice. I borrowed this photo from eBay because I can’t find my copy yet. It doesn’t actually fit me as badly as I thought at first. The biggest problem is the extra bulk in the facings and tucks. I’ve already picked off the facings and will replace them with muslin which is much thinner and presses flatter than the handwoven cotton/rayon fancy twill. Of course even though I was gentle with the seam ripper, now the fabric is starting to fray rather badly so I’m having to handle it even more carefully. I wish I hadn’t finished all the seams by serging them off! Even though that has likely kept the thing from disintegrating over the years when it was banished to the back of the closet. Here’s what it looked like before I started:

CeladonDress_before

And here’s how badly the shoulders fit:

CeladonDress_shoulder

I’ve already taken out the shoulder seams and will recut the armhole/shoulder/neckline area to fit me much better. The tucks need to be lengthened to reduce the fullness some more around my middle. I’m trying to decide if I should trim the back of the tucks to reduce the thickness some more too. They’re over an inch wide. Also the hem needs to be shortened to somewhere around the knee. I should go digging in the attic stash to see if there’s any leftover fabric hiding. I have no idea if I was planning sleeves for this dress and if so, they are missing. I would like some cap or short sleeves anyway but probably can get them out of the hem if I have to. As you can see on Debbie, who is exactly my height, the thing practically reaches the floor! I would rather have a shorter dress for summer.

As always, more later. I’m going to go try to dig up the patch for the Japanese indigo now. If my headache will let me. What’s with this anyway? I haven’t had migraines for ages and now 2 within a short time? Sheesh.

6 comments:

Susan said...

Congratulations on the Milestone!
I know I've been watching your interests change and enjoying the ride..

I must say, its nice to see the loom for a change, even if it was a prop.

;) Susan

Louisa said...

If I ever dig my way out of the garden, I have several pieces in mind that I'd like to weave. I know - I keep saying that but weaving sadly keeps getting put on the back burner. However, if my sewing machine keeps acting up when it's hot, I'll have a good excuse to weave instead!

Suzanne said...

happy anniversary Louisa!!!
thanks for sharing your meanderings.

pao said...

8 years?!! That's the equivalent of 8 millennium in real time. No wonder your blog has lasted so long - because you follow what interests you at the time. And you're so creative in so many ways. Imagine sewing something for yourself out of fabric that you've woven. How amazing is that?. Congratulations and many happy returns.

Louisa said...

A big thank you to everyone who comments on here! At least I know there are a few folks out there whom I haven't bored yet. ;)

Hugs to you all!

Anonymous said...

wow! very impressive, 8 years is a lot of words, creating and inspiration. thank you and here's to another 8.