Ittadakimasu!

Oh man. So I know it's not sewing or knitting or crocheting, but I made something pretty awesome tonight with Sally & Margarita.

SUSHI!

Yum:

Do you recognize the doily? Yep, it's the same one from that second post ever way way long ago (ok, not all that long ago; it was July). The dolls which look disapproving, but actually just have droopy moustaches, are some traditional sort of doll from somewhere in Japan. Sorry I've forgotten the details, but they were given to me 9 years ago and I don't remember anymore. The pertinent point is I didn't make them, but they're fun anyway.

Better Late than Never

In the summer of 2007, I offered to make a set of waistcoats for Louis as a graduation present (and because he looks awesome in them!). The original plan was to create a total of 3 of them: a patterned brocade, a silver silk dupioni, and a white satin in the following pattern:


The patterned brocade was completed in good time and sent off with him when he left for California. The silver silk was partially completed, and somehow I stopped when the fabric-covered buttons frustrated me enough (I was also completing my final term at MIT, completing a design project for my thesis adviser, managing a 21-person house, and starring in a play). I wrapped up the uncompleted vest and the white satin wholecloth and put them in a drawer, eventually taking them down to Louisiana with me.

After making such great progress on the suit which I had been planning to make since about the same time, I thought of the waistcoats.

I couldn't believe how far along it already was! The only thing left was the buttons. After examining the buttons, I found that they were all complete but one. I finished the last button, reminded myself how to make buttonholes on my sewing machine, and sewed them on. Voila!


The pockets turned out a little iffy, sigh. I'll just have to do better next time I suppose.

I needed a "vest buckle" for the back of the vest to adjust the strap that tightens it around the waist, which was put on my shopping list for the trip (previously discussed in the posts about the suit) which I was procrastinating on as fast as I could.

So in the meantime, I started on the ties. I thought Louis would prefer the option of having both the necktie and the bow-tie to choose from, and I had plenty of fabric, so I made both.

There was something odd about the pattern I thought, for it wasn't like the last tie I had made (or rather a good 6 of them for my 2.009 team presentation). The bow-tie seemed off as well. It wasn't until I was halfway through that I realized they were both CLIP-ON!!!

UGGGHHHHH!!!! If I had looked at the back of the pattern, I would have seen this:

Oh well. I'd finish them, send them off, and some day go back and make a whole other pair of real necktie and bow-tie. So I reached the point when I couldn't get any further without hardware, realized that every single project I was working on was held up by my procrastinated shopping trip, and FINALLY got off my butt and to the store.

I found the vest buckles. I couldn't find the necessary "slider tie kit" requested for the ties. I was able to improvise by finding a small belt buckle (exactly the right size) and a clever little clip set (slightly too small), and I used a pair of pliers to easily remove the belt buckle's pin to adjust it for the ties.

With all the proper hardware, I was able to finish the vest and the unfortunate ties. Here they are all together:


I adore this fabric. It's so luxurious and beautiful, and I know Louis looks especially good in silver waistcoats, so this should serve him well for all its defects.

Then I found a box to send it in and wrapped it up in a clever little package!


Louis received them, loves them, and will send a photo of him wearing them which I will add for your enjoyment. Yay!

Now I just have to make the last waistcoat in the set of three (and alter that tuxedo so it fits him too... whoops).

90th Birthday

My grandmother recently informed me that it would be very welcome if I were to send a birthday card to her brother, my great-uncle, who turns 90 in 5 days.

I decided to to one better, and crochet him a little gift as well! I've seen some freeform crochet pieces on Etsy.com which has gotten me interested in improving my talents in that form.

I thought I would make him a "badge of honor" to celebrate his 90 years, so I took the same red thread I've used for many previous projects to put this together.

Upon creating the base form, I wanted a bit of lacy embellishment. I decided that making loops around the entire number would make it too frilly and difficult to read, so I came up with a clever font that reminds me of a whimsical Microsoft typeface I remember from years ago (but cannot come up with an example to display).

I thought an exclamation point would create a good balance in the overall look, so I ended up with "90!" as the final result. I soaked them in a 1:4 mixture of stiffening solution: water and blocked them out.

I sewed the 9 and the 0 together before blocking them, but the exclamation point i left separated because I wanted the loops to be in their final shape beforehand, thus enabling the positioning to be just right. This turned out to be the right decision.

The 1:4 stiffener:water solution was also a good guess. It gave it enough stiffness to keep it flat, but enough flexibility so that it still felt like fabric. I then decorated a card to attach it to and used a large safety pin to affix it with.

I had briefly considered using an actual brooch backing, but I decided that a large safety pin would be easier for 90-year old fingers to work, since my intention for this piece is to be pinned to a shirt.

And here's an example of it pinned to my shirt!
It looks pretty snazzy if I do say so myself.