Autumn Zebra

Our cat seems to love catching insects in the dark and then bringing them inside and tormenting them and lying on them before eating them, although sometimes she just leaves them on the floor if they are moths. It can be useful to get rid of annoying flies. I don't really get why she lies on them or rests her head on them, particularly since whenever they move she sits up and shakes her head around, as you would to if a beetle tried to crawl into your ear. And cats have comparatively large ears. On at least a couple of occasions, including just a few days ago, our cat has caught a weta. I really like wetas and think they are pretty awesome. This seems to be pretty much at odds with the views of everyone else, who apparently think they are very ugly, and various native names basically mean ugly bug. New Zealanders may be unaware of the fact that wetas are in fact found in a variety of countries, generally those somewhat near NZ or that used to be joined to it along time ago, like Au

For my sister for Christmas we were going to get her some cool PJ's and a robe and slippers (actually, 2 of the 3, but we were undecided which) from Ezibuy, a mail-order catalogue, and they were pretty cool, but then we got her something else and I made her a new wallet. I was going to get a picture of the wallet but I forgot again until I had already wrapped it up. It looked cool and only took about 3-4 hours to make including making some bias binding and hand-sewing it on. I was actually a bit disappointed it took so little time, so we bought her something else too. It wasn't as much of a labour of love as I was imagining :) Anyway, I think the pyjama idea stuck in my head somewhat because then we saw some lounge pants in a shop, like pyjama pants for lounging around in, and they came in their own matching bag. And so I decided I should make some. Undoubtedly it would have been easier and maybe even cheaper to buy them, but whatever. We went shopping to get some material, and

So this weekend I didn't feel like writing 4 blog entries in preparation for the coming week like I did last weekend. But we'll see what happens in the next 1.5 hours. It would be a lot easier and more fun if the right shift key on this keyboard didn't only work intermittently. It hardly ever works when I try to do a capital 't', but I'm not sure if that's just pretty much the only letter I capitalise with the right hand. Other than 'i'. I think it is just the shift key that is breaking, stupid shift key. This weekend, what did I do? Garden Well, I cut the lawn a little on both days, with the scythe, and now it is a lot shorter, and a lot flatter. I think I am getting better though. The lawn looks a lot bigger now as well without all the grass. G and I also cleared the sticks off at some point, maybe that was last weekend and I already talked about it? Anyway, from when the hedge and stuff was cut, there were sticks all over the grass. Actually, they

Recently I bought this material from The Stitchery. I saw it there months ago when I first went there, and always intended to buy it, and to probably make a doublet I think. Even though I don't yet have time to make it, I thought I should go back and buy it in case I never get around to it and it goes or something. I think it is about $34/metre, so I got the minimum that I thought would work, which I think was 0.7m. It is actually double thickness and, as you can see, reverse colours on the other side. So now I can't decide which colour to have on the outside, and whether to line it and so on. I think to make such a structured garment as a doublet it will need to be lined, but I can have the facing and collar in the reverse colour so it still gets seen. I intend to modify an historically accurate doubet pattern and design to make something practical and not too odd looking. The main desire for such a garment comes from wanting a nice-looking sleevless garment that is also warm.

I can't be bothered writing much about Christmas really, although it involved going over and opening presents, playing the Civilization 4 card game while Mum simultaneously and reluctantly finished making lunch - turkey, roasted stuff, vegetables, wine, Christmas pudding (close the curtains and pour brandy over and then set it alight. Be surprised again that it actually works). Then more sitting around playing the rest of the game and stuff, L gets bored and goes somewhere, watch a video, have dinner - ham and cheese and pickled onions and salad and olives and all that stuff - joined again by L and two different friends this time. Then Christmas cake and trifle. Woohoo! Then Christmas crackers, the kind that you pull. I made the cake, I am so clever. This cake is pretty much the point of this post. These are the presents I gave. I like presents :) Aren't they pretty, yay, presents. This year I decided to only wrap in non-Christmas-paper textured paper. Most of it is stuff you g

Yesterday it was snakes, today it is sharks . Tomorrow I presume there will be an article about spiders, then we can move onto all the ways you can be killed by a kangaroo.

On Monday I was really really tired, and didn't do a great deal, it was an effort to make dinner really. But for some reason I decided that I should make some muffins, cos following recipes is relatively easy when tired and unmotivated (note: unlike making dinner, which seldom if ever involves a recipe). But, we didn't actually have any muffin recipes except chocolate, and the main point of the exercise was to use up some rhubarb that was still in the fridge before it went off. Muffins were all I could think of other than friands, which require ground almonds and 5 egg whites, and I hate recipes like that, they're just stupid, even though I love friands; I don't like using only part of multiple eggs. So anyway, since the chocolate muffins had vanilla essence in them, I thought I could just leave out the cocoa and then I would have plain vanilla muffins to which I could add the rhubarb, but it didn't really work. They aren't really very tasty or anything. I thin

Just thought I'd share this great quote: Opening the door last week on his farmhouse north of Australia's capital Canberra, John Taylor was met on the mat inside by a six-foot (1.8 meter) brown snake. "I just bolted. When I looked back in a few minutes later the snake had gone, which was good, but it was dark and now I don't know where it is," he said. I just love how he says "and now I don't know where it is" and you can imagine him nervously looking around and peering carefully from a distance into dark corners, possibly while being interviewed, cos that snake could be ANYWHERE. Is it behind you now? Also, he states that it was "good" that a nearly 2m long snake was gone. Only good!?! From this article .

Obviously no one who reads this blog goes to Cosmic Corner or they would have seen this and immediately contacted me: That's right, cherries that are really skulls. Yay, that's fabulous. Each skull is 7.5cm/3" across. I don't know if I should make a jacket and sew it on the back, make a 1950's circle skirt and instead of a picture of a poodle or some such thing use this and that would be really funny, or something else entirely. Let me know any ideas. I'm thinking that I could make my own applique version for the 50's skirt so I can still use that amusing idea and do something awesome with these. Since it is a patch, and the other ones there were all like skulls and cat-and-crossbones and stuff, I think I shouldn't go the obvious with something like a jacket. Obviously the people who designed these knew the idea was humerous. Like all the funny cat ones - versions of tattoo and gang-type motifs but with cats. So since it is already funny and clever, and

Someone has left a comment about The Best Antique Dress I posted about. I like to think that I have made that person's life just a little bit better by showing them such an awesome fantastic dress. If you haven't seen this dress, go back to the appropriate post and have a look. In fact, even if you have looked at it before, go look again, because it is pretty. In fact, I think I will go and have another look at the pictures, and it will make me happy too. Thanks, Traci :) Feel free to also go to the general website that dress is posted on, Antique and Vintage Dress Gallery , and have a look at other Victorian, vintage and other clothing. Some is amazingly ugly but there are other really nice things on there, either beautiful to look at, or interesting or inspiring. Some 1920's stuff if you are looking for inspiration for a costume party, whatever. Sometimes it is hard to find good pics of actual historical clothing, so these auction sites are the way to go for free ideas

So, what do you reckon, an account of my Christmas or some interesting sewing-related thing that I bought? What would you like a post about? I finished my Wigilia post and wrote another 3 short ones in the weekend, so I am set for almost one a day this week! Woo hoo! Maybe after last weeks impromptu entries I should try somthing that doesn't make me sound insane? Ok, I have decided. Wigilia Wigilia is the Christmas Eve dinner in Poland, or perhaps it actually means Christmas Eve. I don't know and I can't be bothered doing any research because I write these things at home and I don't want to look it up at work and then have to change it, blah blah, it's a pain. You can look it up yourself if you want. Actually, I think perhaps I shall look it all up later and have another post about how everything is supposed to be and traditions and all that and not mix it up with what I want to write about now which is what WE did this Christmas :) Our Wigilia (NB, wigilia is said

If you ever need to kill someone, but can't work up the nerve, then try using " Expression Blend ", formerly known as "Interactive Designer" and currently used to design GUIs for the new technologies surrounding Windows Vista. After a very short time you will be happy to kill anyone any way in order to help relieve your frustration and just generally make yourself feel better. Case in point: I still haven't worked out why the horizontal alignment "centre" button spreads out everything you are trying to centre at random distances, over to one side, with most things partially on top of each other. You can't see this very well, but I think it is clear that this is a weird definition for centreing these 3 buttons: So I must centre things by guessing, although there are other convoluted tricks that work for odd numbers of objects only. I am also unable, even in a space like the tool bar pictured above (which is actually about twice as big), to move

I am actually trying to do some programming-type stuff at work today, instead of just researching things and stuff and looking at options and other dumb programmes. But unfortunately I don't really understand this bit, so I am working through various obscure options, following some leads, and reading stuff I don't understand in the pursuit of "education". I don't know what half the stuff in the articles actually is and the phrases mean little to me. For instance, there was a sentence that just inspired me to try another option. This sentence involved a certain thing that I am going to go and look for. This thing was called a "Metadata assembly -". At this stage I had no idea what they were talking about so stopped reading. Unfortunately my brain kept going. I'm not sure if the next word in the sentence began with 'p', but I am now looking on my computer for the appropriate "Metadata assembly puff". That's right, that's what

I want one of these. I like the idea that the display can be constantly changing and still display the same information. TIX Color Code Clock

I've been thinking, when I get my website sorted out, where do I put it? It has to be free, so are there any good places I can get free space with only minimal advertising and none of it annoying?

There's not much to think about sometimes. Like when in a bathroom there isn't much to think about for instance. So, yesterday evening while in transition to the sink, I accidentally thought of a new idea for an item of clothing to make. I tried to stop the thought, but it was too late. I cannot think of MORE things to do at the moment, there is already a lot and most of them have a time frame and cannot be delayed. So now I know what I must do with those 3 (or 4?) nice matching pieces of grey fabric, including lining, that I bought from the remnants table a year or two ago. They went together so nicely, and merely had to wait for the confluence of knowledge, time, fabric, idea and the fifth thing I forgot. Of course, time is still lacking, but the other elements have mostly, umm, confluenced. Actually, some knowledge is still lacking too, but I am already ready to make the other items that will lead to that knowledge being known. So it is all coming together and the garment is

Yesterday we went and talked to a marriage celebrant who, unbeknownst to us when we organised it, is the head of the board of the place Mum works. Fancy that. She was nice, and had a funny little, fluffy, enthusiastic dog. It was actually cute, despite being small. She gave us a folder of stuff to take away to look at. We don't really have any ideas for the ceremony and stuff, but when we look at examples I'm sure we'll find stuff we like and don't like. It is hard to think of things in isolation or to start from nothing. We also had a birthday dinner for Dad, so I didn't get to do anything else except write a little bit more on the Christmas Eve dinner blog-entry-in-progress. I didn't think I would get it finished and to bed in any reasonable time - and I am very tired the last two days - so I wrote this instead at the last. However, I think it is nearly finished, so maybe tomorrow. Oh yeah, glasshouse, I promised yesterday I would put a picture. Well, here is

I went to Spotlight again today, as it said in the flyer that linen was on special and I decided to get some to line Gary's wedding jacket. (The main problem with which will be whether I have enough of the main material... I don't want to check just in case it is bad news.) Apparently it is supposed to be lined in linen. I got a brown blend that was nice and soft, but not fluffy surfaced, about half linen, half rayon. If you remember, rayon is a substitute silk. So that seemed fairly authentic in terms of theoretical feel and look. Even in the States, where you can apparently buy everything, you cannot get a real silk-linen blend I hear, but historically I think it was a fairly popular fabric, so it is good to look out for linen-rayon if you are into that kind of thing. To my horror, I was told that since linen doesn't sell well, or really at all, in Dunedin, they are selling it all cheap and will in the future only stock what they are sent as part of the general stock

This weekend was pretty good, although not long enough, partly because I was very tired so had to sleep or rest a lot which took up time when I could have been doing things. These are the things I did do though, including Friday evening. I can't remember what happened when. I did scythe a bit of the lawn, like, with a scythe. Then I started moving away the bits of tree that have been on the lawn for nearly a year since Dad chainsawed the tree, so that I can cut more of the lawn next weekend, or whenever. I had fish and chips for dinner Friday night, but they weren't that good :( I planted beans in the glass house (5 minutes) and tied up some of the tomato plants that fell over side ways when I moved their buckets to get to the bean planting area. I planted 6 beans. Hopefully 6 bean plants will grow. I have 14 more, but not sure where to plant them. Tomorrow I will bring a picture of the glasshouse, at least as it was a week ago. Now there is a small bean planting area and the

Yesterday I finished making something, sort of, but it is no good so I haven't finished it properly, needs shoulder straps. Later I will try and sort it out, when I have time. Also, I want to sort out that polka dot skirt so it doesn't look so odd if I don't wear a long top. When I can be bothered. Got to get organised making wedding stuff. Enlarged a new pattern to try last night, need to get some material to try it, but might not have time to go today - have an appointment so that will mostly use up my spare lunch time. I could just go in the weekend but I want it now! On to the main event. The best antique dress One day, I want to make this. Probably over a period of two years so I don't have to rush or anything and don't have to spend ALL my time on it. Spending ALL my time on the previous Victorian outfit took only about 6-8 weeks I think, so even with multitudes of other projects it shouldn't really take 2 years. Link to pictures of the dress.... But I can

Well, last night I started writing up about the Christmas eve dinner we had, since when I tell people about this in person they are often interested or astounded, so I thought I would write about it. Maybe it is half way through? Or maybe a third. I write a lot of extraneous stuff. Plus, I am finally thinking I shall get broadband at home, as we have no internet and I can't really do all the interneting I want (need) to at work - lots of research and reading for clothes and so on. Currently I find websites and pictures and save them and take them home to read and examine, but this is a pain. Plus I think it would be easier to write the blog online directly, where I can add formatting and put in links and pictures at the time rather than later. No progress on the website yet, although I think I may have only written about that yesterday :) Woohoo, I have stuff to do at work - I shall proceed to be confused.

Just a quick update on my Polytech course - I have been waiting for this letter, and holidays intervened, but then yesterday - there it was!! After numerous letters congratulating me on getting a place on the course and then urging me to complete yet another form and return it so I don't miss out (first in first served), they have sent me an invoice for the first semester. Apparently I may consider this confirmation of my place. Anyway, I consider this great news as there is nothing more exciting than the prospect of exams! I'm kidding, really. I am doing Observational Drawing and then The Design Process in the morning on Friday and then Patternmaking on one evening. This will be my lot for the first semester, which is about 1/3 of a normal semester worth. Each class is 3 hours. The two on Friday, one is for the first half of the semester and the other for the second. Should be easy? It is only a low-level course, but it is something I haven't really done before, so it shou

I can't believe it - I have not even told you about my existing purchases and plans when I have again, just today at lunchtime, gone out and instantiated yet another plan that had been sitting in the back of my mind for the last few months, uninitiated because then it would become something that sat in my room forever. Probably on the floor. But hopefully I will compile some information on that soon. I really need to make my website you know. Here's the gist of the website: The site will be useful over the blog in that I will be able to keep all information about a particular item of clothing together, even though I may write about it, from concept to finished photos, over months, or, in some cases, even years (!). Thus, I could post a picture of the material, then some ideas, then the development all over time and as it grew people would be able to read through the progress. Currently on the blog, I am wanting to instead wait until everything is fully underway and completable

Introduction The polka-dot material skirt that I made in the holidays. Inspiration/Concept Well, there were the polka dots and.... Basically I was going to make another skirt that I haven't got around to doing yet that might have been going to need a petticoat to hold it out and make it look nice. So when I was getting material for my sister's birthday present, I was also looking for suitable petticoat material. Black, because the other skirt was to be black (I have the material for that). Then I saw this and it was about the same price as plain black cotton, and this was cooler - and the petticoat would also be able to be worn as a skirt, you see. Unfortunately, there was at least half a metre less of the material than I wanted but I figured it would still be ok, just not quite as full as I wanted, etc. Design There wasn't much design, it was pretty much all in the original idea from the start. Pattern The top section was already drafted from my pattern-making book and use

Yay, I am back at work - is that a good thing? Unfortunately, I didn't think about anything I wanted to write until I got here, so I have no updates really. Not that a great deal happened I suppose, but there is a lot of back-log too. I am trying to organise my life a little better soon, and this will include writing time, hopefully, which will include blog. I was also going to make a website in the holiday... but that didn't get far yet either. Theoretically this will be for all the sewing stuff in detail, and then here there will just be a note and a picture about the item. Tomorrow I will hopefully have an update about my polka-dot skirt I made. And about a jacket I intend to make perhaps. Later this week - Christmas, hopefully another item of clothing I will finish, and various other stuffs. Or maybe it will all be back-logged too. I haven't exactly examined the ClustrMaps map for a while, but there are dots in intriguing places that I need to look up and find out what