Fiberaddict's Fiber Fumblings

VBS 2006. It was like herding cats - *I* was in charge of 19 little rugrats, all full of sugar and excited to be there.

Damn kids are too smart, too - I had gone thru Bartlett's Quotations for my clues (didn't wanna make it too easy on them - I had 5 hours to fill, after all, and only 7 bottles to hide), and thought that, oh, the quote from Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream about "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows..." would take at least a nano-second for them to come up with "Flowerbed!".....yeah, right. *sigh* I hadn't even *finished* the quote before they were scurrying outside to start hunting.

Ah, well, it worked, the kids enjoyed themselves, learned lots (?!) and I - well, I'm still exhausted. Ugh.

The Moresca Pirate bodice is a thing of beauty...but. There are 2 pieces of steel boning on either side of the front; 1 goes down to the waist (as they should), the other...the other just....stops. Right at the midpoint of the ribcage. Stops. And...pokes. I have 2 nice-sized bruises on my ribs now from that damn thing! Must add padding somehow - it's a lovely bodice, makes my waist disappear, and gives me a nice long torso, and I *do* want to be able to wear it for a full day next time.

At least today is a "nothing" day here at the office. I think I'll snooze a bit after lunch - I am *that* tired!

At least it's been RAINING all day! Whee!

It was Himself's Birthday party today (Birthday is 3/6; NTIF is next weekend, and...well, kilts win hands down.) He cleaned up pretty well - Lego Mars Rover, Lego spaceship, Lego Helicopter, K'nex, Star Wars ship of some sort, clothes, Star Wars Landspeeder, more clothes, and the Playskool Anakin. He's happy.

My kitchen has been semi-organized. My under-cabinet organizer is installed and filled (need to get another one!), my cabinets are...better...and chili is bubbling away (Chili cook-off at church tomorrow. I want to OWN it.) All the mis-matched socks have either been matched or tossed (except for a few NEW socks - what? You don't keep your mis-matched socks in your kitchen??)

Also got a new digital thermostat installed. Very nice - it'll even switch from heat to cool for you! Got the (sold) warping reel dis-assembled - just need to build a box and pack it up, and got the (also sold) Ashford skeinwinder disassembled - again, need a box so I can forward the shipping cost to the buyer.

Am 1.5 full squares, 8 1/2 squares, the ribbing and the toe away from finishing the first sock. It's COOL (pictures will be forthcomingj - need sunlight to get the full effect of the wild colors).

Have woven 1/2 of a dishtowel. Spun 1/2 of a bobbin of the "winter" sock yarn. Am just about off of the sugar rush from the birthday cake....must go knit a bit!

Tomorrow: Must whip out 2 pairs of bloomers for next week, and take up the waistbands of the skirts I will wear. Fun stuff - I HATE sewing!

We hit Four Winds again today; me and 2 exicited and hopped up kids. I'm surprised I can still think, let alone think coherently!

We left the house at approx. 7:15. When Himself and I went, it took us over 2 hours to get there. Today....we were in Troup by.......8:45. Opening cannon is at 10 AM. I caved - we stopped at the local Mickey D's and let the kids stuff themselves. We still got there before cannon - but so did about 50 other people, so they fired it early. *g* We were in and browsing by 9:35.

Himself wore his kilt, and he almost has the proper swagger down. It has to be the kilt - he's too young to really "know" to swagger in it. Herself was in her bodice (check out sewingwench on Ebay; she makes lovely bodices!) and pink (screaming) skirt. Very lady-like. Me? Wylde Dogs leather bodice, teal overskirt, sand underskirt, sodhoppers and cavilier hat. We got lots of compliments.

Himself spent *hours* in the petting zoo. I'm glad they only charge once....or we'd be broker than we are. He also bought himself a snack, a plastic pan pipe, and a flag at the joust. (There went his $10....not what *I* would have spent it on, but he seems happy). Herself spent her $10 on 2 things - a wooden snake (ick) and a small dragon figurine. She owes me $1 for the flag at the joust. I bought both of them pictures of their favorite knight (the knights autographed them after the joust - that's a nice touch!) and leather mugs (Himself said his pewter mug "hurts my leg when I walk!"). Me........well. I spent. But I spent it well!

I have been looking for the "perfect" bodice. I love my leather ones, but they're not perfect - the Wylde Dogs comes close, but is cut a little too high under the arms and it's uncomfortable to sit in. (The underarms creep up the longer you sit and start digging in. We had slightly over an hour to drive home. Not fun!) My sewingwench one is a bit loose, so the girls aren't properly supported. The Greycat is nice..but she uses zip ties as boning, and it's just not enough. (Picky, aren't I?) So, I've been shopping. And looking. And shopping some more. Four Winds has 4 vendors that carry bodices, so I went in today on a mission. The first one used NO boning at all. Scratch that! The 2nd only had boning at the grommets.....and it was plastic. Next! The next was the lady I've used before - she makes nice, steel-boned corsets. I have one......and I can't get into it by myself. It has a busk in front that you use to get in and out of it....and my wrists are too wimpy to be able to fasten it. (Even on Herself....so it's not that it's too little for me. *sigh*) I've even unlaced it to the point of the laces coming out of the grommets.....so, I skipped her.

The 4th one.....well. It's a husband/wife team based in Dallas. He does the corsetry, she does the skirts, shirts, etc. I am impressed. He only had a few bodices there, and none of them were boned. I pouted - he immediately said he could add boning - free. (I did NOT give him the usual response - my kids were *right*there*. He grinned and said he'd pretend I did.) So, we discussed size. I tried on the 12..and it was a bit Big. 12 hasn't been big on me since Himself was born 5 years ago!

The upshot is that he is building me a heavily boned (steel) bodice, in green velvet, custom fit, for.........................$75. I am highly impressed. If it fits even as well as the "stock" one did, I will be happy. The girls will be fluffed but well contained and supported.

I ummm, also bought another Shadowhawk blade. It's not my fault! He had it there last time, and tried to talk me into it, but I resisted. Resistance is futile.....it's 10", but it will fit nicely in my Sodhopper. Leathersmythe is making a sheath for it that will lace into the boot........and Shadowhawk is making the hilt to match my other 2 blades (which he made to match my Rosewood dagger Steve customized for me.) That'll make 5 that I wear all the time...plus the hair dagger (once I figure out the best way to wear it..it's a bit heavy, but nice and pointy and steel). A girl can never have too many blades though, right? Right.

The joust was good...and afterwards Himself got knighted. He was told that he was now in service to the queen, so my little charmer picked a flower from the list field and presented it to her....all by himself. She was quite charmed! (So was I!!) Herself made a curtsey, which impressed me - I only mentioned it to her once.

The daycare lady DID come out - I am surprised and happy. Himself stayed with her and her boys most of the day, and they seemed to have fun. That's good. To be a proper Renrat, you have to start young. *g*


I think it's bedtime!

I got my coworker to take some pictures today of my new boots. I uploaded 3 here; more can be seen on the Garb and Gallery pages.

These boots are buffalo hide, both the boot and trim. Buttery soft, wonderfully comfortable - I have very happy feet today!

( Happy feet! )

3 kidlet shirts, 2 kidlet pants, 1 me skirt. All they need is the elastic/drawstrings inserted, and they are done done done!

To do: 2 kidlet skirts, 1 me skirt. Probably not today....I's tired!

Dad came out and got to meet Finn. Finn wasn't impressed - he tried to kick Himself (missed by 1"...whew!) but let me halter him and lead him around. I took the lead off...he got mad 'cause he couldn't nurse with the halter on. *g* Relatively easy to catch him and remove it, so that's good.

Came home and decided the studmuffin needed to mow my back yard. The pony is too blind - I *knew* what was gonna happen, see, and I didn't want dead/mortally wounded pony in my back yard. The mares? Too goofy.

So, went into the pasture, and Dusty came right up. He's such a good boy! Managed to drag myself up onto his back (why should I lead him? He's got *4* legs - let him carry Me for a change!) and rode him home. The dogs went bananas when I tried to open the gate - Zoey actually got out and attempted to bite his hocks...but he nailed her, so she came back into the yard and hung around me. The other 2 proceeded to chase him around the yard...until Lucy got in range. He nailed her right in the middle of her forehead. (She's fine)

So, now the dogs are camped on the porch, barking occasionally so he knows they are watching, and Dusty is wandering around noshing on the succulent green bermuda. It's knee high to me, so it needs to be eaten!

Must go check on his water - more later!

NTIF is the unofficial official kick-off of Ren Faire season here in Texas. The first 2 (that I know of) start this weekend - Excalibur in Austin, and Four Winds in Tyler. So, this is the week to get all your garb together!

And, that's what I've been doing tonight. *My* garb is in good shape - I have fabric for 5 more skirts, but I don't *need* them for Four Winds - it's all bubble gauze and is intended for the big Highland Games in June; the kids' garb, however, is Not.

Himself is in pretty good shape - I made his peasant outfit last year 3 sizes too big, so he can wear it now. Herself.......has grown. A lot. Her skirts are too short, and she can't locate her long chemise (or her bodice....*sigh*). I don't DO bodices - I bought this one, and paid more for it than I did for mine (mine was an Ebay score; the seller was happy to make me a similar one for her, but at retail price.) I have a problem with skirts......so I'm putting it off. *g*

I also have to knock out 2 more boy outfits - the daycare lady is planning (well, yeah - so she says) on coming with us next weekend. While her track record is not great, I have hopes that it'll happen...so, I get to dress her 2 boys. 1 is Himself's size, pretty much, the other is quite shorter. Peasant pants and tops are super simple, though - and if I make 'em both fit Himself, he'll have 2 more outfits. (The daycare lady will borrow one of my outfits - I'm a Garb Whore of the highest order, so this is not a problem. I can fit *anyone* from a size 4 up to a 20, and have. (No, I've never been a size 20 - but I have 2 houppelondes with infinatly expanding waistlines from my 2 pregnancies. Very comfy, very period, very nice-looking.)I've even outfitted a school play from my garb closet!) Her hubby can wear one of Steve's shirts..he'll have to do sweats or jeans, because I can't find the pants, and he won't fit in any of the doublets I have)...we'll be stylin'.

I wish I knew a SCA/Rennie family with a girl a bit bigger than Herself. Then I wouldn't have to torture myself attempting to make her garb! (My MIL cuts out my skirts for me...I am skirt-impaired.)

Whee! It's bedtime! I have successfully postponed skirtmaking for another day! *eg*

are done! I ended up trashing the rest of the warp - I threw away probably 2 dishtowels-worth of yarn, but the tension kept getting worse and worse and I was tired of dealing with it.

Total tally: 10 large towels and 1 small rag (I'll use it to polish the wheels).

All that's left is to toss them in the wash to wet finish. *g* Pictures after they're dried and ironed.

My next project will be towels, again, but this time for my kitchen. Orange and beige 8/2 cotton...I'm thinking a color and weave effect. If it turns out nicely, I'll use part of the warp as my samples for a twill exchange some friends are doing.

Tonight I get to fix fence *again*. Apparantly, my neighbors' grass is *much* tastier than mine, and Dusty (the stud muffin) keeps going over there to help maintain it. I didn't have time last night...so tonight it is.

Tomorrow will be the costume marathon, and winding a new warp, and let's don't forget to mop the floor and pick up stuff. Sunday we're off to my mother's church (they want me to demo - whatever. Have wheel will travel!) then home to meet an old friend of Steve's.....he wants to borrow one of Steve's costumes; I hope he brings back my leather sewing machine. I have boots to be made that are stalled for lack of sewing ability. (Can't do it by hand - my wrist would revolt, I think. My regular machine would die if I tried to force 4 oz leather thru it....) Oh, yeah - and sometime this weekend we have to get the pumpkins decorated. Busy busy busy!

At least my Christmas presents are *done*!!!! Himself's are 1/2 done, I think...Herself isn't motivated. She keeps mentioning knitting, though - I'm glad Santa is bringing her a needlework kit. It has embroidery, knitting, cross-stitch, and crochet stuff. We'll see.......

So, yesterday Dad came over. Not only did the dear man edge around my house, he also cleaned out my garage. And rearranged it. And swept it. And put the trash on my burn pile instead of in the garbage cans. (It was very satisfying to watch it go up in flames...) He also patched my bathroom wall and the part of the bar in the kitchen that the Zoey-monster had eaten. (New houses taste yummy, y'see)

THEN, my hay man came out and delivered 2 round bales, and the wonderfully talented bladesmith called and had finished my belt knife. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. So, I threw the kids in the van and we headed out to his shop. This blade is *awesome*. He says this is his finest forging job to date - he was able to forge the bevel in. It's beautiful, and it matches the bodice dagger he made me back in the Summer.

This completes 2 of the things Steve was going to make for me. (Unfortunately, I've had to actually *pay* for them, but hey - you do what you gotta do, yes? I miss my jack-of-all-trades hubby, for more than the usual!) The knives Steve had already made for me, a belt knife and a dirk (with the by-knives, even) have Hondurous (or however that's spelled) Rosewood hilts set with Tiger Eyes, and the belt knife has a matching Rosewood sheath). He had gotten a blade for a bodice dagger for me, but we traded it (with an Osage Orange hilt) to a friend of mine for a set of hand-thrown mugs, so he had started the search for another blade for me.

So, when I met Mr. Adams (of Shadowhawk Blades), I admired his forgework and ordered the bodice dagger. I dug out a hunk (technical term, there)of Pink Ivory (a really pretty hardwood) and sent it off to him......the bodice dagger is gorgeous. I just need to find a sheath-maker......ahem. Anyway, he told me he had enough of the wood left to make a matching dagger, if I wanted it...of course I said YES. The wood was some Steve had gotten to make himself a sword hilt, so it had sentimental value, and, gee......you can never have enough live steel!

The only problem is that he doesn't make sheaths. *sigh* Neither do I - I know *how*, I just can't do it. I've tried, and wasted lots of leather, and I just can't make them so they look right. I figure that's one thing I can leave to the experts - I really don't need any more hobbies!

I spent today at the loom. The kids were weaving again today - I had to rewarp Himself's loom, since the visit to the daycare kinda ruined the original warp - but they both got a few inches done. Me? I'm on dishtowel #4 - they look absolutely awesome, and much much much more complex then they really are. Dad saw #1 during it's creation, and he was amazed. In fact, he told me today he had no idea how I was able to make all the patterns in it (9 per row, 10 rows per dishtowel - each row is approx. 2" tall). Hehehehe. It's all in the threading and treadling. Easy-peasy. Only, it's gotten both kids inspired....I can see lots of strange twills in my future!

Pictures have been taken of both the weaving-in-progress and the daggers - I should be able to post them on the webpage tomorrow. I'll post links when they're up!

So, today's the day I have the nerve in my left wrist cyrogenically frozen. Yea, yippee.

Let's hope it works - unlike the 3 surgeries I've had on it.

In other news, I got my bloomers back from K yesterday - wow. Just Wow. They are too, too cool! She did a beautiful job with the dyebaths. I'm plotting ways to wear them.