Marsbarn Designs...

Holy Cannoli, it's Halloween

I am, perhaps, feeling a bit giddy.  We've had 36 
Trick-or-Treaters so far tonight, and it's not even 8 pm. 

Before the record breaking candygoers, I must admit to
feeling a little relieved that the day is here, and the
costumes are done and out in the world.  No more last
minute requests for snoods, nor fussing with gunbelts,
nor thoughts of Tardis blue journals.  Done and done.
And, I am very, very pleased with them.  

Merida's dress was the biggest challenge for me. 
I couldn't find a pattern I liked in the correct size for
Little e.  My Mom ended up helping me alter a pattern
in a smaller size.  It was quite educational, and I'm
very glad I made a muslin out of an ancient sheet.

The dress is made out of a polyester that makes the
most delicious sound as she moves.  There's a small
part of me that wants to make a dress like this for me,
just so I can shush-shush around the house in it.

River Song, or Sweet G as she's known in her day job,
was a bit easier to put together.  I used a play dress
that has had previous incarnations as a Earth Goddess,
a crone, and who knows what else.  Someone, somewhere
wore this dress as clothes, but not for about 15 years.
I did a lot of shaping to create a waist, cut quite a bit
off the bottom, and removed the sleeves.

 The accessories were the fun bit to make. River Song
has a very distinctive belt that she wears in a couple
of episodes, and it was really important to G that I 
try to replicate it.  I used my crop-o-dile to punch
the holes in the suede material and a combination of
antique shirt studs and studded buttons.  The main 
closure is hidden velcro, as only the last row of studs
(the gold toned ones) are functional.

Big E painted the nerf gun for me, after I disassembled 
it.  Putting it back together was challenging, because I
managed to pick up an extra spring from somewhere.

Merida and River both had successful candy gathering,
so the costumes must have worked well.  I wonder
what they'll come up with next year.

Ladies art, part Deux

I've started a second Ladies Art group. 

Just another little group of women, getting together 
once a month to do a little art.  This time to play with
a different media just for the sake of exploration is
such a good thing for the soul and mind.

 And the things that get made are just too cool.  Yay!

Is the pile getting bigger, or am I just slowing down?

Lately, I have found that I cannot tell if I am getting 
less done, or if I am just attempting to do more.
Regardless, I am not getting all that I would like done.

Despite not doing holiday markets, despite no longer
having small children, and despite my best intentions
to focus, I still find myself behind.  Do I get tired
more easily, or am I working harder?  It's so hard to tell.

I keep thinking I'll catch up, but perhaps I continue
to fill my plate to that just-tipping point from a need 
to feel full and busy.  I don't know. I think I see an
opening in my calendar as an opening to schedule more.
It's hard to embrace the idea that empty space in ones
schedule, is like a quiet place in a painting.  You need
a bit of empty space to rest ones eye.  I think that I am
making smarter choices with my overload.  The things
I am doing are either necessary or bring me joy, and
most of the things that clutter my To Do list do both.

And when it gets to be too much, I let something go.
That would explain my erratic blogging this year.
I continue to try and capture what I do here, but
sometimes the Doing outweighs the Recording.
I still manage to cycle back around, but sometimes
I need a bit of a nudge. 

belt and quiver, done and so happy

This Halloween season, as I continue to stretch my skills, 
I have found a new pattern to my work.  My normal work
trends toward production.  I make a pattern, refine it,
try it again, tweak and proceed into making.  Sure I
alter things a bit from then on out, but I have a solid
beginning.  This year, my new foray into clothes
sewing and leather-ish accessories has meant I find myself 
saying "If I were to do this again, I'd...." again and again.

This quiver?  I *love* it.  I would do again exactly like
this.  It makes me so happy.  The body of it is a piece
of scrap wool from the Pendleton bins, the inside is a
bit of left over twill from last year's bag making, and
I've sandwiched in a bit of stiff interfacing to give it
good body (we all like that, right?).  The edging and
belt are made from this (man made?) suede stuff I found
in the bins at Pendleton.

The belt closure (which is hidden under the quiver) is
velcro, and the quiver itself is attached using an huge
snap.  The snap lets the bag shift and pivot so it is
always hanging nicely.  

The arrows are made from oversized chopsticks (cooking
chopsticks), wool felt, and hot glue.  Easy and simple,
and I am really appreciating not having a "but" floating
in my head.  Done and happy, what a nice feeling. 

Mr Fuzzypants: this is how the life is lived

Those days when we need a bit of sun on the nether bits.

Sewing Clothes, pride versus panic

I don't sew clothing.
Sure, I've made accessories: hats, mitts, scarves, etc,
and I've made the occasional robe and kimono,
but fitted clothing, from a pattern?  Not so much.

My girls wear lots of handmade clothes,
but that's due to the talents of my mother.
She is a clothes sewing phenom.  

But, this Halloween, I decided to sew Little e's
costume.  She wanted to be Merida from Brave,
which means a gown sewn from an honest to
goodness pattern in a non-cotton fabric.

Last year, I sewed a "dress" for Sweet G's costume,
but that was a drape, stitch, cut, and pray type deal.
There was no pattern, no need for symmetry, and
a belt to hide many a sewing sin.

 Weeping angels are not known for their tailoring, so I had
a bit of artistic (and constructive) license.

What is it about sewing clothing that I find so frightening?
Is it the details?  The knowledge that little things are
huge and that everything counts that makes me sweat.  
Or is it my complete lack of experience, which brings a
constant refrain of: "I'd do this differently next time" ?

There is something tremendously powerful about making
clothes. The gratification of making something that can
clothe a body is instantaneous.  

Every time that Little e tries on her dress, I think
"Oh, look at that!" in equal parts pride and panic.
My mantra of the week has been "It's only a costume."
Followed by "Breathe and let go".  The gathers on the 
sleeves don't have to be perfect, the facing doesn't 
need to be gorgeous, the zipper just needs to work.

In the end, I think the only way I will make a truce 
with apparel sewing is to either do it more (so that
learning curve can do its thing) or never do it again.
It's just not a middle of the road thing. 

first weaving, done.

So I finished my first weaving project,
and am now waiting for my very own loom to be
delivered.

I was pleased enough with my first project that I gave 
it to my Mom for her birthday.  I used two different
sock yarns (one for warp, one for weft) and the finished 
scarf is lovely and soft.  Now, I have a new purpose for
all of that sock yarn I am tempted by... not sure if that's
a good thing or a bad thing.  Regardless, I have a
stockpile of lovely fingerling weight yarns waiting for
their turn... now, if the loom would just hurry up and
get here.  

Mr Fuzzypants takes charge

Hello.  You may have noticed a lag in blog posting 
here at the Marsbarn.  Fear not! I, Mr Fuzzypants,
have instigated emergency measures to bring the blog
back in line.

I created a trail of socks to lure the human back
to the computer to remind her of her blogging duties.
Then, when she was in position, I sat on her until she
began to blog again. 

My responsibilities are vast.  You cannot image how 
out of hand things would get without my assistance.

We should see a return to more timely blogging,  but 
if things slacken, I have more socks in reserve.