What's happening on Planet C

Hi all, just checking in. Life has been busy with preparation for Christmas - stock, classes, new staff, the works. We are "putting Christmas out" which is a big job as it means making room for all the temporary stock. It seems too early, but makers being makers, we were getting lots of inquiries and I got fed up with dragging it all out of the office!
Sewing-wise, not much is happening. I am turning a tapestry into a cushion for a customer, and sewing silk tea bags for another (yes, really). I've been uncovering my sewing room from under a year's worth of STUFF being dumped in it (by me, all self-inflicted!)
I've tidied my cupboards, that's a start. Fabric sorted, yay!! Pile for donating to good causes, yay!

To what end though? Well, I miss sewing for me. This year I've made MrC three shirts, but for me only one Pavlova cardi. I have a few UFOs, a few repairs to make to garments I love to wear but can't - the usual stuff. And I have ideas in my head I want to make! Most for me, a couple for Constance. Of course ;-)
For me, summer clothes. I got through most of last summer on one dress only. I'd like at least two more, and I have the fabric. And I want to get my repairs done.
For Constance, I want to finish a mermaid tail skirt, and find a costume home for the glorious purple bling I now own...

...photo of amazing purple bling, dyed from turquoise salwah kamiz with iDye Poly, incredible stuff, even turned some of my 'diamonds' into amethysts...
...and I bought her some VERY tasteful red pleather recently. Ok, so normally the words tasteful and red pleather don't appear in the same sentence without the words NOT EVER. ;-) But really, after adding a bunch of bling to it, its current state of plain WILL seem very tasteful in comparison.
And here are a couple more publicity shots of Constance.

 We do enjoy a laugh!

International symbol for Alpha Female ;-)

Bunting the Easy way!

I love making bunting. I love the chance to play with fabrics, and the speed at which it comes together. It is a bit like patchwork, but without the need to concentrate, cut accurately and all that. And it's way faster!
Now anyone who sews is going to be able to work out how to do this without a tutorial, but I have found that some approaches are quicker than others, and if you have a lot to make, this can save you a lot of time, and pin scratches!

 

Starting with the flags - I cut them 25cm long and 20cm across the top, using the pinking blade on my rotary cutter on the bottom edges, and the plain blade for the tops. I didn't think to photograph the cutting process, I will later. Organise your flags into the sequence you want to join them together in, and make a pile with the left end as you look at it on top.

 

I use this amazing herring bone tape as it is so easy to see where to fold it - I don't even iron it, I just fold it as I feed it under the foot. Start with about 30cm sewn folded before adding the first flag:

 

Slot the top edge of the first flag into the tape and keep sewing, folding the tape in half as you go.

 

When you get to the end of the flag, mark where you want to insert the next one. I've used the edge of the window in my tray as a marker. If I want the flags closer together I use the edge of the plate.

 

Keep sewing and folding until you reach the pin, then take out the pin, and insert the next flag.

 

After doing this for a bit, I have found I can just do it using my fingers, or even eyeballing it, but the pin thing is quick too. Repeat with each flag until you have used up the whole pile.

 

Here's my pile, and the reel of tape. I haven't precut the tape, I just feed it through off the reel!

 

When all the flags are used up, I bring the beginning around and line the first and last flags up, and cut the tape to match. Finish folding and sewing to the end.

 

I sew a curtain ring on each end - just fold the last 1.5cm or so of tape toward the back, catching in the ring, and zig zag it closed, encasing the raw ends.

 

And here it is - a 12 flag string of bunting!!

This way is SO much quicker than measuring and pinning the flags in advance. And if you have a lot to make, any time saver is welcome!

Lettering: Now you my have noticed the bunting has letters attached. Here's a quick low-down on how to make them:

You need:

• Wool mix or wool felt. Acrylic felt doesn't work (it won't fuse)
• Steam a seam - not the stay tape stuff but the 60cm wide fusible stuff.
• A black marker pen
• A computer with a printer that runs MS Word or similar programme.

Steps:
In a new document, type out the letters you want, selecting the font you like and the size. In this example, I am using Cooper Black font in size 350pt.
Set the font to "outline" so as not to waste toner.

 

Here's my letters printed out over several pieces of paper.

 

Note: Because of the triangle shape of the flags, I wanted to make the "m" narrower. To do this, I printed it in size 320, cut through the middle, spread it to match the height of the other letters and filled in the lines. This made a narrower M that still looks the same as the other letters. Works for W also.

 

Now, important next step is to turn your paper over and trace through the outlines with the black marker. This is because letters and numbers need to be in mirror image. If you can tell your printer to flip the letters for you, you could skip this step, but I couldn't work it out!

 

Check out your Steam a Seam - identify which side is the actual adhesive. Do this by peeling the two papers apart - the tacky side is the one you want.
Put your lettering papers under the Steam a Seam, tacky side up, and trace through. Because we're using felt, you can cram the letters together like I have. Less waste of felt and Steam a Seam!
Now, peel the backing paper off your Steam a Seam, and press it gently onto the felt. Then, felt side up, use a warm iron to press it on permanently.
Cut out the letters, paper backing and all. Then all you need to do is peel off the backing paper, position the letter on the surface, and iron press it with a warm iron to stick it down.

 

The sharp observer may have noticed my t was the wrong way around and at the last minute I had to do it again! All is well that ends well!

From Table cloth to Table Lamp

It's my sister's birthday next week, and I promised her a pair of bedside table lampshades. I wanted to use the opportunity to try something new - not just a groovy fabric but some extra stuff too. Sister Jo is pretty artsy in her own right and appreciates a bit of bling
So, after rootling around in my stash of stuff, I unearthed an old tablecloth bought at the Sallies and popped off to Global-that-was to pick up some light green silk, and this is what I did:

 Making the lampshade using the pale green silk. Goes with my nails ;-)

The tablecloth. I think I paid $4 at the Sallies in Kilbirnie. 

Cutting a strip of the cloth slightly wider than the barrel of the shade.

A liberal coating of adhesive spray. I loathe the stinky stuff, I much prefer Mod Podge, but working with silk it gets tricky as white glues can mark it so easily.

 Erk, the sticky keeps sticking to itself...

 ...finally in business. I'm wrapping it around the green shade

keeping it nice and taut, and lapping the finished edge from the corner of the tablecloth over the cut edge.

After stretching and sticking it all down, I cut around the pattern as much as I could on the cut side, and left the 15mm extra needed for roll under where I couldn't do that. The other side I deliberately let under and overlap the edge.

 Rinse and repeat...

This what they look like with light coming through. "I have to be honest with you, I loves it. Tidy*".

*Blame reruns of Gavin and Stacey, Ness is my hero! Even more than Miranda!

A weekend away

Things have been quiet at The iRon but busy on the home and work front. A not uncommon dynamic for bloggers, I imagine.
Last week I had some kind of virus that really knocked me over - self-employed people know that you go into work unless you are unconscious or have lost limbs, but I couldn't. DVDs and the couch were my lot for two days. On Friday, I made the OMG dress - a first Holy Communion dress for a beloved poppet. Named OMG because as her Mamma and I looked for inspiration dresses on teh interwebs, we went OMG! at one picture, and it was the basis for it.

Actually now I look at the photo, it ended up quite different. Ours had half circle tulle with no gathering at the waist, sleeves and a very different proportion. But it did have the princess seams, flowers and overall OMG ness.
Apart from the tulle, all the fabric was from a stash of wedding dress offcuts gifted to me, so it was a beautiful quality delustred satin. Waist flowers from shop stock, skirt flowers cut from Guipure lace scraps from the offcut stash. Photos will appear perhaps at some stage. In the meantime it is good for your imagination.
Then after finalising the dress, on Saturday morning MrC and I headed off to our favourite bolt hole, Martinborough. This trip was very different from most, however. We went to one vineyard only, Poppies, and we had a platter (NOMNOM!) in the sun on the lawn, with a glass of delicious rose. No bottle of wine bought AT ALL.
We visited Sue at JayahwithSoul, a gorgeous clothing store on the main st, who is one of those bubbly and dynamic women who you just fall in love with on first meeting. Between our June trip and this one, I made four shirts for her husband Mike, as a surprise for his 50th:

 Mike in his favourite, from the same Edgar Allen Poe inspired range as David's Nevermore. Purple contrasts.

Mike's least favourite, and Sue and I were both a bit unsure about it, but Mike's mate is a hot rodder and loves it so he is now the new owner of it. Win win. The one he was wearing when we saw them on the weekend is my favourite - a William Morris inspired print in browns and blues. BTW, making four shirts including drafting the pattern for them etc on top of work has also been keeping me away from posting.
So you see, Sue has Influence Over Me now. Sewing for one's own husband is one thing. Sewing for Others' Husbands is something else again. But it was all in the interests of experimentation.
We had drinks at Cool Change with Mike and Sue and some of their other friends:

Cool Change Bar and Restaurant in Martinborough, I loves it! This is not us though, it is Spring not Summer!

Then we toddled off to the local boutique picture theatre to see Red 2. Hilarious! Even MrC stayed awake throughout. Given how knackered he was, this is some achievement.

One early night later, we had breakfast at Pinocchio's, another gorgeous cafe, checked out some real estate (yes, I am THAT smitten with the place) and finally headed homewards. Him to a nap and washing, me to the after match function for the poppet's 1st Holy Communion. That child is a wonder. After several hours of playing including a lunch that involved both beetroot and chocolate, her dress was still pristine white.

DIY pizzas with other friends at home, and then we were both ready to sleep for three years. 

So yes, it has been an unusually busy time lately, but lots of fun too. :)

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Lying on the couch this evening, I felt something scratchy under my leg. Crumbs, I thought, with a moment of irritation at my lovely husband who is a Champion Crumb Strewer.
I swiped with my hand, settled in again, and still I can feel a foreign body. A firmer swipe revealed...
...a submerged needle!

OH NO!

Why I love Burlesque

I like Burlesque.
I like the bling, the attitude, the sass, and I like the many gorgeous men and women I have met who participate in it too. We see plenty of showgals and guys in the shop, seeking affordable but impactful costume solutions. Which means lots of popper tape, velcro, diamante, sequins and boa!
Because I like it, I created Constance Craving, so I can participate in a way that works for me. I can sing, think on my feet and entertain an audience. Taking clothing off won't feature.
However, because I enjoy it and I intend to be introducing a lot of burlesque acts as an MC, I wanted to have a go at it.
So, for the last six Tuesday evenings I have attended the Level 1 class at Miss La Belle's House of Burlesque.

 

Miss La Belle. What's not to love! Source

There, we have learned to walk, pose, flirt, remove gloves and shimmy. But what we have learned most of all is how to love our bodies. How burlesque is 5% stripping and 95% attitude.
I am not sure all burlesque performers follow this philosophy. But it is how the fabulous, inspirational Miss La Belle does it, and what she teaches us. The performer is declaring that removing a glove is sexy and the chance to see her naked hand is highly risque. This is ridiculous taken at face value, but it is a game you play with the audience and if you do it with sass and fun, they will play along.
Now, above I said why I like Burlesque, not why I love it. Why I love it is because of what I have learned from it. Not from WATCHING it, but by DOING it. Doing it in a class with other ladies, to be clear.
On the sixth week of our class, we were going to learn the routine Miss La Belle showed us in the first class. It involved removing only a button up shirt and a skirt with a zip.
I came close to not turning up.
I am not a prude - nor am I particularly modest. But I was very confronted by the thought of doing this. You see, when I was a teen something happened for me. Nothing terrible, I simply didn't own a pair of jeans when everyone else in the choir did, and I felt like a total misfit and it was just one of those terrible teen moments when one's world falls apart. I had no idea that this moment had impacted my life for the last 34 years! But when I considered the appalling idea of taking my clothes off in a studio with other women also doing the same, but who would have the right kind of shirts and skirts and underwear and figures and rode unicorns home afterwards no doubt, I realised that the feeling was all too familiar and it wasn't hard to trace it back to that awful day.
And then I realised, I had a choice. I could honour the amazing women in my class, and get how we all had some kind of teenage experience and were all freaked out and there are no unicorns, or I could hang onto that old fear, and let it keep me alone and apart.
When you put it like that, it isn't hard to work out what to choose, yeah? :)
So, I LOVE Burlesque. I am never going to take my clothes off on stage, although I may peel a glove ironically. But I will be doing the next level, involving a lot more of peeling clothing, because participating in the process has permanently altered my world view for the better.
Honestly, it couldn't be better if there were unicorns.

There ARE unicorns!!