Backpacking

So the backpack is done! I messed up on a couple spots, but I learned quite a bit, and it's not bad looking altogether. It's a little bigger than I wanted and a little floppy, and handling all the upholstery fabric got kind of difficult.

Open-I did a drawstring top because I hate putting in zippers. Always have and always will, I'll do anything to avoid them. Double ring closure for the top flap.

Back--Next time I will attach the straps to the side seams, not the bottom seam, it make the bag sit a little weirdly. The straps could use another inch in length too.

Leather bottom for added durability.

In other small project news, I found this lovely cape at the thrift store (half off all winter coats!) that needs some repairs.

Obviously it's missing a button. I'll probably just move up the bottom one, unless I can find a suitable replacement.

The other issue is that some of the fake silk satin lining has shattered/shredded, so I'll either have to patch it or replace it entirely, I haven't decided which.

Fabric Haul and Backpack Beginnings

Whenever I find big grab bags of fabric at thrift stores I'm powerless not to buy it. This one was a pretty good buy, a lot of nice florals, but some truly ugly novelty prints too.

The best part was this piece of halloween appliques that are so perfect and neon and weird. Seamus has already claimed the 'Happy Haunting' one for his jean jacket.

This one is my personal favorite.

I also got what I actually went to the store for--some upholstery fabric to try and make a backpack with. I haven't been able to find one that I like and am willing to pay the full price for, so I'm going to give making one a whirl.

I'm fully expected to make some mistakes here-this is a 'practice backpack.' At least the fabric didn't cost much. I'm making it in the style of the oval-bottom draw-string ruck sacks I've see around.

I've also got a method down for cutting my braid pieces, I cut strips first and then cut them into the little parallelograms that I need for the braid.

The box is filling up! Since this photo was taken, the other side is now equally as full. I still need to dye some more silks for the lining though, I'm waiting to do that before anything starts coming together.

Back to Dear Janing

After being stumped by the closure issues on my horn skirt, I decided to take a little break and go back to making some Dear Jane blocks. The last one I finished--B-6--was really fiddly and difficult, and put me off for a bit. But I got on another roll.

I finished up the last 7 blocks of row B. They were all fairly quick sews, definitely easier than B-6! The bottom left one is blue and lime green, it looks a little yellow there.

Row A and B all laid out! Click to see it full sized, I tried to make a little panorama to get them all in, not sure how well I succeeded. I'm thinking I'll eventually sash them with either black or a neutral grey, not sure which yet. Still well on it's way to be the most obnoxious Dear Jane in existence.

Sketching up the coat, not quite ready to sit down and cut a million billion pieces yet.

The Skirt Comes Together

On this particular piece I decided against a colorful lining or interior. I may later add a little bit of embroidery to the inside, but Mariah's pieces will mainly be less colorful and work-intensive than the other characters--excepting the coat which I've just begun work on, which I imagine to be a later addition to the wardrobe. Anyway, the lining is pieced from some linen and cotton bits and pieces I had about.

Nice lovely flat felled seams.

Lining installed! I'm really trying to push the level of finishing on every piece, no matter how ordinary/plain, I think it will help further along the aspect of confusion on the nature of the piece(s)--whether they are costumes, or garments meant to be worn, or pieces of fine art craftwork. I think I previously had too many 'filler pieces' that weren't particularly well done to serve to show off the more intricate pieces.

The skirt as a whole. It's pretty much complete, except that I haven't decided how to handle the closure--I'm researching passemterie techniques for buttons at the moment.

And the cut edge, which I'm very pleased with! This poor blog post has been so off-white--at least my next project will have more color.

As a rather non-serious aside I've also started up a collection of obnoxious floral embroidered tea-towels, which I'm envisioning being appliqued to....something eventually.

At the same thrift store I also found a big (about 6" high) spool of exactly the sort of buttonhole thread I like, which seems to have gotten increasingly difficult to find. It's a bit discolored, but once I use up the first layer it should be clean. This will last me a while!