A Small Girl in the Great Outdoors

Twarted!

faegirl — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:07:30 +0000

So, try as I might…I cannot read a pattern to save my life. I generally end up tap dancing my way through the pattern pieces because they aren’t as explicit as I would like them. The photos/drawings usually suck, too. I have most of the Regency dress finished. HOWEVER, that does not mean that I did it correctly! haha.

So this is supposed to be my bodice. I cut it about two sizes too big, because the pattern said to do so! haha…so I had to get my mom to help me and show me how to put in darts. The darts are now up at the shoulders so they aren’t too obvious. There is also supposed to be a cord going through the bodice where it meets the skirt, but I totally didn’t get that and didn’t do it. I think the back will be held together with hook and eyes.

The skirt is easier…just have to figure out how to attach them to each other and then to the bodice. Hmm…and then its onto my hat!

Toiling away

faegirl — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 03:19:47 +0000

Not really, but still working on the 1812 dress. I have everything (I think) cut out and the two skirts (the outer and the lining) are sewn up. Now I have to start the scary part…putting the skirts together properly.

This is usually where I start getting mixed up and annoyed because I don’t think pattern makers have any idea how to communicate with beginner or novice sewers.

Pictures will be posted tomorrow. I need to figure out how to do the bodice. Attaching the side bodice to the back bodice is not easily displayed in the instructions.

The War of 1812

faegirl — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:38:20 +0000

So, being that it is 2012…it is the bicentennial of the War of 1812. And being that I work in a place intimately related to that war, I need a new dress for this year. Unfortunately, our budget being what it is, there was no money for me to use to buy a dress. So I’ve decided to make my own regency style/Jane Austen dress. Now, I’m trying to do this on the cheap and so far have spent under $40 for fabric, my pattern, and part of my hat. I would like it to stay that way.

Pattern I’m using, I’m doing the dress on the right:

Simplicity Pattern 4055, bought for $1.00

Fabric I’m using

Linen-Look fabric "Potting Soil", on sale

The hat…hats have always been problematic because they are expensive. So I am attempting to make one myself.

It looks slightly like this, but has black decoration on the brim, $7.00

I’m also using some simple muslin to line the skirt so that it is not see-through and will be wearing my American Revolution shoes or a pair of simple shoes from DSW if they don’t cost a lot.

The pattern pieces have all been cut out, now I just have to work up the courage to start sewing them together. But that will wait until tomorrow. I have been told that nothing good comes from sewing after 8:00 pm and I am beginning to believe that!

Shoes!

faegirl — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 00:06:33 +0000

The Devonshires are a leather 18th century shoe based on museum examples from the 1760s through 1780s. They’re made of top-grade dyable leather, with a beautiful, smooth Italian leather sole for dancing, and are hard-wearing, water- and mud-proof, for even the toughest of outdoor re-enactments.

Pre-Order the Devonshires through August 10, and get the special $100 price. We’re only making 200 of these shoes, so don’t miss the chance to own one of only a couple hundred pair on the planet! Visit www.american-duchess.com to order.

Cold!

faegirl — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 23:16:47 +0000

So glad that I didn’t have to go out today until the temps went up! Looking forward to the “heatwave” of tomorrow. Woo hoo 30 degrees!

Work in Progress

faegirl — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:30:16 +0000

I decided that I was going to try and create a quilt last year…and I knew it would take me a while. I didn’t think it would be this slow, though!

Cutting took the most work…but once that was over, it was just a matter of piecing together the top and adding the border.

Now, I am just waiting for my batting to arrive so that I can put the top, batting, and backing together and get this done! Its going to go on the full bed but I think my next quilt will be smaller…this seems so much bigger than it actually is.

New Beginnings

faegirl — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:35:28 +0000

They say that it takes two weeks of doing something every day to make it a habit. Obviously, I have not been very successful at creating a few new habits in regards to writing or posting. Whoops!

I have vague resolutions for this year, only because I know that they often get forgotten or just fail.

Enjoy hiking the Grand Canyon
Finish up my kitchen
Take more photos
Apply for a higher job position
Get more kudos for my current position

There are others…but this is a good start.

Spectacle Island

faegirl — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:03:04 +0000

Many of my adventures have taken me onto boats for this summer…and my trip to Spectacle Island was no different.

Spectacle Island is a 15-20 minute ferry ride out of Long Wharf in Boston and is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Today’s island has been reshaped over the years with dumping, erosion, and the fill from the Big Dig to become one of the highest points in Boston Harbor.

The National Park has a green visitor center that has CLIVUS toilets, expansive views of the city, and covered picnic area.

There are a number of trails to walk along and view the city or the lighthouse. One of these trails takes people along the shore that is scattered with rocks and the occasional dead fish:

The other main feature of the island is the trash that is coming out of the ground and washing up on the shore…seaglass and pottery shards. As an archaeologist, I am always looking down on the sand at the beach for seaglass and random things. At Spectacle, you don’t even have to search…it is all there, but not for the taking.

The ferry to the islands is almost done, just about another month. I hope to get back out to George’s sometime before then to find the dark space again!

Since we last saw our intrepid heroine…

faegirl — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 01:39:44 +0000

So, I am horrible at updating…I can’t access this site at work and I’ve been trying to be a good employee so that I can do this job for the rest of my life, if I choose…and that happened. So now, I don’t have to be as awesome as I was this summer

Here is what I’ve been doing since I last updated:
In May:

I tried to grow sunflowers…this failed epically. Mostly because there were about a million of them in a tiny pot. 3 of these plants are still alive and one just got a bud on it. How sad am I as a gardener?

I also graduated!
In June:

I went on a 10 day trip to Ireland. I enjoyed most of it, but I was sick for quite a lot of it so that sucked. I might go again just to see if the country and I are more in synch with each other when I’m not coughing myself to sleep.

In July:

I had prime seats for the reading of the Declaration of Independence off of the balcony of the Old State House. It was ok…I always forget how long that document really is, you never hear anything past the first paragraph or two.

I also went on a tour of State Street, which included the Custom House building. Gorgeous! Need to go up to their viewing area…totally worth the 3 bucks.

The next day, I went up to Beverly to try out some awesome cameras and come up with images like this.

And, I made it up and down Mt. Washington for the 7th time!

I went on a whale watch out of Gloucester…it was awesome. We saw 30 whales and had a great time!

Looking back, I realize that I did a lot of cool stuff this summer even if I didn’t think it at the time. I’m going to have to keep up the streak…I want to go find tide pools AND maybe a visit to the national parks of VT and NH if I’m ambitious!

The Price of Freedom

faegirl — Mon, 31 May 2010 17:13:40 +0000