Muse not Present? Need a Distraction? Answer: Henry Cavill.

I wanted to be more regular with this thing with weekly posts with progress on garments, but I haven't been doing much sewing lately.  I've tried, but have been completely... uninspired.  It's almost like my sewing muse is depressed, on vacation, eloped, or something.  It's not for lack of ideas or fabrics because I have shelves of fabric and sketches upon sketches of things that I would eventually like to do.  But sewing?  Even corset construction (which is my heart) it just... It's not something that I'm finding much joy in.  It's just not been clicking.  And I know you have to push through the depression to get going, to get that momentum back.  I've started playing with design lines on Selena.  However, nothing is keeping up the momentum for me.  It's just not clicking.  There is no chemistry.

(Lines on Selena.  Trying to imagine the Inquisitor's Wife Dress)

I was asked to sew my husband a pair of cargo shorts, but the pattern I have is missing the ENTIRE front piece.  I don't think he would like it if I only sewed him pants that would cover just his butt.  Nobody wants to see that.

I know you are saying, "Just make your own pattern!"  Yeah, um, the only problem with that is that I've never sewn a fly zipper so I wouldn't know how to even start to fix a piece for the front pattern.

What's more?  I haven't even picked up a book lately.  I haven't read anything in about 2 weeks.  After the Inquisitor's Wife I read The Great Gatsby.  And,... meh.  I guess I'm not as big a book worm as I thought I was.  Maybe I should reread one of my favorite romance novels, see if it'll get my blood going again.  See, even just thinking about reading something I love and that little voice just said, "Meh."

Perhaps my brain is just taking a break from all this sewing and reading business.

I can't say that I'm depressed, because I don't think I am.  I'm not totally uninterested in everything like I normally get when I am depressed.  I've just been putting my energies elsewhere.  I've been writing a lot.  I've been bothered by a couple of stories that are fluttering around in my head so I've been recording the voices.  We'll see if any of them decide they actually want their whole story to be written and in what format.  One of them sounds like a novel and the other sounds like a screenplay.  I'm actually thankful that I took the Screenwriting class with Kim Krizan (author of Original Sins: Trade secrets of the Femme Fatale. <3 Great book and she's an amazing woman.)  I feel like if those voices decide they want a script... They'll get a script.  They just aren't screaming loud or clear enough right now.  I only hear their voices.  I don't know who they are or, really, what their point is.

I've also been drawing, a lot.  So it's not like I haven't been creative, I've just been practicing my creative skills elsewhere. I bought a couple sets of these Letraset Pro-Markers.  They are an interesting medium to use. It's the first time that I've ever really used markers seriously for anything.  I've done a few fashion sketches with them and I actually really LOVE the way it comes out.

(A sketch I've done of the dress I'll eventually make.  Maybe wear it for RenFaire or something.  I know her left arm is deformed short.)

What else?  I think I want to learn how to paint portraits with oil, but all the classes that I've seen in the area I'm unable to attend because of the time slots.  I'm usually working the hours they are available.  I have tried teaching myself in the past, but I wasn't successful.  I think I need to learn the basics from someone else.  I'm just not sure where to start, you know?  Maybe I'll just try again on my own.

Oh, another thing.  I saw Man of Steel.  Loved it.  Why, Yes, I'll be obvious, Superman is hawt!  He has been since I first saw him played by Christopher Reeve.  Man of Steel? I really enjoyed all the sci-fi, even if it at times totally reminded me of the Matrix. (Like the part near the end when Supes was dealing with that thing over the ocean. Totally Matrix look, but I didn't mind it.  The Matrix is one of my favorite movies.) The whole thing was definitely NOT what I expected, but I am glad they did it that way.  I've also been watching a lot of The Tudors on Netflix.  Husband knows my boyfriend is Henry Cavill.  (He's secretly been my bf since he was a boy in The Count of Monte Cristo, but shh.  Tell no one.)

(See? Handsome.)

 
Anyway, enjoy that eye candy for now.  We'll see what happens this week.  I might get back to sewing.

Ok, you can stop staring now.

Relax....

I haven't yet gotten good photos of Marilyn, so a post of that is still pending.

In the mean time I've been keeping myself busy sewing some lounge wear; and reading,.. a lot.  The garment I made is something that I plan on relaxing around the house in, when going to hang out at a pool, or even hanging out at the coffee shop on these beautiful summer nights.  It's a strapless jumpsuit.  I know!  WTF?  Right? I know.  I know you are thinking like 1970s disco diva jumpsuit, but it's not. I promise.  It's comfortable and it has pockets!!!

I got the fabric downtown months ago.  Again, I got it for like $5 or something awesome. I was planning on making some harem pants.  Don't worry-- not the saggy dirty diaper MC Hammer looking pants that came in style last year.  I'm talking Disney Princess Jasmine style, or pretty yoga pants type things.  This fabric is kinda see through in sunlight, but it's not THAT sheer. It's a very soft dark teal knit jersey.  When I say comfortable I mean, I NEVER want to change out of it, but that would be gross... so I do change.

I made it using and altering McCalls M6083 pattern.  I always have to add like 4 inches because I'm pretty long in the torso and my legs are about 2 inches longer than most patterns.  I refuse to sew myself high waters, so I adjust accordingly.

As it was in progress...

BAM!!! 

I guess I should start off with the mistakes. I should have added about 1.5 - 2 inches length to the waist.  I'm not 100% happy where it sits at my waist, but if I make something like these again in the future I'll know to add more.

Second, I accidentally cut one of the leg fronts on the wrong direction or the fabric, so if you look closely on one side the weave is going horizontal, the other the weave is vertical. Meh. It's comfortable.  It's meant to just hang out in and I made it for myself.  I don't care what my inner critic says.  I take it as a lesson learned:  Always check the fabric before cutting.

I also should have probably used a short zigzag stitch because the threads have popped and broke when I accidentally caught the hem on my toe.  A believe a zigzag stitch would allow for a bit of ease with this stretchy fabric.

Hooray for awkward self photos.

To be honest this is only the 2nd time that I've sewn with this kind of soft knit fabric.  The last time was 5 years ago -- or whenever it was that I was in school.  (Huh... I just realized I made the same mistake in cutting back then too... Ah well, next time I will remember to cut correctly.)

. . . I also just checked the date on my Costume Tech Certificate:  2008.  So, I guess I am still kinda new to this sewing thing.  Still a few years under 10 years actual experience.

Now books:

If you are in interested, I read my favorite book in the whole wide world, The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory, for like the 9th time and I cried at the same spot I cry at every single time I read it.  Yeah, my husband thought something was really wrong because I was sobbing like a child.  When he realized that I was crying over a book he started to laugh (and apologize) from his unbelief.  He really couldn't believe that I was so heart-broken, so moved to tears by it.  Damn you pages 370 and 371.  Yeah, I know it's coming every single time I read it, but every single time I am affected the same.  Every morning after I wake up with swollen tear filled eyes.  I'm thinking maybe it's because I am so invested and can so deeply relate to the protagonist.

I then read The Inquisitor's Wife by Jeanne Kalogridis in 2 days!  I did not want to put that book down.  The only reason I did was because I needed to sleep.  I absolutely loved the setting.  It was so rich, so tangible.  It made me want to trace my roots 'cause I know they go back to Spain somewhere.  (That's another project for the future.)

Next I'll be traveling to the 1920s through The Great Gatsby.  I don't plan on seeing the movie in theaters.

I'm mentioning The Inquisitor's Wife again because I fell in love with the cover.  I should say I fell in love with the dress on the cover, so.... it's possible I may be making myself a costume in the near future, just like I did with Vicki Pettersson's Celestial Blues books.

See, don't you love it too?  

I totally judged this book by it's cover and I'm glad I did.