Sexy Frilly

While I clearly have no ability to predict what the world would throw at me yesterday, I did correctly predict my own actions. Yes, I realize that predicting ones own actions is not exactly rocket science. I did ignore the tasks on hand and instead got to work on a convertible piece made to match my frilled mask. I started with the same burgundy red and made a double vine piece which is the same basic vine pattern I used on the mask doubled over. This of course was the easy part.

Next was the frill. To be honest it's all really easy parts, but this part is ridiculously time consuming. The first step here is a row of chains that hug the outside of the vine layer with picots spaced out as a base for the frill. I started with the same configuration as the mask only to realize that the difference in shape, rounded versus straight, makes a larger difference than I thought. I had to remove the first try, rework the numbers and start again. Next up was the frill. I got pretty worried as I was getting halfway done with the first side. The whole piece curled like a rainbow, but I told myself it would straighten right back with the second side...it did.

I finished the piece too late for proper photos, but I should get to those today. I still haven't decided for certain whether I should run the ribbon through the middle or not. I most likely will as that's what makes the piece so versatile. All the frills also got me thinking about doing a big piece. See a couple of other folks have tried out the tatted panties angle, but honestly they never looked like something I could see anyone wearing. This design makes me think that a tatted bikini top however might be. With this piece frilled on one side as the bottom edge and two similarly frilled triangles atop, fully lined of course and tied in a halter fashion, it could be even comfortable. When will I have time to work out this idea? No clue, but I present it for approval and to make sure I actually try it out. Today I will have to get back to making those sold pieces I ignored, but I'll have finished pictures of this for you tomorrow.

The Middle

I wish I could start today's post with something like, 'wow guess what happened yesterday?', but alas nothing much did. It was just a rather normal day. It started off with school for the child, then there was a quick curation of the Wunderkammer and I was straight back to sleep tatting. At least it appears to finally be turning to Autumn. Here in the land of two seasons that means that in just a few weeks it will be Winter for all intents and purposes, but at least that will mean an end to all this freezing in the morning, burning hot in the afternoon business.

I managed to get all the ordered pieces made up yesterday so all that is left is for me to press them and add a bit of hardware and ribbons and I can send them off later this afternoon. I even managed to get the bulk of another mask remade. It was the newest design, the one with the frilled edge and the whole time I was working on that frill, I was trying to suppress the urge to make a matching necklace or ooh maybe a convertible piece. See...it's hard to ignore that 'creative' little voice, but I still have one more bracelet that needs remaking before I can do that and I really should get one last mask made up as well.

You do realize that what is more likely to happen, I will oscillate back and forth on the idea until I finally break down and try out the new idea anyway. Then halfway through it it I will either receive an order that needs making or some other important task will pop up and I will be kicking myself as I finish the piece that I really didn't 'need' to make. I could of course be wrong about all those predictions, but you will hear about it tomorrow either way. If I do make  new piece at least I'll have a picture to share instead of all of this mindless babbling.

Sleep Tatting

What I forgot to mention yesterday was the thunderstorm in the wee hours of Monday morning with a Thunder clap so loud I say explosion. You see said thunderstorm woke me at about 1 am and the light show the followed was spectacular and long lasting. What I am getting at is I had a lousy nights sleep and it there is one thing I've learned about lack of sleep it's that it carries over until you've managed to catch up. Thus, I am freaking exhausted this morning. I am certain that it didn't help that I was tatting all day yesterday on sold pieces. By the late afternoon I was resting my eyes between joins. I mean I don't 'need' them open while I'm just making stitches do I? Yes, I just admitted that I can and do tat with my eyes closed.

The other task I've been busying myself with is the cataloging of books.  My mother is moving and after years of acquiring children's books for us and her old teaching career, she is off loading them on me. I don't mind as it is a great collection for the kids, but since I am so unfamiliar with most of them and I wanted a way to know what we had, I got an app to enter them all in. While a small percentage of them scanned into my iPhone easily, the rest need to have their ISBN numbers entered manually. Yes, this is what I've been doing when I need a break from tatting. Yes, I am aware that it sounds like more work than tatting, but it's different and needs to be done as well. So far, I am 750 books in with a sizable pile left and there are more that just haven't been dropped by yet. My kids will have their own school library when this is done.

So, as you might have guessed, it's back to tatting the recent order today. It was three pieces all of which needed to be made. I have one done and I should be able to finish the second today and there is a slight chance that I'll get the third done as well or close anyway. Then I sold another mask last night that I will hurriedly get remade as the Halloween season is upon us and I have little time to take advantage of it. I guess there will be more sleep tatting today.

The Wedding Mask

In a stunning bout of convenience, all the things I wanted to happen on Friday, did. In fact my supplies arrived at the same time as my Mother-in-law and she whisked away the children for lunch as I worked on the wedding mask. I managed to get it completed toward the end of the day and I must say that the white mask looks so interesting with black crystals. Once it was done to this point, I staged the mask with the feathers to share with the customer.

We were initially worried that the feathers plus the crystals would be too much, but she approved them as see in this staged shot. Since these are coque feathers, they are stripped down to the small part of feather and this allowed me to run the feathers under the thread in the back using a sewing needle. It took a bit of finesse to not pull too hard to get them place right, but it worked. Then I took some quilting filament and sewed the feathers in place carefully fanning them out. I even went back and added a small amount of fabric glue to the back to ensure that those suckers don't move. I of course then neglected to take a photo of the finished product. Hopefully the bride will feel inclined to share some when it is worn at the end of the month.

Then I had another brand new dilemma...how to ship this without the feathers being damaged. I have shipped other feather pieces before, but they were dense and attached to bases which kept them in a simple to wrap state. These feathers are off on their own, all showy like. I finally realized that I could place the mask in a cut down to size manila folder, then wrap it that way. It should stay flat and protected and I can still wrap it all pretty like. It will be in the mail later today and then I'm back to more custom orders. I make such an effort to keep all but a few pieces listed as ready to sell, but inevitably the few listed as custom are the ones that sell and together to boot. Of course that's why I keep them listed whether they are made or not. They are the big sellers. Just a shame that all of them are full uninterrupted day, if not multiple day projects.

One last thing for this crazy weather Monday is a fair warning that there will be a facebook deal up later today. I promised something should I get at least 900 likes/fans by today. I am however saving the big giveaway for when I hit 1000. someone told be I should stop thinking about numbers so much because it's not healthy. I agree, but they are so shiny, the numbers and I must have more of them...just not in the form of math problems, those take the shine right off.

To Donate

I finished up the mask I was working on rather early in the morning as it was the only one that does not require the final and time consuming step of wrapping the wire with thread. Then I was off to do school for the day, which as the get harder gets a bit longer each day. When that was done I returned to my thread with the familiar, 'which direction now?' question. I had mostly caught up when one of the non paying buyers transformed themselves into a paying one. Ah, something else to remake.

This is when I overheard...read...someone on twitter asking for donations for a breast cancer fund to help women while they are going through it. That's when I made this. There was no ring on it at this point, but it is a pendant. I had made a similar one for the bride I just sent the veil to, only in her veil colors to match. I added a small swarovski to the center to make it a bit more special. I had initially intended to embroider the edges, but then I could not find my black metallic filament so I let it go. This one is off to be used in an auction or sold, I'm not certain the details, but it's proceeds will be donated. I did make another, so if anyone else out there is looking for donations for this pinkest of months, shoot me a message and I'd be glad to donate the other as well.

About the same time I was caught up with this little pink flower I received an email that I had actually won the third place price in a blog giveaway. I received a credit at Gloomth.com a very goth Lolita clothing shop which I have featured on the Wunderkammer before. I'm still on a spending moratorium, but I managed to find the perfect thing which left me only paying shipping. I got me a pair of short bloomers. Yes, I know it's a little odd, but I have always wanted a pair and they are adorable. I would have gotten a skirt, but the one I feel in love with would have cost more than I could justify even with the credit, but Yay, free bloomers! Thanks to Gloomth and the blog at LaCarmina.com for the giveaway. I am also aware that this might have been an instant karmic reward encouraging me to donate more...so I will.

I should get in my crystals and other supplies today and if the stars align this will be around lunch time so I can get started on the wedding mask while the kids are off with Grandma and then asleep at nap. If the stars don't, then it will likely arrive around bedtime leaving me grumbly, but then I'll get it done over the weekend. I do have plenty of time to work on this one, but the final stage may be to add feathers and I want plenty of time to work out the best way to do that. I get doubly nervous when I work on wedding pieces since they should be beyond perfection and since I have yet to work with a bridezilla, I still have the desire to make that happen. So, off to it then. Have a lovely weekend and all that!