Fluff, Dreck, and Flotsam

So... I have this problem. I don't have as much quality garb as I'd like for the reign. (2 outfits ain't gonna cut it... I managed to wear both of them in one day at Crown, and I've got 2 WARS to attend...)

That being the case, and being as I've had more kind offers to help than I can keep track of, Eithni and I put together some "tunic kits" last night. We cut out all the pieces required to make me a tunic, printed off some assembly instructions, and a card with contact info if there are any questions, jammed it all in a zip-lock baggie, and now anyone who wants to help CAN with very little trouble. All you need are a needle, thread, and nimble fingers or a fancy machine...

I'm hoping that I can put together some similar "kits" for sirzig next week and get those into circulation quickly as well.

My only complaint? I really, really hate cutting out patterns. It is my LEAST favorite part of sewing. I really love sewing... I want someone to make ME a Pretty Princess Kit so I'll have an excuse to go sit in a corner and play with string.

Ah, well. Hopefully I can get one together for myself in time for the looooong drive out to Silks, Needles, and More! out in Korsvag. That'll be something to look forward to. In the mean time, I'm trying to figure out if I have time to slap together a new apron dress for ARRG! You know... Because I have too much spare time on my hands.

Home from the event. I am wrecked. The house is wrecked... I think my tidily planned schedule for the next year is uh... "dramatically altered."

I have a mess of organizing to do. I need to call "Merry Mongol Maids" and tell them I got a recommendation from previous patrons... Hope their Aelfs can work miracles...

Would anyone like to stand in for me as Gate Troll at AARG? Aparently I'll be too busy holding a tourney to take care of that myself. Sorry Sile.

Thank you to everyone who shared the day with me and kept me too distracted to get nervous. Hope I can make you all proud to be Northshield. I know I am.

Yesterday's sweatshop was a grand success and we finished that which we set out to do! TRH are all set to wear Japanese for Boar's Head, and their outfits are darn pretty, if I do say so myself.

Many thanks to arebekah, devikat, lostvirtue, Moira, cass_lee, Tatiana, and Nagamochi! You all really helped keep things moving along, and as a result, TRH will not be naked for Boar's Head!

10-11: Men's Fitted Hosen (Rm: 3)
11-12: Greenland Garb for Guys (Rm: 4) - negotiable... I'm really just trying to fill this time.
3-5: Draping a Grand Aissiette Pattern on a Live Form (Rm: 6)
5-6: Period Weaves for Fabrics (Rm: 4)

It's a good thing I've already taken G's Knitting class or there would have been CONFLICT!!! I don't normally make these kinds of decisions until I'm AT the event and staring at the list taped to the wall, but the class list was so long and interesting that I decided I'd better have a look at it in advance, or there might be tears. Now I just have to decide who to use as a dress dummy for the Grand Aissiette class. (If I use HRH Stephen, I can be assured that his clothes will fit properly... On the other hand, if I have someone fit ME with supervision, I will have a pattern for MYSELF and can then use my new knowledge to fit Stephen another time... Decisions, decisions...)

Braaaaaaaaiiiiiiins.

Yeah. I'm kind of a zombie this morning. I stayed up until 2:00 in the morning "sewing like the wind" to finish up quackersbob's tabard. Not all the seams have "finished" edges, but I think it'll hold up to heavy fighting and teenage-boy attempts at "laundry." (For all I know, he's actually better at laundry than I am. My attempts at laundry are STILL in the category of "teenage boy.")

Anyway, despite the slight slap-happiness, I'm actually feeling pretty good. Two months ago, I'd have been a BASKET CASE on 5 hours sleep, but right now I actually feel like my old self. Fidgety but productive, I have trouble sitting down for long periods of time, but I've been getting a remarkable number of projects finished lately.

I think quackersbob is a great kid, and I probably would have made him garb anyway if gwyneth1362 wasn't already an accomplished seamstress, but really the thing that keeps me going on something I'd normally consider a "snore fest of mass production" is Zig's delighted pronouncements of satisfaction upon seeing his guys all dressed up pretty in matching tabards. (This is one of those things that makes him the Best Boyfrend EVAR. He is very generous in his appreciation for my string related skills, and his encouragement has been most inspiring to me. I've never finished as many projects in my life as I have since I've moved to Madison.) He thinks that the tabard is going to be a bit big on quackersbob but I pointed out that teenagers grow insanely fast, and I have no intention of making another tabard for the kid in 6 months. Plus, Tabards are *very* easy to take in. I'm sure I could teach quackersbob to do it himself if it bothers him.

I'm still not sure if I'm going to be at the event this weekend. Day before yesterday I found out that my Papa is going to be working on an "emergency troubleshooting" out in Kenosha today. If the project goes past the time when he's supposed to catch his flight, he'll be in WI for the weekend, and I'll get to show him around Madison. I really miss my Papa and half wish he'll miss his flight. He should call me around 5:00 and let me know whether or not he's checked in at the airport. Until then, I won't be sure if I should be cleaning the house like mad or tearing apart my room hunting for clean garb...

In a bit, I'm going for lunch with naughtyaelf who is finally working across the street from me again. She worked somewhere else for most of the summer so our bi-weekly schedule of lunching together was interrupted. I haven't had a chance to hang out with her for a while. If I DO end up going to the Rose Tourney, she's been kind enough to agree to stop by the house on Saturday and check on the dogs, and rescue any packages that the mailman may have left languishing on the porch. I'm expecting something like 7 packages of string and tastey books right now, so package languishment would make me insane with worry. I'm very happy that naughtyaelf lives close enough to keep me from worrying all weekend about either Dogs or packages.