tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190443992024-03-23T14:28:48.103-04:00Deep Within the FyreCreekI am a woman who dreams; who works; friend to fae, plant, and beast; who sees the magic in every day.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.comBlogger1746125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-56284915767320411062016-09-13T14:53:00.001-04:002016-09-13T14:53:25.118-04:00The Turning PointThe truth is, I can't pinpoint it. There probably was no "point" at all but a gradual shift, as meaningful changes often are.<br />
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I started veiling daily on Samhain 2012. After much reflection, meditation, and searching, I knew it was something I needed to do. In recent months, I've been feeling a pull away from veiling. This gave me pause because it was something I was so sure was supposed to be a part of me. I had known it since childhood. I rejected this new feeling. It couldn't possibly be right. Veiling was right.<br />
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The funny thing about accepting something you need to do is that you also must be open to the time when you don't need it anymore. The truth is, I was in a very different place in my life in 2012. Not necessarily worse (unless you consider the terrible company I worked for) but different. Physically, spiritually, emotionally different. This new place along the journey of my life doesn't seem to need what I needed four years ago. It's no surprise really, but I do tend to hold on to things even when I no longer need them in the same way. So I needed more reflection, more meditation, more searching.<br />
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That's the journey. After four years of veiling when outside my home every day, I don't need that anymore. I don't need to stop veiling completely either. I will veil for Sabbat and Esbat days, I will veil for any rituals in addition to those days, and I will veil when I need to - perhaps a low energy day or an everything's annoying me day or something. <br />
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It took a conversation with my friend Heather, who is experiencing a similar shift in her veiling journey, to accept how this calling is changing and to realize how it needs to change. But I'm very excited. As much as I knew four years ago that I needed to veil, I know now that I don't need it as much as I did. I don't even approach donning my veil every morning as I used to, which was probably my first sign that it's not doing what it once did for me.<br />
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Mabon, the Autumnal Equinox, is a perfect time for letting go of things that no longer serve you, reflected in the trees losing their leaves (eventually - it certainly feels like summer is still in full swing even with Mabon just about a week away). It's also a good time for "fall cleaning," again clearing away things that are no longer necessary. In that vein, I went through my entire vast scarf collection, putting some in little baggies to coordinate with the energies of the Sabbats and Esbats and holding on to my absolute favorites. The rest (that's 71 scarves as of this writing and I still have more to go through) are going into a box to sell or (more likely) donate. Downsizing my scarf collection is probably the hardest part of this, but I don't need so many! I really only wear just a small handful on a daily basis now as it is.<br />
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I'm excited to start doing fun things with my hair again. It's the longest it has ever been now. I should be able to pull off 7-strand braids to great effect! I've been reading up on victory rolls and I could dig out my spiral curlers again. My greys are coming in silver and I actually quite love them, though I could get tired of them in a week and need some color. I'm taking bets now on how many people at my office are going to faint when I show up on the 23rd after Mabon without my veils. <br />
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The seasons change. My spiritual needs change. It is a beautiful time to embrace change.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-1163504466687676772016-06-07T11:27:00.000-04:002016-06-07T11:27:52.471-04:00My Turn<span style="color: red;">**** TRIGGER WARNING! THE FOLLOWING BLOG DISCUSSES RAPE. KNOW YOURSELF. IF THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU, STOP READING NOW.****</span><br />
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I've talked about this <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2013/04/what-they-say.html" target="_blank">before</a> so I'm not going to repeat myself but I still feel like I have to say something. I'm going to ramble all over the place, but you should be used to that from me. <br />
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The hot news moment is a case about a Stanford student, convicted of sexually assaulting a stranger but given a severely reduced sentence because "a prison sentence would have a severe impact on him." Seriously? Who the fuck cares about him? Why doesn't the judge care about his victim, who already has a severe impact on her life from this criminal's actions to her? It is estimated that only 32% of rape or sexual assault cases are reported. This leaves 68% - <b>68%</b> - unreported. This is why. There is no justice. Being a member of an elite class means you can do no wrong. Blame the alcohol, blame the situation, blame the victim.<br />
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I'm not going to talk about male privilege - this case screams it. I'm not even going to talk about rape, the crime of rape, what it's like to be raped.<br />
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The thing is my Facebook feed is filled with memes and graphics and news posts. Most of it is outrage at the sentence (and we all should be outraged), attacks on the criminal who got off easy (yes, he is a criminal), there are a few posts about the diatribe from the criminal's father (victim blaming at its finest), and a good deal of posts about the victim's letter to her attacker (I couldn't read it all though I tried, I really did).<br />
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I don't mind that people are talking about this. Rape and sexual assault are things we don't really talk about. The problem is, just like the Steubenville case I wrote about three years ago, people are going to stop talking about it when the next hot news moment comes along. And then the next time we see a case like this the results will be the same. "The poor criminal, he had such a bright future. We need to protect his chances because his future is at stake." Nothing changes.<br />
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So, we've all heard the statistics, right? One in six American women have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. <b>One in six.</b> Do you know six women in your life? You know someone who has been sexually assaulted. You probably know several, but you may or may not know that about them. And it's a pretty good bet that someone you know is having a very hard time right now. When cases like this hit the social medial world the way this one has, suddenly triggers are everywhere and in the most unexpected places. I don't want people to stop talking about this, because rape culture is <i>real</i> and dialogue is the first step in doing something about it, but please consider the victims and survivors. The focus is in the wrong place. It's not about the alcohol, it's not about the clothes, it's not about the parties, and it's definitely not about the bright futures that are dashed because someone made a choice (though it could be, in part, about the bright futures that are not dashed despite said choice).<br />
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I've strayed far from the point I hoped to make, I think. This case is not about me at the same time it is. It is about every single one of the one in six. It is about the unnamed victim whose entire life has been altered because some privileged kid made a choice and some judge thought he was more important than she is. Justice.<br />
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Triggers.<br />
<br />
Nightmares.<br />
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Entire life.<br />
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And the real kicker here is that even if she did get some semblance of justice, it would not have helped those things.<br />
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Somewhere, one or more of the women in your life are hurting right now. Maybe more than they were a week ago because of the news. Just: don't forget that.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-82817763069656950002016-05-18T13:38:00.000-04:002016-05-18T13:38:11.281-04:00That MomentThere is a thing in the life of infants they call the 9 month sleep regression, or sometimes the 8-10 month sleep regression, based on when it's likely to hit. It's pretty consistent, consistent enough to have a name and a number of websites dedicated to helping sleep-deprived parents through it so, if you have an infant, you're probably going to experience this. It tends to be a drastic change in sleep patterns; for one example, the baby who once slept through the night and self-soothed like a champ can no longer do either. It is important to note that this phase is just a phase - so they say - and, while it can last days or weeks, it is going to end.<br />
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Elora seems to have hit her 9 month sleep regression. She used to sleep wonderfully: nurse for a bit (or a while) and then I put her in the crib and she's down for the next 8-10 hours pretty solidly. Now, she nurses for a bit (or a while) and wakes up immediately as I try to set her in the crib. If I do put her down (and, let's face it, I do), she will sit up, grab onto the rail of the crib, hoist herself onto her feet, and reach for me zombie-like, all while screaming at the top of her lungs. There's no getting back from this. She'll lean over the rail in exhaustion before lying down when we all know she would fall asleep if she just lied down. She wants to be held, rocked, cuddled, maybe nurse some more, but do not, for the love of cats and little fishes and your sanity, put her down. Sometimes, don't even sit or attempt to lie down yourself, because she'll scream bloody murder for that too. And we're fast learning that what worked one night to eventually get her to sleep won't work the next night.<br />
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Last night was rough. I put her in her crib and she woke up screaming. We nursed some more and I was finally able to get her in the crib without waking her up. It took me a good 20 minutes to sneak out of the room, praying that the floor, my ankle, the door wouldn't creak and wake her up (it has happened before). She slept about four hours in this attitude before waking up, standing up, being inconsolable. The previous night, my husband brought her downstairs and slept on the couch, where she could be held all night. This time, after some fuss and bother, he brought her into our bedroom. She woke up when he climbed into bed with her, but was happy to see me nearby and settled on me to sleep. I did not really have a cozy night in that position (an old back injury necessitates quite a lot of moving to keep me comfortable and pain-free in the night) though I had all the baby snuggles I could want. And she did sleep, which is what we all really needed in the end. My sleep and my husband's sleep doesn't matter nearly as much.<br />
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In the morning, but before any of us was ready to wake up, she adjusted her position and I adjusted mine. She sighed and I looked into that sweet, sleeping, gently smiling face.<br />
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It's all for That Moment.<br />
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Whatever we, as parents, must endure so she gets a few precious hours of sleep is worth it for that one moment when she stretches, wiggles into a new position, and that tiny little smile forms across her sleeping visage. That Moment.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-36261513964492301952016-05-13T12:44:00.001-04:002016-05-13T12:44:21.561-04:00More Breast Milk BeadsAt the risk of blogger TMI: I was convinced a month ago that my breastfeeding days are nearing their end. I'm disappointed because the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for a year at least and Elora is just nine months. We'll be supplementing with formula these last few months since I can't just will my body to produce more milk. A month ago when I started writing this post, I didn't think we would make it another month. I'm still hanging on, but just barely. It's time to move on. That makes this project that much more important to me.<br />
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Our breastfeeding journey started out pretty rocky. I couldn't feed her in the hospital at all. When my milk finally did come in, nursing was excruciating due to her shallow latch for the first three or four months. Then, we both seemed to figure it out and I looked forward to feeding my baby and giving her the one comfort that I have that no one else can offer. It is ending too soon for me; I'm definitely not ready to be done and she's not at an age where I can explain that there simply is no more milk. But it seems she is ready and I've no choice but to follow her lead here. <br />
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In my last post, I mentioned round 2 of my breast milk bead experiment. I wanted to redo a couple pieces that didn't come out as I had hoped and I finished mounting the rest. I also learned a method for creating a galaxy-like background and wanted to play with that.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I9qd8LyHJSo/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I9qd8LyHJSo?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
This is the tutorial I found for the galaxy effect. It looks super awesome! I skipped the glitter step, though I might try one with the glitter too. It might be neat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq9AdNn_7CyB8y26-NzAZ7BfF5UrbclZqZNMf5NCS74SnV0BzMo3RqetyR7gD4VA9L-wtx1rYCZby-e3pBFSSy-CNxMJBM6SEQOQCD1pHkWqc8Ea4JiXfQ3x2k_cHu-uMKUUt/s1600/1Curing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq9AdNn_7CyB8y26-NzAZ7BfF5UrbclZqZNMf5NCS74SnV0BzMo3RqetyR7gD4VA9L-wtx1rYCZby-e3pBFSSy-CNxMJBM6SEQOQCD1pHkWqc8Ea4JiXfQ3x2k_cHu-uMKUUt/s320/1Curing.JPG" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curing</td></tr>
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So here they are, set in their molds, colored and curing. I popped them out after three days. The thing about the galaxy background is that it involves "painting" the mica powder on the back of the first layer of resin while it is still tacky. I messed up and waited a day instead of a few hours so my resin, while still curing, was completely dry and the powder did not stick. I gave it a quick burst of resin spray and worked on that. It still wasn't all that sticky and I was sure it wasn't going to work, but I trudged ahead (and made some more clay pieces just in case. I'm almost out of milk clay!). The tutorial also says to use black as the final layer. I used a blue glass paint to color my resin. I think it worked wonderfully.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnyVv8SMEyud026CPx9Dc9T0N_ISnDAy7gfeYtstvJ1Htr8nme5MRmGJ1hwqsOUMuhuQy6frnLPOthyTfTxBNY6FRxHTFyW80QpvjVm30YNixr1ZSD_eGHhrTLNHpr94X-4oy/s1600/4CloseUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnyVv8SMEyud026CPx9Dc9T0N_ISnDAy7gfeYtstvJ1Htr8nme5MRmGJ1hwqsOUMuhuQy6frnLPOthyTfTxBNY6FRxHTFyW80QpvjVm30YNixr1ZSD_eGHhrTLNHpr94X-4oy/s320/4CloseUp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh out of the mold! </td></tr>
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The pink heart (this is actually mica powder that is a mix of red and blue) was a redo because my earlier padlock wasn't exactly center. The blue lock was also a redo, remember I tried to color it brown in the previous attempt (yep, it's not exactly center. Redo!). The key has the gold background I wanted but didn't get in the first round. And, despite my mistakes, the galaxy effect looks awesome behind the cameo and the buttons. These pieces still need to be sanded and glossed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFXTbru5_IDXa4eT4GyjnLkULm7s9D9oFd6kQEtEcaxxp7sjhh1sNAMoCZMczhvvvrRRW0KEnu3nONYqv4_0Mcy1bdfbqw4FP2e0KbnZqtw8Kd4n21GIiAhiosQmI4Uu6oJlT/s1600/5Sanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFXTbru5_IDXa4eT4GyjnLkULm7s9D9oFd6kQEtEcaxxp7sjhh1sNAMoCZMczhvvvrRRW0KEnu3nONYqv4_0Mcy1bdfbqw4FP2e0KbnZqtw8Kd4n21GIiAhiosQmI4Uu6oJlT/s320/5Sanding.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanding!</td></tr>
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Again, wet sand paper is best when working with resin, but I don't have that so I just used what I had. Long sides were sanded with the round sandpaper and small bits and details were sanded with my jeweler's file. The pieces were then coated with resin spray to make them shine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqkcDk7qAIue5y4gg1QPF_F4FRXopsIGSkFwotRLgTP7DrlrRo3yw43AuVKfnmUmUD_SJZuaizxJ5n225K3QC_x0tJ0gM65btKoCzOefzLMZfmqlPfwEtCMk7fwkdiI1nbPQL/s1600/6Drilling.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqkcDk7qAIue5y4gg1QPF_F4FRXopsIGSkFwotRLgTP7DrlrRo3yw43AuVKfnmUmUD_SJZuaizxJ5n225K3QC_x0tJ0gM65btKoCzOefzLMZfmqlPfwEtCMk7fwkdiI1nbPQL/s320/6Drilling.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hand drill is handy! </td></tr>
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This owl was from my first batch. I picked up some larger split rings at the craft store so I could actually make it through the thick resin pieces.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijf0abX8VUkbV8x6cS_pPV7oVUk_rfn284LnERFlGJOt5uLQdHU3P_Gd2223Ioh7IDxNep_OcRItMtPy1F5atWTpZ1BkYfkG7rdgSc3sN5GzYqHNtPf98x3WkbdtM1yLKb8GtU/s1600/7JumpRing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijf0abX8VUkbV8x6cS_pPV7oVUk_rfn284LnERFlGJOt5uLQdHU3P_Gd2223Ioh7IDxNep_OcRItMtPy1F5atWTpZ1BkYfkG7rdgSc3sN5GzYqHNtPf98x3WkbdtM1yLKb8GtU/s320/7JumpRing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It takes some wiggling, but it will fit!</td></tr>
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Even with larger split rings, I had to almost completely straighten one end to get it through the resin. It worked and now all my original pieces and most of my new pieces are pendants!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Axq8gvcooprUZl1sf_AUutAcTpbmYqLYfXkixTP9dhmVhZ3vYl4RXWVDS66pk6ba4pSgmotR6MTeu84VfdS8XV8n29JYBQytfnQ3UPu2pO4e3U74hpt3jQ6Xsr_XH8z_XFFV/s1600/8Glue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Axq8gvcooprUZl1sf_AUutAcTpbmYqLYfXkixTP9dhmVhZ3vYl4RXWVDS66pk6ba4pSgmotR6MTeu84VfdS8XV8n29JYBQytfnQ3UPu2pO4e3U74hpt3jQ6Xsr_XH8z_XFFV/s320/8Glue.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glue!</td></tr>
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I didn't want to drill through some of them. The placement of the clay charms or how I wanted them to hang wasn't conducive to drilling on some pieces. For those, I used flat-backed bails and glue. I've had good luck with Weldbond, so I just used the bottle I already had.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Kt9usS-kvctpEiuvBDTjf4wasfhDeg032oJEK-SY-XP8fjaogWOOYKCim195my8xcNfG6_aj1jKfkr2dJ_UCEkSdTIIAVUny4QwCKamg-f_Quse_mFaeD7pxHqmcOziy-_l2/s1600/9AllDone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Kt9usS-kvctpEiuvBDTjf4wasfhDeg032oJEK-SY-XP8fjaogWOOYKCim195my8xcNfG6_aj1jKfkr2dJ_UCEkSdTIIAVUny4QwCKamg-f_Quse_mFaeD7pxHqmcOziy-_l2/s320/9AllDone.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Done!</td></tr>
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And here they are! I have to say the cameo is my favorite. The key on gold is for my daughter, in that time many years from now when she will wear necklaces (even if she never wears this one).The one with two hearts (representing her father and me) in the drop is for her as well. And now I have a variety of pendants to change out and coordinate as I wish!<br />
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Some of these are just fun shapes: the owl, the ducky, the flower. The two different locks represent me, the key is my daughter. The cameo is both of us. The two buttons are for my family: my husband and daughter, and the three buttons are all of us. While the breastfeeding journey is definitely hers and mine, I couldn't have done any of this without my husband, without his support, his care, his patience, his love.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoucoGy-aBDHxzWpcCxcTL0HCNMibzGSgJqIKovZAU07aDNrE9N2jU1RKQ4DJCI7ep8iFcUDfg8fneiX9jjTcUdRThuiSj1nx10Ehsxj3jX14Geg7kMRr51KAGK_gw4-vtZOq/s1600/10FauxOpals.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoucoGy-aBDHxzWpcCxcTL0HCNMibzGSgJqIKovZAU07aDNrE9N2jU1RKQ4DJCI7ep8iFcUDfg8fneiX9jjTcUdRThuiSj1nx10Ehsxj3jX14Geg7kMRr51KAGK_gw4-vtZOq/s320/10FauxOpals.JPG" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faux Opals</td></tr>
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Bonus! Faux opals! I love opals and I'm lucky they are my birth stone. One of the resin videos I came across was how to make faux opals. They turned out great! I haven't mounted the top three yet. I'm not sure what I want to do with them. I used the glass paint again to color the backgrounds on these.<br />
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A while ago, my mother saw me pressing more milk clay into molds. I want to use all the clay I have, even if I never set these pieces in resin, and its storage life was coming to an end. I told my mom about the artists who make breast milk jewelry and how I figured out a way to do it myself. She really liked the two pieces I made with the silver charms. She said the milk clay looked like mother of pearl. It kind of does!<br />
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For my full breast milk bead tutorial, see this <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2016/03/make-beads-with-breast-milk-tutorial.html" target="_blank">post</a>! If you make milk beads with my method, I want to see! And I'm happy to help if you have any questions.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-44080111528211030102016-05-03T13:15:00.000-04:002016-05-03T13:15:10.417-04:00The Things That ChangeThere are few weather events that fill me with paralyzing terror the way tornadoes do.<br />
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I remember a day in an August long ago. I think I was eleven. It was a Thursday and we had to go to church that evening. I was playing at a friend's house that afternoon and it was time to go home. My friend's house was on the next street over from mine, not really far. I remember opening her front door and seeing the blackest clouds I had ever seen. I ran home, not wanting to be caught in the rain that I knew was coming. I walked into my front door, my mother said "good, let's go" and herded my brother and I into the garage, and then she opened the garage door. In the space of time it took me to walk in through the front door and out through the garage, the tree in front of our house was on the ground, bent over by the fierce wind. That black cloud was overhead and my mom made the decision not to drive to church after all.<br />
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This was an odd storm. All the neighbors were outside talking about the wind, that came and went, and the blackness that made the summer evening look almost like night. I remember we played outside with a friend who lived on our street while everyone stood around and discussed this unusual storm. We each had our favorite stuffed animals. Suddenly, my brother looked up with an expression of absolute fear that I never want to see on his, or anybody's, face ever again. We asked what was wrong and he just pointed behind us. The sky turned eerie green, the funnel cloud formed right over the house at the top of the street as we watched. Shingles flew everywhere.<br />
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We ran for it, into our house and into the pantry: a tiny room under the staircase with no windows or outside walls. I have no idea what the adults were doing. My mom and our friend's mom found us in the pantry. The rain was falling now. They said it was safe to come out. Apparently, that funnel touched and left. We were commended for our hiding place and for knowing what to do. My father came home from work shortly afterwards, bringing the mailbox inside with him because he found it rolling down the street.<br />
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That image - that ominous green cloud that touched the roof of the house beneath it, the brown cloud of dust gathering around it - was burned into my brain. This particular funnel wasn't bad as funnels go, but tell that to an eleven-year-old who was mere yards away when it touched. Every time I heard of a tornado even remotely in my area, I was overcome with fear. There were two more cyclones that touched the ground within my eyesight since, all of them relatively minor.<br />
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Eleven years later in April - so almost exactly 14 years ago - the worst tornado in Maryland history touched down some 20 miles away. Interestingly, the main thing I remember about that storm was that my father and I were driving to Tennessee in the morning for my great-grandmother's funeral and we decided not to drive through that town. It was somewhere in the Carolinas, when we stopped for gas and food, that we caught a news report giving that cyclone an F5 rank. It was later changed to an F4. This one is significant in my life not because I saw it, but because I now live in the neighborhood that was in that F4's path. There was another small funnel the week after we moved in, actually. I remember everyone standing in front of the hardware store with their phones pointed at the eerie green sky as the funnel formed. That one didn't actually hit ground until a bit later, but it was trying. You could see the cloud twist downward and a finger rising up from the ground to meet it, only they didn't connect just yet. It brings my total of observed funnel clouds to four.<br />
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Anyway, we had a tornado warning last night. A warning means the clouds are turning and conditions are right for funnels to form. The rotation was less than 10 miles away. Considering that the F4 was on the ground for 24 miles, less than 10 is really nothing. I don't know if a tornado actually touched anywhere last night, but that's not the point.<br />
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In my attempt to conquer the crippling fear that tornadoes have over me, I will usually wait. I will hear about a tornado in the area, or get the warnings on my phone that say "take shelter now," and I'll move to a window and watch. And wait. And if I see a funnel forming, then I'll take shelter. For an actual funnel that I see, not just a warning. Maybe this isn't smart, but it's really what keeps me able to function and think clearly when storms roll through because, before I started doing this, they would reduce me to a shivering, sobbing heap.<br />
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Last night was different. My husband was at rehearsal. My dad had just left, after babysitting all day, for his own rehearsal. I got out of the bathroom and my husband was calling. This is actually unusual - that he calls, particularly when I know he's at rehearsal and would be for several hours. I didn't take my phone into the bathroom and it's constantly on silent lest it rings or beeps or buzzes and wakes the baby so I completely missed the warning on my phone to seek shelter now. I probably wouldn't have seen it at all if my husband hadn't called (though my dad did text about 10 minutes later). This time, instead of running to the window and watching the sky, I gathered Elora's socks, a couple toys, a blanket, my water bottle, and a flash light and took the baby down to the basement. We weren't in an interior, windowless room, but I wasn't right in front of the glass doors either and could easily move to one in a second.<br />
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And that's what changes. It wasn't just me. It wasn't just me and the cats. It was me and her and taking care of her is the most important job I have ever had and will ever have. Even more important than heading upstairs to collect the one cat who didn't follow us to the basement. I wasn't a shivering, sobbing heap either, though I'm sure an observer would say I was obviously agitated and anxious. We got through just fine and, 30 minutes later when the warning expired, we went back upstairs and watched a movie and practiced standing and had a fine evening. I don't think taking the warning seriously was overreacting in the least.<br />
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It got me thinking that there were so many things I would have done differently if I was alone last night. My regular way of dealing with these things had to change. And I think I got through alright.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-44399905042645434032016-03-22T13:32:00.000-04:002016-05-13T12:45:08.109-04:00Make Beads with Breast Milk TutorialYes, you read that right. There is a growing trend among moms to have one's breast milk preserved and set into jewelry. For many of you, dear readers, it probably sounds gross - the weird stigma around the grossness of breast milk is another topic altogether - but, to the new mom whose ability to feed her baby breast milk is very important, it can be a beautiful way to memorialize that very special time. Some artists have built their business around this. Go ahead and search; their pieces are really quite beautiful.<br />
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I had a vague desire to order a piece or two until about three weeks ago. It was the first of two work pumping sessions and I got a pathetically low amount of milk. I started to panic a little; at only seven months old, it's too soon to stop feeding Elora breast milk. I really want to make it to at least a year. I'm a "just enough" supplier as it is (this means my body produces what she drinks and not a drop more), so finding myself with less did worry me. It made me realize that this part of being a mom, the ability to provide for my baby all the nutrition she needs, was very important to me and more important than I tend to let on. That vague desire was replaced with a desperate need as I searched for something to help me cling to this very precious time.<br />
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But I have a few problems with the breast milk jewelry currently on the market. The first is that the pieces are very expensive. They are made with closely-guarded processes. Search for a tutorial on how to do it yourself and you'll only find posts like the one I'm writing now: just a mom who wanted to figure out how to do it herself with varying results. Based on all the research and trial runs that I did, I absolutely understand the cost. It's not that I don't think the money is worth it, but more that I don't really have it lying around. Another hang up for me is the wait time. I found one artist who says you'll get your pieces in six weeks, another who said three months, and there is one with a ton of complaints because it has apparently been more than a year and people still don't have their orders. The demand is high since only a few people know the secret, so of course they are busy. There is also cure time, which is often impossible to rush. One of the glazes I used takes 28 days to cure, so I understand this too. That leads me to my next point: how do you know that the piece you get is actually made with your milk? If I were doing this as a business, I'd probably want to have several orders curing at once to minimize the wait. Or maybe they work one order at a time to be sure they don't get pieces mixed up. The reality is we don't know. I also wonder what happens to the extra. My method made a ton of compound and I used a very small amount of milk. Some artists ask for only a teaspoon of milk, some ask for an ounce. You want enough to work with, of course, but then what happens to it? Along the same lines, with these closely-guarded trade secrets, we don't know if whole milk is being used or just the casein (separating the casein is one way to make a clay out of regular milk, though the casein content in breast milk is quite low so you need a lot of it. I suspect this is the method the people who want an ounce or more are using). It's more meaningful to me if the whole milk is used, and I've come across a few other moms who feel similar.<br />
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So I decided to figure this out on my own. That way I know it's my milk, I completely control the design and the colors, and I can make as many pieces as I want. For my purposes, I don't care what other ingredients are involved as long as my whole milk is one of them. This is not my trade so I have no trade secrets to protect. Hence, this post!<br />
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The first thing I did was research if it was possible to mix the milk with the resin directly. The answer is yes and no but mostly no. It's like mixing oil and water: they really don't mix. You can do a few things (add more hardener, freeze it while it cures) to force it to mix but I wasn't getting anywhere close to the same look as what the professionals make. So then I searched for a way to make clay with water as one of the ingredients, figuring I could just substitute my milk for the water. The answer is YES! you can make a hard, air-drying clay with water as one of the ingredients. This clay uses plain old white glue, water, and flour or cornstarch. It's similar to a recipe I found a few years ago that makes a kind of porcelain clay. I did a couple test batches with water first, and I tried both flour and cornstarch. I found that flour worked better so that's what I used for my milk clay compound. This is the video I referenced for my clay.<br />
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So, you need roughly equal parts clear-drying white glue and water or milk and some flour. I highly recommend trying it with water first so you get a feel for working the flour into the compound. You want enough flour so that it won't be sticky or you will end up with a flaky mess. If it's too dry, add more water/milk. If it's too wet and sticky, add more flour.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flour in a baby food jar and plain Mod Podge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83qAvRH6vyz5QhVB26fWZR6khddzojHhsPTZtsEmu5pkRG97Zf7A6VrVnzRNf6w_zOiIM4hNuUGvsfIu3S0xRYVrd7YfdcZv_9RpDUWT_AANt2jdNlUQQ7e_dIGzZ0V5KhSqY/s1600/2Clay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83qAvRH6vyz5QhVB26fWZR6khddzojHhsPTZtsEmu5pkRG97Zf7A6VrVnzRNf6w_zOiIM4hNuUGvsfIu3S0xRYVrd7YfdcZv_9RpDUWT_AANt2jdNlUQQ7e_dIGzZ0V5KhSqY/s320/2Clay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how it sticks to my finger? Too sticky! Add more flour!</td></tr>
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Once you've mixed up your clay, let it rest for at least 30 minutes in an airtight bag. Once that is done, you can start forming your pieces or pressing them into molds. I used two teaspoons of milk and got a ton of clay. Mine was still a tad sticky, so I just coated my fingers in flour when I was working with it and that was plenty. Store your unused clay in an airtight bag in the fridge. It will keep for a couple weeks, then it will start to harden.<br />
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A note about color: the flour will color your clay. I used an unbleached all-purpose flour and it had a nice doughy color that I liked a lot. Cornstarch was stark white, which I didn't want at all. The batch with flour and milk came out slightly more yellow than the flour and water batch. I did not try cornstarch and milk. My milk tends to be tinged with yellow, blue, or green depending on the day and this was a yellowish day. If your milk has more distinct colors, I imagine it will reflect in the clay a bit. Just remember there is more flour than anything in this compound, so that will be the predominant color. You can mix in a bit of paint to color your clay from the beginning, as in the video, if you want. I wanted mine to look more milky and I think, even at mostly flour colored, I got that. I did try coloring one piece with mica powder and it didn't come out as I imagined it would.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drying in some molds in round two!</td></tr>
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This clay will shrink slightly as it dries so keep that in mind. I found it worked a little better when I was very precise in filling my molds, nothing oozing out of the cavities or too many lumps on the back. I set these aside to dry in the molds for at least two days. You can also bake this clay, at 200°F for 10-20 minutes, if your mold can handle the oven. The blue cameo mold above can but I'm not sure about the orange ones so I just let them air dry.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Test round pieces, all dry. You can see some unevenness and other imperfections: that's why this was the test round!</td></tr>
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I also formed some pieces by hand and set a glob into an open silver pendant as a background. The pendent was where I had to pay special attention to the shrinkage of the clay.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a great sealer, but it takes 28 days to cure fully! </td></tr>
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I used this dishwasher-safe Mod Podge on some of my pieces because I wasn't going to encase them in resin. Because this clay is water-based, you want to make sure you seal it. In hindsight, I probably could have used the spray resin sealer pictured further down, but I didn't know about it at this point! The instructions say to apply 3 coats, letting it dry for at least an hour between each one, for best results.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coated with the blue Mod Podge and left to cure.<br />
I intend to drill holes in the heart and button on the right and just make them into charms.<br />
The two smaller hearts and one button will be left as-is, as charms for a floating locket.</td></tr>
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Next step: resin! I have never worked with resin before, and always wanted to, so this was a learning process all its own. While my pieces were drying, I watched every resin jewelry tutorial I could find on You Tube. I came across some really great things to do with resin while I was at it. I'm going to be playing with this stuff for a while! I did not do a non-milk test run with the resin but you may want to if you're unsure about working with it. I almost wish I had, because I'm remaking some pieces that didn't turn out quite how I wanted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv3iTynqw5Xyl3z9yXx45XrZHwdZ_EsNRXstZ-4LAB5zZxDMk4IObst92J16fvSXtqBCyxTztnzcEh-Vhgh3NP8zY0XLeDqZEkMsoWV341dCBiRrhvc78hF-e4IwUppFcYvHr/s1600/7Supplies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlv3iTynqw5Xyl3z9yXx45XrZHwdZ_EsNRXstZ-4LAB5zZxDMk4IObst92J16fvSXtqBCyxTztnzcEh-Vhgh3NP8zY0XLeDqZEkMsoWV341dCBiRrhvc78hF-e4IwUppFcYvHr/s320/7Supplies.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You need a mold, a resin kit, some plastic mixing cups, and some popsicle stirrers. <br />
Mold Release is not necessary but, from my research, I found it to be a good idea. </td></tr>
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Whatever brand you find, look for two part clear epoxy resin. I carefully planned out which pieces I wanted in which shapes. Follow the directions for your particular brand of resin. I removed the piece before pouring the resin into the mold and then set the piece back in the resin. For this step, which I did not photograph, I wanted the beads to show so I just used clear resin.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgsT-JmUDN3nrQgwIYHd4FXF40ayBtZoFAx2d5MCAjchqItADvDiHJlGi8zP3_IBpmddKE2V3xQ4yvccUoQy6PndeRm2t4DnXkvp36YHf7YWMFFQLHEyPzC4rLkwIWwq41cH1/s1600/8Placement.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgsT-JmUDN3nrQgwIYHd4FXF40ayBtZoFAx2d5MCAjchqItADvDiHJlGi8zP3_IBpmddKE2V3xQ4yvccUoQy6PndeRm2t4DnXkvp36YHf7YWMFFQLHEyPzC4rLkwIWwq41cH1/s320/8Placement.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beads waiting for resin. You can see the one I tried to color with mica powder! </td></tr>
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I like the idea of doing a color background and mica powders are great for coloring resin. I carefully planned out which colors I wanted on which pieces and set out enough mixing cups and stirrers for each color. I then made my resin, separated it into all the cups I set out, and added color and poured one by one. There is time to work with this before your resin starts to set up, but don't dawdle if you have a lot of colors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ynmlTMVCypYueF8xQABuGcfqF_2UQ6QsMwM0kSW4_jwKBrO3ppNNBuDhiMFYigzn3Ho0w-3zw88BGtvS-Dm8BOxw_B2CyffVLF9XEgK7Jm1YxtNjYoyIdcJHxFiXuCK9mQPq/s1600/9Color.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ynmlTMVCypYueF8xQABuGcfqF_2UQ6QsMwM0kSW4_jwKBrO3ppNNBuDhiMFYigzn3Ho0w-3zw88BGtvS-Dm8BOxw_B2CyffVLF9XEgK7Jm1YxtNjYoyIdcJHxFiXuCK9mQPq/s320/9Color.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The white jar is a blue glow-in-the-dark that I ended up not using for this round. </td></tr>
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A little goes a long way, but too little doesn't go far! In the picture below, I wanted the key in the trapezoid to be gold, but I didn't use nearly enough gold. The greenish one next to it was initially too light as well and I added more powder directly to the resin in the mold to make it darker.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJKgOnAb4fMFWq0gwL84GBT55ygHfD_puAxss1xtyYibFG-anK7EkLDmdu9smjyT8PxUoV5tI1GuUgCL_tQIglCzRCXCVGB0r0eRVcHNBhSJ5I40_WAlganXoQ2-nxOB0IQ5F/s1600/10Curing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJKgOnAb4fMFWq0gwL84GBT55ygHfD_puAxss1xtyYibFG-anK7EkLDmdu9smjyT8PxUoV5tI1GuUgCL_tQIglCzRCXCVGB0r0eRVcHNBhSJ5I40_WAlganXoQ2-nxOB0IQ5F/s320/10Curing.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curing resin! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some of the beads did not end up in the position I really wanted them in but that's okay. I've got enough clay and enough resin to do it again. That's round two drying in the orange molds above.<br />
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Now, my resin says to let it cure for 24 hours for a soft cure and 72 hours for a hard cure. I want my pieces really hard so I left them in the mold for three days. Follow the instructions on your resin for curing times.<br />
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After you pop your pieces out of the mold, you may find there are some bulges where resin ran over the edge of the mold. Cut these off with scissors. You may also find that some pieces have sharp edges, either from rising up the sides of the mold or just slightly overflowing the mold. These bits can be sanded down and I didn't get any pictures of this part. It is recommended to use wet/dry sandpaper with water to help control the dust. I didn't have that so I just used what I had. A small jeweler's file or regular nail file can also be used for some of the small edges. Keep your pieces moving and roll with curves to keep things even. I used this video to learn about sanding and finishing resin pieces.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fWii42EtJkM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fWii42EtJkM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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The green heart remained tacky after all the other pieces were done; I suspect it was a result of adding the mica powder directly to the resin in the mold. I probably didn't mix it enough. Additionally, a lot of the pieces had cloudy areas over the clear resin, probably a result of the mold release spray. The sanding process also leaves scratches and rough edges. The easy fix for all of these problems is Resin Spray.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMrzBIYQMXvHfFn9CqxTh-FBMZXNcwmplPoy33-JjA2UuS5XRLoRvhxOrmIVU7AEqWTaAbbRbemIQQYZiYSZPUGq_hgkficPzVIESOz73-zYAauOoxXLXN5SQKsNYh0WHfQxg/s1600/11Glaze.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMrzBIYQMXvHfFn9CqxTh-FBMZXNcwmplPoy33-JjA2UuS5XRLoRvhxOrmIVU7AEqWTaAbbRbemIQQYZiYSZPUGq_hgkficPzVIESOz73-zYAauOoxXLXN5SQKsNYh0WHfQxg/s320/11Glaze.JPG" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gloss and sealer.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Give your pieces a few quick, light sprays of this on all sides and let them dry at least an hour (it's probably wise to do one side and then the other once the first has dried) and there you have it! Clear, shiny resin pieces! Additionally, you can use a paint brush to paint on a layer of mixed liquid resin and let that cure and it will do the same thing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiyHmKBzAcQarTsru-jmLyzRSlnKcOgeuU_lV86OETvav-mKue95F38Cg5AQsA6xHMhWMCbZCdrqELzvQPlzRS38FIYR2RnA8QsdvznR_G5cpG2rH2G9m70OdSBcmmDwe3cC7/s1600/12Done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkiyHmKBzAcQarTsru-jmLyzRSlnKcOgeuU_lV86OETvav-mKue95F38Cg5AQsA6xHMhWMCbZCdrqELzvQPlzRS38FIYR2RnA8QsdvznR_G5cpG2rH2G9m70OdSBcmmDwe3cC7/s320/12Done.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, there are still some imperfections in these - bubbles I didn't get out or slightly off-center beads - but that's okay. I've learned a few more tricks since I did these that I will use on round two to, hopefully, resolve those issues. I'm also really pleased that I did these myself and those flaws are just marks of my handmadeiness! <br />
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The final step is to turn them into jewelry! There are a couple easy ways to do this. You can drill a hole and add a jump ring, you can drill a hole and add a chain, you could drill a hole straight through and use a headpin, you could glue a bail onto the back, you could glue it onto a cabochon setting, and I'm sure there are more.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfnaq6qixaUWgT7hrycU1SI_pBt7fQ3dlewgrCmLRpUTwgDUU_abC5lk8sFzxDuhjH_QDmzsWvjtN-ZFbT5paoCjyAYhaRHc9G-diTBIjpO6k61J4rVnarixyw9m3LZaxiKqQ/s1600/13Drill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfnaq6qixaUWgT7hrycU1SI_pBt7fQ3dlewgrCmLRpUTwgDUU_abC5lk8sFzxDuhjH_QDmzsWvjtN-ZFbT5paoCjyAYhaRHc9G-diTBIjpO6k61J4rVnarixyw9m3LZaxiKqQ/s320/13Drill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A small hand press drill works great on resin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I used a spring drill on a few of my pieces and then realized that the resin is very thick and I need larger jump rings than what I have! I think gluing a flat backed bail would probably be easiest, but I'll have to pick up some of those.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n-kju_-_X5jSCMuJ5Un5b0IVCbHBgxnlllfQ-RjuSvFvAhmLNdMN-3CAOaWlkUrTjM6eW5gnvab6v1l5nKLWogbVIL6QhlDNzOt4yGEfTmYi8InmYoOrycFpIRDRJWQ0pTVx/s1600/14Necklace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n-kju_-_X5jSCMuJ5Un5b0IVCbHBgxnlllfQ-RjuSvFvAhmLNdMN-3CAOaWlkUrTjM6eW5gnvab6v1l5nKLWogbVIL6QhlDNzOt4yGEfTmYi8InmYoOrycFpIRDRJWQ0pTVx/s320/14Necklace.JPG" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one wasn't too thick!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj5-mZy39XOFSXL5NKCPPXyIO1nwHImxWi3X9fpFX91EoNTWNfJ21Eegqyt4XT7I8pq_Y89xNPfsHeK63sbiHf0lXvYahDj62If5MKocE4fdaTRrmhj8o3PMDMk9xPV8ZNbkD/s1600/15WearIt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj5-mZy39XOFSXL5NKCPPXyIO1nwHImxWi3X9fpFX91EoNTWNfJ21Eegqyt4XT7I8pq_Y89xNPfsHeK63sbiHf0lXvYahDj62If5MKocE4fdaTRrmhj8o3PMDMk9xPV8ZNbkD/s320/15WearIt.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wear it with pride! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I hope this helps many more moms commemorate this precious time in your and your baby's lives! I even made one to eventually give to my daughter (the key trapezoid that was supposed to be gold). If you make some milk clay beads using my method, I want to see! Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll try to help you through the process.<br />
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For part 2 with finishing tips and pictures, see this <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2016/05/more-breast-milk-beads.html" target="_blank">post</a>!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">All of the supplies that I did not already own were purchased on Amazon. If you need links or help finding supplies, let me know! Always shop <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon Smile</a> (not an affiliate link) and support your favorite charity! Some might be available in your local craft store, but I had bad luck finding what I wanted there. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-576426312251302762016-03-10T12:05:00.000-05:002016-03-10T12:05:55.222-05:00A Profane Mom RantThere seems to be some kind of silly one-up game among moms about who was more bad-ass while giving birth. The consistency that I've found in scoring seems to be thus: Some kind of crazy happening like in the car on the way to the hospital or 'went to the bathroom and out he came' is the gold medal, vaginal with no drugs is the silver medal, vaginal with drugs is the bronze medal, and the c-sections get the participation trophy- there's a slightly bigger trophy if your c-section was an emergency rather than scheduled. <br />
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But the truth is, we're all moms. We all went through the joy and fear of pregnancy. We all had nine months, and sometimes terrifyingly less, to dream about our perfect birth experiences. We all had that moment when we knew it was coming that filled us with fear or elation or excitement or dread or confidence or all of these things and more. <br />
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And we all had the aftermath. Beyond the myriad of feelings that go with having a new person who depends entirely on you: the sleep deprivation, the healing that could take weeks or months, scars, stretch marks, new bulges, waiting for your uterus to go back to normal. Maybe you feel guilty for being concerned about those things when you should be concerned for your baby, maybe you feel guilty for not caring about those things. Maybe you bounced back in no time at all, maybe you fight to lose that baby weight for years. Whatever happens to you, your body is changed forever.<br />
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Moms, you did something fucking amazing. It's not about how it happened, it is about <i>that</i> it happened. Maybe you didn't choose it, maybe you carefully planned it, maybe you spent a whole lot of money to get it. None of those hows make you more or less of a mom than any other mom. That new life is still a miracle, the fact that your body did that is one great big marvel.<br />
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And, while I'm talking about it, maybe your body didn't do that at all. Maybe you had to find someone who, for whatever reason wouldn't couldn't didn't keep their baby so you claimed him as your own. You get to go through all the things that any mom gets to go through - the worries and fears and excitements - with the added bonus of an extra little circumstance that may set him apart from many of his peers. Moms, you did something fucking amazing.<br />
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Whether you took a breath and there was baby, pushed through the pain like the earliest humans, took advantage of modern medicine, lied on a cold operating table numb from the waist down, or waited by the phone for that "you've been approved" phone call, you are a rock star and a super hero. We all get to take the trophy home in the end. <br />
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And if something went wrong during any part of this journey and you didn't get to bundle up your little miracle and take him home, I want you, moms, to know that you are the strongest of all of us. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-26680548194773192702015-12-11T14:45:00.000-05:002015-12-11T14:45:22.554-05:00New Mom GuiltIt has been a little over four months since Elora was born. I don't think I've ever had a time when I felt so guilty over what I can't do while, at the same time, doing absolutely everything I can do. Everything is not enough: not enough food, not enough sleep, not enough cuddles, not enough money, not enough time. I feel guilty that I have to go to work, guilty that I can't pump more than 4 oz of milk at a time, guilty that sometimes I just need someone else to hold her, and guilty that sometimes I never want anyone else to hold her. I've spent plenty of time being critical of myself through the years - my appearance, my talents, my job performance - but I have never been more critical of anything than my role as mom. No job has ever been more important to me and I'm just not good enough for it. How critical everyone seems to be of a new parent is nothing to how critical I am of myself.<br />
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I'm pretty sure every new mother thinks like this and I'm completely sure it's not true. To that little life, I am everything. I am comfort, I am warmth, I am food, I am safety, I am fun. She loves Daddy too, who is all of these things except food, but Mamma is everything. I do my best and she's healthy, dry, clean, fed, growing, happy. This job that I'm not good enough for is good enough for her.<br />
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Frankly, I'm never going to be satisfied with it. There will always be more I should be doing and more I should be giving and more I should be whatever-ing. But not really. I should be doing exactly what I am doing, which is my absolute best at any given time. Even when I leave her in the swing crying because I have to eat is my best. I'm no good to her starving. Even when I leave her with my parents to go to work is my best. I'm no good if I can't help keep that roof over her head. Even when I head upstairs for a nap while my husband gives her a bottle is my best. I'm no good to her exhausted. The floors may not be clean, but the baby is laughing at her doll. I'm not clean, but the baby is splashing in her bath. No job has ever been more important and I am doing my best. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-39652407938370502322015-08-08T05:23:00.000-04:002015-08-12T17:30:47.610-04:00And We Have BabyMy wonderful team of doctors said they wouldn't let me go past my due date of August 7, so we headed to the hospital to start the induction process at 1600 Thursday evening.<br />
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Well, induction did not work. They did the first step around 1700 or so that was supposed to soften and possibly dilate my cervix. I was having contractions all night, according to the monitors, but I didn't feel them. In the morning, my cervix was soft but not any more dilated and they started me on pitocin and I couldn't eat anything. The doc tried to break my water around noonish but it didn't work; still no change in dilation. Contractions got more intense and frequent, but I still wasn't feeling them. I started to around 1530 or so and, about an hour later, the doc came in to check me and found that my cervix still hadn't changed. He recommended we stop torturing me with the pitocin that wasn't working so we ended up with a cesarean birth.<br />
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I completely broke when the doc said nothing changed. It was an amazingly frustrating day to go through all that and get nowhere.<br />
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But a c section was a good move. Elora Anne was born at 1712, 21.25 inches long and weighing a lovely 9lbs 15oz! She was never going to make it out vaginally!<br />
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We're doing great. I was way too groggy to breastfeed, but my husband has been giving her a bottle and she's eating more and more at every feeding. Her blood sugars are looking great. I'm finally feeling less nauseated and drugged up, so I'll try to feed her today. Yesterday was totally an ordeal but, as they say, it was all worth it in the end!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-18407324144390231802015-07-27T13:28:00.001-04:002015-07-27T15:00:03.932-04:00Birth AltarWith a little more than a week (give or take) to go before Poppyseed is born, we're in full-on preparation mode. My hospital bag is packed, Poppyseed's hospital bag is packed, the bassinet is put together, clothes are washed. There are still a few things that need doing but, for the most part, if she wanted to come tomorrow, we're ready. (I'm really ready! The sooner, the better!)<br />
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<div>
I came across <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/paganfamilies/2011/07/a-birth-altar/" target="_blank">this article</a> about birth altars early last week and realized I had forgotten something. Well, maybe not forgotten, because I researched this at the start of my pregnancy, but I definitely had a little more preparation to do. Some people bring things to help them before, during, and after labor. They can be items to focus on or to help calm them or a reminder of something that gives them strength, as faith often does. Tangible objects are unnecessary when it comes to faith but, the truth is, they help for a lot of people. That's what a birth altar is: objects to help with those things like focus and courage and healing on a spiritual level. Giving birth is a transformative event and transformation is a big deal in many neo-pagan faiths. </div>
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Building a small, portable birth altar to take with me to the hospital is fairly easy. The first thing I needed to do with this project is to realize and understand that, once active labor starts, I'm probably not going to be thinking of much of anything else. So, I designed my altar with that in mind: putting objects in a bag where they can be brought out if time/space/mental capacity allows but will still lend their energies if they don't. </div>
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So, I started with the bag that will keep all my objects nicely contained. I modified <a href="http://www.goddesscrochet.com/2015/07/free-crochet-pattern-spike-stitch-makeup-bag/" target="_blank">this free pattern</a> to make a little bag in the size I need and in colors that meant something to me- purple for me, blue for my husband, and green for growth and new life (yes, I know that purple, blue, and green are the colors the pattern designer used, that's not the point!).</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFuZyayY8JMiaY0kU8Pk6KYyItsZYADInieaPH2wkll6WakSQTWULyDpIEUwprDr3vMu6dsvtAIto2Lk9oqUCuKbKKkG2Q0i6nqFGY2RJo-yDrvTDKr7B6cKnEEEpznI0TGgr/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFuZyayY8JMiaY0kU8Pk6KYyItsZYADInieaPH2wkll6WakSQTWULyDpIEUwprDr3vMu6dsvtAIto2Lk9oqUCuKbKKkG2Q0i6nqFGY2RJo-yDrvTDKr7B6cKnEEEpznI0TGgr/s320/IMG_3916.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bag!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next, I began gathering gemstones. I started with a quartz point, which is one of the most effective healing and energy-amplifying stones around. I have a rose quartz, also good for healing but has some calming properties too. A red carnelian is a great stone for grounding and healing the female reproductive system (and, as a bonus, can help with lower back healing too). A green aventurine is good for healing and reducing inflammation. Amethyst, one of my power stones, is a great stone of balance. It helps to focus and calm the mind. Moss agate is considered a birthing stone, historically used by midwives to lessen pain and ensure a good delivery. It is a stone of new beginnings and can help speed up recovery. Tiger's eye has long been accepted as a stone of courage and overcoming obstacles. It can also be useful in healing the reproductive system. I have extras of a couple of these that will stay on my home altar and contribute energy and meaning from there. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1_7-TKgrd5b1VeE6pbOTvGghuATQ8a79AFIvuq2fKSzl9mGrnujRmTjv6RPxBZMeY3je_2Ed5njqqcVFAWY801nNqZy6d6hcrV19URIVrFXQQUxLhoL9YVLan1AEcnfJPoUq/s1600/IMG_3922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1_7-TKgrd5b1VeE6pbOTvGghuATQ8a79AFIvuq2fKSzl9mGrnujRmTjv6RPxBZMeY3je_2Ed5njqqcVFAWY801nNqZy6d6hcrV19URIVrFXQQUxLhoL9YVLan1AEcnfJPoUq/s320/IMG_3922.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A collection of crystals.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I'm also the kind of person who likes the symbolism in statues. I made two, not sure what would suit me best for the hospital altar. The first is a design I came up with years ago: an abstract mother and child figure. The mother figure is me, a blend of purple for me, yellow for my mother, and blue for my grandmother. I included them as the two largest maternal influences in my life that will be passed to my daughter. The child figure, just a ball held by the mother figure, is Poppyseed, of course: a combination of lilac for my purple and blue for her father. The second statue I made is based on the popular Millennial Gaia statue by Oberon Zell. I did not need all the "Mother of the Earth" symbolism of the original statue, but the form and pose was appealing to me. I made her from a stone-look clay in brown with lilac hair (again, to represent me) with a world-like belly because Poppyseed is already my world. I haven't decided yet which statue is going in the hospital altar bag, probably the abstract, but the other one will stay on my home altar with the extra stones.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCmxAfWQYVUPDvJSpDip39wu1HWtoXIVmC_BxoZ-MSSH0m26G00jtgwa0ScfzSXlJx4SLyc8XSvHdSiVStPKQh47U7MqR-u7KrABKxehi0idSikm4sXNzhMbb8nfOmbdaPta1/s1600/IMG_3918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuCmxAfWQYVUPDvJSpDip39wu1HWtoXIVmC_BxoZ-MSSH0m26G00jtgwa0ScfzSXlJx4SLyc8XSvHdSiVStPKQh47U7MqR-u7KrABKxehi0idSikm4sXNzhMbb8nfOmbdaPta1/s320/IMG_3918.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mother statuary!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While I doubt that the hospital will allow a burning candle or incense (I haven't bothered to ask and I won't), candles and fragrance are an important part of my spiritual practice. Thankfully, I already have a safe alternative that will be enough of a symbol of the actual thing for me to do the trick. The LED candles we got for our wedding are vanilla scented. The look of a flickering candle will help sooth me, as well as the vanilla scent it gently emits.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00C5O16S-TWkpjQ0ZV51ieQwcVm2_ueG-D0PgFDKQJb0q4HNEXR0RdCerO6LV8hQmk07YTf4TZONzTlboYkbX2cyXqIwTAsp1xz79uXsj9by76QedARM2G9V7ErQc6PM-lpEe/s1600/IMG_3920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00C5O16S-TWkpjQ0ZV51ieQwcVm2_ueG-D0PgFDKQJb0q4HNEXR0RdCerO6LV8hQmk07YTf4TZONzTlboYkbX2cyXqIwTAsp1xz79uXsj9by76QedARM2G9V7ErQc6PM-lpEe/s320/IMG_3920.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern witches use modern tools!</td></tr>
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Next, I made an herb pouch. I put a few pinches of three healing herbs in it: peppermint, arnica, and white willow. There are also some cleansing herbs: sage, lavender, and dragon's blood resin. I've found that just having herbs near me lends their energy and I don't need much. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1wpQrckN5yRA4xB3i_8uep_Hi2sUZZBGW5e-uedxCP-OlM6eljbXG7e3uWn2VTt9fgyzBIywwjtG1Aym78UX8pEihV41tQZwQR7O5Us8DZN4OK-k4RSWAq-AXjuVf0fIVTAs/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1wpQrckN5yRA4xB3i_8uep_Hi2sUZZBGW5e-uedxCP-OlM6eljbXG7e3uWn2VTt9fgyzBIywwjtG1Aym78UX8pEihV41tQZwQR7O5Us8DZN4OK-k4RSWAq-AXjuVf0fIVTAs/s320/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny pouch of herbs.</td></tr>
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My birth altar also needs an altar cloth because, while it's likely to stay in the bag for the birth itself just for practicality, all of these things will be helpful in recovery too. I picked a piece of cotton in a pleasing pattern and color and cut approximately a 9x9 square (9 being a sacred number) and serged the edges.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVv4tDa3IsWJufq7gHF1VGwqNENDjpScxPSPWBv9F15aWLfg3arPeOgDod8nr7gf2wylRqfDp03WguEMzd09MewPHH3OSnDKUNKQIN3VMlwMjrwBZyxzZ_vLv39gekyqBwdSL/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVv4tDa3IsWJufq7gHF1VGwqNENDjpScxPSPWBv9F15aWLfg3arPeOgDod8nr7gf2wylRqfDp03WguEMzd09MewPHH3OSnDKUNKQIN3VMlwMjrwBZyxzZ_vLv39gekyqBwdSL/s320/IMG_3917.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Altar cloth.</td></tr>
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There are two final touches for my birth altar. The first is for me; I made a bracelet out of gems to aid in birth and recovering. I used fluorite, long used as a healing stone and to bring balance to the body in times of stress, and moonstone, good for balancing feminine energies, to promote a safe birth, and encourage healing of the female reproductive system. After I have charged and dedicated my items, I will wear this bracelet daily. There are 27 stones, the same number I use for my wrist malas. I definitely don't think I'll be able to count prayers with a mala while in labor but I certainly can, and plan to, in the days leading up to it. Counting prayers with a strand of mala beads is a calming and meditative act to me - and to many who use prayer beads. I have also prepared some affirmations and prayers to repeat in the coming days and after Poppyseed finally arrives.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_WtYC69_2oOSgUXWNWvgqf_mLk1Ot_Lu3t83W9oQg4fzYmKH0em7VNK5sCaiVUgcLI5q3DmbA8j5Yet44BXjbzq8_op1tAgqZYTKa48O-m4Wzx47OJj2kmHZ33Y8SP8nKnJm/s1600/IMG_3923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_WtYC69_2oOSgUXWNWvgqf_mLk1Ot_Lu3t83W9oQg4fzYmKH0em7VNK5sCaiVUgcLI5q3DmbA8j5Yet44BXjbzq8_op1tAgqZYTKa48O-m4Wzx47OJj2kmHZ33Y8SP8nKnJm/s320/IMG_3923.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wrist mala of fluorite and moonstone.</td></tr>
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The last item I want to include is a gift for my daughter. Even though there is no shortage of gifts for my daughter, many that were made especially for her, this one will be packed with the altar if it arrives in time. It is an amber necklace, and there is one for me as well. Amber necklaces on infants seems to be a fad right now, but a witch already knows the value of amber. It is a stone (yes, not technically a stone) that has been used for ages to draw dis-ease from the body. As a healer, it promotes tissue regeneration and balances and cleanses the chakras. She is not going to need this right away, but it will go in the altar bag just the same, my first magical gift to her. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWoZUSPfLUdJ4mdShFaf8MeTfgwZlqu7f_mCJRMgJzaeQBqBUo0TmbBRzELqPuqTIoKjh5O5LcI0Et60asTlcjWwzxgFwT9uxOIw7e182qi9jbyVvxGNTj2_7dfu2wfWulM8Y/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWoZUSPfLUdJ4mdShFaf8MeTfgwZlqu7f_mCJRMgJzaeQBqBUo0TmbBRzELqPuqTIoKjh5O5LcI0Et60asTlcjWwzxgFwT9uxOIw7e182qi9jbyVvxGNTj2_7dfu2wfWulM8Y/s320/IMG_3915.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the things, sitting on my altar for dedication. </td></tr>
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Preparing a portable altar for a specific reason goes beyond just getting things that have meaning and purpose for the task. Like most magical items, you want to dedicate them: specifically state in a ritualistic way what the altar is for and why those items were chosen. This also serves to cleanse them of any previous, unrelated purpose, so all your tools and items are fully dedicated to the task at hand. Since I only just finished putting my altar together, with the exception of the amber necklaces that should be in the mail and on the way to me soon, I haven't done this yet, though some cleansing has already begun. My dedication ritual is simple, and there is no need for something elaborate and complex anyway. This final part will be completed, and the items packed away and ready, this evening. </div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">27 birth affirmations, to be repeated four times (this is why we count with a mala):</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I will have a strong and healthy baby.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I trust my body to know how to birth this child.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I trust my instincts to know what I need in labor. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am a strong and capable woman.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">My body was built for this.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I accept myself completely here and now. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I feel inner peace and serenity. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I feel the love of others around me. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am a powerful, loving, and creative being.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">My baby knows how and when to be born.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I will breathe deeply and slowly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am completely relaxed and comfortable. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I will have an uncomplicated birth. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I will have a joyous birth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Birth is a safe and wonderful experience.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">All I need to do is relax and breathe.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Everything is going as it should. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Inhale peace, exhale tension.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">My baby is healthy. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I know my baby feels our calmness and confidence.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am ready and prepared for childbirth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">My job is to relax and allow the birth to happen.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am excited to give birth to my baby.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I have courage, faith, and patience.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">My courage and patience will send my baby into my arms.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I am open to the energy of birth.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I deserve this wonderful birth experience.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Some pre-birth prayers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Mother Goddess, sitting so gently, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I will need both gentleness and strength in the days ahead.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Aid me as I become a mother:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">You know well what that means.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">May I know also. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Stand about her, servants of the Mother,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Singing the birth songs clearly</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">So that my baby, although deep inside, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">May learn what she must know</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">To do what she must do.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Go before her, Great Mother,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Open the gates, open the doors, </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Open all the ways, that the birth might be easy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">The child moves down the birth canal</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">On the first of her many journeys.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Mother Goddess, make her journey be smooth and safe.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Some post-birth prayers:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">On this baby who rests in my arms,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Pour blessings, O Lord, pour blessings.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">On this baby who rests in my arms,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Pour blessings, O Lady, pour blessings.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">May the gods walk beside this child throughout her life,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Guiding her steps into the way proper to her,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">Guiding her way along the sacred path.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-22273225090658230242015-07-22T15:38:00.001-04:002015-07-22T15:38:50.290-04:00If I Build It, Will They Come?<div class="MsoNormal">
Last night, my husband asked me about my <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-ramble.html" target="_blank">last blog post</a>. He does not share my faith but respects that I have it and how important it is to me. Anyway, he said something very interesting that had me stuck deep in thought for most of the night and today too. </div>
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He said, rather than look for a local fellowship that fits what I want and possibly being disappointed by what I do or don’t find, why not start my own. </div>
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Why not start my own?</div>
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My first thought was that I absolutely could do it. It would include celebration of the holy days, lessons and learning and teaching, everyone sharing what they know, celebrating together, being together. It would require space. We could use the big room in the basement until I could get an outside area ready (and I could). There would be room for Sabbat-related crafts (one of my favorite parts of those previous gatherings), and pre-ritual pot-luck feasts. Not a carbon copy of what I learned from my time with Shadow Grove, though I would probably use that as a starting point. And it wouldn’t have to be just Sabbat rituals, there could also be Esbats, classes, meditation sessions. Possibilities. Just the thought of this makes my heart pound with excitement. </div>
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There are some hurdles. </div>
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The only space I have to work with is our home, and we’re in an urban area, not nearly as secluded as Shadow Grove is. But, I think that’s okay too. It just means our outdoor rituals would have to be quiet and reserved rather than loud and boisterous. And there is plenty of indoor space to work with as well.</div>
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Is there a demand for a pagan-oriented, non-denominational ritual, learning, and gathering fellowship in Southern Maryland? Are there people here searching for what I’m searching for and willing to build? How do I find them, or help them to find me? </div>
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My husband also cautioned that I would have to be willing to see it change beyond what my first vision is. I completely understand that. While I reference Shadow Grove, it was not my only group, just the most recent and the best fit for me out of all the others. Even the Grove evolved and changed over the years I was involved with them. Any endeavor like this would eventually be shaped by those who are invested in it. I already understand and accept this, as I've seen it happen. </div>
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So, what do you think? Why not start my own? If I build it, will they come?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-35823748089287091042015-07-15T11:10:00.000-04:002015-07-15T11:10:26.259-04:00A RambleSomeone in my minister group posted this interesting blog that briefly touched on the outward and visible devotion of other faiths that modern American paganism seems to be lacking. <a href="https://krasskova.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/a-few-thoughts/" target="_blank">It is a brief read</a>.<br />
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However, I think the point that Krasskova is missing is that modern paganism isn't like any denomination of modern Christianity where she sees such devotion and piety. Pagan paths are as numerous as the people who claim to follow one and there is no one single authority leading us or telling us how to worship or how to be 'good pagans.' Additionally, paganism of any kind is still shunned and persecuted in many communities, so of course we're less likely to be seen on our knees in front of some sacred building (do pagans have sacred buildings, even?) in an effort to protect ourselves. The fact that my relationship with Deity is truly a personal one and not something that I flaunt in front of the public eye does not make me any less devoted or pious than my brothers and sisters who make a big show of how very devoted they are.<br />
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Part of her point, though, I think I do see. A lot of people who claim paganism as their faith learned it from a book, and not a sacred and unifying text like the Bible, but probably something published by Llewellyn, which has the regrettable reputation of teaching McWitchcraft. Without the equivalent of a head church or knowing how to find who pagan leaders are even within your own community, all we really have are books and there is no criteria or proof of authority or authenticity required to write one. In that regard, pagans the world over are reaching in the dark for some guidance or structure and only finding it in books penned by people with Wolf somewhere in their name. That is not to say that learning from books is bad, but the books available to us aren't teaching us the right lessons. What we need to know is that we can design our faith based on what feels right to us. That we can mix pantheons and official traditions and thoroughly build that personal relationship with the Divine. That a solitary path does not mean a lesser one and that keeping your devotion personal and private does not mean that you lack it. <br />
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I had a conversation with a friend recently who expressed an interest in paganism but did not know where to begin to learn and asked me for guidance. It made me wish I did have a Bible-type book to pass along to her as a good place to begin. What I need, instead, is something closer to a Sunday school lesson plan. I'm fully confident in my ability to put such a thing together but just being asked has made me miss the days when I lived in close proximity to a fellowship where dozens of us, all on our own unique paths, would gather for Sabbats and spend entire weekends celebrating that which makes our faith special and meaningful and powerful.<br />
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Then I find myself in the same position that I just stated most of us are in; not knowing how to find something within my community. And it comes with it no small amount of trepidation that any fellowships I do find would fit me and my path as well as the one I had. In addition to that, starting with a new group often puts you at the bottom, where people just assume that you know nothing just because you are new to them and treat you accordingly. In that, I have no interest. I have been walking this path for more than 20 years. While every step has the potential for a new direction, back at the very beginning when I was one of those people who only had a book by someone named Wolf is not one of them.<br />
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I was going to add that I don't feel like my current spiritual journey is missing something, but it occurs to me that I wouldn't be writing about this if that were so. I am a solitary priestess, but gathering and celebrating with others did bring a certain comfort to my journey that I can't create on my own. If only finding pagan circles was as easy as driving around town and making note of any church that matches your denomination so you can go during their scheduled times of worship and see if it is a good fit.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-15846300086671280682015-07-01T19:10:00.004-04:002015-07-01T19:10:43.454-04:00Infinity Scarf TutorialAnother tutorial! How to tie an infinity scarf as a headwrap! <br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZitMmp3wiug/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZitMmp3wiug?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-20900199614358299712015-05-02T17:17:00.000-04:002015-05-06T17:18:00.862-04:00Twenty-six Weeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's right, I'm just a week away from the magical third trimester! Poppyseed is growing. I'm feeling pretty well, all things being considered. Moving right along! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqmJtsb_9wP0oBA3HMheE57T1BklkLRCIPKYN15055GS_hYC-6iCI9AsiobO2-gM9PMrUK9k-z2WZyBNWUqX-AV22-ujd636OKl89PbJI3GwQTt6FX-eaYxHMt2raWjl0KDG7/s1600/26weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqmJtsb_9wP0oBA3HMheE57T1BklkLRCIPKYN15055GS_hYC-6iCI9AsiobO2-gM9PMrUK9k-z2WZyBNWUqX-AV22-ujd636OKl89PbJI3GwQTt6FX-eaYxHMt2raWjl0KDG7/s1600/26weeks.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-3032360363033640552015-03-20T12:32:00.001-04:002015-03-20T12:32:11.499-04:00No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise Tutorial Part 6If you're following along, you now have something that actually does <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_18.html" target="_blank">resemble a dress</a>! Nice work! Today, we're going to add the finishing touches and I might even contemplate how to bring it in when I don't need all the extra room anymore. <br />
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The first thing you want to do is check the length. My chemise is about 45 inches from neckline to the bottom, and the bottom is hitting me right at the ankles. I'm just going to hem from there without any cutting. Depending on your height, you may need to cut some of the fabric from the bottom to get the hem right for you, just don't forget to include some seam allowance! This is a good time to have a friend help you, if you can. Don't be perturbed if it's excessively short on your either. The last thing you want to do is trip all over your garb, so I always hem my Faire clothes a little high.<br />
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I don't want to eat away too much of the bottom, though, because mine did end up shorter than I thought it would, so I'm going to make a fairly narrow hem. With your measuring tape and tailor's chalk, mark 1 inch up (or, whatever your measurement is for however wide you want your bottom hem) from the bottom all around the base. Don't forget to trim to even this edge out where needed, but I'm of the mind that the bottom hem of a full dress or skirt doesn't have to be perfect, because no one is going to notice among all that fabric especially when you're walking. Be as perfect or not as you are comfortable with here. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfvx8OedYBaiv_Fm_Yjp0brpVFgCcKDL31vM-yxf3535VbtoQ6-kpu6j9SG-WRgD0_JjYhHt48NL4KCNyseEjfZm6vNBC1I5xJ_PPvsH50SKZjBk5dC0ivc2kB7kCo_eg4uNV/s1600/IMG_3594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfvx8OedYBaiv_Fm_Yjp0brpVFgCcKDL31vM-yxf3535VbtoQ6-kpu6j9SG-WRgD0_JjYhHt48NL4KCNyseEjfZm6vNBC1I5xJ_PPvsH50SKZjBk5dC0ivc2kB7kCo_eg4uNV/s1600/IMG_3594.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marking the hem.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fold and press up to the mark. Instead of folding the raw edge under
like we've been doing for the seams, I'm folding the whole thing up at
the raw edge so my hem will be about half an inch. Press again. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwgmGiehIxK5k02SV6n8gS8BrrKNTCMoXT42oR-HF8hYORyVFfDI6V1dPoFzWdFfwWc-DneJp5XgD5e-u4C7Gp_lMrhf1y00DYaWCAkXWCHY7NGYrvfLgEmUN-y-2HK01LFfF/s1600/IMG_3601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwgmGiehIxK5k02SV6n8gS8BrrKNTCMoXT42oR-HF8hYORyVFfDI6V1dPoFzWdFfwWc-DneJp5XgD5e-u4C7Gp_lMrhf1y00DYaWCAkXWCHY7NGYrvfLgEmUN-y-2HK01LFfF/s1600/IMG_3601.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fold to the mark and press.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHhL4nY1YOu6veHvAS8RFowq1NxXdhxQBzVTXpASLv1a-I7fyaW4gbNPld31dLz-CGM1ZZJkHzrH3mtgT8Suk8wIQ3HqKOVHkJxyX4EvzD94-Ugin5IgSggXObQradDNhJ2ze/s1600/IMG_3607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHhL4nY1YOu6veHvAS8RFowq1NxXdhxQBzVTXpASLv1a-I7fyaW4gbNPld31dLz-CGM1ZZJkHzrH3mtgT8Suk8wIQ3HqKOVHkJxyX4EvzD94-Ugin5IgSggXObQradDNhJ2ze/s1600/IMG_3607.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fold at the mark (where the raw edge is now) and press again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next, go
to your machine and use your hemming stitch of choice. Some people like
a straight stitch, some people use a hem stitch that only catches a
small bit of the outer fabric for an invisible hem. I like to just go
across with a zig zag. Sew that hem however you want! I do suggest
starting at one of the side seams. It just feels like a cleaner stitch
line that way.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGW87hEXOhQ0hJaMfyMMZGWgtCh_MFcM7d6qKGAZ5kAJFv_UBzqd7raulA9DLu192Or82Egfu68-bpZqtGSSwU1WQyqe5ERwxGpz2W7cNMCMZxhid-bSI1BSoMPsJ2hQWC8AD/s1600/IMG_3608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGW87hEXOhQ0hJaMfyMMZGWgtCh_MFcM7d6qKGAZ5kAJFv_UBzqd7raulA9DLu192Or82Egfu68-bpZqtGSSwU1WQyqe5ERwxGpz2W7cNMCMZxhid-bSI1BSoMPsJ2hQWC8AD/s1600/IMG_3608.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stitching the hem!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzaT7r0nGHVW4L0SG6Mn4hHgJhsDihT6msI1ETcNUVca4CHpQk262CtYuEYHXMsWm-AY4l4PJ1TJTVFzCaMU4xEjNVp_dz-EJlTcSO4FpXHrPJiYYnvUAgk-gVxWGbV698wYw/s1600/IMG_3609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzaT7r0nGHVW4L0SG6Mn4hHgJhsDihT6msI1ETcNUVca4CHpQk262CtYuEYHXMsWm-AY4l4PJ1TJTVFzCaMU4xEjNVp_dz-EJlTcSO4FpXHrPJiYYnvUAgk-gVxWGbV698wYw/s1600/IMG_3609.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, the fun part: grommets! Also called
eyelets, I'm installing the metal ones for durability even though the
kind that is sewn around the hole is more historically accurate. Most
Faires will give metal grommets a pass. If you have a love-hate
relationship with grommets like I do, you can sew hooks and eyes to your
front slit instead - and those are historically accurate too. I don't
need large, heavy laces for this chemise, so I'm using 5/32 inch
grommets which also work well for the three layers of linen. Grommet
pliers make this part really easy. It's okay to test the following steps
a few times on some of your scraps if you need to get comfortable with
your technique. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrtxKaBNpfE8F5tHGWrjV5PAAw4a2AUDdO6cmjl2lMwt_O7eBzSX7rpv0n6FRVpFF9BCt5iKaSSU4jtnTqM-4t16pNR7F4F8TmXO4RyslIFP0Rn3y7eeAUtogc3iUwU-jqWZU/s1600/IMG_3613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbrtxKaBNpfE8F5tHGWrjV5PAAw4a2AUDdO6cmjl2lMwt_O7eBzSX7rpv0n6FRVpFF9BCt5iKaSSU4jtnTqM-4t16pNR7F4F8TmXO4RyslIFP0Rn3y7eeAUtogc3iUwU-jqWZU/s1600/IMG_3613.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These small grommets are only one piece. You don't need a washer for these!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
First, you want to decide how many grommets you need.
The opening is about 10 inches long and I decided to place one grommet
every inch. Start half an inch from the top (I'm considering the top to
start under the ruffle and elastic section) on the inside and mark every
inch with tailor's chalk.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVAoPVAOualcSWWIOmdYCXfxFr5EUAmc4hyphenhyphenn5JeczTJox3N58iLEFmLk-t5ZhysJ299CoHO7ncGB6cgVgdpzza1jkrS9cTF8qFqj2MAPZW0uS4rTluEG-qKn38AMxHEXwhyphenhyphenaz/s1600/IMG_3610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikVAoPVAOualcSWWIOmdYCXfxFr5EUAmc4hyphenhyphenn5JeczTJox3N58iLEFmLk-t5ZhysJ299CoHO7ncGB6cgVgdpzza1jkrS9cTF8qFqj2MAPZW0uS4rTluEG-qKn38AMxHEXwhyphenhyphenaz/s1600/IMG_3610.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marking every inch.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next, measure one centimeter in and mark
along your one inch lines. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6SSCBPMmpS91aiavoUQ1ibSljjQKrQBp6pSns66VVO4GALztzbTU6HJmTwaWsSNcovuGvKd56VkOOVrYXyXyE3vDzXRAzSbHn-YZ_eyINPniotJntJujDlC_smSiiGugYy-e/s1600/IMG_3611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6SSCBPMmpS91aiavoUQ1ibSljjQKrQBp6pSns66VVO4GALztzbTU6HJmTwaWsSNcovuGvKd56VkOOVrYXyXyE3vDzXRAzSbHn-YZ_eyINPniotJntJujDlC_smSiiGugYy-e/s1600/IMG_3611.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One centimeter in. Where the lines touch is where the grommets go.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, the point of no return! Make sure the
post of your grommet pliers is where those two marks meet and squeeze
hard, poking a hole through all three layers of your fabric. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxW3MhSSe4vVL5HRsaTn-eLCWn2n7cWcNV0KHxJbmoxYVUWZN3QNThaZam1z3wyX9WRkU_dAESWAbJNZXw6RuEf_nlIuW0fR6e1jjr-tkL0G0aaXk8ksB1OvYeOsfDbstPCGu/s1600/IMG_3612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxW3MhSSe4vVL5HRsaTn-eLCWn2n7cWcNV0KHxJbmoxYVUWZN3QNThaZam1z3wyX9WRkU_dAESWAbJNZXw6RuEf_nlIuW0fR6e1jjr-tkL0G0aaXk8ksB1OvYeOsfDbstPCGu/s1600/IMG_3612.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punch a hole in your fabric! Hold your breath and go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Poke your
grommet through the hole, front to back, set it on your pliers and
squeeze <i>hard! </i>If you squeeze too slowly or lightly, your grommet
may not set right and it's nearly impossible to do over. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaGMrMI0B-r-awBrkIKmCHHx0raTIKqPSWblR3VMJzx_H8FBKJwio0GPKUJzmah_iDLJ1bSRMj16D9njEj3aL6U8KzRyoOsvopMaumwXbE2wB-NGlRE82k7Jw9NrTR5q1GQbA/s1600/IMG_3614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwaGMrMI0B-r-awBrkIKmCHHx0raTIKqPSWblR3VMJzx_H8FBKJwio0GPKUJzmah_iDLJ1bSRMj16D9njEj3aL6U8KzRyoOsvopMaumwXbE2wB-NGlRE82k7Jw9NrTR5q1GQbA/s1600/IMG_3614.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poke the grommet through the hole, front to back and...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN4nQj5gTtpQzA9kdN7-LwhLzsPw-ccLWPGo8dasaYRvmdM1ewBa5AvzYNelXBDZCxUjmP5uoIkRlQSyh7aLm8uckH_1622GUQwGB67uK5b8KnnLpEznhhIjnPt9czSAPGSD_/s1600/IMG_3615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXN4nQj5gTtpQzA9kdN7-LwhLzsPw-ccLWPGo8dasaYRvmdM1ewBa5AvzYNelXBDZCxUjmP5uoIkRlQSyh7aLm8uckH_1622GUQwGB67uK5b8KnnLpEznhhIjnPt9czSAPGSD_/s1600/IMG_3615.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...squeeze hard! Remove the pliers and check your work,<br />
maybe even squeeze again. You want them on there good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyieOg1xHbiCTbmkmUF4_M-QIe99uHsRtY6InXwo1xVAyZt9HjX0KduO2VX4_Ang3ZV-02lh1WwTZZRV-xxiPjRLyEPUdYMEKEKdzXYEYiEoaxb4XuuAHkpYBVyJLRz6uzQEn_/s1600/IMG_3616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyieOg1xHbiCTbmkmUF4_M-QIe99uHsRtY6InXwo1xVAyZt9HjX0KduO2VX4_Ang3ZV-02lh1WwTZZRV-xxiPjRLyEPUdYMEKEKdzXYEYiEoaxb4XuuAHkpYBVyJLRz6uzQEn_/s1600/IMG_3616.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check your work as you go. Hopefully, no edges are sticking out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_YsLij1Lf56eSzshff0zZ5AYvQy4Ftw0g5t76BBXQ9w14pmo74qWe7Rhs-7Ud4zQiTpdUUCKtNS_a-KRT7mGr_Now8XRtRyXcoWBDXtGdgRu7BIfnUoBFUITxMWzaGvD7M9n/s1600/IMG_3617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF_YsLij1Lf56eSzshff0zZ5AYvQy4Ftw0g5t76BBXQ9w14pmo74qWe7Rhs-7Ud4zQiTpdUUCKtNS_a-KRT7mGr_Now8XRtRyXcoWBDXtGdgRu7BIfnUoBFUITxMWzaGvD7M9n/s1600/IMG_3617.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice line of grommets! Don't freak out if they're not perfectly in line.<br />
Call that a mark of handmade!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once all ten grommets are
set on one side, it's time to do the other. I found that measuring the
same way as the first left my marks off a bit, so I ended up lining up
the front slit and marked where the first grommets were instead and then
measured one centimeter in as before. (Note: if you want to do spiral
lacing, which is more historically accurate, you don't want your
grommets to line up. I didn't bother with spiral lacing, but here's a <a href="http://www.festiveattyre.com/p/the-zen-of-spiral-lacing.html" target="_blank">good site</a>
about the placement of your grommets if you want to give it a try.)
Look at those pretty rows of grommets! Find some cord, lace it up, see
how it looks. We're done!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Us3HnmbBI70HD7TqHKODbABoV1FTM1jZ6skNOWI6TK9COkqu5hfsBF1mPg55WLcHijGgDRhxRNGSStjYFGj5j4tz18Ae54jJMh9hBJ3qJhEJVElj7E9GjQDOpJdAwoFweIMX/s1600/IMG_3618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Us3HnmbBI70HD7TqHKODbABoV1FTM1jZ6skNOWI6TK9COkqu5hfsBF1mPg55WLcHijGgDRhxRNGSStjYFGj5j4tz18Ae54jJMh9hBJ3qJhEJVElj7E9GjQDOpJdAwoFweIMX/s1600/IMG_3618.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lining the new marks with the grommets I already did was easier.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5ShIhwH1No72WGosIHBzuzlwJpQ2STJTpXZA4D4boqUDpo6p3KS2EBJLDr2OfMWrboKow9uztlT-cy9vwQA-NUqJPgk7aexBiuaMtya_pYGEJ_ZkOG0Ky7jMXG6YeL4XZvE7/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5ShIhwH1No72WGosIHBzuzlwJpQ2STJTpXZA4D4boqUDpo6p3KS2EBJLDr2OfMWrboKow9uztlT-cy9vwQA-NUqJPgk7aexBiuaMtya_pYGEJ_ZkOG0Ky7jMXG6YeL4XZvE7/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all those awesome grommets, ready for lacing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Well, we're done with the
No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise anyway. I still need to make my over-kirtle
and it recently occurred to me that I'll need some new bloomers too
(bloomers are <u>essential</u> if you're going to a Faire in any kind of heat. Trust me!).
I might be able to fudge bloomers, but the over-kirtle needs to be
made. I'll be using a pattern for this one; it's one I've made before
but I have to alter it and that part is completely new. That will be the
next project! I have a just about a month to complete it. Think I can
do it? Want to sew with me on this one too? Let me know! And if you make a chemise using these instructions, I want to see your work! I think I might see about making a post-delivery nightgown with some lighter fabric and maybe less of a front opening this way too. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsn_og13S7JKWgQ6Sg7BCvuhelpNlgQvIjR0q9QP1jmTc54-crp1X5f7VV76qjIjDpd9szJTARkcj_Ztf13MDnKC0rlFwg_vFxjnp-J-fc2E36CHSU1hyphwt1-O-rUn8FGvU/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsn_og13S7JKWgQ6Sg7BCvuhelpNlgQvIjR0q9QP1jmTc54-crp1X5f7VV76qjIjDpd9szJTARkcj_Ztf13MDnKC0rlFwg_vFxjnp-J-fc2E36CHSU1hyphwt1-O-rUn8FGvU/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All laced up and ready to go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Now, I said I'd contemplate how to bring the whole thing in for when I'm no longer at a maternity size. The simple thing to do would be to sew the sides closer together. What I might do is add a line of loops down those side seams; I've seen faux leather cord used for something like this before. Then the excess fabric can be folded inward and the whole thing laced at the back. If you try it, let me know! </span></i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-24369831294267967482015-03-18T10:26:00.000-04:002015-03-20T12:33:25.055-04:00No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise Tutorial Part 5We're almost done! We did cuffs and sides <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_15.html" target="_blank">last time</a>, all we have left are the top and bottom edges and some grommets for lacing! How exciting! (I apologize that I can't seem to get most of these images to load in the correct direction. I hope they still help!)<br />
<br />
Before we tackle the neckline, though, we need to fix something. I made a mistake when I didn't extend the front facing all the way to the top edge because those three inches will need to be hemmed somehow and I can't figure out a good way to do it. So, we'll fix that by adding another piece of front facing. Cut a strip from your scraps that is 7 inches long by 1 inch wide.
(If you don't have enough scrap for this, and I still have plenty, you
can use the triangles from cutting away the shoulders. Cut two pieces
3.5 inches by 1 inch. If you're really in a pinch for fabric bits, even a
bit of white muslin will do as this will be turned under just like the
front facing.) Cut your 7 inch strip in half so you have two 3.5 inch
pieces.<br />
<br />
Just like before, on the front of the chemise
with right sides facing, line up the new facing piece with the edge of
the slit. Fold up the bottom half inch - you can match it with the
existing facing seam - and sew very close to the edge.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMXa2e8lsS-pOTxYsdXk_M78AmiqxdtIIlCM6avLybY1Q7GgE-fZ8oS8lOXbUl3fB6dLcwUCghXL8zKjZyLFV3_u1YNh-1jBBTR59Klvd-SJjY1J7KTL_gz4GN44aZlYSGw3h/s1600/IMG_3570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnMXa2e8lsS-pOTxYsdXk_M78AmiqxdtIIlCM6avLybY1Q7GgE-fZ8oS8lOXbUl3fB6dLcwUCghXL8zKjZyLFV3_u1YNh-1jBBTR59Klvd-SJjY1J7KTL_gz4GN44aZlYSGw3h/s1600/IMG_3570.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin the new facing piece.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Fold the new
facing under and press. You may also want to turn under a small bit of
the back edge and press that too. Most of this facing will be encased in
the elastic channel, but a small bit on the bottom will not be.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQybSiSU16Wicuu4zujc5oxvnQz7rW6lpfAmyWPoZsgte-Zqu2phIVezUchpX0Ad2XnG_bZrVhmiT1NcjTr_NBLWPhKJC7PPABjpWg2URmdrJIdEoZwuILpTMyTfgbLJWbMxN9/s1600/IMG_3572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQybSiSU16Wicuu4zujc5oxvnQz7rW6lpfAmyWPoZsgte-Zqu2phIVezUchpX0Ad2XnG_bZrVhmiT1NcjTr_NBLWPhKJC7PPABjpWg2URmdrJIdEoZwuILpTMyTfgbLJWbMxN9/s1600/IMG_3572.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the inside. You can clearly see that small bit on the bottom edge hemmed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Top
stitch this seam flat, very close to the edge, around the bottom fold,
and up a little bit of the side. Yay, front facing fixed! Moving on!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWKOvpmXKlY6LoW6jg0ulf1YmklxARnR7Hfuj6ePgMBmbv_ZEKxyYBjp6PGixqrsMHtOWZGRaTQmggyC4JkrbckRQPyS8c3m8xv6HtA7aX9tfLUFUCVzZkO4216OhRS4ehsob/s1600/IMG_3571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWKOvpmXKlY6LoW6jg0ulf1YmklxARnR7Hfuj6ePgMBmbv_ZEKxyYBjp6PGixqrsMHtOWZGRaTQmggyC4JkrbckRQPyS8c3m8xv6HtA7aX9tfLUFUCVzZkO4216OhRS4ehsob/s1600/IMG_3571.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facing fixed! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We're
going to do the neckline just like the sleeve cuffs. With your
measuring tape and tailor's chalk, mark 3 inches from the raw top edge
all around, including the sleeves, on the inside of the chemise. Fold
the raw edge over to the mark and press. Take care around the shoulder
seams and the front facing to make sure your edges are lined up. Your
seams won't be lined up without adding some darts, which I did not do.
Just work a few inches at a time as you press to make sure you have
those three inches folded over evenly all around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxMGoWQHY58HxK_UQn-s-w8ETwPRzoa9_Pcoru5oe1WthRaqSWedf-5Or8i0gT405z4mqHED3H5oZ0tjXiIqjwe2hSr_z2tQrjYSNucBNcAIy0FE2h5aJFaCq3rcWC3sFOO7b/s1600/IMG_3573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxMGoWQHY58HxK_UQn-s-w8ETwPRzoa9_Pcoru5oe1WthRaqSWedf-5Or8i0gT405z4mqHED3H5oZ0tjXiIqjwe2hSr_z2tQrjYSNucBNcAIy0FE2h5aJFaCq3rcWC3sFOO7b/s1600/IMG_3573.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark three inches from the edge, just like we did with the cuffs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To make a little
ruffle, stitch all around 1/2 inch from the fold. I'm using the same
elastic as I did for the cuffs (I know, we haven't measured the elastic
yet; that's coming!), so make another line of stitches 5/8 of an inch
below the first. (Note, my bobbin thread ran out here, somewhere in the
back panel. If running out of bobbin thread in the middle of a stitch
line annoys you as much as it annoys me, load a fresh bobbin before you
begin this part.) Lastly, turn under the remaining raw edge and stitch
very close to the fold to finish the hem.<br />
<br />
Before we
move on with the elastic, I decided to make a couple ties to go above
the grommets and hold the elastic bit together at the neck. If you have
ribbon that matches your linen, or is a nice contrast, just use that
(neckline ties are in ribbon on my existing chemise). I don't have any
ribbon I want to use, so I'll make the ties. Cut a piece of your scrap
21 inches by 1 inch.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherWvgmfCK6z9HtSgezP3UuyXJsQEE_hJGVgXQLfa13IiTPTI9EXYaj7ctqHUwmAm4RwZCPnFVzmjBNiJTvBY6sHSDVzCGIE_VaVpyifHsV8n4LWLhhegRDqYF83hlJV-o7ghu/s1600/IMG_3574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherWvgmfCK6z9HtSgezP3UuyXJsQEE_hJGVgXQLfa13IiTPTI9EXYaj7ctqHUwmAm4RwZCPnFVzmjBNiJTvBY6sHSDVzCGIE_VaVpyifHsV8n4LWLhhegRDqYF83hlJV-o7ghu/s1600/IMG_3574.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut a strip 21 inches by 1 inch. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Turn both short ends under 1/2 inch and press (I
marked this with tailor's chalk, but it's not important to be super
precise here). Fold this in half lengthwise and press. Open this up,
fold the two raw edges in to the center and press again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzhhQ9Gg6RM9hCE1DKlYedWGAiEJinB97ds1_SIGoKhx3AkmrKpsFp9jtIlCKteYfD7lo85ZhJ2Qegg8lQMWbLbqLqdeCQS-R6gSttYt1cNVKtQFijMvI4-_I4p5EVdV-nPxv/s1600/IMG_3579.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carefully press the raw edges into the center. <br />
Maintain that center fold too, to encase the edges. <br />
Work slowly, the thin piece of fabric can be difficult!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now fold the
whole thing in half and cut. you should be left with two pieces, roughly
10 inches long, folded at one end, and 1/4 inch wide. Sew along the
open edge, very close to the fold, and the folded end. The un-hemmed end
will be sewn at the edge of the front slit with our elastic. On to
elastic!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNSCr8snRdiR4pd_ymcYRqIhEWTDB0qk2eBIrzek-SnyDVbj_ijDfzpO9XP_GbQPRKnO-3B0mz6VDADGxX3tuY9kYt70YW0YW5RPeiuE-PaOqfafsaauszUhR_MA9SxltJ1gP/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNSCr8snRdiR4pd_ymcYRqIhEWTDB0qk2eBIrzek-SnyDVbj_ijDfzpO9XP_GbQPRKnO-3B0mz6VDADGxX3tuY9kYt70YW0YW5RPeiuE-PaOqfafsaauszUhR_MA9SxltJ1gP/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two front ties!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's difficult to measure the neckline on my
existing chemise because of how much it is gathered, but I got about 33
inches and I'm comfortable with that if it's a little off. I cut my
elastic at 34 inches (because I added half an inch for the seam
allowance on either end), which was about a foot shy of the rest anyway.
Just like the sleeve cuffs, thread this through your elastic channel
and pin at the edge of the fabric on either side. There is a lot of
fabric to gather here, so take your time. Try not to twist the elastic
in the channel and be patient if you come across a part that's just a bit too tight. You'll make it through! We're going to work the
unfinished edge of our neck ties into this channel too, about an inch in
so we'll be sure to catch it when we sew up the ends. Don't do what I did and lose your elastic in the channel. You'll have to start over!<br />
<br />
Remember
that the front facing is about a inch wide, so sew your first line of
stitching over the elastic channel 1 inch in. Next, sew over that
channel 1/2 inch in. Pause here to pull out the elastic end and trim it
back, just like we did with the cuffs. Then stitch from the top edge
down to the base of the elastic channel very close to the edge.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQJHKNZ1aqYM5MjIrJt9Xiz-QGDaZdOGGlHVUn0Lm6lFMchxCSI6ZkTWZJxJ0NlVrmvdd2xzPrpDCVCsaDutjo9Xym0cHzuk7oTjW6MK1TygUo6Tu11V9HKG7U26RNkr3RI4c/s1600/IMG_3581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQJHKNZ1aqYM5MjIrJt9Xiz-QGDaZdOGGlHVUn0Lm6lFMchxCSI6ZkTWZJxJ0NlVrmvdd2xzPrpDCVCsaDutjo9Xym0cHzuk7oTjW6MK1TygUo6Tu11V9HKG7U26RNkr3RI4c/s1600/IMG_3581.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sew three lines of stitching across the front facing, over the elastic channel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz4_M4vFu3dI2Wc-M98VH0Uc6BLrHBJytUe5ZRok5hkcdvYhsMiu8XosJ2nRkL6MQIfFnFQlZD4dyHaw-Djtof13xA9cBFj8WhorWU-btukcG056SIwAfvphOJX2xJSYOceLQ/s1600/IMG_3582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz4_M4vFu3dI2Wc-M98VH0Uc6BLrHBJytUe5ZRok5hkcdvYhsMiu8XosJ2nRkL6MQIfFnFQlZD4dyHaw-Djtof13xA9cBFj8WhorWU-btukcG056SIwAfvphOJX2xJSYOceLQ/s1600/IMG_3582.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how it should look from the front. We're almost done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Check
out your work! Turn it right side out and put it on! You have a gap in
the front because we haven't added grommets yet, and it might be too
long depending on your height (mine is actually perfect), and it's going
to feel very tent-like because we made it big on purpose. How does the
neckline sit? Can you push your sleeves up over your elbows if you get
too hot without having the elastic cut into your arm? Good job! We're
almost done! Give yourself a pat on the back and come back <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_20.html" target="_blank">next time</a> for
finishing!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhis6yWjNI4XykNWu9cClQmQtTBUOjWn50CqaW5kgHz3FzDXIOFzhSiWSpexgU91sOzWYZCzEb64vAI5Hcq17jdCICw_9A_b7USRb2NS0FcPS3CO4qohAFnG67u3XfshT4MzJpS/s1600/IMG_3583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhis6yWjNI4XykNWu9cClQmQtTBUOjWn50CqaW5kgHz3FzDXIOFzhSiWSpexgU91sOzWYZCzEb64vAI5Hcq17jdCICw_9A_b7USRb2NS0FcPS3CO4qohAFnG67u3XfshT4MzJpS/s1600/IMG_3583.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It fits my 19.5 week baby bump just fine! And some!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-29395062522907765232015-03-16T10:49:00.001-04:002015-03-16T10:49:32.168-04:00Why Do I Have a Problem with Pink<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
For most people, having a baby girl means pink. I only have a vague tolerance of pink at this point in my life. It's getting better, really, but it's a process. A lot of the people I know who are currently expecting have a hate relationship with pink and they don't want it anywhere near their baby girls. Purple is my favorite color, which goes well with greens and blues, so I'm trying to lean towards that rather than the pink everyone is going to throw at me and our daughter in the coming months and years. I remember getting a shiny new purple and white bicycle in my youth and I was so proud of it. I loved the way the purple tires left little purple skid marks on the sidewalk. I remember riding around, showing off my wonderful new bike to the neighbors and one of them said "I'm surprised it's not pink." I remember feeling so insulted that she knew me - her daughter's best friend - so little. She should have known how much I hated pink. I spat "I HATE PINK" back at her and rode off in a huff. </div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
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<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
The nursery is bright green. In fact, we're not really doing a nursery at all- that's just the color the room is. It's not going to be painted over unless Poppyseed decides one day that she wants it. She's not going to care about the color of the walls for some time anyway. My best friend offered to make it more girly for us, and I told her we don't want to force anything on our daughter; we don't need the room more girly. We don't even know yet how girly or not our daughter will be, but we know we don't want to force an identity on her. This is very important to me. She decided to go with a more forest theme instead of a focus on pink flowers and butterflies (I have nothing against pink flowers and butterflies, and they will probably still be a part of the nursery. I really don't know what's happening in that room that I've given Turtle leave to decorate, but if we hate it, we can always take it down). <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Rh3KqBIlv_GIjw_Osy-5sl-Z95bh6X3j8ymf3RvjnDI8I3q3ZfkirU0XANEFsqARXGU-wVKgH5A60PM1jWrBIo-C17fNGFOT-n_yEyp3KxFzdzjdSFtg58XuYexxQYWJzatm/s1600/firstBabypicture.jpg" target="_blank">The going-home dress that I wore</a>, which my daughter will also wear because I think it's too awesome that I still have it, is pink. My sister in law, who is very excited that we're having a girl, is buying some pink things and probably some girly things - but we're also getting her son's super hero hand-me-downs. I supported a <span data-scayt_word="Kickstarter" data-scaytid="57" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x !important; background-size: initial !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important;">Kickstarter</span> for<a href="http://www.princess-awesome.com/" target="_blank"> Princess Awesome</a>, so our daughter can have fun play dresses with dinosaurs and pirates and atoms on them. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
A friend of mine posted <a href="http://www.xojane.com/family/tomboys--tiaras-why-i-dont-want-my-daughter-to-hate-pink" target="_blank">this article</a> this morning, and I think it behooves me to take it to heart. I think our daughter can wear pink ruffles and climb trees if she wants to. She can dig for worms in a tiara if she likes. I will put her in Captain America <span data-scayt_word="Onesies" data-scaytid="107" style="background-attachment: initial !important; background-clip: initial !important; background-image: url(data:image/gif; background-origin: initial !important; background-position: 50% 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x !important; background-size: initial !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important;">Onesies</span> and Batman t-shirts and a snap suit with dinosaurs, and maybe one day she'll ask me for a pink super hero cape. Or maybe she'll put on my high heels and play with my make-up and want baby dolls instead of Star Wars action figures. I would love it if she plays with my old Barbie dolls and My Little Ponies as much as I would love it if she asks for a bucket of green army dudes. I think part of not forcing an identity on her includes not denying one either. It's a fine line to walk, but why can't she have it all?</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-65651030343303743902015-03-15T11:19:00.000-04:002015-03-18T10:28:18.919-04:00No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise Tutorial Part 4We took care of the front facing <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_11.html" target="_blank">last time</a>. Today, we're working on cuffs! I'm seriously guessing for this entire part so I hope it works! We'll be doing the neckline the same way if the cuffs are successful. We're going to need elastic, mine is 3/8 of an inch and flat; tailor's chalk; and a measuring tape.<br />
<br />
Now, I've given myself 3 inches to play with at both the cuffs and the neckline. On the wrong side, open up your sleeves and mark that 3 inches across. Just past that line, mark half an inch in on both edges, so you know where your seam allowance is. I don't know if we'll need these marks, but mark them anyway just in case!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskIaCP51PxJephiXp9DR9NrBIgsqqxRI_5E_mgv2Y7HLOWC3F3c-qN6h79lkFasi2XZ8cwqL0p2TBIMZXQ1oqruw5T4Z-ApI_0QYbW8-uG2H1bBX_SPDmqoFAMW7WdQPavdim/s1600/IMG_3552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjskIaCP51PxJephiXp9DR9NrBIgsqqxRI_5E_mgv2Y7HLOWC3F3c-qN6h79lkFasi2XZ8cwqL0p2TBIMZXQ1oqruw5T4Z-ApI_0QYbW8-uG2H1bBX_SPDmqoFAMW7WdQPavdim/s1600/IMG_3552.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark 3 inches in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fold over the edge to meet your line and press. This will give us a
1.5 inch channel. If you want a little ruffle, and I do, sew a line 1/2
inch from the fold. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIFRAEGkObtbG4dz0hY-rA-uGoSs08TkrAEncIhPxntuBeaNGCrxCYpFqAj_ZnCKyyoA2kJ1Danus7I5U2w8eV3RJ6KiaONou0x8NL_vZf5GEWvr94LNQ4zrilQ-_oWEtQRsJ/s1600/IMG_3554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIFRAEGkObtbG4dz0hY-rA-uGoSs08TkrAEncIhPxntuBeaNGCrxCYpFqAj_ZnCKyyoA2kJ1Danus7I5U2w8eV3RJ6KiaONou0x8NL_vZf5GEWvr94LNQ4zrilQ-_oWEtQRsJ/s1600/IMG_3554.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sew 1/2 inch from the fold to make a little ruffle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The elastic around the cuffs of my existing chemise
is about 12 inches long. I played around with it with the measuring tape
and that feels like a bit much, so we're going with 10 inches of
elastic. I cut two pieces, one for each cuff, at 11 inches so I have a
bit of seam allowance to work with (since I'm not 100% sure how I'm
going to handle that just yet!).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFhLdphhk_Uw0YIr278Rdh_XnlbRfA-9IaTZwI0tkBk28QvNnCwtWtf3VMy1DeBR-kN9Ndk7A2fi1wwT8tagPBawojL_mbVfjQy1eRqWjeNoJblsvJsz3xpE8_ZD1VxqKEOjK/s1600/IMG_3564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUFhLdphhk_Uw0YIr278Rdh_XnlbRfA-9IaTZwI0tkBk28QvNnCwtWtf3VMy1DeBR-kN9Ndk7A2fi1wwT8tagPBawojL_mbVfjQy1eRqWjeNoJblsvJsz3xpE8_ZD1VxqKEOjK/s1600/IMG_3564.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut your elastic.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Sew a line about 5/8 from the ruffle
seam. You may have to fold over at the ruffle seam to get the measurement right. This will be your channel for the elastic. Finally, turn under
that free edge and sew along the fold to finish the seam like we did for
the shoulder seams.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5aUm8kG4WcLI9PyPHXxXfNtNiDha7V2h-bKnyTUXD8glP81eOQWYh-UF1djApmx6_IFNZ5JC1ZZtrE7OZre6Cz6AhDKebYBImywWIqo5jN90VHWITh5232KyPw_Fyh8A4WPk/s1600/IMG_3555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5aUm8kG4WcLI9PyPHXxXfNtNiDha7V2h-bKnyTUXD8glP81eOQWYh-UF1djApmx6_IFNZ5JC1ZZtrE7OZre6Cz6AhDKebYBImywWIqo5jN90VHWITh5232KyPw_Fyh8A4WPk/s1600/IMG_3555.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I folded the ruffle up so I could still use the guidelines on my sewing machine.<br />
Be careful not to catch this fabric in your stitching!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7tc9lM_BwR18rZE2yo6szWn0MQdyBxmng-tRAD4SVN_mGeVWmZo-ggt0iZ6PySD0O9_Fu444pNQA7Bzo2dpdK87xTFJIUpTtZarZm4LLnVgXX5or9VPbutwEAY5yZ3hIpkrT/s1600/IMG_3556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb7tc9lM_BwR18rZE2yo6szWn0MQdyBxmng-tRAD4SVN_mGeVWmZo-ggt0iZ6PySD0O9_Fu444pNQA7Bzo2dpdK87xTFJIUpTtZarZm4LLnVgXX5or9VPbutwEAY5yZ3hIpkrT/s1600/IMG_3556.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn under the raw edge and sew close to the fold to finish the seam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Thread your elastic through the channel. I hate
gathering stitches, so I just gathered as I worked. This fabric seems to
gather pretty easily on its own. Line up the edge of your elastic with
the edge of your fabric and stitch along the seam allowance at both
ends. You only need to stitch between the two seams of the elastic
channel. Make sure none of the gathers are past this point into the seam
allowance.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3P4oRtUk5ATuoOjAkF0wsR3NsUQrhPHM3zv2uFh1X_6341m-GXkLMnYa_iLdIPvnYWJR5-Onqwuda6T4eRQaYGMj19x7mR4GwVv9d2t9O9R8OfFWHRB_Pqu3uF_N59AEEmsG/s1600/IMG_3560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3P4oRtUk5ATuoOjAkF0wsR3NsUQrhPHM3zv2uFh1X_6341m-GXkLMnYa_iLdIPvnYWJR5-Onqwuda6T4eRQaYGMj19x7mR4GwVv9d2t9O9R8OfFWHRB_Pqu3uF_N59AEEmsG/s1600/IMG_3560.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sew down the elastic at each side, using our 1/2 inch seam allowance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Finally, push back that half inch seam allowance and pull
out the end of the elastic a bit, then trim it back as close as you can
to the seam. This reduces the bulk here, which will make it easier when
we get to the sleeve hem. Note, you still have a flat sleeve here. We'll
close this up later. Repeat these steps for the other cuff. While we
won't be done with this area until we seam up the sleeve, I'm feeling
very good about these cuffs and I think the technique will work just
fine for the neckline too. But we'll do that in a bit!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyauichp945Y_4MakSDNcZo71aFVhKBoYENs4sl5AsSvcn2ErFk_ocoYWI8omaAME9uYbjMB9MLt0Qnfh3eSnc3xjSbKIqoVjDuyFpk07Pkir3BhCwNDSFYIO63jfk2vYnhtKN/s1600/IMG_3561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyauichp945Y_4MakSDNcZo71aFVhKBoYENs4sl5AsSvcn2ErFk_ocoYWI8omaAME9uYbjMB9MLt0Qnfh3eSnc3xjSbKIqoVjDuyFpk07Pkir3BhCwNDSFYIO63jfk2vYnhtKN/s1600/IMG_3561.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trim your elastic to reduce the bulk of that seam when we sew it together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Before
we get back to elastic and necklines, let's take care of those side
seams. It occurs to me that what I had originally planned isn't going to
work, so first I want you to go back to those gusset seams that we
didn't finish in Part 2. We will finish them now. With your tailor's
chalk and measuring tape, mark 1/2 inch up from the unfinished edge of
the gusset, just in that seam allowance on all gusset seams. Cut that
mark, into the seam allowance without clipping the seam, fold over and
finish the seam. It will become clear in a minute why we did this. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmF0jqHcRCtWZA6_YOsLtk6e_RsIwIhOxl24VbQxBNrO0foWo7olhnUHUvg35Y2nSoy7JP8M6QngGHHu11MTkRTkhoydEjIMEdxzga2v4AxLkz-QU6ANWFOzmIMElHmLBOnFZe/s1600/IMG_3562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmF0jqHcRCtWZA6_YOsLtk6e_RsIwIhOxl24VbQxBNrO0foWo7olhnUHUvg35Y2nSoy7JP8M6QngGHHu11MTkRTkhoydEjIMEdxzga2v4AxLkz-QU6ANWFOzmIMElHmLBOnFZe/s1600/IMG_3562.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and cut that unfinished gusset seam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykddmh_mcqrkBjkSJPnwsLj-WYUWVdstXXnwbzhREtahBlUkm6aYSY45WzSk7D_3pQ08_EXyikyRdYmjToEQO932N7-0oNWBestFfkn2TNI-2T2Vs09FD7fB8PiWHG4GhDgOr/s1600/IMG_3565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykddmh_mcqrkBjkSJPnwsLj-WYUWVdstXXnwbzhREtahBlUkm6aYSY45WzSk7D_3pQ08_EXyikyRdYmjToEQO932N7-0oNWBestFfkn2TNI-2T2Vs09FD7fB8PiWHG4GhDgOr/s1600/IMG_3565.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing the gusset seam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now,
the big seam! This part is very simple, there just happens to be a ton
of fabric. Make sure your chemise is inside out and line up the side
seams: start at the cuff and work back toward the gusset and down the
side and pin. If you have to add a dart because your gussets don't quite
line up from the cuff, do it close to the gusset so those edges do line
up (you don't need the raw edge of the hem to line up because we'll
just be cutting that part off when we adjust it for your height, just
make sure the cuff edges and the gusset edges and seams line up). You
might notice that you can draw a line along all of those edges from the
cuff to the hem and that's exactly what we're going to do. Start at the
cuff, using our 1/2 seam allowance, and sew all the way up to the
gusset. Don't stop there! Sew the two gusset edges together too (go
through the little cut you just made above) and continue down to the
hem. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX0E3n4n7_PlVjTzcEByjDuYDoW_M7pwkPz1zy5cHthUTVGP8bB955wMmdul2UQscb0aaH9XQN1F4GFFyV0JYmO6nUycfXfdlt-eI3_7u9F6cFNnwIqj1e0jNER79a14ThF9i/s1600/IMG_3566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIX0E3n4n7_PlVjTzcEByjDuYDoW_M7pwkPz1zy5cHthUTVGP8bB955wMmdul2UQscb0aaH9XQN1F4GFFyV0JYmO6nUycfXfdlt-eI3_7u9F6cFNnwIqj1e0jNER79a14ThF9i/s1600/IMG_3566.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing the side seam. Here, I'm going around the gusset. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We're going to turn under and finish both sides of this seam like
we did with the shoulders for that Elizabethan look, so press and pin
and finish that seam, again from cuff to hem. Be very careful here; you
can get your sewing machine to work on finishing those sleeve seams but
you want to make absolutely certain that you don't catch any other part
of the chemise in your seam. Go through the neck hole to the sleeve
(this is why we haven't finished the neckline yet!) then get the part of
the cuff opposite the seam under your presser foot.You will have a very
small hole to work in, and a lot of bunched fabric all around until you
get to the gusset. Work slow, stop every now and then to make sure you
don't have any fabric caught underneath. Once you get to the hem, feed
the chemise back under your presser foot and off of your machine.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizZpXjQw4EUL1m6CZASNHO70z3tY2xwsv2s0TrZ7tg0vu1yhtYNBKTfrwP6Tg9sVAzL2ERq3UqLRny4snWvjS-rHxGga5eyshXFo5mdCn5eDFGgDs39ULu9bczLfEKL9HKeRJ/s1600/IMG_3567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizZpXjQw4EUL1m6CZASNHO70z3tY2xwsv2s0TrZ7tg0vu1yhtYNBKTfrwP6Tg9sVAzL2ERq3UqLRny4snWvjS-rHxGga5eyshXFo5mdCn5eDFGgDs39ULu9bczLfEKL9HKeRJ/s1600/IMG_3567.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work slow and be careful! There is a lot of fabric and you want to <br />
make sure it isn't under your presser foot as you work on this seam!<br />
It's tough, but it can be done! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Now,
turn it right side out and check you seams. Looking good? Great! Do the
same thing with the other side! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59xLh3wEsBMkt1iJLpEcNpHi5IlVsu9pUc-m9I5psLjB9O9fky9Zd7G4goeYl2_fl6hfL1TOy3BP3voMLY4hQukwwrTZpFPCCs5F-_xxeLmql8_kr0rDuFxE8CaXkzWIgOnuu/s1600/IMG_3568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59xLh3wEsBMkt1iJLpEcNpHi5IlVsu9pUc-m9I5psLjB9O9fky9Zd7G4goeYl2_fl6hfL1TOy3BP3voMLY4hQukwwrTZpFPCCs5F-_xxeLmql8_kr0rDuFxE8CaXkzWIgOnuu/s1600/IMG_3568.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished side seam. That's the gusset on the left there. Nice and clean! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's looking more like a dress now, isn't it? Except for that huge, unfinished neckline. We'll get to that <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_18.html" target="_blank">next</a>! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-47776927214396129522015-03-11T16:02:00.000-04:002015-03-18T10:33:20.081-04:00No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise Tutorial Part 3Continuing from <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_8.html" target="_blank">last time</a>, it's time to tackle the front facing! I learned this technique from the same place I learned about the sleeve gussets
and Elizabethan seams. It was used to completely finish a neckline on
the surviving 16th century smock, but I'm pretty sure I can wing it and
and use the same method to finish the front slit. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWEEm6hEU5_CHA-91ECoVDkibuMXClJvKds8llBOGv2DvVa7ZvE_GQjYislv4QXcu-87-sYAIqolIiyQF4wnQyBWxoaToOEOZeYJzxIhj4kAo3qgnHIP2rXhSUZM5IGf1M02G/s1600/IMG_3535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWEEm6hEU5_CHA-91ECoVDkibuMXClJvKds8llBOGv2DvVa7ZvE_GQjYislv4QXcu-87-sYAIqolIiyQF4wnQyBWxoaToOEOZeYJzxIhj4kAo3qgnHIP2rXhSUZM5IGf1M02G/s1600/IMG_3535.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin the front facing to the outside of your chemise, right sides together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Line up the bottom of the slit of
your front facing piece to
the outside of your front slit, right sides together. If you measured with me, you should have about 2.5 inches to the top of the chemise after the edge of the front facing. Fold over the top edge a half inch or so towards you, so there are 3 inches on the front piece with no front facing. This fold will create a bit of a hem, which will help in later steps, and still give you 3 inches of fabric to work with when it's time to tackle the neckline. <b> [IMPORTANT NOTE! If you extended your front facing piece to 15 inches long to avoid the extra step <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_18.html" target="_blank">later</a>, line it up with the top of the slit and don't fold over a seam allowance at the top. Continue below as usual!]</b> <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SotBcNHT848TRfyWIlp_OS6Ks8a5wAe3c8YxcxhWTosUGdw1DuM7e1HfJ4_0jPPNy1gGZB-oEoH3LzqMsuZDsYquC3KG77d6X6o_aO7hFHWJINaB0QNxxIJZJ0LR4JhyphenhyphenmBFW/s1600/IMG_3536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SotBcNHT848TRfyWIlp_OS6Ks8a5wAe3c8YxcxhWTosUGdw1DuM7e1HfJ4_0jPPNy1gGZB-oEoH3LzqMsuZDsYquC3KG77d6X6o_aO7hFHWJINaB0QNxxIJZJ0LR4JhyphenhyphenmBFW/s1600/IMG_3536.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All pinned and folded over.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Work carefully, line up those cut edges as evenly as you can; this is going to be very important for the next step. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNznXKcmxSvKj5FKyvSiSydZR-aq32qzAj1nV4igt2eP2H_TgjT_RIecX6eEuqeVuF6CksfB3T7jRrM9LePTUpiDvKVBbX14ZV5EXMJhmEhkdxpgPeFXbRs8cpv5aZD9n6C3s/s1600/IMG_3538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNznXKcmxSvKj5FKyvSiSydZR-aq32qzAj1nV4igt2eP2H_TgjT_RIecX6eEuqeVuF6CksfB3T7jRrM9LePTUpiDvKVBbX14ZV5EXMJhmEhkdxpgPeFXbRs8cpv5aZD9n6C3s/s1600/IMG_3538.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sew! Stay very close to the edge here, but take care not to go off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Time to sew! Sew very close
to the edge around the cut slit, keeping the fold you made when you pinned, and reinforcing as you round the bottom. Work slow, you want to be very close to the cut edge without going off, and you want to be sure to get both layers together. You might miss small bits here and there, and that's fine, we'll account for them in the next step. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwA5dXyNiGag2rctZTnMVSQFQN_zQjoODdS3rAgf7cPxFk8ij98p0nwJyxeKiolv2Ojzh7Y_QhgsbNfzRyhNkRJ1QX72HqcAPq30cXId47cCvh1zWkN2oUqLIy-X0rlbRTF5dN/s1600/IMG_3539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwA5dXyNiGag2rctZTnMVSQFQN_zQjoODdS3rAgf7cPxFk8ij98p0nwJyxeKiolv2Ojzh7Y_QhgsbNfzRyhNkRJ1QX72HqcAPq30cXId47cCvh1zWkN2oUqLIy-X0rlbRTF5dN/s1600/IMG_3539.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reinforce this part (sew back and forth a few times). It will take a lot of pressure and we don't want it to tear.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Work slowly as you go - I seem to be saying that a lot!- there is a lot of fabric to manipulate around as
you turn corners on that edge. We'll end up making two more passes around the slit when all is done. In hindsight, I might have done the front
facing before shoulders and sleeve gussets because of this. I'll remember that for next time.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVClK3yEvpdOeB7sKvXWhp-y6O4zJBQWUfdA4haIBIbtovfGLJ0DdcRUAuYXHQao_snz-5StAsimxVbOpXnXLWJ-QIIQN-Z4KZxNB-11PhwS3D5TrCbN5DuTaeXsyVlp-BQpeR/s1600/IMG_3540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVClK3yEvpdOeB7sKvXWhp-y6O4zJBQWUfdA4haIBIbtovfGLJ0DdcRUAuYXHQao_snz-5StAsimxVbOpXnXLWJ-QIIQN-Z4KZxNB-11PhwS3D5TrCbN5DuTaeXsyVlp-BQpeR/s1600/IMG_3540.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the other side, be careful going over the fold at the top.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_7IrkMzNanVxp2tMwfyuVLTNp1jdL3G2DaZa1YvP-rlSnOqrQJNnrcmWTjs4arY5p6DkFNPjh7G927agn0VdEy8xSGtLc9ueBwRcKH1jOkLRSe3RkRQ77gqOsszq4qwK1i7O/s1600/IMG_3541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_7IrkMzNanVxp2tMwfyuVLTNp1jdL3G2DaZa1YvP-rlSnOqrQJNnrcmWTjs4arY5p6DkFNPjh7G927agn0VdEy8xSGtLc9ueBwRcKH1jOkLRSe3RkRQ77gqOsszq4qwK1i7O/s1600/IMG_3541.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished seam around the edges. Remember, we're still looking at the outside of the chemise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Turn the front
facing to the inside, now wrong sides together, and press. Carefully press around the bottom of the slit. You will probably get a few little darts and that's okay. If you missed any little bits, just turn them in and press them down. Turn under the raw edges all the way to the seam you just created and press again.<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #134f5c;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">[If you want to add interfacing for stiffness, do it here. Cut two strips less than 1 inch by 10 inches and fuse to the inside, very close to the seam. I did not add interfacing.]</span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwSfGLTGjaGCoXsexbwnum9OsNRWTcGRMULjbbQLBFNAeI3VrKcXJYMaubMfx-CFctGra27LCYOVFiwu5Bxu2EBZHxwfKfVbv0nmI7qYycPRweUl5Ksjb8mVX9wcQxx50GdJN/s1600/IMG_3542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwSfGLTGjaGCoXsexbwnum9OsNRWTcGRMULjbbQLBFNAeI3VrKcXJYMaubMfx-CFctGra27LCYOVFiwu5Bxu2EBZHxwfKfVbv0nmI7qYycPRweUl5Ksjb8mVX9wcQxx50GdJN/s1600/IMG_3542.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn the facing inside and press.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQE8Mkb4OGxsjZFx-jO8HUnE2W2OTH10mGA4mTbSbwoA5VFLP7UQ4ijarCBeSsMdqfp6fUR299DQDyW8OXluUQktaRo5pfWj006enREiPF7xk_03fh6aBByKUvTC2x5CnNUupq/s1600/IMG_3543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQE8Mkb4OGxsjZFx-jO8HUnE2W2OTH10mGA4mTbSbwoA5VFLP7UQ4ijarCBeSsMdqfp6fUR299DQDyW8OXluUQktaRo5pfWj006enREiPF7xk_03fh6aBByKUvTC2x5CnNUupq/s1600/IMG_3543.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have one dart from turning. This is fine. Try to keep the front looking flat if you can.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmIdkyZZRLYs4dBuq-z0rIh6aMjuTqmbWB1IRkJxpj2dAf7HYE1RElB9eT6d_tHpHzMODPTQ7SRY_-WicBCqN5l6W1pZwbDoVw4jLB-DXqIPGeVzcZY0AApwbYYiDzGta9CNq/s1600/IMG_3544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmIdkyZZRLYs4dBuq-z0rIh6aMjuTqmbWB1IRkJxpj2dAf7HYE1RElB9eT6d_tHpHzMODPTQ7SRY_-WicBCqN5l6W1pZwbDoVw4jLB-DXqIPGeVzcZY0AApwbYYiDzGta9CNq/s1600/IMG_3544.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn under raw edges all around and press again, just like we did when finishing the shoulder seams.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Go back to your machine and top stitch around the seam you just created, all around the slit. Sew very close to the fold all around. You can see I pinned the outer fold from the back. If you pinned like I did, just be mindful of where they are as you're working with the front. <span style="color: blue;">[If you want to add a thin boning, unfold that outer fold before you top stitch.]</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAFQ19zyzcQkJh-_kV5LblmJtrWQNwVdWKBXr6UMJUajlOE5hMncvbLQiy8GLodrZPkmoN38PCjZ1_8WQWJzStnHUqsd926i9CTGKb1R0hGfaLi6vESsm8IkqZEnai41aDGyv/s1600/IMG_3545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAFQ19zyzcQkJh-_kV5LblmJtrWQNwVdWKBXr6UMJUajlOE5hMncvbLQiy8GLodrZPkmoN38PCjZ1_8WQWJzStnHUqsd926i9CTGKb1R0hGfaLi6vESsm8IkqZEnai41aDGyv/s1600/IMG_3545.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top stitch over the folded edge down one side...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEBPxfay7vI0O-h1Cue-AJeDPFCeqvpyhzUo4BSKel4sVYDPgb07j9T5yHpR7AWiIXYv-sVJxaSTpZ5JqPGL6sPmY4x1pHBssm-XYPFqH71tX22OC31HOJviflPI8NYYTbVZu/s1600/IMG_3546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEBPxfay7vI0O-h1Cue-AJeDPFCeqvpyhzUo4BSKel4sVYDPgb07j9T5yHpR7AWiIXYv-sVJxaSTpZ5JqPGL6sPmY4x1pHBssm-XYPFqH71tX22OC31HOJviflPI8NYYTbVZu/s1600/IMG_3546.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...around the bottom and back up the other side.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: blue;">[If you're adding boning, you only have about an inch to work with for bones and grommets. Place your bones (10 inches long) very close to the seam, refold the outer fold, and stitch your channel. I did not add boning.]</span><br />
<br />
Next, we're going to sew the outer fold. Start at the edge of the slit and sew across the top, down the side, around the bottom, back up the other side, and across the other top. Sew very close to the fold again. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuxw_bB_LdU5dVb7zQpY7cpSxQ-d5-kl5TN_snrGTmLp_YrZU2U6zvsyDWr7lXzkFLavZMk-SG-rMXGKzDvK7l1-YMpx9S9R4GqPi7W26_SjqK483zT_8EDWTFyi-wzvwwCPe/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuxw_bB_LdU5dVb7zQpY7cpSxQ-d5-kl5TN_snrGTmLp_YrZU2U6zvsyDWr7lXzkFLavZMk-SG-rMXGKzDvK7l1-YMpx9S9R4GqPi7W26_SjqK483zT_8EDWTFyi-wzvwwCPe/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing the outer fold, where we turned under the raw edges.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The addition of the front
facing here not only allows you to hem that center slit, but also gives a
more sturdy, multi-fabric layer area for grommets. You should have about one inch from seam to seam here. We'll take care of the grommets later.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14bPALybDhkBHLe1jJMeMpgHyA5NsY4oWGiLsHptQ95kdJWMejjNDvQwoQmOZ9zrt15kRm5xkyTUNhF39NTdM5_3qZoHyj5EZoI8HOS9aM9nmdwaHdpkw2tS6oxi5RGcupPem/s1600/IMG_3549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14bPALybDhkBHLe1jJMeMpgHyA5NsY4oWGiLsHptQ95kdJWMejjNDvQwoQmOZ9zrt15kRm5xkyTUNhF39NTdM5_3qZoHyj5EZoI8HOS9aM9nmdwaHdpkw2tS6oxi5RGcupPem/s1600/IMG_3549.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished slit from the front.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now all the pieces we cut in step one are sewn together! <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_15.html" target="_blank">Coming up</a>: sleeve cuffs, side seams, neckline, hem, grommets, done! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-51696224717238187822015-03-08T12:00:00.000-04:002015-03-15T11:13:48.601-04:00No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise Tutorial Part 2If you followed along with me <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial.html" target="_blank">last time</a>, you should have nine pieces that don't resemble a chemise: a front piece and a back piece, two identical sleeves, four identical sleeve gussets, and a front facing. Now it's time to sew everything together! I'm calling this my Wing-it Chemise because I really am just guessing at the whole thing. While I can follow a sewing pattern, I feel like I sew better this way.<br />
<br />
Part of my costume research involved learning about Elizabethan seams. Generally and in a nutshell, each separate piece would be hemmed around all edges and then the appropriate edges would be whip-stitched together. I am using a sewing machine for this as I just don't have time to do it all by hand, but we can get the basic look of Elizabethan seams (and increase the life of our garment) with a machine too. If you have an overlock machine and want to skip hemming the seams for the Elizabethan look, go for it. I'm using a half inch seam allowance unless otherwise noted. <br />
<br />
First and with right sides together, sew the long, straight edge of the sleeves to the 10 inch diagonal
cut on the front piece. Leave about half an inch at the bottom of this seam (where the front piece turns towards the rest of the body) unsewn to make adding the gusset easier. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9mDeNWJ8bocWScPtAcx16ih-JeZRaWXNbjGAjEmvhN6sIEtNkPIDO_ra80VkvxMP9Kvpnhqnz3CbKw5-Fi84uiUmJEDdSa1ZikCUjWAFq02jwVIZ9hhphoIa_mCwam0uRy1n/s1600/IMG_3520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9mDeNWJ8bocWScPtAcx16ih-JeZRaWXNbjGAjEmvhN6sIEtNkPIDO_ra80VkvxMP9Kvpnhqnz3CbKw5-Fi84uiUmJEDdSa1ZikCUjWAFq02jwVIZ9hhphoIa_mCwam0uRy1n/s1600/IMG_3520.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin the front piece to the sleeve, along that 10 inch triangle we cut off for shaping.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1voBKY8cwZpzGlm_CgdwCNxvuTzUVpVUhuWKmBcq9fHZ9VoaZSWjv0iaQ1Apyak2HdB_j09yyub1rqs_g7vO8_yxkuSZzoa9Oi3EIHXb2opgusJNNCjbRklOMdNGspFaCjI1/s1600/IMG_3522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1voBKY8cwZpzGlm_CgdwCNxvuTzUVpVUhuWKmBcq9fHZ9VoaZSWjv0iaQ1Apyak2HdB_j09yyub1rqs_g7vO8_yxkuSZzoa9Oi3EIHXb2opgusJNNCjbRklOMdNGspFaCjI1/s1600/IMG_3522.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sew! 1/2 inch seam allowance.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pin the gusset to the base of this seam, one
edge will be on the body piece and one on the sleeve piece with the
point of the gusset where the shoulder seam ends. Work slowly here, and
sew the gusset to the body and sleeve - take care to make sure the
fabric is flat on the bottom with as few little folds or accidental
darts as possible. You will probably have at least one accidental dart,
but that's okay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2FejAgYRiU0w5SHW3KXEtP1q265v_8VNP3mXvMeShwqXoYlEri8gG4JAgDQnNacAX6hqrNLKtCPg1mBDGx9q93iFoDScchRG5s5kbmjR_sPavpltG0WNIW0BWuhEP06Ege94/s1600/IMG_3524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2FejAgYRiU0w5SHW3KXEtP1q265v_8VNP3mXvMeShwqXoYlEri8gG4JAgDQnNacAX6hqrNLKtCPg1mBDGx9q93iFoDScchRG5s5kbmjR_sPavpltG0WNIW0BWuhEP06Ege94/s1600/IMG_3524.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pinning the sleeve gusset. The center point should be at the base of the shoulder seam.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEv9Mq1RLvQQ9R_353Os1kNtd7rvF5mFl1u5ZJqk9OWcd-ZxMwDrGlT4te9H9ffW1TXYW6iJxDaEYaBmvUYWg3lB0PntB7DtOLNTg4YofdNQh8Js_ypPeeUllMrZ8_xomsCz0Z/s1600/IMG_3525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEv9Mq1RLvQQ9R_353Os1kNtd7rvF5mFl1u5ZJqk9OWcd-ZxMwDrGlT4te9H9ffW1TXYW6iJxDaEYaBmvUYWg3lB0PntB7DtOLNTg4YofdNQh8Js_ypPeeUllMrZ8_xomsCz0Z/s1600/IMG_3525.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing the gusset. Work slow, make sure you don't have any wrinkles underneath.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBgx6ZKSc5MfskzwiBKLVnKZW8c8g_NtjpOtYbYiRGaV2G_3G3xYVbnl8_s0Vf16LSDQLOA7f1cA8SeMe5cEMSEti_vm1024hNJn6vrn7NjvuFVyCoJY2DqIOH8DE-w2hYHaq/s1600/IMG_3527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBgx6ZKSc5MfskzwiBKLVnKZW8c8g_NtjpOtYbYiRGaV2G_3G3xYVbnl8_s0Vf16LSDQLOA7f1cA8SeMe5cEMSEti_vm1024hNJn6vrn7NjvuFVyCoJY2DqIOH8DE-w2hYHaq/s1600/IMG_3527.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what the shoulder seam and two gusset seams looks like from the front. <br />
There is a tiny dart in there. These are bound to happen.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To achieve the Elizabethan seam look, press these
seams open, turn under the raw edges and press again, then straight
stitch down the folds. Work slowly here as well, making sure you are as
close to the edge of the fold as possible without going off. I suggest
sewing the part of the seam that faces towards the gussets and the
shoulder seams at this step. Leave the rest of the gusset seams (the
part that would be sewn to the sleeve piece and body piece) for later.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgisUu0kHmCz1uAvq4KJQzWIwNEI0hHGQOnR9c6zXlJ11lr9Qiy3KUynBV8vBq04Nh23Qs0FJFD8h-KuZnhwnTAR9AQBjXCV6IAzQZaVD5AXIxHEQRhJFyqnBEtL2oobQkSbOV/s1600/IMG_3528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgisUu0kHmCz1uAvq4KJQzWIwNEI0hHGQOnR9c6zXlJ11lr9Qiy3KUynBV8vBq04Nh23Qs0FJFD8h-KuZnhwnTAR9AQBjXCV6IAzQZaVD5AXIxHEQRhJFyqnBEtL2oobQkSbOV/s1600/IMG_3528.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open the seams and fold under the raw edge. Sew slowly on the fold. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RQsdmYtsmGGITLQHjcLF2oqXL5a8GzL_-ucqb86dwTfDW3UuSThAXvG9ZfMqz6BArbPqeikJwWBSdSlhL_eE-TYEMKa7rCQ69nRexdN4oZmYGtQXAnpnZKMATks-Eat69XRw/s1600/IMG_3529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RQsdmYtsmGGITLQHjcLF2oqXL5a8GzL_-ucqb86dwTfDW3UuSThAXvG9ZfMqz6BArbPqeikJwWBSdSlhL_eE-TYEMKa7rCQ69nRexdN4oZmYGtQXAnpnZKMATks-Eat69XRw/s1600/IMG_3529.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is about what an Elizabethan seam looks like from the front. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYatsyZLj8-CJNE9UJWZ29zakh72tC9ziR3fjsfuQ1EVJjGnb6qNpufPYv65LOoyHhyi1Lw6tUUZrasWDu_p7EO4Yqf31y_sLpLrLB1pcmclxzSFcJLfluUiWzu9GNF21B-6Cr/s1600/IMG_3530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYatsyZLj8-CJNE9UJWZ29zakh72tC9ziR3fjsfuQ1EVJjGnb6qNpufPYv65LOoyHhyi1Lw6tUUZrasWDu_p7EO4Yqf31y_sLpLrLB1pcmclxzSFcJLfluUiWzu9GNF21B-6Cr/s1600/IMG_3530.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing gusset seams. Only work in towards the gusset for now.<br />
We'll take care of that other half of the seam later.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Repeat these steps on the other three sleeve edges. I found that completing one side at a time made it easier to fumble around with all that fabric. I sewed the sleeves onto the front piece first and then to the back one at a time, finishing seams as I went along. Be careful that your garment doesn't get all twisted up. Take your time to make sure you really do have right sides together and are matching the correct sleeve side to the correct front or back shoulder. <br />
<br />
You now have a vaguely dress-shaped, open-sided tube. Good job! <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFCaIl_TGFByPkJoREBUddjMMVx6bXvnZsv6IuOz_778VfH5AEof0qKJPwyM-nVtNOI07bPeI65flGKne3aLqCv8yPp3mKA7a4_V2pL0s28jGMT1sefri-39CDXWMqkVT3Pf0/s1600/IMG_3533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFCaIl_TGFByPkJoREBUddjMMVx6bXvnZsv6IuOz_778VfH5AEof0qKJPwyM-nVtNOI07bPeI65flGKne3aLqCv8yPp3mKA7a4_V2pL0s28jGMT1sefri-39CDXWMqkVT3Pf0/s1600/IMG_3533.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vaguely dress-shaped thing that is way too big!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Next, let's handle the front facing. I took a lot of pictures for this part to help you through, so I'm going to put it in its own post. Come back <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_11.html" target="_blank">next time</a>! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-27433839865399097162015-03-05T13:34:00.000-05:002015-03-18T10:30:29.670-04:00No-Pattern Wing-it Chemise Tutorial Part 1Spring is fast approaching (though not fast enough!) and with it comes the start of my Renaissance Festival seasons! The first is at the end of April, the little faire my work puts on for the third year running. We have some great performers coming out this year, and I might even get a chance to train a cast! Right after that is the Virginia Renaissance Faire. I'm not actually working it this year because of Poppyseed. May-ish is the start of my third trimester, you see, and the potential for dehydration is just too great. That being said, I still plan to go once or twice. And then there is the Maryland Renaissance Festival in the fall. I'm also not working there this year, as it will be right after Poppyseed is born and I just can't promise the time. I was hoping to bring Poppyseed around, but Beloved and I discussed it and determined that it's way too dangerous for a couple-month old. That doesn't mean that I can't still visit for a bit if I get the chance.<br />
<br />
All of this means I need some new garb! Nothing in my current faire wardrobe is going to fit in April and May and I'm probably not going to be back to my size in September or October yet either. I want an outfit that can grow with me, shrink down to a post-baby me, and maybe even open up for breast feeding. I don't have anything like that in my current closet, so I'm going to have to make it. I used what I had and what I've researched and what I've seen other people wear at historical faires to base this design: which will be a chemise and a front lace kirtle. I have a pattern that will need adapting for the kirtle, but nothing for the chemise. I'm calling this my Wing-it Chemise. Follow along with me! <br />
<br />
Now, I have a lovely chemise in my closet that probably would fit a pregnant belly and can be pulled over the shoulders (or lower for breastfeeding), but the fabric is a little sheer and I'd definitely need a full-coverage overdress to protect my modesty. Not wanting to make a full-coverage overdress that does all the things I need maternity garb to do, I decided on just an opaque chemise, based on this sheer one I currently have. I picked this lovely teal linen blend. It may be hot in the spring, but I think I can open it up enough to get some air flow going, and I plan to make it very generous in size - probably more than I need - which will also help for the air flow.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiP8RT03geTF4aGlExwz0uEnquGaa2hTDPWVrn7vwAu8queVoIxxLmSI24LwEfnsakBfuDj8mx32COChaXxH57WvlMB892CmzV3_gdNimO7veR4EAf6heKl_JoefhyG5b0MRQ/s1600/IMG_3508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiP8RT03geTF4aGlExwz0uEnquGaa2hTDPWVrn7vwAu8queVoIxxLmSI24LwEfnsakBfuDj8mx32COChaXxH57WvlMB892CmzV3_gdNimO7veR4EAf6heKl_JoefhyG5b0MRQ/s1600/IMG_3508.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QIWRn4QtHt73hJTjnAPZjMVN4sl-4OQMU-rkH334IpBFec9c3rpl3GKjZVruBjZGGlLmppdE63XDWkNzqTD9ALFmmA0xAo_qd3s-n5FP5ZHtjileHtxtLyGCpKpeiFEYTF9E/s1600/IMG_3517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Start with 4 yards of 51 inch linen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvRbjmaLvRH1Mhexuag1n4YY7N8_K1jyc0FjOdbUIf6yBCmkxw0QuX7IWBsZjbFF6UQ5F3cTTQUSRmG_1klh7Wdii1G67oHBbddDLkjXM56a4A77fE0RGAtd28oXlDdnZ9qjA/s1600/IMG_3509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvRbjmaLvRH1Mhexuag1n4YY7N8_K1jyc0FjOdbUIf6yBCmkxw0QuX7IWBsZjbFF6UQ5F3cTTQUSRmG_1klh7Wdii1G67oHBbddDLkjXM56a4A77fE0RGAtd28oXlDdnZ9qjA/s1600/IMG_3509.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Measure the existing garment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The first step is to measure the components of the chemise I have. It
has an elastic neckline which makes this a little difficult, but not too
bad. Yes, I plan to use elastic for the new chemise too. No, it's not period, but it will serve my purpose. The bottom hem is 96 inches total with two side seams, so 48
inches seam to seam with a front and a back piece. Shoulder to hem is
also about 48 inches (near as I can tell from the elastic). So, I need
two 48 x 48 square pieces of fabric for the front and back, not
accounting for seam allowance, elastic neckline, or hem. The width of my
linen is 51 inches, and I cut two pieces 50 inches long.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4uiJHUZqRghOLNrWuiXqTMdIrVsQBjL5h4UnwhHgIzkjrnI6CAm2P209ZMoXQaAXDb-UmMPgtVpWegadcbnHN0FFlJcEg_R1vuN7yJi-hrO4eWKEsDvOFa-vq6Qqj7c3dk0k/s1600/IMG_3510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4uiJHUZqRghOLNrWuiXqTMdIrVsQBjL5h4UnwhHgIzkjrnI6CAm2P209ZMoXQaAXDb-UmMPgtVpWegadcbnHN0FFlJcEg_R1vuN7yJi-hrO4eWKEsDvOFa-vq6Qqj7c3dk0k/s1600/IMG_3510.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut two for body, for front and back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next, I measured the sleeves. This was also difficult as the top of the
sleeve was part of the elastic neckline, and the cuff also had elastic.
The sleeve was about 24.5 inches from neckline to cuff, so I cut my
linen 30 inches long to have some extra to work with for adding elastic.
I made a mistake at this next part, I measured the width of the sleeve,
but I didn't stretch out the gauzy material. I cut my linen 18 inches
wide, which falls short of the 22 inches in the original by quite a bit.
I think it will still fit around my arms, but it won't be as loose as I
want it. Not perfect, but it will work. With elastic at the cuffs, I'll
still be able to push the sleeves up to my elbows for air if I need it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCyL11UZF_6PXNxWLPqrnu1upieFM56m1vdA0L5K0TOeooHTqWF-YqbbPnqSFH05MGnuXYyRaZU1pTUTT7ypGBcELDyXPi7y-tINKv5TOvJzcUrh9PyrNeowOIq8e3-KB35NQ/s1600/IMG_3511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCyL11UZF_6PXNxWLPqrnu1upieFM56m1vdA0L5K0TOeooHTqWF-YqbbPnqSFH05MGnuXYyRaZU1pTUTT7ypGBcELDyXPi7y-tINKv5TOvJzcUrh9PyrNeowOIq8e3-KB35NQ/s1600/IMG_3511.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut two for sleeves, left and right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Once I realized that the sleeves aren't the width of my original, I thought it would be best to add a gusset under the arms for some more room. This style of gusset comes from a pattern I found for a smock made from an existing 16th century garment. Cut two squares, about 6 inches, and then cut them along the diagonal, so you are left with 4 triangles. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPfESLITLWimI-0_V0eit1AhKpeVUhoAcUqKVK7Z8Abcuod_1PJJadB5JoSkgIvahVXdmvlqc4rQIovToUxOMDyxkcxxS6lKXJRjE2O152aVOaUjrWDm6cPz3jFSX98rXrEpL/s1600/IMG_3518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPfESLITLWimI-0_V0eit1AhKpeVUhoAcUqKVK7Z8Abcuod_1PJJadB5JoSkgIvahVXdmvlqc4rQIovToUxOMDyxkcxxS6lKXJRjE2O152aVOaUjrWDm6cPz3jFSX98rXrEpL/s1600/IMG_3518.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut two 6x6 squares for gussets...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdeXzm7iS_z-K_g9wmEdpyaAKUsOyClgc8tfaUJJrqTiWqHmjErNhsyXp6JEkHH9ifZlYonIiy-FBuU0XWWYLqaVvxdpeHiotDUqjeS08tSEfdQ70Cysy8OFq0rDyBwJFje6Y/s1600/IMG_3519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdeXzm7iS_z-K_g9wmEdpyaAKUsOyClgc8tfaUJJrqTiWqHmjErNhsyXp6JEkHH9ifZlYonIiy-FBuU0XWWYLqaVvxdpeHiotDUqjeS08tSEfdQ70Cysy8OFq0rDyBwJFje6Y/s1600/IMG_3519.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and then cut those on the diagonal to make 4 triangles.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The chemise has a bit of fitting around the shoulder seams and I think
that's very important for the shape. I'm not following this fitting
exactly, but I'll fudge it a little bit. I cut off a triangle from all
four top corners of the front and back pieces, about 9x5x10 inches
(where 10 is the length of the cut) for shape.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ArarqEuZwJSF4Q2Wn0WCzHLnH3JHklgUWqiduXKPkQ4dKiZphL-q6mb7lUkNpYRCnt2b_zTU8jWUSQTqeoO0dQyCB5oBArs5SfzzquFFG5kh9LCeyvXFGbsdpSpfi5fioXyX/s1600/IMG_3512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ArarqEuZwJSF4Q2Wn0WCzHLnH3JHklgUWqiduXKPkQ4dKiZphL-q6mb7lUkNpYRCnt2b_zTU8jWUSQTqeoO0dQyCB5oBArs5SfzzquFFG5kh9LCeyvXFGbsdpSpfi5fioXyX/s1600/IMG_3512.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four cuts here, one on each top corner of the front and back pieces, for shaping around the shoulders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Since I also want to be able to open up for breastfeeding,
I knew I needed a slit and probably some lacing in the middle of the
front piece. There is a small slit in my existing chemise, but it is
only about 6 inches from the neckline. I think a full 10 inches will
serve me better. This part took some noodling. Assuming I'll need 3
inches for the elastic neckline (folding over an inch and a half to
create a small ruffle and the channel for the elastic will eat up 3
inches from the edge), I cut a 13 inch slit down the front. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAXBfzgfWvVCF96lHvv_sQyLe5R36MCCfEJONcV-Q9yOHcZOlhyphenhyphenL3bF7jwD9K4Ov9q4TuHwEGU_MzlJdMMwIXJAIMFu_ROCsy477noLtFmFkcc81etkSDoXs0TMOGfFxmxCJb/s1600/IMG_3513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAXBfzgfWvVCF96lHvv_sQyLe5R36MCCfEJONcV-Q9yOHcZOlhyphenhyphenL3bF7jwD9K4Ov9q4TuHwEGU_MzlJdMMwIXJAIMFu_ROCsy477noLtFmFkcc81etkSDoXs0TMOGfFxmxCJb/s1600/IMG_3513.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slit down the front.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In order to
hem this edge, I'll need to add a small facing piece. I cut a piece 3x12
inches and 10.5 inches down the middle. I'll get to how this piece
works when we start sewing. <b>[IMPORTANT NOTE! <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_18.html" target="_blank">Later</a>, I extend this front facing because it's too short. Cut your piece 3x15 to skip the extra step!]</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa_58HQRQy1ZdyVXw9asgYTbScyhoyMalgfgBsXbVT5SYGA8ouFEnq1JnrikuWy3iq5yTZOvXlTek5_Mw_NStj26zSe_5B3DimXqLidbtrJDXuf-XwmbFsHfRhrGxNSWMlt88/s1600/IMG_3514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEa_58HQRQy1ZdyVXw9asgYTbScyhoyMalgfgBsXbVT5SYGA8ouFEnq1JnrikuWy3iq5yTZOvXlTek5_Mw_NStj26zSe_5B3DimXqLidbtrJDXuf-XwmbFsHfRhrGxNSWMlt88/s1600/IMG_3514.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One small piece for the front slit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And that's all the cutting! DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR SCRAPS! We might need some extra pieces as we work, so hold on to those bits! If you're following along, you should have nine pieces of fabric: two front and back pieces (identical except for the front slit), two identical
sleeves, four identical sleeve gussets, and one small front facing. <a href="http://fyrecreek.blogspot.com/2015/03/no-pattern-wing-it-chemise-tutorial_8.html" target="_blank">Next time</a>, sewing it all together!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QIWRn4QtHt73hJTjnAPZjMVN4sl-4OQMU-rkH334IpBFec9c3rpl3GKjZVruBjZGGlLmppdE63XDWkNzqTD9ALFmmA0xAo_qd3s-n5FP5ZHtjileHtxtLyGCpKpeiFEYTF9E/s1600/IMG_3517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QIWRn4QtHt73hJTjnAPZjMVN4sl-4OQMU-rkH334IpBFec9c3rpl3GKjZVruBjZGGlLmppdE63XDWkNzqTD9ALFmmA0xAo_qd3s-n5FP5ZHtjileHtxtLyGCpKpeiFEYTF9E/s1600/IMG_3517.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the cut pieces!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-92206617810467796252015-03-02T09:31:00.000-05:002015-03-02T09:31:21.176-05:00One More ThingI've been trying to get you, dear readers, all caught up on the past few months. Lots of exciting things have been happening and I have been busy dealing with that rather than writing. I always promise I'll do better, and usually do for a little bit. I can't promise that this time. You see...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAORVTfKGP2AmDtg4BpMMFk7jkH9jGhE1jZPgHTkUaj-Tsk5aI8jkq14QDcsHN-JiOHf5vM4sBAlWXSWACN93dPde0PC4cY0TVzoMUNg7VUHDQSV7FNNkzs6PF7qx8KuuOQHGh/s1600/GnomeBabyAnnouncement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAORVTfKGP2AmDtg4BpMMFk7jkH9jGhE1jZPgHTkUaj-Tsk5aI8jkq14QDcsHN-JiOHf5vM4sBAlWXSWACN93dPde0PC4cY0TVzoMUNg7VUHDQSV7FNNkzs6PF7qx8KuuOQHGh/s1600/GnomeBabyAnnouncement.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's true! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm feeling fine at the moment. I'm tired of getting up in the night every few hours to use the bathroom. I'm starting to get some heartburn. I still have bouts of nausea, but not actually vomiting. All that being said, I kinda love being pregnant! More than that, I love that it means my beloved husband and I will welcome a new little life into our family this summer. Everyone has a silly nickname for their growing baby. We call ours Poppyseed, because that's the size she was when we found out she was there. She's way bigger than a poppy seed now, but I'm not going to start calling her turnip! <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JLf6Xomih3c4DDLWV65zk1b6NKnA0tZryX0D6N-eiH2qEnomUzQpDa_RZXx_xm-d_COGkQE-HWLagEkBkweQlDVkAbsCL0VQA5m24elV9_cgeXe4MgmKeGlC_GmvD7JFQ9ji/s1600/16weekbump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JLf6Xomih3c4DDLWV65zk1b6NKnA0tZryX0D6N-eiH2qEnomUzQpDa_RZXx_xm-d_COGkQE-HWLagEkBkweQlDVkAbsCL0VQA5m24elV9_cgeXe4MgmKeGlC_GmvD7JFQ9ji/s1600/16weekbump.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little 16 week bump</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is me at 16 weeks. Not much of a baby bump yet, but it's there. Still lots more growing to do. Pregnancy isn't really nine months by the way they count it, it's really more like ten months (40 weeks). We're almost halfway! Some new blood sample screening told us that we're at a low risk for chromosome disorders and we're having a girl. There is a chance this screening could be wrong on all levels, but they're usually pretty reliable. My beloved really wants a girl, so I'm very happy he'll get to experience that special bond between dads and daughters, like I have with my dad.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Rh3KqBIlv_GIjw_Osy-5sl-Z95bh6X3j8ymf3RvjnDI8I3q3ZfkirU0XANEFsqARXGU-wVKgH5A60PM1jWrBIo-C17fNGFOT-n_yEyp3KxFzdzjdSFtg58XuYexxQYWJzatm/s1600/firstBabypicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Rh3KqBIlv_GIjw_Osy-5sl-Z95bh6X3j8ymf3RvjnDI8I3q3ZfkirU0XANEFsqARXGU-wVKgH5A60PM1jWrBIo-C17fNGFOT-n_yEyp3KxFzdzjdSFtg58XuYexxQYWJzatm/s1600/firstBabypicture.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Live Long and Prosper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is my very first baby picture! Lookit! I'm Vulcan! But the really special thing is that I still have that dress. I put it on my Cabbage Patch babies as a little girl until I saw this picture and realized that dress was mine. I put it on a little hanger and stashed it in the back of my closet with my Christening gown, which I also still have. No, I'm not a fan of pink and, yes, that dress is pink. I don't care. The fact that my first dress might be my daughter's first dress too is just more awesome than I have words!<br />
<br />
So, I think that's everything. All caught up! <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-39992566426982653912015-02-28T07:35:00.001-05:002015-02-28T07:35:59.970-05:00A Magical HoneymoonOur honeymoon did not start off magical. We were flying out of DC on Sunday night, the day after the wedding. They had some silly mechanical
problem that delayed us an hour and a half, so we were arriving in
Boston while our plane to Dublin was taking off. We wandered around the
airport for a good 2 hours (including waiting for shuttles to take us to
other parts of the airport) trying to figure out what to do. First we
went to the Aer Lingus desks, but they were all gone for the day. Then
we went to information who told us to head back to baggage claim and
find out where our luggage is. We found out that Aer Lingus had our
luggage locked away and put us on the next flight across the pond at 6
pm the next day - 21 hours after the flight we were supposed to be on.
They finally got a manager who got us a hotel room and a couple
overnight packs of things like toothpaste and a toothbrush and
deodorant. We had to make a 2 minute call to the hotel in Dublin to let
them know we were going to be a day late and please don't give our room
away. That call cost $14. <br />
<br />
Monday morning! It's kinda sucky to be promised Dublin and get Boston.
We checked out, took the free shuttle back to the airport (where the Aer
Lingus people probably wouldn't be in until 3 or 4), took the free
shuttle to the train station in the city, found a place in the bus
terminal to check our carry ons ($20) and wandered around Boston Common
in the rain. We only had a few hours to kill, so we didn't do much but
walk around. We collected our bags and paid for the bus back to the
airport where we were finally able to check in. It wasn't a fun day,
really. I know it wasn't Boston's fault, but the experience hasn't
really warmed me up to that city. We're going to take a weekend to
really explore Boston someday, when we have no where else to go and
hopefully when it's less wet. And now we're finally on the plane and off
to Dublin!<br />
<br />
Tuesday morning lands in Dublin! We confirmed our reservation for the
car and found a bus that took us close to the hotel. The hotel was nice;
it was really an apartment with a little kitchen and living room, and a
separate bedroom. We napped for a couple hours and hit the streets. We
wandered about a bit- found a church that was near the hotel that made a
good landmark and walked pass the Christ Church Cathedral (a friendly
local with an amazingly thick accent guessed that was where
we were headed and pointed us that way. We were really just looking at
the map to get our bearings, but it was nice someone offered to help all
the same.) before making our way to the Old Jameson Distillery. As a
whiskey lover, I really wanted to see that place! On the tour, the guide
picked 8 people to do a comparison taste test with Jameson, Johnny
Walker Black, and Jack Daniels. Jameson was definitely the best, and I
say that completely independent of the fact that I was in a Jameson
museum at the time (Makers Mark 64 is still my favorite whiskey, for the
record). <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUm-YRE9WqIfQOOIngUGkZvY98yUhKh29OmoQweg7krlETABDFJCwcrbxQ1OpliEyAlyIjbZqN9AmrX-OjZyWIPIQmmOq15TZvzCUNKbfP7BwxeDjakfeFs6Cz_IcbGJVTa3x/s1600/IlluminatedWhiskey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUm-YRE9WqIfQOOIngUGkZvY98yUhKh29OmoQweg7krlETABDFJCwcrbxQ1OpliEyAlyIjbZqN9AmrX-OjZyWIPIQmmOq15TZvzCUNKbfP7BwxeDjakfeFs6Cz_IcbGJVTa3x/s1600/IlluminatedWhiskey.JPG" height="283" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Illuminated Jameson</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We headed to Trinity College and the Book of Kells exhibit in the Old
Library after that. It was amazing, and that library seriously belongs
in a fairy tale castle. We wandered after that and got thoroughly lost.
We ended up in a very residential area and all the helpful tourist signs
were no where to be seen! We wandered some more and realized that we
were heading in the wrong direction (we had walked completely off our
map!). Both of us had to pee really bad. We finally saw a church spire
and headed for it, hoping it was the church near our hotel. At a glance
it looked like it. We stopped in a pub for their bathroom and a pint (no
restrooms without purchase!) then went out to the church and realized
it wasn't the one by the hotel after all. However, we were back in the
touristy area and there was a map that directed us back to the right
church.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktkvGNyz-xxWKXt33Lau1HOLyWXb16Ghyphenhyphen5lM5E6tuGCmVGmlhy5b_z41YHYVLrbDhXolRhEicpHQm1-S26JITs-tZdyDJTy9RaLKkHPEzywKKpWfexdMZPz2wf1UTHWEtCkPC/s1600/OldLibrary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktkvGNyz-xxWKXt33Lau1HOLyWXb16Ghyphenhyphen5lM5E6tuGCmVGmlhy5b_z41YHYVLrbDhXolRhEicpHQm1-S26JITs-tZdyDJTy9RaLKkHPEzywKKpWfexdMZPz2wf1UTHWEtCkPC/s1600/OldLibrary.JPG" height="229" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old Library at Trinity College</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We dropped off the days purchases and the big fancy camera at the hotel
and went out for dinner. We found a place in Temple Bar (big touristy
place, but a lot of fun) and had an awesome dinner. According to an app
on my phone, we walked 10 miles that day! Yay, adventure! <br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVQniNvVAYV3RALxOevhN3rKF1nDXkqjqSUBne_E3MO0JvfORbLzngOC1zo3ThOw7-epccTIQeDbPrt_cObCJqeVBPGKduAvA2-X7WtmQweEVcC0vhnjJyy7NLOgIIS55TerQ/s1600/MostAwesomeDinner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVQniNvVAYV3RALxOevhN3rKF1nDXkqjqSUBne_E3MO0JvfORbLzngOC1zo3ThOw7-epccTIQeDbPrt_cObCJqeVBPGKduAvA2-X7WtmQweEVcC0vhnjJyy7NLOgIIS55TerQ/s1600/MostAwesomeDinner.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Delicious meal after a day of adventure!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Because of the lost day on Monday, we decided to make our trip out west a
day trip instead of a two night trip, so we got our hotel room for two
more nights and were picking up the car Wednesday morning. The hotel had
a garage too, so it was very convenient to park for a day. <br />
<br />
Wednesday! Neither of us got up before noon even though my husband was
planning on picking up the car around 8 or 9. That didn't happen. He got
back around 3 or so and we headed out to lunch and the Guinness
Storehouse. While we were headed in what we thought was the right
direction, I asked to check the map and another friendly local with a
less thick accent asked if we were looking for Guinness and pointed to
the sign where we needed to turn (seriously, the people in Ireland were
awesome everywhere). Almost there, we ran into some people who asked us
if we were from here because they were looking for something. "No, but
we have a map," we say. "It wouldn't be on the map," they say, "we're
looking for the oldest pub in Ireland." They meant the Brazen Head, and
it was right across the road where we had lunch. Yay, I can help like a
local! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOebqjyFUaiTtZerwtxtaitpRuOxA8CbHzZdl7Fb7bEtH5CHpbm6eMGZ6LI5RCiPmWaDNuT5tSZhHkMDqdonw9o7fgOVYnwV4oozLxiKdicGeTv5iWqGjvNiMrgh3Ev7kJrGJ/s1600/IrelandsOldestPub.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOebqjyFUaiTtZerwtxtaitpRuOxA8CbHzZdl7Fb7bEtH5CHpbm6eMGZ6LI5RCiPmWaDNuT5tSZhHkMDqdonw9o7fgOVYnwV4oozLxiKdicGeTv5iWqGjvNiMrgh3Ev7kJrGJ/s1600/IrelandsOldestPub.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Brazen Head, Ireland's Oldest Pub</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The Museum closes at 7, so we didn't have a lot of time to go through
the self-guided tour. We did manage to make it for the last Guinness
tasting of the night and the last 'pour the perfect pint' class. That
place was pretty neat, even though we only saw half of it. It was
pouring rain by the time we got out so we picked up dinner at Subway (I
know, I know!) and headed back to the hotel for the night. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUY0ujZ1aNJyFWT6pxUG7cFqQLTYXoKWRkb04GsLm4TprkYQNNB12yYBWFbiA2O_P6iNgBsDXMXE2N8FztSOAvYtNxYMkAkm8ZlbEYAm_a5g9ScAn37ZcYsbwYPrgQqsBv8lK3/s1600/PourthePint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUY0ujZ1aNJyFWT6pxUG7cFqQLTYXoKWRkb04GsLm4TprkYQNNB12yYBWFbiA2O_P6iNgBsDXMXE2N8FztSOAvYtNxYMkAkm8ZlbEYAm_a5g9ScAn37ZcYsbwYPrgQqsBv8lK3/s1600/PourthePint.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pouring the Perfect Pint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BDv-Ow-wAXxDwXirqVCRh2TYkUaKtWe2_NBEtc4G5XnYubEN0bgYAiMuJGbh-w0GZZwr3gAzjQSdupl_78XpksbPIH89R6IJv2jR_DvLZ0JWjAvxkJ9spuACgWXahZr8kVbF/s1600/MyGuinness.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BDv-Ow-wAXxDwXirqVCRh2TYkUaKtWe2_NBEtc4G5XnYubEN0bgYAiMuJGbh-w0GZZwr3gAzjQSdupl_78XpksbPIH89R6IJv2jR_DvLZ0JWjAvxkJ9spuACgWXahZr8kVbF/s1600/MyGuinness.JPG" height="198" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put yourself in a Guinness ad!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thursday! Up early for a good ole Irish breakfast (Irish bacon is some
serious bacon!) then we hit a convenience store for supplies and started
driving. We rented a GPS with the car which ended up being awesome. We
had to look up how to get the car in reverse though, because husband
insisted on a manual transmission. The only problem with the drive west
was the fog. It was so thick we probably only had 10 yards of
visibility, if that, and that wasn't much at highway speeds. We didn't
see the toll plaza until we were right up on it. Thankfully, there were
not a lot of cars on the road. We got to Galway and walked for about 30
minutes (which was the length of time at the parking space we found).<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiJDhAC-MlkaYbzQ7FxWfKX7cVz6LPNtrfRF2UgQNXW0NlOFPcgrI5Pw8sx5PiQxczVm1kd3cnI9LXdW_msG17xBSzfUzxVfdaXU_3OYu-4RchcbT-5iQSsMmqwqE9Y4V5hzS/s1600/DrivinginFog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNiJDhAC-MlkaYbzQ7FxWfKX7cVz6LPNtrfRF2UgQNXW0NlOFPcgrI5Pw8sx5PiQxczVm1kd3cnI9LXdW_msG17xBSzfUzxVfdaXU_3OYu-4RchcbT-5iQSsMmqwqE9Y4V5hzS/s1600/DrivinginFog.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serious Fog</td></tr>
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<br />
It was impossible to see anything with that fog that seemed to just
stick to us out of Dublin. No beautiful countryside: all fog. I really
wanted to see the Cliffs of Moher, though, so we started driving south
from Galway, even though we probably wouldn't be able to see anything at
all in this fog. I came to the conclusion along that drive that Ireland
has one weather for the whole island - that day it was fog. Did I
mention the fog? Fog. Really fog. Everywhere fog. We drove up this
little mountain that defined hair pin turn, it was a little unnerving.
Yay, adventure. At this point in the drive, I was reflecting on some of
the other countries I have visited: like the moment in Paris where I put
my hand on a wall of Notre Dame Cathedral and almost started crying. I
was thinking about our trip to Ireland, the one place in the world I
want to see more than any other, and we had seen some very fun things,
but I didn't have a moment like that - where it was suddenly real and it
was suddenly magical that I was actually there. Why was this place,
where I most wanted to be, not like that? Then we crested a little hill
and the fog was gone. GONE! Rolling hills! Mountains in the distance!
Sheep! Cottages! The Atlantic Ocean! The Aran Islands! You could see the
fog behind us but the way ahead was clear, clear, clear. Clear and
beautiful. And I had my magical moment. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOZlUZltcSabE3GE03acoYTLbjs8W2bM4MgPqVvF_D-SF26530uIRfNryBI-ur_ZWNAtFOdi1BPre33tpjJfjJLe2cKM8h91iCpzKqEvh_gxTKlRpr_fCbvELsNDMGGmWVUgD/s1600/AcrossCaherbarnagh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOZlUZltcSabE3GE03acoYTLbjs8W2bM4MgPqVvF_D-SF26530uIRfNryBI-ur_ZWNAtFOdi1BPre33tpjJfjJLe2cKM8h91iCpzKqEvh_gxTKlRpr_fCbvELsNDMGGmWVUgD/s1600/AcrossCaherbarnagh.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suddenly, no fog! Just look at that countryside!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We got to the Cliffs and the guy at the gate was all "it's a really
beautiful, clear day!" and we were like, "we know, we just came out of
the fog!" and he laughed and said usually it's the opposite, foggy at
the cliffs and clear everywhere else. There was a little exhibit thing
inside one of the buildings about the cliffs and the ecosystem there and
it was all very neat, but I was worried the fog would catch up to us so
we didn't spend a lot of time inside. The view over the Atlantic was
awesome. We could see the fog rolling in over the Aran Islands. Ravens
were flying. I'm so glad we went. I'm so glad we weren't defeated by the
fog and changed our mind about trying the cliffs that day. Yay,
adventure!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mrnAoZW3ubjDaEV50VR2EBDN1GqKgypKDgfoKQGHucyK2goRtwWbPLYEICTCAcdcLd81-DDW5YkbHtTinECrOYb6EzvDDkgFtwrY3KspISsb0GVH71VDFl1pvDpY0I2r2uEh/s1600/CliffsofMoher4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mrnAoZW3ubjDaEV50VR2EBDN1GqKgypKDgfoKQGHucyK2goRtwWbPLYEICTCAcdcLd81-DDW5YkbHtTinECrOYb6EzvDDkgFtwrY3KspISsb0GVH71VDFl1pvDpY0I2r2uEh/s1600/CliffsofMoher4.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare</td></tr>
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<br />
Just as we were leaving, the fog caught up. It made for a not so fun
drive back, through Shannon and Limerick, in the dark and fog and rain.
We picked up a pizza (I know! But pizza with bacon on it in Ireland has
Irish bacon on it! Divine!) for dinner once we got back to Dublin
because we were tired and didn't want to get dolled up and go out again.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkwWNnvD8OEMu9o4pf9HwAQoNNSlu813fYtbZLasjOvM8-j8OdWXRELpsnSn1hg1T3CZt12xpRFtzcP75S_dzDxppspt6CNf5Gdr4Y_07GJM7sCj7IO6AkfMdGe2g1nTgLVyu/s1600/UsonCliffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkwWNnvD8OEMu9o4pf9HwAQoNNSlu813fYtbZLasjOvM8-j8OdWXRELpsnSn1hg1T3CZt12xpRFtzcP75S_dzDxppspt6CNf5Gdr4Y_07GJM7sCj7IO6AkfMdGe2g1nTgLVyu/s1600/UsonCliffs.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Cliffs of Moher, before the fog caught up to us!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Friday! Last morning in Ireland. Very sad. It was kind of rainy, but
less foggy. We had talked about walking around for one last bit, and I
thought about hitting the Distillery gift shop once more, but decided
against it lest we get lost again. We did walk to the convenience store
by the church for travel snacks and then headed to the airport. We had
to turn the car in at noon but our flight wasn't until 5. The airport in
Dublin is awesome in that you can go through US Customs right there
before leaving, making landing stateside way convenient. We did some
duty free shopping (because what else are we going to do waiting around
the airport?). The flight back was a little irritating. There were many
more people than on the flight over (where there were hardly any) and
this one lady who was sitting in front of me reclined her seat and then
moved to the seat next to husband which was a little closer to her
family - without putting her seat up! RUDE!!! Husband likes to tell
people that she was coughing and hacking the whole flight and "thanks
for sitting next to me with that." Yay, adventure. <br />
<br />
So, we land back in Boston. They wouldn't let us get out of the plane
for 20 minutes because of congestion in the terminal. Boston Logan, not a
fun place. The way this worked, since Aer Lingus is not a US carrier,
we had to leave the international area and go back in the domestic area.
We were worried that security would give us trouble with our duty free
purchases (whiskey!) even though they were in a sealed bag with the date
of purchase on the receipt clearly visible. There was a bit of a delay
there, but we got through. We checked at US Airways to make sure our
luggage was going to be on our flight. The guy looked confused as to why
we would bother to ask (because you loaded it on a different flight on
the way out and we wanted to make sure it would go through to DC with
us) but said it would be on the flight with us.<br />
<br />
Back to DC! We head to baggage claim! Our flight was on the monitors,
but it didn't list a carousel number- that was blank. So we wandered
through baggage claim for a bit and see nothing coming out. Husband went
to ask where our luggage was while I waited. The announcement said
something about a flight coming in from Tampa would be on carousel 7,
and a bunch of people gathered, then another traveler came up to them
and said the bags from Tampa were coming out on 11, though everyone
heard 7. This does not bode well. Husband said they told him our luggage
was coming out on 12, so we waited. Luggage came and people went and
there we were, waiting. Waiting, for like an hour. We suddenly realized
there was like no one in the baggage claim area. There was a couple to
our left and a handful of people at the end of the hall. And no luggage.
So husband asked again and they said carousel 12 and he said, no, we
were there and our bags were not. They scanned the tag and said our bags
got loaded on the flight after ours that was just landing. *headdesk*
Ours were the first two bags on carousel 12 that time. The lesson: if
you ever have to fly US Airways, please for the love of all things
living, do not check your luggage. Do not trust your bags with them.
They don't care when they show up. Bags in hand, we met MIL who drove us
to her home where we left our car and then we drove the rest of the
way. Yay home! <br />
<br />
Yay, adventure!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(For the record, I will never fly US Airways again. We lost an entire day of our honeymoon and the only thing they could think to offer us in recompense is a single $100 voucher - that we can't even share! Some prodding finally got two vouchers out of them, with a ton of conditions, but the delay still cost us more than $200 to adjust our travel plans for the lost day. Seriously, dear readers, US Airways, which is owned by American Airlines, is dreadful. They don't care if they cause you inconvenience or to lose a day of your vacation and they won't make good on it. Think twice before you book with them. And if you have to book with them, for the love of cats and little fishes, <b>do not check your luggage</b>. Carry everything with you. Trust me here.) </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044399.post-88098528116759636672015-02-27T22:19:00.001-05:002015-02-27T22:21:52.005-05:00A Picture-Perfect Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Due to my serious lack of updating, I have yet to post about my wedding! It was a rather frigid day on November 15, 2014. It wasn't so bad outside in the sun, but in the barn for the reception was downright cold. We brought everyone back to the house for crazy karaoke and celebration with actual warmth. Really, even with the cold, it was a perfect day. </div>
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All photos below are by the lovely and talented Rachel of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PatchiePhotography" target="_blank">Patchie [Photography]</a>.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypBEG66RRqRsXd1AsDG2ZrfNDghgkU2dcRim_u2G6cFWJSrqE7_eLJz15p9j4rrBro7QyEZEn8YDpdlg3G0_Y00EHS3aQEQ4daljMbrgOB5JufKuzzAkIADhOu3E6VYnxvdKf/s1600/DSC_0097.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, my dad wore his kilt. I expected nothing less!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypBEG66RRqRsXd1AsDG2ZrfNDghgkU2dcRim_u2G6cFWJSrqE7_eLJz15p9j4rrBro7QyEZEn8YDpdlg3G0_Y00EHS3aQEQ4daljMbrgOB5JufKuzzAkIADhOu3E6VYnxvdKf/s1600/DSC_0097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JxBJ48Otu-xfiga9VxPKd268dLGsqcMCWIflzzjTEU9Fqeb-TY5-j0SPWLCkgJ3mG1FR62I8NBBgOjUMsBMjcSLtAg8rtjBgTFMvTW7_IPHrcC3Nu7rQ2vcGFdu_jNHMgKts/s1600/DSC_0110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JxBJ48Otu-xfiga9VxPKd268dLGsqcMCWIflzzjTEU9Fqeb-TY5-j0SPWLCkgJ3mG1FR62I8NBBgOjUMsBMjcSLtAg8rtjBgTFMvTW7_IPHrcC3Nu7rQ2vcGFdu_jNHMgKts/s1600/DSC_0110.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We exchanged swords as part of our ceremony. It was fantastic!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5Df3ZEK0xW7fFv4eqEf4BF-evRXbfhhBcPwieM1gKGugo_V4-4Yl9-lmwE-G629UFVSw9psqnMjwaXaS_HA3SSwlsMIU2fdlLbzOPgFmJy2Xn_0eBNYNRC0ZyYPRPNxR0F1Q/s1600/DSC_0159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5Df3ZEK0xW7fFv4eqEf4BF-evRXbfhhBcPwieM1gKGugo_V4-4Yl9-lmwE-G629UFVSw9psqnMjwaXaS_HA3SSwlsMIU2fdlLbzOPgFmJy2Xn_0eBNYNRC0ZyYPRPNxR0F1Q/s1600/DSC_0159.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dear friend Fox was our minister.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AZXNk7pDGN-rySBJGfEbMnZIsW0dlnWF5g9KRooSH0bN4aeLGpoO-Vpg6plj_xzu8HW8DPO34JxRxmu8unc1Ueoi68ZqGq1wu7nhqTpeE9xmJ_l4GtjtLxljQpSAI__yEz_U/s1600/DSC_0179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AZXNk7pDGN-rySBJGfEbMnZIsW0dlnWF5g9KRooSH0bN4aeLGpoO-Vpg6plj_xzu8HW8DPO34JxRxmu8unc1Ueoi68ZqGq1wu7nhqTpeE9xmJ_l4GtjtLxljQpSAI__yEz_U/s1600/DSC_0179.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swords in the ceremony gave us this awesome opportunity for a sword arch!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCZVGdJWRCN6w1U9sfhU4eokT-w4iKSvbimvDOKjoavXqlG3tVBhFUPxZkk5feqxgFh-2XV4q45y01epNtYFipKB7xOgy3mOLvn_NJkSjmZbKs1Oa8kvoocbIxUe-AWuQGFcI/s1600/DSC_0193-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCZVGdJWRCN6w1U9sfhU4eokT-w4iKSvbimvDOKjoavXqlG3tVBhFUPxZkk5feqxgFh-2XV4q45y01epNtYFipKB7xOgy3mOLvn_NJkSjmZbKs1Oa8kvoocbIxUe-AWuQGFcI/s1600/DSC_0193-2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have nothing to say about this picture. I don't know if one of us said something funny or we just have reason to smile!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3BIvY5sd1RarOXaqC_9B7ULxhenuabD9KO5F7gpQ-K28zRbzEvaraYWwveWzrHrJDPzCeCHHRkL-6PDyjRSTJCJiBBhYHvTWuaBY8AWTFp9TnkDIZs81WTji-ZBcp7wJP-gA/s1600/DSC_0255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3BIvY5sd1RarOXaqC_9B7ULxhenuabD9KO5F7gpQ-K28zRbzEvaraYWwveWzrHrJDPzCeCHHRkL-6PDyjRSTJCJiBBhYHvTWuaBY8AWTFp9TnkDIZs81WTji-ZBcp7wJP-gA/s1600/DSC_0255.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truth be told, we have some good-looking friends! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlaVAHA5bpcwFmpQBnYvaq3eZTtIO6sLXt4pdi7DoNtMq_l3A0GP4IM_erIqQTkjaQc38126UC1BrlMM-jYGmmCe_Kujts_J4Qmcgveum6JudxVHMB3j0uBExseg2ywLZRAjJ/s1600/DSC_0301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlaVAHA5bpcwFmpQBnYvaq3eZTtIO6sLXt4pdi7DoNtMq_l3A0GP4IM_erIqQTkjaQc38126UC1BrlMM-jYGmmCe_Kujts_J4Qmcgveum6JudxVHMB3j0uBExseg2ywLZRAjJ/s1600/DSC_0301.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture-perfect day. The swords went along with our Skyrim-esque theme.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJEfqBi3e4vUH8O_H7nLjt_Bmp3HYiDdfr2ZqDYp_RVcR3tDlJyfSQmZm2g0f7DIumnWXlHItdiCf9N50jEhFPEkpVEVdj1MB6qRWELVEkI6aqY7JN6L8ya-7u450dc5N1EVv/s1600/DSC_0340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJEfqBi3e4vUH8O_H7nLjt_Bmp3HYiDdfr2ZqDYp_RVcR3tDlJyfSQmZm2g0f7DIumnWXlHItdiCf9N50jEhFPEkpVEVdj1MB6qRWELVEkI6aqY7JN6L8ya-7u450dc5N1EVv/s1600/DSC_0340.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We danced to "How Long Will I Love You," by the Waterboys, covered by by Jon Boden, Sam Sweeney, and Ben Coleman (from the <i>About Time</i> soundtrack).</td></tr>
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<br />
Early on in my path, Artemis was my matron goddess. I listened to her teachings for years and, when she had showed me everything I needed to see in that time of my life, she left me on my own. It was unnerving, to be without that connection to the Goddess that I had had for so long. Another matron wouldn't call me for years. I have a new and different relationship with the Goddess now, with a new matron who is teaching me so much more. (I'm about to run off on a tangent here describing my view of the gods and how I may use different names but It is still One, like sometimes I need my mother to be my mother and sometimes I need her to be my friend, but that's a subject for another time.)<br />
<br />
Something has come up in my life (that I am not yet ready to share on the vast interwebs) that reminded me of an aspect of Artemis I had forgotten, and I suddenly had a need to beseech her for support. Those of you who know me well know I don't "pray" in my practice though, the truth is, I do. I may get hung up on the word, but that is exactly what I do when I commune with the Divine. So, for lack of a better word, I prayed to Artemis. It was like reconnecting with an old friend - the one you haven't spoken to in years but, when you get together, it's like no time has passed at all.<br />
<br />
The thing about asking for things (support, intervention, whatever) from the Divine is that It doesn't just give. There must be an exchange, there always must be an exchange of energy to keep balance. Artemis heard what I needed and told me exactly what I needed to do for her and for me.<br />
<br />
Last year, I acquired a beautiful, handmade longbow. It didn't get any use, though I intend to set up some targets when the weather is more conducive to it. And, since we built a pell (that's a post for sword training) to practice with our ceremonial wedding swords, an archery target will fit right in. Anyway, I'm supposed to oil that longbow monthly to keep it pliant. I have the oil that the maker recommends, but I haven't actually done it. What Artemis asked of me in return was simple: oil my bow.<br />
<br />
And I promised.<br />
<br />
This word is important. I made a promise in that moment. I promised the Goddess I would do what she asked of me, and I promised myself. How many times have we made those promises and not followed through? Something little, like promising the cats I would trim their claws tomorrow and just felt too lazy to do it when the time came. This isn't the first time I promised myself I would oil my bow either. I take my word to others seriously, but my word to myself is less reliable. Why in the world is that? I will honor others before I honor myself. But myself is the one that is always here with me. How many times have you let yourself down? Made a promise - even a simple, seemingly meaningless promise - to yourself and not done it? Stop doing that. Hold yourself to your word, it is just as valuable to you as it is to the people around you when you give it to them. This is important. The moment I thought it, I knew that was also something She asked of me. It's time to keep my word to everyone, even me.<br />
<br />
Yesterday was the day. I promised I would oil my bow and I promised when. It struck me that this wasn't just a thing I was doing, it was a thing I promised the Goddess I would do. That meant it wasn't a matter of just grabbing a cloth and doing it, it needed ritual. I brought the supplies to my altar, lit my candles and incense, and cast my circle, like you do for ritual, and I oiled my bow - deliberately, purposefully, and in sacred space. And it wasn't about what I had asked Artemis to do for me, it was about fulfilling a promise. There was something so satisfying in that moment, sitting before my altar doing this simple, otherwise non-magical act.<br />
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It had been so long since I actually sat at my altar (planning to but not actually doing, I suppose another of those promises to myself I didn't keep) that I stayed there for some time after the task was done. I started working on a charm that was waiting for the right moon phase (surprise, we're in it!). I added some decorations to the front of my table I had been planning for weeks. That little corner of the house that has been dedicated my sacred space hasn't been used for a while and I needed it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_1uHWFHAjc_sXI8HA0UOfncLcSyB26fXCYaTj0eskGP_xqMxkPSJ86lm8ivYlBumgOLNbRCNd5daYX19ZIwKKqRZcPrvloq-lrsk_K8Ve0mrVazYjVtxKo38e6rNpHZJVu6V/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_1uHWFHAjc_sXI8HA0UOfncLcSyB26fXCYaTj0eskGP_xqMxkPSJ86lm8ivYlBumgOLNbRCNd5daYX19ZIwKKqRZcPrvloq-lrsk_K8Ve0mrVazYjVtxKo38e6rNpHZJVu6V/s1600/IMG_3446.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaves on the altar!</td></tr>
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At the risk of throwing something in here that needs its own post, it is not correct to say my altar and the sacred space around it has been entirely unused for a while. I did start something that I hope to continue. Communion with the Divine should not just be asking for something. I know there are things in my life that the Divine sent to me that I did not expressly ask for. I have started leaving offerings. It is usually burning incense, thanking the Lord and Lady for their presence in my life, and going about my day. Not asking for anything from them, but giving back. Some might ask exactly how burning incense is an offering to the gods. In part, it is the thing that is consumed, but a larger part of it is the action. The very act of lighting a stick or cone or charcoal and expressing gratitude is the offering. This is something I will continue to do as it is also extremely satisfying to come before my gods not as a supplicant but in tribute. But, again, that's not why I'm writing today.<br />
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The reason I wrote about this is to urge you to consider your promises and how often you break them. The little ones, the promises to yourself, they are just as important as the promises you make to others. Think about that as you go through your days. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14410917227261423892noreply@blogger.com0