I haven't abandoned you, blog!

Before I start my craft post, I can't post without acknowledging what happened today at Virginia Tech. I don't even know anybody there except for one guy who I've already heard is okay. But all I can think of is what it would be like if it had happened at my own school instead. It's so disturbing, and all I can do is pray for the survivors and the families of those who died.

So putting aside my horror and disgust and trying not to dwell on it, on with the normal post...

What have I been doing since I posted last? Well...

I've been spinning this lusciousness :

Into this: Using the highest ratio and being very careful. It's for Mom. It's "Lavender Fields" superwash merino from C*eye*ber Fiber (the blueish color is actually a lovely lavender, I just can't tweak photos well). My next spinning project is this:

But that's been on hold quite a bit because I've been working on costumes for the local community college's Twelfth Night (ya know, Shakespeare, with cross-dressing and cross-gartering?), set in Regency England (ya know, Jane Austen?). The best though probably most labor intensive piece was altering this relic from the costume closet:
Which got lace added (cos it was too straight) thus:
And then eyelet to extend the hem (cos it was too short) like such: And such:
Voila! I'm rather pleased with it. Though through tech week and the first weekend of the show, the sheer fabric that overlaid the satin of the bodice managed to rip into shreds. Why? Because the damn thing is so old it was dry rotting! Ew. I had to take the sheer overlay off. I simply tore it off, as one tears off the bill from the bottom of one's insurance statement. Oooh check me out with the metaphors. Okay so that was a simile. Sue me. (No don't really, I'm not that rich.)

Found out today about a couple nifty yarn shops in Frederick. So those need to go on the destinations list for Yarn Safaris. We need to get this Yarn Safari thing going. Though with Sheep & Wool coming up, I think that Yarn Safari season must be postponed. Can't be spending our cash before S&W! Especially since I think a charkha (sp?) has been added to my shopping list... darn you Matt! ;)