Weekend Roundup

First, the Weight Watcher update.  As I said last week, I made a deliberate effort to eat more of my weekly points (22 of 49) and continued Power 90 through Wed.  Thursday I took a break because I was really achy.  Not exactly sore but just deep down joint achy.  Friday I had to finish our taxes.  Sat and Sun I lost to business.  🙁  So I have to get back on track TODAY.

On the bright side, I’m down 2.4 this week.  Slowly inching back down to my all-time low!

Two of the monsters had school activities this past Sat.  Yeah, I know.  They were so thrilled.  Littlest spent the night with a friend and we had an hour or so where everyone was gone. That rare moment of quiet must have addled my brain because I decided to try and make a petticoat out of tulle to wear beneath my RT costume. 

I can cross stitch.  I can crochet.  I can embroider.  But I am NOT a seamstress.  I haven’t used my sewing machine since we moved here almost 3 years ago, and of course, I couldn’t find my manual (so I downloaded one off the internet).  It took me half an hour to remember how to fill the bobbin.  Another half hour to get everything threaded correctly.  Then I started making this monstrosity of a petticoat.

I made so. Many. Errors.  ARGH.  I was trying to sew 10 layers together and I got to the end and held it up, only to realize that I’d “dropped” two random layers as I was sewing it.  I also trimmed each piece of tulle with satin ribbon.  About 2/3 of the way through, I ran out.  It took me 3 attempts to finally get everything attached to the wasitband of 2″ black satin ribbon, or I would have ripped it out and done it again, because my underneath bobbin thread balled up in a couple of places and looks terrible.  Of course no one will see it but me (assuming I can even wear the blasted thing), but it really bothers me that it’s so messy.

I finally got it all sewn onto the ribbon and closed it with room to thread the elastic through, but I don’t have a safety pin.  It’s just narrow enough — with too much tulle poking up inside — to get the elastic through by hand.  I really need a big safety pin and I’m probably still going to be sweaty and cursing before it’s done.  I had to take a break, though, because I worked on it ALL DAY.

Sunday I made a trip up to Granny’s with the tardy black taffeta for the skirt.  I was supposed to go alone, but Mom can’t go to the bathroom without company, let alone a trip.  I ended up with Princess and Littlest making the 1 hour 45 min car ride with me.  I was afraid they’d be bored.  This wasn’t a fun trip, but a working trip.  I intended to help Mom with whatever menial tasks she could give me (after reading the tulle adventure I’m sure you understand why she couldn’t get me much to do).  The girls were pretty good, though, helped out by Mac taking them with him on a shopping trip.

My beloved sister Molly made the drive up too so we could chat and laugh at how many times I had to take the hook and eye off and redo it. 

I did help cut out a few pieces.  By that, I mean I helped pin and listened while Mom explained grain and fold and how to read the stupid patterns.  She did the cutting!  Other than that, I stuffed the bustle pillow with Sis and then did the hook and eye.  Oh and I made coffee several times and stuffed Granny with turtle cheesecake.  It was the least I could do.

We ended the day with most everything cut out except for a lining for other bustle.  Mom had the sleeves done for the first bolero and I tried on the other piece of the bolero to make sure it was fitting.  I got the wrong kind of interfacing (boo) so she’s going to have to hit the store today.  Meanwhile I have 5 yards of some crap none of us can use.

All in all, it was a work-filled fun day.  We had fun and hopefully I helped at least a little.  I had to leave and head home before it got dark (I’m not a very good driver either.  I sure didn’t want to brave the interstate turnoffs in the dark), but Sis said they got quite a bit more done after we left.  I can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

When we got home last night, I started some prep work for a promo thing I thought of.  I have pens to give out, but I wanted something unique and special.  Something that wouldn’t cost me a lot — but also was less likely to get thrown away to make room in the suitcases because it was just too cool to toss.  I finally had a neat idea, but it required some printing of little cards with my book cover.  I didn’t have business cards anyway, so I designed two last night, one with Yours to Take and the other with Her Grace’s Stable.  Now I just have to hit a PartyCity store and buy a glue gun.  *cryptic*  And feathers.  Lots of feathers.

I’m also going to make a steampunk hat.

*buys more feathers, beads, buttons, and trinkets*

Two weeks and counting for RT in KC!