PROGRESS! 25/10/20

-
If you would prefer to listen to the audion version of my scribblings, please click  HERE

There's been a temporary side-track while I make myself a couple of pairs of boxer shorts, as yer do, but now I'm back on track: the body form has been started!
Initially quite straight-forward - centre-back-left to side-back-left, centre-front-left to side-front-left and so-on, 
but the sleeve hole covers were really complex and made me realize why I don't like doing set-in sleeves. The neck cover wasn't much better. 
I've actually been really enjoying the process - it's been stretching my sewing skills... The next step will be to stuff and finish - but that's for another day.
And then... on to thge banyan!!
I've been watching way too much YouTube recently, what I term the Orientals:
Polin Lifestyle  (to name a few)

There's a certain peace and quiet which pervades their videos, as they get on with their daily lives; a certain 'ASMR' quality... (What the heck does ASMR stand for??!)

Back in 2005, to celebrate my 50th birthday, I took myself off to Madagascar - a beautiful country and worthy of an episode of its own. In preparation, I bought myself a Sony Network Walkman - tiny little thing the size of a matchbox that holds over 40 cds
and boy, there's some that I'd completely forgotten I had. It lives in a spectacle case and has a tendency to go hideaways, but I'm delighted to have re-found it recently. Diabate and Sissiko are currently featured... A few years ago I tried to play the kora, but it's WAY too difficult for my poor old hands!
And with that...  I'll sign off :-)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ON THE WAY TO A NEW 'ME' 02/10/20

-
Image
Should you by chance wish to listen to the spoken version of this little ramble, please click right   HERE My pattern from Bootstrap Fashion duly came through - 40-odd A4 pages of actual pattern pieces, plus nearly 50 of very clear, detailed instructions. My poor laser printer had smoke coming out of it like some mad cartoon character... Tip to self (and others): next time give the poor beast a few breaks in the printing process!! A lot of yesterday was spent trimming and taping all the pieces together on my friendly fabric shop's cutting out table; it is quite amazing just how long that takes. Cutting the fabric itself out was quite straight forward, except that I wanted the pattern to match at the centre front and back seams. A mind-bending challenge where this rather wonderful Chatham Glyn 'Zig Zag' fabric was concerned... The stuffing took a certain amount of thought - and thank goodness for Mr Google (generally not my fav...
Read more

"THERE'S A BODY IN THE HALL" 27/10/20

-
Image
Should you feel inclined to listen to this blog rather than read it, please click   HERE Yes indeedy, as of yesterday there is a body in my hall - going by the unconfirmed name of Manny Bootstrap... He arrived after a long weekend of creativity, culminating in 3 1/2 hours of hard labour - stuffing him with about 5kg of shredded paper bedding. Handsome guy tho he is, I really DO NOT KNOW where his living quarters will be! Back-tracking a few days, it's a very well thought-out pattern with a central panel hidden inside, supporting the basic outline. The shape of things to come, so-to-speak! I had an odd bit of foam for the neck lying around, just waiting for this kind of project... After a certain amount of slightly mind-bending 'inside-out-ness' everything came out the right way round. But it was the ned of the day and I was, frankly, bushed. Inserting the stuffinginvolved first of all fluffing-up the paper offcuts after their ...
Read more

MORE BANYANICALS 03/9/20

-
Image
For the spoken blog, click right   HERE I've been on a bit of a 'high' all this week as, finally, the really very lovely silk brocade I have chosen (well, I think it's silk weft on a cotton warp, but who's fussing?) arrived, all the way from China.   It's a rather narrow fabric, at 72cms (much as it would have been in the C18th) so there's quite a lot of it. The absolutely fabulous  lining material came last week; that's hand-printed cotton chintz, all the way from India and has a very C18th look to it. Being given the 'Benny' seal of approval:  I think I may have to do what my dear mama used to do and that is dip the lining fabric in dilute tea, just to knock back the whiteness. I think an experiment is called for... This is another 'time of plague' project, so there's no rush to get it done. To begin with Martin, who runs the local fabric shop and lets me use his cutting table, is away on holida...
Read more