Accent Skirts and More Yarn

Well, yet again, it's been a week without a post, but that's the end of the Spring Semester.  I'm going to try to keep myself posting--even if it's less on-topic--so that I keep on schedule.

Today, I finally got around to going to the fabric store.  Unfortunately, because it was after my nephew's birthday, I only managed to get in a little time before the store closed.  Hopefully I'll be able to go back tomorrow or Wednesday and pick up some of the other things I want/need, but I did come away with a few useful things.

First of all, I picked up some braided trim to finish the top of the black and white yarn belt.

Second, a month or so ago I almost bought a ton of yarn on clearance but passed.  This time I caved.  It was all $.97 per skein.  How could I not?  So, these will be the basis for a yarn belt in the near future.

There's orange (terracotta) and multi-shade (mostly purple and orange) eyelash....

Glitter eyelash....

And this stuff.  I think it would be great in hair falls, and depending on how it looks laid out with the others, I may save it for that.

I probably also need some heavier, more normal yarn to balance the eyelash, but this was what was on sale, so there.  It's a start, at least.

I also found some cool fabric, but I doubt I'll be using it this go round.  I just took a picture because it was cool.

Orange and Red and swirly...

By the way, I didn't buy these, but random tribal find of the day at World Market: these pretty cowrie shell bracelets.

$14.99. Probably worth it considering how long DIY would take.
Nonetheless, probably a future project in this...

Accent Skirt

The other project I started this week is an accent skirt.  They go by different names, and they're often just lumped in with hip scarves.  Here's an example:

Moondance Bellydance has a couple for sale like this one.

Well, I wanted to try to make a simpler version based on one Mr. CouchCrafting bought me at the Texas Renaissance Festival two years ago.  Basically, it's a shaped rectangle of fabric with a hole in the middle and a waistband around the hole (like your basic circle skirt in a lot of ways).

I had some really interesting red fabric (AKA not suitable for practical use) left over from a pirate costume, so I decided to experiment with it.  I made a rectangle out of what was left, and it's not very wide, but pretty long.  I cut a circle in the middle based on my hip circumference.  Turns out, I made it a bit too big, but, hey, as the popular quote says, "I'm an English major.  You do the math."  

Yes, the "holes" are meant to be there.  The fabric has a back, sheer layer that you can see through the holes.
By the way, this fabric really doesn't photograph well.  It's a nice, rich, dark red.

Because of the sheer layer, I didn't want to put elastic in the waistband and have it show through, so I decided to try shirring, using Make It & Love It's tutorial.  And OMG I LOVE SHIRRING.  It took me a few tries to get the tension right, and I'll actually have to do the whole waistband (not just a back section) because the shirring can't make up for my over-sizing; nonetheless, it's actually very easy and it really does look great.

Here are some really terrible pictures of it in progress:

Now you can actually see the shirring effect.

I ran out of elastic thread, so I'll have to go get more before it's finished.  Still.  OMG guys.  Shirring.  Try it. It's the bomb.

Small Projects and Gala Ideas

So, the wedding last weekend went very well, although I'm still recovering (my introvert nature left me exhausted by the end), and I learned a valuable lesson about makeup, stress, and VERY THOROUGH washing: I am still fighting the worst acne outbreak I think I've had since high school.  So, lesson learned: (1) don't wear heavy makeup, and, if you have to, make sure it's okay for oily skin; (2) no matter how tired you are, take a full and thorough shower at the end of the day to remove ANY trace of makeup.  ^__^;;;

Anyway, so, I haven't started my aprons yet, and I just got the idea to make a ruffled skirt out of scraps and MORE PLEATHER (srsly, guyz, I have so much), a la this tutorial:

From the lovely Ruffles and Roses Blog

I don't know how well it'll work with pleather, but I want to try nonetheless.

But, in the meantime, I am working on a super-long sleeve scarf.  I've technically been working on it for ages, trying to replicate this:

From Etsy seller denigunzes' listing

I made the dumb mistake of doing it with size 8 knitting needles and a k2 p2 pattern, however, so it's taking forever.  I've got a little over an arm's length so far, but I only work on it every once and a while, so....it'll be done...someday.

Here's the start of it...

One cool thing about it is that I've experimented with the Russian join technique at long last.  The tutorial I linked is actually better than the one I originally used.  You can see a slight thickening of the yarn, but for a mid-line break or not having to weave ends, it's pretty cool.   It's got it's own tedium though.  (You'll see if you watch the video/try it yourself.)

Gala Ideas

The main crafting news is that I will be in my first official bellydance performance in June!  I got bumped up to level 4 (intermediate 2) because I was the only person signed up for level 3, so I'm going to have fun with the challenge of keeping up with all the excellent ladies in the class.  Thankfully, we'll be doing a veil routine, so they say it's an easier choreography to learn than if we weren't using props.  

And now, of course, I need an outfit for our Gala performance!  I have workout-type stuff and more tribal-esque attire, but not cabaret or general gypsy look, which are our options for the dance.  My friends have their fingers crossed for cabaret, and my totally awesome and lovely friend Katie started brainstorming ideas for a possible cabaret costume for me.  It's a testament to how well she knows me that I instantly fell in love with the idea:

1. Dark orange fabric

2. Silver and Gold accents

3. One-Shoulder/Asymmetrical top (I love asymmetry)

4. One sleeve

So, while there's no confirmation yet if we'll definitely be doing cabaret style, I went ahead and started sketching up some possibilities.

I don't really have solid detail stuff thought out, but you can see here (L to R), the base sleeve (no cut-outs, I don't think), the top front, and the top back.

The straps would be the dark orange fabric gathered and stitched along the bottom/sides of the cups.  The back uses O rings to tie everything.

I have this pinned on Pinterest, but there's no sign of where it originally came from.  Poo.

I was won over by that idea while watching Neysha (one of our studio's dancers) perform last night, and she had similar rings on her costume.  She's also really wonderful.  If I had pictures and permission, I'd flood you with pics: not only is she a fantastic dancer but she's also hilariously funny.  She was dancing outside at restaurant downtown, and business was slow, so we sat outside to watch and chat with her while she danced.  She'd do this gangster "throw-down" thing on occasion depending on who walked by and what they did, and it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.  Her facial expressions were priceless.  

Anyway, as for the skirt and belt, I'm a little less certain.  For now I'm thinking something along these lines, with a standard embellished belt with silver and gold fringe (matching the top), and either a slit mermaid-ish skirt or a standard skirt with fabric panels:

For a better idea of the skirt panels, I was thinking something along these lines (particularly the second example):

Selkie Dream

OrientDancer.com

OrientDancer.com

I'm also not sure if the panels would be dark orange as well or the skirt, although I think I'm leaning towards the panels.  In which case I'd probably do a brown skirt.  I have one already, although I don't know how well it'll go.  We'll have to see.  The mermaid skirt probably would go better with the top and sleeve, but I'm not sure about the slit skirt with my short, muscular, pasty legs.  Hmmm....

Well, that's where things stand at the moment.  Thoughts or suggestions?

Purple Yarn Belt and Wedding Plans

So, first of all, apologies for the late update.  Easter holidays and birthday celebrations took up most of the weekend (and were very fun).  Next week's will probably be late as well, or I'll skip a week depending: this weekend I'll be serving as maid of honor in a wedding with events all through the weekend, and Monday will be dedicated to working on schoolwork and an afternoon meeting with a community partner for service learning.  But!  The crafting will not slip quietly away!

Purple Yarn Belt

I actually did this on Monday while Mr. Couchcrafting was catching up on a horrendous lack of sleep.  The process was pretty much the same as the previous yarn belt, so I didn't take any progress photos.  A couple of hours and a few episodes of The Walking Dead and BOOM!  A finished yarn belt.

From the stuff on both sides, you can guess how crowded my office floor is.
To the left, my box of fabric.  To the right, supplies for the bachelorette party this Friday.

Maybe next week I'll get started on making some cute aprons.  I keep seeing adorable designs on Pinterest, and I could use an apron, given the amount of flour I seem to fling everywhere when I bake.  Besides, I need to use these two plaid fabrics somehow:

Wedding Plans

So, in other news, I'm getting married in October.  Mr. CouchCrafting and I still have quite a lot to do in the planning department, but neither of us are really "event people."   We want things easy and fun.  Still, there's always work to do.  

Right now, the major thing I need to do is settle on whether or not I'm buying or making my own dress.  It's fun to put on the fancy store dresses, but I don't really feel right in a lot of them.  I love the mermaid type with the old Hollywood glamour look to them, but they don't really fit the wedding (plus, they're always too small to really get an idea of how one my size would look on me.  Really wedding world?  What's your beef with women in the 12-16 size range?  Trying on something in a wedding size 8 is completely pointless...it doesn't even cover both boobs properly!  And a 20 is a tent! Okay, rant done.).  

I also am trying to stick to something simpler.  I don't mind a little bling, but the mister hates too much frufru. It may be my dress, but I'd like him to enjoy the whole picture, not just the neck up.  So, there are dresses I like, but I haven't found anything that I really love.

The other option is, of course, making my own.  A lot more work, but I would love to do it, and the mister thinks it would be fantastic.  So what am I thinking?

Well, first of all, I've never been able to get this dress out of my mind after I first saw it:

Featured on the Austin Wedding Blog

Is that not GORGEOUS?  She hand crocheted and sewed together all of those doilies.  Well, I still haven't figured out crochet, and I don't have quite that much dedication.  But I could do white lace over a green dress.  Yes, sir, I can.  

The dress pattern I have my eye on (and need to get started on a muslin mock-up of) is the Vintage Vogue V2903 pattern: 

Vogue V2903

It's nicely fitted through the torso, has short sleeves for my gargantuan arms, it kinda has the drop shoulder look I've loved since Beauty and the Beast first graced my eyes, and I can wear a crazy orange or purple petticoat/crinoline underneath!  Pretty, elegant, but also fun and suited to an outdoor wedding.  

I'm keeping my eye out for good fabric and lace.  I have nice green fabric already, but it won't be enough since I used some of it to make a New Year's dress in 2012.  As for the lace, I'm aiming for something nice but not overly formal or blatantly "flowery."  I was debating some of the less "lacy" options, but I think they go too far in the other direction:

Too small.  Oh, and that's my ring!

This stuff is REALLY COOL.  But not exactly the wedding look I'd like.  

We'll keep in mind for bellydance, yes?

Anyway, that's the current progress on the dress front.  Have you seen any good lace around?