coming out of my cage

Bragging with warm fuzzies

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:36:58 GMT

/brag on/

From my online World Literature professor:

I wanted to honor you for the high quality discussions you have prepared throughout this course. In my view, you certainly deserve nine weeks of bonus points for the effort you presented. Your discussions are inspirational to your class peers and also add to the intellectual quality of this course.
Thanks for making an effort and improving not only your learning, but that of your class members.

I'm sure that you will be academically successful in any course you choose to take and will continue being a leader in the eyes of your class mates.

Finally, I would also like to express my gratitude for your moral compass.

Damn straight!

I'd also like to add that I had so much extra credit I didn't have to do the final exam. I'm beyond an A at this point. Niiiiice.

/brag off/

General Update on ME

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:21:11 GMT

The fall semester is almost finished with less than 2 weeks of classes left for me. Yay. Then I get a break from school for 8 months until my program of choice resumes next August. Hmmm...what to do with all that free time?

1. sew LOTS of Victorian dresses
2. get a job (part-time, of course)
3. do both!

We'll see how things go...I'm not looking for a career...just something to fill my days and maybe my pockets with some scratch...enough so that I can buy fabric when I need to. I'd love to start a new dress and I have the perfect design already planned out. Just need some patterns and some "filler fabric" to compliment my already-purchased "inspiration fabric".
The last updatey thing to mention is that we're planning (you see how I said "planning"?) on starting an intensive exercise program very soon. It's called Power 90 and it murders people. Then after those people have died, they usually go onto P90X to die again and get wicked ripped. The guys (and some gals) who do the 300/Spartan costuming live by this P90X so we figured we'd give it a go. I may post weekly updates on my progress with the program here...maybe even with gruesome pictures!!

Until then...

Oh no he di'int!

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:37:07 GMT

I know you're not going to believe me when I tell you this...but, this week in World Lit (my online class), there have been two, TWO people plagiarizing!! One guy just c&p'd another guy's entire post. Another guy jacked my title, 2 sentences and a works cited reference. Okay...so the works cited may be hair-splitting...but I made a unique punctuation error in my citation, so that's how I know he just copied mine.

Seriously...wtf?

The first guy I kinda called him on it basically saying, "Your post looks just like that guy's post." Other students have now taken notice and are commenting...but they're keeping it general. I guess no one wants to say "cheater!!"

I really don't know what to say about all this. Now I really do look like a tattle tale but...you know what? I average a good 6 hrs a week (at least!) on assignments for that class...and it pisses me off when someone comes along and thinks, "Oh, she's a 5-star student. I'll just read what she's posted and transpose it into my post." Well, guess what jerkface? Next week, I'm waiting until the last friggin' minute to post my assignment so no one can use MY post as a template. Do your own damn work!!

Online school is just like regular school...

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:17:23 GMT

I'm under the assumption that no one found out about me ratting out the girl who plagerized her entire assignment a few weeks ago. I'm also assuming she's no longer in the online class because I haven't seen her post since then.

So, why the funk is everyone ignoring me?!

Okay...it's probably all in my head but...for reals.

Here's how it works: We post our weekly discussions online and it's expected that everyone does a Peer Review on your post. This involves saying a few words about the post, then giving a star rating (1=suck, 5=awesome). In the past 5 weeks, I've had the highest rated Peer Reviews for 4 of those weeks. That means I got an extra 5 points for each of those weeks. Fabulous! Except, now I feel like I have a huge BULLSEYE on my cyber-back. And this week? Not a single review on my post.   For the record, it's my classmates who gave me those 5 extra points nearly every week...I can't rate my own posts.

So, this week I emailed my classmates and mentioned how, since we have this big poetry chapbook thing due next week, it might be a good idea to buddy up and critique each other's works and maybe get some ideas/help one another. Not only that... but the professor asked us to do it in the video lecture she gave us...and there's a friggin' Peer Review Checklist she wants us to use for that very purpose. Does anyone respond to my email?   Noooo. Freakin' crickets, man! I'd actually posted this idea in our "General Forum" last week but no one replied.

I suppose I'm being too...Goody Two-Shoes about this. (And maybe a touch sensitive.) I got that the 1st day of Psych class when we were given an assignment that required walking around and talking to the room full of strangers we were in. I took the initiative and was the first one up and doing it because....#1, we had 2 hrs of class to kill and #2, the professor was IN the class as a "student" so he'd see who did the work. Hello people, it's just school. It ain't gonna bite you. Five weeks later, I'm only 1 of a handful of people who participate in, what has to be, one of the easiest and most entertaining classes I've ever had.

At this point, I shouldn't really fuss about it. It's the grade I earn for myself that matters. But it sucks to wind up alienating yourself when you're just trying to be a good student. I LIKE being a good student in college. Maybe because I was such a poor one during most of high school? Maybe I just have shitty social skills?   I didn't think I'd have to sacrifice smarts for like-ability.

But hey, ain't that what school's all about? :\

A Glorious Existence!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:02:08 GMT

I love the Dave Matthews Band, I really do. I've been a fan for over 11 years, gone to a show every year, my cars have always had a DMB sticker, my current one's plate is DMB-related and I even have a DMB tattoo. So why can they not get me out of my seat and sweatin' like a whore in church like these guys?

After 2 years, we were back in Orlando at the UCF Arena to see The Killers. They were opening the arena's show season just like they closed the old arena's back in 2007. When I'd gotten the email they were touring, I was broken-hearted there were no FL dates.  Then, months later, they appeared!  Relief!! Checking the arena box office website, we got an AWESOME deal on tickets...we decided to make a night of it and got the Loge seats. $50 each PLUS a $20 catering credit each that we spent on a bottle of Bacardi and Cokes. (This probably attributed to my aerobic activity during the show.)  As much as I dislike groups of rowdy concert-gers, I felt like one of them and wished we'd spent the $55/ticket so I could scream and dance with my fellow fans on the general admission main floor. But hey, we were up in the South Loge (with other fans) and were treated like kings and queens.

Before the show, we got to the arena about 1.5 hours before the doors opened and wandered around campus. Walking past where the buses were parked my BF saw Mark Stoermer. Neither us were thinking on our feet to nab him for a pic and howdy-do. He probably would have done it since no one was around. Then, we actually found a secret way into the arena lobby so we could grab some food. Boba tea and kosher hamburgers. Mmmm.   Haha to those poor suckers outside in line! None of the event staff even questioned us!! When we finished eating, we made our way back outside and to our "red carpet entrance". So nice! The staff at the UCF Arena is incredible and we will totally be going there again.

The opening band was a group from Brooklyn called Chairlift. They do that song on one of the iPod commercials..."I tried to do handstands for you..." but their audio kinda sucked. Luckily, the audio for The Killers did not. The set was so freaking fantastic and I swear I burned up serious calories dancing, screaming lyrics and general flailing and jumping about during every song. Plus, you really gotta hand it to a band that's not afraid to use confetti canons. I love those things.

Finally, we stood outside by the buses for a hour and before deciding to call it a night (I had a 2hr drive ahead of me) someone came out with 2 sheets of paper. The BF was totally on top of it a got one...he handed me a set list. !!! I don't normally go all fangirl freako over this kinda stuff, but The Killers bring it out of me. Big time.

I might post a few pics we managed to get...however our camera is on its last legs and I doubt any pics came out. The one that did was a girl who made a jacket just like Brandon's from the "Human" video. She also got a drumstick from Ronnie. She's was the Most Awesome Fan of the night.

Guh...the next tour can't come soon enough. I'll be riding this high until next time.

oh noes! liars!!

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:48:33 GMT

So, it's week 2 of my world lit class and it's pretty tough stuff. All the reading, then researching to post an online discussion of what I've read...very tiring and sometimes boring stuff. My 2nd assignment took me 6 solid hours to complete.

Anyway...we're asked to read/rate/review our classmate's posts about what they've written and while reading, one girl had some oddly placed sentences in her write-up. Like they were from a worksheet or bulletpoints or something. So I replied to her post and called her on it (nicely).

Then I took one of the weird sentences and Googled it because I had a feeling she didn't write the post. Sure enough, she cut and pasted someone's blog and slapped her name on it! So, what do I do? I emailed the professor and gave her the link to the blog.

Do you think I was wrong to tell the professor....who had even commented on the girl's post but didn't seem to notice the plagerism? There's a big ol' disclaimer for the class (and college) that plagerism is not tolerated. Plus, I feel like...hey, I racked my brain to come up with a good discussion of the poem, what gives this girl the right to steal someone else's work and call it hers?

What would you have done?

Dragon*Con Atlanta 2009 PICTURES!!

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:27:58 GMT

Finally got the over 400 pictures loaded into my Photobucket. Probably 50% of that's simply the parade...and I gotta wonder why I continue to take pictures of the parade? I guess it's in the event I see a great costume but that's rarely the case...at least, in the parade. Everyone knows the best costumes come out after dark. So, without further chit-chat:

First off...I totally stalked Claudia. The dress is effing gorgeous!!! When I finally got the nerve to talk to her (and bow down to her awesomeness) we chatted (shortly) about the patterns she used to make her gown (Simplicity). I told her about Truly Victorian and it would be wonderful if she showed up there. I would love to see more from her because this dress is a numbah one stunnah!

Stalky Stalkerton

She even has a doll! Yay!

Victorian Era...represent!

18th Century Ladies...holla!

Hey! Where's the OTHER Boleyn girl?

Tropic Thunder FTW!! They're even drinking Booty Sweat!

King of the Hill...brought their own fence and cooler.

This con's more fun than a...

Samurai Jack..this gets my "Coolest Execution" Award

Best Michael. There were several.

Last and certainly not least: ME!

This wig took me about 18hrs spread over 3 days. I made one version of it and my BF said it looked like crap. After I got over my hurt feelings, I thanked him for his honesty and made THIS masterpiece. The base wig is straight with bangs from another wig sewn on. A 3rd wig was taken apart and the wefts used to cover the foam "cone"/ Then silky kanekelon was used to make the basketweave. I took pics of the process and may put up a tutorial.

We found a "Space Seed" Khan and Marla McGivers!

Dial-up beware!!!

Post Dragon*Con wrap-up, back to school and macrobiwhatics?!

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:22:23 GMT

Well, Dragon*Con 2009 (and visiting ATL) was a weekend of highs and lows.

High: Mornin' Sunshine! Meeting Robin Meade from HLN's Morning Express. She's such a doll! And Rafer totally blushed at the "Free Enterprise" reference!

Low: Standing in a line to get a ticket to stand in another line to get a picture with William Shatner. "No touching! No talking!" (we did this again for his autograph)

High: Standing in a line and getting a Charlaine Harris autograph in my 9th Sookie Stackhouse book even though the D*C staffer said she was only going to sign 100 books and I was too far back in the line to get any love. I even have a (blurry) pic to go with it!

Low: Friday 11am, getting yelled at by D*C staffers about blocking exits and fire marshal's shutting us down. Really? Cuz the con just started AN HOUR AGO!!!

Super High: Everyone telling me how "awesome" my Yeoman Rand wig was.

Low: Not getting to see ANY costuming panels. :(

D*C pics are uploaded but are waiting for BF approval. Will post them soon.

Started my online World Lit class. Hey, here's an idea: If you, as the instructor, want us to format our discussion posts a certain way...TELL US BEFORE OUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT, NOT AFTER THE SECOND ONE!!!!11! kthx

Meeting Dirk "Faceman" Benedict got the BF on a kick to start eating macrobiotically. Dude, like, for reals? Cuz...you can't even stand couscous. At least buy me some macrobiotic cookbooks so we're not stuck eating brown rice and miso soup everyday...cuz that'll get real boring, real fast.

Trek Con Photos

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:05:34 GMT

Okay, long overdue promised Vegas Trek Convention pictures are here. I've just uploaded these and rotated most of them. I'm not happy with how my dresses came out. I seriously hate the pattern for the TOS dress and after this one I'm currently working on (Nurse Chapel) I hope to never have to make another. It's been a b*tch to fit these, mostly in the arms. I suppose the best model for this pattern would have a very large chest and stick arms. Naturally, I have neither.

Sorry for the link...I'm too lazy to put a bunch of the pics behind a cut.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y244/CreedsGalBirdy/Vegas%20Trek%202009/

Enjoy.

Dragon*Con Victorian Meet-up

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:49:36 GMT

Feel free to c&p this if you think your f-list would like to see it:

Another Victorian gal and I are working to coordinate a Victorian meet-up/photo shoot for Friday, Sept 4th during Dragon*Con in Atlanta. A time has not been set as this is all in the early stages...even though the clock is ticking for D*C. Historically accurate will win you a special place in our hearts but is not wholly necessary. Any Victorian/Edwardian ensemble will do.

Please comment here or direct your friends here if you/they would like to be part of the fun.

A short rest, then back at it again

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:26:21 GMT

Back home from Vegas and the big Trek con was kind of a letdown. Not that I'm a glam-whore or anything, but no one really wanted our pictures. Now, I can let that slide for me b/c I felt my dresses were kinda crappy. I think I hate them. But my BF's tunics were awesome. And I'm not just saying that b/c I made them. His stuff looks great, his pants are accurate and his BOOTS! Sheesh...he had his boots made by the people who made the boots for the show back in 1966. You can't get anymore authentic than that. Well, except for adding a toup and doing a couple of stunt rolls. But people were taking pictures of some of the most poorly constructed costumes I have EVER seen. I didn't get it. (and still don't) Obviously, Dragon*Con has made me a costume snob.

Found out that "monkey style" is not an option at In-N-Out. Man, was I disappointed. Still, a regular double-double is mighty tastey. Also...the temp was BELOW 100 degrees. And the casino was FREEZING cold. Bizarre. Lost 2 pounds...even with the free buffets everyday!

I have 3 weeks before D*Con and haven't fully decided what to make for that yet. I'm strongly leaning towards spacesuits for our Planet of the Apes makeup. I really don't want to take a bajillion costumes. It makes it less fun when you have to change costumes all the time.

I'll post a few of the Trek con pics later this week. Gotta rest up for more sewing ahead. Plus, got a Dave Matthews Band concert on Wednesday and Disney on Saturday. God, do we ever stop?!

Victorian Picnic in the Park

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:17:04 GMT

I finally finished my yellow monstrosity with barely time to sleep before the picnic. I hate taking things down to the wire like that...it leads to sloppiness, which I think is apparent in the workmanship of the garment, IMO. I didn't get to make/attach trim around the neckline. I wanted to add bows in various places.

My hat....argh! My hatpin wouldn't even go through the hat. My mom devised a loop system to use with bobbypins to stick the dern thing to my wig. It was still kinda....slidey...and I opted to not wear it for most of the day.

Also, I felt that my skirt was too short. It probably doesn't look that way in the pictures but I think that's because I'm standing in grass...which has a certain amount of squish to it.

Hmm..what else? Oh, the POLLEN!!! Yellow, powdery Hellspawn. I had thought I was prepared for the onslaught the trees would dole out to me...but I wasn't. Multiple sneezes in a corset are not fun. Runny, itchy nose and watery eyes are not fun in the heat, either.

One last complaint before we move onto TEH PREETY and the good experiences; wtf is it with people having to sit right on top of you?? We picked a spot away from people but still kind of near people so as not to be total snobs. We set up our croquet field...marking the outer wickets with little paper napkin flags so they wouldn't get trampled...and still people trampled!! A large group set up their picnic practically IN our croquet field. While away on a potty break, one couple decided that the very edge of our companion's blanket was the best place to set up their chairs. Honestly, people!

All right, I'll stop hatin' on society and show you what you came here for:

Some of the "good" about the event was meeting a new friend. I'm so glad there's someone else in the area to frolick about in Victorian gowns with. She even brought noms! Tiny sammiches are the way to my heart. Unfortunately, 2 other gals weren't able to make it so there was A LOT of leftover food.

Ok, you want pics. I'll shut up now.

I would have liked to have gotten more pics of me but....well, that's just obnoxious! Heh. Maybe next time. There's talk of an event later for the 2 who missed this one. If school permits, I'll probably go. I don't have any plans for anything new right now. This dress really took a lot out of me. I need a sewing break. When I take up the Victorian stuff again, I'm gonna keep it simple. Maybe around Halloween....we shall see. Until then....

Dress Diary #4

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:13:07 GMT

Ok, since I'm c&p-ing this diary from another site I have it on, I figured I'd skip to the part where the dress is pretty much finished. Plus, I have some new to show off. I made a reticule to go with the outfit. It's kind of a goofy little ball purse...but it will hold a camera, make-up and whatever else is needed. At this point, there are buttons on the bodice, just not in these pics.

Here it is, folks. Nearly finished and lookin' pretty darned smart, my first Victorian Natural Form Era walking dress.

First off, I love plaids. I don't know what it is about them...I just loves 'em. However...this plaid was a bitch to line up sometimes. Those horizontal lines were always shifting around not wanting to stay nice and straight with each other. If you look closely, some places the lines didn't match perfectly...off by 1/16th of an inch.

The sleeves were a spazz moment because when I cut them out...I cut them on the fabric UPSIDE DOWN. Luckily, they sent me 1 yard more than I had ordered so I had some that I could make new sleeves from. The scraps will be used for a matching reticule and hat bows. I kind of think the sleeves are a little loose. Someone else commented on this recently on a forum I visit. I tried to taper them just a tiny smidge so they wouldn't be so huge when getting to the wrists. Also, this is the first time I've been able to get sleeves in and nearly perfect. Each seam has the tiniest of a pleat where I didn't ease it enough...but I'm still happy with how they turned out. I want to add lace to peek out from under the cuff and maybe a lace jabot for the neck. We'll see.

I still have to put in the lining, buttons and buttonholes but I'm taking a break today. I want to search online for some buttons. I don't know if I should make fabric buttons using the green silk, find some matching green glass buttons or buy antiqued gold metal buttons. Any ideas are welcomed!

I'm not sure the fit will be 100% perfect. Maybe it could be shorter, I think the armhole is too large/roomy. But overall, I can't wait to try it all on and have my picture taken. I'm currently looking for places in the Tampa/St. Pete area that have a Victorian feel. Probably, the University of Tampa which was a hotel in 1891(4?) and currently houses a Victorian museum.

Again, I hafta say Heather's Truly Victorian patterns are a dream to work with. I can't wait to start my next gown. Drawings and diary coming soon!

Tickled Plaid Hat

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:46:38 GMT

I sat down and made my hat today. I looked over a few of my fashion plate ref books but kinda just winged it. It looks simple and pretty. No muss, no fuss. I like it.

If the pics are sideways, give 'em a few to right themselves. Photobucket always does this to my pics...and it takes forever for the correction to go through.

Tickled Plaid Dress Dairy #3

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:20:23 GMT

Here is another dress diary....with pics! Because, really, no one cares about technique...it's all about the pics!

So it took me about 2 hours to figure out the whole thing about the side pleats. Placement and size were the 2 biggest issues. Once I got them both hand-tacked, I made myself be done with it. Perfection is overrated.

Before the waistband went on, it was mentioned to me to let out the darts so that the back section of the skirt is about 1/4 of the waistband. All that's really left to do on the overskirt is to put in the tie tapes (which help hold the skirt back) and the hook-n-eyes.

The underskirt's waistband will need to come off so I can take the darts out of it and I still need to put in the tie-tapes and hook-n-eyes.

Tomorrow I'll start pleating the ruffle for the underskirt. I may end up using the fork method after all the fuss I made about getting a pleater.

Wednesday I may start the muslin for the bodice. I still need some supplies like boning and lining material once bodice construction actually begins. I also need to figure out what I want to do for the front closure of the bodice. I was thinking of using hook-n-eyes and just putting non-functional buttons down the front....saves me from having to make buttonholes.

That's all for now!

Tickled Plaid Dress Diary #2

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:12:48 GMT

I have a lot of catching up in my journal for my dress diary so I'll just cut and paste what's already been posted from my DA page.

I was anxious to get started on my overskirt and commence ta' choppin' my loverly plaid silk twill but it took me a good hour, at least, before I had the cojones to actually CUT. I ordered 6 yards of the twill back in October planning to use it as an underskirt (5 3/4yrds) OR an overskirt (3 1/4) with some (lots!) leftover for a reticule or hat trimmings. I changed my mind when I thought it would look weird as an underskirt (too busy?) or that it might cut me in half as solely an overskirt. (This turns out not to be the case with Natural Form). When I actually bought my Truly Victorian patterns I saw that I could use the 6 yards as both the overskirt and a bodice. Yay!

So, I measured the fabric and discover that they actually sent me almost 7 yards of the twill instead of the 6 I paid for. Double yay! This meant I could pattern match the overskirt without taking too much fabric away from my bodice which requires something like 2 1/2 yards. Before I got ready to cut, I wanted to double check the length. I had to shorten the underskirt by a few inches and wanted to do the same for the overskirt. I also wanted the overskirt a little shorter because I have plans for a wicked-awesome pleated ruffle and I don't want it covered by the overskirt. The instructions for the pattern say to shorten/lengthen where marked on the pattern but the pattern was not marked in this way. I didn't want to just hack off from the bottom because, sometimes, that's not the best way to shorten things. I post my question about this on the TV forum and I'm told to simply overlap the side pleats and this will draw the skirt front up. That's settled, so I line everything up, match the horizontals and cut. Pin it, sew it, press it...fabulous!

I finish my side pleats and hand tack them. Holding the skirt front up it looks....not so great. So I pin it to my dressform (aka Danikin) and, sure enough, the center front nearly brushes the floor. Grrr. After much pondering and discussing with my BF (he has sewn and therefore somewhat understands) I have decided to cut a few inches from the bottom AND start (and end) the pleats higher on the seam. I think this will allow me the keep the shape of the Natural Form era but still give me some excellent swaggage in my overskirt. Oh...and give my pleated ruffle some exposure. I will also have to duplicate these changes on the center back but as long as I mark what I've done and where, I'll be okay.

Not a whole day wasted, at least. Plus, I can really see the garment as a whole taking shape and it's gonna look so lovely.

The only other problem I had yesterday was the fabric kept getting stuck in the feed dogs. The had a new needle in the machine and, my guess is that, it would push threads from the fabric down and thus, into the doggies. I think I put in a regular ol' medium-weight needle so today I'll use a denim needle since, technically, this is a twill I'm working with. Then, hopefully, I can stitch faster than a snail's pace.

Back to the sewing machine!

Rest easy, Stuart

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:57:48 GMT

Today would have been the 50th birthday of Big Country frontman, Stuart Adamson. I don't think you'll find a bigger fan of Stuart's or BC's than my boyfriend. He owns a dizzying number of BC CDs, cassettes and vinyls, an actual amplifier tour case that the band used during their many tours and he had commissioned a replica of Stuart's Jimmy Moon guitar. Jimmy Moon does not "give" guitars to musicians, no matter how famous, everyone pays for them. My boyfriend's replica cost him nearly $3000. It is his most prized possession. Through my boyfriend, I have become a great fan of Big Country and Stuart. Amazing how many people will never know he co-wrote "The Saints are Coming", the big New Orleans anthem post-Hurricane Katrina, when he was a member of The Skids.

My boyfriend got to meet Stuart and the guys from BC and those have to be some of his fondest memories. I'm sorry I'll never get to see them play live, but I'm sure there's enough footage on YouTube to keep me happy for a while.

This is their #1 hit from 1983, "In a Big Country":

A favorite song of mine, "Come Back to Me". U2 isn't the only band who can write haunting war songs.

You are missed, Stuart.

Dress Diary #1 - Natural Form Plaid

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:52:48 GMT

Today I start my dress diary on my first Victorian creation. Waiting for silk to be shipped, I got bored and doodled what I hope to be a close approximation of what the finished gown will look like. I am using Truly Victorian patterns TV 221 Tie Back Underskirt, TV 324 Long Drape Overskirt and TV 423 Two-tone Bodice. The Underskirt, bodice vest, collar and cuffs will be silk dupioni in Bamboo with the bodice and overskirt in a maize/green/blue silk twill.

I want to make a nice, sharply pleated ruffle on the underskirt and I'm HOPING that a total for 4 yards will be enough. The pattern calls for 2 yards extra for a gathered ruffle.

Heifer

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:30:14 GMT

Created by OnePlusYou - Free Online Dating

Sewing bloggripegrrr

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:59:48 GMT

My brain hurts and I give up. I've been trying to make a pleater for...pleating...for hours now and even though pictures were provided with the instructions, I still can't get it. I think my sausage-like fingers can't fold 3 layers of fabric (one layer nearly 1/8 of an inch thick!) at 1/2 inch increments while trying to use the hottest setting on my iron. Honestly, I think the instructions are wrong. Yes. That must be it. The instructions are WRONG! I'll try again tomorrow after the brain pain is gone and instead of 1/2 an inch, I'm gonna be bold and fold my pleats every inch. That'll show 'em.

The link to the online class for the pleater is here:

http://www.carolinabelles.net/vb/showthread.php?t=1076

I can't be that dense, can I?