crafty_packrat: (Swan Tam)
In other words, I've received something of a windfall in that a package from my father showed up on my doorstep this afternoon.

A packaged containing two pheasant tails and some extra feathers. )

Unlike the last time Dad tried to give me a pheasant tail, these are nicely dried and clean -- with birds, it's vitally important to get all the fatty tissue, like the oil gland, off the skin. Once that's done, with a bit of care, the skin dries into something rather like parchment without the need for extensive tanning steps.

I'm thinking I'll use them in hat-making, because seriously, some of the feathers are over two feet long.
crafty_packrat: (sewing)
I finally got to a meeting of the Hat Interest study group of my guild today. It was very neat.

We met at the home of the member who is a professional milliner and has an amazing collection of reference material, equipment, and vintage hats.

She's convinced me that it wouldn't be too hard to make myself more tall hats (maybe using the Margo Anderson pattern), and even branch out into different hats.

The demonstration of how to use millinery grosgrain -- it's openweave, so it can be steamed to curve unlike normal grosgrain -- to edge a brim was interesting.

Also, it looks like I may be able to get help taking apart one of my older Bravissimo shirts to make a pattern from it, and maybe even a sewing buddy out of this group, so it was a lot of fun.

I also got some encouragement on the glove-making. I need to go to G-Street and see if I can find interlock knit fabric to make my first attempt at gloves. And maybe I need to pin down one of my friends so that I can use the glove.org method to make a pattern, give that standard patterns aren't going to deal with the peculiarities of my hands that well.
crafty_packrat: V-stitch crochet (crochet)
I should plan some crochet projects now that it's getting cool... maybe the Square Hole Hat, since I have the yarn to do it and the accompanying half-mittens.
crafty_packrat: Yes, I own that gun. (skeetshooting)
Made it to [personal profile] sanj's fine, though when the train went from CSX rails to the Vermont rails, the ride got much worse -- very shaky and bumpy.

Spent yesterday tootling around Burlington, starting with the farmer's market. There were some absolutely delicious cider donuts, and some gorgeous leeks. I made St. Patrick's Cheese soup last night, which we ate with crusty bread.

We also stopped at one of the local yarn shops, and I found the cutest baby hat ever Flore (bluebell) for KassRachel's sproglet-to-be.

We're heading up to Montreal this morning -- it's been raining since I got here (literally, it was raining when I got off the train) so we might not get to enjoy the botanical garden, but there will be a Polish cafe by dinner time.

I'm going to try finding a massage place and make an appointment for when we get back. I might as well indulge myself on this trip, since it's all about relaxing and getting over my work-related stress.

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crafty_packrat: Heart design on whorl of a polymer clay spindle (Default)
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