Right.. updates

So, between being sick as a dog and faire and all... I've been busy. Mostly being sick. But... it's almost all gone, and faire is over, so I can make time for posting again!

There are a LOT of updates to be had: my project list has changed dramatically - added more, finished some, and so on. And we've decided to add a fence to the garden-to-be, and are using pallets to make the fence. Means staining the pallets as we get them. I would do some today, but it just rained, so no staining today.

This one might just be picture heavy, so be warned. I've done a lot recently.

The octopus for the child of friends. He's made of blue/black tafetta, so his color shifts. He will stand up on his eight legs, too, thanks to a little rice in the tips. I may add eyes to him. He looks like he is blowing a kiss. The pattern is adapted from Runi, who makes absolutely fabulous little stuffies!

The metallic pillow. It was a test for another project, and did not turn out like I wanted, but I like the look, so it became a pillow. It's stuffed with pieces of fabric - heavy, but comfy. Three layers of silk dupioni in copper, silver, and gold. It's like a D&D gamer's favorite pillow - all the monies you could need!

After seeing Johanna, other people decided they wanted a poppet of their characters. So, the ones I have completed so far are: Katherine Boothe, the town crier, in blues, and Ellie Chandler, the candle maker's daughter, in the yellows. Like Johanna, each of them comes with their own set of accessories: a bell for the crier and candles for Ellie. Although the picture doesn't show it, Ellie's hat is singed and burnt, like the original's.

A cat hat for a newborn. There are three others to go with this, all in various shades. Now all I have to do is find a time and way to get them to the kid.

These are not the only things I've done, but they are all I am going to post right now. I have also completed a new skirt for myself at faire (a circle and a half, very swirly), a poppet for my character (who needs the new skirt still), finished cutting out the pieces of the Bento Box quilt I am working on, and started on a dress for the reception of a friend's wedding: it's to be a masquerade ball, which means I need to find my mask. And think about hair styles. And there's more... but right now I can't think.

Skull Coat and XMas Gifts

The skull coat is done and looks better than I anticipated. I have another one in the works already - a phoenix coat. The base is red, and the motifs will be, obviously enough, phoenixes, flames, and feathers. But I am also working on a new quilted coat - as soon as I figure out the motif, I will post more. Suffice to say that the test piece will be something different.

Some friends are preggers, and will be decorating the kid-to-be's room in sealife, a sea mural, and shades of blue. So they will be getting (at some point) a blue octopus. Matt dared me to make a blue-ringed octopus (the color changing kind). I think I can manage with taffeta... I will have to see. (After XMas gifts are done!)

I am also working on a brightly colored fleece blanket - just because. I want something simple and not terribly detailed for a change. The squares will be nice and large, but I still need something like 144 for a single-thickness, and obviously double that for the double thickness. I will bind it will scraps of quilt binding, so even the edges will be different colors.

Other than that, it's prep time for XMas... I've completed two Christmas presents for family already. Only... errr... more to go. Lots of work left to do.