Skyways to Steampunk

I am going to be posting a new series this next break. Today is your intro, which means I'm going to explain in depth something fairly simple.

Not really.

What I'm going to do is begin the series that I have called "Skyways to Steampunk"

These are the ambitions that I have for this spring break. I'll be drawing up the designs for my new wardrobe and posting pictures and links of other peoples designs similar to mine. Or rather the wardrobe that I wish I had.

So here's the schedule.

At around 8 or 9pm I'll be posting the first part of the series with Underwear. Really, just a bunch of petticoats and shifts. It seems like a good place to start.

Then tomorrow at around the same time it'll be skirts; one of my favorite things to design in steampunk.

Next will be Blouses, simple in theory but complicated in execution.

Then Vests and Corsets. The staple for the Steampunk wardrobe. A good couple of vests and a fantastic corset will make the wardrobe.

The most exciting feature will be Dresses. Not many of these are needed for the wardrobe. For the most part, dresses in steam-punk can look a bit too costume-ish. Let's see if we can't change that, yes?

The last day will be Accessories and Jewelry, which are the little details that make all the difference. These will make sure you look like a Steam-punk and not like an idiot.



Soooo... let's see how this goes.

Why am I who I am?

I have always been a bit of an action hero. I don't really know why, I just do these little... things.

Me and my parents were talking about this last night.

When I was eight years old my dad took me Carribu hunting. This isn't so out there. I'm an Alaska girl so this is how things work. My dad was looking around and saw these carribu, he brought up his gun and I ducked and covered. Big boom, small ears, good reflexes. It all adds up.

When I hear a gun shot, I get down and then look to see where the people who are with me are.

My church rocks by the way. There's a group of young men who like to play with low powered explosives. And who doesn't? So they decided to make a small powered bomb.
Me and my friends were outside at the time, and they did take the proper precautions so that no small children were harmed by shrapnel. They were far enough away that we couldn't find them and we wouldn't get hurt, but we could hear them.

"BOOM!" The exposion hit me lightly in the chest (lighter than other explosions have, anyway) and I leapt off the swings. This is what passed in the matter of 2 seconds.

Mark looked at me and then began to shout commands at some of the older kids. My I was crouching like a tiger, thoughts passing rapid fire through my head. "Where are the little kids? Curtis, Clayton, they are... over there, Beckah and Seth are... over there, and Mark is... there, he's fine"

Then we heard it, the sound of manic laughter coming over the hill. It was Jesse. Never mind.

So I've always been a bit of an action hero in my own right.

Just, no one wants me.

A New Title, A New Adventure

This blog has been a knitting blog, and knitting will always be a part of it. But now we have a new adventure to embark on.

Film.

I want to be involved in this industry. I want to be the person who makes other people happy with the images on the screen. I want... I want...

I am...

I am...

That person on the street who you pas by without a second glance.

The girl that only a few boys have wanted.

The kid who people saw potential in to be a better person. To make the world a better place.

But I have seen and I have done.

I want to do more.

So who am I really?

I am...

A Child of the One True God. One of the redeemed. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Writer. Artist. Actress.

So now what? Do I armor myself to slay a dragon once again? But to slay a dragon in armor is to be asked to be roasted.Do I scream? Do I cry out? Do I cling to what I once was?

No.

I pray. I wait. I spring.

I slay the dragon as me, the me of right now, the only person I can be.

Lace Adventures

I have never knit lace before. Now for friend of mine, I am knitting lace stockings. This is going to take a while. I love the pattern, the colors are great, the girls will love them. We'll call her Ginger, she loves socks , especially crazy ones, so I'm bequeathing her with her first hand knit pair!
Can't write much now but will try to give you updates on the progress.

Starting Over (Nearly)

How do you feel after having to rip out half a sweater? Oi vhey, it is so heartbreaking. But it;s best to maintain your sanity by using this philosophy; if you have to tear out hours of knitting that you think looked bad, you are fixing a mistake in something that you invested in. Yes there's the whole time thing, but the time that you invest into this garment is going to be repaid ten-fold if you like the way it looks on you.

That's how it happened with my sweater dress, I used the regular increases and this made a weird box panel in the front and a tail in the back. Sorry, no pictures. I decided this wasn't a problem and fell back on plan "B" which was raglan increases, these I started halfway down the thigh. Oh boy. I finally used up the final of the 12 balls of yarn (that's 1320 yards) and tried it on. I went to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and went numb. I looked ridiculous, the skirt flared out properly, but it was from the thigh. The torso was too long, and the sections of reverse stock-knit looked like a Jane Jetson dress. That would be okay, if I wasn't going for old world drama with this thing.

I went down stairs and showed my parents, me and my mom talked about it and now I know what I have to do. I took off one of the sections of reverse stock-knit and am starting a raglan type increase from there. I am also lengthening the skirt down below my knees to give it the right line and lengthening the sleeves so they don't drive me crazy. 

Okay, this is okay. I am making myself something that will become a good friend and that I will wear for years to come. Two weeks of knitting will seem like nothing. It's probably time to knit on my little sisters hood.

Education

I need to gather more information, my knitting knowledge is supremely stunted. This has become apparent after my decision to write a knitting book. The only question is, how does one educate them self enough to write such a book. I know that this will never happen if it isn't completed with in the next 15 months. I know that seems like a long time, but my short attention span is lengthened when it comes to my craft. 

So, now I have about 6 months to make all the projects needed to educate me for this book. I cannot tell what my book is about, but it will fill a void in the knitting world and satisfy many knitting cravings. It will be a rule breaker, and a till turner. You will not be disapointed.

Am I Insane (wait don't answer!)

The bad thing about sweater knitting is that you tend to get carried away. Espesially with a mind like mine. I wouldn't say that I have a dramatic mind, but I have a mind that wanders toward drama. If you were to ask me what my favorite movie is, it's LOTR (hey, my icon is Nenya, Galadriels ring!). Favorite scene in the trilogy... toss up between Theodins exorsism recovery scene (beutiful graphics!) or Haldirs death scene (I realise that Legolas was the only elf at Helms Deep, but that is a beutiful way to do a death scene.) That is how dramatic my mind is, I am the ulimate conisure of death scenes. Playing in the woods with my guy friends, we do death scenes most of the time (go Rory!).

Anyway, imagine my excitement when God gives me the idea to knit a dress. (I belive that the ideas that are carried out with the best enthusiasm are from Yahweh.) I had to do it! Am I insane?

My idea with this is an alternate pullover. You know that stupid, shlumpy pullover that you wear and it has no shape and you are only wearing it beacuse it's cold and you need some comfort. But what about a pullover that you cna throw on and still feel stunning? That's what I want.

So now we come to the whole length thing. Where is this thing going to hit me, thighs, knees? Well I didn't really have a prefrence, until I saw Eragon.



Me and my sister have been listening to the books from the library, she loves the books I think that they are rediculous, but listen along so I can laugh at Paolini. The movie is even more ridiculous. They blew through it like it was nothing, too fast paced (but I watch things like LOTR and POTC, so anything is fast and rapid compared). But one of the panning airials caught my breath, it was when Brom died and Saphirah made him a diamond tomb. The airial of Saphirah, Eragon, and Arya was a good shot, but the length of Aryas dress made me want that dress. So I really hope this thing is going to hit me at the knees.

Now my plan is to make a cloak, yes a cloak. With complicated cables to keep me busy and happy. I just ordered enough yarn to make me feel satisfied with the ammount of yardage. Okay, on Knit Picks, that's $70 worth, on the yarn!!! Imagine if I had wanted to knit this thing in Alpaca! okay, not contemplating.

Anyway, I think that we have stablished that I am binkers, so here I go with my drama knitting.