Twigg & Hottie

Well, I was walking down Main Street the other day after buying some stuff for my jacket when I came across this sign on the sidewalk:

**link to person's page who took this photo**

I never took this picture (I had trouble taking the picture files off of my phone, with which I took a couple of pictures with, for various reasons).

I figure though that it perfectly describes my union with Jenn...well, maybe not as true as with Maureen and Kristin!

Here is an image-altered picture (I chose not to use "photoshopped" - should have used "GIMPed" actually):

If Maureen and Kristin would like me to create their own, just let me know!!

Sewing Project (Part VII) - ALMOST done!!

I've been busy lately and the next steps for completing the jacket were a little finicky so I put it off a little bit.  The jacket looks good, but if you look close enough you'll see some oddities, on the inside for sure! I didn't really care about the inside though, I just wanted it complete.  For you video game players - do you know how it feels when you are trying to complete one particular part of a level and it takes you try after try?  Each time there is some finicky part that if you don't do it just right you plummet to your death and have to start all over again, and then once you pass THAT finicky part there is yet another!  That's what some parts of the jacket were like, so when I got through a "level" and it wasn't quite perfect, but still good, I stuck with it!

(ASIDE:  I have to admit, there are a lot of benefits for playing video games.  Tetris for geometric visualization (and challenging it by going faster), all sorts of other games for perseverance and basically practicing until you are  good enough, etc.  Keep that in mind parents...)

Here are a couple of pictures.  The only thing that I have left are the cuffs, speaking of finicky.  Making straps with the fabric that I am using is stretchy.  This made sewing the non-stretch zippers with the stretch fabric difficult and the smaller details, such as the straps, harder to keep precise (see the top-stitching around the zippers for an example of both).  You can also see a mismatch on the hem because of the inner zipper flap being on a little crooked (another zipper-fabric instance) and therefore the mismatch.  I may do it over, it's not that hard to do so, but, it works and people won't notice it unless they are closely inspecting it.

Anyway, enough talk, here are a couple of pics:

Sewing Project (Part VII)

I was going to wait until I was finished everything but it is taking longer than I expected. I have all of the necessary finishing pieces ("notions") but the webbing to attach the cord-locks that I bought is just too thick so I need to go buy some new stuff.  And again, like the zippers, I need to sew these into the hood and most, if not all, the rest of the finishing depends on me having that finished.  Here are some pictures of the assembled jacket though without any finishing.  I still need to finish the main zipper and I only have the hood brim pinned to the hood (that's what needs the cord-locks installed).  I also have the hem of the waist and the cuffs to finish.  I could do that actually...

Apple Picking

We went to Abbotsford Sunday to go pick some apples.  Unlike the Okanagan Valley though, we did not find "U-pick kittens"...

It was a beautiful day at the Willow View Farm, it made for a lovely afternoon.

There were many varieties of apples, many I had not heard of before.  They were $0.60/pound, which apparently is a good price (shows how much I buy apples/pay attention to prices...).  All of the askew posts marked the name of the apples that were in that row.  If you click on the pictures above for a larger view you should be able to see the names and the apples on the trees.  It is clearer in the picture below:

Apparently you are allowed to graze, "to test out how the apples taste" apparently (so says SDT).  I never did see that written anywhere, mind you, there are only so many apples you can eat in the small amount of time that you are there.  We were sharing apples to taste them and we were all promptly full and had the "apple-sweats" as we lumbered along to gather our final pickings. Jenn beautifully demonstrates the eating of the apples below:

Our final haul.

There were also a few, very large, pumpkin patches with many different varieties of pumpkins:

 

The patch with the "Do Not Disturb" sign were very large, I think that Jenn or I could've sliced it open and snuggled up inside enabling them to survive a blizzard on Hoth...no need for Tauntauns! (I had to look that up)

We also figured out that Jenn was worth about $2 as a pumpkin (only for her head though).

Combining the information from the above picture and the one below is proof that Jenn is not a Knuckle-Head though...

Not only fun, but now we have yummy apples to eat!

Over and out.

Sewing Project (Part VI)

I sewed the side seam together and now I have something that actually looks like a jacket.

I now need to sew the hood on, the front zipper and other finishing including the cuff.  I'm not sure which type to do.

The following type seems to be traditionally done on all of the outdoor technical jackets that I have with velcro straps. (I'm going to sew in a velcro tightening strap)

This next cuff is traditionally done on most types of other, seemingly "non-technical" type clothing.  It is an extra strip of fabric sewed on to the end of the sleeve.

My only worry with the first one is that it will shorten the sleeve length too much.  On the other hand, the second one will make it too long and maybe not as robust?  But if the cuff wears out, I can easily replace it then...

Anybody know what I'm talking about and have their own preferences?

Sewing Project (Part V)

The sleeves are on....

1st Pic: Sleeve shoulder seam + dart

2nd Pic: Whole jacket together

3rd Pic: Seams joining at sleeve shoulder seam

Next, the jacket will actually look like a jacket!!

Sewing Project (Part IV)

I have put the sides on the jacket last night.  Next posting will show a jacket without any of the finishing or the hood. Though, I'm hoping that there aren't any parts that are slightly off and therefore requiring me to take some pieces apart!

Sewing Project (Part III)

Like I said, it wouldn't take long after I finished the zippers.  I finished this stuff this evening...

Sewing Project (Part II)

The Zippers arrived yesterday but I had to go for dinner with ST - he took me off my task.  (Then, what do I see when I get there? He's using the force for evil purposes, throwing lightning and picking stuff up without touching it)

Today, it took me ALL DAY to get the pocket zippers so that they looked half decent (one side isn't actually all that great, but the hassle is so great I'm going to leave it).  One pocket turned out pretty good though, the other one merely good.  The good one is shown here : )

After this it should go pretty smoothly until the next zipper and when I have to sew on the hood.  I hope to get it done before I get a job (which I hope is soon!!)

Jenn's in the Olympics!!

Jenn got an email today saying that she would be part of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Olympics! Odds are pretty good that she'll get some sort of close up on TV I would imagine. She will be tap dancing - I guess that is all we are allowed to know though...

An addendum: Jenn auditioned for the part. At first she did a general audition and then they did a call-back for a "special role". So she was chosen for that special role.

Sewing Project

I bought some Schoeller water-resistant, 4-way stretch soft shell material from a now defunct sewing shop in Calgary (the best one in Canada, used to be) that was on sale and planned on making a soft shell jacket.

That was a few years ago. Problem is not finding material (though I did have to order water resistant zippers from Finland) but in finding patterns that are technical enough. After much searching on the inter-tubes (as ST would say) I did find someone who sold good, outdoor equipment patterns, some for free, check it out: www.shelby.fi . Jenn bought me a sewing machine for Xmas so now I had no excuse to procrastinate, especially since I have some time on my hands right now...

I got the pattern traced out after piecing together the photocopies sent to me (that took a while), pinned them to my (expensive) fabric and then let it sit for a while. I was little hesitant to cut the fabric - you can't go back once the fabric is cut!!

I said what the hell, cut the fabric and I'm off to the races - except that I have to wait for zippers to come from Finland (I guess they fit in envelopes so they should be here fast, but probably too late, I should be working by the time they come).

Alas, I needed the zippers for the very first step, true, later on in the step, but I pretty much need it right away. But, I could assemble my hood and that is what I just finished doing! Here are pictures of my handiwork:

Now I wait. I can a little bit more with step 1 but it won't be much...

Good Luck IO

Good luck and favourable winds to Mike and Hyo who are taking Io, their sailboat, down to Mexico (I think) and then eventually to Hawaii and New Zealand or somewhere around there.