Video Tutorial: Cutting Buttonholes

Finally! Well, after much fighting with the deviantART, I was able to get both of the videos uploaded there:

• Tools+Techs: Buttonholes made easy(-er) [also on YouTube]
• Tools+Techs: Cutting buttonholes [also on YouTube]

Check them out and let me know what you think - also, I'm always open to suggestions on other tutorials to do, both filmed and written, so if you get any ideas, let me know, and I'll add them to my very long list of things to make tutorials of!

Day Trippin'

Today was a good day, up until now at least.

We've spent this afternoon driving around looking at a few locations - a couple of storefronts for rent that I may be able to afford, and, even better, two locations that we may actually be able to afford to buy that have both retail and living space together!

One of them is really amazing, and I'm very excited to get to see it on the inside. Don't know if we'll be able to actually move into somewhere, and I know I've posted about looking at locations before, but it's always something new, something happy.

So, my one bit of advice if you're looking to open a business: Keep your eyes open, and don't get too caught up in emotion from one spot to another - there is always bound to be something new in a few months, and you never know from one year to the next what is out there.

The important thing is is to never give up, never stop looking, and eventually things'll work out for you. Just don't quit!

Obi obi belts - on their way!

So, okay, I've already uploaded a few sneak-peeks of these obi-obi belts, but we finally got to shoot some pictures of them today. The weather was a blustery 43 degrees, and we both froze our butts off, but the pictures turned out pretty darn well, if I do say so myself.

Here are the first few pictures from this mini-photoshoot, which will be used as the "example" pictures on the Etsy listings!

I'm off to take pictures of the obi belts that I've finished, and get ready to get them posted so that people can order them in time for Mother's Day (ya know what my mother is getting - lucky she doesn't read my blogs!).

And, as more obsession goes, I have ideas for how to make Steampunk variants on these - a pattern re-draft is in order, but I have a few designs digitized and ready to test!

Video Tutorial: Buttonholes made easier (-er)

I finally got to edit a new video tutorial that I filmed a week or so ago, working on the Heartless Wa-Loli (which I'm still in love with, btw...)

This one is a few tips on making your life a little easier when you have to deal with buttonholes. There are two parts, the first is about an automatic (or one-step) buttonhole foot, and the other is my magic trick - tear away interfacing.

Currently, the video is only uploaded on our YouTube channel, but it should be available on DeviantArt shortly as well!

Heartless Wa-Loli in Blue *pictures*

Well, there we go! I have the pictures up and everything for the Heartless Wa-Loli in blue outfit.

Consider this a sneak preview, since I'm not going to be able to stay awake long enough to put these together and submit them to DeviantArt tonight...




See more, and read more about this outfit here (the wa-lolita entry) and here (the corset entry)

So, whatchoo all think? Like this color, or the black and red better? And, who thinks that she is going to be the awesomest person at prom, ever? I know I wish I had worn something like this (instead of just feather and/or fairy wings...)

Heartless Wa-Loli (day 3) *finished*

I... I am in shock!

I think I'm done. Way ahead of schedule, too... hooray!!

I guess I never did quantify just how much time is saved by using uber fast industrial equipment, or something. I don't know what the cause, but I'm extremely happy to be done with this outfit so expediently! It'll be shipped out this afternoon (after I get better pictures, obviously) and it should be there tomorrow afternoon/evening, in time to be worn for Prom on Saturday!

I'm so excited! Actual good pictures will be taken after I have lunch, though ;P For now, you're stuck with me looking like a dork via my webcam :B

I don't think I have made an entire outfit this quick since that one costume for Seven Guitars, where I had to plan, drape, pattern, mock up, fit, alter, cut, sew, fit, and finish one dress in two 6-hour blocks of time!

Heartless Wa-Loli (day 2)

Well, that is officially the fastest I've ever put together a corset, start to finish. I am getting really damned good at it, if I do say so myself.

I started on the corset at 12:45, and finished it and it was on the dressform at 3:00. Hot damn.

Otherwise, I just need to wait for Chris to get home from work to be able to get to the fabric store and get the final bits for the skirt (which still needs to be hemmed, but that is probably the easiest thing left to do). After a brief lunch, I'm going to finish all of the sashes and the bow in the back, and all shall be good!

The petticoat was shipped out via Priority Mail this afternoon, and is being shipped directly to the customer. Man, I am psyched at how fast this has been to come together (even if I did almost die last night from shoulder and back pain...)

Pictures! Yes, I know, I need to get them off of the camera, but that'll have to wait until after lunch ;P

Edit: Well, here are the pictures! They've been added to both of the entries (or will very shortly) to give you an idea of how this outfit is coming together! None of the skirt, yet, though, since I forgot to put it on the form ^^

Heartless Wa-Loli

Oh boy! Today I was rocking and rolling (and, tried out Livestream, too, which was pretty cool!) and sewing my behind off!

9 hours of work later, and I have the black and blue Heartless Wa-Loli outfit over half done - I consider the hard part to be completed, which is the main kimono top and the majority of the skirt! Now, I just need to hem the skirt and it's good to go :D

Tomorrow, I will be making the corset, which is not something I'm concerned about - to me, the hard part is done with. The embroidery is done on the corset already, too, which makes it even better.

And I'm rambling, so I think that means it's time to go to sleep! Pictures tomorrow, as well as (hopefully!) the new video "Tips & Tricks" I filmed today~

Edit: Pictures are added to the posts, but I apologize about the quality - that's what I get for just snapping, well, snapshots with my regular camera (and the flash *gah*)

New Personal Costume

So, I have not made a piece of cosplay for myself in quite some time - I actually think that the last one I have done was our xxxHolic outfits from a few years ago.

I have a hard time finding outfits I'm comfortable with making for myself, because, for as popular and acceptable as cosplay has become as a whole, a lot of the people who do it are getting more and more narrow-minded. It is not uncommon to see someone (such as myself) ripped apart for not being a traditional size for cosplay (such as between a US 2 and 8, which seems to be the acceptable sizes for the most part). I can brush a lot of that off, but I definitely can admit that it has affected my personal choices in cosplaying, and even choosing to do it any more feels like sticking my neck out.

Win some, loose some

That is the theme of today. I've had phenomenal success with the obi obi belts embroidering how I want them to (trust me, that is truly a feat - and hopefully not a fluke!) so it stands to reason that something as simple as photographing the belts would be a pain, resulting in much failure.

Obi Obi Belts

So, I may not be ready to post finalized pictures of these yet, (mainly because I'm a little too lazy to finish ironing a few of them ^^; Please forgive me!) but I can show you what designs I've currently digitized!


(all of these images are free-use images, I am not infringing on any copyrights by using or posting these)

I may be working on a few more, but so far, those are the "core" of my Oh! Be Square obi obi belts!

The last two (the circle with the flower at the bottom, and the fan) are actually applique pieces, where there will be kimono scraps filling in the open areas!

Also, at a wonderful suggestion from my dear friend Becky, I plan on making patches of these, to adorn whatever you desire :D I'm so excited!

Why hello thar!

Okay! So, after spending more time than I expected getting this blog set up how I like it (isn't it purdy?) I'm off to get some more work done.

Right now, I'm working on (yet another) new idea, and, surprisingly, it is not millinery!

We've taken to calling these "Oh! Be Square" belts, as a bad pun - they're obi belts (Western name for wide belts, I know, I have a beef with calling them obi belts as well, but I can't single-handedly change that) that are made from vintage kimono fabrics :D

So, technically, they're obi obi belts (especially once I work up the nerve to cut into some of my actual obi).
Or obi².
Or, Oh! Be Square.

See, we're witty.