So Much to Do, So Much Time (Day 446)

3:00am - I'm now going to start adding timestamps to my posts, mostly to make it easier for me to tell which days are accounted for, since I sometimes post after midnight.

I'm really impressed at the amount of progress I've made recently. I shortened my Franziska outer vest / cape thing (after five months or so, I still don't know what to call it), and I'm almost finished sewing it back up. The bottom of it is sewed except for about eight inches, where I had to turn it inside-out to sew the lining on and now have to close with hand-stitching. I had to open small holes in the top of the front so that I could get the yellow ribbon off to move up and reapply it after shortening.

I have to reapply the ribbon before I can finished sewing it, because I have to sew it into the top of the front (where I took it out before), and to do that, I have to be able to turn the whole thing inside-out, which is why the bottom has to stay open. I ran into to small hitch in the plans when reapplying the ribbon, the bottom of the vest is now shorter across (because it basically fans out at the bottom, similar to a cape or poofy dress without pleats). So when I went to reapply the ribbon, it took less across the bottom and folded at the corner sooner than I expected, which left a crease in the middle of the vertical stripe and the remains of the previously used Heat-n-Bond visible. I ironed off the leftover Heat-n-Bond, which, yes, made my iron sticky (I wiped most of the stickiness on the ironing board for now), and the rest was fine.

I kept getting distracted by the computer, though, so I stopped applying the ribbon and turned everything off so that I wouldn't get too tired and forget.

Also, I cut my thumb! With scissors! And it hurt! (duh?) Not sure what exactly happened, but I guess I snipped the skin on my thumb with the tip of the scissors. Weird thing is, I laughed at myself for about a minute before getting up to get a bandage. At least I know what an idiot I am for cutting myself. Also, I think the worst part is that it was with my fabric scissors, which I only use on fabric to avoid the blade getting dull, and now I feel like I have to get new scissors. Ah, well, I've also accidentally cut paper with them (the paper was hiding under the fabric), so I'm probably due for some new ones anyway. But first, pinking shears! I need them! I'm looking at this pair, they're nice and cheap. I just hope they work.

(For those who are unfamiliar with the term, pinking shears are a type of scissor that cuts fabric in a zig-zag pattern so that the edges don't fray. They're most commonly used for sheer fabric, but can used on pretty much any fabric. An overlock machine / surger, which I have, could substitute, but personally I'd rather not use an overlock on something that's going to be on the inside of a garment, as in, inside of the lining, and won't ever been seen. Plus, overlocking a bunch of stuff would add unnecessary weight, which probably wouldn't be too noticeable, but could add unwanted bulk to areas that should be flat.)

So all that's left to do for my Franziska costume before AOD is finish adding the yellow to the vest and sew it up and straightening my wig. When I bought the wig, it was relatively straight, but from sitting on a normal/short wig head, it's curled under and inward. I don't know much about the wig, having bought it hurriedly in the Dealer's Hall of Fanime and not getting any instructions with it (they barely sold it to me, were reluctant to take it off of the display). So I'm going to try straightening it with hot water. I'm told that you dip it in hot water ("hot" meaning burns to the touch, but not simmering or boiling), and then lay it on a flat surface. I figure the best place to do this would be in my bathtub, with a bucket for the water, and then laying it on the bottom of the tub, but my bathtub's kinda, well, not dirty ('cause, well, it's a bathtub), but it's got soap scum and stuff in it, so I have to clean it and then make sure that all of the chemicals are rinsed off before I'll be willing to put my wig anywhere near there.