what I've been up to

Well now, I thought I'd kick this off with some of the projects I've been working on, starting with this:

I've been on something of a crochet kick lately, and whipped up this cute little slip cover for my camera the other day. If anyone has any awesome crochet patterns, please share. I'm trying to thin out my yarn stash, haha.

Next, we have CORSETS! Well, one corset (for now). Here's what's what so far. I'm just waiting on a shipment of hardware, then I can put in the boning and busk, finish the top and bottom edges and finally wear it :D

I used a pattern dated 1844, found in Norah Waugh's Corsets and Crinolines. This particular corset was more or less a spur of the moment thing, one of those "I want to make something now" things, and I already had the pattern all printed out and everything. Originally, I wanted to save the pattern until I had the perfect fabric. I had imagined a peachy toned satin with a lacy trim at the top and hand-sewn eyelets at the back AND and front. One day my masochistic sewing desires shall be fulfilled, but I had an urge to sew and a growing stash of fabric in need of thinning. 

I decided on a drab olive-tone something or other that's been lying around for untold months. I only had about a yard and I bought it for about a dollar. For the lining I decided to use an eye-bleeding yellow pillowcase I had purchased at a thrift shop for another project (also a dollar!).

I thought quilted bust gores would look pretty snazzy. This was my first quilting endeavor and I must say, it was quite enjoyable. However, the idea to create additional gores at the hips and quilt them as well was a little crazy. It took some time, but I think it looks rather nice, plus it adds some heft to an otherwise thin corset.

So many gores...

QUILTINGGG!

 I'm super excited to get this thing finished. My main goal with this project was to get something to give me the proper silhouette for my next project...a Victorian gown!


And last but not least, a little clay sculpture I've been working on in my spare time while I should be doing other things. It's a freaky unicorn!

"Fear my stuuuubs!"

One of my favorite paintings is Salvador Dali's The Elephants. I just love those crazy legs. Last year I did a project for a 3D class where I made a bizarre, Dali inspired, skeletal unicorn from wood. It fell apart shortly after critique.

So, I decided I'd like to revisit the idea in clay instead.

He kinda has legs! Actually, he actually has legs, I've just yet to get a photo yet, so here's a shot mid-grafting procedure. I opted to start with the body and then work in the legs rather than create the whole armature first. The right front leg is going to stay bare metal with the flesh appearing to mold around it, like it's a prosthetic bolted to his skeleton.

"And then...suurgery."