golden skies

the cocoons of the curricula moth are really fantastical; they've such a golden hue, it's simple mesmerizing to look at. they could've been spun from pure gold.

i incorporated a piece of a cocoon into my latest fiber pin, it's very lovely against the dupioni silk and aqua hues. i really enjoy making these pins, the yummy bits and pieces of cloth, a restrained color palette, working with different pleats and folds.

moo

lovely new cards from moo. i opted for the greener matte paper, and they are very nice with a sturdy weight. it was interesting to see which photos would turn out nicely composed. i definitely have my favorites from the batch, those displayed in the photo. next time i would like to get their minimoo cards, as the size is totemo kawaii.

visual delight

i find the films of hayao miyazaki entirely enchanting. some of them touch on the uglier sides of our nature, nausicaa of the valley of the wind, princess mononoke, but for the most part are quite wonderful. spirited away, howl's moving castle (the book by diana wynn jones is amazing), whisper of the heart, and the latest installation, ponyo, have quickly become some of my most viewed and favorite films.

i viewed ponyo the other night; it had been languishing on my netflix list for quite some time, always reading "very long wait". i absolutely love this film, the plot, the characters, the adventure, the amazing animations in the opening sequence, not the least of all the scrumptious visuals found throughout. i find this movie sweet with an aftertaste of that mushy lovely warm feeling.

there are some of his works i haven't seen yet, but hopefully this will be remedied in the next year.

not another skirt this time

even with hurting my lower back i've managed to sew something. albeit slowly. and painstakingly. but still, it takes ones mind off the pain every movement creates.

i've had a yard and half or so of some really soft organic cotton grey jersey laying in my yardage pile for a bit of time now. while surfing around the internet i came across a really cute jumperon a child's clothing store. and thought perhaps i should tackle something a little harder than a skirt.

i started out with the jumper in mind and drew up some patterns; front, back, and sleeves. i made some corrections as i cut my four pieces of fabric, adding a bit more width to the back. pinned and sewed it all together, and was a little "eh" underwhelmed about the piece while trying it on. off it went, and so i added some of my precious nani iro binder's tape around the sleeve hems, and gathered them with elastic. still not entirely loving it. the front just seemed all encompassing. too much grey. but i was really liking the back.

as i was pondering the fit of the front my eyes started following the lines of the pockets. if i cut the front out a bit, so that it opens, and curve the sides around to the length of the back, that would be more flattering.

out came the scissors, off went the very broad front, and a much better silhouette was born. i wanted to add kooky details to this top; fancy bits and buttons. in an array of pinks and golds i sewed scales around the pockets and lined the inside edge with antique gold and pink trim to give it some weight.

overall i like this piece, it's soft, eclectic, and not a complete screw up in the sewing category.