Rage Against the Flying Machines

I don't fly much, because I am a simple, driving woman. But when I do, it's most often from Fargo, and most often to Vegas, which means I fly Allegiant Air. They have recently changed their carry-on policy, so that carry-on bags, which used to be free, now cost $24.99 in advance, or $34.99 the day of the flight. This would be fine, of course, if ticket prices dropped accordingly, but they haven't, and so this new policy really gives me pause. More than pause, it pisses me off. So I thought I'd find myself a way around it. From their website, passengers are still allowed one personal item free of charge. And I quote:

Examples of personal items include:

1. Male or female purse
2. Briefcase
3. Laptop computer
4. Camera case
5. Portable electronic devices of similar or smaller size to items listed above
6. The exterior dimensions for a personal item must not exceed 7" H X 15" W X 16" D (this measurement includes wheels, pockets, handles and decorations).
7. The personal item must be placed under the seat in front of you.
8. An oversized personal item may be considered a carry-on bag (fees apply).  Please measure your bags carefully.

So...if I were to have a purse or some other bag that measures 7x15x16 or less, including all hardware and handles and stuff, and I could fit all I needed for a trip in there, well, then, I would save myself $25.

I've been to Vegas three times, and each time we flew out on Monday and came home on Friday, so we spent 4 nights away. Now, camping for 4 nights and 5 days, I could wear the same clothes most of the time, and would only need to pack sunscreen, bugspray, and a few sandwiches. (You're not going to invite me to go camping with you, are you?) But in Vegas, I like to dress up a bit, wear a little make-up, maybe some earrings...could I pack for all of that in just a 7x15x16 bag?  I decided to try.

 I should mention that we have no real plans to go to Vegas right now: I'm teaching summer school, and Shaun's still got this new-ish job, and we're not financially in a position to wander off to Vegas willy-nilly. Quite. I'm working on it. Anyway, above, the bag from the side: you can clearly see it is less than 7" here, thanks to my handy Hendrum Grain Elevator yardstick.

 And though this one is harder to see, trust me that this side is only about 14". This bag is, by the way, a prototype, made with my less-favorite fabrics to just try out the idea/refine my pattern. The navy is very strong nylon, double thickness, and the zippers (there are two) are from our local hardware store, at 80cents each. If I make one again, I'm thinking of using a lovely sparkle vinyl, maybe.

 And this side is under 16". And it's packed. With everything I need for 5 days in Vegas. I swear!

The rear-end, measuring in at just over 6". Whee! But wait. Maybe you still don't believe me. 

 Here it is, unzipped for your voyeuristic pleasure.

 My liquids bag, in a front pocket for easy access. I've packed 5 prs of one-a-day contacts, a small tube of sunscreen, toothpaste, lip gloss, mascara, eyeliner, and my 2 inhaler canisters (which are technically considered liquids, apparently). It's all there, baby.

 Let me prove it to you: unpacked, above, are five shirts of varying sleeve lengths (I'll wear a lightweight jacket, because, though it's the middle of the desert, the A/C can be fierce in some casinos). I'd only need four tops, but I'm a sloppy woman, and I like to have options. The patterns on the shirts help to hide the sloppiness, too.

Basic things: my Nintendo DSiXL, which has 100 classic books locked and loaded; my sexy carpal tunnel braces; and my make-up bag, with my remaining make-up, my pills, and my Maalox, which mama needs in Vegas. And my eyelash curler, which is really unnecessary, but again, it's Vegas.

 But wait, there's more! Above: my swimsuit, a black skirt, a white skirt, a gray skirt, a brown pink and cream skirt, and brown pants. I could totally leave out two of those skirts and double up, but if I have the room, why not?

 Then, at the very bottom, my extra shoes (I'll wear the bulkier, less-practical pair on the plane), with my undergarments. That's right. I"m not afraid to post photos of those on the internets. And that is all. See? Everything I need for 5 days in Sin City. Not pictured: a small purse, which will easily fit, as will my camera and charger (I can't take a photo of the camera with which I'm taking a photo). And the cell phone and charger. Ta-da!

I feel vindicated, and if I ever fly to Vegas again, Allegiant Air is simply not getting an extra $24.99 from me.

Now I just have to convince Shaun to come with me. And we'll live happily ever after.

What are your favorite packing tips?

Those photos I promised you

Almost new Ruff Hewn X-strap mary janes: $3. Aren't they cute? Yes, I have other red mary janes, but these are clearly completely different. Don't judge me. 

Then I made  myself a new summer-y purse. I've been working a lot with vinyl, lately, and I really like it, but lordy, vinyl does not breathe. By definition, it's too hot for summertime, so I found some very pretty cotton and made myself a mock-Vera Bradley bag. (I actually own 2 Vera Bradley bags: one kinda of like this, in Paprika, which was a gift from my sister-in-law and which I love so much I only carry it on special occasional, and one like this, which I got for $2.50 at the thrift store, which I also love but I'm sort of bored with the colors, which are muted blue and cream and brown.) So, ta-da!

Fantastic rainbow fabric from Mill End, with lots of interior pockets and a lining made from orange and red fabric that we used at our wedding ten years ago. There's a big zipper pocket inside, with pen and cell phone pockets opposite, and a smaller zipper pocket on the outside. I quilted the fabrics together with a lightweight cotton batting, though next time I think I'll just use a nice interfacing: the quilting just takes up too much space in a small bag. I even got fancy and added a loop onto which I could clip my keys. You know how that is, when you toss you keys in your purse, and then you have dig all the way to the bottom? I hate that. So I added a little loop on the strap. 

 Only I didn't think that particular addition through, so it points to my boob. Like you wouldn't notice my them anyway, I now have a prominent detail on my lovely handmade bag clearly drawing attention to my right breast. Awesome.

But I can fix that, and otherwise it's pretty cute.

Now the 6 year old is telling me she's hungry, so I'd better go rustle up grub. How's your summer going?

Summertime!

Grades went in on Monday, so today is my second official day of summer. I thought you'd like to share in the joy that is my to-do list.

Walk the girl to school: done.
Morning nap: done.
Clean the kitchen: contemplated.
Selfish thrift-store shopping: done. Sweet $3 red mary janes scored. Photos to follow.
Mow the backyard: done. I had to restart that poor mower four times, but I got it done.
Pick the girl up from school, walking the dog to and fro: done.
Clean the dining room: considered.
Make a tasty supper that somehow includes broccoli: done. Unanimously voted as tasty.
Sew myself a cute summer purse: done. Photos to follow.

It was a pretty great way to start my summer. Hope your day was full of things you like, too.

Kids' Clothes Week Challenge: Day 1!

To take a little break from the A to Z stuff, it's also Kids' Clothes week over at elsie marley. And since I said I'd play along, here I am, playing along. I completely avoided took a break from grading this weekend to sew up a little Simplicity 1903: Toddler and Child's Romper for V. I was a little nervous, as it only goes to a size 8, and V's more in size 10 range these days, so I added the pink stripe on the side. I think it would've been fine without it (romper's aren't exactly form fitting, you know), but I do like the contrast of that pink. 

 It's a very easy pattern, with only 3 different pattern pieces: the ties, the ruffle, and the romper itself, which you cut out in four identical pieces. I'm not sure what move she's doing, below, but it's probably ninja related.

 I was going to make this is a pink linen (the child loves pink these days), but found the Best Fabric Ever at Mill End on Friday. It's an upholstery fabric, actually, from Timeless Treasures. But it feels quite like a heavier linen: it's got a nice hand to it, not too close to denim, but substantial and awesome. It has robots! Orange and pink freaking robots!!! I only bought two yards (and this only took one yard of it) and I may need to go back and buy all the rest. I love it so. Lookit! (I should've matched the print better on the center seam. I hate matching prints, though. Besides, she promptly stained it, so I'm going to put in a pocket, anyway).

Here's V, rockin' the romper to the grocery store. It was chilly out so she needed the jacket,but the thing is roomy enough to wear with a shirt underneath, too. She loves it very much, and so do I. 

I think, no matter what happens the rest of this week, we can call the week a success, just based on this one little romper. What say you?

Suitcases

I have a surprising amount to say on the topic of suitcases. Special thanks to my sister and her lovely husband, who reminded me of this this morning.

Samsonite: Oh, Samsonite. The most beautiful of all suitcases, especially the vintage hardsides. I have one in white, red, and pink, and if I find one in orange and/or blue and/or yellow, they WILL be mine. Mostly, after the NYC incident, my Samsonites live in the basement and hold my craft supplies, including fabric, altered book stuffs, and rubber stamp things. I dream of making coffee tables out of a few, and I'm also very fond of the child-sized suitcases, which are easy to move and look cooler than boring old briefcases. There is something magical about the very smell of a well-cared for Samsonite, and when the satin lining is intact? I'll pay up near $7. Check your attic, people. If you complete my collection, I'll put a picture of you on my sidebar for a month.

Duffel bags: I don't really know what inspired me to buy the pattern for that fabric duffel, but I'm so glad I did. I really love making them, and I love using them, too. V's has enough room for her to pack four dolls, clothes for a weekend, plus five or six Rugrats books. Mine lets me pack five outfits for a single weekend, plus two pairs of shoes, my Nintendo DSxl, my jewelry bomb, and maybe some pajamas, if I remember to pack them. Plus, they're adorable. Travelling is even more fun this way!

Carry-ons: So I don't fly very often, but when I do, it's almost always on Allegiant Air. Unfortunately, they just recently decided to charge up to $35 per carry-on. That's right. Per carry-on. Meaning no one who works for the airline even has to touch your stuff, really, but they're going to charge you $35 for the opportunity to carry it yourself. I know airlines are trying to keep fares low, but this strikes me as ridiculous, and so rather than just give in and check my bag, or pay to carry one on, I have big plans. Allegiant's website indicates that each person is allowed to carry on one thing without charge: you know, a laptop, or a medium purse. At least that's what the airline hopes people will carry on. The "free" bag can measure up to 15"x16"x7". You know where this is going, right?  I'm going to use a strong, thin fabric to make a bag of those dimensions, and then all I need to do is make sure I can fit all I need for my next trip to Vegas in that space. Or on my person. It's been years since I read Heidi, but I know she didn't have a suitcase, so she wore all three of her dresses at once when she went to live with her grandfather. If it's good enough for Heidi, it's good enough for me. Take that, Allegiant Air. 

And another thing...

(Sunday is the day off from the alphabet blogging challenge. Settle down).

Because I'm crazy, I've signed up for another challenge.  Kids' Clothes Week Challenge, organized by Elsie Marley, is something I've done once before. Of course, it's terrible timing, because my last day of class is April 27, but I want to sew for the girl child before summer, and if I don't do it now, I won't do it until August.

What were your favorite clothes as a child? I loved our Hee-Haw overalls, my blue satin jacket, and my baby blue velour shorts with the horse applique. So much inspiration!

B-B-B!

B, for our A-to-Z challenge purposes, will be for bags here at Languishing. I have been a life-long lover of bags: since my first Jordache purse bought at the West Acres Claire's with Christine Forseth (it was teal!), I've been searching for the perfect purse, tote, BAG or bags to carry my stuff. I blog about it so much, it should have its own damn category.

Since falling in love with the quilted totes I told you about recently, I've been thinking about how bags come together, how I could use what I already have, and what all I really want/need in a bag. Should it be for work? I'm still using this lovely one, and it's close to perfect. But then I saw this bag, inspired by a movie, apparently, and I needed one that was round. Needed, understand?  And ..well...let's just get to the photos, shall we?

 I adored the star applique on the inspiration bag, but that was not my design, and I've never even seen whatever pop culture reference it makes, so I didn't want to suggest otherwise. I like sparrows for about two million reasons, and found the template through a basic Google search. I enlarged it 200%, then cut two out of an orangish, sparkly-ish vinyl I bought at S.R. Harris on an unattended visit this December (don't let me go to S.R. Harris without supervision, please).

The main bag is made from some heavy burgundy pleather my sister gave me, and I still have 6 yards of it left, so you should probably get used to seeing it, gentle readers.

 For scale, the bag with V. To be fair, she's a large 6 year old, so it might not be as big of a bag as you think. The diameter of the circle was originally 16", and I used over 1/4 inch seam allowance. The strap is a bit too wide and too short, but then again, so am I. It fits over my shoulder with a little finagling.

Here she's showing how fun it is to be jaunty and dancy with my new bag! What's not to like?

It holds up to 30 papers comfortably, and it's lined with a fantastic array of pockets and some pretty fine fabric (but I'm thinking I'll save photos of that for the letter "L." Or the letter "I," for innards.We'll see). It also has 2 large zippers, one on the top, and one across the back. It's kind of making me giddy with a feeling of accomplishment, really. It's certainly the most complicated thing I've ever made without a pattern.

Of course, it's totally an autumn-y bag, not a springy one, and I'm not ready to give up my current work bag just yet. But I feel triumphant, and it will make a good travel bag, when I need something that will hold a journal and a book as well as my camera and wallet.

Crafty Blitz

As we adjust to a schedule where we see very little of Shaun and we juggle care for V (especially on Mondays), I have lots of papers to grade that I'm avoiding, and my favorite way to avoid things is to sew. And sew and sew and sew. 

 Last weekend, we had a little family-esque craft retreat, where I made 3 appliqued t-shirts (V's and Emmy's, above), and pinned a long-finished quilt top (below, Em and Meagan doing my dirty work).

 I also worked on crocheting a uterus, because I love  combining my political beliefs with crafts. My uterus is complete now, but the oviducts (also, but inappropriately, called Fallopian tubes) are causing me some headaches.

(That's right: I'm using an earring as a stitch marker, so I've pierced my uterus. That's hardcore. )

And then I made quilted duffles. Above are mine and V's on the steps of our cabin at Campfire Bay Resort (awesome place! We're totally going back there!).  V picked her colors (the blue and green polka dots + the firefly fabric) and I picked mine, because that white fabric reminds me of the floor of the Rio in Vegas.

Here are all four of them together: Myra's is on top, and left to right it's mine, V's, and Jess's. Jess' has little yellow stars on a green background. These bags are my new obsession, and if it weren't for my pesky job, I'd have made another dozen by now. They're lightweight, come together quickly, and hold lots and lots of stuff (plenty for a weekend). Plus they provide a good home for all those lovely 1-2 yard cuts of fabric that I buy without having a plan.

I've done more than this, even, but I think this post is lengthy enough. Besides, now I'm just using blogging to avoid grading, and that's not helping, either.

Crafty Fool

Because Shaun started his new job today (whoo-hoo!) I felt I could allow myself to go to a craft store again, so long as I was careful and thoughtful and not my usual crazy, grabby self. My sister had mentioned that JoAnn's had diaper making supplies now, including a snap-setter, and I wanted to check it out.

The three of you who've been reading since the beginning may recall a brief mention of our cloth-diapering times, when I made all the diapers V wore throughout her diaperwearing. It was rewarding, and kind of fun, and V heard a lot of the hum of the sewing machine even while in utero.

But it was hard freaking work, too. Almost all the supplies had to be purchased online, or, if you're as cheap as me, bought at the local discount fabric shop and made to work, somehow. The little hand-set snaps available would never have held up to diaper use, nor would the sew-on kind, but an industrial snap press was $100, and though I nearly caved three times, I resisted temptation and used velcro instead.

So it was with mixed emotions that I found a fabulous diaper-making section in JoAnn's, now that my baby is 6 1/2 years old.

The snap press is what I had dreamed of: handheld (as opposed to the industrial kind, which was...bigger), solid metal, and under $20 (with my 40% off coupon, it was about $12; after reading the online reviews, I wouldn't pay much more than that, but I've had really good luck with the 8 snaps I've installed so far...).  V's diapers would've rocked even MORE if I'd had one of these puppies back then. So I thought to myself, well, it's still a neat tool. What else could I use a snap-press for?

 I make some of V's clothes, and it will be handy for those, certainly. And then I was looking at some yellow denim my friend Robin gave me, and I thought, hm...I think I'll make a braclet.

So I made three.

Bracelets above, from top to bottom: using some of my precious tulip ribbon; one of my favorite fabrics ever; and a reversible "believe/create". They're all reversible, actually. Look at those pretty snaps! (The snaps don't come with the pliers: I bought the blue/red/green pack for $8, with another 40% off coupon, so about $5 for 30 complete snap sets).

 Extreme close-up of the "create" side. Clearly, my machine's tension is way off (Emily, can you fix that for me? Or Jennifer? Or anyone?), but it makes almost a baker's twine look of the stitching. I kind of like it. And also, I learned it's really hard to write words using a sewing machine. Worth it, but hard. I'm also envisioning lots of crazy, mini-quilt-for-your-wrist possibilities. I may never leave the basement, at this rate.

I was so excited to make this one, I didn't even change the thread color.

In retrospect, I wish I would've bought the industrial press 6 years ago. I mean, if this $20 purchase holds up, that's awesome, but I'm liking putting snaps on things so much I may have to quit my job and become a professional snap setter. Oh, snaps, where have you been all my life?

So what other words should I attempt to make into bracelets? What do you want your wrist quilt to look like?

Adventures in Gift Making

The 6 year old girl child asked only for Rapunzel-based gifts this year. She received many other things, but she really, really wanted a dress like Rapunzel's. "It doesn't even have to be exact, Mama, so long as it's purple." For you non-Tangled viewers, here's Disney's Rapunzel, in costume:

Such a dress can be purchased, of course, but without special ordering, most stop at size 6x. My 6 year old girl child is in the 90+percentile for both height and weight in her age category, so she has long since outgrown such a thing. Besides, store bought Disney dresses are always made from cheap, crappy satin that runs/deteriorates faster than the child learns to fasten the velcro. So I went to the fabric store and bought 2 yards of lavender knit. "Use a pattern, Jenny!" my mother implored. But why would I listen to her?

 Lace from my immense fabric stash, sewn on the hem of the dress. (I actually attached the lace, then flipped it and topstitched it to make the hem. Because sometimes in sewing, lazy=professional looking).

My sewing machine would like to recieve full credit for this project.

 For the bodice, I chose a dark purple velour from my stash. I would've made the whole dress out of this if I'd had enough. Rapunzel's sleeves have contrasting ribbon sewn on, so I sewed on contrasting ribbon.

 Above, hemming the sleeve (with a gap to insert elastic, which will help the sleeve be appropriately poufy).

 Rapunzel's corset caused me a bit of a headache. 6 year olds don't really need sweetheart necklines, and I'm not crazy about a lacing that can get caught on stuff while she plays/swings/runs around like a crazy princess. My research led to lots of good places (that one there has photos of how the store-bought dresses wear out, along with a thorough how-to) and one of them (I can't find it, but this shows the same concept) showed the ribbons as just stitched down. I went with that. No grommets (which are fun, of course), no fuss. Well, some fuss. I made the top based on a Simplicity top I've made her a half dozen times. Then I sewed on the skirt, made from a rectangle sewn into a loop, pinning a lot.

 I should take one of it on a hanger, but here she is, all dressed up (with a scarf for Rapunzel's hair) in a dress 3 sizes too big. I'll take it in a few inches at the waist, shortening the skirt and the top, as soon as she lets me take it to the basement for a few minutes.

She's wearing it to Grandma's tonight. It was worth staying up past my bedtime for my dear little Rapunzel. Now I need to make a Flynn Rider and Mother Goethel costume for Shaun and me. Yee-haw.

Last night's party portrait: Skol, pop star!

At the Kjos-Njos Halloween Bash last night, V and I had our portrait taken by Robby, who's, like, a real photographer. (Uncle Shaun has a bad cold, and doesn't feel like dressing up when he's sick, so he stayed home).

As a Viking, I always hoped my daughter would grow up to also be a Viking. Since she aspires to be a popstar, I scowl even more than usual.

I made both of these costumes, completely, with the exception of V's microphone and my helmet, both of which we borrowed from my sister's family. I tell you this not to impress you, but to explain any sloppiness.

(And I know that historically, Vikings didn't really wear horned helmets. But it's the easiest way to identify oneself as a Viking today, so I went with it.)

I'll do a more detailed post on V's costume after tomorrow, when she presents the second version of her pop star self.  Stay tuned!

Fun with masks!

After browsing around the ever-inspiring Etsy, I decided to head to the craftroom and make my girl some masks.

She seems to like them. Above is V's superhero pose. I think I'll add some fancy sequins or beads around the edges of the purple and cream wool felt.

 This owl was inspired by this mask, and this one. And also by the colors of wool felt I had in the craft room.

It works on grown-ups, too. Maybe I'll make some masks to sell before Halloween. Any suggestions?

I love a good purse...

...and a good bargain, so when I found this lovely canvas/suede embroidered bag at Saver's for $7.99, I could not walk away.

It's even prettier in person, I tell you. But it's rather large, and as such my things have a way of floating around into a massive jumble of unfindable geegaws. This chaos is even more than I, the Prime Minister of Chaos, can bear. Hence, a purse organizer was in order.

Purse organizers aboud, ladies and gentlemen, but even for one that's award winning, I'm not willing to spend $16. I know, I'm cheap. And forget award winning: Oprah even supports one (called the purseket, which makes me think of a parakeet, which makes me think of what an unholy mess a small pet bird could make in any purse...anyhoo), which is totally good enough for me, but at over $20, well, I can make my own.

 Photographed in our bathroom during V's bathtime (hence the scenic towel backdrop), I present my version. It's made of yellow cotton, nearly denim weight, quadrupled upon itself to make the back and two pockets. I used quilt binding at the ends to keep all the ravel-y parts together, and I measured my wallet (that lovely green thing with the peacock, below), our cell phone, my camera, and a little notebook. Then I sewed corresponding pockets and winged the rest, and wa-la!

 My own sunshine-colored purse organizer, made entirely with stash materials, so essentially free. Even if I'd had to buy fabric, it would've been less than $6. That's how I roll, people. Plus it works very well, is sturdy enough to stand on it's own (in the purse) and totally machine wash & dryable. I'll have to take out all my stuff first, of course (said she of having washed a cell phone once so I'm gonna try not to do THAT again fame).

Oprah can call me if she wants to know more. I'll be here, or at a thrift store, or in front of the sewing machine. And my bag will stay cleverly organized, too. Ta-da!