When real things happen to imaginary people

I've finished covering the lapels, and I'm really pleased with how they turned out:

Sometimes my crazy notions work out! The lace I used for the lapels was salvaged from some old bras. (See, sometimes not getting around to getting rid of things pays off. Packrats unite! Or something.)

I have one cuff left to cover. The lace I'm using for those was a present from the wonderful Meg (sablerabbit).

And of course, there was the making a gazillion fabric covered buttons, but that's pretty much standard for any jacket or waistcoat that comes into my clutches.

After this project is done, it's time for the red brocade frock coat to simmer in a pot of wine dye to see if I can darken it just a smidge, and then on to covering the lapels and cuffs. Because I'm crazy meticulous about details of my clothing.

I think I just figured out a good way to get pretty sections of lace to applique onto the okay-but-not-great satin lapels of the frock coats I get from ChicStar: Old bras.

I have four of the exact same bra that no longer fit me. The wide lace bands that are the decorative part of the cups are in great condition, they just need to be removed from the bras. And I can use the scalloped-edged elastic from the straps to make dress clips!

So I guess tonight will be spent with some tiny scissors, dismantling things. I'll report back on how this goes.

Yeah. Today I altered a blouse, made two skirts, altered a jacket, and overdyed a blazer that was an extremely greenish black but is now a true black.

I need a good source for lightweight black & white striped blouse-weight fabric, preferably cotton. I also need to get some more skirt-weight black cotton blend.

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I also need to figure out if I'm going to be able to attend the Zombie Walk on Friday evening. I want to, I just need to poke at the logistics.

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So I guess next week the real job hunting starts. Whee, I'm thrilled. Anyone need a good technical editor?

I am going to go back and re-read everyone's squees and nice comments about the book cover (and thank you, all of you!), because that should put me in a better mood than the one I'm currently in.

I've slept poorly all week, and I'm hoping that tonight I can manage to fall asleep without pharmaceutical aid. If you all could direct sleepy-rays at me at around 11:30 P.S.T., that would be very helpful. Right now, I'm clinging to the hope that this second pot of black tea (pear caramel truffle) will help me feel more alert.

I am also dissatisfied with my outfit today. I liked it perfectly well when I got dressed and left the house this morning, but as the day goes on, I am less thrilled with it. The skirt still needs tweaking to fit properly, hmmph. (It's a 4-panel knee-length full skirt with two rows of black buttons down the front. I cut it off of a jumperskirt I purchased from someone off of egl, but like I said, it still needs fiddling with. And maybe the buttons changed for pink ones.)

Yeah, I know, "thing" is a vague term. Bear with me, I can't think of the proper name for the item I'm seeking.

You know those clips that many people have things like work badges/key cards attached to? One end clips to the card, and there's a cord that can be spooled/stretched out when you need to, oh, wave the badge at something, and then the cord retracts into its little housing? I'm looking for something like that, but small-ish and in silvertone. I have this clever plan to attach a Useful Something to a long necklace, and that sort of sproingy cord clip is exactly what I need to do so. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

- My sleep was not defective last night, ohthankgoodness. It didn't make up for the vaguely defective sleep from the past few days, but hey, it's a start!

- The sad news about Lux Interior led me to discover that I only have one song by The Cramps in my iTunes. Huh? Time to go pick up some CDs and fix that.

- I just came up with an idea for a skirt I want to make, but I'm not sure when I will have free time to figure out the pattern/gather supplies/find exactly the right image I want to use as the appliqué. I wonder if I could sweet-talk the Stroppy One into creating the design for me that I could print onto iron-on transfer paper ...

- Hey, there's that steampunk event tomorrow night at Heaven! Which I would be more interested in going to if it wasn't for the $17 cover charge. (For the record, I am not a fan of Abney Park's music. It just doesn't grab me. So paying $17 to go see the fashion show, look at vendor tables, and hear djeternaldarkne and dj_sprockets spin is a little steep for my tastes.)

- You people all have seen the amaaaaaazing Twilight fandom kerfuffle that's been going on, right? No, not about the crazy lady who made a felted sculpture representing Bella's womb. (No, I'm not kidding, and no, I'm not linking.) No, I mean the EW post by Stephen King where he dismisses Stephenie Meyer as a crappy writer, and comments about J.K. Rowling being a good writer. Twilight fandom, predictably, goes crazy. A collection of the best insane responses, and comments from people from other fandoms. (clicky-link!) My favorite clueless comment from the TwiFans: "I encourage Rowling and King himself to write the book that fascinates the readers at this point". Look, just go to Cleolinda's entry about this. (clicky-link!) Aaaah, Twilight fandom, making the rest of us look relatively sane in comparison. Thanks!

Okay LJ Hivemind, help me out here. I found a place that sells woven straw versions of my usual top hat. A straw version would be a very clever thing for me to have for whenever summer gets here and the weather turns unfriendly to me. However, the woven straw top hats are, well, straw colored. Which, yes, very steampunk-esque, but I'm not that steampunk, not to mention it would look odd with my black/b&w stripey/cupcake pink wardrobe.

So! I would need to dye it. Without damaging the shape. My first thought was spray-paint, but I suspect that would make the straw less breathable, and that's the whole point behind contemplating a straw top hat. Carefully painting it by hand with RIT mixed with alcohol? Carefully painting it with acrylic paint? I dunno. Which is why I'm turning to the hivemind for suggestions.

(alexiarnps, I'm especially looking at you for suggestions.)

Who here has worked with Simplicity pattern # 4484? (That clicky link goes to a page of patterns, but it shows the one I'm asking about.) For reference, it's the Stevie Nicks -esque gothy pattern they've made for ages. The reason I'm asking about it is because I want to try my hand at making a fitted bodice-y vest type-thing, and that seems like it would be a good pattern to start from.

If it's not, do any of you have suggestions for a better pattern? My sewing skills are fair-ish. I can make skirts, I can tailor just about anything I buy from a thrift store, but I am slightly intimidated by making tops and bodices.