23 posts tagged “sewing”
Yesterday I said NO to Cubist Literature and decided to have a day just for myself.
I was still at Parachute, but instead of working on C.Lit-related activities, I worked on Craig-Hunter-related activities.
My main project was a two-part thing, but I'll set it all up for you:
See, I had bought this shirt in Houston a few weeks ago, and it had this really awesome beetle design on it---and it was sorta tie-dyed. (I like tie-dye.) But there was a problem: it was GIGANTIC. Like an XXL or an XXXL. And I couldn't just leave it at the store, so I bought it and took it back to NYC.
So, yesterday I took apart a shirt (size Adult Small) that I don't wear that much and layed out the pieces. I traced the pieces onto paper and made a shirt pattern.
Then I took apart the GIGANTIC shirt and such and laid out the pieces. I took the pattern I'd made and laid it on top of the larger pieces. I cut off the difference and then sewed it all up. Boss.
I think it came out pretty well:
Some parts are kinda awkward, though, because the original shirt was so large. And plus it was my first time working with a pattern.
I'm working my way up to starting on those pants I bought the fabric for. And last night I downloaded the pattern from BurdaStyle.com.
Layla D. (of LEDthread) is going to help me out since she's awesome and went to school for this sorta thing.
(She helped me take my measurements last night... According to her, I have a "big butt." Her words, not mine, cuz I don't like the word "butt". I prefer to use the word "ass".)
Here's another photo I took this morning of me exposing a screen:
The screen didn't really work out, though, unfortunately.
Totally stressing me out. It's the second time I did something wrong. =/
Of course I don't have a problem with singers with unique voices.
I just don't like Joanna Newsom's voice. It's annoying.
And yeah, I know that you can retort with "Like Corin Tucker's voice isn't..."
But I don't care.
I still don't like Joanna Newsom's voice.
Nor do I like her music.
Speaking of Sleater-Kinney...
I keep (KEEP) listening to this song.
But I guess it'd give you an example of how Corin Tucker's voice can turn people off.
But Sleater-Kinney are totally hardcore.
I bet that was a fun band to be in.
Cuz they're pretty awesome.
In other news, I ran out of my special pills.
And I've got a big obese headache.
Here are some shirts I've made in the past couple days:
The rabbits aren't ever gonna go anywhere, I don't think.
The same goes with the ribcageivyLITTLEHEARTS! design.
They're just things that I'll always get a personal kick out of sewing onto clothing. They're so interesting to me for some reason.
And yeah, I know that they're just rabbits and hearts. Nothing too complicated.
But I really like simple ideas/designs.
I admire more complex designs and such.
But that's just not me.
I'm more into simplicity.
Do you ever suddenly realize what your name is?
(I mean, like REALLY realize.)
Today I (really) realized that my name is Craig.
And when it dawned on me, I thought it was so odd.
In other news, I guess my body was exhausted from the past while because I slept through my 915AM alarm and didn't wake up until 1230PM.
I didn't get to the studio til almost 3 cuz I needed to eat and shower.
I also wanted to be alone to screenprint (I'm shy when it comes to that) a few prints from this new screen I made the other day.
Would you like to see the patches/appliqués I made?
Of course you would.
The Juki (that sewing machine that almost made me cry yesterday) and I also made up this afternoon.
I realized that I was expecting too much from a machine that really just wants to go/be straight. It's not interested in the many turns involved in sewing an octopus appliqué.
With that said, I used the Juki to sew up this shirt because it's more straight-friendly:
Even IF I slept in disgustingly late.
xo
xo
xo
I'll be spending the night in Queens again.
It takes a fuckin' hour and a half to get out there.
I was interviewed twice today: one was filmed---gosh, I've been all stopped up lately, so I'm probably gonna sound all nasal---and the other was for some German newspaper (the German equivalent of the NY Times, I think).
Actually it wasn't just me---my pal Chanel (aka owner of the awesome shop Junk Prints) was interviewed, too, but separately.
And then the former president (I THINK that was his position---it was either that or CEO or owner or something) of BMG music stopped by the studio space. I'm not really sure why, but I think because Matt Stinchcomb, head of Etsy's marketing team, knows him. (Matt used to be in that band the French Kicks. I never listened to them, but other people I know did.)
I didn't meet that BMG guy, though. I was knitting.
Besides, I'm sure he and Rob had certain things to discuss.
Who knows.
It's all so random.
Today's been weird.
I think it's because I've been in the studio all day long.
But this is going to be my life from now on.
If I want Cubist Literature to work---if I want to work for MYSELF and not some job I hate---then it's going to take some long hours, some sacrifices, some serious dedication, some babies, some beer (I hope!), some felt, some recycled/vintage/thriftstore clothes, some...
I'll stop.
But I've been busy all day long.
I went home for about an hour and a half so that I can eat some Chef Boyardee and do a crossword puzzle.
I fuckin' love crossword puzzles, even if I can't ever finish them.
I REALLY love doing those puzzles with a friend.
(Lillian G. (aka Lazy Susan) and I did a couple on the subways when she was here. We finished them both. Holler.)
Okay, here's a photo list of the things I made today:
And I'd already listed this cuff in the shop, but I had more of the yarn left over, so I decided to knit a couple more.
I REALLY love that yarn so much. It's handspun, but I'm not sure by whom.
I unraveled the yarn from a hat that I got---not for me to wear, but the hat was just donated/given to me because the owner didn't want it anymore. I guess.
I'm really excited about these next six months.
I hope that I have what it takes to run some sort of legit/substantial/consistent business.
I'm really nervous about the sacrifices, though, of course.
I'm not looking forward to $1/day budgets for food.
I'm getting the impression that I'll need a partner.
So, I think I'm currently looking for one. I'd prefer another guy to work with. And who's good at sewing and knitting and being awesome and original.
I'm just thinking out loud.
I'll stop RIIIIIIGHT now.
I'm proud of myself because the basic web designing that I do has gotten to be a bit easier.
I redesigned my website yesterday afternoon and evening. And it didn't take 10-13 hours like I thought it would.
It only took about 3-5 hours. Maybe more.
I still don't understand a lot about coding and web design---obviously---but I only teach myself how to do/make things that I want to do/make.
(Like yeah... I COULD do the fancy knitting techniques and such---I am positive I could---I just don't want to.)
Anyway, here is the new site.
HERE.
CLICK.
In other news, here is one of the shirts I made today:
It's that octopus again.
I forgot my tripod at my apartment, so in order to take the photo of the shirt, I had to stack up all the books I have here, put my camera on top of that, and then I had to stand/kneel RILLY awkward to model the shirt.
The moral of the story, you guys, is this:
NEVER FORGET YOUR TRIPOD AT HOME.
Well, Windy, my younger sister, left yesterday. And I wasn't expecting this, but I got so sad after I said goodbye that I started crying as I was walking in the airport. I was so homesick the rest of the day that I had to go to the bathroom a couple times to bury my face in my towel and cry like a baby.
But I guess it's just one of those things.
I feel a lot better today.
Here are some photos of me being an NYC tourist with my sister:
(At the top of the Empire State Building.)
(Grand Central.)
That scarf that she's wearing is a belated Christmas gift I finished after she got here. I made her model it for me the other day:
It's really long---over 70".
And it's a foot wide.
She told me she wanted it this one time we were waiting at the Coach store. This lady walked in with a similar scarf, and Windy said, "That's the scarf I want. So, you better get on it.'
I'm not good with deadlines.
I'm also worse when I have no deadlines.
So, yeah.
That's that.
Here are a few other random photos of some shirts I've sewn since yesterday. And other stuff.
Oh, and here's this photo of me when I had this REALLY bad hangover.
(I couldn't stay in bed all day long like I wanted to, though. I had to keep on truckin' and take Windy shopping...)
K sorry for all the photos, but I missed you, friends!
x
craig-hunter
The time I'd given myself a really (REALLY) bad haircut and admitted on film that I think about Pacman more than Hitler:
Like JUST now while I was brushing my teeth.
I recently made a list of my biggest fears:
(These aren't in any particular order.)
1. Becoming horribly disfigured/scarred.
2. Being stuck leading a boring/monotonous life, being aware/conscious of this fact, and not being able to do anything about it.
3. Having my teeth shatter and/or fall out.
4. Living and having to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. (I'm talking about being one of the few survivors after a comet collision or zombie outbreak.)
5.
I forget what #5 is.
I'll report back later about that.
(But maybe there is no #5. Who knows. Just assume there is.)
Desira let me use her sewing machine this afternoon. I forgot how much quicker it is to appliqué something by machine than by hand. Stupid hands.
OH!
This is what I really wanted to tell you:
Well, I use vintage spools of thread to do my sewing just cuz a large quantity one day fell into my hands. Anyway, as I was trying to put the thread on top of the machine there was some resistance. Then out comes this little piece of plastic from the spool hole-thing.
I take the plastic out from the spool completely and look closer at it to see that it's actually a little plastic baggie (sp?)---a little plastic baggie containing a little amount of vintage coke!
I didn't know how to feel about that mostly because most of the sewing supplies I use used to belong to my (Mormon) great-grandmother. But did this one spool belong to her, too? Or did I obtain it from somewhere else?
Was my great-grandmother a coke head?
Questions, questions...
You are an artist.
"No, I'm just a talented amateur."
I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of these boxer briefs that I bought late last night from Backwards.
I like her shop.
She's mostly got panties (I hate that word) made in the same style, but recently she started selling mens underwear.
I can't wait til I get my serger fixed so that I can start making my own underwear and short shorts.
Of course I'll still support my fellow artists/crafters/pals like Backwards.
I'll keep you posted.
I'm downloading iTunes right now.
I'm gonna try it out.
Usually I listen to music on Windows Media Player.
I'm pretty sure they're the same thing and do the same things, though.
It feels nice outside today.
I took a walk.
I really want to be in a band again.
I want to call it MotherCake.
Think like a fish.
"Okay. I'm wet. And I don't even know it."
By ourselves we are puny twigs.
"But together we form a mighty fagot."
Today after I finished knitting a short scarf, I didn't feel like ironing some shirts I needed to appliqué. So, I went digging through my other supplies to find something else to do.
I came across some fabrics my pal Jazzy Jeff (aka Crumbs.etsy.com) sent me awhile back.
And decided to make little pouches to keep junk in.
I made a few (each a different color), but here's one of them.
I can't get rid of this burning feeling in my throat.
"A shark can't stop swimming or it'll blow up."
So, I realized yesterday...
I don't think I'm intelligent, just clever.
Unrelated:
