the quacking fiber addict

Just got back from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

WHOA. It was amazing. I read a bad review of it and was extremely anxious going in, but the ponce who dared to insult it's film-making genius needs to be locked in the brig, if you ask me.

LOVED the (Greek) mythology. LOVED Sparrow this time around (every time, if I'm completely honest). LOVED Elizabeth this time (don't always). LOVED Chow Yun-Phat. LOVED Kieth Richards as Jack's father. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THE ENTIRE FILM.

DISLIKES? None, really. The beginning was painfully honest and historically accurate for the most part *grimace* (it may not be appropriate for some children, beware the PG-13 rating!!). The scenes in Singapore are confusing at first, but make sense over time. The end was bittersweet (ooh, there's your spoiler). But, all in all, I really loved the entire thing. The editing was tight, and everything was explained eventually.

Oh. Be sure to stay past the credits. There's some gooey sweetness.

How did we (St M, Mum, Emm, and I) manage to see it a day early? Mum saw an advertisement for a, well I guess, sneak(?) preview. Because there were only, like, 2 commercials for said sneak(?) preview last night the show wasn't sold out! There were actually seats empty.

Crazy, huh?

And of course I wore the tricorn. I finished sewing the trim on about 5 minutes before we left to pick up St M (who was in costume). I got, before we set sail, Emm to model the FO for a shot:




I think I will change the front 'horn' or 'point', now that I think about it.

But, that's done. I've already started another Top Secret knitting project, gotten beads for the Sheep-to-Shawl competition, and yarn arrived in the mail today (I'm in the legal clear, I ran out of yarn previously in the stash! ... sorta).

Now, I really ought to go to sleep, so I can get up early in the morning - we're heading to Portland to, er, 'close' on the lease to the house we're going to be renting for the next year...

Labels: felting, finished object, movie review

The felting part was easy. I am lazy and shouldn't be left to scientifically DO anything. I just threw the tricorn in the wash for a cycle, forgot about it, threw it in the dryer, and then declared it done after about 30 minutes of rolling around in hot air.

It's a wonder I even made it past the Scientific Method, isn't it?

Anyway. It came out perfectly felted. The next part, the really tricky step, was shaping the bloody thing. Getting the three horns (or at least two of them) even is something the ancient Greek geometricians would have cringed at. But, finally, after nearly an hour of pinning, unpinning, repinning and the first 15 minutes of Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Mum declared this 'good':



I decided to go with the a slightly earlier time period than POTC - late Baroque/ very early Rococo. So, the front horn is a bit longer and pointer than the back two. The top curves are gently scooped inward, and the back third is a little bit lower than the front two. I still don't have a plume (BLAST! I forgot that!), and haven't sewn on the trim I bought for it - aubergine ribbon and gold braid. I plan on having it done for the show tomorrow night, even if I go in jeans.

The hat WILL be done. Hopefully it'll be blocked (or semi-blocked tomorrow), so I won't have to do too much tacking with a needle and thread.

I have some small knitting news. I finished ONE of my Top Secret projects, right before I had to leave for Homework Club. Which went well, all things considered, since there were 5 kids and just Emmos and me between them. I managed to cover Spanish, Health, and Fractions pretty evenly, I hope.

And, that's about all. I need to find my bodice and work some repairs on it. It's not even remotely Baroque or Rococo - try early Renaissance. But I doubt anyone will notice.

Maybe I will just wear the hat and some jeans...

Labels: costume construction, felting

At 12:45 am, I FINISHED weaving in the ends on my soon-to-be Tricorn hat, whilst Mum and I watched Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl (for the 467th time). As the credits scrolled, I went upstairs and snapped a picture:


I'm going to felt it later today (gawd, it's actually after midnight).

Other news? Mum and Dad are sick with some respiratory infection (joy be unbounded), and Dad's been prescribed FOUR different medications - coinciding, funnily enough, with the fact that he's had pneumonia FOUR times in his life. I made him go to the doctor yesterday (I am such a good daughter, I know) because he nearly fainted from a coughing fit. It turns out he had been sleeping in a recliner for several nights prior, because he couldn't breathe if he laid down.

I just sort of stared at him when he admitted this. ONE night like that would have sent me to the doctor. The man clearly doesn't learn as quickly as he should.

Ohwell.

More news? Erm. Not much. I'm working on knitting some Secret Items. Top Secret.

And, uh, that's all I can remember at 1 am.

Labels: costume construction, felting