As the Crow Crafts

𝔇𝔢𝔲𝔰 𝔭𝔞𝔰𝔠𝔦𝔱 𝔠𝔬𝔯𝔳𝔬𝔰 | A collection of my crafty endeavors and all the words I find inspiring

[asthecrowcrafts]

Wheel of Time season 2 released OVER A MONTH AGO and I've literally heard nothing about it.

Big yikes. 😬

[asthecrowcrafts]

I thought getting off this site for like 9 years would mean that I would be coming back to a completely new landscape of weird fandom content.

Yet here I am being assaulted daily by Supernatural gifs.

I suppose some things never change.

[asthecrowcrafts]

✂️ Project Overview ✂️

Pattern: self-drafted from All-in-Motion Athletic Tank Size: Small Est. Time: 10-15 hrs. Fabric:

Silver jersey knit w/ all-over circle sequins

Ileana metallic black textured faux leather

Metallic ruby red polyester spandex

Shiny elastic trim (black)

🧵 Summary 🧵

A few weeks ago I saw a friend of mine tweet out to our extended cosplaying friends network for assistance in creating a piece for the Beyoncé Renaissance tour. I was very intrigued, so I reached out and he told me he wanted to evoke Bey's custom Loewe bodysuit in a tank style shirt. Looking at the suit, I knew that the fabric was going to be the make-or-break for this project. So I started hunting.

Thankfully, I found this stunning metallic sequined jersey over at Mood. It caught the light beautifully, and was extremely soft on the wrong side of the fabric making it very comfortable to wear.

Leaning into that metallic sheen, as opposed to utilizing sparkly fabrics, helped to elevate this piece and keep it from looking too costume-y.

(Also quick shoutout to Mood Fabrics for having such big swatches. I ended up being able to cut all of the nail appliques out of a single swatch, with plenty leftover.)

Once we found our fabric, the next step was finding a pattern. I had my client go purchase a stretch material tank that fit him the way he wanted, and then copied it.

I really took my time with this since the fabric was stretchy and it really paid off. The final fit on my client was perfect and almost an exact match the tank he purchased.

This was also my first time copying an item, and despite how fiddly it was I am hoping that I can try this again with some of my wardrobe items that are starting to fall apart.

Getting the sequined jersey through my machine wasn't the most pleasant experience, but it worked okay. Serging the main seams ended up working really well, since the threads covered the sequins and kept the inside from being too scratchy.

Overall, the most challenging part was binding the edges of the neck and arm holes. I used some 1/2' wide elastic like double fold binding, sewing down one edge on the inside of the garment, and then folding it over the front to finish with a zig-zag stitch. By itself it was a lot of bulk to push through the machine, but keeping the holes (which were cut on the bias in places) from stretching was my highest priority. I only ended up with a couple of puckers in the neckline, and fearing what would happen if I unpicked things, I decided to call that a win and move on to the appliques.

The hands were patterned off my own hands. I pinned the pattern to the tank and traced my hands to get a general idea of the placement. Then I built my patterns with joints so I could play around with them.

Once I finalized my shapes, I cut the hands out of a 1-way stretch metallic pleather (making sure that the stretch of the pleather matched the stretch of the jersey). Since all of the materials were stretchy, and the fabrics I was trying to attach were heavily sequined and pleather, I had decided from the beginning to treat the hands as appliques. I made sure when purchasing my swatches to check if the pleather and spandex for the nails didn't fray or have any issues when cut so I didn't have to worry about finishing their edges.

I used Tulip Applique Bond to attach the arms and nails to the tank, and it worked fantastically. Again, since I was attaching two stretchy materials I opted to use a dot pattern so that there was still lots of flexibility for the large appliques.

I really wanted to make sure that the glue bonded well, so in an attempt to find something heavy to keep on the appliques overnight I ended up using a bunch of gaming pieces and dice like pie weights.

After drying for 24 hours she was finished! Overall, this project was a very fun challenge and I think I learned a lot.

I experienced a ton of firsts:

first time drafting a pattern off an existing garment

first time sewing with stretchy fabric

first time working with sequined fabric

first time working with large appliques

But most importantly, I loved building something with my client that he ended up loving.

Happy sewing ✂️🧵✂️🧵,

Mrs. Crow

[asthecrowcrafts]

Artist or Designer?

I have always struggled with calling myself an artist.

When I was younger, I was that kid that always had a sketchbook on them. I was voted 'Most Likely to be an Artist" in my high school class. I was always making something. Always creating.

But I never felt that the term 'artist' described who I was by what I was doing.

Artists, in my mind, are people who are motivated to create from their hearts. They are driven by their passions to express themselves in such a way that the world around them can experience their inner world. Their art pours forth from their hearts for the simple purpose of being heard, seen, experienced so that the world might be changed in knowing them.

But I was never thing that motivated me to create.

For me, creation is a form of problem solving; of story telling. A way to take things with no purpose and breathe life into them. Give them form AND function. Knowing where my journey ends is is often the beginning of my work, only then can I blaze the best trail to get there.

Ironically, it wasn't until I became a designer that I understood that type of creation had a name.

Designers are people who create unto an end. They have a goal they are working to achieve, an audience they are creating for, and that guides their decisions. They take what does not work and give it life so abundantly that it can bless the lives of those who use it.

Being able to accurately describe why I make things has been such a gift. One I would like to pass on for those of you who may feel that 'artist' doesn't describe you too.

Do you see yourself as more of an artist or designer?

Artist

Designer

Voting ended onOct 6, 2023

[asthecrowcrafts]

Did anyone else read Little House on the Prairie as a child and instantly become a foaming-at-the-mouth hoe for calico fabrics???

[asthecrowcrafts]

🧥 Lil'Update 🧥

Rescuing this 100% wool jacket, that was clearly donated because it shrunk/felted in the wash, has turned out so well. It's giving eastern European. It's giving Hobbit. So excited.

[asthecrowcrafts]

- Boethius (translated by V. E. Watts), The Consolation of Philosophy (Book II, Prose II)

[asthecrowcrafts]

🧶 Weekly WIP 🧶

2023 Week 38

Here is everything I have been working on in the past week. 🧡

🔸 PJ Alterations - I recently bought another amazing pair of Printfresh pajamas (in the print Unicorn's Garden - green) during their big end of summer sale. If you're a fancy PJ girlie (or a gorgeous maximalist print girlie) then save up and wait for their big bi-annual sales because these things are to die for. My one complaint with their button up tops is they have big floppy button plackets that basically require pressing if you don't want them to crumple up constantly. So with my new top I just did a quick little whip stitch to keep things in place.

🔸 'It is Finished' Cross Stitch - Recently a friend of mine reached out and asked if I would teach her how to embroider. I figured that cross stitch was probably the best place to start since she's never really done any fiber crafts. I found this lovely little pattern on Etsy by 'A New Creation By Alison' and I thought it would be a great starter project since it is relatively small and only three colors.

🔸 Woolen Sweater Alteration - I got this beautifully embroidered sweater at the thrift store a few years ago, and I finally decided that i would prefer if it was a sweater vest. So I trimmed off the sleeves, cut down the length to make it cropped, and then got scared of actually sewing it so I put it down for 6 months. haha Now that it is getting cold again I really want to finish it, so I pulled it out and I hope to get it finished in the next few weeks.

🔸 Commissioned Beyoncé Tour Tank - Last by not least, this piece that I am making for a friend of mine who is going to the Beyoncé Renaissance World Tour. He wanted a top that evoked her custom Loewe bodysuit. Stretch fabrics are definitely outside of my wheelhouse (not to mention sequins) so this has been a really fun learning experience. I will probably have a dedicated post going into the details around the project.

🔸 Other Weekly WIPs:

Katuscia Tank - top half is mostly finished, I just need to add the straps. May not add the bottom panel as I am considering using this as a night shirt.

Medieval hood - fully finished other than the hem

Lillian suit jacket - need to purchase lining fabric and start on the mock-up

Happy sewing ✂️🧶✂️🧶,

Mrs. Crow

[asthecrowcrafts]

"My son, do not forget my teaching,     but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life     and peace they will add to you.

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;     bind them around your neck;     write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success     in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,     and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,     and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes;     fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh     and refreshment to your bones.

Honor the Lord with your wealth     and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty,     and your vats will be bursting with wine.

My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline     or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,     as a father the son in whom he delights.

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,     and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver     and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels,     and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand;     in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness,     and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;     those who hold her fast are called blessed.

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;     by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open,     and the clouds drop down the dew.

My son, do not lose sight of these—     keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul     and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely,     and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid;     when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror     or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence     and will keep your foot from being caught. Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,     when it is in your power to do it.

Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,     tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. Do not plan evil against your neighbor,     who dwells trustingly beside you. Do not contend with a man for no reason,     when he has done you no harm. Do not envy a man of violence     and do not choose any of his ways, for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,     but the upright are in his confidence. The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,     but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful,     but to the humble he gives favor. The wise will inherit honor,     but fools get disgrace."

- Proverbs, chapter 3

[asthecrowcrafts]

✂️Upcycle Overview✂️

Starting Item: Red calico shirt I thrifted, it appeared to be handmade Finished Item: Red calico skirt, with finished seams and adjusted waistband

🧵 Summary 🧵

I fell in love with this simple red calico skirt at the thrift store, but even on the rack I could tell it needed some TLC. I decided it would be worth getting because the pros definitely outweighed the cons.

Speaking of, here were the Pros:

lovely red calico print

decent pleats

adjustable waist

perfect length (mid-calf, my fave)

The cons started with the most noticeable issue - the oversized, frumpy waist band.

I am not sure why whoever made this felt that a skirt with a 1/4" waist tie needed a 2" wide waistband, but it does the wearer no favors. Having now dismantled the piece, I think this was probably a costume piece, maybe for a high school theater performance or something?

Anyway, I unpicked the seam that closed the waistband on the inside of the skirt, added a 1" strip of heat-fuse interfacing to the inside, and then trimmed down the excess fabric to 1 1/4" past the end of the interfacing.

This left me with a much more desirable 1" waistband, that was a bit stiffer on the outside-facing part of the band. So now when I gather the skirt to tie it off, it gathers more on the inside of the skirt, keeping the bulk out of sight. It's a small adjustment, but I think more than anything it helps make it look much cleaner.

One of the other issues with this item was despite having a beautifully rolled hem, many of the seams were poorly sewn and some were completely unfinished. This is again why I think it may have been meant to be a costume piece. I was able to easily serge the raw edges.

Overall this was a pretty easy adjustment, and I'm happy to have a simple skirt like this in my wardrobe.

Happy sewing ✂️🧵✂️🧵,

Mrs. Crow

[asthecrowcrafts]

✂️ Upcycle Overview ✂️

Starting Item: Forever 21 white linen button down dress, size small (not my photo) Finished Item: White linen shift to wear under dresses

🧵 Summary 🧵

I bought this white button down at a thrift store a few months ago, but unfortunately it just was not working in my wardrobe the way I hoped it would. I bought it to wear as a layered item over long sleeve shirts in the fall/spring. However, it ended up being too short & sheer to really work for that. It also suffers from something that many fast fashion garments in this style do - ridiculously large armscyes. Being unable to wear it layered or by itself meant it needed to be cut, in some way or another.

I however have a weakness for linen, so I decided to upcycle it into a shift since I have been wanting a linen shift for some of my summer dresses. I became particularly aware of this need, as this summer has been the hottest on record in over 100 years.

First off, I removed the collar. My sister mentioned recently wanting a faux collar to add to the 'dark academia' wardrobe she's building. So I carefully picked it off, and then hand stitched the opening back together. She likes wearing gold jewelry, so I added a fun antique gold crest button.

This was a super easy accessory to pull out of this item. I was surprised how well it stayed tucked into the shirt I tried it out on. Honestly, I may need to make one for myself in the future. 😅

Once I pulled off the collar & cut off the button plackets, I serged the open front seam together. Thankfully, the garment wasn't very fitted (I did a check BEFORE cutting off the plackets) so I had plenty of room to still pull it on. I then tried it on with the lowest cut dress I have and marked how low I needed the neckline to be. I trimmed the neckline and bound it in some single-fold bias tape.

While sewing down the binding I did almost have a heart attack. About 1 cm from the last bid of bias to be stitched down, I ran out of bobbin thread. Thankfully there was enough of a tail that I was able to tie it off on both sides. But I was lazy (and needed to switch to red thread), so I decided that it was close enough and I didn't need to go back over it.

My one other mishap occurred when I was cutting off the placket and accidentally nicked one side. I covered the majority of it in the serging, but I stabilized the last little bit with a small patch of iron-on interfacing. A silly mistake, but not a huge issue for a undergarment.

I will not be posting a photo of myself wearing the final piece, but it fits great and is going to be a perfect addition to my wardrobe along with my silk and cotton shifts.

Happy sewing ✂️🧵 ✂️🧵,

~ Mrs. Crow

[asthecrowcrafts]

✂️ Project Overview ✂️

Pattern: Riley by Seamwork (includes plus size options) Size: 6 Fabric: Navy ticking fabric, 100% cotton [*] Est. Time: 2-4 hrs

🧵 Summary 🧵

Its also been the hottest summer on record in Texas, and I have become painfully aware of how lacking my wardrobe is in simple sleeveless items. 😅

Digging through the Seamwork catalogue I found the Riley and decided that this could potentially solve for two general additions I am wanting for my wardrobe 1) cute sleeveless tops that are cropped AND have solid bust coverage, and 2) some sleeveless items that I can use to layer in the cooler months. Plus, I immediately thought of the yard of ticking fabric in my stash that I had gotten from the Joanns remnant pile a few months prior.

Overall the construction was fairly simple. The top consists of two pieces and some single-fold binding tape. And while the pattern has you make your own ties for the drawstring at the bottom, I decided to opt for the shortcut and purchased some navy shoelaces to use instead. UPDATE: I do NOT recommend using the shoelaces for this project. They are not dye-fast and ended up bleeding all over my laundry. Definitely a bummer, but oh well. I ended up replacing them with 1/4 cotton twill tape.

I really enjoyed this simple project. Fun and easy to put together, and cute to boot. I also really enjoy the look of the ticking fabric. I still have a decent amount of it left, so I think I might make a pair of paper-bag shorts with it.

Happy sewing ✂️🧵✂️🧵,

~ Mrs. Crow

[asthecrowcrafts]

[asthecrowcrafts]

"There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong."

-Job, Chapter 1

[asthecrowcrafts]

"...Such heroes and adventure offer a great model with which the reader can form his soul according to virtue. And a clear mark of virtue is a love for the home. Nevertheless, the human desire for a heroic adventure can result in the home becoming a place to which we are either traveling or leaving, as opposed to abiding." - Mark Botts, from 'Homework: "Not unbecoming men who strove with gods."' (Forma Journal, Issue 19)

[asthecrowcrafts]

"And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.  

But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.

So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.

And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied." - Acts 9:26-31

[asthecrowcrafts]

“Tomorrow’s women may roll their eyes at the thought that their foremothers had to endure nine months of discomfort and inconvenience to do what is now done by an oversized toasterlike gizmo in the kitchen. Or perhaps so-called sex-change operations will no longer be a cosmetic illusion reenforced by the mouse of him and her pronouns, but a genuine fact of technological life. Perhaps then the humanizing tasks of femininity - creating life out of matter, homes out of houses, minds out of brains, and souls out of bodies - will fall equally on the genders or will be chosen like a profession by anyone who happens to have the talent or proclivity. Perhaps the passions and fears that now define us whether it is politically correct to admit it or not - will be seen to have been a mere inconvenience or a prior age of ignorance and primitivism.

Or perhaps, by losing those passions and fears, by losing our genders and our morality, we will have lost our essential selves. Perhaps in eradicating our troubles we will have created nothing but a convenient little nightmare of purely materialistic existence, a depersonalized personhood in a world less fit for man than for machines.” - Andrew Klavan, The Truth and Beauty