Just your fellow geek with a budding love of sewing. I'm just a beginner but I want to share what I can and track my progress! Also, lots of geeky things will ensue, I imagine.
First draft for a girly Star Trek apron. I think on the next one I'll use pink tulle instead of white, and attach it a little differently. I wasn't paying enough attention when cutting the pieces either and the words on the top are of course upside down, even though the fabric has it both ways in places...whoops! The boys seem to like it it though! Also since I don't need this one, if anyone is interested in adopting it complete with a few imperfections just send me a message and let me know!
I am so happy to show off the gifts I received from inconocible for the Mass Effect Holiday Cheer gift exchange!
She sent two packages of tea representing Garrus and Kaidan, and they both taste amazing and I love the combinations she picked for them! She also sent this beautiful mug featuring Garrus and Shepard to go along with the tea. I am a HUGE tea drinker so this gift was absolutely perfect! There were some delicious cookies too, but those got devoured long before I got around to taking pictures...
I have to say the best part of this gift is all the fun my roommate and I are having while referring to the tea as Kaidan and Garrus. It's great to call into the living room "Hey, do you want some Kaidan?" Because really, who would say no to that? Here are a few gems of conversation that have happened.
Roommate: You know...both of these teas have nuts...
Me: Yeah? You're not allerg- OH! *endless giggling because we are actual 12 year olds*
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Me: Garrus is getting cold!
Roommate: Oh no, Garrus hates the cold! I'm coming!
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Me: I think I like the taste of Kaidan better; he's a bit sweeter, and with some cream he's perfect.
Roommate: Garrus too spicy for you, hm?
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*Roommate spills tea on herself and the floor* : Ah, Garrus is getting all over me!
So again, THANK YOU so much inconocible! You are a sweetie for sending such wonderful gifts!
I had such a great time making this pillow for mournfulblis and am super excited to be able to talk about it now! I made it for the holidayharbinger gift exchange - a secret santa centered around the Mass Effect video games. The pillow is based off the character Legion from the game, and is made of super squishable anti-pill fleece and non allergenic poly-fil. It ended up being about 18inx18in - the perfect size for hugging! And who wouldn't want to hug a robot, right?
After watching me complete it and testing its cuddle factor, my roommate has requested a Zelda themed pillow, so it looks like more pillow making is in my immediate future!
Happy N7 day! You said you like to write, so... have you ever written about your Shepard(s) and if you have, will you link us to it? If not, tell us a little about your Shepard(s), pretty please? What are their best qualities, their worst qualities, their weird little idiosyncrasies? Are they more paragon or renegade or in between? How do some of the big decisions in-game play out? What's their background? Who do they romance? TELL US EVERYTHING ;)
Since this isn't really a question about sewing or crafts and I feel a little bad answering it here, I'm going to talk about it after a break. So, warning! If you don't want to hear about things not pertaining to sewing/crafting don't click. The only reason I will answer it here is because it may have to do with the Mass Effect Holiday Cheer gift thingy, and I am super excited about it and working on my own gift to give already! Thanks for understanding!
Alright, here we go. I have never really written anything about my Shepard. I've written tons about Mass Effect original characters that I have, though. For some reason it is much much easier for me to write OCs, and so I generally stick to that. But I can tell you about my Shepards from all the thoughts buzzing around in my head about them, like, all the time.
Evie Shepard:
Evie Shepard grew up on Mindoir (colonist background!) where she watched as everyone she ever knew was slaughtered. Years later she went through a similar situation on Akuze where her whole unit was decimated. She learned early that the galaxy was a place where horrible things can happen at any time for any reason. Despite the suffering that had always been a part of her life, Evie tries her hardest to be optimistic and find any way she can to improve the lives of those around her. The last thing she wants is for anyone to have to face suffering like she has. Due to this she is always around to lend a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. She takes the feelings of her friends and crew very seriously, and is great at remembering all the little things they mention about themselves and their lives. An extremely giving and passionate woman, Evie sometimes forgets to think about herself in her quest to make everyone else happy, and often exhausts herself to the point of illness. When a situation arises that no matter what choice is made someone she cares about will be hurt, she has a an incredibly hard time figuring out what to do, and will stress over her actions for days afterward. Evie has a hard time moving on from things, constantly dwelling on past mistakes until they threaten to consume her.
In ME1 she worked things out with Wrex and let him live, as well as letting the Racchni queen live on Noveria. On Virmire she saved Kaidan and let Ashley die. At that point she had already begun to have feelings for Kaidan and she could not leave him to die, even if tactically speaking saving Ashley would have been a better choice. The result of losing one of her friends was devastating, and she sought comfort from her crew back on the Normandy.
She romanced Kaidan in ME1. When she heard about his implant giving him headaches all the time immediately felt the overwhelming need to go check on him and make sure he was as comfortable as he could be at any given time. Her constant checking and fussing over him eventually became a deep affection and by the end of ME1, love.
In ME2 when he pretty much yelled at her on Horizon and was an all around dick, it hit her very hard. She cared the world about him, and seeing him standing in front of her was the best thing that he happened since she woke up in the Cerberus facility. Hearing his harsh words and watching him walk away from her, with not even a backward glance, broke her heart. For the next few weeks on the Normandy she was distracted and distant. Eventually the hurt faded into the background, and she was able to move on.
For the remainder of ME2 she romanced Garrus.
It started out as a jest; Garrus's story about stress release prompted her to jokingly suggest they try it out together. His answer proceeded to take her by surprise, but she could hardly back out. That might have made Garrus think she was being mean spirited by suggesting it, and she definitely did not want that. She found herself watching Garrus more closely on missions after that, and taking any opportunity to chat with him. She started looking forward to finding excuses to bother him in the main battery: bringing him little things like dextro snacks or toy guns, asking him all sorts of questions she already knew the answers to. Anything that would let her be near him.
Kaiden had loved her, she knew that. But he hadn't stuck around, he didn't even try to understand. Garrus, though - he was still besides her, just as steadfast and loyal as he had been before she had died. By the time he met her in her cabin, she was already falling in love with him in many little ways.
Evie was determined to leave the Collector Base with her whole team, and she wasn't going to let anything stop her from that. It was her responsibility as their commander and more importantly as their friend, to make sure no ones life was lost. She fought hard and they all made it back in one piece, much to Evie's relief.
Being away from her crew and stuck on Earth after the Collector Base was torture. She had never really considered Earth her home, and longed to be back out among the stars. When the reapers attacked she jumped at the chance to leave and start helping the war effort.
Working with Kaidan again, and subsequently watching him nearly die on Mars, left Evie torn. When he apologized for his actions on Horizon and brought up her relationship with Garrrus she did not know how to feel. There was still a place in her heart dedicated to Kaidan, one that with time she learned would never fully fade. Still, while it was difficult to tell him that things could never work between then again, she knew it was the right choice. She had found what she needed in Garrus, and was certain Kaidan would understand.
The genophage was cured and baby krogans were a thing. Mordin's death hit Shepard hard, but luckily she had Garrus to help her get through it. The quarians and geth were united, all in line with her desire to make everyone in the galaxy happy forever.
At the end of ME3 she chose to destroy the reapers, as it was the only option she could see that would fully eliminate the threat. She survived the destruction of the Citadel and eventually recovered from her injuries and lived the rest of her life with Garrus at her side.
I also have a male Shepard named Miles buuuuut, this turned out longer than I intended so I'm not going to go into him right now!
My roommate and I drink a lot of tea. I'm talking an amount nearing obsession here. But, a good obsession? Yeah. That's why when I heard about little coasters filled with potpourri I knew it was something I needed in my house right away. A coaster that will heat up from the warmth of a mug and make the room smell delicious? Yes please.
I had no idea where to buy potpourri, though, and felt that it wouldn't make a very stable surface to set a mug down on. What I did have, and knew would be able to support an entirely too big mug of tea, was rice.
What you'll need (for four coasters):
2 cups rice
Essential Oils
Small containers or ziploc bags
Four 5x10 pieces of muslin
Four 5x12 pieces of pretty fabric
The basics (matching thread, scissors, sewing machine, etc.)
First separate your rice into either small containers or ziploc bags if you plan on doing multiple scents. Each coaster will need 1/2 cup of rice, so plan out accordingly. I did four different ones since I love all the oils I have. I pretty much can't stop smelling the Scotch Pine oil. Mmm trees.
Add just a few drops to your rice, depending on how strong you want your scent. I put about 7-8 drops per one cup of rice and it ended up quite strong.
Now to make a home for the rice. Take your 5x10 pieces of muslin and fold them over to make a little square. Sew the sides together, leaving about 2 inches open. Use the opening to turn the fabric right way out, and then fill with 1/2 cup of rice. Sew the opening shut.
The next thing to do is to make little envelope covers for the bags of rice. Doing it this way allows for the bag of rice to be removed and the covers to be washed when things inevitably get spilled on them. At least, it's inevitable in my home. Maybe you're less clumsy than I am!
Take your 5x12 strips of fabric and hem each short side with a 1/4 inch inseam.
Please excuse the terrible light in these two pictures. It being fall here in Oregon means natural light is hard to come by. Thanks rain clouds.
Now fold over the strip with right sides of the fabric together until you make a 5x5 square. Pin the unfolded edges and sew together.
Turn the envelope right side out using the little slit on the back side of the cover. Now take your muslin rice pouch and stick it inside the cute cover you just made!
That's it! So simple, so quick! So little fabric and rice needed! These will make wonderful gifts, and with certain holidays approaching it's a great time to make them! I have the feeling I'm going to be making tons and pairing them with cans of loose leaf tea from my favorite shops as gifts to pretty much everyone.
Now go enjoy a hot mug of tea and let the warmth and wonderful smells fill your home!
What made you get started sewing? Where do you get inspiration for your projects? What are you working on right now, and do you have any kind of ultimate goal or stretch project in mind?
I started sewing just to try something new, really! I've always enjoyed creative endeavors (mostly writing, actually) and sewing seemed like another thing to dabble in. I had just started living alone and found myself with much more free time and space without roommates around, so buying a sewing machine and filling my time with learning to sew seemed like a great idea.
Inspiration for me comes from all over the place. That's pretty standard, right? Working at a fabric store I get to hear about other people's projects a lot and that certainty gives me ideas! Other than that I love sites like craftgawker and pinterest, and of course all the talented people of tumblr.
I'd like to make more video game and book themed things, as I draw a lot of inspiration from those as well. I'm about to start on a costume from my favorite book series when I was younger, which I am super excited about.
At any given point I have about five to ten things I am working on. I'm terrible at finishing what I start! Seriously, there are many video games I have reached the final boss in and just stopped playing.
Right now though, I've got a quilt nearly done, a handful of cat toys I am working on perfecting for my kitty, and some hot pads filled with scented rice that will all be done soon. I should probably be posting about these things, huh? Soon!
I don't have any particular goal in mind with my sewing (kind of like my life, uh oh...) other than just improving. At first my goal was to sew a nice straight line of stitches, then to make something simple like a bag, and from there just to keep going. Maybe one day I will have something big and impressive I want to accomplish, but I think for me inching my way forward with little steps is more manageable.
Thanks for the questions! Maybe this will give me motivation to actually post all the things I have been working on lately!
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