Updates on beaded figure and other exciting things

Last night we were visited by the edges of Hurricane Henri, many lightning bursts and thunder very close overhead, torrential rain. Cable signals knocked out earlier. A heroic soaked cable guy came out there in the rain  and the signal is restored. 

Handsome Son has a day off, unusual for a Sunday. As he says, just as well. Because this

Power restored in time to see this. 

Meanwhile, I read one of those very brief, beautifully photographed ebooks which would be very short indeed in paper form. Still nice though, very wabi sabi.

I like the philosophy of shopping in the closet for something to alter if you're ready for a new thing to wear. And of making repairs decorative instead of assuming they must be invisible.

Meanwhile I did get the Useful Robe pockets installed. Little notches echoing the neckline

It took a bit of adjusting to get them low enough to put my hands in without shrugging my shoulders. Patch pockets need to be lower than inseam ones because of the angle of your arms as you slip your hands in. They look floppy because it's terry. Floppy fabric.

I think I might add a strip to lengthen the hem, too. After I try on again I'll decide. It's been so hot that trying on a warm cloaky kind of robe is a bit uncomfortable. It's certainly going to be ready when the weather's cool enough to wear it.

Meanwhile here's a guided tour round the almost completed beaded figure head.

A bit more beading or couching, and I can get on to the body.

Gown moving along, homage to Eloise Greenfield, beads ahoy!

Before anything, today I read that Eloise Greenfield died. At the age of 92. She was a groundbreaking poet, writer for children, warrior for the African American child's literary rights and for rap. 

And she always insisted her many books be illustrated by African American artists. Who better, she reasoned, to understand and depict the nuance in what she was saying about her characters? I particularly love attention being paid to illustrators and her respect for them.

So in her honor I read this wonderful book right away. Written for children, valuable for everyone.

It's a charming story of a puppy who's a poet. Or maybe a poet who's a puppy.

I knew little of her before today, not being knowledgeable about children's literature, though now and then I do get into picture books. I'm going to read more by her.

Back to humbler tasks. Namely the useful gown. So here's the neck-facing cut out, fitted, stitched in place, turned inside and the right side top stitched all around.

I'm quite pleased with this.

Frog if I decide on it. But I think the neckline is enough without the added touch.

Now I can do something else. I'll continue the finishing of the gown in stages. It won't take long. And now I'm thinking of pocket details that echo the neckline, that little vertical slash. Hmm.

So, on with other things, out came the beads and remembering the pleasure of choosing picking them up with the needle and anchoring them, dropping them, collecting them on a spoon, encountering the occasional one that's too small inside to pass over the needle's eye. And I started the new doll's head. 

I'll combine sculpting with beading, and see if that works. 

She/he will have a head, and maybe more, encrusted with beads in rivers of color. And the multicolored hair I mentioned earlier.  That's the plan anyway.  Barely begun but I wanted to show you the very beginning. Things could change. But the Helpless Prawn is  liking this start.

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