The Last Eight Months Have Not Been Idle

I know it's been more than eight months since I posted last, but it's been at least that long since I've posted about anything I've been doing. Those of you who know me in real life know that I have had a LOT going on, none of which has to do with costuming or crafting. In theory, most of that will wrap up at the end of summer and leave me with more time to sew, but, well, you know...we'll see. :)

Anyway, even when I have too much piled on I make time to craft, if for no other reason than to maintain my sanity (such as it is). I just kept the projects bite-sized and portable. That is, I took up knitting and crocheting.

At Costume College last August, I took a one-hour course on Tunisian crochet. I had learned to crochet and knit when I was really young, but stopped around the age of 18, sever, er, decades ago. I had never heard of Tunisian crochet, so I thought I'd give it a go. Well, that lead me to starting to crochet again, whiiich lead inevitably to my knitting again.

Little bit of a Tunisian crochet sampler scarf I started. This is some sort of wrapped stitch that I got out of the book 101 Easy Tunisian Crochet Stitches.

So here's a sample of the things I've knit, in no particular order. Nothing historic, just stuff I can wear every day, with a sprinkling of totally random nonsense.

Crocheted flying piggy.

Tunisian crocheted moss green cowl.

Storage tube for my crochet hooks (an experiment in Tunisian  crochet stitches and crocheting in-the-round).

Tunisian crochet fingerless mitts, also made in-the-round.

Matching neck warmer, also in Tunisian crochet.

Crochet sweater-coat (really more coat than sweater).

Knit shrug, made from cashmere yarn recycled from a store-bought shrug.

And finally, a sad little crochet bear.

If you find my yarn-work interesting (or you're just a yarn addict), and you're a Ravelry user, come find me over there, my username is "cdemontigny".

More to come soon! I've got more costuming and crafting goings-on to report. Stay tuned!

Steampunk Has Gone WAY Mainstream

I was flipping through some old junk mail and came across an ad for this:

Devon Tread 1 Steampunk watch. Photo snagged from ablogtowatch.com

This is the Tread 1 watch by Devon, the "Steampunk Watch". It is...*ahem*...$25,000 (supposedly being produced in a limited edition of 150). This is just my opinion, but when something this expensive is marketed at the genre, then I think it's safe to say that steampunk has gone mainstream. Don't mistake me, though, I think this watch is GORGEOUS...but, well, yeah, if I had that kinda' money, I'd be blowing it on custom woven silk.

I'm also not ready to abandon steampunk, not when folks are making such awesomeness like this:

Gwendolyn, from Idlewild Illustré

Holey crap, that's so HOT. And I must mention this:

ColeV, from the inequitable Diary of a Mantua Maker

I'm seriously in love with these outfits. I was losing interest in steampunk, but these ladies are poking my imagination.

Also: hello! I'm back, mostly. Yeah, I had to take a real hiatus from this blog for the last four months. I had piled on so much "other stuff" that costuming had to go on the shelf for a while. Not to say I've been idle, crafting keeps me sane when I'm under stress. I'll write up some post about what I've been up to, after I take care of some more important business. Thanks for sticking with me!

One more thing: Merry Christmas, everyone! Whether you're Christian or not, it's a day to relax, be with family, play board games, and EAT (one of my favorite things to do!)

Why am I talking to you?

It has been said that I dislike blogs. That's not really true. I really enjoy seeing what my fellow costumers are up to, and I learn so much from them. The truth is, I simply don't have time to read all the blogs out there. But I do pop in and look at pictures. :)

So why have I now decided to join the blogosphere? On the one hand, we spend a great deal of time and effort on our work, and how sad is it to not share the troubles and the triumphs. On the other hand, I'm convinced that costuming is not meant to be done in isolation; after all, playing dress up by oneself is dull.

And what will I be talking about? Primarily I won't be talking very much, I'll be posting pictures (with short descriptions) of my costuming projects. I'll occasionally talk about what my friends are up to; I have beautiful and talented friends, and can't resist bragging about them! I might occasionally talk about non-costuming craft projects and doll art. I might even, once in a while, post an instructional article.

But I won't be talking about any cats.

Idle Hands

If "idle hands are the devil's workshop," you'd think I'd be pretty safe, since my hands are never idle...yet I get myself into trouble all the time!

I am Claudine de Montigny and this is my blog, wherein I hope to entertain, inform, and occasionally promote the results of my never idle hands.

Life is short...so why sit still?