Girlfriend, That Is SO Camp.

I’m on a sort of roll for making stuff for myself.  Here’s my next project. 

Turn this:

Into this:

Source: sundancecatalog.com via Bean on Pinterest

Camp shirt into tunic.  Because despite my absolute loathing of camp shirts, I have a fitted camp shirt pattern.  And because this particular camp shirt pattern fits me perfectly.  And I mean, per.fect.ly.  Um.  Because Marta Alto fitted it for me.  That’s pretty much the only reason why.

But still.  Camp shirt.  Into tunic.  I can totally do it!  You just watch.

No.  Really.  I can.

Quit looking at me like that.

Seriously, don’t believe me?  This tunic is actually a camp shirt with gathers instead of darts.  Right?  Right.  Rotate the darts and convert them to gathers and add some width to the front and back bodice for flowiness, remove the collar and draft a facing instead, change the button placket to a center-seamed opening with ties, extend and add some flair to the sleeves… do some smocking…. 

Easy-peasy mac-and-cheesy.  As TLo says.

Quit looking at me like that.

Now You Can Play Along At Home!

The Husband has suddenly out of the blue decided to become a US citizen.  This means, should he be granted citizenship, that he can’t be deported.  And that he can vote.  This also means that we now get to spend vast quantities of time and money on yet another round of Bureaucratic Bingo.  It's super fun.  I'll give you an example.  Here's how you play:

1) The Husband was required, when he applied for and was granted status as a Resident Alien, to provide his fingerprints. 

2) These fingerprints are embedded in the "green card" he is required to carry with him at all times.

3) Homeland Security, in processing his application for citizenship, requires a set of fingerprints.  They also require a copy of his green card.  (The one with the fingerprints on it.  'Member that one?)

4)  We had to drive two hours to Ft Worth for him to have his fingerprints taken by Homeland Security.  This process took 6.3 minutes.  Literally.   I timed it.  With a timer.  Those Homeland Security people were both friendly and efficient.  The bastards. 

5) Then we had to drive two hours back home.  This process cost us $168.  Plus $80 in gas.  Plus $25 for lunch.  For some fingerprints they already had on file.

Bingo!!  What did we win?

If, at the end, the answer is not "The right to vote and not be summarily deported" I'm going to be really irritated.  We haven't even gotten to The Taking Of The Test part or the fact that The Husband forgot one item in his application packet and when he immediately called to rectify the problem they informed him that they might allow him to continue with the process.  Or they might deny his application.  They can't say.  It's up to the individual processor.  That one cost us $780.

Bureaucratic Bingo is the dog people.  You should all play!

(I was going to say, "it's the bomb" but then it occurred to me that I probably shouldn't write a post with both "Homeland Security" and "the bomb" in it. 

Uh.  Son of a—!!!)

And yes, I'm pretty sure that when they say "Resident Alien", in The Husband's case they mean an actual extraterrestrial.   It’s the only explanation.

I’m Really This Blurry. It’s Been A Life-long Trial.

Now I’m just posting bad photos to annoy Oonaballoona.  Honest.

It’s not because I can’t figure out why my camera keeps not focusing correctly.  Or because I don’t have the patience to take more photos.

No.  Really.

Anyway, that’s my second version of Ottobre 5-2011 #9.  As previously seen here.  I extended the sleeves and added a 2” cuff.  It’s super-comfortable, if nothing else.  The fabric nice too, although I have not one clue where I got it.  Probably either FabricMart or Emma One Sock.  Or maybe Golden D’Or.

Speaking of which, The Husband and I had to go to DFW yesterday and had some time to kill.  So I thought I’d swing by Golden D’Or and see what goodies I could come out with.  I was expecting to spend maybe $100. 

I spent $32.  Including tax.  It was a disappointing trip.  Whoever buys their fabric must be a Spring or Autumn because I literally could not wear about 90% of the colors in that warehouse.  If I wanted to look, you know, still alive.  (If you’re a Spring or Autumn and you live near DFW you should head on over to Golden D’Or.  Beaucoup oranges and light browns and weird yellowy greens.)

Basically I bought some black knit tulle and some white knit tulle (which is hard to buy online because you never quite know what people are calling “tulle”).  That’s a nice staple for making future knit tops with mesh overlays and whatnot.

I also bought 3/4 yard of this knit:

Look familiar?  I’ve been infected with Lemonade Mouth Disease.  (That’s silver/grey, by the way, not green or blue.  It doesn’t photograph well.)

I’m planning on making another knit top with some kind of mesh overlay on the yoke and sleeves.  Of some sort.  I have the tulles to do it.

 

-snort-  get it?  I “have the tulles”?

OMG

Just shoot me now.