#I used to have linen shirts in my size as well

[baronmagikcarp]

I'm once again trying to find some decent jeans that fit me. However, I'm a bigger person and that is not an easy task sometimes. I used to buy from one place, they had fantastic jeans. Lasted a long time, sturdy, looked good, and then of course they stopped making them in my size. Don't even make CLOSE to my size anymore.

This is something I've noticed lately. It's getting harder to find clothes in my size and I haven't changed sizes in years. Companies just aren't making them anymore and the few that are left charge a considerable amount of money for really crummy quality. I bought a pair of jeans after I couldn't find the ones listed above for about the same price I would have paid for the better quality ones. They've lasted two months and they're already ripping on a pocket and started to rip apart in the crotch.

I'm just beyond aggravated. I just want clothes that last and then when it's time to replace them, be able to buy something at least similar in quality.

[decayedgloria]

sundress szn

ft. Capitano, Dottore, Columbina, and Arlecchino

Summer’s finally come, so you decide to wear something that fit the occasion- much to your lover’s excitement.

Tags: First 4 harbingers x afab!reader (minus Pierro and Pulcinella), nsfw under cut, established relationships, Capitano may be ooc bc we have nothing on this man lmao, mdni

Word count: ~2.2K, not proofread

Capitano

Capitano was ever the hard worker. If he wasn’t in his office at Zapolyarny Palace, then he was off fighting in the name of the Tsaritsa, far away from your home in Snezhnaya. Naturally, you miss him dearly- and clearly he had observed how you seem to linger around him more often when he’s around, or how much more clingy and desperate you’ve become in bed. Arranging for a short trip to Natlan, his home nation, you had hoped to reclaim the time you lost with your husband.

The climate in Natlan was drastically different from Snezhnaya. It was warm all year round, and this time it happened to be particularly hotter than any other season. You had packed clothes accordingly, though it was hard as weather like that never shows itself in the coldest nation in Teyvat. Though there was one piece you purchased that caught your attention, and you knew for sure your husband would absolutely love it on you.

Capitano sat on the edge of the bed, patiently waiting for you to get ready. His hands found themselves fiddling with the hem of the loose linen shirt he donned, which appeared to be tight on his massive, defined body, though he did not mind. He was proud of his physique, even more so at the fact you seemed almost obsessed with his broad shoulders and muscled arms. Chuckling to himself, Capitano finds it hard to resist you, his little wife.

“Dear, are you ready? We have the whole day ahead of us.” Capitano called out. You shuffled around in the bathroom, putting on the final touches of your makeup and making sure everything is in place before you emerge. Immediately, his eyes were on you- more specifically, the garment that you had chosen to wear. It was a sundress, of course. It was sheer, but not so much that it didn’t cover anything. It was perfect for the hot weather, especially its length, or lack thereof. Barely reaching over your ass, in fact.

Somewhat shyly, you give a little twirl in front of your husband. “Do you think this outfit is okay? I wasn’t sure it was my size so…” He had foregone his mask for the day, which gave away to his surprised face, blushing and staring as if he was hungry.

“You look amazing, my dear.” As you turn back to face Capitano, you were suddenly greeted with your husband’s chest. Leaning down, he places his large hands on your hips, giving them a light squeeze that illicited a giggle from you. He buried his face into the crook of your neck, taking in your tantalizing scent and grinning as you pull him closer towards you. 

“Irresistible, in fact. I think this is just the right size for you.” His voice was low, almost muffled as he placed light kisses on your skin. You sigh, running your fingers through his long hair, traveling lower onto his chest and then feeling the familiar shape beginning to form in your husband’s pants. You almost laughed when Capitano groaned at your touch, who unconsciously moved closer to you to relieve himself some.

“I thought we had plans for today?” Your honeyed voice only added to his increasingly needy gestures. He couldn’t help but let his hands roam across your body, touching and squeezing at your curves through the dress. Your small stature, so soft against his, in a dress that accentuated everything he loved about you…

Well, he did say that you both had the whole day, so why not spare a few more hours together?

Dottore

As his lovely lab assistant and partner, Dottore decided to bring you along with him to an expedition in Sumeru to collect some sample for his latest research endeavor. At first, you were hesitant and a bit confused as to why he didn’t just send one of his clones or subordinates to go fetch it instead, but he had insisted that the sample was of “utmost importance” and that only he would be able to verify its integrity, whatever that meant.

So that’s how you found yourself in the sweltering desert heat, sitting in a tent that barely blocked out the sun. Your sweat had drenched your clothing since the early morning, so a change of attire was in order. As you sift through your belongings, you groaned as you realized you’d only been packed clothes that the Fatui deemed “suitable” for Snezhnayan summers- that is, clothes that were still too thick to wear. 

You sigh as your eyes scan the room for another solution, stopping at the shopping bag you had left on your desk. The little free time you had before entering the desert was spent shopping around Port Ormos, in which you had purchased a dress you thought was cute. You weren’t expecting to wear it so soon, but it wasn’t like you had much of a choice…

Dottore worked on his paperwork, writing his report in a different tent from your shared one. Engrossed in his research, he barely noticed your presence enter the tent, nor did he notice the dress that barely clung onto your body. He hummed in response to your greeting, hearing you shuffle around and do the tasks you were assigned. 

It just so happens that the moment Dottore looks up happens to be the same moment you bend over to pick up some books on the floor, much to his wide-eyed pleasure. Your behind was deliciously accentuated in the new garment you wore, barely peeking out of the dress. In a flash, Dottore’s focus was taken away from the papers in his hands and instead was aimed at you, his cute little lab assistant.

With not much noise he rose, making his way over to you in silence as you gather all the books in your hands. You hadn’t noticed your lover’s presence until you feel a firm grip on your hips, suddenly knocking you against Dottore’s familiar legs. You let out something in between a gasp and a sigh as you crane your neck to look at him, slightly embarrassed as you felt his growing erection rub your ass.

“Now, you know I’m a busy man, darling.” Dottore’s husky voice sent a shiver down your spine. “So what’s with the distraction?”

“Look, it’s how outside and this is the only thing I can wear-“ A moan escaped your throat as you felt a sharp smack land on the plush of your behind. He smirked, shushing you as he pressed you closer against him. His hands grew erratic as they clawed at your dress, almost ripping it apart while he touch any and every port of your soft skin.

“A punishment is in order, don’t you think?”

Columbina

You sighed as you walked through the Palace greenhouse, on what seemed like your tenth lap of the day. Columbina had promised to meet you there after meeting with the Tsaritsa, but it had been hours- surely, a meeting wouldn’t take that long would it? 

You gaze dejectedly at the lily flowers by your side, blooming in spite of the coolness outside. The greenhouse felt like summer all year round, allowing for plants like the one you had in your hands to bloom effortlessly every year. It was quite impressive, such a large structure protecting plants from all over Teyvat from Snezhnaya’s cold. 

Given that, it really wouldn’t make sense to wear your normal Fatui uniform here, so you opted for a dress that you hadn’t worn in ages, and clearly it showed: the dress was a little tighter on you than you had remembered, accounting for the muscles you had gained while training, and it certainly was too short to comfortably move in, but the humidity of the room left you little to no choice. 

Your mind was somewhere else when you feel a hand snake around your waist from behind, relaxing when you catch a glimpse of magenta strands from the corner of your eye. Columbina made herself comfortable holding you so, nuzzling into your neck. Her quiet, melodic hums filled the air as you turned to look at your lover, a smile blooming on your face.

“What took you so long, love?” You gently tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear, admiring her beauty. She chuckled, pleasant and light, before burying herself into you once more. 

“The meeting is still going,” she purred, her hands now barely grazing your hips and waist. You blush as you realize what she’s doing, glancing around to make sure there weren’t any idle soldiers or officers. “it was too dreadful. Sneaking out to see my lovely wife was much more important than some trivial talk of war tactics.” Oblivious to your growing panic, Columbina pulls you closer as she moves her lips against your own, smiling gently.

It didn’t take long for the kiss to turn passionate, with gentle pecks now turning into harsh smacks as your tongues worked against each other. With each kiss, your hands clawed at Columbina’s clothes, shredding off layers as her hands tug at your hair. 

Haphazardly, you both managed to find a nearby bench to continue your liaison on more comfortably. As you breathe heavily through your swollen lips, Columbina places herself over you, smiling as she dips down for a kiss one more time.

Arlecchino

Ever since Arlecchino was dispatched to Fontaine by the Tsaritsa, her mind was utterly consumed by you. Not that it normally wasn’t, thoughts of you always permeated her brain one way or another, but at least in Snezhnaya she was able to have you physically there to meet her demands- wether it was an affectionate cuddle or something more intimate, your presence was always just a call away.

However, ever since landing in Fontaine, Arlecchino’s thoughts only consisted of two things: the mission at hand, and you. How she missed the way you would saunter up to her, tease her in a way nobody else would dare, and how your legs would stay quiver and shake around her cheeks every time her tongue explored inside you-

Ah, she was getting carried away again. Arlecchino groaned internally at the paperwork that was placed in front of her, glaring as if it were an enemy. Well, in her mind, anything that kept you away from her was considered an enemy to an extent…

A knock on her office door snapped her out of her thoughts. Sighing, Arlecchino commanded them to come in, placing her chin on her palm, bored as ever. Her face must have conveyed some sort of annoyance as the poor fatui agent that came in visibly shivered a little, lowering their head as they said their greetings.

“What is it?”

“There’s a letter from Senzhnaya, my lady.” She did not miss the quiver in their voice, “It’s from Lady (Y/N).” As the agent reached out to give her the envelope, Arlecchino all but snatched it from their hands, all of her attention now devoted to the piece of paper in front of her.

“Leave.” Her voice left no room for reply, with the agent thankfully getting the hint and scurrying away. Once the heavy doors of her office closed, her ruby eyes inspected the envelope intently, taking in every detail that you may have left her. Just as quickly as she snatched the letter, she opened it, revealing its contents: a neatly folded letter, and what looked like a thin sheet wrapped with something.

She wasted no time in unfolding the letter, taking a note of the way the package smelled just like you- sweet, almost sickening. Her lips curled into a grin as she read the words that danced across the page, her heart leaping at all the praise and sweet nothings you seemed to litter across the paragraphs that you had written. How much you missed her, and yearned for her; all of it made Arlecchino’s head dizzy with pride and delight.

She was too absorbed in reading and rereading your letter that she had forgotten about the other item that you had delivered. Tilting her head, she gathered the thing in her hands gently, taking off the wrapping to reveal a picture taken with a camera- a picture of you, clad in what Arlecchino could only describe as barely a dress. A sheer fabric that did little to conceal your cleavage or your thighs as you pose, somewhat scantily, in a move she was sure was made in order to highlight your curves.

Arlecchino’s fingers subconsciously gripped the photo tighter, a shot of warmth suddenly coursing through her body. She sighed heavily, pink dusting her sheeks as she felt the familiar sensation of aching in between her legs. Tentatively, she took off her gloves and slowly travelled her fingers to the zipper of her pants, breathing growing ragged as she frantically tried to relieve whatever spell you had cast on her.

What a tease.

A/N: here it is! writing this lowkey killed me :,) but i really hope yall liked it. its not full on smut (i dont trust myself to write those with the harbingers just yet for fear of mischaracterization) but its what i can manage. really, im just testing out the waters.

can you guys tell i have a favorite? lol. itll have to be split into two parts since its long enough.

[handweavers]

i sew most of my own clothes and want to share more about that on here. my primary reasons behind sewing my own garments come from issues finding clothes in my size that accommodate my body shape as well as various health issues that require my clothes to be loose fitting and made from breathable fibers. for reference i wear a us size 20

my sewing is mostly self taught, although my nan showed me how to use a sewing machine as a kid. while i have a sewing machine, i prefer to handsew my clothes with a trusty backstitch and use hand-finishing techniques. i work mostly with 100% cotton thread that i coat in beeswax for better stitching and longevity, and fibers like cotton and linen. linen tends to look rumpled when worn but i don't mind.

both items in the top photos were fully handstitched and handfinished. in the top photos: my shirt is adapted from the all well box top and sewn in a lightweight cotton-linen blend. the pants are stylearc's ethel pants in a midweight linen that i embroidered around the knees (not pictured) and they have inseam pockets. both fabrics were bought at spotlight in malaysia.

bottom photos: the shirt is another box top adaptation (i pieced scraps of this fabric together to make the shirt, hence the seam at the front and more seams along the sides) and the pants are readytosew's pleat pants inspired by traditional thai fisherman's pants. i did some sashiko embroidery on the butt pockets of these. both are in a black cotton-linen blend, i can't remember where i got it but i know it was some online fabric store in canada. i've worn the pants more than the shirt so the black dye has faded more from it, but i like that when they're worn together it looks like a jumpsuit. i machine sewed both of these but finished them by hand.

[bevanne46]

How to Build a Fabric Stash without Breaking the Bank

Fabric can be expensive but it doesn’t have to be.  If you are not stuck on Name Brands or Specialty Fabric Store Exclusives here are some ways to build your fabric stash without costing an arm and a leg. I have made many beautiful quilts using various fabrics from various supplies. And I believe that the quality is not just in the fabric you use but also in your stitch work and seams sizes. If your seams are less than a ¼” they will not hold (personally I prefer to use a ½” seam allowance). If you are not securing your thread ends, your stitch work is going to come undone. So be sure to watch these things too.

Look for fabric at your local Thrift Store (Goodwill, Value Village, etc.)

I have found some wonderful fabrics in various sizes, notions, storage items and more at my local Thrift Stores. I have even found unfinished quilt tops that I have brought home and added a backing to then quilted. Remember that almost any size fabric remnant can be added to other remnants to make some wonderful scrappy quilts so save your own remnants after making a quilt, you may be able to use it later in another quilt.

Look for local Fabric Sales held by Quilting Guilds in Your Area.

We have 2 near me every summer.One charges $2 per pound for any fabric. The second one charges $2 per yard for any fabric. Both also sell batting, notions, books, machines, tools, and more.

Look for fabric on Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor and other sites.

I sell extra fabric on Marketplace and Nextdoor. I have also found several ladies near me selling fabric that I have purchased. And some I have purchased with shipping to me.

Look for older 100% Cotton Sheets at your local Thrift Stores.

Back in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, Quilts were not show pieces. They were real functional blankets that were made from any and all fabrics they could get, usually used clothing. I think there is no reason why we cannot still do that instead of buying expensive fabrics. I have often used clothing, sheets, curtains, and other linens to make some wonderful, usable quilts. And there are some wonderful patterns you can use for quilts in bedsheets from the 1980’s and 1990’s. Note: I always wash anything from a Thrift Store before I use it.

Watch for Fabric Sales and Coupons for Joanns, Hobby Lobby and other Fabric & Craft Stores.

I know some quilters believe that the fabric from Joanns & Hobby Lobby is poor quality but I have not found any bad fabric from these stores.  We do not have a “Quilting” store close to me and because I’m handicapped, I will not drive an hour or more just to buy expensive fabric.  If I did that, I wouldn’t be able to afford to quilt.  I will also buy fabric from Walmart but I am more careful with my selection there as most fabric at Walmart is good but I have had one or two pieces that I felt were poorer quality.

Watch for Fabric Sales and Coupons for your Local Quilt Shop.

Quilt shops will also have occasional sales and/or coupons so if you prefer to shop at these locations take notice of when they have sales. Also ask if they ever give discounts to seniors or military.

Use New or Older Clothing.

I have made a lot of beautiful Memorial Quilts from a loved one’s clothing and T-Shirt quilts. I will use jeans, work shirts, uniforms, flannel, cotton, polyester and even some knits.  These can be a little trickier to work with because they are often stretchy fabrics but they will add a wonderful texture and visual variance to your quilts.  I recently found a pair of cotton pants with Mickey Mouse on them. I fell in love with them because they were so colorful, and I love bold colors. I found several other cotton fabrics that matched the colors in the Mickey pants and made a bold colorful quilt!

Rethink Your Backing Fabric

No one ever said your quilt backing had to be all New Cotton. You can use Fleece, Flannel or Bed Sheets as well. On many occasions I have found some wonderful fleece blankets on clearance and used these for my quilt backing.  Joanns right now has a great clearance sale on Flannel fabric. The best part about using some of these is that you can get then in a wider width so you may be able to make your backing in all one piece instead of 2 or more like when using regular cotton (unless you want your backing to be in various colors/patterns).  You can also use new or older cotton bed sheets for a quilt backing. Again, you can make your quilt backing in one solid piece with a sheet!

Check the Clearance Section for Your Favorite On-Line Stores

I have several on-lines stores that I love to shop from (e-Quilter, Missouri Star, etc.) but sometimes they can be expensive so I always check the clearance section of these stores. There are times I will find some beautiful fabrics on clearance so will purchase it then look for matching piece everywhere else so I can get the best deals. Also check for on-line sales from Joanns, Hobby Lobby and other on-lines stores that sell fabric and/or sheets.

Check Out Your Local Garage, Moving and Estate Sales

I have found some of the best deals at moving and estate sales because often the seller is willing to bargain with you. I once found an estate sale where a family was selling off all their mother’s quilting and sewing items because she had passed away and none of then sewed. There was more fabric and notions than I would have used in a year so I found lots of thread and items I purchased at a great price.

Note on Batting

I know that many quilters believe that the only batting you should use is expensive cotton batting. I disagree.  There are many forms of batting. Cotton/Poly blends, Polyester, and Fleece. I love cotton batting but cotton will break down quicker than polyester and I want my quilts to last a lifetime so for most of my quilts I actually use Polyester more often than not. I have taken the backing off many older quilts to do repair work and the cotton batting inside was all balled up and a real mess.

Now when I am doing the Quilt-as-you-Go method I use a Fleece batting. The fleece can be cut into smaller pieces, fabric added to the top and then sewn back together to make wonderful quilts. And the batting doesn’t get stuck in my machine.

Shop Around for your batting to find the best deals. Sometimes Joanns has a sale on batting but the best price I have found so far has been Walmart on-line.  I can buy a 96” x 9 yard Bolt of Poly Batting for just $30 on Walmart on-line. This bolt will make 4+ quilts depending on the size of the quilt and I will have lots of left overs for smaller projects like pillows, etc.  For me the best part is that because it’s 96” wide, I don’t have to piece together my batting before I can sandwich my quilt!

[ditsyknits]

Sewing diary 7/27/24

Amarena dress is on pause for now. Was not loving how the muslin was turning out on my hips. I will probably keep the bodice construction (which has great darts for large chests!) and sleeves but completely hack the skirt.

I have been working this week on the Sewing Therapy Tie Dress, which looks very flattering on the creator (above) and on some other people on Instagram. It did not look flattering on me, even two sizes down. Thank goodness I made a test muslin!

So! I finally thought fuck it, these are my clothes I can make them the way I want. I took the paper pattern and compared it to a couple of similarly constructed dresses from Uniqlo that I love and that I think fit me well.

I cut the side panel to take out about five inches overall and give it a waistline and a curve from the waist to the armhole. It was previously a completely straight line from armpit to skirt, which looked awful untied and bunched oddly when tied at the sides.

I also cinched the skirt in the same amount at the waistband then graded it out to give it a lot more fullness, probably six inches all together, plus a few inches extra length. This makes sense because I am several inches taller than the creator. I also deepened the V of the neckline, again using a dress I like as the model.

I half-ass tested this new waistline and side seam on my muslin and it seems like it'll work out. I am unfortunately out of muslin fabric now so I can't cut another one with my new pattern pieces to fully test it. I think I'm just going to cut into my main fabric and pray....

Speaking of, I have this GORGEOUS Merchant and Mills Tartlet Stripe Linen as my real fabric. It's sold out on their site so I got it from an independent shop. I loooooove it and am hopeful that I bought enough to also get a shirt out of it after this dress. We'll see.

Wish me luck!

[gilverrwrites]

Hello could you please do some captain boomerang headcanon fluff, I don’t see enough of it on here.

AN: I can and I will. Good fluffy vibes only today, however, if you would like a reality check, please watch the video linked at the end.

Rating: General (however, wanting for swearing)

Please remember: Everything you're worried about, is going to turn out ok.

Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Request Info

He’s not much for texting, much prefers sending voice notes. These can range anywhere from simple good night/good morning notes, the longest, most pointless, probably drunken rambles, jokes he stole came up with, or professions of love.

When he texts, it’s always in 90s/early 00s style and full of emojis that don’t quite mean what he thinks they do.

Cn’t w8 2 c 👀 u 🫵l8r 👄❣️🪃 X 🌫️ Gud nite mu 🫥 u4e lol 😜 🩵🪃 xXx RUOK 4 d8 l8r??? 🌷💦 CUL ❤️‍🔥🪃 X

Has your name saved in his phone as the most ridiculous nickname you can think of, probably also with a bunch of emojis.

Dependant on your personality, petnames would include a few of the following: Darl’, darlin’, babs, babes, baby (pronounced bah-bee), sweets, hon, peachy, lovey, peanut, or doll.

Whatever your least favourite is, he will use the most cause he loves winding you up.

Swears at you, a lot. But its affectionate.

He’s not used to people doing things for him, so he is massively grateful when you do like menial domestic labour for him.

You sewed up the hole in my jacket? You’re THE best, I can’t believe you would do that for me. You did my laundry? WTF? You didn’t have to do that (he’s been wearing the same unwashed boxers for 2 weeks, someone had to) how can I ever repay you babes? You cooked for me? (It’s literally a pot-noodle) You’re an angel, I’m not welling up, shut it.

He’s really good at like, enhancing 'easy' food. He’ll add egg and chives and stuff to his packet noodles, makes the best cheese and vegemite toasty, knows just how much oil and extra cheese to add to a frozen pizza, and has mastered box mix cupcakes. His favourite is chocolate.

Uses a 5 in 1 shower gel, if and when he showers, and you cannot tell me he doesn’t blast lynx africa and/or paco rabanne 1 million so he smells woody and spicy.

However, if you have fancy smelly products of you’re own, he will use them. Gonna treat himself with a good scrub and some large helpings of your shampoo and conditioner (this one’s got multiple products for their hair, posho!)

Doesn’t matter if you use products intended for a specific skin/hair type, it’s getting used.

As a nice bonus he likes doing it cause it means your smell lingers on him when you’re not together.

Won’t admit it but he also really likes it if you burn candles and/or incense.

If you’re close enough in size, he will steal your clothes. Especially socks cause he is always wearing holes into his own.

Gets all gooey and excited when you wear his clothes, especially if you’re small enough that they look oversized, and are visibly his.

If you’re inclined to wear flowy summer dresses, he’ll go feral. Also, a big fan of linen shirts/blouses and short shorts.

When he’s dressed causal he lives in shorts and filp-flops, even in the midst of winter. Or if he’s not leaving the house he’ll just wear his boxer shorts.

Is gone for long periods of time (prison, hiding out etc) so is very clingy when you’re back together, and doesn’t really have boundaries.

Will walk in on you in the bath shower to use the toilet, or to just sit and talk to you. If you ask him nicely, he will wash your hair. Might not do a good job, but he will do it. Has his arms wrapped around your waist at all times while you’re trying to do chores or are out shopping. If he wakes before you (a rare occurrence) he will just lay on his side, watching you sleep. Might get impatient and attempt to subtly wake you by gently brushing your side or nose, or gently shaking your body.

Normally sleeps way into the day, and snores, loudly. Often wakes with a hangover. And will practically beg you to make him a bacon an egg.  

Loves almost any and all brekkie food, bacon, egg, hash browns, pancakes, you name it.

Is not a cuddly sleeper. Like he can fall asleep cuddling, but he will start rolling around, splaying his arms out, kicking his legs. Huge bed hog.

Says his favourite films are action, gangster, or like bro style comedies. Think like: Road House, Indian Jones, Kill Bill, The Gentleman, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Hang Over.

If you put on a horror, drama, or rom com, he will not watch it with you.

But he will find things to do in the general vicinity. Or straight up do the dad thing of like standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed. If he’s not sat with you, he’s technically not watching it.

So like, which one is actually her dad? They don’t tell you but the writ- No no no, don’t tell me, I’ll figure it out, Don’t go in the basement, there’s never anything good in the basement, oh she’s only bloody gone and went in the basement! But… Barbie doesn’t love Ken. I’m not cryin, I just got allergies, shut up an’ watch your dumb girly film.

Has a stolen tattoo gun,wants to get matching tattoos, has pro for everyone of your cons. Ideally, he just wants names/initials in hearts, but will settle for more symbolic tattoos. Like a boomerang to represent him for you, and something similar for you.

Keeping any gift you’ve ever given him for life.

I made you a friends ship braclet. Eh, ya know its not my normal kinda jewellery. You don’t ha- No, fuck off, I’m gonna wear it forever.  

Would still love you if you were a worm. Hasn’t the foggiest what he would do with you. But he would love you.

Obviously gonna teach you how to use a boomerang. Even if you already know, he’s gonna show you the right way. Gotta make sure his bab is protected. (Don’t tell him that you find them impractical and are unlikely to ever use one when in need, he will sulk.)

Aforementioned video.

[eemcintyre]

Something to Talk About (Tom Cruise)

TW: Literally nothing. Pure unadulterated fluff.

Summary: you and 90s!Tom are secretly married, and while on vacation (specifically, enjoying a nice breakfast), you two realize that the press has finally caught you together and published photos of you.

A wholehearted thank you for all of the support and positive feedback on the first fic I posted, I was so pleasantly surprised!

Y/N stirred, rolling over in the king-sized bed and wrapping the white sheets tightly around her shoulders, her eyes still closed. After a few moments of stillness as she slowly awoke, she extended one arm from her mass of blankets to reach for her husband.

For officially one year, Y/N had been able to call Tom Cruise her husband, and to celebrate the anniversary, he had agreed to take a weeklong break from work so they could go on a trip together to France. Provence was one of their favorite places to visit, due to the charming sights, as well as the tight security at the condo they always stayed at.

The latter aspect was particularly appealing, as most of the world actually didn’t even know that Y/N and Tom had dated. They had been introduced by a mutual friend in the filmmaking industry, and apart from them, only a few of their closest friends and family were aware. After the scrutiny and ridicule Tom had received during his past relationships, she and he had decided to wait as long as they could before someday having to reveal their relationship to the public. Y/N was also a behind-the-camera worker when it came to movies and was not used to any kind of intense media attention. They didn’t even wear wedding rings out in public and had opted out of buying an engagement ring as well, lest the accessories get noticed in paparazzi photos.

As Y/N blindly pawed at the spot on the mattress next to her, she was surprised to discover that Tom was not there. As she began to more fully wake up and register her surroundings, she detected the smell of food cooking, and the faint sounds of The Temptations and pans sizzling.

She tentatively rose to an upright position on the edge of the bed, loosening the knots in her hair with her fingers. Wearing one of Tom’s white t-shirts, a pair of pajama shorts, and a pair of socks, she treaded curiously in the direction of the kitchen. The room was bathed in sunlight, and a breeze floated in from the open sliding glass door leading to the balcony, gently ruffling the linen curtains.

Tom, his hair mussed, dressed in a t-shirt and boxers, was intensely focused on the pan and skillet in front of him on the stove, containing pancakes and bacon. The table was set with a small bouquet of flowers and a glass pitcher of orange juice that reflected patterns onto the table as the sun cut through it. His back was turned, allowing her to watch him silently, leaning against the doorway as he sang under his breath. Launching into a small spin while carrying a bowl of fruit to the table, he eventually saw that he was no longer alone. His gaze fell to the floor, and he shook his head, chuckling in embarrassment.

“Morning, sunshine. Hopefully I didn’t wake you too early.”

“No, I was just enjoying the show,” she grinned, stepping through the doorway to the spot on the floor behind him so she could slip her arms around his torso and rest her chin on his shoulder. “You didn’t have to make breakfast.”

“You’re just afraid that I’ll burn the place down,” he joked, leaning into her touch. “Or that my pancakes will be better than yours.”

In mock outrage, Y/N unwrapped him from her arms and shot him an appalled look, shoving him playfully. “Oh, you’ve thrown down the gauntlet now, chef.”

“Why don’t you withhold judgement? I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” he retorted slyly, taking her plate in one hand and the spatula into his other and tossing several steaming golden-brown blueberry pancakes onto her plate. While allowing the food to cool, they poured themselves some juice.

“Squeezed it myself,” he said, and she looked at him incredulously. “No, it’s Minute Maid,” he laughed.

“Wow, and I thought you were really going all-out. What kind of self-respecting chef doesn’t squeeze their own orange juice?” she rolled her eyes, tilting her head back as she joined in the laughter.

They sat silently in each other’s presence for a moment, as the pancakes finally reached an edible temperature.

“Well, neglecting the orange juice was a smart choice, because these are incredible,” she praised him, nodding for emphasis.

“Thank you, thank you,” he tipped his head in a dramatic bow.  “And you doubted me.”

“I’ll never do it again, sweetheart.”

“I wish I could have caught this moment on tape.”

“Shut up!”

They leisurely enjoyed their breakfast at the table while reading the news of the morning from several local and international newspapers. It was only the sounds of the birds singing, the waves in the distance, and the breeze, until suddenly, Tom’s gaze shot upward at Y/N, who began choking on a mouthful of food. Clinging to the paper she had been reading, she reached for her juice with her other hand and cleared the obstruction before Tom felt the need to panic. Her hand clutching her chest, she managed to slow her breathing again, but her face still looked ill, unnaturally pale, and her eyes were transfixed with the newspaper.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” He leaned forward with his elbows on the table, and she handed him the paper. He was met with a large headline in the entertainment section which prompted him to check that area of the other newspapers on the table as well. All echoed phrases along the lines of:

“Tom Cruise spotted on vacation with mystery woman.”

“Source claims Tom Cruise finally off the market again.”

“Shit,” he sighed, setting the papers face-down on the table, and running both hands through his hair. Each article was also accompanied by paparazzi photos of them coming and going from the condo and talking on the balcony.

“Can we turn this orange juice into a mimosa?” Y/N groaned. “What happened to five-star security?” She became shaky. “Oh, I think I’m going to be sick.”

Tom was visibly displeased but holding it together a lot better than Y/N. “Hey, it’s okay. I mean, we knew everyone was going to find out someday. Think about it- maybe it’s for the best, we won’t have to sneak around anymore. And they don’t even know who you are yet…”

“But they’ll figure it out soon enough and then tear me apart,” Y/N replied. “They’ll pick apart everything about how I look, and all my personal business will be in the open…”

“You don’t know that,” he insisted, taking her hands from across the table. “If they have any sense, they’ll love you. Maybe you’ll be Hollywood’s next It-girl,” he grinned. “But we’re not going to let it ruin our anniversary trip, and we’ll take whatever comes and just keep doing us, okay?”

She nodded wordlessly, managing a small, uncertain smile.

“Remember, you said you’d never doubt me again.”

“I didn’t realize that was going to come back to bite me so soon,” she griped, the color slowly returning to her face.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Tom began, rising from his chair with Y/N’s hands still in his, bringing them both to their feet.

“What?”

“Let’s really give ‘em something to talk about.” She noticed that he was guiding them in the direction of the balcony.

“W-what are we doing?”

Once they were within full view of the entire complex and any photographers who might be lying in wait, he moved in for a kiss.

“Tom, you’re fucking crazy!” she dodged it, trying to look shocked, but unable to suppress a giggle, and she soon joined in.  

[iamacolor]

2023 sewing projects - part 1 details at the end of the post (click here for part 2)

Note: I work for a fabric shop so I get most of my fabrics for free as well as some patterns as I have to be wearing our products at work (I definitely consider it a perk). Without this job I would not be sewing as much and I'd probably be buying most of my fabric second hand or on sale as I used to do before. I also sometimes sew during work hours so keep that in mind if you're also a sewist, go at your own rythm 💜 Although I have basic training in pattern drafting I prefer to sew from pre-existing patterns to save on time (as i have to regularly make myself some new clothes for work) and discover new techniques and styles - but I often change stuffs to adapt the designs to my style.

1 - first outfit for my friend's wedding (this one was for the henna night), it's made in a linen-viscose blend and it's very easy and quick to make + i can easily wear each piece separately!

2 - second outfit for my friend's wedding made out of 100% silk muslin (it was a big remnant i found on sale) - i ended up making made a lot of changes from the base pattern: i lenghtened the sleeves a lot, i changed the skirt piece as the og one was too short for me and also too wide for my narrow fabric so i just cut rectangles in the desired length and gathered everything at the waist - the skirt is fully lined both in silk and in lining fabric - I also took a lot in at the middle back and some on the sides (i would've have loved to make a toile but sadly a nasty tendinitis kept me away from sewing for a few months so i had to speed things up before the wedding)

3 - i made this bodysuit last week - it was my first time working on a knit fabric in a while and i should have lenghtened it a bit more than i already did as the shoulder seams are being slightly pulled back - in a viscose/polyester milano knit + modified pants from a magazine in a viscose , large pants in fluid fabrics like that are great for all seasons as i can easily put some tights on underneath when it's too cold. I'm so glad i found a knitted fabric to match the print on the pants!

4/5 - this dress and blouse have the same base pattern from the same book but i modified the end of the sleeves on both (they were supposed to be gathered on a wrist band and closed with buttons) to create a ruffle effect with an elastic - on the dress i took out the collar piece and slightly adjusted the side seams to make them more fitting + i traced another skirt piece based on the back of the skirt in pic1 and added a ruffle at the bottom - the dress is made in a viscose twill and the top in a coton double gauze

6/7 - both of these tops are made from the same pattern, i simply lenghtened the sleeves for the checkered version and on both i tightened the sleeve band - it's a very quick pattern to make. The dotted one is made from a very fine coton corduroy and the checkered one is in a coton double gauze. The pants are made in a thicker corduroy, I'm very much in between sizes when it comes to pants (depending on the brands I cover around 4 sizes between my waist and my thighs at their thickest) I ended up cutting the size for my thighs and simply deepening the folds and the darts to make it fit at the waist + I wanted a loser fit on the legs so i added 1cm on each side

8 - this shirt is made in a linen and viscose blend (same fabric as the pink matching set) except for the contrasting blue elements which are in linen-coton - i had fun playing with the classic shirt finishing and deciding what to do in blue (the buttonholes are threaded in blue!)

9/10 - this top is made from a simple coton gauze, the bodice is lined with the same fabric (super quick to make although the fact that the right and wrong side are the same means i've put in on wrong at least twice lmao) - the pants are made in coton gabardine (i've also had to trace between sizes here - this is a us sizes pattern and for this i'm in between 6 and 10 with a slight redrawing of the crotch and the side seams under the pockets) I love this pattern because it comes in a slim legs version, a straight one, a wide version (this one) and a short version. I've made another large version in orange and a slim version in white.

11 - these pants are made in a coton-linen twill - pretty straightforward in their making, as always I am in between sizes for pants so I cut a size 10 (can't remember if this was in us or uk sizes)and ended up having to do my usual changes for pants by deepening the front folds and the back darts (which I also had to make longer to accomodate not just for my waist circumference which is 2 sizes smaller than my thighs but also the arch of my back). Really like how large the belt is and how the fold is pressed all the way down the leg. I wore it with the green top, a red jacket and gold shoes for christmas eve!

[roboticchibitan]

Craft update!

I'm tolerating heat even less well than usual which is saying something. I have POTS and a fun (derogatory) thing about POTS is it gets worse when it's hot so normally if I'm in an area that's above 75°F/24°C I get really nauseous and migrainy and faint because my blood isn't getting to my brain. This, naturally, makes me very cranky! And I've somehow been WORSE the last few weeks despite being better hydrated than I ever have been before.

So not only is it time to drag out the wrap pants and crop tops, but I've also ordered some linen and a linen/cotton blend to make myself two rectangle wrap shirts because I don't want to be evil all summer. I've also decided to make myself a detachable pocket cuz the wrap pants don't have pockets and I've started carrying around a handkerchief to wipe my long covid watery eyes and I can't shove that into my bra like I would my phone because it'll get sweaty and then I can't use it.

I also need to finish the green linen pants. Remember those? That I was doodle embroidering on? I finished the embroidery months ago and the embroidered pant leg has been lying in the reusable grocery bag that my serger is in. I didn't actually manage to get either item back to where it goes after my serger class back in.... March... There will be leftover fabric that I'm planning on turning into some kind of crop top. and let's not talk about the 3 yards of turquoise linen that's just lying around waiting to become another pair of pants and matching crop top

I don't particularly enjoy sewing. I do it because it's necessary. Either because I need something that's cheaper or easier to deal with if I just make it myself (hello yes I am plus size and very very short. I decided if I'm going to have to hem every pair of pants I ever own then I might as well custom make myself pants that fit right so they're at least comfortable) or because I know exactly what I want and it's impossible to find in a store (like plus size hot pink/bright turquoise/lime green linen pants with a 24" inseam). So I put off sewing and now I have a project backlog to work through. Ugh. And also Bleh. And ugh again.

[laundryandtaxes]

Hi- I love your style and your fashion sense! I’m looking to buy my first suit, do you have any tips? I’m rather tall and heavy so I’ve been too nervous to try any on but I’d really love to get a suit 🥲

My only major tip is to only purchase from a retailer that allows you to buy the jacket and trousers separately. For instance, when I purchase an OTR suit I first make sure that the trouser and jacket sizes I want are both in stock (easy to do via email) and then leave my trouser size swap as a note in the order. The reason for this is that, otherwise, a 46 suit jacket, for instance, will come with 40 waist trousers- a 6 inch "drop" is standard sizing, but that works for almost no women and likely a minority of men as well.

Otherwise, I'd say any old guide to suit fit from a classic menswear perspective will do you well. The fit at the shoulders is non negotiable because it is difficult and expensive to alter shoulders, so it needs to be just right- the shoulder lean test where you lean a shoulder into a wall to ensure that the jacket doesn't land too far before your shoulder is a fairly reliable fit indicator. If your shirt sleeve is not visible with your arms at your sides naturally, then the suit sleeves are too long- whether you want to show half an inch of shirt cuff or a quarter of an inch of cuff is up to you, but some should be visible. I personally don't ever like slim cut jackets or trousers, I personally don't ever like no break trousers for suits, but that's because those things are not my style. Shoulder fit it one of the only things that is genuinely non negotiable in a jacket. When buttoning, follow the Sometimes, Always, Never rule. If a jacket has 3 buttons, you can sometimes button the top, will always button the second, and should never button the third. If a jacket has 2 buttons (as most contemporary jackets do) you skip the sometimes. I wouldn't purchase a suit that was anything other than entirely natural material- whether linen, cotton, wool, silk, blends of those, whatever- but that's also a personal choice and there's nothing inherently wrong with some stretch if you like it.

I think it is technically true that a jacket does not fit if you can't close it, but I also recognize that we all need to accept the bodies we actually have when it comes to OTR tailoring, to decide going in which parts of the fit are most important to us and make our altering and purchasing decisions with those in mind. What alterations are "standard" for a suit, then, is personal, but you should never wear a suit with absolutely no alteration because the odds that it actually fits well are very low because the suit wasn't made for you. For me, standard alterations mean adding a 1.5" cuff, getting the sleeves shortened which nearly everyone needs to do, and having the waist of the jacket let out to eliminate tugging I can otherwise get at the second button.

The more boring a suit is, the more likely you are to still have and wear it in 5 years. When choosing between a more fashionable decision and a more conservative decision, I always make the more conservative tailoring decision but again, that's a personal choice.

[handweavers]

hi! fellow malaysian here! i saw your pants patterns recs and i wondered if you have top patterns recs too? esp ones thatll work well for the current weather but isn't too revealing? (eg: sleeveless tops that do not have a low neckline) tqvm!

top left: all well box top is the ultimate versatile piece. you can make it sleeveless or log sleeves, cropped or long, add ruffles, change the hem, the choices are yours and it's got a hacking guide that tells you how to do all of it. this is my go-to shirt pattern that i make for myself and i think about 1/4 of my wardrobe is variations of this shirt lol.

top right: birgitta helmersson zero waste cropped shirt, this can also be made short or long sleeved and has the added bonus of being a zero waste garment, ie. not a single scrap of fabric is wasted. you can customize the size of the shirt to your measurements. i've made both short and long sleeved versions and they're great.

bottom left: phoebe linen tank (free pattern) is great, super simple to put together. it's sleeveless without a low neckline which i think would be right up your alley

bottom right: zero waste tie top also by birgitta helmersson, i love her zero waste patterns. i've made the short sleeve version and want to make the long sleeve one as well, i love that it's reversible and customizable, and the zero waste aspect is great too.

all patterns fit me as a US size 20/22 and i believe most go up to a size 28/30 so they're pretty size inclusive.

[theladyragnell]

I or M for Valira/Haoti?

(Complimenting each other's appearance, and this was meant to be some slightly flirty banter and then I remembered these two are absolute messes and it became something totally different. Sometimes you just have to write an NPC being very very in love with your D&D character, I guess?)

There isn’t much cause for dressing up, at Fairpoint Hold. Some do, of course, for pleasure on rest days or when the nearby town is having a festival, but there’s never a requirement for it. Haoti, after years of formal dinners and high stiff collars, of being vigilant about the smallest drop of wine falling on his silk shirts, can’t say he minds. The homespun linen, soft with washing, took no getting used to at all, and if his chest of drawers is filled with clothes in everyone else’s sizes with no personal tailoring, a wardrobe donated from a keep full of brothers to a newly resurrected man with nothing but the filthy bloody shirt on his back, he doesn’t mind rolling his sleeves up some days and tugging them down others.

But today, Quil and Phi and Terry are having a handfasting, and Haoti has enough care for them and vestiges of pride for himself that he used more of the stipend he gets for helping to watch the hold’s walls than he cares to admit to commission something nicer, something that fits, from a seamstress in town.

And now he’s staring at himself in a cloudy mirror in one of the hold’s hallways, not quite recognizing himself. Certainly not the Paladin Ewhoza who strode through the halls of Seath’s castle expecting people to jump out of his way, but not quite the armorless Haoti who walks through Fairpoint Hold like the ghost he isn’t.

“Don’t you look nice,” says an amused voice from down the hall, and Haoti jumps, obscurely guilty, and turns to face Valira.

He’s not sure he’s ever seen her in something besides the same clothes she wore under her armor on the road, the same shirts and trousers or ones similar enough to make no difference, but for the handfasting of two of her dearest friends she’s found or had made something new. The dress is spring green, embroidered with leaves, and he’s almost certain the petticoat is Phi’s, because a bit too much of it peeks out at the hem and she’s the only woman in the keep taller than Valira is. She is, he notes when she kicks the petticoat impatiently out of the way of her stride, wearing the same boots as ever. “You look well yourself,” he says, and bows a little. It only feels appropriate.

“It feels a bit impractical, but I don’t think I mind it.” She makes it to him and stops, tilting her head a little, as she considers him from head to foot, no doubt marking his own everyday boots as much as she marks the stylish clothes in cuts he blushed through asking Len to recommend to him. “You’re showing me up, though. Not least because you know how to wear yours. I don’t think I wore a skirt above a half-dozen times after I grew out of my smocks.”

“Why did you choose one, then? Plenty of the women at the handfasting will be wearing trousers.”

Valira, to his surprise, who is many things but never shy, ducks her head, cheeks coloring. “It looks more fun to dance in skirts, I always thought. Is that silly?”

“It’s not silly at all. More people ought to try it.” Haoti looks down at his outfit with as much of a smile as he can muster. “Maybe I should have.”

“You’d look fetching. And thank you.”

“And you won’t want for partners.”

Valira snorts a little, though her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and then bats her eyelashes in an affected impression of a court lady from a pantomime, nothing like any of the court ladies Haoti ever met. “Because I’m just so lovely that I’ll sweep them off their feet?”

He could play the game, offer a few gallant surface-level flirts, and remind her when they walk out to the gardens where the ceremony is happening that the keep is full of friends who adore her and would dance with her no matter what clothes she wears. He could even just give her a simple yes, because Valira isn’t pretty, there’s something too raw in her for prettiness, but she’s beautiful the way a hawk is, or a river. “Because people always want to be close to you,” he says instead.

She reels back a little like he slapped her, and Haoti curses his clumsy words and his clumsy tongue and his clumsy mind. Valira doesn’t talk about the family of her birth, but Trilli does. “That’s not—”

Only it is true. Phi and Quil, even in the first blush of their love together, always looked for her when she was gone. When the girls are in the hold, one of them is always trotting at her heels. Whenever he sees her, she’s laughing with Iain or going over a map with Gari or teaching Eddie how to do something wicked with a quarterstaff. They seek her out. He’s heard her laughingly ask to be alone a time or two, even. “I always want to be close to you,” he says, a rash impulse that he only manages to say because she can’t argue with that, or she won’t. Valira has never once argued outright when he’s told her something about himself, even when he knows she doesn’t agree.

She doesn’t agree now, that’s clear enough, and she’s opening her mouth to perhaps break her usual rule when Lanra comes around a corner and beams at the sight of the two of them, standing too close together in front of the mirror. Haoti, for no good reason, feels caught out. “Are the two of you preening? Much as you’ve got every right to, Phi’s going to have my hide if I don’t get everyone out there soon as can be, she doesn’t want to wait any extra time.”

“Can you blame him?” says Valira. “As stylish as he is, he deserves to preen.”

“Don’t listen to her, especially since I can’t hold a candle to her today,” says Haoti, and offers her his arm. After an uncertain moment, she takes it. Maybe it’s too much right now, when she’s unsure of him or herself or both of them, but walking into so much joy with her seems easier than walking into it alone.

“The two of you are regular flirts,” Lanra replies, agreeable and amused, and all but pushes them out the door and into the gardens, the ones both of them have been tending for weeks to make sure they’ll be perfect for this day, with the help of everyone who can be spared from the hold’s walls. The gardens, as they always are when Quil is there, are buzzing with bees, and the chatter of voices is easier to bear with that undertone.

“When you say always,” Valira says when it’s the two of them alone in the middle of the laughing crowd, quiet, chin raised, arm dropping from his, “when you say things like that, you have to mean it.”

“I do. You know I do,” says Haoti, because she’s the constant of his new life, not just the one who cast the spell to bring him back but the one who made him loose his grip on the afterlife in the first place, because she’s the only one who ever made him feel like he could be something other than what he was.

Valira doesn’t know, maybe. Haoti has never known how to say it. He’s just assumed she understands him, and the searching look she gives him tells him she isn’t quite there. He needs to do better. He will do better. “Don’t make promises.”

He will. He wants to. But not yet. Not if she doesn’t want them or can’t believe them. “Can I make one?” he asks, and waits for her jerky nod. “A dance. That’s all I’ll promise for today. The first dance as soon as the handfasting is over. Is that a promise you’ll accept?”

Her mouth tugs upwards. Whatever she does or doesn’t believe, there’s so much more joy in her now than there was on the road. “Only if I can promise you the last one of the night in return,” she proposes.

Haoti likes to slip early away from gatherings, to get back to the quiet, away from people he can never quite believe accept him. He and Valira are determined to hold each other hostage today, it seems, to prod at all the places where things hurt and bring them into the light. It’s a day for changes, and for promises. Easy ones and hard ones. “I’ll accept that,” he says.

“Then I’ll accept yours,” she says, and slips her hand into his as the ceremony starts.

[discountalien-pancake]

How to sew “French” seams (in french they’re known as English seams, so…) by hand!

It’s actually really straightforward, at least to me. You sew each seam twice, which is extremely annoying, but other than that it’s not actually difficult.

Some basic guidelines you’ll want to keep in mind:

french seams are best for light-medium weight fabrics. With heavy fabrics you’re better off binding the seam allowances with thin ribbon.

not great for dramatic curves but soft curves can be managed with a narrow allowance.

you will be doing a lot of running stitches. Having a beading needle can be helpful for this because you’ll be able to take more stitches in one pass.

narrower final seams look prettier but are more fragile. fabrics prone to fraying (dupioni, charmeuse, linen, loose wovens, etc) need a wider seam allowance than fabrics that resist fraying (crepe de chine, cotton voile, knits). I recommend 10mm seam allowance for fabrics that don’t fray too much, and 12mm for ones that fray more (trust me, the 2mm makes a difference).

you can french seam knits! By hand! Keep in mind that you will want to use a blunt needle, like a small size tapestry needle, and you must use a backstitch for any seams that need to stretch parallel to the seam.

If you are seaming something that needs to be hemmed, i recommend doing the hemming first, before sewing panels together. If facing or binding the hem, you can do that before or after.

Start by laying your pieces right sides out, wrong sides together. Pin (or baste) along the seam line. For french seams, it does really help to cut pieces out with exact seam allowance so that you can simply align the cut edges.

Stitch parallel to the edge and seam line, a couple millimeters shy of dead center, closer to the edge than the final seam line. It may help to trace the secondary sewing line onto the fabric. Use a running stitch for this unless seaming knits or other stretch fabrics along a seam that needs to stretch in the direction of the seam. If the direction of stretch is primarily perpendicular to the seam, go ahead and use a running stitch. This line of stitching will almost never be subjected to strain, so a finely spaced running stitch is all you need. You can also use lower quality thread for this if you don’t have a lot of the nice stuff.

Press the seam allowance to one side, then the other. Really pull the layers away from each other to get the crease as close to the stitching as possible. Hold the two panels wrong sides out, right sides together, with the raw edges trapped between.

Starting from the hemmed edge, if there is one, anchor your thread in the seam allowance and whipstitch the hemmed edges together at the seam line.

Stitch along the marked seam line, which should fall outside of the raw edge. If you didn’t offset the first line of stitching enough, you may find this difficult and end up having raw edges poking through. You can use a fine running stitch for seams that won’t take strain, and a backstitch for seams that need more strength. You should use stronger, nicer thread for this as well. I like running stitch for this especially because that means i can use one length of thread for the entire length of the seam. Backstitch uses approximately triple the length of the seam + a tail, which becomes extremely unwieldy with long skirt seams, for example.

I end the line of seam stitching with a few backstitches.

Press the seam allowance to one side and marvel at how tidy they look. If the garment is mirrored, make sure the seam on the other side is ironed the other way.

Pictures below bc tumblr isn’t letting me rearrange them on mobile for some reason:

Last pic is showing a backstitched final seam. I only did that for the two side seams on the bodice because those are most likely to experience strain. All the skirt seams (6!!!) were running stitched.

In my experience, a french seam is one of the most comfortable seams to have against the skin. Ideal for shirts, fancy chemises, lingerie, etc.

I hope this explanation helped a bit! Truly the only thing you need to pay attention to is starting right sides out.

Go forth, make pretty slips and chemises!

[eldritchmochi]

4 and 5 for the fashion asks!!

4. peices in still looking for

uuuuh honestly at this point its a lot of "basics but they fit"; since starting t ive bulked up a LOT and many of my foundational peices just. don't fit lol, so im on the hunt for a plain black babydoll T-shirt with my preferred collar, as well as plain black skirts in my preferred lengths and styles. beyond that, i need some proper lolita blouses to round out my wardrobe (for what fits still rip), and like. shorts lmao i only got thru this past summer because of those linen joggers i got. i am also watching for another plain black mens dress vest so i can use the (beat up) one i already have as a base for a formal battle vest. i have just So Many plans for dresses to sew based off of some of my favorites that i will never find again in my new size. i also have my eye on this bullet bra pantie girdle set 👀

as far as Specific Peices, i desperately want horror candy shop, halloween treats, and holy lantern in orange, because the ONLY ap i care about is The Spoopy Orange dresses lmao

(i also want to try out meta's lovely sized basically anything, gimme some of them blouses and also sum old school leaning jsks, but i dont have my eye on anything specific)

5. pieces i regret buying

god so many. i have learned the hard way that i just have too much ass for most pants, mens or womens. there are some things that i can get away with but nothing fits quite right without altering, and so its like, the torrid bombshell skinnies and the disturbia tapered trousers (but only if im prepared for the possibility of A Slight Wedgie because theyre not quite consistent across the different items) and even then theres an 90% chance that theyll be too short 🫠

besides that, theres this black swing skirt i got with suspender straps that was very cute and comfy *except* i have incredibly narrow shoulders so the straps would NOT stay up. then theres this killstar hoodie that is rad as fuck but doesnt actually have shoulders? its this weird trapezoid shape up into where the collar of the hood is and it is such a sensory nightmare to wear (and yet its still in my closet). u can also add every pair of underwear ive bought since 2020, because for some reason it is IMPOSSIBLE to find anything in any of the styles i like that i can actually wear high enough to not show my entire ass, where it doesnt also just disappear up my asshole

clothes are hard 🫠🫠

like these questions? ask me more!! heres the ask meme!!

[the-passenger-if]

I have read through The Passenger now so many times since it was released, having known nothing of it prior to its release date, and have now read through your entire tumblr. I might be obsessed, and I am perfectly okay with that! I love these characters that you have created, and have had so much fun playing the game!

I also got inspired by so many of the great asks you've answered and would love to request a snippet of Livvy babysitting MC and Horizon's kid(s). I just adore Livvy's sibling energy and Horizon deserves happiness with their eldritch abomination family and cult.

Prompt about baby Newman-Escudero here; prompt about baby Newman-Brandle here.

Prompt under the cut.

Livvy doesn’t like the ranch. There’s something deeply off about the way people here—Horizon’s flock, that’s what her sibling called them—smile, and talk, and just… look at her. Window dressing. That’s the expression Squirt used to describe their partner’s ‘job’ and that had been all good and well at first, but now, seven years later, her sibling is married to and has a kid with this unconventional (con artist) person.

Her Squirt doesn’t seem to mind the stares as they stroll down the courtyard, nonchalantly talking about their kid and assuring Livvy she will have no problem looking after them for a week, while they, Horizon, and not a small size of the flock are attending a seminar.

“They are a bit fuzzy in the mornings,” Squirt is saying, “but once they’ve had their breakfast they go back to normal. Just give them space and don’t force them to interact.” They chuckle a bit, the expression of the closest (cultist) member of the flock goes from a dizzy smile to an ecstatic grin at the sound her sibling makes. “I should know; Horizon is a lot like that in the mornings too.”

When Livvy feels Squirt watching her out of the corner of her eye, her gaze jumps from the elated look on the person’s face to her sibling’s soft smile. “Uh… yes. I mean,” she offers them what she hopes is a casual shrug, “there was no way to make you mingle if you didn’t feel like it either, so they might take after both of you.”

“Yes,” they reply, their eyes only slightly narrowed now. So, they did catch her staring. If she had any doubts, they vanish the moment Squirt looks over their shoulder. When they turn to stare straight ahead, Livvy notices the flat expression on their face before it’s replaced by another carefree smile. “Look Livvy,” they say, “I know the flock can be a bit… peculiar. But only a few will remain here, the rest is either coming with us, or going away for a week. The ones that stay were handpicked by Horizon and me, and will be giving you a hand.”

“Sorry,” she says glancing at her shoes, anything else seems too tricky to stare at right now. “It’s just,” she hazards a look at them; the soft smile is still in place, but they are making intense eye contact too: their I've-made-up-my-mind look. “They give me the creeps. I know you can take care of yourself, I suppose Horizon can too. But a baby? You let this… this flock around your kid?”

“They are harmless, Livvy.” The shift in their smile would be imperceptible to anyone that didn’t know them the way she does. There’s something half feral, half amused there. “They would die for my child.”

The chills that run down Livvy's spine are impossible to suppress.

Her sibling’s dangerous smirk shifts once more, turns into something amicable, bashful even. “But there’s no need for that,” they say with a shrug. “C’mon, that’s our cabin right there.”

As they approach, Horizon emerges from inside beaming at them. They are wearing flowy pants and a linen t-shirt, looking the part of a yoga instructor. Their long black hair bounces around them as they close the distance.

They are opening their arms now, and maybe they see something in Livvy’s face, because they stop in front of her. “Livvy,” they say and their gray eyes shimmer, delighted. “Is it ok if I hug you? It’s been a while.”

“Uh, sure.”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to,” Horizon assures her. There’s a small frown between their styled brows, a subtle worried look on their face.

Livvy can’t help the twinge of guilt in her stomach. Horizon might be a con artist, and maybe that should be enough to keep her from trusting them at all… but they’ve been nothing but a sweetheart every time they’ve met, and she knows how much they love her sibling and nibling.

“It’s ok,” she tells them. “Don’t mind me.” She even smiles, the faint gesture turning earnest as Horizon beams and envelopes her in a comforting hug. She has to laugh when they rock her side to side.

“You smell like a tea shop,” she tells them when they take a step back.

“Oh? I hope that’s a good thing?” Horizon throws her sibling a confused yet amused look.

“It is,” Livvy assures them. The tension that has been building on her shoulders since yesterday diminishes a little bit, and then, when she glances at the entrance of the cabin, it ebbs off a bit more. “Hey, baby.” She grins at her nibling.

The kid watching her is thin and tall for their age. And, although, their face blends her sibling’s and Horizon’s features beautifully, Livvy sees so much of her Squirt’s young years in them that her heart turns into a warm puddle inside her chest.

“Hi, aunt Livvy,” they mutter, stepping out to stand beside Horizon.

Livvy crouches down, opens her arms. Her nibling looks up at Horizon, and Horizon nudges them gently. Their gray eyes shine like sun rays on the surface of a pond as they watch their child.

Squirt’s baby is shy but they give amazing hugs. “Did you miss me, hon?” Livvy asks with her face buried in their hair.

“Mh-hm.”

Squirt mentions something about their luggage and Horizon and they disappear in the cabin, but Livvy isn’t really listening; her attention is wholly set on the little kid in her arms.

—

Inside the cabin

They are smirking at Horizon.

“What?”

“Since when do you offer hugs?”

Horizon can feel the smile tugging at the corner of their mouth. “She looked like she needed one.”

“You’re so manipulative,” they say but there’s no heat behind their words… or at least not the bad kind of heat.

Horizon chuckles through their teeth. “It isn’t manipulation if I’m honestly trying to make people feel better, my love.” They steal a kiss. “At any rate, I don’t need to influence Livvy.” They watch their sister-in-law holding hands with their child, face bright with adoration as she listens to their chatter. “There’s nothing to convince her of.”

Part 2 here.

[ask-the-pale-elf]

(Hey Astarion, how do you feel about meeting a Dhampire~?)

A man in his late 20's, early 30's blinks slightly as he is pushed towards the pale elf, his deep violet eyes widening slightly from the sudden force. He manages to catch himself enough to not make a complete fool of himself, sterling white brow raised in question as he gazes upon the man before him. The half-drow takes Astarion in, almost sizing him up and taking in every single detail within mere moments. It takes but a second for him to straighten himself out, flashing him a charming smile that's warm and inviting. However, the natural predatory sharpness lingers in his eyes as he makes eye contact. No matter how hard he seems to fight his own nature, the lingering tattletale signs of his vampiric nature leech out into his demeanor.

"Name's Daniel, you must be Astarion, yes? Pleasure to meet you..."

He's quite the looker, with striking features not only from the sheer contrast of his dark ashened skin and his almost lilac tinged silver hair, but with his aesthetic as well.

Piercings littered his ears is a spiky and yet elegant combo of decorations, spilling out onto his face with his eyebrow and bridge piercings. His clothing keep up with the contrast, being a blend of a fine white linen shirt that billows at the sleeves, tucking into a deep plum and black colored swallowtailed waistcoat. It is completed with a pair of tight black leather trousers that have been cut and restitched back together with patches of lace -and corseting -and rivets. He almost looks as if he belongs to nobility, except the image is sundered by the use of spikes and chains and (admittedly pointless) straps that stretch across each clothing item as a sign of rebellious contradiction. Even the fine rapier at his hip and the sturdy -though oddly shaped- violin case that sits at his back hold this contrast, with spines that stick off of the metal in a wicked way, and tarnish from at least a few battles scratching the casing's surface.

"Forgive the sudden introductions: Medly can be a little overly enthusiastic when they're...excited."

He shoots a slightly disapproving glare my way.

(Yes Cx Sorry if it's long, but I have characters and ideas that I think would be fun to share with others! Please take your time and make sure not to overwork yourself, hun! You're health and well being come first! Sending well wishes to you 🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰)

His ivory eyebrows raised themselves as he gazed upon Daniel, this isn't his usual prey. Astarion would be lying if he said that he had met a dhamphir before so in his inexperience, he thought the half drow was a fellow spawn.

Astarion didn't bother with any of his usual charms or fake pleasantries. Just tired eyes and a held back scoff, Astarion held his glass of wine and sniffed at it. The smell of vinegar wafting off of it causing him to almost reel, but it was better than doing nothing.

He sighed and looked at you once more. Yes, Daniel was quite attractive however... looks didn't impress him anymore. Back when he was still a fledging spawn, they eased the burden a little but, it was all the same in the end.

He carelessly held the stem of his glass and looked at you unamused, "And am I supposed to know you? If you're someone who's looking to encroach on my master's territory or trying to being 'friends' with another spawn, then piss off. Go find someone else to bother."

(Insight Check: Successful!)

You could tell that Astarion was apprehensive to you, mostly out of your vampiric heritage. However, he didn't seem to put any fake pleasantries to try and lure you. Instead you got something closer to the real him, perhaps this is a chance.