(no subject)

[treeskin]

Today is six weeks until the plant sale. I've waved goodbye to the idea of getting enough sleep between now and then.

Not much news, just busy. Not even an interesting busy, really. I go, I work, I go home, I crash. (I ought to be working now, but no noe else is here yet, so that gives me a little play-time.) Had lots of volunteers and general people all over yesterday, so I did lots of running, without feeling like I got anywhere.

By's mostly got the pattern for a rather nice pair of shoes for me figured out. (Making the pattern involved tracing my foot, then smooshing tin foil over my foot to get the correct shape for the upper. I told people he was trying to protect me from aliens with foot fetishes.) Since the pattern seems to be working on my smaller feet, he's going to walk me through the steps on getting the pattern for his feet. (Can't do it on yourself, it comes out wrong.) Hopefully, this will give him some decent, period-looking footwear to wear to Norman next week.

Been knitting on my fluted bannister socks, trying to get them off the needles so I can start something else. I ought to have those finished soon-ish; I'm half done with the foot on the second sock, as of last night. Next up will be the same socks, for Cammie (should go fast, since mine fit her perfectly, and I'll have mine to measure off of). I ought to finish up the second pair of pale green alpaca gloves, so I can have those needles back to start Turkish socks on. I'm trying to resist starting another "frivolous" project, like the skull-and-crossbones lace that I've been mulling over for weeks. (I even found some yarn in the stash that would work for some trial runs.)

I think that staying home and being quiet is on the weekend's agenda; maybe I'll get some quality time with my string.

Comments

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

A tip about foot-smooshing...

The way Bald Mountain and the other custom boot places do it.
1 - You don an expendable tube sock.
2 - several strips of duct tape are laid flat, then a second layer on top of this one, perpendicular
3 - You step onto this 'sole' and keep your weight on it
4 - the outline is traced, and the excess cut off
5 - more strips are laid down, long enogh to wrap around your foot
6 - you step down again, now with the duct tape sole
7 - the ends are wrapped up and firmly burnished onto the sock in the shape of your foot/leg
8 - enough more duct tape is applied, following the 'grain' or direction of the area being covered. Several layers are used to build up form in the approximate density of boot leather
9 - the duct tape sock boot is then carefully cut along the line where your fastening device or gusset will be on the finished product

You end up with a damned good prototype for the footgear to be made, from which to take the pattern

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

We've tried that method. It's not foolproof...the sock will still contract when you get it off your leg and foot, even with the tape. (And, that does assume that you've got a sock that fits well enough to do that with. Most of mine don't.)

This also seemed a bit faster.

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

Well that's why you build up layers of the tape, to maintain the form.
Then the elasticity of the sock is nulified.

But, it was just a suggestion :)

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see him get a hold of a pair of These (http://www.minnetonka-by-internet.com/MensSideLaceBoot.htm), devise a pattern and make the out of boot leather instead of suede.

[byronsart.livejournal.com]

Hate to say this but it is not that tough to do that. Toughest part is getting the speed lace grommets, tends to be wholesale only sources with big minimum orders. It would be easier to make them with a more traditional lacing style.

The boots that I am cutrrently working on fixing are much like these but with the laces up the back side of the leg. The left boot even has a sewn in knife sheath.

So yeah. We can so do this. What color do you want and when do you need them by?

[cammie018.livejournal.com]

I was just whining to Byron yesterday that I had not talked to you all week :) Not that it would do any good to call me this week, I don't have time to answer my phone :) Miss you and see ya Saturday

[treeskin.livejournal.com]

I'm that busy, too. Which is a bummer. Watering is more fun when I've got someone to chatter at on the phone. Ah, well.

I get to spend this afternoon spraying bugs. Oooooo. Very thrilling.

[tnrkitect.livejournal.com]

well, i'll be home all weekend... ;-)