Bizarro.

I went to the dentist today, and got an X-ray taken to make sure my wisdom teeth are coming in as they should.

1. I didn't know the roots of teeth went so deep. Learning is fun!

2. One of these things is not as it should be.

Really, how is it sideways?

T-shirt reconstruction

I have a box of t-shirts that don't really do their job anymore, but are made of pretty fabric that I don't want to waste. I finally got around to doing something with two last Saturday.

Original was shaped like this - I forgot to take a photo before I started.

Now it looks like this! (The colour is shown better in the other photos.)

Jaysus, the thumbnails did not show the mirror was that dirty. Bonus crafty thing: I painted those fish on when I was ten.

I don't know how to take photos over my shoulder. I like how the back looks though.

I found this tutorial ages ago and have been meaning to use it since. It is simple (to follow and to do) and cheery and has puns and is a very good starter tutorial if you're scared of the sewing machine! I was a bit careless in following it exactly - it said to cut fourteen inches up the front, and since i used a rather long top, that didn't leave much fabric at the top of the front. Happily, it said to cut sixteen inches up the back, so I used that as the front and shortened the sleeves by a few inches. Modesty prevailed, boobs lost the day. I also had to use a black t-shirt to make the panels at the side, given that I overestimated how much width the stripy top could lose and still be wearable.

First top I've made: it's a bit loose and still a teeny bit low-cut for my tastes, but I showed the sewing machine who was boss and it'll be a nice summery top.

Posting someone else's thoughts to seem insightful

Sometimes there is no other side - a very good post from a very good blog.

I won't elaborate because the post makes the point very well, and belabouring it would be me talking for the sake of hearing my own voice. A slightly related point, though, is that I really don't like the idea of promoting tolerance. The fact that an individual has to struggle in daily life for people to put up with them is a tragic affair, and law- and policy-makers shouldn't have "barely putting up with someone" as an end goal. You can't force acceptance on people, but in, say, a workplace, if there's a policy in place that says you have to, then the onus is on bigoted people to hide their unpleasant selves, rather than on the target to make themselves bearable for not being The Norm.

Henry Bear Blanketeers

Today I looked at my stats, and so far this blog has 264 views. I know this isn't very much in the Grand Scheme of the Internet, but it's still many people seeing what I do and what if they think they things I make are ugly and the things I think are childish and pretentious and oh god what must the internet think of me. So in the interest of making internet strangers think well of me, I'm going to post about something worthwhile.

A few months ago at work, we all had to learn to crochet for an exhibition. (You know it's a good job when learning a new craft is a requirement.) I got talking to a woman who came in who told me that she's part of a group called the Henry Bear Blanketeers. They make quilts for children going for heart surgery in Crumlin Children's Hospital, which the kids then get to keep. You can make squares and send them in to be sewn together, or you can make whole blankets and send them in. Squares should be six by six inches, though other sizes will be used. Squared can be knitted or crocheted, and it's a very good way to use up left-over bits of yarn. (My yarn box is much tidier AND I've done something good with my Christmas holidays! I've also improved my crochet - I've always been a knitting gal, but it is a lot speedier.)

If you're interested or would like more information, you can contact knitasquareandshowyoucare@gmail.com or Heart Children Ireland. It's an Irish project, but it was inspired by Project Linus in America, and I'm sure there's something local in other countries too. If you decide to take part, leave a comment, I'd love to know if I've helped people get involved.