Sunday, 14 February 2010
Saturday, 13 February 2010
13th in Review...
Just a side note, I know I'm writing this on Sunday but it's going to appear in saturday. Just to keep things neat. Plus...I was running on empty and had no time on Saturday.
Anyway...
Friday night...I wanted to go out, but I wanted a new zentai more. So I pinned, and stitched, and took apart, and restitched and swore...and made coffee...which then went to green tea, then peppermint tea and more stitching etc.
So not all that exciting. That said, I had to have the hood down and even being in 3/4 zentai (whilst the arms, shoulders and head are exposed I tie up the rest above "the goods") seemed to affect my general "zen-ness" I have even in stressful situations.
Somewhere around 4am as I finished pinning the main body of the suit I looked at my overlocker. It was sat there on the table, under its dust cover, laughing at me. Mocking my sheepish demeanor in relation to it's overcomplicated presentation. But I had enough. I bought that thing with the intention of mastering it, and making my own good fit outfits in my own fabric patterns. No longer will it mock me!
I spent probably 2 hours messing around with tensions, needle settings, differential feed settings, normal fabric sewing then eventually sewing on lycra. I eventually reached a point where I was happy enough with how the fabric behaved and without a flinch got straight to work on sewing the body of my zentai.
I finished the body, one arm, shoulders and the side zip by about 10am and high off the success of my own determination got ready to go be a rope bunny for a workshop.
After having a shower (and lightly washing and drying my suit) I felt human. Slightly drained but definitely human. I got what I needed - not a lot - and made my way to the train station (via the tube). At the station, like before (Conquering Southbank, on my first post) I was running around like a mad woman, looking for a free kiosk to buy a ticket. I had no reason mind you, I had about 25 minutes to idle for.
Tickets bought, train to get on identified (yet waiting for the platform number) I bought some food for later and just stood around. A lot of kids would stop in their tracks, pulling their parents back to ask, "what's that?". I'd turn my head to the kid and mimic their tilted head expression.
A lot of them laughed and waved back (as the parents pulled them away, not really wanting to explain what/who "that" was), some of them darted into the leg of their parents and others would just stare as they were carted off.
A platform was finally shown and I got a place on the train. The smell of the baguette I bought earlier was now emanating from my bag, setting off a, "Feed me, Seymore!" styled protest from my stomach.
One does not deny their stomach food when it protests as such! So...I ate.
The workshop went well. For the first part I was allowed to keep my zentai on and was used as a demo bunny for some ties. I didn't really think much of being tied up in zentai. It doesn't look as pretty as it does against skin.
Day over , it's back home and on with the suit before TG! Being tired and having been up for more than 24 hours already means that mistakes were going to happen. And they did. Some of the measurements for my hood were out, and I serged the wrong arm to the wrong hole. Then.....massive horror! In my frustration i cut through my hood :'-(
I was already running late for TG so, decided to go in that, without the hood.
Leaving the house, without "my face" felt horrible. I felt quite conscious about myself and exposed. Bar the fluffy blue legs and blue fingers as indicators of zentai being worn, the nape of my neck, head and face were exposed. Sensitivity to wind and the cold didn't help matters much either.
Still, I got to the venue. Stuffed my jacket and headphones and such into my bag to go into the cloakroom, and marveled at the top notch effort TG always put into their designs and themed rooms. As the venue filled up, more familiar faces showed up. Some I had seen recently, and a lot I haven't seen for a good long time. And then I danced...and danced, and danced till I realised I needed to sleep a little before going for a walkabout with zentaispot.
Whilst at TG, my self-consciousness melted away and I felt like I was back behind my hood. At the same time though, having that reaffirmation of your own characteristics as a person from other people was definitely needed. The dissociative nature of being in zentai is actually quite profound and not something I had thought about initially. But let's just say looking at your own face in a mirror at least once a day has helped keep that dissociative nature at bay.
On the way home, I was approached by a woman and her mum who seemed pretty lost. Being truly altruistic in nature I stopped and tried to figure out where she needed to go. After walking to a few bus stops I worked out a route for her to get home. Half of it was en-route with my journey home anyway :-)
So we chatted about how expensive London is, and my furry boots...and my suit. I proudly said I made it, and she was adamant that I bought it! I took off my jacket and showed her where there were still pattern marks, darts and wrong things on it. She still didn't believe me...
Ho hum. After getting her and her mum on the next bus on their journey - and reminding them of the other buses they needed to get - I swiftly made my way home...I had about 5 hours available to sleep...I crashed under the electric throw and still in my blue (almost finished) zentai...what a day.
Anyway...
Friday night...I wanted to go out, but I wanted a new zentai more. So I pinned, and stitched, and took apart, and restitched and swore...and made coffee...which then went to green tea, then peppermint tea and more stitching etc.
So not all that exciting. That said, I had to have the hood down and even being in 3/4 zentai (whilst the arms, shoulders and head are exposed I tie up the rest above "the goods") seemed to affect my general "zen-ness" I have even in stressful situations.
Somewhere around 4am as I finished pinning the main body of the suit I looked at my overlocker. It was sat there on the table, under its dust cover, laughing at me. Mocking my sheepish demeanor in relation to it's overcomplicated presentation. But I had enough. I bought that thing with the intention of mastering it, and making my own good fit outfits in my own fabric patterns. No longer will it mock me!
I spent probably 2 hours messing around with tensions, needle settings, differential feed settings, normal fabric sewing then eventually sewing on lycra. I eventually reached a point where I was happy enough with how the fabric behaved and without a flinch got straight to work on sewing the body of my zentai.
I finished the body, one arm, shoulders and the side zip by about 10am and high off the success of my own determination got ready to go be a rope bunny for a workshop.
After having a shower (and lightly washing and drying my suit) I felt human. Slightly drained but definitely human. I got what I needed - not a lot - and made my way to the train station (via the tube). At the station, like before (Conquering Southbank, on my first post) I was running around like a mad woman, looking for a free kiosk to buy a ticket. I had no reason mind you, I had about 25 minutes to idle for.
Tickets bought, train to get on identified (yet waiting for the platform number) I bought some food for later and just stood around. A lot of kids would stop in their tracks, pulling their parents back to ask, "what's that?". I'd turn my head to the kid and mimic their tilted head expression.
A lot of them laughed and waved back (as the parents pulled them away, not really wanting to explain what/who "that" was), some of them darted into the leg of their parents and others would just stare as they were carted off.
A platform was finally shown and I got a place on the train. The smell of the baguette I bought earlier was now emanating from my bag, setting off a, "Feed me, Seymore!" styled protest from my stomach.
One does not deny their stomach food when it protests as such! So...I ate.
The workshop went well. For the first part I was allowed to keep my zentai on and was used as a demo bunny for some ties. I didn't really think much of being tied up in zentai. It doesn't look as pretty as it does against skin.
Day over , it's back home and on with the suit before TG! Being tired and having been up for more than 24 hours already means that mistakes were going to happen. And they did. Some of the measurements for my hood were out, and I serged the wrong arm to the wrong hole. Then.....massive horror! In my frustration i cut through my hood :'-(
I was already running late for TG so, decided to go in that, without the hood.
Leaving the house, without "my face" felt horrible. I felt quite conscious about myself and exposed. Bar the fluffy blue legs and blue fingers as indicators of zentai being worn, the nape of my neck, head and face were exposed. Sensitivity to wind and the cold didn't help matters much either.
Still, I got to the venue. Stuffed my jacket and headphones and such into my bag to go into the cloakroom, and marveled at the top notch effort TG always put into their designs and themed rooms. As the venue filled up, more familiar faces showed up. Some I had seen recently, and a lot I haven't seen for a good long time. And then I danced...and danced, and danced till I realised I needed to sleep a little before going for a walkabout with zentaispot.
Whilst at TG, my self-consciousness melted away and I felt like I was back behind my hood. At the same time though, having that reaffirmation of your own characteristics as a person from other people was definitely needed. The dissociative nature of being in zentai is actually quite profound and not something I had thought about initially. But let's just say looking at your own face in a mirror at least once a day has helped keep that dissociative nature at bay.
On the way home, I was approached by a woman and her mum who seemed pretty lost. Being truly altruistic in nature I stopped and tried to figure out where she needed to go. After walking to a few bus stops I worked out a route for her to get home. Half of it was en-route with my journey home anyway :-)
So we chatted about how expensive London is, and my furry boots...and my suit. I proudly said I made it, and she was adamant that I bought it! I took off my jacket and showed her where there were still pattern marks, darts and wrong things on it. She still didn't believe me...
Ho hum. After getting her and her mum on the next bus on their journey - and reminding them of the other buses they needed to get - I swiftly made my way home...I had about 5 hours available to sleep...I crashed under the electric throw and still in my blue (almost finished) zentai...what a day.
Friday, 12 February 2010
I want to ride my bicycle...I want to ride my bike?
Arg, I suppose I should unload my "adventures" of today upon this here blog, hmm??
I'm on a quick break as this damn blue suit WILL be made before 9am tomorrow. I have to go and be a rope bunny for a Shibari photography workshop. And I won't get home till 6.30ish. Which only gives me 4 hours to make amendments on the suit if needs be.
Anyway! Today...I had to go do things around the vicinity of London and what better mode of transport than a bicycle? (Rollerblades, but they're useless in water)
So I pick up some mail from a friend...And it's a bearable drizzle of sorts. I've slightly lost my bearings so spend a moment (in the rain) trying to figure out where the haberdashery shop is from my current location. And off I go again.
Whilst meandering between quiet residential roads and main roads, I notice people are staring at me. Not my face though (initially!) but my legs! Yes, I'm not wearing trousers (and will continue to do so...for the month, it's quite something!) then my face.
Found the shop and this guy isn't exactly the friendliest of folk. The last time I was in there, I was asking about "micro weave" thread and he was adamant that it didn't exist. Unfortunately, I knew it did - Google told me so! - and mentioned A.N Other shop. I don't think that went down to well.
Anyway, this time I come bolstering in and within seconds from the door I was in his face wittering away at: Do you do zippers? What colour? Do you do them by the meter? I need 130cms...The guy looked at me and rose, EVER SO SLOWLY out of his chair. It was as though he thought if he moved slowly I wouldn't notice him?
Then I remembered...You're wearing zentai stupid. And I went quiet for a minute and smiled such a toothy smile through my mouth zipper, so he could get a word in. I think that irked him even more.
He didn't utter much but moved from behind the counter to a box and said, "I've got white, black and beige. Which do you want?!" Seemed a bit aggressive, but this guy seriously is quite the grumpy Guss. So I repeated myself, "A hundred and thirty centimeters, please" to which he cut something like 150 (I didn't realise this at the time). £1.65 paid, zipper in the bag and off out like a bat out of hell onto my bike in horrible weather.
In lycra, your skin is desensitised in so much as you can't feel a drop of water on your leg...or wind on it if the lycra is wet and cold already! So my hands were the indicator that it was really really cold and I'm a bit mad not wearing windbreaker (hehe) trousers.
Standing where I am in the video, afterwards I stood and stared at this poor learner driver trying *not* to hit me. A good 10 minutes as I had my hands under my bum to try and get some heat (desperate measures and what not). He stalled once, ground the gears a lot and was generally a mess. I know it's cruel...but as I geared up for the home stretch, I moved off slowly around the guy and they (driver and instructor) were staring something fierce at me. My mouth zipper still half open they were subjected to half a toothy grin and a wave as I got up to speed to join the main road up ahead.
Eventually home and feeling worse off than a drowned cat, I took of my layers and felt instantly better!
Rambling aside, I had to crack on with my blue suit. And here I am now...taking a mini break to eat and chill as I was getting very light headed and generally feeling sick (then I remembered I hadn't eaten the whole day!) My hands are done and I'm halfway through putting the hood together. I NEED to finish this...There's no other way around this. I'm not bothered about the LED lights, I'll just do a good job with the Na'vi zentai later.
Now...Something I've noticed as the day has progressed. I was quite agitated for the most part...stressing and messing up on simple stitches, re-doing them to find I've done it exactly like before. Half the zentai came off as getting my hands stuck under the foot wasn't funny anymore. I didn't like the feeling of being "exposed". My back and shoulders touched the chair and it felt unpleasant.
I guess after being used to wearing a second skin, ones own skin which is already very sensitive is even more so when it's been deprived functions it's used to facilitating.
At that moment in time however, I wasn't really in a rational frame of mind...I really...really...really wanted a cigarette. I haven't smoked in 4 years, nor have I had a craving as bad as this in the same length of time.
Ain't low blood sugar a bitch?
Still...I trundled on, then came to a point where I needed an iron to put creases in the hood to make it easier to pin and sew. At the same time I decided I should get a bit of a food shop in too.
So back on the "barsicle" round the corner to the local "Argos" (basically a warehouse that sells "stuff" from a catalog with its own shop front. Really handy!). As I'd reserved my mini iron online already, It was pretty straight forward. I paid for it at an automated kiosk, then sat and waited for my number to crop up. People were staring as usual as were the staff, although when I caught their eye I'd tilt my head slightly and they'd smile.
Iron done.
Next, food shopping. You know you tell yourself, "don't go food shopping when you're hungry" ....try doing that when you're irritable, basically starving and cursing yourself out for leaving things to the last minute. I actually managed to shop pretty well! I avoided the cookies (I'm a sucker for chocolate chip cookies...or chocolate covered hobnobs, I'd happily graze on those with a massive mug of coffee (mixed with hot chocolate...yes a mocha kinda) all day...damn my office days!) and went for grapes and satsumas and celery. The celery goes well with humus, I'd not eat it on its own *shudders*
I stood in the cue and people were off in their own worlds, idly looking around, till they saw this dark *thing* in their peripheral..triple stare as per usual and I tilt my head at them, they quickly avoid looking at me. The cashiers were oddly joyful today and the till I went to, the guy actually looked at me, pointed at me and motioned I came to his till...As if I was deaf or something? Ah, wait, yeah I had my massive headphones on although one was cocked slightly so I could hear things.
He was ever so smiley and helpful and asked, "would you like me to help you pack your bags Ma'am?" It's nice being around someone smiley and generally positive. Even if one's blood sugar is on the verge of making one pass out, it's hard to be a moody bitch when some one's just being helpful.
"No, you're alright thanks. But it would be grand if you could scan through all the bigger/heavier items first so I can fit them in my rucksack?" he nodded with enthusiasm and foraged through the basket of items to find all the bulky and heavier ones for me to pack.
Rucksack full and monies paid he bade me farewell as did I, "You have a good evening" and I left. Feeling really quite good now. It's probably the prospect of stuffing my face in about 20mins.
I think half this post has been done a bit back to front..But I'm a bit skewif today anyway.
Ah another thing, after mistaking a zentaist on Saturday for being Zentai Spot, we've actually been in touch and we shall be going to Westfields shopping centre for a walkabout on Sunday. So expect pictures and probably some footage too :-)
But first! To the sewing machine!!
iZ
I'm on a quick break as this damn blue suit WILL be made before 9am tomorrow. I have to go and be a rope bunny for a Shibari photography workshop. And I won't get home till 6.30ish. Which only gives me 4 hours to make amendments on the suit if needs be.
Anyway! Today...I had to go do things around the vicinity of London and what better mode of transport than a bicycle? (Rollerblades, but they're useless in water)
So I pick up some mail from a friend...And it's a bearable drizzle of sorts. I've slightly lost my bearings so spend a moment (in the rain) trying to figure out where the haberdashery shop is from my current location. And off I go again.
Whilst meandering between quiet residential roads and main roads, I notice people are staring at me. Not my face though (initially!) but my legs! Yes, I'm not wearing trousers (and will continue to do so...for the month, it's quite something!) then my face.
Found the shop and this guy isn't exactly the friendliest of folk. The last time I was in there, I was asking about "micro weave" thread and he was adamant that it didn't exist. Unfortunately, I knew it did - Google told me so! - and mentioned A.N Other shop. I don't think that went down to well.
Anyway, this time I come bolstering in and within seconds from the door I was in his face wittering away at: Do you do zippers? What colour? Do you do them by the meter? I need 130cms...The guy looked at me and rose, EVER SO SLOWLY out of his chair. It was as though he thought if he moved slowly I wouldn't notice him?
Then I remembered...You're wearing zentai stupid. And I went quiet for a minute and smiled such a toothy smile through my mouth zipper, so he could get a word in. I think that irked him even more.
He didn't utter much but moved from behind the counter to a box and said, "I've got white, black and beige. Which do you want?!" Seemed a bit aggressive, but this guy seriously is quite the grumpy Guss. So I repeated myself, "A hundred and thirty centimeters, please" to which he cut something like 150 (I didn't realise this at the time). £1.65 paid, zipper in the bag and off out like a bat out of hell onto my bike in horrible weather.
In lycra, your skin is desensitised in so much as you can't feel a drop of water on your leg...or wind on it if the lycra is wet and cold already! So my hands were the indicator that it was really really cold and I'm a bit mad not wearing windbreaker (hehe) trousers.
Standing where I am in the video, afterwards I stood and stared at this poor learner driver trying *not* to hit me. A good 10 minutes as I had my hands under my bum to try and get some heat (desperate measures and what not). He stalled once, ground the gears a lot and was generally a mess. I know it's cruel...but as I geared up for the home stretch, I moved off slowly around the guy and they (driver and instructor) were staring something fierce at me. My mouth zipper still half open they were subjected to half a toothy grin and a wave as I got up to speed to join the main road up ahead.
Eventually home and feeling worse off than a drowned cat, I took of my layers and felt instantly better!
Rambling aside, I had to crack on with my blue suit. And here I am now...taking a mini break to eat and chill as I was getting very light headed and generally feeling sick (then I remembered I hadn't eaten the whole day!) My hands are done and I'm halfway through putting the hood together. I NEED to finish this...There's no other way around this. I'm not bothered about the LED lights, I'll just do a good job with the Na'vi zentai later.
Now...Something I've noticed as the day has progressed. I was quite agitated for the most part...stressing and messing up on simple stitches, re-doing them to find I've done it exactly like before. Half the zentai came off as getting my hands stuck under the foot wasn't funny anymore. I didn't like the feeling of being "exposed". My back and shoulders touched the chair and it felt unpleasant.
I guess after being used to wearing a second skin, ones own skin which is already very sensitive is even more so when it's been deprived functions it's used to facilitating.
At that moment in time however, I wasn't really in a rational frame of mind...I really...really...really wanted a cigarette. I haven't smoked in 4 years, nor have I had a craving as bad as this in the same length of time.
Ain't low blood sugar a bitch?
Still...I trundled on, then came to a point where I needed an iron to put creases in the hood to make it easier to pin and sew. At the same time I decided I should get a bit of a food shop in too.
So back on the "barsicle" round the corner to the local "Argos" (basically a warehouse that sells "stuff" from a catalog with its own shop front. Really handy!). As I'd reserved my mini iron online already, It was pretty straight forward. I paid for it at an automated kiosk, then sat and waited for my number to crop up. People were staring as usual as were the staff, although when I caught their eye I'd tilt my head slightly and they'd smile.
Iron done.
Next, food shopping. You know you tell yourself, "don't go food shopping when you're hungry" ....try doing that when you're irritable, basically starving and cursing yourself out for leaving things to the last minute. I actually managed to shop pretty well! I avoided the cookies (I'm a sucker for chocolate chip cookies...or chocolate covered hobnobs, I'd happily graze on those with a massive mug of coffee (mixed with hot chocolate...yes a mocha kinda) all day...damn my office days!) and went for grapes and satsumas and celery. The celery goes well with humus, I'd not eat it on its own *shudders*
I stood in the cue and people were off in their own worlds, idly looking around, till they saw this dark *thing* in their peripheral..triple stare as per usual and I tilt my head at them, they quickly avoid looking at me. The cashiers were oddly joyful today and the till I went to, the guy actually looked at me, pointed at me and motioned I came to his till...As if I was deaf or something? Ah, wait, yeah I had my massive headphones on although one was cocked slightly so I could hear things.
He was ever so smiley and helpful and asked, "would you like me to help you pack your bags Ma'am?" It's nice being around someone smiley and generally positive. Even if one's blood sugar is on the verge of making one pass out, it's hard to be a moody bitch when some one's just being helpful.
"No, you're alright thanks. But it would be grand if you could scan through all the bigger/heavier items first so I can fit them in my rucksack?" he nodded with enthusiasm and foraged through the basket of items to find all the bulky and heavier ones for me to pack.
Rucksack full and monies paid he bade me farewell as did I, "You have a good evening" and I left. Feeling really quite good now. It's probably the prospect of stuffing my face in about 20mins.
I think half this post has been done a bit back to front..But I'm a bit skewif today anyway.
Ah another thing, after mistaking a zentaist on Saturday for being Zentai Spot, we've actually been in touch and we shall be going to Westfields shopping centre for a walkabout on Sunday. So expect pictures and probably some footage too :-)
But first! To the sewing machine!!
iZ
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