But Mummy promised....Mommy LIED

ha ha ha. Everyone but myself seemed to know I had a snowball's chance in the underworld of making the coat up entirely by today. In my defense, part of it is done (front/back/sleeve 1), blocked, and the fleece lining is cut and folded with it to be sewn in as soon as the hood, sleeve2, and the pocket are done blocking. Then, I will get out the sewing machine this eve of the day that gouls disguised as mothers are allowed to roam free - without judgement or the burdens of prettying up first. First, I will whip a long rectangle into a simple, gathered at the neck (not so tight!) witch's cape for my dear daughter. A while back, she referred to me as an 'old bitty' because I failed to diagnose her desire and comply with it without having a moment of adult contemplation that resulted in a 'no' and, then, the old bitty remark. I took it in stride, calling her 'little bitty', and the war goes on without me looking too shamefully the fool. I am, of course, to be a WITCH for our little holiday and, as if Nature desinged it that way, she wishes to be a little witch, too. Aren't we cute?

After whipping up the witch cape, I will attempt to make a Jack Sparrow hat. If, at this point, all is going well - I just may sew up the fleece lining and finish the coat before the midnight mark ANYWAY. But, people who know me because my fingers (well trained from many years of lowly secretary obedience) oft betray me at the keyboard, dashing out and saying just any ole thing - smashing any pretendences I may attempt - you know I will be working on this coat on Thursday. Please, love me anyway.

Let's have a story. There once was a maniacal farm-witch who had a mundane task to complete. She'd heard, way back in the dyeing days, that tea made a nice, frosted sort of bark dye (naturally!) on its own. Hmmm. Finish that sleeve - or dye my 50/50 angora/merino-silk handspun with that tea that was left over after the kids and I made authentic, tea-dyed, burnt edged pirate maps? She also heard iron tablets deepen the color so, on a whim at the last minute, she threw one in. Now, farm-witch doesn't mind a good, stout brown. Some people don't care for it - it is too careful, too stable. But, this brown was so much so that 'blah-ness', that an overdye was sure to follow. So, on Saturday, when she was busy BLOCKING the front and back, she remembered those new skeins of yarn she'd ordered to dye. Okay, screw the story, I'm going into first person here. I couldn't stand to heat the pot and dye only one skein. And, it's been a good, long while since I've done a Tia Dalma yarn. I sold out of them at the last show and I've been whining about that since. The color bonanza, here, speaks for itself. I'll probably dye another two batches and offer these on the farm-blog in about a week. Then, with the left-overs and a few dashes more of greens, purples, browns, etc., I threw in angora (which I am now referring to as 'abused bunny' since the poor yarn has been dyed, dyed-over, and then dyed again because some princess wanted a more 'pronounced' spruce flash). On the dark side of the dye pot, I threw in a skein that I'm making something for my friend of over 15 yrs. (some people feel so entitled!) Heather. I think she'll like the Sea Witch yarn mixed with a little black here and there.

I know, I know.....COAT, COAT COSTUMES, COATS. I positively feel anti-social,