Tricky? Of course.

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The sun is mostly out.  There are clouds about, the sun is simply winning.  It makes for a pleasant viewing experience.  I am feeling better, thinking a bit more clearly, and just going about my day.  I haven't been able to get going on much.  I am stuck, a bit, on some prep for Burning Man.

With the outfit I would like to create in mind and view, I had a lot of things to consider.  First, deciding whether to tie the netting myself or to buy it.  Cost, time, and complexity all being factors.  I did find a tutorial regarding creating netting.  I even believe I have enough parachute cord on hand to do such.  The complexity, and size, however...  I may end up tinkering with creating netting, but I am not quite ready to try that, and in a timed event.  I decided to buy netting after a lot of thinking, comparing, pricing.  Next, choosing materials is an ongoing task.  I do think cotton, of some sort, muslin being preferred, would work.  At least as a lasting material, and if thin enough and layered correctly, a cool material.  There are other cool materials, including rayon.  The thing is, whatever fabric I choose, it also has to be malleable.  That is some serious curling of the material going on, probably with the cloth on a serious bias so as to be 'sharp' at the ends.  I suppose it could be roll-ironed, a technique I just made up from looking at the prototype.  And to be honest, I made up the bias cut thing too, if some of it looks to just be attacked stringers.  Hands on the thing would be better, but I don't have that luxury.  And, how exactly do you ask a search engine how to roll cloth so as to produce a ghostly, or ghastly, shredded, smokey appearance?   Well, okay, I know how to ask the software device, I just don't know how to ask so that I get a useful answer.

While that is wickedly cool, especially potentially at night when lighted by lengths of light-cord in a very dark  environment, yellow, blue, green, red, take your pick, my choices would be blue and yellow, it is a puzzle.    It looks like a lot of work, but more of it may be in layering and tearing/cutting then roll-ironing or what ever method works best.  I had thought, initially, that muslin only came in natural, regarding color.  So, I had to look into dyes.  Well... the dying process suggests a whole laundry list of other goods beside the dye and material.  I reviewed the guides for that, found the products, added them to the cart, then had to... rethink things.  It adds up fast.  I did find several types of thin cotton fabric in black, both muslin and just regular old cotton, for whatever that really means.  My guess?  This outfit will take a lot of material.  It is deceptively clean.  Bulk is kept at bay by using very thin material in many layers.  But with the rolling, and layering, I am betting there is five yards or more in that suit?  My problem is that I am not sure cotton will go that thin.  I am still thinking it is made of a different material.  Still, I am getting closer.

I may have to skip on the kilt this year.  I've always been curious about those.  One of my first chiefs married a Scot and was inducted into the clan.  He married her in the clan tarter, in a kilt of that material anyway.  I would have been invited, and had to wear one as well, but I had just signed on with that particular crew and it was too late to try to get me in.  Aye, but I did get a taste of some fine remnant scotch for my first time.  Didn't too much care for it back in the day.  Something about motor oil and whiskey...  If I go next year a kilt will be in the offing.  And perhaps I can do it right proper.  One thing at a time.

Each of these has about half the full thing.  The first has the finishing bits and pieces, the other includes the pleats and some story telling.  Between them they tell the whole old story of dressing properly.




I could afford the material, assuming the wool would not be the itchy kind though or assuming if it is that I could figure out how to marginalize the discomfort.  I would have to check that.  It is the kit that goes with it that begins to make the project a bit suspect.  The belt-purse, the pin, the brooch, and the cloth... it just all adds up, fast.  Long wool or silk unders I already have would do for the stockings, and I would use my own boots as well.  And being a night outfit, thermal long sleeved shirts would work, with perhaps a shirt over that if the chill really set in.  But... to stand to pee AND not have to fuss much?  It's good to be a man-Scot.

I'm thinking.  That's all.  Oh, I should get to dishes, and throw a load of wash in.  I think I might even get to that, probably.  Good day.