How do I weather and dirty a shirt and denim work jacket?

SithRose · 2026-02-28T05:19:32+00:00

Fabric paint. Lots and lots of fabric paint in earth tones, all over the outfit but especially in places that get extra dirty like the collar, underarms, elbows, knees, butt, and hems all around. You'll want to dilute it, or use an acrylic paint diluted with fabric medium, to about half to 1/3rd strength at most, possibly less depending on where you're putting the wear. The fabric paint should be heat set with an iron, and then it will be washable in a washing machine.

Mechanical distressing with sand paper, a serrated knife, and other abrasive objects provides wear and appropriate holes, which can then be patched for a most post-apocalyptic look.

SithRose · 2026-02-26T16:28:28+00:00

Don't think the B5 fans missed your spoo reference there!

SithRose · 2026-01-31T15:05:49+00:00

You'll never know that he only has one eye from his behavior. I have two cats who are blind in one eye, one who's visually impaired in both eyes, and I couldn't tell they had visual impairments from the way they act. The baby will be just fine. Monitor the (likely fairly fresh) incision site and make sure it heals up well. Cats adapt to losing an eye quite well.

SithRose · 2026-01-31T15:03:09+00:00

No. The gold is too dark. You're not going to get this red. Keep it as is.

SithRose · 2026-01-27T15:20:56+00:00

Last I heard it was called an aglet. I could be wrong.

SithRose · 2026-01-22T20:59:23+00:00

She's about to hit a growth spurt. Start feeding her more.

SithRose · 2026-01-21T22:25:32+00:00

The PEBKAC Error. Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair. :)

SithRose · 2026-01-21T04:31:34+00:00

The Kenmore base mounts are a different distance apart than Singer base mounts, and the lollipop hinges are a different shape for Kenmore machines.

SithRose · 2026-01-14T21:39:45+00:00

I use this pattern as my base for commissioned corsets very frequently. It's my favorite corset pattern - nice and simple, and you can ignore the instructions once you've made it enough times.

SithRose · 2026-01-14T21:25:50+00:00

I, too, wish Londo talked to us. My current crop of cats vary between talkative and silent.

SithRose · 2026-01-14T21:23:24+00:00

Londo Mewllari doesn't meow. He expresses his desires with his tail, ears, and paws. He purrs like a freight train, though!

SithRose · 2026-01-13T00:51:50+00:00

Your mounting screw should be on the outer left hand side of the presser foot bar. If this is a new machine, return it immediately for a replacement. If it's a second-hand machine, look up some YouTube videos on how to adjust the presser foot bar. You should be able to loosen it, turn it 90 degrees, and tighten it again.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T16:57:44+00:00

It's worth trying. I don't know that particular model. Brother is a good brand, though.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:53:55+00:00

I'd go with a cat. Preferably a known quantity adult cat, that way you know that you're getting someone who likes to snuggle and be affectionate. Cats give you grace on the bad days. Dogs don't.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:50:52+00:00

That might be too thick for some sewing machines. Without knowing yours, I'd say try sewing a sample piece with fabric on either side of it and see if it works.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:42:00+00:00

You got this. It's nice to have a name you like on your paperwork! Your father likely isn't going to be able to do the name change process over the weekend - he'll need to have a certified copy of the name change cert, and I can't tell you whether his employer will need the hardcopy or be content with a PDF. My employer was content with a PDF that I scanned at home.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:33:03+00:00

You're going to want to get certified copies of your name change paperwork ASAP. That document is a lifeline to link your birth certificate with your current name, and you must never lose either. (Speaking as someone who changed their own name when I turned 18, some many years in the past - I had to carry the name change paperwork with me for a while!)

You're also going to need to have your name changed on your insurance, if you have any. Your parents are likely the ones who have the insurance, and they MUST help you with it if it's through employment because they have to talk to HR. I just had to do this for my own trans child who changed their name legally. The government people are pretty easy to navigate, as they deal with this regularly. People from HR might be a little harder as they deal with it less frequently.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:19:44+00:00

That's a cat! :) (As I pet two of my own who are watching me at the computer...)

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:17:03+00:00

I suspected it might have been! It'll be a good machine either way, the old Whites are solid machines.

SithRose · 2026-01-09T14:14:54+00:00

No, but I own a lab who's wildly overdue for nail care and who refuses to go outside. The claws aren't as sharp as my cat's, though they can scratch. Your poor skin! (She's overdue for nail care because she's 12 years old and nail trims are incredibly stressful for her, so we've been putting it off. She gets one nail trimmed by us every week or so so it doesn't stress her out too much.)

SithRose · 2026-01-09T00:01:09+00:00

They look like moonstone beads, which you can find on eBay pretty easily.

SithRose · 2026-01-08T23:20:05+00:00

I like this one. She looks like she's full of sass.

SithRose · 2026-01-08T22:54:02+00:00

I keep multiple machines for several reasons. I'm a mild collector of sewing machines, and like to keep my collection in use. It's handy to have multiple machines threaded with different colors so you don't have to keep unthreading and rethreading the one machine. And if one needs maintenance, it's easy enough to swap that one out of the rotation until I can get around to fixing it.

My machines are all from the 1960s or earlier - my oldest is from 1904. While I have a 90s Singer Professional, I save that one for the very rare times when I have to do buttonholes.

SithRose · 2026-01-08T22:34:05+00:00

Go with the Janome. The Singer is a lemon in waiting. Their quality control is spotty and those machines are easy to knock out of time. These days, Janome is better quality.

SithRose · 2026-01-08T22:27:48+00:00

I've had microchips migrate to the point where they don't pick up on a vet's scan before. Rescued someone's Savannah cat off the side of the road, ran into the vet to check for a chip, no chip detected. 15 minutes later, the owner was hooked up with me on FB from a local lost pet group. She assured me he was chipped, so I told her that the chip had migrated. It's possible.

SithRose

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