Bite the Bullet (Journal)-PLAN WITH ME: July 2019

#NOTsoRandom FACT: 

The truth I want to send up this Tuesday, July 9, 2019: 

I watched this YouTube video about Christian bullet journaling:

I wanted to learn more about what a bullet journal is is the secular context. So, I read this BuzzFeed article: "WTF Is A Bullet Journal And Why Should You Start One? An Explainer" (https://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelwmiller/how-to-start-a-bullet-journal).

This lead me to this video: "How to declutter your mind -- keep a journal | Ryder Carroll | TEDxYale"
https://youtu.be/ym6OYelD5fA

So, I decided to start bullet journaling the last week of June. Since it was only a week and I was still trying to figure out how to tailor the bullet journal to my needs, I started with this basic two-page layout for June:

(NOTE: Photo taken on July 1st) 

I also created a title page:

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And I created a symbols key page:

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I also thought it was important to have copies of the poems whose words stick with me always:

[If]

[A Prayer for Peace]

During the last week of June, I also started planning July. I knew that I wanted my bullet journal to have a:

• Monthly Log
• Habit Tracker
• Mood Tracker 
• Master/Big Picture To Do List
• Future Log
• Daily Gratitude/Prayer Journal/To Do
• Weekday Bible Study
• Reading List
• Crochet/Knitting Project Tracker 

I don't need an index because each month was going to be permanently housed in a binder with its name on it that was indexed by the calendar day for posterity. My bible study is going to be permanently housed with each book of the bible having its own binder and each chapter having its wn tab (NOTE: this makes it easier to migrate my current gratitude journaling and bible study my previous efforts).

This is what things look like on July 1st:

At church on Sunday, Minister Barbara Florvil asked us: "What are you going to do with your corner of the world?"

I start each of my Truth Going Up blogs with a with a #NOTsoRandom FACT and a TRUTH. I included this in my June 2019 journal and delved deeper in my July 2019 journal:

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While we were waiting for his One year, my father delicious ribs to finish cooking on the grill in our backyard, my father had me to read Frederick Douglas' "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July" aloud. It was just me, Papa, our German Shepherd Ruffhouse and the birds and insects (my mother and brother were inside the house). July 4ths in the Nelson household were a combination of celebrating the country that my father fought for as a TITLE in the United States Army AND acknowledging the systemic hypocrisy and oppression that are also as American as apple pie. We would talk about the injustices that we faced (such as my father being racially profiled in our mostly white neighborhood in the suburb of Waukesha, WI; my mother, a black female bench chemist at one of the leading pharmaceutical companies, doing twice the work but being paid nearly half of what her white male counterparts were paid, and my kindergarten teacher telling me it wouldn't be right for me to play Little Bo Peep as I wanted and that instead I was going to be the black sheep in our nursery rhyme because "...I looked the part"). But, we wouldn't just air our grievances. 

My parents are solutions-oriented individuals. Embedded in these conversations were strategy sessions about tangible steps each of us were going to do to make the world a better and more equitable place. So, I decided to make the fact and truth I lift up this month pay homage to this family legacy and recommit myself to using my passion, purpose and God-given gifts to improve my your corner of the world.

I have started sketching out the monthly log for August:

Week 3: Wedding Dress Update-Crochet as a Metaphor for Life

#NOTsoRandom FACT about my father (whom I call Papa): Les Brown is one of Papa's heroes.

Since the Sunday after my first post was Father's Day, I believe that it is a befitting tribute and the the truth I want to lift up on Tuesday, July 2, 2019 is a quote that I heard several times growing up (and that describes what happened in my first week of my journey to crochet my wedding dress):

Crocheting is a metaphor for life!!!

***Week 1-June 12 Update:

After I finished typing up my June 11/12 blog, I was up crocheting until like 2a. I was riding an adrenaline high on my first day as a commuting wedding dress crocheter:

I crocheted in McPherson Square during my lunch break. I crocheted during my 30+ minute evening commute on the Blue Line Metro Train and 29G Metro Bus ride from the Pentagon to my basement town home apartment. I crocheted for two more hours listening to the Wedding Jazz playlist I created on Spotify. I was impressed with my progress. I had completed:

• The chainless double crochet foundation
• A round of arcs (5 chains + sc)
• Round 0, 1, and 2 of Chart 3 (which I convinced myself was a mislabeled Chart 1 due to the similarities in the diagram to the round of arcs I had just created #SpoilerAlert I WAS WRONG!!!)

I compared the crocheting I completed to the picture of the finished project and came to a grave realization: I WAS CROCHETING THE SKIRT PART WHERE THE NECK PART SHOULD BE :-(

I was so angry with myself that I forgot to take a picture of the mistake before I started pulling the thread to undo what I spent between six to eight hours crocheting. 

BUUUUUT, I was too hasty in my cathartic yarn pulling. I undid the round of arcs (5 chains + sc) that I actually needed to complete in the pattern…WELP!

So, around 9p I gave up for the night with my chainless double crochet foundation still intact, I showered, spoke to my fiance Lee and went to sleep before 10p.

***Crochet as a metaphor for life:

Robert Burns is right: the best laid plans of mice and men often do awry. Even with the proper tools/materials, intermediate skill and written instructions/plan, life turns out unexpectedly. We should do our best to be flexible. Identify and accept failures. Resist the temptation to wallow in anger, frustration, sadness or disappointment. Productively process your emotions. Learn what you can. Execute an improvement strategy and try again. Don’t give up on something you really want to do!

June 13^th Update:

When the sun (well, at least a lighter gray sky given the rain), woke me up around 6a. I pulled the bag with my crochet project from my nightstand, curled up in my bed with Tucker sleepily adjusting himself to rest his head on my calves, I reworked round of arcs (5 chains + sc) with MSNBC's Morning Joe on in the background.

During my commute, I started following the diagram from the correctly labeled Chart 1. But, I was wary of my progress when I arrived at the office:

I did not want to end up in the same situation that a I was in last night. *eye roll* It would be insane to repeat yesterday's mistake and crochet a pattern I am excited about (but, uncomfortable with) for the first time with the yarn I intend to use for the finished wedding dress. 

So, I decided to apply the lesson from Les Brown. I am going to practice to improve. I decided NOT to crochet during lunch today. Instead, I redrew the diagram in a way that makes sense to me:

To be sure, I drew it several times...LOLOL! The pattern writer would have you to believe that the 10 chains you need are linear (see the top of the drawing). BUT, the 10 chains are actually curved (and you have to skip the single crochets).

Upon closer inspection, it  looks like my work is not too far off the mark. Going forward, I will "practice" working Chart 1 by drawing out the written instructions (and, if necessary, practicing with larger scrap yarn the same way that I practiced the chainless double crochet foundation) to get more comfortable working the Chart 1 pattern so that my crochet project more closely resembles the picture in the pattern:

***Crochet as a metaphor for life:

Understanding the charts did not make sense to me until I saw the mistake in my work last night and I drew out the written instructions. I am definitely a combination verbal and visual-spatial learner. YAY for self-awareness and proceeding in a strengths-based problem-solving approach!!!

June 14th Update:
I had a choice to make: try to repair OR start again.

Ultimately, I decided to restart the dress. This yarn is so thin. It is very unforgiving. One of the places where the yarn grew thin from being pulled out completely disintegrated...WELP...and my dress had an unraveling hole.

***Crochet as a metaphor for life: it is okay to start over. Sometimes, things can't be salvaged in their current state.

June 15th Update:
The weather cooperated and it turned out to be an EXCELLENT day to crochet in the park. I am making progress on my practice scrap yarn companion piece where I practice new stitches before I work on them with my wedding dress yarn:

It warms my heart how many people stopped to ask me what I was crocheting. A lovely black woman and her teenage daughter stopped by and we had a great chat about how relaxing a personally gratifying crocheting is. The black woman's teenage daughter recently completed a crocheting a technicolor summer halter dress. YAY for crocheting building community and connection of people diverse strangers!!!

***Week 2-June 18th Update:
I am still a commuting crocheter. The yoke of the dress is coming along:

(This is what the dress looked like on my commute to work on the bus this morning)

***Week 3-July 2nd Update: 
 The yoke is complete and my off-the-shoulder dress has little sleeves and armpit holes:

I am still VERY far away from a finished garment. But, I am encouraged!

Next Steps: Chart 1 through the torso :-)

P.S. For some reason, the blog posted with the date of the day I started typing up my draft (NOT the day I pressed the publish button. Also, I was on Week 3 NOT Week 4 at the time of posting. Eventually, I'll get this blogging thing right. Hopefully, my third time posting will be the charm :-)

The Beginning of Crochet Magic

#NOTsoRandom FACT about me: I LOVE TO CROCHET!!!

The truth I want to send up this Tuesday, June 11, 2019 is also the humorous truth I convey on most evenings of the days that end in "y":

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Tomorrow (6/12/2019) marks six months to the day that Lee and I are getting married (legal wedding date 12/12/2019). We’re super excited:

We have most of the big picture components planned, now its just a matter of executing the small details.

One task that I thought was complete was dress selection. BUT, a suggested link from Pintrest has challenged me to embark on a journey to design and substantially make my own wedding dress. I saw this picture:

And I learned that the designer was featured in SEVERAL articles and was even on Good Morning America (https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/bride-crochets-wedding-gown-bus-commute/story?id=25739335):

I thought to myself: “I am a commuting bride-to-be who is creative, cost-conscious and enjoys crocheting!” So, I took to Pintrest, Esty, Ravelry and LoveKnitting to get inspired. I found ALOT of BEAUTIFUL dresses. But, NO patterns that match my preferred aesthetic.

From 2013-2015, my fiancé and I used to binge watch TLC (*fondly remembers Friday Bride Days*) with “Say Yes to the Dress”, “Four Weddings”, “I Found the Gown” and “Something Borrowed, Something New.” We gleaned several tips from David Tutera’s “My Fair Wedding.” That being said, I am not one of those brides who can’t picture her dream wedding dress. I have known for a while that these are the certain things that I want in my dream wedding dress:

• Bling
• Classic/Vintage
• Elegant
• Je ne sais quoi (unique)
• Lace/Sheer elements
• Mermaid/Trumpet OR ball gown silhouette
• Open or Dramatic back
• Pearls
• Sweetheart OR Bateau OR Off-the-Shoulder neckline
• Three-quarter length sleeves
• Two in one ceremony to reception dress adaptability

Originally, I bought this dress:

But, once I had it in hand, I was NOT in love with the dress and was regretting saying “yes” to this particular dress. The window for returning it had closed. So, I just planned to sell it unworn with tags on to consignment.

This is the dress that I fell in love with (and I originally planned to buy from DH Gate as the replacement): 

(Oooohweeeee that is one BAD dress!!!)

Bad News:  NOTHING that I saw online showed how to crochet a dress with most/all of the elements I want OR that compared to the replacement dress. So, in the spirit of “Something Borrowed, Something New” (the TLC series where brides-to-be chose between a new designer dress or their reimagined family heirloom dress), I am going to crochet a new cocktail dress (Crochet Lace Dress "Jane",Instant Download pattern, detailed tutorial, PDF, written, schematical, summer, bodycon, for woman, ladies', women ; Designed by Galina Zarubina https://www.etsy.com/listing/512158358/crochet-lace-dress-janeinstant-download):


….And pair it with the tulle skirt from first dress I bought that I couldn’t return. Since the dress will be plain (IDK how to crochet with beads/sequins), I am planning to pair it with a bling-ed out bridal belt and a pearl/gemstone jewelry.

We’ll see how this goes…(And I still might buy the replacement dress if my DIY project goes awry).

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So, let the documentation of this #CrochetMagic journey begin!!!

(BACKGROUND: I consider myself an intermediate crochet-er. I’ve NEVER made an actual garment. I’ve made a few beverage koozies, blankets and two amigurumi animals (a t-rex for Ashton, a doll for Dottie’s daughter and a teddy bear for Olivia). The closest I’ve come to a garment is making a few hats, scarves, and one shawl. I talked myself out of making sweaters, mittens or fingerless gloves because the patterns looked too complicated. I do not know how to read crochet charts. But, I can read crochet patterns.)


STEP 1: Earlier tonight, I stopped by Michael’s to pick up the supplies:

Bittersweet News: The "Jane" dress crochet instructions are very detailed (a total of 13 pages long with a written pattern, charts, tips, and pictures). The first piece of advice was to read the entire pattern before beginning the process. So, I did. Unfortunately, there are a few typographical and labeling errors that left me confused and had me questioning whether or not I regretted attempting to crochet a dress. The way the pattern writer writes and the way I think to crochet were not getting along. But, some trial/error and deductive reasoning “unlocked the door.” Thank God there are both written instructions and a chart. I couldn't read charts at all before today. But, honey when I tell you they make a difference when the written pattern is confusing or incorrect. *exhale* YES, I am ready to give this a try!

WHOO-HOO...I am feeling pumped! (Yes, I am "live" blogging this process...LOLOL)

So, let's...

STEP 2: Begin crocheting!!! *smiles*

Buuuuuuuut, then I realized that I didn’t know how to do the very first step in the pattern. I misunderstood the method for the foundation chain (O_o … I had NEVER heard of a "chainless foundation double crochet"…TEHEHE). Sooo, I watched videos on YouTube. These were the most helpful:

Over the course of an hour, I tried (failed several times), but eventually got the hang of the chainless foundation double crochet working with the scrap yarn from a previous project:

I started working with the yarn that I bought for project (by the way, working with Super Fine fingering lace weight yarn requires patience! It splits easily and likes to knot-up around itself…WELP).

I am going to take a picture of the progress that I make on tomorrow’s morning commute (and will post it on my next update). For now, I’m noticing how late it is, I’m going to go sleep…cheers to champagne wishes and crochet dreams!!! GOOD NIGHT *smiles*

P.S. I was so tired that I forgot to publish the blog before I went to sleep....SMH/LOLOL :-)