You are probably waiting for the update on the "cake" cards box. Yet before I started working on that project, I made some progress on another project. I tried an embroidery machine! I haven't yet mentioned on this blog that the latest obsession of mine has been to embroider my own veil. Once again I have to blame weddingbee for the uncontrollable expansion of my wedding DIY project list. Before I encountered the weddingbee post on the veil embroidery, I was only set on making my own veil. Like many brides before me, I had a sticker shock from veils in stores. To be honest, I was prepared for shock before even stepping a foot in any store; the Bridal Bargains book made sure I knew that veils are ridiculously priced. Still, nothing beats a \$300 tag staring at you from a piece of tulle attached to a flimsy wire comb. I already had an experience of making a little silly veil for my bridal shower and was all ready to tackle the bigger veil project. This was about the time I came acrossa post about embroidering the veil and I was sold! Yet I was lacking the essential - embroidery machine.

I've looked online and had to admit that embroidery machines are no Cricut. They are pretty expensive. While the Cricuts are relatively easy to shop for, since there is just one brand, there are many companies that make embroidery machines and thus make the life of a  comparatively-shopping bride a nightmare. Plus at the end I just couldn't justify spending \$800 on an embroidery machine because I wanted to embroider my own veil ... clearly spending \$800 on an embroidery machine for one project beats buying a veil for \$200. What, you don't see a logic here? :) And with that (and countless hours on the internets and a trip to the local sewing machine store) I had to abandon the idea of buying an embroidery machine... oh well... but look how pretty!!!  (Don't worry: my sweetie has said that we can look to get one after the wedding when and if we have more time and projects for it.)

[caption id="attachment_327" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is what Husqvarna Designer Ruby Sewing & Embroidery Machine can do... And it's also \$5,000. Sadness."][/caption]

You have probably guessed that I didn't just leave this idea alone though. I thought that there has gotta be someone we know who owns an embroidery machine. The Internet truly brings people together... after LJ and Facebook posts we found someone with an embroidery machine who was very sweet and let me use it. And so two Sundays ago I ventured into S.'s home to try the embroidery machine.

Side note: when I retire, I want to have a room in the house devoted just to sewing, like S. does. This all lies on the assumption that I will eventually have time to do things like quilting, or machine embroidery, or both. I'm also assuming I'll like quilting - I haven't actually tried doing it.

Ok, back to the embroidery machine. It's SO cool! It doesn't take a long time to set up it either. And it works like magic. You just sit back, relax and watch it embroider away. Periodically it'd want you to change the thread, but other than that it really doesn't require any attention. When it's done, you disconnect the hoop from the machine and wash the stabilizer away. In case you were wondering, stabilizer is needed to keep the machine from tearing the fabric while it embroiders. There are different kinds --- for tulle I got water soluble stabilizer. It comes in a roll and looks like thick saran wrap. You put it on the fabric you want to embroider before you stick it in a hoop. After you're done, all you need to do is wash it off. Once you rinsed all the goo off your fabric you're left with the embroidered fabric - nothing else. Here is what we got  - and only on the second try!

[caption id="attachment_330" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="What do you think? Sorry the picture is blurry - taken with my iPhone that I desperately want to upgrade to iPhone 4 :)"][/caption]

So now I just need to cut my veil and embroider it. S. has been so kind as to allowing me to use her awesome embroidery machine (that works great despite being 12 years old) again.

Now I have the resources but I don't have the time. Oh, and apparently I also lack the sewing-pattern-reading skills. You see, I got a pattern to make the veil. Before I embroider anything I need to cut the fabric out and hopefully know what to do once I embroider it, i.e., I need a plan how to make a piece of embroidered tulle into a veil. I decided that this time I will get a pattern, since I am making a veil for my wedding, not a bachelorette party. And I got one! I got the pattern and I got the tulle. That was a while ago. Then I waited. Nothing happened. The veil did not magically sew itself. I then got excited about other projects.... Then the day before my first dress fitting came and I realized that I don't have a veil to try with my dress. And the next time I will try my dress would be within 2 weeks before the wedding. Oops. So I got home and looked at the pattern. Now would not be the time to realize that I have no idea how to read patterns.... yet. I can't understand what I'm supposed to do. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. I mean, my seamstress appointment is tomorrow at 2pm (and it takes an hour to drive there), but I wish I started on this one earlier. Right now I'm just staring at what's gotta be the pattern but looks more like a pile of tissue paper they stuff into the boxes with gifts from our Williams-Sonoma registry:

[caption id="attachment_332" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Does this look like tissue paper to you?..."][/caption]

I hope I can pull it off by tomorrow. If not I'll just have to try my wedding dress on without the veil....