Hello World

Hello, internet. This is not the first time I’ve started a blog. I’ve even kept up with one before for a non-zero quantity of time. But previous attempts, alas, have all fallen by the wayside eventually. This one, though, this will be different. Mainly because, for the first time, it’s attached to my name! It’s my very own site!

It turns out that forking over all of our content to large social media companies who control obscure algorithms and press for one type of content over another is maybe not the best plan. So that’s one reason I’m starting this up. The second, more important reason, is that I wanted somewhere that wasn’t Instagram for documenting some of my more involved projects, where I can provide as much text and as many photos as I want. The third reason is that I might eventually want to post some of the fiction I write every now and again.

So, an introduction. My name is Caroline, and I also go by Carrie. That’s never once been confusing in my life and I’ve absolutely never stumbled when identifying myself because “I can’t remember what I told you my name was.” My pronouns are she/her for convenience, but other sets of pronouns are also fine. I have an awesome partner, three adorable cats, and a horse. And I like to make things.

What kind of things? Soft, textile-y things mostly. One of my primary hobbies (Tier 1 hobbies? Alpha hobbies?) is sewing. I’ve been sewing since 2008 and I have a ~90% handmade wardrobe. I also knit, which is somewhere between a Tier 1 and Tier 2 hobby. The Tier 3 textile hobbies include spinning yarn (I own 3 spinning wheels and several spindles), weaving (not very often), and machine embroidery.

One new branch of the sewing hobby I’ve been exploring in the last couple of years has been historical costuming. I also cosplay for anime and video game conventions, and I’ve had a lot of fun combining the two. They both satisfy my love of research, and doing historical cosplay means I can give in to my absolute inability to follow a pattern (or character design) exactly. It also gives me something to work on that takes a long time, instead of filling my closet with more and more everyday clothes.

My other Tier 1 hobbies include writing scifi and fantasy (I’ve written a couple of novels that I’m currently seeking an agent for), gardening, and playing video games. Oh, and riding horses. The last one I often forget to include as a hobby because it’s more of a lifestyle. I have a beautiful gray Thoroughbred mare named Fifi. She’s a little spicy sometimes, and she’s also sweet. Depends on the day. Or the minute.

This blog is probably going to be primarily sewing-related, but as in my actual life, I always reserve the option to throw in anything else. I refuse to be pinned down! I’m constitutionally incapable of squishing myself into a single-aspect “brand”!

Anyway, for anyone that reads this, hope you enjoy!