Serendipitous Stitchery

I think its time to say goodbye

2010-09-29T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well; Its very apparently that I never update this blog anymore; and truly have no desire to.

Instead; this is what I'm going to work on, because I enjoy it more and its prettier. Please feel free to insert it in the place of old s. stitchery and peruse as you see fit; I love followers.

http://missemilywaterman.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

The Regency Wardrobe Frenzy: Maggie is a mean tease.

2010-08-28T09:07:00.001-07:00

Don't even try to argue with me because I can promise you I wont budge. This is whats going to happen with these costumes: I am going to post in progress shots up to a point, and then after the event (so..like 25 days) I will have pictures of the completed gowns IN ACTION!

Now now, stop throwing such a hissy fit! I have legitimate reason for doing this other than the fact I am a heartless and cruel harpy. Ok that may just be the only reason. NO. It's because these gowns are now going to be a surprise to a very important dotor and I'm trying to be impressive.

Don't judge me. No, stop it.

You all love me anyhow. So whats up for the next two? Think Lots of voile, daquaries, and experiements with fabric dye and a washing machine.

The Regency Wardrobe Frenzy: Ethereal Voile Maddening Madness

2010-08-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

The work on the second gown, the snow white voile over ivory base is starting to come together, and after three times of regathering the bodice parts I ballsed up and said "Lets sew this bad boy." And I did.

And so far, the gathers have held wonderfully! Lets break it down to a play by play.

I started with the ivory base, the pattern for the regency bodice that was more fitted and not the gathered one and did what gathering I had to do under the bust to make it fitted.

I had to do some strange tucks in the neckline because this pattern always has strange fit problems, but after the outer fabric went on you couldn't tell. Also nicely, since the under fabric is so stiff, it crates more va va voom in the bust line as Mrs. M calls it.

As for the outer fabric it took me a few times to figure out how I want to gather it, and finally decided to just gather it all the way across, as it is still a period technique, and makes the fabric look lovely.

I think I need to go back though and tone down some of the puffiness.

I also decided I wanted to do some interesting things with the back so I made the edges longer and threw some gathering stitches in the back edges just for some visual interest.

They kind of came out, though not as I had in my mind, also the sewing machine kind of mucked them all up.

I am thankfully on task for this outfit so far, though I didn't get any work done today.

Instead this is what I did:

Cheers!

The Regency Wardrobe Frenzy: Alterations make for a brand new dress!

2010-08-21T22:18:00.001-07:00

Instead of being smart and leaving a perfectly good dress alone to be wearable for the event, I decided I wasn't satisfied with the neckline and the entire look of the gown.

Here: Reference shots.

Just a basic boat neck. Well...it seemed kind of boring so, I wanted a wrap front which seemed better with the sleeves and such. Please forgive the hat. It makes the baby jesus cry.

So after taking out all the gathering stitches and staring at it figuring out what I wanted to do, I said "Eff it!" and slit it right down the middle and mucked around a bit with it.

In the end, I got the desirable result: A faux wrap front gown:

To get the desired look I just had to get really creative with pins and some hand sewing.

I think after I make sure the top and bottom are sewn down Ill take out the stitches down the middle to make it look like a real faux wrap.

Now onto the white gown! Which has allll been cut out.

The Regency Wardrobe Frenzy: One thing down...However much else left, I've lost count.

2010-08-21T13:31:00.001-07:00

The stays, finally, are finished! They work wonderfully and were not terribly difficult to make. After finally getting everything cut out, I mucked around with darts, had little problem with that then came doing the boning channels (hur hur.)

Ideally I would have hit the boning channels in between fabrics but I darted all the fabric down into one, so this was the last option. It's the inside, though, and if there are any underwear snarks, well then they need to not be looking at my underwear. Quite frankly the only ..people who are going to be seeing my skivvies will appreciate them as is.

I had a little trouble sewing the channels as the bias tape was shredding and almost the channels were too small but I went back and hand sewed where I needed to go. Then with the help of magical roomy Amy, I was laced in and UH WOW. HI.

They work. Needless to say. Going to enhance just a big but I don't think too much.

So tada! Stays!! Now onto the rest of everything else I need to do. Up next? White batiste gown with ivory underlayers.

Gonna be sweeeet.

The Regency Wardrobe Frenzy: Square One

2010-08-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

After an inexcusable absence which I wont go into detail about, I have returned with a vengance and an entire OTHER blog to keep track of. (Oh jesus.)

So onto the topic at hand: I am throwing together an entire regency wardrobe (Three gowns, two [maybe three] spencers, three hats, and possibly a fourth evening gown, shift, stays, and wig) for a rather important event in September. Yep. September. I basically have a month to get this done; so let the frenzy begin.

Like any normal person, I started with the skin out..kind of. Stays. I've never made regency stays, in fact, every corset I have made for myself has been kind of a joke..sad to say but I'm not so good with underwear. So; after some research and obsessing, my first adventure was to try to make something out of the regency pattern I already had. That was a bust, because I had NO IDEA what I was doing (read: really really no idea) so that basically got scrapped in a fit. So I bought a pattern: Specifically the 'Reconstructing History' regency stays pattern.

Yeah don't. Ever. Use. Them. It was the biggest waste of my time and money i have ever experienced. See what most of you don't realize is that I am INCREDIBLY flat chested. Not oh hey its ok theres something, its basically not even a cup size to put it blatantly.

Ok enough TMI, onto more pictures.

Back to before I knew the pattern was a giant failure, I dove headfirst into stay making, by first cutting out my patterns, which at the time seemed tomake..well..some sense.

Yes, it is always a requirement to make the ugliest mock-ups ever.

So about an hour of frenzied sewing later, I get the strangest damn thing I have ever seen, which btw did nothing for my attempt at a regency shelf, stuffing or no.

In theory they looked like little tiny half stays, right? Post cutting off tabs of course and point.

Then I put them on abby..

As the picture says FAIL. I didnt even bother finishing lacing them up, I basically balled them up and chucked them across the room. So after waffling about what to do, I was assisted by two lovely Lauren's. Lady of Portland house sent me an amazing tutorial how to make a bodiced petticoat out of the Simplicity regency pattern, which I had.

And its working ITS WORKING!!

I did the mock up with the help of my wonderful roomie Amy who did the..very intimate darts. Much to the serious entertainment of The Doctor.

So after we got it roughly how we wanted it, i stuck them on abby and smoothed everything out

Now thats pretty good looking if I do say so myself.

The darts are meant to push the bust up and in a bit to give the lovely regency shelf as it is now being called, once the boning is in place and im placed up it will hopefully do the trick. I will also be supplementing under the bust with a little pad to..add what nature deprived me, sort of speak.

After many awkward moments and giggles, the mock up was finished and I was at liberty to cut out the pattern of my actual stay fabric.

By this time it was well past midnight, and therefor my bedtime. Tonights adventure will be getting them all sewn together and then mind the bottom. I plan on sewing the top edges right side to right side as I want a drawstring channel using the seam allowance and top stitching. Not entirely period but easiest for me.

More adventures to follow! Stay tuned.

To bonnets...And beyond!

2010-08-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, I have vanished entirely off the blogesphere face of the earth. I promise, it has a good and legitimate story, and now that I have a camera and computer again I can resume costume..y..things.

In the mean time; do take a moment to add to your queue of blogs, the wonderful world of Maggie's Bonnet-arium...And Beyond!!

www.maggiesbonnets.blogspot.com

I am starting up a hat bizz..FINALLY. Please stop by for any of your hat-needs!

A question that needs answering!

2010-02-25T13:18:00.001-08:00

Ok costumey folk, I need some assistance and explanation.

This is a screen shot of the BBC wives and daughters mini series. The lady shown is the Lady Harriet.

WHY DOES SHE HAVE MAGGIE LENGTH HAIR!?!

(Note: This is the time period of those ridiculous large sleeves, the romantic era circa...1830?)

Ok, Ok I'm back, by kind of popular demand

2010-01-26T09:12:00.001-08:00

I know, I am a horrible person and deserve a sound beating (please be gentle) but with all the insanity of the holiday season, Dickens faire, and recovering I fell out completely with my costuming. I'm sure by now many of my 'rabid' fans have already seen the dickens dress, but if not let me be of service to provide photos.

Ta da, I really did crunch it as close as physically possible, holy fuck. Also, sorry I had minimal use of any camera so I couldn't really get any pictures during the making process. Pretty simple though, I just combined a few simplicity patterns and pulled my hair out working with velvet and done. One thing that I am very proud of though is the binding I did of the bottom because it was already too short to turn under bias method.

So using some creative juices paid off there. I learned two very important lessons while making this gown. Velvet is evil, and velvet with silk is even more evil. It slides EVERYWHERE. I now trust the value of hand basting anything. Like the darts.

The gown held out all run of dickens fair very well, surprisingly, and only on the last weekend did my hook and bar become a little loose and therefore required some safety pin and snazzy friends. Now, for some pictures of it IN ACTION!

Oh yeah, I also fully decorated the burgundy bonnet blank and made that totally faux fur lined cape. That was fun. Not. But at least it turned out alright.

Guess what I am working on there? Thats right, BALL GOWN BODICE!!! Because I am insane and needed a ball gown bodice to match the skirt for the during Dickens gaskells.

This is from the gaskells

and then for the twelfth night peers, i added to it a bit

And added some gold rose trim! Hey look boyfriend!

Now, if you guys hold tight, tomorrow will be an update on the magic of a newly one 18th century ensemble, DUN DUN DUNNNNN.

Sorry I just don't have the time right now for a double header so enjoy the 19th century joy.

Fox Costume: DAYBEW!

2009-10-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

Done done done done done FINALLY. I have no NO idea how it all came together or when but suddenly magically it was there!

The dance was a blast and the woodland duo was the talk of town, sort of speak.

Now to bombard the lot of you with pictures.

Unfortunately, I got no shots of the flowers I sewed into my wig, or of the train down, of of the back, but I am re wearing this to vampyrs!!

I will do the award thingy some other time, Eventually XD

Foxy Costume: Fails and Wins.

2009-10-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

Somehow between the crunch of getting Anton's Doublet finished and this weekend, I have managed to get my foxy gown done, sans a couple hooks and eyes here and there and wee little additions here and there.

Lets start with my chaos of the mask.

I bought the crackle kit I had my eye on. I bought the paint colors that I thought would work. I bought a substitute for gold leaf I found acceptable. I had a plan.

And it all. Seriously. Failed.

First, I had no idea how to use the crackle kit. The directions were less than helpful, and I was started to feel the stress.

Behold the plethora of products:

Topcoat

Undercoat

And my base color

These things combined would not make a crackle to be seen. Then I figured out after reading many a tutorial that i needed two colors. Oh. That would have been very helpful, directions!!

So I decided to make a base coat of gold and the russet would crackle over that. Worked great, kind of.

Then I tried to paint the black on the inside of the eyes, and the gold on the raised filigree. This did not work at all, so I just started throwing paint and gold on there and mushing it all about in frustration, then ended up with this.

So Im probably going to hot glue some pealrs around the edges and some jet beads or what have you and turn it into something somewhat presentable.

-DEPRESSED.- I do not do masks.

Enough of that, onto the dress.

I got bored and decided I needed something to do at work so I started beading the bodice with jet beads and tiny little pearls. Don't question my sanity, its done and it looks great.

Veeery subtle but nice.

I also did it more sparingly on the apron over skirt.

Then it was time for the final bits, the pleated ruffle on the bottom which I decided to do in knife pleats and not box pleats, which in the end proved to be a wise decision as I barely had enough.

It looked great, but I felt like it was missing something.

OH RIGHT!! LACE AND MOAR PEARLS!! MOOOAAARRR!!!

So I spent a day at work on the downtime sewing oh id say well over 100 pearls onto some lace. It also had a purpose besides looking pretty, it kept the lace tacked up so it didn't flop over like my regency gown.

Tada!! Now the gown is set, stunning, and as over the top as I can possibly make it. It is a ball gown after all and it is a masquerade afterall. I have just a few more additions to make, like this

And possibly some flowers on the sides of the over skirt. I know I will have some in my hair. I have to manage woodland y!!

Well thats all for now. I suppose I will have some event pictures somewhere down the line.

Doublet-in-action

2009-10-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

Too bad he could hardly breathe or move. Live and learn.

Boy's Nobs, please be done already!

2009-10-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

The end is so close, I can almost taste it. It tastes like brown fabric..Whatever that may taste like.

As Folsom creeps closer I am scrambling to get things done, but some things just cant be rushed. Like profuse beading.

Anyhow, on to what the lot of you want to see; pictures.

So here is a nice shot of the whole thing from the front. It doesn't really fit Abby but you get the gist of the idea.

Back. See I spaced out the beating as much as I possibly could so a. it didn't look cramped and tacky and b. there werent masses of threads on the inside.

So I used plain off white pearls in a diamond shape following the dots on the fabric, and a small amber glass beat in the middle. The pattern all over the doublet looks fantastic. Though it was very time consuming.

And of course the sleeve caps have to have something interesting on it!

And the collar too. I added a double layer of velvet ribbon for the ruff around the neck to help it stand better and sit higher on his neck. It gives him a very dashing profile. I did only a single layer on the sleeves.

And a front view. I went back and decided to do two buttons on the collar to keep everything standing nice and straight. The sleeves are almost done but they have not been photographed yet. All that is left to do on this whole outfit is to sew the sleeve ties on the sleeves and sew the rings on the inside.

I am so glad this will be over tonight. I need to fix my own ren fiare garb, AYE!

And work on the bustle gown.

Flyin' Foxy

2009-10-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been catching this horrible cold, but while its miserable when its 60 degrees outside, it makes me low key and able to tolerate the diddly crap in sewing, like pearls and pinning and hand tacking things.

So monday night since I skipped class I did some more work and started my waterfall overskirt which by now is near completion, YAY!

It went so much better this second time around with the waterfall pleats and I love how it is hanging. The fabric also falls nicer than the cotton, which was a bit stiff. I have found that this silk with the embroidered vines is positively a dream to work with!

I could have gotten a better picture but this shows reasonably how its hanging, over my big ol bustle butt.

I shortened up the apron in the front by a good 6 inches about. You couldn't tell though now because my dress form is midget sized, god damnit. How am I supposed to hem things now?!? I never even got a chance to hem anything because the stupid crap broke before I got a chance to.

/grumble. Anyhow, the shorter length in the front I feel looks nicer in the end.

This fabric falls much better than the other fabric did, as well, the swags look so much better.

Anyhow, the whole thing is coming together in my mind very well.

Now I just need to make the fearful trek into the mask on my own, im terrified. Time to bother the people at michaels and see if any of them know wtf they are talking about.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

2009-10-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

I am so so sorry tiny wee fan base!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks, between misplacing my camera, then the camera cable, then the camera again, not even getting sewing done and the insanity of work and school I havn't even had time to BREATHE!!

But now I can. And while breathing I will update on my two time sensitive projects.

Anton's Doublet!

This is what I had as of the pictures taken (but in real like I have the skirting on the bottom sewn on too as well as the shoulder caps. )

front

back.

I did all the buttons as well, six sets of two down the front (two space, two space, two space etc etc.). The biggest problem I am having with this doublet, is trimming it! I have a velvet ribbon in dark brown and in creamy yellow, but nothing seems to work with the fabric.

So mutually Anton and I decided to just forgo the trim for now, and I get to have free leway with sewing the pearls on. Come on, hes nobility. He gets pearls. And a ruff. (which I believe I will make out of the brown velvet. )

So that is that, the construction is done, now I just need to trim it and get up to date pictures.

So for the foxy bustle gown. I was such a slow poke about the bodice. Then out of no where BAM it was one, then BAM the parlor skirt, then BAM the apron, and im tilting my head going..where did this come from? Not nothing but the parlor skirt and kind of the bodice are totally wearable yet, and I dont have pictures of the apron.

But I will give pictures of what I have so far!

Mmm silky and pretty. That silk makes that parlor skirt fall beautifully!

Sans bustle pad.

I still have to hem it and add all the decorations to it.

Bodice!

All of that beautiful trim looks much better in person, the pearls really stand out.

A little better.

If I get done ahead of schedule I think I am going to add some little jet beats and little pealrs randomly on the vines on the bodice and apron. I mean really spaced out though, just to add that wow detailed interest.

Im ahead of time anywho, strangely.

Oh yeah and my dress form broke. Now I can't raise her to my height. Cheap ass mechanism.

Keeping in check with all the fandom

2009-09-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

Humor me, I have a fan-base, right?

Sure lets go with that.

Anyhow, I am very very very sorry I have not updated in QUITE some time. It has been a combination of things. The bedbug problem is apparently still there, and my life has once again been turned upside down. It is very hard to try to sew when your entire apartment is on the doorstep so they can spray.

Which by the way they have conveniently been forgetting to do. Or 'being sick for'. They were supposed to have sprayed between 8 and noon on saturday. By ten we are wondering what is going on so we call our Landlord. Apparently Orken called to cancel the appointment at NINE. DURING THE SCHEDULED HOURS. Oh and not to mention our landlord made zero effort to contact us immediately after Orken canceled. Charming.

Another reason has been work and faires and school which is two days a week. Though here is not going to be another faire for a while. I am quickly running out of time on my two pressing projects, Anton's Elizabethan doublet and my fox gown which is only at the out fabric of the bodice peices being sewn together.

Eventually I will have pictures and what not. I am under a retarded amount of stress these days.

Casa Ren faire =NO SEWING

2009-09-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Which for once I really have no problem with, I've been tired.

So this past weekend I was at Casa de Ren Faire in Gilroy CA. I got a chance to wear my silk french cut bodice and now am going to show it off, sans sleeves as it was too damn hot.

Also; Owl.

His name was Bubby and despite the look of terror on my face he was very sweet and like to be pet and cuddled.

Better shot of the bodice and my owly.

He looks so..owl like, and i look so...flabbergasted because I very much was. I almost crapped my pants. THIS WAS A DREAM PEOPLE.

Nice view of the whole thing, cept I wish I could get a full frontal. Ha. I said full frontal.

Oh by the way this was the first thing I ever sewed in my life, though since its been adjusted but nothing major has changed. Sigh I will always have a special place in my heart for this gown.

Expect updates on the foxy gown soon.

Bows on Bustles BONANZA!

2009-09-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

The sweeny todd mock up is about finished, all I have been working on at this point are finishing touches in the forms of trims. I first started with some little black silk flowers I intended to scatter around the bodice front and back, but after sewing a few on I realized they looked incredibly like..BUGS. Which while I am going for a dark torn down look I don't really want people whacking my bosom and rear goign AUGH BUGS.

I ended up scrapping this idea and replaced it with; you guessed it: BOWS.

I love bows. I really do. I stuck some pins around the from apron of the skirt to see what I could come up with for placement, then counted how many pins I had and tied some lovely bows.

In the end I ended up shortening the front bows tails on the bodice. I spent my lunch sewing on wee little bows and I have to say I like it to much better. I love it when costumes speak to me!

I also had to tack down some pleats and bunch some things and tug and pull to finally get the tail to fall in the correct position. I also ended up putting another bow between those two yellow pins on the rump there.

Now the last but not the least thing by far is the hat! Which I will be starting on tonight considering really everything else of the dress is done. Cept dying the underskirt.

Bows!!!!

Busting out the Bustle...Gown

2009-09-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

This three day weekend was the greatest thing that could have happened to me.

I got so much work done, it is a little but ridiculous! Not only sewing wise, but I set myself up with a new sewing area at one end of the living room, so I'm not crammed into my small room or half in the kitchen half in the living room.

And then the work began on the bodice. This is going to be a long update because this is the entire gown over the course of a couple days. Still trimless and the apron is hemless but you get the idea.

First: There was the issue of resizing the pattern just a smidge considering I cut it out too small. So there are four bodice peices, technically 8. The back has a side seam so two back peices, a side back, a side, and the front. I took the side back and side and on the non basque side of the side-back I graded up a half inch. On the side peice on both edges I graded up a half inch.

This was a complete shot in the dark and it WORKED. OUT. PERFECTLY. Yay. So I then proceeded to cut out my bits and just cut off the excess around the fashion fabric and interfacing which i had painstakingly basted on when it was 6 sizes too big.

Then sewed em all together.

What I also did was hand sew bias tape over the sideback and side seams and down the back for boning. I went back and stopped the boning in the back at the waistline, else the basque back wouldnt look nearly as nice. Then it was time to get the lining on

I was a little suprised how well everything matched up, usually I have some seam matching problems.

Ooo plaid.

So I knew that I needed to have it closed fully when I wanted to do darts so I had to sew the hook and eye tape on post haste. At this point it was monday night and I needed to go to work the next day adn the hours were just slipping away so the most I could do for a finishing point was to sew the hook and eye tape on because I could not pin the edges closed since they were going to be edge to edge.

At this point I collapsed into bed excited about everything I had accomplished.

The next day, I needed to dart, so I rushed home on my lunch and began the painstaking process. It was somewhat of a pain even with the dress form. The fabric is heavy with the interfacing. But with scooby doo in the background I did perservere.

This was taken before I fixed that pulling to the side there. Sewed em up, flipped it right side too and then this is what I had.

Front

Back

Dont mind me I was demonstrating how there was still some room in the bust. Thanks Anton.

I know the plaid doesnt match up at all; that is the point its supposed to look jumbled. Sweeny Tood people!!

Now for all the finishing. Well, I'm sure the lot of you don't need any special images of me bias turning so I'll just tell you, HEY I BIAS TURNED THE ARMSCEYES AND BOTTOM.

After the darting I had to run BACK to work, and spent my first hour bias binding the bottom and armscyes and pressing like an OCD washerwoman. At that point I needed to run out for some more thread, black bias tape, and some lace I planned on tea staining (that post tomorrow or later.). I also went to michaels to pick up some black silk flowers to decorate my hat and gown with (goth I know but trust me.). Found these tiny shallow crowned straw hats for 27 CENTS A POP. So I bought three.

Got home and immediately went to town on the apron. Ok, this was A LOT harder than advertised but since it was getting late and I was getting impatient to see how it looked finished, I didn't take any pictures of the during. Here are the finished as of now shots!!

The front came out looking great, keep in mind this is unhemmed and trimmed.

This is where I started seeing problems. The side is sewn too far down to the back, and the back extends too far to the side. This is what I get for rushing.

The back part required four double box pleats, and I didnt trust myself so I made them way too shallow. For the fox gown, there is going to be tailoring of the apron ON the dress form until it looks like it should.

All in all, though I like it as is. I might go back and do some seam ripping and looseing of darts and re box pleating, but like I said I like it as is.

Very happy and very excited. Going to start on the fox version probably tonioght and tomorrow.

Cheers!

I have not died!!

2009-09-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

So, my life suddenly got very very complicated. I not only work 8 hours a day starting at 7:15 I also now have class four days out of the week until about ten. I have not had time to do ANYTHING. I have also had some terrible changes at work that have made it hard on my entire department, bedbug inspections, and a stolen bike.

So I have found a few minutes right now to shoot y'all an update about the two boxes of free fabric I scrounged!!

It was really neat, a block away from the boy's parent's house there was a yard sale with boxes and boxes and BOXES of fabric from a theater company that went out of business. All of it FREE!!! So I sifted through it all for a good half an hour, and now I am going to share the fun with you.

About a half a yard of the perfect color velveteen I need for my dickens dress. Not enough to do a lot with but I will think of something.

The perfect cream colored lace with little pearls. There is a really large amount of this and guess what: FOX BUSTLE GOWN.

maybe a quarter of a yard of this beautiful white eyelet lace that is good for something dickens y

over a yard of nice black uphostery velvet or a heavier velveteen..i dunno..its nice though.

About half a yard of nice grey wool

Nice poly silk, texture is really neat and the weight is nice. I feel some 18th c stays.

This is my FAVORITE. It is this beautiful tealy blue, only a yard and half give or take. I wish there was more!!! It is a large waled corduroy.

At least three yards of this interesting upholstery fabric. Will most likely be turned into the boy's quilted elizabethan fencing doublet.

very thinned waled corduroy in black, love love love it.

Light tan velveteen

Adorable cotton maybe a yard of it. I know this is eventually going to make some cute underwear, corset or something. If enough I would love to make a great little jacket of some sort, but probably a corset and edge some bloomers.

Random brown gaberdine yay.

Random yellow and yellow satin

Black satin

I nammed a whole bunch of this tie silk stuff, i see a steampunky vest in my future.

Lot of white linen mmm

Even more eyelet cotton!!

ANd last but not least some nice grey green wool.

Nice beef up to my stash, I have to say. Honestly I would have loved to take all of it, but that was over 20 boxes!!

Oh also I kind of threw this together,

The truly victorian late 1800s corset.

My life is insanity. I will update about the fox gown mock up as soon as I am able. Needless to say its been a bitch.

Well, Cheers!

The creation of Abigail.

2009-08-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

I. Have. A dress form.

I am so excited by this I can hardly stand it! The ease of fitting, the ease of hemming the ease of EVERYTHING.

Not so much the ease of getting her from point a to point b. Thanks to my lovely partner in crime, somehow the job got done. With lots of hilarious pictures.

So, as most of you know, Uniquely you dress forms kick ass but they dont start out as ass kicking.

They start out as demonic torpedo tits ladies. with a sock.

Much like that.

LOOK AT THEM HONKERS. If anyone has boobs that looked anything like this I may just die.

Anyhow.

Then came the fun part of spending a while ripping seams and refitting the dern thing to SKIN TIGHTITUDE.

Which ensued with much laughter and such.

Walking at this point was very hard.

But somehow I was still having fun. How can you not have fun when Miss American Duchess is around!?!? It is impossible.

So sadly, there are no pictures of the event that was stuffing Abby into this now fitted stuffed sock. Event is a light way of putting it but it did involve a pair of pliers and grunting and comparing to birthing a child.

The end result was nice and now i have something like this

It is somewhat loose down there around the thigh area because the foam does not accommodate for quad muscles and the...abnormal size of my thighs in comparison to the rest of me XDXD.

I also learned a couple of things about my body:

my back dips in CONSIDERABLY when i stood up right between my shoulder blades and again lower down. Also I naturally stand tilted to the left. This i did not realize until Lauren kept yelling at me to stand up straight when I thought I was.

FREAKY.

But anyhow I have a dress form and am happy and she us currently dressed up in my day dress.

Scared the crap out of me in the middle of the night.

Ah. So much better.

:)

I wash my hands of you, but want to spoon you tonight.

2009-08-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am speaking about my NEWLY FINISHED WEDDING CAKE CUPCAKE!

I will be the big spoon.

I dressed in quite a hurry for this quick photoshoot hot off the sewing machine after hemmed.

You get the idea of it, though.

Full view, me lookin crabby cause im hot and tired aya!!

There are lump and tugs and pulls because i hadnt stuffed my bust yet so its falling a bit flat. I should have interfaced the plaid middle but I was hasty and lazy. Haste makes waste!! But it will be ok.
(click on it for a better view.)

Shot of the side for the bows on the shoulders

Back shot, ignore that row there flipped up a little, didn't get tugged down by my photographer, bah :).

Close up of the bodice after i stuffed the bust. damn small bewbs.

Close up of the bow and broach, and an obvious view of me dressing in a haste. I didnt even make sure my collar was fully out, jees.

I am so suprised after I fixed the skirt how fast and well it went together!! Quite proud of it, i must say.

Leimomi, I owe you BIG TIME! Thank you so much for your impeccable eye for design

love tons

Cheers!

Vicpic dress, now in evil flavor!

2009-08-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Just another example of when I should listen to my gut when I KNOW I am taking a short cut and it is going to cause problems in the end. Cause it does.

So after the first tier was sewn on, it was time for the second. It was getting difficult because of the skirt base being ALREADY GATHERED because I am an idiot and started from the top and..well now that I look back on it I cannot for the life of me figure out my thought process.

So I had me one hell of a time trying to lay the already gathered skirt base flat and trying to gather and pin a straight row on a curved base.

Needless to say it was a horrible failure and it came out in a pretty squiggly sewn on line, not nice and straight. I deserved that.

So for the third row I got smart and tried to find a way to put the skirt on over my hoops and sew on the last row like that! Genius!

So I put em over a lamp. Go lamp.

So while it was up there i thought to pin and tack all the mess ups on the second row so it was at least straight..ish..

SO then it was time to sew on the third row. I had some trouble with this, gathering, trying to pin it so I thought I had a genius idea by pinning the ends to the ends of the skirt base and gathering it ONTO the skirt base so it would be straight and i didnt have to try and keep the gathers even and pin

Great idea in my head and it really did hold straight...but when i sewed it it pulled another giant squiggly line. At that point I was very tired and frustrated so I went to bed.

And in the shower yesterday morning I had an epiphany

In the end it was best to rip them all off and start over. Hey at least the most time consuming parts were already done, the sewing the squares together and the hem guards on all the squares.

So I started over and this time do it the RIGHT WAY with a rectangular skirt base.

One fourish yard rectangle of pink fabrics.

This time, I started from the BOTTOM row and went up from there

As well as using the rectangle to keep it flat and straight I pinned the holy christ out of it, and pinned em horizontally and just sewed below them so I didnt have to take them out every three seconds, and it worked out AMAZINGLY.

I now have one giant curtain. I did also gather up the waist line. I contemplated binding all the edges in the purple bias tape. While that would look really great, my time-line is fast approaching..annnnd I am really lazy. My crave for excess might beat out my sense in this matter but I guess we shall see!!

Also, for something completely different, a couple of charming pictures of my neighborhood on a beautiful august evening. I took them on my way home from college.

(please forgive the blurriness.)

Cheers!

Im losing more and more hair

2009-08-12T08:55:00.001-07:00

By RIPPPING IT OUT IN FRUSTRATION.

GAH.

Epic slackertude.

2009-08-10T08:39:00.001-07:00

So I had a whole weekend to pretty much dick around and do nothing but sew

However I really just did nothing in general. Besides get tipsy at one in the afternoon. Mmmm mimosa.

Ayhow, I did get a little done, like the first row of ruffles on the vicpic dress and the bodice finished and purchase new glasses.

I'll bore you with the dress though.

Got the sleeves with the cuffs all finished. Mostly, anyhow, I need to add a strip of the purple bias tape around the top to tie it all in, then add the bows on the shoulders and the buttons. Its closed by hook and eye tape, however.

So much fabric into such a wee little space. So the first row is all sewn into the skirt base. I put them on over my newly purchased hoops, which after putting them on I discovered desperately needed to be..readjusted lest I look like the satire fashion plates.

They are very large.

I'm hoping to get more work done today on this silly thing, like the last of the rows sewn at least together. Gathering up all of that fabric is killing me.

Bit -o- Progress.

2009-08-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Been working in small bits on the massive flounced day cupcake. My motivation comes and goes and the most in opportune times, I swear.

Anywho I spent two days and some more money on the skirt flounces which my knees hate my for. There is no comfortable position to do this process if you are a broken ~~old~~ crazy lady like me.

So this was the very long part

I took each of the panels (thats two shown there) and attached the plaid hem guard right side to the right side on the panel, then I will fold it over and hem both pieces, just like I did my Elizabethan hem guard. Just in a bigger way.

I stupidly didn't cut out the skirt pattern piece for the UNDERPART of the skirt that the flounces were attached to, so I improvised and took the skirt that when with the bodice pattern and will use that as a base, shown crumpled up here. Why I didn't take a picture of it laid out is beyond me.

Lump of skirt.

Now the tricky thing is, this under skirt is curved while the pattern underskirt was a big tube. Oh well, I will take some advice from a GENIUS and an awesome human and I will Make It Work.

So now all that is left to do is iron down all the plaid strips, baste em down and then sew all the panels together for the tiers, hem them, and gather them all to fit into the skirt. This is going to be incredibly tricky since I don't have a dress form. Will have to do this last step before the skirt is sewn up the back seam.

In other news, at the lovely fabs r us, I found my Dickens fabric!!

Lovely Olive green taffeta at dirt cheap a yard. Got the rest of it which was just over 8 yards. Not going to be NEARLY ENOUGH but I will find a way to make it work. I can always go back and get more, they did say they were going to get more...and the bodice idea is changing. Now I have to go to hancock to get the lovely velveteen that is NOT dirt cheap a yard but at least I don't need NEARLY as much of it.

Cheers!

Bouncing in time: 1850's Summer Dress, Final Edwardian shots

2009-08-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

I am experiencing polar opposite sewing projects. The two week Edwardian went together so well it was INSANITY. Something I had never had happen before.

However, this combined three simplicity pattern dress, not so hot. I keep taking two steps forward one back. Also, there is so much needed for the skirt panels I am utterly baffled. I think I have maybe HALF of what I need? Christ.

Anyhow, first up. This is what I have gotten done so far on my VicPic 1850's summer dress.

This is what I have left to sew. You can't tell but there are..oh..16+ panels in white and 30 of the strip panels that will go on each flounce. This pattern is odd in the sense it wants me to pretty much just cut a bunch of squares. No. I didnt match up the plaid. I'm a bad girl like that.

Also shown are the sleeves and cuffs.

Bodice mostly done I have to finish the front edged and put boning in and sew on the purple bias tape. So far so good. Looking very...well..Young victorian girl like. /vomit. I hate it yet I love it all at once, hahaha.

Here is the horribly mangled back. I really cannot explain to you how bonkers this pattern is. How the back is sewn is some stupid method that makes little to no sense, so I did the bed I could. Not I have all this pinching and pulling and insanity that I have to pick out and somehow hand sew down..then cover with buttons and a bow. Ha.

Now for the good stuff; the finished Edwardian in action

Good view of the GLORIOUS HAT that I am insanely proud of.

Close up of the neat belt that was almost like wearing a second corset.

I seem to really like standing with my arms folded.

Not a very detailed picture but it works.

Im actually smiling

I dont know why these pictures came out so small and blurry but ok. Neat car out front.

All photos nabbed Courtesy of Lauren Reeser! woot.

The Two-Week-Edwardian is done!

2009-07-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well, as done as it can be for maggie. There is only a minor amount of hand sewing of the lace that is left.

I'm sorry I have been a super slacker in posting anything. I will tell you why in pictures! For some reason I have documentation of this.

First.

Ikea is the devil.

This is a dresser. It took me two days to build.

By by jove I did it.

And then this happened.

That would be me. Sick as a dog. Snuggled on the couch in the middle of summer. Hello misery. Thank you Anton, for taking this lovely shot. Notice the edwardian blouse draped not so gracefully on the arm there. There was an attempt!

(side note: God my apartment is a wreck still. Stupid bedbugs.)

Anyhow, after I recovered I got back to work FURIOUSLY and tadaaaa! It is done!

Now I just need to fish my hat out of out little outside cabinet.

And re sculpt my wig very carefully.

I'm already over halfway there!

2009-07-24T08:40:00.001-07:00

It is a known fact that there is no priority over sewing with a creeping deadline. Like food or sleep.

So I have been working tirelessly on this blouse, since I need it by the first..That is devilishly close at hand!

Last night I told myself I would work on it right when I got home! By work on it right when I got home I mean take a nap. So post nap and post nomming of edibles as quickly as possible I went back to work. It was time to mount the one finished sleeve I had onto the actual body of the blouse.

But before that here are some pictures of what the sleeve looks like completed and waiting to be mounted

Side note: It is SO ODD working with a shirt that is not structured at all.

Ok now that those are out of the way It was mounting time. The sleeves are curved. Guess who didn't pay too much attention to that one. So I ended up staring at the mirror going WHY IS THIS SLEEVE SUDDENLY SO SHORT?!?

This does not compute.

So I held it up and noticed..oh...Wrong side. So that was a minor set back but I finally got the little bastard on the right side.

Sewed that bad boy on. Rinse. Repeat!

I was mondo pleased when I got to put it on finally.

Its just pinned closed right now and gathered up so i dont look like a balloon.

SLEEVES!! THEY WORKED!! that to me was the pinnacle of this garment, the big drapey sleeves. It looks a little silly right now because I don't have on the belt or the skirt.

Now all that is left is making the buttons to close this bad boy, then making the false front as shown on the picture then the belt!! Im thinking I should be done by early next week. I better be considering the picnic is a week from tomorrow!!

This bizarre monster that is slowly turning into an Edwardian Blouse

2009-07-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I started this about three days ago, but as you all know I am HORRIBLE about keeping up with pictures because I'm so busy you know..working.

So be prepared for a very long update as I took pictures of what I had done until last night, then during all the crazy shenanigans (read: frantic sewing) I was actually taking pictures of LITTLE THINGS!

Let's start from square one: The pattern. I ordered a pattern from Ageless Patterns. I had never heard of them before, but it looked like a nice blouse. I probably should have read a review or..eight. Now, the shirt itself is not really all that complicated to me, a tight fitting lining, a loose flowing outer shirt gathered in strategic places to fit to the lining.

Well, thats all well and good but I need SOME direction. Instead; this is what I got for instructions

Wat.

Yeah, that Was my reaction when I opened the envelope, frantically looking for directions. Just so you know, that is on the BACK of the drawing. A paragraph of partially misspelled 'directions.' Oh well.

So I lobbed those out the window (frantically scrambling to find them actually a bit later.) and continued on how best I saw fit. So I started with the lining. One very odd bit about this pattern is there are NO SIDE BACKS. I understand that modern dress shirts, and all shirts also dont have side backs, but being so used to making older things (early victorian, elizabethan etc.) this caught me off guard and I actually did hunt for a side back piece..but nothing. So onward I went.

Sewed it all up, darted it all up, and I had a tight fitting lining, not so tight around the bust. Its not supposed to be, pigeon breast and all and the shirt is floppy so I suspect that since the outer shirt is sewn to the lining on the front edges, it should mimic that looseness.

Now the lining is NOT loose around the waist, therefore the shirt will be tight there, but that area is not of much consequence considering there is the belt that goes around the waist. The shirt will puff out around that accordingly.

So I mentioned that there was a great need of gathering. No really, there is. it seems almost EVERY SEAM needs to be gathered to meet the lining at the places required: shoulder, neck, back, elbow to the cuff. That will come later though so lets start with whole thing laid out flat.

I wish I had laid out my lining to compare the size but just take my word for it. It's pretty friggin big. I had taken this unfortunately after I gathered up the shoulder seams but thats ok, still plenty is left un gathered, as shown by blue dots where it all will eventually need to be gathered. Don't worry those are drawn on by the computer.

That is a lot of gathering. But soldier on I did andm as I mentioned before started with the shoulder seams to gather it to fit the front peice.

So with this successfully gathered I was able to sew the shoulder seams together, and move onto gathering the back to fit the lining back (which yes, I made sure fit me.)

Start

Aaaaaand Finish. That was the beginning of my sewing the outer fabric to the lining.

Next was the gathering of the neckline so that it would fit nicely into the standing collar.

Start

Finish! As you can see at this point I've completely mounted the outer fabric to the lining around the neck and down the front. The armscye and the bottom has been left untouched.

At this point, since the majority of the BODY was done, it was time to take on the sleeves. Which..might I add, were terrifying to look at. Now, the sleeves themselves, ONE SLEEVE was bigger than the enitre blouse body sewn together and laid out. I'm not even stretching the truth there.

As you can see by my enthusiastic blue scribles, this also requires a shit ton of gathering, and a box pleat at the top there running down the sleeve. It gives a nice effect.

This took me a couple of tries to figure out how to attach it to the lining sleeve that has the cuff already attached to it. So I decided lets start from the bottom up, and I gathered all around the bottom of the sleeve from dot to dot and pinned it like there was no tomorrow to the cuff and under sleeve.

I AM A SQUIIIID ok no not really, its just the outer fabric pinned right side to right side on the lining sleeve which is tight.

I then pulled it up, pins in not sewn just to get an idea of the look

So I noticed once I accomplished this step, that the outer fabric was not only must wider, as it should be since the sleeve is baggy, but it is also much longer. I couldnt figure this out and by this point it was eleven at night and I needed to go to bed. So I folded it all up prepared to do the other sleeve tomorrow. It dawned on me this morning that the sleeve is supposed to not only be puffy but baggy too, hanging over the cuff a bit. That explains the longer. Sometimes showers cause bouts of smartness.

Anyhow, I have a long way to go, including the front placket that makes a false front to hide the buttons, making button holes for down the front to close the thing, and making the belt.

More to come tomorrow as I will be working tirelessly tonight.

And this is what the final product should end up looking like.

Lets see how close I can get. Keep your fingers crossed, this has gone together way too easy and its making me nervous.

Adding to the amount of projects with creeping deadlines

2009-07-17T10:27:00.001-07:00

Since Golden Gate Ren Faire was canceled this year, it opened up the PEERS edwardian picnic for us on August first.

Guess who didn't have any semblance of a costume and is a freak about having them?

Yeah, this chick. Thankfully, I bought some nice floaty sheer printed cotton at the antique trade show in Alameda, which will make a very nice edwardian blouse. The patterns are in the mail, and cream colored cotton and snow white lace need to be bough stat.

Here are the sketches.

Front

Back

The sheer fabric has these little orange flowers and black polka dots, so i devided to make the wait cincher i black. I might just make it out of the white lace or if i can match the orange in the flowers then that too, but for now its black.

Woot.

Votes, and personal choices have been tallied

2009-07-16T10:35:00.001-07:00

Thank you bunches to AlohaAroha for sending me voters and for helping me out! Don't apologize for giving me suggestions you silly goose! I greatly appreciate it.

So the winning verdict will be the Number 4 style, which matches the period for young unmarried girls wearing light colors, whites pastels, yadda yadda, and is the easiest because there is Never a shortage of plain white cotton. Joy.

Also easier to clean.

The new design sketch to come soon!

Time to vote because Maggie can't make up her own mind

2009-07-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

I came up with some varying ideas for this stupid day dress that I want to make but have to be super trifty with the limited fabric that I have.

I have taken into account a few peoples suggestions and formulated four ideas-

The first idea I had in my last post, and number two is the same but with a tiered skirt, white plaid then white again, with the lavender ribbon edging them all.

The third, which is kind of the opposite of the first, the white on top adn plaid on bottom, and this last one which Im thinking might tie between the second and fourth, which is mostly white with the plaid under bodice, and the two [maybe three] flounces edged in the plaid fabric almost like flounce hem guards. so really, lets all just vote on two

Number 2

Or number 4?

The secret I couldn't keep a secret

2009-07-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

In other words it is a regency gown with Egyptian esque influences for the next picnic, and for gaskells as a backup random handy ball gown.

I was at hancocks the other day and realized that I should see what I can do with the Egyptian theme. I also had been hankering for that simplicity regency pattern, so I put two and two together.

Then found this STUNNING FABRIC that screamed make me into a regency ballgown. And then though black trims. Win win win win.

Now to be attacked with pictures!

Of course I have family guy on in the back ground. This is post construction as a whole, as in buttons, sleeves finished and the ribbon. [Hemming always comes last.]

Back view!

So that was just when I had it wearable, now i've been trimming it out like nuts, shown here late last night

Just the thing on a whole, the trim detail around the bust is not done yet so that is why it looks odd.

Detail shots....

Bodice

Neckline

Under bust detail

Back

Sleeve

Things that you can't see;

The back is a little bit longer, making a tiny itty bitty train because I like things like that, and horribly done hand sewn button holes because i didnt want to make buttons and loops.

I'm also in the process of of making a sewin in petticoat, or hanging lining so that I don't have to scrounge regency under things.

It is very near to completion, then the crazy summer dress can start!

Partner in crime, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!

2009-07-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have just been informed of the accomplishments of my beautiful and forever smart and witty partner in crime. She has won a prestigious award for her fanastic American Duchess blog, by this lovely blogger.

http://mrswoffington.blogspot.com/

Congrats a million times on the success!! You well deserve it!

Not the secrets, but something else and new entirely

2009-07-13T13:37:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon ladies and gents.

Yesterday I discovered that I was invited to vic pic, a victorian picnic with a cast from Dickens Fair, called Other Books.

This means i needed a victorian summery day dress. Stat.

Enter this bad boy.

Oh yeah. It's a monster of victorian insanity. I found the fabric at the close out bin at Joanns, three yards of this intense taffeta silk. It has a white base with, and those are not the exaggeration of colors, lavender and bright blue plaid.

It is pretty epic. Since I only had three yards of the cheapy taffeta, I decided to make a split skirt. [something like this.]

If I can get away with making three tiers since the fabric is very wide then I will attempt to do that. The idea is not settled just yet, but I will work with something.

everywhere that there is white is just a plain white cotton. Include lots of lavender ribbon and I have myself a victorian daydress that looks like easter and little girls vomited on it.

I'm so excited.

there is a wind in the east

2009-07-11T17:24:00.000-07:00

Things are happening. Secrets.

Cue the heavenly angels.

2009-07-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

After what seemed like an eternity sans a sewing machine device maker thing, I now have a replacement that is MINE not one being borrowed as I have been doing pretty much since I started sewing.

(My mother was kind enough to let me borrow/give me hers. Too bad its broken.)

So here it is, the debut of the most amazing sewing machine I have ever had in my possession before.

This is my brand spanking new hasn't even been home for ten minutes Husqvarna Viking sewing machine.

It does pretty much anything on the face of the planet short of being an alarm clock and making me breakfast.

Shiiiiiiny.

Enough decorative stitches to please me. This pleases me.

Ok, im done gloating

Please don't beat me partner in crime. You are the only other person on this planet who is allowed to even touch it.

And because I was just called 'an ungrateful little shit' I have to point out that Anton just purchased this for me, for a ridiculous amount of money, but I am paying him back of course.

He doesnt like me THAT much.

Cheers!!

M.W.

One thing gained, another lost

2009-06-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

So I got my fabric in today.

Not much good that is going to do me because I no longer have a sewing machine to sew anything with. I was borrowing so I guess eventually I had to give it back.

LAME.

So here at least are pictures of me burrowing in my six and a half yards of beautiful taffeta. ZOMG.

Its kind of pinkish in certain lights but back to the beautiful cinnamon in others

The lovely vine pattern oh it adds SO MUCH!

Joy is wallowing in brand new fabric.

Its now sitting in the trunk of my room mates car until the bedbugs have been done away with.

Hey look color!

2009-06-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

My partner in crime is pretty much the most awesome human in the world and showed me how to use this painting program I've been using for years incorrectly.

Tada! The color scheme (roughly) for the bustle dress. Change fringe to tassels or lace. Fringe might drive me insane.

Wrangling Wigs

2009-06-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

I have finally migrated over to the dark (insane) side of wigs wigs wigs!

Since I recently chopped off what locks I had;

(NO HAIRS.)

it was then time to delve into the world of wigs if I wanted to correctly keep costuming. After looking at Lauren's [http://americanduchess.blogspot.com/] wig of great enormity I thought to myself well hey wigs aren't so bad!

...HAHAHAHAHAHAH I am obviously off my rocker. Maybe it was just the cheap ass [read: 28 dollars] wig that I purchased and received in an ENVELOPE. Maybe it is the fact I have no idea how to style hair, not even my own unless it involves the mass being shoved into a metric shit-ton of bobby pins.

Maybe it is just the fact that I need my partner in crime to help me wrangle.

Here is the scoop:

When I got it the wig was shoved into an envelope and pretty much flat. That was fun. Had to do some fluffling. Then I put the mass of shoulder length sausage ringlets on and went OH JESUS CHRIST I LOOK LIKE PREDATOR. No, really. I did.

Side note: This was tuesday night, before I had my wigblock.

I grabbed the mass of bobby pins I could find and made an attempt to wrestle the thing into some semblance of victorian grace and beauty.

Note: Attempt.

This is what I came out with on Tuesday night.

The 'bangs' that the wig had were some half hearted little scrap curls, so I just pulled them back into a little twist. The curls are really...fake looking. About that later.

For some reason, this side always looked better, more natural. Im not really sure WHY.

I look like Little bo peep.

So that was all Tuesday night. Yesterday I braved the bus and almost getting hit by a car a couple of times to go to the costume shop to get mself a wig block. [worth it.] After I got home i plopped my butt down and was determined to crank something out! So I started to experiment with up dos, half up dos, and whatever else I could think of. Sadly I didn't get enough pictures because during this I was recharging my camera batteries, little buggers.

The wig was made in such a way that made it nigh to impossible to pull the mass back from the forhead like a proper late 1800s updo. I tried to pull the bangs back to see what that would do.

Not so great, in practice. Theory, yes, reality, no.

So I took all that down and shook it out some more.

Then I noticed something; some of the curls were getting looser because of being twisted the other way.

IT. LOOKED. GREAT!!! So then i grabbed the head o-hair and proceeded in turning all the curls the wrong way to loosen them up and make them look less like dreds, because that was just terrible.

End result:

It looks much more natural and less sausage like. I also attempted to get some volume at the top because it was pretty much flat.

All in all I understand now that this is going to be quite a projet and a half. There will be many more attempts and now that I have my camera cable, more pictures of every step of the way.

M.W.

Revealed! The mass Masquerade Ball Project!

2009-06-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Finally, I will reveal my idea and my final sketches for the Fox themed Halloween bustle ball gown!!

It has taken me forever to draw anything suitable, but here we are.

The bodice and overskirt are going to be in this fantastic fabric that I found on Fabric.com

The bottom ruffle is going to be in a black silk to match the black gloves I plan to wear.

Around the bottom of the overskirt, and around the top of the bodice I plan on using a very short cream colored fringe to give not only the look but feel of a fox, but to keep it sleek so as short as i can find it. I also plan on finding some very nice antiquey looking lace appliques to go down the front, and a heavier flat lace to go on top of the fringe around the over skirt.
The grand parlor skirt will be in a cream silk, most likely another taffeta.

Hooray Trulyvictorian.com for providing these patterns.

I plan to finally start this gown in July. Many updated to come!

The successful 'Pulling a Pimpernel'

2009-06-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

So, Lauren and I have this saying now, coined by her called 'Pulling a Pimpernel.'
If anyone remembers from my very first post the small anecdote about the 18th century gown for the Scarlet Pimpernel PEERS ball. I made the very random and strange mistake of last minute [the night BEFORE] cutting up what I had to remake it into a different gown, because someone made mention that my gown wasnt clear on the period. This made Maggie have a little bit of a freak out, as back then I was OBSESSED at always being period correct. It was hard back then because I knew nothing of 18th century gowns.

So, this is what the gown started as;

It was very nice and simple, and it fit great. The hoops not so much, though. [See thats me being ignorant.]

It was fine the way it was, but well I didn't like it, so I cut it up to turn it into this.
Read; THE NIGHT BEFORE.

This is what made Lauren and everyone else realize that I am apparently not right in the head. The gown was great in theory, but it was HARDLY wearable or functional. I was sewn into it.
[That is a horrible thing for me.]

So, because of the frantic last minute changes, and somehow barely pulling it off, it became known that changing drastically your costume for an event the night before Pulling a Pimpernell.

As you know, There was the first Le Society de Pique Nique today and I had been planning the Polonaise, which took two different routes. The first one was a horrible disaster, and I hadn't been updating with the second, shame shame on me. I will tell you why, though. It has ALSO been a huge disaster.

Because it was too small last time, when I cut the pattern peices out this time, I scaled but about a half inch, give or take. This was a very bad idea, because of my bust. I thought that taking in the darts would make this gown fit like a glove. It didn't fix the neckline and bust, unfortunately which is always my problem. So it ended up being alot of top stitching and fraying.

The bust still ended up fitting horribly after I rearranged some seams, trimed into a better shape, then stitched. I apparently have not discovered the art of top stitching.
The back, as Usual, turned out fantastic, though.

Another problem I had, which I usually have a problem with are sleeves. I unforutnately lost the top part of my Polonaise sleeve so made the very bizarre and abrupt choice to grab a basic sleeve: from my Margo Anderson ladies wardrobe pattern. Fail. They fit a little strange, and dont fit into into the armscye very well.

This is one of those times where a costume did NOT want to be made. Any costumer knows really how that feels. It really has fought me every step of the way. So I didn't make it. It is sitting in my closet being depressed.

So this is where it all ties in; I pulled a pimpernell Saturday, with the ideas brewing Friday night. I had no idea what to do, but that I was going to throw something together with my already made, half finished parlor skirt. I thought I could make a bodice using the top of the polonaise, toyed with draping something, even thought of changing the fabric, or shopping up the polonaise, but that was stupid as the TOP was what was not working for me.

Then while digging through my patterns, I had a GENIUS epiphany. I have vests. Many many vest patterns, of varyin styles. Vests are sort of period! So I picked a nice and feminine shawl collar, and harrassed Lauren for swiss wasit help, and threw together in less than 24 hours my new picnic outfit, including the ruffle on the parlor skirt.

I have no pictures of it in process, because I was working insanely fast. Oh yeah, I also managed to make two hats the morning of the event; i.e. this morning. I also was sewing on the snaps for the vest IN THE CAR ON THE WAY THERE.

So here is the finised product, all courtesy of Lauren who took these, and whos facebook I jacked them off of.

Tada! The not really period correct somwhere between edwardian and bustle look. I think that I can take the bustle out and it will very much pass for edwardian.

These pictures were taken with the inspiration from a picture Lauren and I found on Shorpy.com I also love Lauren's seeming skinny legs compared to the hair/hat size haha

There was a lovely beach area, not ocean but it was a nice river beach none the less. With alot of goose poop.

Close up of the new vest and the swiss waist as well as my hat. I kind of wish I had had a wig for this outfit, as I just chopped off my hair yesterday, but it was still ok. Everything fit so well! I can't even believe this. The success of this Pimpernel was multitudes better than the last, as it is wearable another time, and I was not sewn into it!

I think my bustle pad was a little too overstuffed, the right shape, but a little too stuffed so it made a bit too sharp of a bum.

Enough to put a cup on. And stay. Thats a sign.

And of course there was ice cream.

There are a few more things that need to be done, add closures on the skirt since it was closed with saftey pins, heh, and fix up the armscye and the collar, maybe add a couple of buttons.

Little things like that, and of course and overkirt so I can switch between edwardian and bustle.

One very successful picnic!!

M.W.

The finished Elizabethan Nobles!!!

2009-06-08T19:47:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of the finished EVERYTHING of my newest elizabethan nobles from Tahoe faire.

Back view one. Our juggler friends were juggling around us. I was scared.

Front view of said incident.

First putting EVERYTHING on.

With fur partlet that kept me VERY warm

Up close of the partlet.

Good back view.

All photos courtesy of Lauren Reeser partner in crimes!!

The one day fur partlet.

2009-06-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

I'm going backwards and posting the finished pictures before i post the starting pictures.

Let me tell you something about cutting up old fur jackets. It makes the biggest mess you could even imagine. But more on that later, Like I said I'm going backwards.

So this is what an old rabbit fur jacket somehow turned into.

It still needs some adjustments, some trim, a broach, then it should be golden.

Im the pimp of the elizabethan world. As it is puffy.

Progress on Polonaise Squared

2009-05-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

So in between stressful bouts of finishing faire stuff for next weekend, when I am burnt out of anything that starts with an E, and ends with bethan I've migrated onto the New polonaise.

It's actually going quite well.

I've sewn the lining to the outer fabric, as it doesnt need to be interlined It's heavy fabric. Instead of flat lining and doing facing, i just did it like I normally do, sew all the out then all the fabric and sandwich them together!

Nice view of the lining. I made it much larger this time, and brought everything nice and tight with the darts instead of the side seams. Im going to need to take the bust area up a little bit, unfortunately.

And a view of the back.

M.W.

The new polonaise can finally be under way-s.

2009-05-27T07:51:00.001-07:00

After much nail biting and anticipation and excitement, my new polonaise fabric arrived from Fabrics.com yesterday.

And it is more glorious in person that I could ever have hoped for! Its a very interesting feeling fabric! I discovered just how interesting after rolling around in it;

Georgia smells good?

Up close of the fabric, the texture is so nifty around the flowers. I don't know if its period for the Polonaise, but if you want me to be honest I DON'T CARE. this isnt going to be worn for super stuffy costume people, its for the picnic and any victorian dance that comes up : ). Also it looks beautiful.

Its even more gold than I thought it was, its so beautiful and I AM SO EXCITED to dig into it tonight. Even for my lunch!!

Try two!

M.W.

Underthings and Hats!

2009-05-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Quick picture post on some of the things Ive been working on.

The Italian Bonnet/Soft cap

This was super fun to make, For some reason I seem to love making hats!! Especially when they turn out so exciting!

I also made a corset from the Alter Years easy elizabethan corset pattern. It was...Interesting. Here now is the end to my first dickens gown.

The pattern called for all vertical boning, which seemed strange to me. Also look at how shallow that point is..right? Random.

I did put it on though, and it was suprisingly comfortable! It also gives the right shape I need and support.

Very exciting, now i have a nice sturdy base.

THE END.

M.W.

The Elizabethan shirt done, with the upgraded doublet.

2009-05-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

Quick update on pictures of my finished elizabethan shirt worn under my most recent ren outfit, sans sleeves [they still need work, as always.]

-Warning-
Bad pictures.

The flash is a bitch but at least its not blurry and you can kind of see sleeve and collar detail. Hooray pearls.

No flash but blurry as a mother.

Le sigh.

Anyhow, once I get everything done, hat sleeves hemmed overskirt all that jazz, I will make my room mate take real pictures.

M.W.

There is SUNSHINE!!

2009-05-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Ok so after the depressing last update I have some fantastic news for you lot!

I have found on accident my new Polonaise fabric. Serendipitous, right? Har.

Ahhh isnt that lovely??

Reminds me of my inspiration polonaise.

Victorian Death-March

2009-05-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Last night I attempted to fix the little issues I was having with my polonaise, i.e. it being too small. I let out the side seams considerably, and attempted to repair the darts.

I put it back on to discover two heart wrenching facts.
1. It was still way too small and uncomfortable, and therefore causing horrible wrinkles in the front
2. The darts immediately started pulling out again no matter what I did.

Sadly, what this turned out to be was a very expensive mock-up. At least the fabric was only 8 dollars a yard.

Needless to say I'm really not that bummed, but it does suck. I was a fan of the stripes, but it just didn't seem to hold up to the strain.

Im thinking maybe a heavier weight of a bright sunshiney color. Yellow?? More stripes?? I guess we shall see when it comes to a fun hunt at Fabs r us this weekend.

Dun dun dun dun dunuh dun dun dun dun
[death march song, if you were wondering.]

M.W.

Elizabethan Shirt ; Blackwork is fun for the family

2009-05-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

I totally slacked on getting any other posts about this, like starting from square one but I don't think its terribly interesting. Here I will give you a run through

2 squares same size, two smaller square that are the same size. Neck hole, gussets and fun. Ok I'm terrible I know, read the tudor tailor!!

This is about the exciting part, BLACK WORK! I'm finding it relaxing, much like my caul but at the same time a big complicated on little areas like collars and cuffs, but the end result is quite nice.

Honestly, I would have loved to do machine blackwork but I found out that my machine..doesn't do all of the stitches it advertises, that hunk of crap. So hand it is, cept for the box pleat which is a simple vine stitch from the machine.

Good view of the back of the collar. I interfaced it with that evil stuff since I didnt need to worry about pressing any seams. Its very call and stiff, and looks fantastic since i have a giraffe neck.

Cuffs before box pleat has been sewn into them. I made them relatively short for this shirt.

This is a really bad angle that makes it look REALLY BIG. well, it kind of is, the shoulder seams are very low, but im thinking once i get the cuffs sewn on and when its on under a doublet or dress it doesnt look bad.

Quick update for now, I will update when I have more pictures of it. Putting the polonaise down for a while and going back to elizabethan. Tahoe is creeping around the corner!!

M.W.

Better photos of the polonaise and Maggie looking like a doosh.

2009-05-11T08:08:00.001-07:00

Thank you to My partner in crime I have some real pictures of the polonaise, and it shows better all the serious issues its having, which can be fixed thankfully.

Yes, I am going to have a hat reasonably similar but bigger, shorter crown, and crazy decorations.

Im not 100 percent sure whats going on with my bustle in the back why its pulling, but i DO know that there is an epic parlor skirt structure fail.

Yes this picture was entirely needed here.

: D.

M.W.

I am a machine.

2009-05-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Whelp, here it is ladies and gentlemen, the underskirt, and polonaise are done to be wearable. there is still no trim and I have no petticoats but by golly I would wear this out tomorrow. These were taken before I had the boning in the bodice at all, down the front or the sides, so it looks a little off, I realize. I also need a better bustle pad. But it looks good!

I should have put my hat on.

Warning, bombardment of pictures ahead.

Only decent front view I could get. There is horrible pulling because I didnt have the boning in there anywhere yet.

Side and back view. Now I need trim, and to hem the underskirt. I have to figure out WHY it falls so horribly flat. Do I need corded petticoats AND another petticoat with a train?
[Also, the bustling took a little to figure out how to gather it up with the tapes, but after some futzing with pins, it all came together.]

Tips would be greatly appreciated.

Sleebes and skirts.

2009-05-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, So, I had this whole fucking funny shpeal about stuffing my face and what have you, then my computer crashed and all of this information got lost. So you all missed out because windows is sometimes a huge fucknut.
On to what actually matters.

I've obviously been working tirelessly on my Polonaise for the past three ish days and suprising myself with the mass amounts of work i have gotten done in such a short span of time. Last night it was sleeve time. I cut everything out, my fashion fabric and my lining, then sat back on my heels with an idea.
I partially got the idea from Kendra at http://www.demodecouture.com/ and her 1860's summer day gown, diary parts here http://demodecouture.com/projects/meg/. [I'm not a lurker, I swear.] Anyhow, I decided to rebel against the norm and made the sleeves out of the same light airy muslin that I am making the underskirt. It is supposed to be a summer day gown afterall, so why not make it light.

I realize there is that little pulling issue on the left sleeve, all it is is a little pleat that got caught in the shoulder seam, nothing bad.

Another thing about this sleeve pattern was it is a pleated bell sleeve. Tahts all fine and dandy, but this had you pleat it OUT which I think looked silly and a little messy, so I did the opposite. I like to rebel, what can I say? So instead I made a nice little box pleat that seemed to make sense to me.

It looks very nice with it on, and at the top all I need to do is smack a nice little striped fabric bow with cute tails, and then it ties it all in. [Especially with the white muslin bow that will be in the back.] I also plan on doing a little embroidery in that space of the pleat. I have issues.

The thing with this fabric, as most of you already know is that it's mostly sheer, and raw seams look bad. So Partner in crime lady taught me how to do finished seams, and I have been slaving over them on both my sleeves and my underskirt. MURDERRRR. It isn't as bad as I had first thought; however.

I also belive Ive burnt off all my fingers pads. Oh well, now I should go rob a store!

And now for something completely unrelated, I have an itch to make an 18th century gown based off of these new shoes my room mate bought for me.

Win.

M.W.

Hold onto your hats, Im doing the unthinkable!!

2009-05-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

TWO UPDATES IN A DAY!? WHAAAT?!

I'm just that cool. I've been working my ass off and have a nice large chunk of the polonaise done. Like the shell entirely. I know, right?! Win. Like Lauren put it, I really do churn out gowns like ford motors. Woo.

Anyhow. Here are some pictures that I will explain under each one.

Its a monsterrrr!! No not really, it is just the back with the fronts sewn on at the shoulder. Fun part that was, trying to work with all of that flapping and flailing fabric.

This was an interesting pattern as ever open edge just called for a facing, which in most respects I kind of liked. so Here is around the neckline. Things are a little tight with this gown, but corseted I could seem to squeeze mah body in there. Thats how it said its supposed to be I guess!
Look at those pretty pressed seams. Oh irons.

Inside of the facing.

A nice clean hem on the front sides, i did a double hem where I folded it over then over again, this fabric is thin and likes to shred a little.

Please excuse the room mate in his underwear. I made him hold this. It's not going to be that little around the middle, i promise you that. I had it pinned closed. In truth its going to be edge to edge hook and eye cause its awfully tight as it is..ha.

I dont have editing software, IM SORRY FOR THE UNDERWEAR SHOT.
Back shot. I have to bustle the back tomorrow when I do the sleeves.

Back up close. Id say it looks rather smashing, the stripes and all.

M.w.

Everything is going so well!

2009-05-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

After the fiasco with the fusible interfacing and the warping and Maggie wanting to die a little on the inside, I tried again.

Got some thinner stuff, threw that on, then put a layer of canvas under that, then proceeded to do the EXACT SAME STEPS as before, in a frustrated manner.

It came out FANTASTIC. SO. FANTASTIC. Maggie is Happy. Very happy.

It might look wrinkly, but that is because I took these on my lunch and pretty much threw it on the ground and snapped some super hasty photos.

After that all worked out I proceeded to the fun part of the skirt back, where with simple little quirks, its magically started to take on a bustly form!

Some pleats on the sides and some on the back equals bustly beginning goodness!

No that is not a fish or mermaid on my floor, that is the back of a Polonaise! If you are not excited you should be. I also had a fun time working with twill tape. It was a wide hunk of fabric that needed to end up being a small hunk of fabric and we all know how exciting that can be.

You can't really see the pleats..but I tried. Now I have to get home and press some things.

Great success!! Now I jynxed it and ruined the whole gown. One of these days, I need to start on the parlor skirt or I am going to look funny.

M.W.

Inspiration, my desktop

2009-05-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

Keep on Keep on, I will finish this project.

It is not all bad. It will turn out fantastic. Motivation!! Here is the picture that inspired me to do this, and keep with this.

Wish I knew who to credit!

Polonaise Progress and Predicament.

2009-05-05T07:41:00.000-07:00

Ha. Alliteration.

Anyway. So I have been working a bit on my Polonaise lately, starting with the fusible interfacing. I'll talk more bout that shortly.

Now, this pattern is a Truly Victorian pattern and for the most part I love it! However, I have a feeling this pattern is not LINED! In other words, it does not have lining instructions, just interlining, i.e. canvas. So after fusible interfacing, I chose to flat line all the pieces. Not the nicest looking thing on the insides but the way the instructions were laid out I couldn't do the normal method..and still follow the instructions.

I found a use for all that gingham afterall.

Which actually this fabric was kind of a pain to work with on the outer fabric. It was super slippery and made me want to tear my hear out a bit.

It was a little time consuming but then went on to begin the fun part of sewing it all together. In the pattern it asks for 1/2 inch seams but I cheated and went a little bigger about 5/8ths since I am kind of in between the sizes. And didn't pay close attention and found out that all the seams were supposed to be 1/2 inch. WHOOPS.

So I sewed all the back parts together like it asked, clipped then went to press my seams and that is when everything EXPLODED. My fusible interfacing WARPED like it was nobody's business and now the back three parts of my polonaise look a little...pathetic.

As you can see it is wrinkled beyond oblivion. I was absolutely heartbroken. After these were taken I was able to flatten everything about a little bit more with some gentle tugging some water and some pleading and coaxing, but its still...sad. I decided that since I wanted a bow in the back like so;

But perhaps maybe not as LONG as that one, and more to the sides but a big bow none the less made out of the white muslin with some quick fun little embroidery on the tails. A. it hides the fuck up and B. I wanted it anyway because its nifty looking. Also I really like that yellow gown...>_>.

Really at this point the trial is going to be how to press my seams without causing more of that warping and wrinkling. Next time I use the stuff if I do again it will be thinner and out of a package not by the yard.

M.W.

About fusible interfacing;

2009-05-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

Unless you don't ever, in your life, need to press a seam I don't suggest using fusible interfacing. Ever.

Just a thought.

Pictures with a better explanation tomorrow.

M.W.

A quick blurb to update on what to expect

2009-05-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

Short update;

In the next couple of days along with the progress on the polonaise which is coming along rather nicely, the finished doublet and the ren shirts there is going to be an entry of sketches of the next three ish gowns to come and some information on them. I have just finished compiling my list of the gowns to be made most of which already have the fabric.

Cheers!

The doublet is FINISHED. Well for the most part.

2009-04-30T12:24:00.001-07:00

The only good thing that ever came out of having food poisoning was masses of hours bedridden to do the last of the hand sewing. Needless to say my doublet construction wise is finished. I know that somewhere down the road there is going to be various beading because I have issues.

Anyhow, without further ado; here is the cursed thing.

Lots of trim, lots of tabs, and a lot of blood sweat and tears, let me tell you. I want to beat it!! But after looking at these pictures I do see how lovely it is. And with the skirts oh it is fantastic. Oh wait!!

There tis!! Even wearing my Chemise underneath because I rock like that. The sleeves are not shown in this picture because I'm not done with those buggers..they are eating trim. I need more. Again. [I know its insanity.]

Regardless, the whole ensemble looks halfway decent if I say so myself. Really. I do love it. Like the red headed step child it is. With all of its strange fit issues and beting into submission. I need to adjust my reds and blues, then I will have three gowns! Hooray.

Here, I will indulge all of you and let you observe my sleeves in their un done state.

Yes I noticed that the right sleeve top is longer than the left. Dont worry, I fixed that post this picture being taken. I'm placing the collar trim around the top and bottom of the upper sleeves...I just ran out after the first sleeve. So, I have tube sleeves in a whol new manner. Thank you Italians!

Now for something that hasn't really been shown; My regency gown! These were taken by the lovely Lauren and our friend Paul Garber at the last Gaskells event.

That beautiful striped cupcake next to me happens to in fact be my partner in crime, the lovely Lauren

All of the credit goes to miss Lauren for making the dress, I just threw some trim onto it and some flowers.

And despite contrary beliefe, I did not pose for this. After assisting a couple of ladies in unlacing corsets and bodices and dancing my feet off and a bit of champagne, I was done for! I collapsed right there in the dressing room.

One of these days I am actually going to start on my Polonaise. So far the only thing I have done is cut out the pattern peices. I havnt even touched the fabric yet, Aya.

M.W.

Polonaise!!

2009-04-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Finally, what the masses [and by masses I mean six people] have been waiting for! The glorious Polonaise summer gown for the events that le Partner-in-crime and I [mostly her] are putting on!

I bought the patterns recently from Truly Victorian and I just have to say a; omagaw these are amazing and huge and confusing patterns and b; CITED. Please, do yourself a costuming favor and go to trulyvictorian.com you will be glad that you did. So. Here is the concept.

[Yes I used the drawing off the front of the pattern as a reference because im lazy.]

Click on the image for a larger and more detailed shot. I didn't completely color in both of them because doing the stripes was a pain in my ass. Also, the stripes are ALL of the blue fabric, not just the bodice. Again, too lazy. Here is the ACTUAL fabric.

I love. This. Fabric. Its a light silky like material..not really sure what it is. This is what the majority of the polonaise is going to be made out of. The underskirt I used a grand parlor skirt which is full in the back and has a demi train with an 8" sweep in the back. It looks fantastic and flowy with a polonaise and gives everything a grand look. The back of the sleeves where the bow is is going to have a panel of white muslin, to match the underskirt. I chose muslin knowing that it was a light sheer fabric because I thought the flowy look would make a fantastic summer effect.

For trims I'm going with a darker blue than the fabric and gold tassel idea around the bottom of the polonaise and perhaps around the sleeves, but Im afraid it might just be too heavy. If not that, then I know I want to do a pale yellow pleated ribbon trim around almost every seam, neckline sleeves, down the front of the polonaise, perhaps even on the back. Where something flat is required I'm going to be using a flat pale yellow ribbon. The buttons will probably be white. And I know there is going to be lace somewhere. And probably a fat ass bow at the back right above the tails of the bodice.

I also have this fantastic hat that I need to lower the crown on and decorate with masses of bows ribbons ostrich plumes and BIRDS. Because I am insane. I plan on starting this dress in the immediate future as I have everything but fusible interfacting waiting for me. Walmart trip this weekend!!!

M.W.

How is the doublet coming along, you wonder?

2009-04-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

Right along, you might say. Sometimes I suprise myself with what I can accomplish after an extended amount of time of frustrated beating of fabrics and shapes. Yeah..it was ridiculous. and I actually was about to give up.

But I plowed on and changed my sleeve styles drastically. Instead of the tubes I made the top part paneled with green and rust striped, with trims running down to cover the seams, I love covering seams with trim.

I also bought a second kind of trim because the green fabric hides my first kind of trim sort of blended in.

It is not a good picture because my camera sucks. its a pail green with yellowish gold squares and loops. It doesn't match exactly, but it works.

So to tie it into the sleeves its going to be used on, I placed it to cover the seams on the collar facing.

Since all of the additions and extra seams, the collar has become stiffer and looks much better than it did before, less floppy and such.

I don't really have a dress form, so I decided to put what I have made on myself to see what it looks like, then take a myspace esque picture. I have to say I am very proud of whats gone on.

I know sometime down the line before I debut this dress there is going to be some beading. I'm even contemplating some slashing up near the top on the green panels because its tight enough to do some puffing of the shirt i end up wearing underneath. And I love beading.

On another note, some random pictures;

I wore one of L. R's ren dresses to work for 'Decades Day' [I work at a middle school.]

It was kind of exciting. I also got pictures of the caul I have been slaving over and embroidering. Its all finished! Hooray!! Meet what makes Lady Margaret Merryfox, Lady Margaret Merryfox.

I got my pattern for my polonaise, and the fabric and the hat. Thoooose are for a different post. Yes; you must wait in anticipation with baited breath. Ha!
Suffer.

No, I did not fall off the face of the earth. Progress on the doublet!

2009-04-14T07:35:00.000-07:00

I am in so much trouble right now. But look! I'm updating! Huazzah!
It was just a mixture of crazy times, and losing first my laptop charger and losing my camera cable, then being busy planning my move. I also haven't been sewing nearly as much. But that is neither here nor there!

I had some issues with the piping, so I pretty much scrapped the idea. It was a little too big so I couldn't catch it under the zipper foot without it pushing out, so when I would turn the fabric I had the canvas attached to the upholstery cord showing, and it looked terribly. I'm a little bummed out about it but there is nothing to do. I will just have to trim the shit out of it. I considered self piping, but I don't fee' that I am up to the challenge for this doublet, as it has already been the bane of my existence.

At least I had the mind to machine sew all of the trim on, front and back. Though it was kind of a pain, I got stabbed a lot, therefore getting angry a lot.

I had a little trouble with the collar, as well. Collars and I really don't get alone, it seems. I can't get it right, my doublet collar and now this one =/. So now I have to wear it open at all times because its just too big; tall ways and every ways, unfortunately. It isn't a big deal, honestly as I can just make a facing for it. I will be much cooler but I wont really have the nice doublet look. I also have to whip stitch the lining down as it sticks out of the front. Or make a small facing all the way down. Sleeves come first, though as the facing will be the green fabric.

I also decided to mix it up a little with the back and not do the exact same amount of lines. It gives it a nifty little asymmetrical look that I am strangely fond of. I'm going to put a line of trim around the bottom to separate the tabs and probably to hide the length of bias tape that the tabs will be sewn onto. [Cheater].

That is another thing, I seriously ran out of fabric for tabs. I'm going to have to do small tabs, i.e. short tabs around the waist, and make some sort of tab treatment out of the trim which means buying more but it was seriously a dollar a yard. Win. I ended up sticking with a sleeve style that is very italian in style;

Im familiar enough with this sleeve style to make them quickly and well they aren't what I would call difficult. Just a couple of tubes. I used them when I refurbished my first gown, and decided since I have to retire that gown, I might as well add them to this gown. I'm thinking of trimming them out very nicely to take away from the fact that they are so...dull.
[No I did not make that dress, I googled it.]

The thing about when I made these, however, is the fact that I was seriously scrapping for fabric, and had to had a seam down the sides. It isn't very clean looking, but it is what it is. Also, they are very tight around the shoulder, so they have to be a bit off the shoulder with chemise poking through. I suppose it could be worse!

The other day I was with my room mate at the fabric store hunting for fabric for this hat I'm making him...that is frustrating me to no end but that is neither here nor there...and found this two and some-odd yard remnant sitting next to the register;

I think its a jacquard but I could be wrong. Feels like it, anyway. The picture isn't a very good one as the light is off but the fabric is this beautiful pale yellow gold shot with a blueish green design down the outside of the strips. I'm smitten, and part of me wants to make another renn bodice, doublet or maybe a square neck as I had to retire my square neck. Maybe a middle class doublet? Upper middle class? I don't even know if it is ren period, thoughts?

Stay tuned for the poloniase!

M.W.

The finished steampunk project and the beginning of the doublet.

2009-04-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

So it is finally done and the event is finally over and let me tell you I AM SO TIRED.
Anyhow, here are a few pictures, I'm sure I will update more pictures when the others come rolling in.

Thank you to my beautiful partner in crime who took these amazing photos and who's pants and shirt I jacked, haha.

So now for the doublet.

I had to use the dress form at Lauren's to pin the trim in the chevron pattern, unfortunately I had to take it all off again, sigh.

I will have the other pictures up with the details and one side sewn on, hurray. Sloooow progress, as I am lazy.

Super short update!!

Elizabethan gown 3

2009-03-30T13:41:00.000-07:00

I cheated, and started on this dress before I started the concept art and then posted the concept art into here. But since there are no pictures taken, and I can only get so far without having everything [piping, trim buttons yadda] then I can show what I have. Which is the concept art.

Because I have been doing nothing with my day here at work, since the kids are on spring break. That isn't true, I hunted down some apartments too. Woo.
Anyhow. I am delving into another doublet style bodice this one not as retarded as the simplicity one. Seriously. That was really strange. Here is the concept art for one way I am going to wear it.

Resizing this was apparently a very bad idea. I forgot blogger resized things. Oh well. Anyhow. Here is the second style, then I will go into depth on fabrics.

Just added an over skirt. But it makes it look like a whole new dress!

Doublet and overskirt - Both are going to be made out of a deep russet colored upholstery velvet that is very heavy but absolutely stunning. So far it has been easy to work with, just somewhat heavy. The thing about the russet over skirt is that has to be worn either with small hoops or a quilted and corded petticoat to give it more of an a-line shape.

Sleeves and Underskirt/Hoopless skirt - These are going to be made out of a beautiful damask olive green with gold details, [not very well portrayed in the art]. Its much lighter and a dream to work with, not to mention beautiful with the drape. The under skirt is finished right now, and I just have to make the sleeves. I am a thrifty worker.

Trims and Piping - The bodice is going to be piped with a green upholstery piping, thin as i can find it (you know, that braided cord stuff that looks nifty.).The tabs will also be piped with it, on the shoulders and at the waist. I plan on going a double row of tabs at the waist, but depending on patience, time, and fabric it might just be one. The sleeves can be either one row of tabs, or tabs stuffed with a gold shoulder roll, or green if i have enough after the sleeves. The sleeves on the other hand, will be piped with a gold piping to offset the gold in the green fabric. The trim is going to be a gold silk braid running in chevron strips down the bodice, front and back. The sleeves will not be trimmed more than the piping as they are already busy. The outer skirt will have a single or double row of trim down the front, with possibly some beading.

The cool thing about this dress is that it can be worn to look high noble or upper class lower noble, or traveling clothes. Without the overskirt I will just have a couple of petticoats, one set corded the other just plain by themselves. The russet skirt WEIGHS A TON, the thing is heavy as hell, threeish yards of tiny pleats, it all adds up. So during most of the faires, I will be wearing just the green skirt, and during a couple cooler faires I will wear the over skirt.

Accessories will include an italian bonnet and flat cap, too bad I cant draw those.
Also, in the first picture, it is shown with frog closures, but I am thinking of not doing frogs, and sticking with just some pretty pearl or gold buttons, false front of course, as it will close with hooks and eyes.

Pictures of the progress so far will come soon.

The taco.

2009-03-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

I've finally done it, I've tackled my first victorian hat. I made it so fast, I didn't really have time to think, oh my god im making one of the most intricate and decorated hats in history; A late 1800s 'taco hat' because I dont know the real name for it. It was actually incredibly easy!! The only thing I has problems with was figuring out how to decorate it, but the wise words of my partner in crime and mentor: let the hat decorate itself. Oh and it did, and I'm still not done.

So this is what I started with; a plain circle of needlepoint plastic, with some give to it, not hard. I then wrapped and whip stitched the hell out of some copper wire around the edges so that i could mold it into a specific shape.

Then I had the fun and kind of painful job of sewing the outer fabric and inner fabric overlapping one another. This was just the inside fabric.

Then came the fun part of deciding what shape. In this case, a taco seemed fitting, as I found many examples and they looked very nice, with an organized chaos of stuffings, feathers, birds, beads, flowers, anything you can think of.

With this hat I had to sew these lines in the front and back corner to hold the taco shape a little better, as it wasnt as tight as I wanted, and I couldnt keep it that way unless I had the stitches. After that was all in order, I began trimming it out. I decided to use the same braid hat is all over my jacket and was suprised I had just enough to go all the way around. After that was sewn on, I scrounged up some lace from my dickens dress bought originally for my blue and gold gown. Its amazing how things can get reused and reused and reused. I also found a little white bow used on my dickens gown, and threw that on the back, why not? It worked. I also threw a flowe on there but now it is really superfluous as one cannot see it anymore. It worked at the time.

The night before all of this was done, Lauren and I went on an adventure to Michaels on our bikes post nommy coffee time to get some hat mats, specifically feathers. After freezing our butts off and wearing ourselves down, we were successful. I also picked up a but little blueish bird that I feel I need to put on there, and an AMAZING little birdcage pendant...I really want to find a place for that but well not on this costume. It will find a use, probably for ren fair at the end of a chain. So, feather, and feathers, and feathers. Pre bunched, of course. Here was my selection for my hat.

I couldnt use all of them of course, so I ended up just sticking with these.

So after some hot glue, some patience, and some channeling my innter hat-maker, this is what i finally came out with! Behold!! The intense taco hat.

It's almost done, I only have a couple more things to do, like find and make the centerpiece to go on the front of the hat out of some watch and clock gears or something, sew or glue a couple of bobby pins to the bottom and do a couple of touch ups here and there, possibly have the bird as well, or more flowers. Opinions would be greatly appreciated!

M.W.

The finished Corset and what to do in the rain!!

2009-03-25T17:26:00.000-07:00

WHEW! What a bunch of work that corset was, but all things considered it didnt take long. Perhaps a week? I surprised myself! So here are some pictures!!

This is when i started with the trim, part of me wishes i had just left it like it was..opinions? Whew I was also fully laced, eek so tight cept for the bust..sigh.

This is fully done, but not fully laced, I was in a hurry

I don't know...I almost like the simple one more? Tough tough tough.

So thats enough of that. Here is the funny stuff!

What do you do when you have a nice beautiful brad new wool jacket you just made and its pouring down rain? This;

She is absolutely rocking that look.

M.W.

Updating the corset/jacket steampunk ensemble, and the fun of a duct tape dress form

2009-03-24T07:47:00.001-07:00

The corset it near to being finished! I have bound both top edges bound. Thats probably the hardest part of this whole thing, binding. After that, I have to add the trim, because nothing gets left untrimmed in my world, and I have issues.

"I will end you."

Its like looking at baby pictures!!

Super special sneak peak!!!! Apparently I can compress to 23 inches.

Alright now onto the good stuff. Recently I began moving away from commercial pattern using to draping patterns with my partner in crime's help. For that, its typically easier to have a Dress Form. Im a sorry broke ass loser, so we decided hey lets do that duct tape dress form idea!!! Hilarity ensued:

It wasnt this fun

Yes, I am doing the robot. No I have no idea why.

This part was funny. Ohhhh man. I assure you alot of giggling was to be had. The dress form never really took off as I had no chicken wire or a place to stand it up, so it collapsed after being moved without my knowing, and lauren and I kicked it around a bit. It was a good experiment to say the least.

M.W.

The actual part of Sewing area and Yours truly working.

2009-03-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I should post a little personal side of moi, like me working and my sewing area. This is promised to make some seamstresses CRINGE and some laugh.
As mentioned before about the couch surfing for a little while, and just got myself an air mattress, a queen size. It takes up the entire living room floor.

It is now my sewing space, and oh is it comfy.
[Yay puter= music]

The fun part, when I needed hard surface to cut anything out, I used the ironing board. Shown here. These were taken by Miss LR when we were hanging out.

Creative Win.

The corset; working areas; yours truly working.

2009-03-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Saturday out there. I can tell you I'm greatful for it.
Anyhow, now on to the good stuff. Like this sandwich...Mmmmm

So lately, I have been elbow deep in a new steampunk outfit for the upcoming PEERS dance, which this time is steampunk themed.
The outfit consists of a short spencer jacket military themed with a Atilla style brain pattern. Pictures of that will come soon, thats another post. However, to go underneath it, I decided to go headlong into my first corset. I need one anyhow for other costumes, so killing two birds with one stone.

I had some troubles at first with this one at first. More or less with the inside lining fabric. I made the mistake of using a fabric that is the same on both sides, so its hard to tell wrong/right side. There really isnt one..Damn green cotton.
Serious issues shown below;

These two peices are facing each other like they should, if i were to be wearing it. Now look cloesely at the right hand side; That side has the seam allowance on the outside, the left on the inside. Now see what I meant by mirror image? Fail. Epic.
By this time is was eleven thirty at night and I was fed up and didnt want to seam rip ALL OF THAT and re do it. So i said fuck it and went to bed.

Now for those of you who don;t know, Ive been couch surfing with some friends for the last few months. Couches are not good to sleep on. [I promise, this is relevant to sewing]. I was at costco last night, and saw an air mattress for 30 dollars. BINGO. I bought it. I also needed sheets. Bought some of those. Now what else did they come with? Pillow cases!! I don't need THOSE!

Observe the fix of the green lining

Why tear out seams when you can just REDO it all?? Hurray!!! Not only does this fabric look nicer, it was a joy to sew on! Stiffer and a bit thicker than the green cotton. Now my entire corset is made from bed linens. Oh yes, even the outside brown fabric. Those were expensive sheets too. Remember that 18th century Robe a'la anglaise? That was made from those sheets. Im a recycler.
ANYHOW. Here are more pictures of the project as it is so far. [Yes, I ironed the bejesus out of it.]

The next step is going to be putting the busk and grommets in then trimming the outside and binding the edges. I have hopes that I can get this all done tomorrow, and there will be pictures of me IN my corset!! Yay!!

M. W.

On; Wow, I have a costume blog.

2009-03-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

I finally took the dive, to make myself a costume blog. I've been meaning to do it, but kept selling myself stupid excuses like..you dont have a camera, or a wacom tablet, or computer drawing skills. But i DO have a scanner, and a bunch of paper and pencils. Good enough. I can color them on paintshop pro second, because I roll old school.
Anyhow, since I started this a little late, instead of right when i started costuming, I will post pictures and link of the costumes that I have completed already.
Enjoy my blog! And please PLEASE feel free to comment to your hearts content!! In turn I will peruse your blog. Cause I'm a giver. These gowns are not in date order.

My first victorian gown, made for Dickens Christmas Fair of 2008. This gown was made on a SERIOUS budget. All of the fabric was purchased at walmart or scrapped from other dressed. The fashion fabric was a stripped cotton, and was actually very heavy. All in all, the gown was a wreck, and i couldn't stand it. It doesnt exist anymore. The only thing I loved were the pagoda sleeves, as the trimming came out very nice. Unfortunately, no pictures remain, but I will draw it.

My second ren gown that I ever tackled was a blue and gold brocade with gold on gold brocade accents. I included a pillbox hat with pearls around the crown. THAT was a nightmare. So were the sleeves, all in all; however, the gown came out quite nicely. I wore it two ways, full nobles for Folsom Faire 08 shown here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stilllooped/2977170664/in/set-72157608357195493/

[unfortunately I cannot get a picture picture.]

And for halloween I ventured to make a flatcap, and wore it without the sleeves and just my chemise underneath;

Full body;

My FIRST ren gown, and the FIRST thing I had ever sewn in my life was a beautiful red and gold and green nobles gown. This is the second time I had chance to wear it, at Faire Oaks Faire of 08. Unfortunately, these are also only links.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stilllooped/2673279950/in/set-72157606195130335/

Best full body I could come up with. I wore this gown for one weekend of Valhalla, debuting my ren faire career, and in faire oaks. Yes. The hat is terrible. I made a new one. Now, when faire oaks faire rolled around, I had completed my blues and golds, and was very very proud of it, so i saw my reds....and sighed. They were not up to par!! So what do you do then?
OVERHAUL. This is now what my reds look like. Sorry, another link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stilllooped/2976894767/in/set-72157608408206407/

Completely changed the shoulder treatment, the sleeves, made a new hat. Its a totally different gown!!! You can't see it, but there is alot of extra hand beading, and there is a white pearl fabric hemguard, which got destroyed..but looked nice! And who is that next to me? Why that is My partner in crime!!! LR. Gotta love her. She is a LIFESAVER when it comes to costuming, and has had many a random late night HELP ME call.

Next we have The crisis that was my first 18th century gown. This is how it started. Draped a nice pattern. Made it tighter and double breasted. It looked very nicely liek this (the hoops were a stupid idea.)

Now, thats a very nice gown. Right?
I sure as hell didnt think so. So the night before I completely ripped apart the bodice. And made this train wreck.

Zone front gowns are hard. Note; Do not EVER redo a gown the night before. Fail.

That is what I have accomplished so far. Currently I am working on a steampunk outfit. Which all things considered is coming along rather nicely. Pictures of that for another post. Including concept drawing!!

M. W.