February 5, 2012
Super big props to Kat and Robin for coming up with the idea for and organizing this dinner. The inn was a great location, the food was yummy, and I had an awesome time hanging out with such a wonderful group of costumers.
The rest of the photos are here.
January 27, 2012
Last week my husband and I visited a college friend down in Durham, NC. On the drive back we also stopped in Williamsburg and Richmond. Being on vacation, I of course needed to check out the fabric stores at the places we were visiting. I came back with some good finds.
First, the silk pieces I bought. Most of them came from a neat store in Durham, The Scrap Exchange. This store collects random stuff of all types and then sells it for use by crafters and artists. And by random stuff, I mean RANDOM! You want a 2008 calendar from a dentist office? Sure. Old wallpaper swatchbooks? Check. Miss-matched work boots? Yup. Empty glass test tubes? Got those too. All in a large warehouse space.
But the icing on the cake? Bins full of fabric scraps, many of them about 1/4 yard, for 75 cents a piece. At first I thought they would be the usual bits of ugly synthetic home dec. But, I put my hand in the bin just for kicks, and I grabbed something that felt like silk taffeta. And then I realized there were a lot of pieces like this. Now, it could have been really good synthetic, but for 75 cents I was willing to take the gamble. Most of it was a lime/yellow color, but there were also some blue, green, and gold pieces. Some of the pieces were really odd shaped, with circles cut out of them, but I could still squeeze a bonnet or trimmings out of those. Others were large enough to make a spencer or jacket out of. When I got the fabric back home, I did a burn test, and it actually is silk!
I also bought two yards of a bright salmon silk taffeta from a discount home dec store in Richmond, U-Fab. They have a room in the back that is full of remnant pieces for $2.99 a yard.
Finally, I also picked up a bunch of cottons. Some 18th c prints from Colonial Williamburg, and also some remnants at the Scrap Exchange. My plans are regency and 18th c for these.
January 22, 2012
Finished outfit!! Whew, now I can move on to all the stuff I need to finish for this spring and for Dress U in June.
Jacket and petticoat all trimmed
Cream hair ribbon, blue velvet belt, faux pearl necklace, and a hair ornament made of feathers and a ribbon cockade
Trying on my new necklace
January 14, 2012
Sleeves are in, peplum is mostly in, pinked trim is cut. Still needs some interior finishing, but I’m on home stretch!
January 8, 2012
I’m trying to learn how to make 18th C beaded necklaces. Just simple strings of pearls (or similar round gemstone beads) tied with ribbons, inspired by the necklaces often seen in 18th C portraits.
First up were some burgundy glass imitation pearls. I made the necklace long enough so that it can be wrapped twice around my neck before tying. I’m still working on perfecting the way that the jump rings are attached, so that they are secure. But I’m happy with this early attempt.
On to the pictures!
Matches surprisingly well with my Catwoman figure in the background!
January 8, 2012
I didn’t have a long list for this year, I more just wanted to go wherever my stash took me.
My 2011 goals
-Finish 1840s cotton dress–Yup!
-Blue 1780s jacket and petticoat–Morphed into a red print jacket
-To just go with the flow, and work on stash busting projects!–Yup!
What I actually made
-Marth Costume (used a bunch of different cotton broadcloth bits from the stash)
-Pikachu costume
-Blue 1840s with a new bonnet (navy blue fabric was from the stash)
-Linen jacket and petticoat (both the printed and the blue linen were from the stash)
-Red print jacket (leftover fabric from a past project)
-Red cloak
-Knit sontag and 1860s bonnet (yarn was from the stash)
-Trimmed an 18th c hat (ribbon was from the stash)
-Also made three other 18th c petticoats (one white underpetticoat, a striped silk organza petticoat, and another from white embroidered curtains)
My 2012 goals
-Finish blue silk 18th c jacket (still needs the peplum and a bunch of hand finishing)
-Make a 1910s dress (fabric bought)
-Finish a new white regency dress (bodice 1/2 finished)
-Make Mike an 18th c coat (have most of a mockup done, need to check fit on sleeves)
-Something else 18th c?
December 18, 2011
I finished this for the Harper’s Ferry event in November, but I never posted photos of the sontag itself. I found this a very relaxing knit. Although it’s a lot of simple back and forth basket weave stitch, I didn’t think that was boring. The only issue I had with this project was a problem I made for myself: I almost ran out of the grey yarn I was using for the edging. I was trying to use stash yarn for this project, and I had about 1/2 of a ball of Paton’s Merino that I thought would work for the edging. But turns out I badly miss-estimated how much yarn I would need. I got by through crocheting slightly fewer scallops than called for (which I may have needed to do anyway, as I was getting a looser gauge than expected), but I still only had a yard or so of grey left in the end.
With the front tails undone, showing the ties with tassels
Side view of the ties coming from the back and tied in the front
Back before buttoning the tails
Crossing over the tails to be buttoned in the back
Buttoning the tails in the back
Close up of back button (I got it in a blog giveaway from the fun-to-read, talented Dreamstress)
In progress photo of soaking before blocking
In progress photo of blocking
December 14, 2011
I actually finished this a couple weeks ago (I was slow in putting on a hook and eye, but that finally got done). I used the pattern in Costume Close-Up with basically no modification, except that I did not have to piece the hood. The fabric is wool melton/broadcloth from Burnley and Trowbridge.
December 11, 2011
I’m working on a blue silk 1780s jacket right now. I’ve decided to hand sew it, because then I can work on it while watching TV. The pattern that I’m using is just the same base from my burgundy print cotton jacket, but with long sleeves. So far I’ve got the bodice stitched up and one sleeve in.
Mockup back:
Sleeve Mockup:
Materials: blue silk fabric, thread, cotton lace for around the neckline, velvet ribbon for a belt, buttons for the sleeves
Cutting the linen lining:
Sewing up the bodice, seen from inside with lining:
December 3, 2011
Isabella organized a tea at a lovely tavern/tea room in Annapolis. We went in all our 18th C and regency finery. Good food, good conversation, and good company! After our meal, we had a small yankee swap gift exchange, and then went outside for pictures. During our photo shoot, we were stopped by some students making a video for the Army/Navy game. They asked if they could film us dancing to “Teach Me How to Dougie” for their clip. Of course, we obliged. That made for one of the wierder moments in costume that I’ve experienced….
On to the photos!
