Sometimes I don't make 'em, I just make 'em up - R

Lisa says "Photos or it doesn't count", so here they are.  I did not sew  either of these costumes.  I put mine together from clothes I already had and a cloche hat I found cheap at Marshall's.  My beau got his jacket, tie and costume fedora from the Goodwill.

Here we are on the restored Art Deco Club Car on the Niles Canyon Railroad's Holiday Lights Train. People thought we were crazy or wonderful.  We're just wonderfully crazy. We fit right in, spanning the entire Art Deco era in both our costumes.

Bum rush - L

Farthingale is nearly done.  I have to add the very bottom hoop which requires I actually anticipate the hem.  And I'm being lazy about it.  I have to add the waistband.  My post christmas belly is asking me to wait a couple weeks for the bloat to go down.  I made the bumroll.  The Margo Anderson patterns are easy to follow.  Also, it turns out that the inside of a farthingale is a great cat playground.  You can't see it in the picture, but my farthingale has a tail.

Tonight I'm going to cut out the chemise.  I can't sew it yet because Robin is going to machine embroider blackwork on the neckline and sleeves.  I'm actually just drawing those pieces on muslin .

That means she's going to have to fire up the embroidery and make it work.  She claims she needed this kick in her bumroll to get her started.

We have signed up for the 1912 project.  I hope we're up to it.  For the most part we will just be making muslins and we are confident we can do this in a day, if we work hard (sorry, this makes me giggle - there are very limited instructions - we're in way over our heads, but we're still excited)

I've settled on the basic pattern for the bodice to go with my black skirt. It's a modern semi-fitted equestrian style jacket so there will be a lot of modification involved.

This is from the pattern back.  I plan to change the collar, make it very fitted (requiring mods for the girls) and add a pleat at center back for my bustle.  I'm leaning toward the handkerchief hem.  The bustle is black lace with layer of some sort of sheer black gold stuff I got on sale.  This outfit has taken on the title of 'Steampunk Malificent'.  I might have to make a large brass flying inset for a hat.  With horns.  Anyhow, I may start the muslin this weekend.  We're hauling out the Dickens gear to go to a 12th Night Dance on Saturday.  So I may not have as much time as I think.

I was blog-surfing this morning and saw this, which really inspired me.  (Alexander McQueen)

Oh, I want to DO this!

I took this right off their page and this sounds like something Lisa and I have been batting around for a while as we discussed Edwardian Tea Dresses and traded pics of them.  Can't wait to see what additional patterns they put out. Maybe we can find a little time in between the Elizabethan projects to make some Edwardian as this is a special year for it. 

"Historical costumers and those who just love sewing vintage and antique patterns may be interested to learn about the Vintage Pattern Lending Library’s (VPLL) The 1912 Project.
The 1912 Project will reproduce approximately 150 patterns from the 1912 issues of the French fashion journal La Mode Illustrée by the end of 2012. The patterns that will be transcribed include not only women’s fashion, corsets, and lingerie, but also garments for men, children, and babies. And the VPLL needs sewers to help test the transcribed patterns and share their experiences working with and sewing them. Test sewers will receive the patterns at no cost as they are transcribed from the magazines.
The project is just one of many programs and events organized among costuming and vintage sewing groups to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the sinking of Titanic on April 14-15, 1912.
Participants in The 1912 Project will track their own progress in sewing the patterns they receive by posting monthly updates and photos on their own blogs or by sending the VPLL photos and comments on their progress, which will be posted to the VPLL’s blog, Vintage Fashionista. The patterns will also be available for purchase on the VPLL’s website. To get involved, visit The 1912 Project or email the VPLL at vpll.librarian@gmail.com."
http://vpll.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/the-1912-project/#comment-93

New Year - New Project - L

The holiday chaos is not completely cleaned up, but I'm back and I'm starting my Renaissance costume.  I'm still having a tough time getting excited about it, but I think I'll be better when all the underthings are done.

I spent most of the post-Christmas doldrums knitting socks.  Sadly, not very many.  My first effort was stymied by my inability to understand the instructions.  My second effort (using a knitting board for the first time) is almost complete.  I'm about two hours from a completed pair of socks.  They are soft and warm and make my feet look very, very long.  Here's one and a half socks, and the knitting tool:

I also decided to make my farthingale. I got it cut out and realized that I didn't mark all the lines for the hoop channels.  Then I had to try and 'interpolate'.  My pattern is traced, and the original had been cut to accommodate my height. I also forgot to cut all the markings, and only cut some.  Seriously, if you're going to cut the little triangle at all, cut all or none.  Needless to say, there was additional confusion about which sides were to be sewn together.  Ultimately, I got it figured out and sewn.  I was going to do the recommended flat fell seams, but by that time I just wanted to be done.  So the seams are zig-zagged down.  I got most of the channels sewn in....at least until my bobbin ran out and I opted for a glass of wine and bed.  I can finish that this afternoon.  I took advice from a friend, Kyle Bogartman, who sells renaissance outfits and sews for an Austin designer Jennifer Ayers and used plastic pipe with connectors for my hoops.  It's fairly easy to take apart for washing.  Anyhow, after I put in my first channel, I had to put in a hoop to see how it looked.  It looked like a jellyfish.

It really seems too big, but I will be patient and wait until it's done before I change it.