Rob's 2013 Costume Aspirations

Well, it's 2013 and my costume wish list pretty much looks like last year's! I did finish the Victorian Day dress and the Eowyn/Arwen dress and managed to make some strides on the Renaissance, but that's about it. So here goes for 2013:
Finish the cape - the hem and the hood are left. It's usable without the detachable hood, but I just want it done! ( Currently being modeled by Esmerelda, the dress form that I can't make look like me. I'll get to it someday....
1880s Polonaise: Have the pattern and the material - due March I also plan to make a ballgown bodice so this outfit can do double duty . Due to flu, colds and life, we aren't going to this dance.  Shelved for now.
Pirettes of the Caribooban: Have the pattern, material and accessories.  - Due October So far, I've traced the pattern for a giant-boob-covering peasant blouse. Dog ate the giant boob covering traced pattern and the traced pirate pants pattern.  Starting over. 
Renaissance Ensemble for a couple - Have all the supplies, next step is recutting the doublet muslin. This whole thing will take forever! Doublet Muslin recut and fit, ready to start the build. Started the build and am now hand sewing the trim.  Velvet is wickedly slippery! Making s-l-o-o-o-ow progress on this one.
Great Gatsby Picnic dress: No pattern, no material, no idea - due September Found a pattern, cut and basted the muslin. It ain't pretty.Bought a different pattern from Reconstructing History, found dusty orange-ground-with cream-apples-rayon material on sale!  Yay! Now I'm looking for contrast material for the yoke and jabot.
Regency dress: Have a pattern for the corset and the dress, have the material - no due date Still reseraching Regency trim ideas.
Regency Men's Coat and pants - Have the material for the jacket, no pattern - no due date and will probably get pushed to 2014 (Looking throught my pattern stash, I found I had a commercail pattern that will work for the pants and found some "buttercream" lightweight wool on sale. Decided that the commercail pattern for the pants isn't good enough and will search for drop-fall trousers patterns. Bought a book on tailoring because I lack those skills. That's it so far.
Victorian ballgown bodices for lavender dress and for orange plaid dress:  I'd already cut the muslins, but will recut them for a fuller bust. I want to do this because I get way too hot walzing in a day dress!
Men's Frock Coat #2 - Have a new pattern, found the material. Back burner this one as his current Frock Coat will suffice for now.
And I promised my sister a German Beer Girl outfit for Ocktoberfest. Have pattern, that's it. Sister has decided that, after quitting smoking, she's too fat for a German Beer Girl outfit. I told her the pattern was multiple sizes, but she didn't bite...

Unlike Lisa, I make no promises to blog on a regular basis as I can't even seem to find time to sew on a regular basis.  Like most of my life, this will be a "fits-and-starts" adventure.

Great Gatsby dress and a Doublet Update

I was vacillating between the 1920's and the early 1930's for the Great Gatsby picnic coming up in September and finally chose a pattern only because it was close to my size so I wouldn't have to modify it too much (I don't know how to create anything that doesn't already have a pattern) and this one was cheap compared to all the other vintage patterns out there.  This one is a re-release of a 1930's pattern sized up to modern sizes. It's not my favorite design by far, but I thought it would be less work. Unfortunately, I'm having problems reconciling the huge difference between how the illustration looks and how this dress actually hangs. It doesn't help that the muslin material is much heavier than the light, floaty fashion fabric I bought.

I think the whole thing looks dumpy. Maybe the belt will help.....
  Personally, I would shorten the top ruffle closer to boob height.  Pin it on the form and see.  After you put some sample shoulder pads in. L.

I sure hope this looks better with shoulder pads!

I had to recut the muslin for my SO's doublet. Thank the gods I didn't make it first, as the thickness of the pumpkin pants materials made me have to go up a size to fit over them. I did have a bit of a challenge fitting my sweetie as he fidgets and moans about the lack of a zipper every time he puts on the pants! And suddenly, these don't fit him in the waist, even though he's lost weight.  Argghhh! He'll just have to suck it up.

So now I have no excuses, I have to make the doublet. Yikes! Lucky for me this guy will wear whatever I throw at him.