Revamping my first dress - Robin

When I made my first costume, I never had time to fully trim it.  Two years later, during my "finish those dang things" project, I did it.
I started with the shoulders. Lisa and I had no idea how to fit a drop shoulder over my broad shoulders and ended up with a too-modern look.  I draped fabric over the dress and played with trim to see what I could do with it

I also raised the draping on the skirt and added trim on the sleeves. Here's how it came out:

The dress dummy won't conform to my corseted self, so here's the best shots. I didn't take any photos from the Dickens Faire, so there's nothing with the dress on a human. You'll have to use your imagination.  To finish my "finish this" project, I need to make the ballgown top for this skirt.  More on that later.

Victorian Bustle Dress circa 1880 - Robin

This one I did in record time (for me), taking about a month.  I wanted to wear it to the Holiday Bustle Tea. We only had one fitting session and I had problems galore once I got it together. It is too tight across the bust point. After the party I started ripping it apart to refit. Lisa and I have decided that it needs an insert in the front to give me more room. We thought we'd left enough ease in the muslin fitting, but it still wasn't enough. Now I'm working on an evening bodice to go with the skirt and overskirt and we're leaving more than enough room. The patterns are all fro Truly Victorian - the 1880 Cuirass Bodice, the Waterfall Overskirt and the 4-gore underskirt.

The hat was a last minute job, more of an overly large fascinator than actual hat. The day before the part I found some black roses at the dollar store, leftover from Halloween. Adding feathers and ribbon, this is what resulted. Worked for me!

My Victorian Cape- Robin

Lisa and I made capes.  We started at the same time, but I finally finished mine. She made hers with a hood.  I added a ruffled stand up collar and used a button-on shoulder treatment that becomes a huge ruffled hood to fit over my bonnets.  This is yet another  "finish that dang thing" project. The hem baffled me as I could not get it right.  I finally ended up lowering the dress dummy to have the hem puddle on the floor and pinning the shoulders to the dummy so it wouldn't shift. I now love my cape and it has seen several outing.  Finishing things is good!

The I hate Elizabethan Post - Robin

So the Renaissance fair was close at hand and I could NOT finish this stuff. I got Roger's doublet done, but no sleeves. My bodice and overskirt were done, poorly, as I was rushing and making mistakes all over the place, but the embroidered underskirt was having problems and just would not be done, so I stuck a victorian skirt under it all and we went, with no sleeves. Poor Roger had no hat. I grabbed a hat I had and decorated it.  These costumes will need to be reworked. I hated this project from start to finish.  Lisa hated hers but at least she won a prize. She made us get into the costume contest with her for moral support (and also because there weren't that many people in it). Here they are in all their ugly glory, now stuffed in to the "finish later" pile.

By far, the most fun we had was when Lisa and I donned fencing gear and fought each other. We looked like giant hovercraft doing battle.

Shear Madness FTW (3rd place!) - L

I'm a giddy 3rd place for Connor Kenway.  Actually, I think my son might even be more excited than me.  

After cranking through a literal TON of stuff between October 1st and Christmas, I was getting a bit worn and stagnant.  But I'm all fired up again.  And that's good because I have more things I want to make than time to make them.

Right now I'm knitting.  I'm making a sort of scarf/wrap using amazing yarn I got for Christmas.  It's colorful and fast.  A total palate cleanser.

If you haven't visited the Shear Madness Facebook page, you should.  There are some talented and inspiring people posting costumes and sharing ideas.
Alternately, read the contest blog post and see the other winners and contestants at: shearmadness blog
And it's a perfect time to go over what's ahead for me this year.
His and Hers Regency outfits.
18th Century Court dress - masquerade Queen of Clubs
(I didn't get the fabric I wanted.  I've re-figured my plans.  And hair. Posting soon.)
Re-do the Kraken Bustle - it just wasn't right, and it didn't light up
Attack on Titan Survey Corp - 2 cosplays for Fanime (I will have a little help on this)
Coastside Young Actors Workshop original play - TBD costumes for 30 to 50 kids

I've got two sets of stays to get made.  Muslins are cut, fabric is ready.  All this stuff need new underpinnings.  Then I have to do some serious work to make patterns outta of dreck.

We went to Dickens and had fun.  I didn't take pictures.  We went to GBACG Christmas Tea and had fun.  I didn't take pictures.  Robin may have some.  Robin may actually post again.....

Anyhow, thanks to the judges.  I tried a LOT of new things making the Connor Kenway costume, and I tried to keep it cheap.  Just getting it done made me proud.  Acknowledgement makes it even sweeter.
The judges noted everything that I'm most proud of.

The quote for this costume 'I couldn't get eagle feathers, but seagull is close, right?'