Kraken and Jacket - moving slowly forward - L

 The kraken so far...
You can barely see the plasma balls in the eye casing.  I will need to trim that back.  The gluing on the body is going slowly.  Once it is done I can add more rivets.  Then I have to add tentacles and hook it all together...  AND once that's done, I have to attach it to ME.  There are little tiny hinges on the eye casing.  The 'eyes' are now removable for battery replacement.

And I'm nearly done with my jacket.  Just need to sew on the sleeves and add buttons and buttonholes.  The pictures are different exposures.  The dark picture is a bit more realistic, but the light pictures highlights the detail.

And I suddenly found myself in charge of costumes for a kids play.   Hmmmmm

Release the Kraken! UPDATED- L

Due to my riveting problems (pun intended) work on the metal is slow.  My current plan is to glue all the parts and add rivets afterward.  The glue requires at LEAST 36 hours to set properly.  I can only glue a little at a time because the curves try to pull straight. Masking tape won't hold multiple sections in place while the glue sets.  I have about 3 'glue sessions' left to get the bulk of the 'head' put together.  Then some pounding, drilling, and riveting.

In the mean time, I have been working on the case to  hold the eyes.  Initially this seemed simple to me. Because I didn't think.  I'm still using my original metal for this, and it's very thin and soft so I've had to reinforce it.  There are two of these pieces which will surround the eyes.  I have to add hinges and a latch.

That is on the agenda for today or tomorrow.  Then I'll reinforce the eye opening and add padding and stuff to hold the eyes in place.  It's heavy.  I still need to attach tentacles and a way to attach it to ME!

And speaking of tentacles, here are the parts I've put together...

I'm not sure about the EL wire yet.  As a concept it is very appealing, but adding the switches and access to them is problematic.  I will be painting the clear tubing somehow.

Finally, I'm also making a jacket.  I made a LOT of progress on it this weekend.  The bodice and lining are made.  The sleeves are nearly made.  The collar is made.  Everything is fit.  I'm fairly confident I can finish it this week EXCEPT for embellishments.  I'm not 100% set on what I will do.  As long as I don't set the sleeves, I'll still have access to sew on trim.  And I can do it by hand too.  Here's a peek at the back - dark grey wool with black satin piping.  The lapels will be a textured black wool, and the collar is black velvet.  It hasn't even been pressed yet!  I was running a little late to work this morning and didn't get a picture of the pressed bodice.

         

And a quick hint of the eye...













               










  *    *    *    *    *

I got my Ass in gear!  I got crackin'!  Seriously, could we make any MORE silly puns?

I'm back with heavier metal and new finishes.  My hands are beaten up, nicked and scrapped. And it's starting to take shape.

 First, I tested finishes.  This looked very promising.  Brass for the base of the 'head' and riveted strips, and aluminum ducting heated and then waxed with copper Rub N' Buff.  I included a sample of the original aluminum and a rivet.

 But then I started to heat the aluminum.  This takes off the 'shiny' so the finish looks more realistic and aged.  And I got these really awesome patterns.  This is a direct result of my notorious impatience.  I wiggle.  And every time I wiggled, I got a swirl.  

I decided that, as much as I LOVE me a copper finish, the swirls looked fantastic.  (yes, I tested to see if they would show thru the copper because that would be best of all worlds...and no they didn't).  I threw a coat of varnish on the ducting and set to riveting.

And it is HARD TO DO.  I have to slice the brass strips so they bend.  Crimping them looked terrible.  One of the aluminum strips will NOT be riveted.  I feel glue in my future.  In fact, all of this will be reinforced with glue before I try to wear it.

And just in case you have NO IDEA what I have in mind, here is a very crappy drawing of 'sort of' that this will be when I'm done.

Or at least what I want it to be when I'm done.

Sorry for so many things about this drawing.  The top of the pictures is a person (ME!) wearing the Kraken as a bustle.  The brown square is how it attaches to my body.  Sort of a wide, boned belt.The kraken with it's sparkly eyes is sitting on my bum.  The long tentacles go over my shoulders and the smaller tan tentacles go around my hips.  Top tentacles are corrugated plastic tubing.  Bottom tentacles are clear plastic tubing.  There may some EL wire in there too.

The tidier drawing is what it looks like from the top. The white circles are where the top tentacles attach.

Riveting problems abound.  Power tools may be employed.

Send good wishes my way!!!!!

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.

New Patterns and Plans - L

I have a few new patterns and some plans.  They are very likely to join all the other plans stacked up in the sewing room.  My 'want' is a LOT bigger than my 'CAN'.  (hey, I'm aspirational!)

I got this because I like it.  And I wanted to make a dress that I could use as 'early 30's'.  I would need to make it shorter but I think it works.  (it's 1911)  The size says bust 36" so it definitely won't fit me.  Robin and I are going to Costume Academy this weekend and one of our classes is about sizing up vintage patterns.  I've been avoiding it because of all the modifications.

I have a couple different fabrics I could use so I'm looking forward to actually doing it.  If it works as planned, I can even wear it for reals....  like out to dinner or something.  We shall see.

My other Costume Academy Class is on blocking a wool cloche.  This will be helpful to our hat making efforts.  Robin is taking a class in making gigantic wigs (so HER) and casting stuff in your kitchen (so ME).  Somehow we ended up taking each other's classes.  Good thing we like to share.

Next up, this retro styled pattern.  I just like it.  And I got a polyester print to use as a coat lining that is too awesome for lining.  So I may have to make this.  It is actually my size.

One I clear the decks of Steampunk stuff I will take a look at this.

(I need to clean the sewing room and prioritize projects AGAIN, since I tore it up getting ready for Gallifrey One)

And last, another retro pattern that my daughter really loved.  So much that she went out and bought fabric to make it.  I screen-grabbed a picture of it off her FB feed.
I could not go a week without posting pictures.

Cracking the whip - L

Wow, life keeps derailing my plans to be the totally under-appreciated talent in the costuming sphere that I just know I will be (when I grow up).  So I made myself cut out new metal bits for my bustle.  And I only cut myself once.  The metal is a heavier weight.  It won't age like the prior choice, but it also won't dent when I breath on it.  Frustrating.

No pictures, nothing genuinely exciting.  More to follow.

AND I did a rough fitting of my jacket muslin (a steampunk/military style jacket).  Not perfect, but good enough to cut the fabric.  Robin will help me get a better fit if we ever get a chance to sew together again....

Princess Lisa and the Kraken disaster- L

 Maybe I mentioned...?  After making a Lord of the Rings 'Evil Minion' outfit I still wanted to make a princess dress.  I don't think I will ever wear it in public because, like my Titanic dress, it makes me look like the dancing hippos in Fantasia.  But hey, a girl can still WANT a princess dress...and MAKE a princess dress.
The dark jade is the dress, the white(ish) is the sleeve lining and the trim will go around the narrow part of the arm and around the neck.  The dark green is rayon and has a terrible bias droop.  I'm going to have to do something about the sides of the neckline since they are growing daily EVEN THOUGH I STAY STITCHED.  Can you sense my frustration?  Also, putting the sleeves together when one fabric stretches and one does not is a right bitch.  Seriously.  Robin has already lived this pain so I cannot complain too much.  Full pictures soon!

Here are the boys having fun at Gallifrey One.  I got a chance to meet Alisa from Dragonfly Designs by Alisa.  Yes, we took a picture but it's a blurry mess.  I came away from the convention totally inspired to work on my metal bustle.  As soon as I got home, I got to work.  And wrecked it.  Seriously.  Ground zero.  Start over.  I don't want to talk about it right now.  My Kraken will emerge from the deep again, bigger and better (if slightly heavier).  Use caution when aging metal....