The Fine Art of Finishing - R

You've seen the pics of the Victorian Outfits, but what you don't know is that I'm not happy with them.  After dancing in the ballgown, I shortened it and the petticoat by one inch.  I stepped on it constantly and so did everyone else. Also, the corset was never finished. I shortened some of the bones (believe it when the instructions say to leave 1/2 inch of "wiggle room" for the boning, you will need it) and sewed the satin edging on. I just hated that frayed edge look.  Of course, the corset is almost too small for me now, so I'll either have to make another or lose the weight.  As I hate the thought of making another corset right now, I think I'll go on a diet! It's not hard to make a corset, it's hard to make a corset that fits properly.

As for the boyfriend's Frock Coat, I don't think I'll ever be totally happy with it, but there are some hem issues that need to be addressed. I don't know why/how the lining is pulling the hem up in a funny way and I hate the thought of unpicking all my hand sewn stitches, but it needs to be done.  Heavy sigh.  I'd much rather make something from scratch than fix something. All I can say about that coat is "I learned a lot". Another heavy sigh.

I need an outfit...quick! - L

A while back I had made a black Victorian style skirt because the idea of it was hammering my brain.  And I started the muslin for a bodice to go with it.  And the bodice is stalled.  I know how to fix it, but I'm not sure I'm still as in love with the idea of it.  The Edwardian ball is this weekend and we are planning to attend on Friday for the 'carnival'.  I really wanted to channel a more steampunk attire so I decided to make a vest and shirt to wear with the black skirt.  Then I can add some gadgets and accessories.  Months ago I had modified a vest pattern to wear with a corset.  Due to my shape, there was extensive modification required.  I grabbed a faux suede remnant that I got super cheap (a dark reddish brown) and whipped out this vest.  I even added a welt pocket.  I'm really proud that the modified muslin worked right the first time!  (I added 5 inches in the bust and took out 2 inches at the waist - which means the original pattern was clearly NOT what I should have been using).  In fact, it fits me much better than the dress form shown here.

Next I started making a blouse.  I have a pattern for a plain

blouse with fitting darts front and back.  Outside of that, it's not really what I wanted.  So I modified again.  I wanted to added pleats in the center front, and I needed to add boob-room.  I also wanted the collar to fit snugly at the neck rather than the pictured 'open button casual' fit shown in the pattern.  Here's what I did.  I took a piece of muslin and pleated it like I wanted the the center front pleats.  I laid the pattern on the muslin so that the pleats would be where I wanted them in the blouse.  In addition I added a large (2.5 inches total) fold in the muslin at the shoulder area (adding for bust).  I cut the pattern over the pleated muslin.  I used the largest size on the pattern for everything except the collar and shoulders.  That way the collar was a good fit and the shoulders wouldn't be too big since I'd added for the bust.  I modified the armscye on the fly while cutting.  I unpleated the muslin and used it as my pattern (marking for pleat location).  I'm not done yet, but everything seems to fit.  The photo is the actual front of the blouse with pleats.  Robin is going to do buttonholes for me today and then all I have left is side seams and sleeve decoration.
I made the sleeve extra wide and am going to pleat it around the forearm.  All this must be done by Friday evening.  I will seriously try and take pictures of the whole outfit.

So, overall, I decided to try and make something in a very short amount of time, and modify patterns extensively while I was doing it.  So far, so good.  My goal is to look a bit like Madame Vastra's assistant in Dr Who (A Good Man Goes to War).  With a hat, but not a sword (just because I don't have one handy)

Machine Embroidery Blackwork or An Exercise in Patience - R

 I'm supposed to be doing all the blackwork embroidery for our Renaissance stuff.  This is the first time I've used the machine since it got its tune-up and that makes a world of difference. But I didn't want to tell Lisa that the reason I was stalling was that I couldn't find the right parts to do this!  I had no idea where the embroidery card was, no idea where I'd cleverly stashed the hoops.  It took me two solid days of office cleaning to find those missing items so that I could even begin the experiment.

 Here are two sections of blackwork butted together.  You can hardly see the join.  I'm not sure why this design stitches slightly off-center, but it does.

I stitched out a few samples so Lisa could choose what she wants on her chemise and I'll bring them to her tomorrow.  This time, all went well. I've been dreading this for such a long time because of the last disastrous use of the embroidery machine had me ruining the silk on my corset and recutting. Thank goodness these chemises will all be made out of muslin, so I'm not so worried if things go wrong on a piece.  

Ah!  That's what all that 'I'm busy filing' was about.  NO ONE has that much filing.  I can't wait to see them, and also, I'm going to need your help with buttonholes...this week.  I'm making a vest and blouse that I will post soon.

I do too have that much filing and I still have a pile left to do, but it IS true that I can't find stuff in my sewing room.  And today I find that YOU'VE got my buttonhole measureing device that I've been searching for for weeks.  Yarrgghhh!   You left it at my house sweetie!!

Learning the hard way - L

I cut the muslin for my new bodice this weekend.  It's mostly a hot mess, but I like the peplum, and the added pleat in the center back.  I'm thinking of using a different fabric for the pleat.  Not sure, just thinking.  The top of the bodice is wrong in many ways.  I expected to have problems.  The pattern is a jacket and designed as outerwear, and bust size is always a problem, especially when I'm in corset.  I successfully managed to add two inches in the bust and raise it about an inch.  I left too much room under the bust seam and need to take in quite a bit.  I didn't realize how much extra room is built into outerwear.  (I even cut a size smaller!)   I'll need to take it in all around the ribs and waist. And smooth the back.  And do something about the gap at the waist.  

Here's the mess. And the best picture I could get of the fabric.  Ah, shiny, reflective polyester!  I'm going to need Robin to help me re-pin all of these seams.  I haven't managed pinning in a mirror yet (though I may try it because I'm impatient).  One I get the bodice to fit, I have to add the sleeves and fit those.  I'm sure they're too big, and the shoulders are gigantic right now.  With everything wrong, I'm still excited. 

I also finished the farthingale, bum-roll, and all of the chemise I can do without embroidery.  I cut out the front panel and the over-skirt panels.  Next I'm cutting out the paned sleeves so I can start embroidering them.  The over-skirt is made from my old navy curtains.  I plan to decorate all the intersecting lines with pearls and faux stones.  The paned sleeve will be burgundy if I have enough fabric (bought a random remnant).  I'm very short waisted and confident I will look quite the divine bovine in this.  Ultimately, the front piece will be lined so the hoops won't show through.

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