A funny thing happened... Corset - L

Regency stays outside

I'm at 'final' versions of both the Regency and 18C stays.  Robin and I had a quick sewing day yesterday to do fittings.  I was confident that my Regency stays were in good shape.  But NOOOOO.  We couldn't get the underbust to fit snuggly.  Problem was that my boobs and my belly were pushing out enough to make the busk look like this '/' and it wasn't providing support and separation.  I tried cutting the busk but (not unexpected, really) it just created a cantilevered shelf with no support.  So we resorted to a stay tape.  I have not seen this ANYWHERE, but it worked like a charm.  Sorry no pictures. No chemise yet.  No over-share on the interwebs.

Regency stays inside with stay tape.

Here's what it looks like on the inside.  The tape secures the busk agains my solar plexus and holds everything in roughly the proper position.  Since I just used cheap twill tape, I plan to double it so it doesn't stretch, and close it with something really strong.  I also need to trim the center front about 3/4 of an inch.  After that, I'll sew my eyelets so Robin can get a good pull and we can do the final final fit.  It's pretty obvious that I won't have quite the lifted bust that is proper for that era, but my chest is really too big to do that anyway.  It is NOT flattering at all.                                                      

Regency stays inside (before tape)

18C stays, boning channels

I was a lot less confident about my 18C stays.  If you recall, I used the Butterick Wearing History pattern and found it bewilderingly huge.  And this is after measuring me vs the actual pattern piece, and cutting the sides and back a size smaller than I thought would work.  I ended up re-cutting the front 3 times and trimming about 1.5 inches off each side.  That many changes, on the fly, is usually a good sign of trouble.  Also, I couldn't get the boning channels to look like the pattern.  So I just made them up - based roughly on what I saw in Corsets and Crins.  for the outside, I used a white floral on a black background that reminds me of 18th century prints but is not accurate.  I kinda wanna bind it in rose pink.  Anyway, I put it on and Robin pinned it and all the pins bent in half and flew out.

18C stays outside

Who knew fitting stays required safety glasses?  After upgrading to heavy duty pins and Robin physically holding it shut in back, we discovered that it fit like a dream.  I'm a happy, happy corseteer! Though I still need to cut at least an inch off the center back.

Robin also fit her Regency stays.  And they look beautiful.  She is using an antique gold silk dupioni as her fashion fabric and it looks amazing.

Both of us got immeasurable help from reading the Regency Fitting Tips from Jennifer Rosbrugh at Historical Sewing.  Well worth the money for those of use who are not lithe and willowy (read 'have boobs and hips' so not just chubby).

I am also working on costumes for the kids improve group again.  These little monkeys slay me.  Centaurs, giant vegetables (and evil giant vegetables at that), walking slices of cake and innumerable animals.....

And I'm ALSO doing a cosplay for my son.  My daughter is sewing along to cosplay with him.  They are doing Attack on Titan and being Eren and Annie. Here is a screen shot of what the costumes generally look like.

I have the jacket made.  Roughly drafted from a blouse pattern with the collar and lapels expanded.  I can't finish it until my daughter catches up so that our collars and lapels will look comparable.

In the mean time I'm painting the emblem patches.  It is much more difficult than I expected.  The fabric paint doesn't provide consistent coverage.  I may do them over with slightly watered down paint and more layers.  (Ugh).





Finally, I actually finished the Noro yarn scarf.  I blocked it and added fringe made from cotton sateen embroidery yarn and some glass beads edged with copper.  half the beads are dark blue and the other half are turquoise.
Yay for finishing a project.

Edwardian Ball and avoidance knitting - L

We went to the Edwardian World's Faire.  It happens the night before the Ball and is less crowded and has more cool stuff like bicycle rides and a midway.  Same amount of awesome music.  Being a horrific dancer, this is the night for me.  This is also a night to channel your inner Steampunk.  I took the Anteater underskirt and added the Gibson-inspired blouse and just made a vest, drawers, and a top hat.  The vest is from a modern pattern with princess seams.  I had to mod it to fit a corseted figure which makes the pattern pieces look really odd, but it works well.   And since I have to do a FBA anyhow...

I moved the implied bust point up and reduced the waist ALL in the side front pattern piece.  I also added about an inch (plus) of horizantal width for bust room.  Then all I added was 2 inches of length in the center front pattern piece.  I split that addition between the waist (at the lengthen/shorten line) and above the bust.  That allows the front of the vest to be lower so I can show off the pleating on the blouse.  The top hat has been on my list to make FOREVER.  It's the Lynn McMasters riding hat pattern.  I made a few mistakes.  Actually pretty serious mistakes.  The crown portion was significantly larger than the brim.  I sort of jammed it together and covered the ugly parts with feathers and ribbon.  None of this can be seen in the picture...  ha ha ha.

And then I indulged in avoidance knitting.  That's what you do when you have sewing burnout.  And when you got some awesome yarn for Christmas.  I made two scarves inspired by free patterns on Ravelry.  Neither is quite done.  One needs fringe and beads to be finished.  The other needs to be blocked.  But here they are anyway, because I will never remember to blog them later.  Of course we are having unseasonably warm weather now....

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?'