Because I’ve Been So Good…

Okay, well, not THAT good, but I did limit myself to just two small pieces of fabric in the garment district on Monday.  So, I’m considering pre-ordering these lovelies:

The Devonshires are a leather 18th century shoe based on museum examples from the 1760s through 1780s.  They’re made of top-grade dyable leather, with a beautiful, smooth Italian leather sole for dancing, and are hard-wearing, water- and mud-proof, for even the toughest of outdoor re-enactments.

Pre-Order the Devonshires through August 10, and get the special $100 price.  We’re only making 200 of these shoes, so don’t miss the chance to own one of only a couple hundred pair on the planet!  Visit www.american-duchess.com to order.

August 3, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Tags:  Â· Posted in: 18th Century

Overplanning

I went out and bought my new academic calendar/planner the other day and immediately started filling it with costume events and planning.  (On a side note, I’d thought I was done with actual, paper planners once I got my iPad, but I find that an electronic calendar just isn’t the same.)

Once I got all of the GBACG events written in, I headed for the August-at-a-glance page to plan my next project(s).  I have two whole weeks off coming up.  Two glorious weeks.  What I always forget is that there are a TON of things to do in those two weeks, and that I can’t spend all of that time sewing.

Doesn’t stop me from planning, though.

So, here’s a poll with my dream list.  Vote for what you’d like to see, and I’ll take popular opion into consideration once my vacation actually starts.

Summer Project Possiblities

  • 18th Century Jacket and Quilted Petticoat (50%, 1 Votes)
  • Medieval Gown (style to be determined) (50%, 1 Votes)
  • Regency Gown and Bodice Petticoat (0%, 0 Votes)
  • 18th Century Francaise (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 2

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Poll will close August 5th at 10 pm.

July 27, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
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Almost Done!

I think that this is the first time ever that I’m not frantically doing last minute sewing for Costume College.  I guess I should be happy that I decided against trying to get just one more outfit done.

I’ve kept myself plenty busy with the little projects that always take longer than I think they will.

The zone gown will be even better on the second wearing than on the first.  The front has another lining layer now so that my stays won’t show through the white silk.  The front also has spiral boning so that, hopefully, I won’t get gapping between the hooks and eyes, and no more flipping up of the front point.  And finally, this time around, my cap is done!  It is so sweet that I will put you all in a sugar coma!  Poofy crown, organza bow, feathers…this cap is truly the crowning glory of this outfit.

Then there is the new bustle outfit that’s been mostly done for a very long time but never worn.  I think I have finally worked all the kinks out of the fit.  I still have a tiny bit of work to do on the hat.  I wasn’t happy with the bow on the center front, so I moved it to the back and wanted to add a spray of smallish feathers to the side front for balance (asymmetrical balance, but balance nonetheless).  Unfortunately, the spray that I had on hand turns out to be falling apart.  I tried to glue it back together last night, so we’ll see this afternoon if it will hold up or if I need to find something else.

The only other outfit I’m planning on bringing with me is my new Gibson Girl outfit that I wore to the Anne of Green Gables tea the GBACG held earlier this year.  Thankfully, that one is complete as is.

Now, this afternoon, I get to start the process of packing.  I’ll have two whole afternoons to pack, making sure that I don’t miss anything.  This really is so much  more fun than scrambling to finish something and still having to sew once I get down there and want to hang out with all my wonderful friends.

Of course, this also means that if you ARE one of THOSE people, feel free to put me to work!  I’m more than happy to work on your hem while I’m in between classes. :)

July 26, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
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Updated To Do List

So, with two days off of work so far this weekend, I’ve gotten surprisingly little done.

  • finished the added lining on the front of the zone gown.
  • took a trip into Berkeley to purchase boning from Lacis for both the zone gown and the bustle bodice.
  • sewed boning into the front lining of the zone gown.
  • attached lace to the sleeve cuffs.
  • got all the sewing done on the cap for the zone gown.  (It is looking so incredibly cute.)
  • made the necessary alterations to my bustle bodice.

I know it sounds like a lot, but for two whole days, it’s really nothing to brag about.  Plus, I still have a ton of stuff to do.  There’s just no way I’m going to get around to the kitchenette pajamas.  Oh, well.

New To-Do

Zone

Fix a sleeve mistake.
Decorate the cap.

Bustle

Sew boning channels.
Retrim hat.

Of course, I also have to get packed and clean out my car, but that doesn’t exactly belong on my sewing to-do list.

July 23, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
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Exhaustion sets in

The lack of sleep is catching up with me.  With such a busy weekend, I really didn’t get to sleep in at all, and now I’m just barely making it.  Then, after work today, I went out with a friend.  By the time I got home around six, I was completely exhausted.

I only let myself nap for about half an hour and then went out to work on my sleeves.  I got the second sleeve all sewn, and then finished the hem on both, but when it came time to attach them to the dress, I just didn’t have it in me.  I just know that if I attempt it when I’m this tired, I’m bound to screw something up.  Better to just wait until tomorrow when I will hopefully have a bit more energy and focus.

July 19, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Tags:  Â· Posted in: 18th Century

CoCo to do list

I guess it is about time I thought about all that still needs to be done in the next week or so before I leave for Costume College.

Zone

Make new sleeves.
Add an additional lining and spiral boning to the front.
Make cap

Bustle

Take in the bodice.
Add boning.
Change hat trimming.

If I can get all of these little things done before this weekend, I may attempt to make ONE new outfit.  Nothing too involved, just these cute little kitchenette pajamas.  I figure if I use the right fabric, they’ll work for the pool party.

I didn’t get a whole lot done today other than some neglected housework, but I did manage to pull the damaged sleeves off of my zone gown and get the new pair cut out.  I’ve decided to skip trying to make the silk work…I think it is just to fragile to use on a piece that will be under stress.  I suppose I could use the silk if I used a decently strong lining, but I don’t want to add bulk to the sleeves when the silk itself is already so heavy.  Of course, now that I’ll be using the velvet, it isn’t like I’m moving in the right direction on that front.  Oh, well.  Still, I think the velvet will be stronger, plus I made sure to cut them so that both the upper and lower parts of the sleeve will have at least a little bit of bias stretch to them.

I think I should be able to finish sewing, attaching, and trimming both sleeves tomorrow.  Then the next thing on the agenda will be making the additional lining for the front.  My current lining isn’t sufficient to hide my corset and isn’t sturdy enough to prevent gaps between my hooks and eyes, even though they are spaced very closely.  I want to get that done as well as the adjustments to my bustle bodice before Friday, which is when I plan to head over to Lacis to buy boning.

July 18, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: 18th Century, Victorian

Chemise a la Reine Upgrades

Okay, the pictures aren’t great, but I haven’t quite gotten my husband fully trained on how to take costume pictures.  I have to take some responsibility as well, since I didn’t double check his snapshots before rushing out the door.

Just to recap, I made a new petticoat, the sash, bow, and ties.  (The sash, bow, and ties are meant to look like one piece, but they were all constructed separately and then attached.  The whole thing then closes with a large hook and eye.  This design keeps each piece in place and looking much nicer than if it was just one long sash tied into a bow.  Even the bow itself isn’t tied, but is two separate pieces of fabric sewn into a bow.)

I also frayed the ends of the ties so that I have about six inches of fringe at the ends, but you can’t see that in these photos. To do this, I first made sure to cut my fabric so that the red warp threads were the long way and the yellow weft threads ran across.  I sewed the pieces to create tubes, leaving the bottom six inches unsewn.  Once I turned them right side out and pressed the seam to the center back of the tie, I spent about an hour and a half per tie pulling out the weft threads.  The stitching on the seam prevents the thread from raveling further.

 

July 16, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Tags:  Â· Posted in: 18th Century

So Much Progress

And so few pictures.

I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.  I know I suck at taking pictures, and even when I do, I don’t get them uploaded.

But I swear–there really is progress happening in the Liao household!

The heat has been absolutely terrible lately, so I haven’t been out in my sewing room as much as I’d like.  (Yes, the high 80′s is hot to me.  I’m a Californian through and through, so don’t tease me!)  Today it finally started to cool down, so the room was finally bearable, and actually a bit more comfortable than my bedroom once I got the breeze coming through.  So, here’s what I accomplished:

  • I made the sash for my chemise gown.
  • I made a bow and tacked it onto the sash.
  • I made the tails for the sash.

I also started removing weft threads on the end of one of the ties to create a fringe, but that’s going to take a while longer to finish up.

I also went back to playing with my  new hedgehog wig.  Styling this one has intimidated me a bit, as I’m really afraid of going too far with the teasing and making it look too frizzy.  I’m starting with a Southern Belle, and managed to wet and scrunch it over the weekend to bring back the curls on the top of the head.  (I feel like the curls could be tighter, so I may do it once more.)  I also got up the courage to cut most of the long hanging curls shorter to become part of the hedgehog, leaving just a few at the back to hang down.

Tonight, I started gently separating many of the curls by just combing through with my fingers.  It’s actually looking pretty good, and the process and kind of shown me the next step–I need to get out my can of hairspray to get some product in it.  Although the curls are looking how I want them to look (i.e. lofty without being too frizzy), they still want to hang down around the ears.  I think a bit of hairspray will fix that.

I’m starting to feel like I’ll have everything ready by Saturday.  Wow, no last minute sewing.  All that’s really left is to finish up the wig, make sleeve ties, and finish fringe on the sash tails.  I’ll need to finish assembling the sash, but I think I’ll wait to do that until I’m starting to get dressed on Saturday so that I can check where the hook-and-eye should go and then make sure everything lines up correctly (bow with the ties at the center back, etc.).  I also need to start thinking about accessories.

July 6, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Tags: ,  Â· Posted in: 18th Century

A Costume is Never Finished

It’s funny how, as a costumer, I am often rushing to “finish” a costume for an event.  But, is an outfit ever “done”?  I don’t think of my modern clothes in those terms.  My modern wardrobe is constantly changing and adapting.  Pieces get added in, switched around, or passed on.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if my costume wardrobe was that flexible?

Well, that’s kind of what I’m working on right now.  I’m anticipating wearing my chemise a la reine several times this summer, but I don’t want to have a bunch of photos where I look exactly the same.  So, I’ve been working on a silk petticoat to wear underneath for the first event.  I wanted to use stash fabric, so I pulled out a red shot with yellow silk taffeta.  Not really my color, but neither is white, plus it won’t be right next to my face.  I got that finished today and now have the rest of the week to work on a few other things.

1. Re-hemming the dress itself.  (The front is too long and now has a slight tear because I stepped on it last time I wore it.)
2. Making a sash and bow out of the silk taffeta.
3. Making sleeve ties out of the same fabric.  (In order to do this, I also need to figure out a way to get the blue fibers out of the casing from my previous sleeve ties that frayed like you wouldn’t believe.)
4. Styling my new wig.

The next time I wear it may actually be the following weekend (still not entirely sure about that one, though).  I’ll wear it with my Ikea overgown.  I thought about wearing the petticoat with it, too, but I’m a little worried about the silk at an event where I’ll be traipsing over dirt and grass and may actually be sitting on the ground (on a blanket, of course, but still).  So, I might go ahead and make a second petticoat…maybe out of some light weight cotton if I can find some in my stash.

July 3, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Tags:  Â· Posted in: 18th Century

CADD is in the Air

I can’t seem to buckle down and simple focus on ONE project.  Maybe it’s the heat.  Maybe I’m just feeling antsy.

Let’s just call it the heat, especially since that’s what has prevented me from going out to my studio for the past few days.  It’s not often that the Bay Area gets above 80; when it does, we simply are not equipped to deal with it, literally.  Most homes in this area do not have air conditioning.  So, when it is 90 outside, it’s probably pushing 100 in my bedroom (west-facing windows).  So, yeah.  The first time I ventured out to my studio was today, now that the weather has cooled a bit, and that room is still holding some of the heat from the past few days.

So, instead of sewing, I’ve been fiddling around with knitting and crocheting.  But even there I’m having a hard time focusing.  I’ve got a bunch of projects that I really should be finishing up, but what do I do?  I start two new projects.  Yikes.  I have no will power when it comes to the lure of pretty yarn and a shiny new knitting book.

Anyway, I’ll post project updates once I can get myself to work on ONE thing for two days in a row!

June 22, 2011 · ithilwyn · No Comments
Posted in: Uncategorized