Cage Crinoline Success!

Okay, so it's not quite done yet, but it almost is! I cut the top 5 steels shorter, to make it like the TV pattern, and the shape is sooo much better. Right now, I'm waiting on grommet tape to arrive from ebay, which I'm going to use as the tapes that hang down to attach to the edges of the top five steels. That way, I can lace around the back through the grommets, so it should look nice and neat. Once that arrives, I can sew the edges of the steels to the tape. In the meantime, the only thing I have left to do on it is to sew in the small bustle pad, and to stitch the tapes to the waistband. I also ordered two buckles from the same seller, for the waistband closures of both this, and the bustle I made last fall (which I wore pinned closed at the time).

I'm also working on a pair of Edwardian shoes, which are being made out of an old, very beat up pair of Leo's tan t-strap character shoes. So far, I have cut off the t-strap and resewn the edges, stripped off the peeling coating on the outer layer, and painted a black base coat. I haven't decided if I want to keep them black, or paint them with purple, red, or gold to match the sari my teens dress will be made out of. I also will be "beading" them (meaning I will be using either a beaded applique if I can find one I like, or else gluing seed beads to the shoe) over the toe, and for the straps, which I have yet to make.

And I ordered a pair of black "Bordello" boots (the ones with all the buttoned straps), which I've been wanting for a while.