theladyrebecca: (Default)
I went to NYC from the 10th-15th, and wow, apparently everyone decided to post a lot during that time! Which is nice. But I just finished reading them all. No sewing from me as of yet, but I did manage to find a pink for my Fairy Godmother bustle. Not silk because prices in NYC are insane. The seller called it a silk blend with poly, but I think it's just a nice poly, which still was $10/yd. 

So now I'm torn, because I know I should finish the plaid bodice, since I've already cut out most of (if not all) of the bodice mockup, and the skirt is basically done. But now that I have the pink, I could start on Fairy Godmother. Except not really, because I think I want a new structure for under the skirt. I have my elliptical hoop, which would be way too big, and my lobstertail bustle, which is way too small. I need something transitional, like what [personal profile] elizabeth_mn made. But my brain wants to do pretty drapey skirts, not things that need fitting (like bodices) or things that need actual work (like structure). Sigh

Also, part of me just wants to spend the next month cleaning the whole house. I started tidying my dresser, and although I'm only halfway done, it makes me super happy, and makes me want to do the same to my closet and my garage, at the very least. 
theladyrebecca: (Default)
I'm in a really pink mood. I don't know why. But since pink silk doesn't seem to exist, I'm thinking maybe I should change my plans, and go for something like this for 1840s. Then I could pick some different color for a bustle gown. The question is, what to do, and where to get the silk? Since I didn't pick anything up in the fabric district, it becomes so much more difficult!



Also, I've realized I totally don't have enough time to make a ruff before Saturday (duh). So that's going to get shelved, and I'm going to start on the 18th c stays. Though of course, I'm also feeling very CADDy right now. Part of me wants to start on Daniel Deronda, because I have the fabric, don't really have to pattern anything because I have a good working bustle bodice pattern, and could probably knock it out quite quickly. But then another part of me says I should be working on things for Dapper Day or Halloween, since those are coming up first. I could potentially do the Fairy Godmother for Halloween, but I was originally intending on recreating the Historically Accurate 1890s Ariel drawing, though of course, I didn't buy any fabric for that, either... And I also keep forgetting that there's a present for someone that I need to make this month. So really, I should probably do that first. 
theladyrebecca: (Default)
On Saturday, I put the waistband on the gala gown skirt, and marked the hem length. I've also completely scratched the idea of a new corset for it, because there is just not enough time, so I'm going to use my 1870s corset. On Sunday, I was playing around with trims - I cut out some of my appliques, and I also did a test of the silver metallic grid on the ivory matte satin. And I hated it. It was so wrinkly and awful. I think I'm either a) going to have to do it by hand, or b) put the ivory on the skirt before doing the grid pattern, or c) both. So that's annoying and time consuming. I cut out the shapes for the front two ivory "cutaways," and put them loosely in place on the skirt, and they look AWFUL. 

So basically, I'm so not feeling the gala gown right now, and am questioning all my choices. So I think I'm going to step away for a minute. I'm either going to work on my 1890s shirtwaist and skirt for CoCo, or I might assemble an outfit for Disenchanted. I'd love to get the CoCo stuff done. I think it should be a relatively quickish project, and will make my mind a little clearer for the Gala gown, because I won't have so many projects in my docket. 

This is what my sewing to-do list looks like right now:

1890s gala gown - embellish and hem skirt, do entire bodice, make jewelry
1890s shirtwaist and skirt - make entire outfit
Regency red silk dress - embellish skirt and make sleeves
Disenchanted costumes - there are a total of 10.5 costumes. I will have at least 2-3 stitchers on this, and I'm about to hand things off to one of them, but we have three looks from the waist up that are needed for promos in about a week, and then everything is needed by July 11th. And I still have more fabrics and pieces to buy for some of them. Hopefully I won't actually have to do much stitching on them, too, but I'll probably do at least 1-2 of the looks. 

So basically, this is why my brain is going crazy. And looking at my schedule, I should have 13 evenings and 7 full days before the Disenchanted costumes are due, and an additional 5 evenings and 2-3 full days after Disenchanted before CoCo. And that's if I do nothing else besides what is currently on my calendar. Gah!

I'm back!

Mar. 12th, 2018 12:54 pm
theladyrebecca: (Default)

I'm back from Europe! I think I'll try to do some trip wrap-up posts over the next week or so. In the meantime, I've already posted about 1500 pictures to facebook. And that's just England and France so far. I took soooo many pictures! Here's England and here's France

I did absolutely nothing yesterday besides editing and posting the pictures and doing laundry, but I do need to dive back into sewing. The Port Townsend Victorian Festival is in only 11 days! As much as I would love to finish (or at least make wearable) the new mauve stripey bustle dress, I'm not sure it can happen in that amount of time, since I also have rehearsals most nights. And really, what I need to do is make a bonnet (and maybe a collar?) for the 1830s dress, since I've committed to wearing that in the fashion show on Saturday. ( I'll probably wear that the rest of the day Saturday, too. I'm almost definitely going to wear the turquoise gala gown to the ball on Saturday night. I wore it last year, but it wasn't trimmed at the time. Though I think I'll leave the train at home, because that would just be a hazard, as tempted as I am to bring it. Then I need something relatively easy for Friday evening, since the events Friday have always been minimal at best. And something somewhat simple for Sunday, since it would just be worn the first part of the day. Assuming I can't make the new dress, then I'm debating about maybe bringing Titanic for Sunday, since that's quite easy. And maybe I'll do the skating dress again for Friday night. Or I'll figure out something even easier to pack, like my Edwardian skirt and blouse.

To be honest, I'm not really in a bustle mood right now, which is really weird for me! I have a strong desire to make new 18th c stays, and a slightly less strong desire to make an s-bend corset. For some reason, even though I'm doing a mid-1890s dress for the CoCo gala, I want to wear an s-bend with it. I don't know why. I think it's really that I want a really late 1890s dress, but I also prefer the giant sleeves. Is there any evidence for both of them together? I need the s-bend for the Edwardian walking dress I want to make, but it's such a pretty line that I want to wear it for more than that. 

theladyrebecca: (Default)
Seriously. This morning, I cut out mockup 2.0 of the corset, out of pink canvas. If it works fine, I'm going to use it for the interior layer of the corset, with the spotted pink cotton-blend upholstery fabric that I used on my Ren corset, stays, and pocket hoops for the outer.

But instead of putting it together, I've also been planning out my Halloween costume, which is going to be Mary Poppins' Jolly Holiday outfit. I went to Joanns today, hoping to find an embroidered bridal organza that might work, but no such luck. And since poly organza from Joanns is basically the same price as Dharma's silk, I'm going to order silk instead. I think I'm going to blend the movie version and the parks version together. Right now, for the skirt, I'm thinking I'm going to do a base layer, possibly of organdy if I have any, and then three, if not four, layers of organza over that, with the top layer having appliques attached. I like that in the movie, a couple of her skirt layers are that dull red color, so I'm planning to dye one to two layers of the organza, and then attach lace around the hem of those layers.

And somehow, I actually found the exact large applique on her skirt in the parks on etsy - but the seller thinks she only has three, and I really need at least 10. It's kind of killing me, knowing that it's out there, but not knowing how to get more. Any ideas? https://www.etsy.com/listing/293996545/cotton-flower-lace-applique-for-garments. I don't really feel like trying to digitze this and make my own...

And of course, if that wasn't enough, I've also decided to go to Dapper Day this year! On Sunday, I'll probably wear a toned down version of Jolly Holiday, pairing the skirt with a red belt and a white blouse, but on Saturday, I'm planning to wear a cotton printed villain dress. I'm in the process of cutting it out right now, using Vogue 9000, but this pattern has a terrible cutting layout for directional patterns! So here's my dilemma - should I use 6 yards in cutting the skirt alone (and wind up with tons of waste), or should I forgo keeping all my fabric facing in the same direction, and cut each piece in the opposite direction, therefore only using 3 yards for the skirt. I have plenty of the fabric, but I have it listed in my etsy shop, and if I use it all on this, I'll only have about one yard left. As it is, I'm really worried this is going to turn out looking like nurse scrubs. Even just looking at the front bodice pieces, it all feels so much.

This is the fabric - so far I've cut the bodice fronts and one of the skirt front/back pieces with Ursula facing up.
theladyrebecca: (Default)

The Rapunzel skirt is completely finished, including hooks and eyes. I started on the sleeves, but all I got to was cutting out the interlining of the upper sleeve. That said, the rest should be fairly easy (famous last words). I also realized that my 1830s cotton petticoat (not the corded one) is almost the perfect length for a petticoat. The lace at the hem is just peeking out below the lace on the Rapunzel hem, so I think I might make a small tuck in the petticoat and call it good.

However, I may not work on that tonight. Because I woke up in the middle of the night last night (after having a dream about forgetting all my accessories/hair for a ball), and realized that I'm planning to go to Steamposium on the 26th, and there is going to be a ball. However, I was planning on wearing either the plaid 1890s or the green and cream bustle, neither of which are appropriate for evening wear.

So now the question is, a) which do I wear? (I'm leaning towards the bustle, because I want to wear it again, and I think the train will fare better at a con than at a museum where there's lots of muggles around). and b) for whichever one I do decide to wear, do I make a ballgown bodice?

I think it would be easy enough to make a ballgown bodice for the bustle gown. It would definitely have to be on the simpler side, because time, but I think I have enough ivory left for a simple bodice, and hopefully have enough green to trim it. Now of course, if I were to wear the 1890s, it almost seems just as difficult to make a whole new evening look than attempt to make a bodice that would eveningify that heavy cotton plaid skirt. But am I that crazy?

So anyway, when I get home today, I think I'm going to pour through my stash and throw things at Antoinette and see what looks good, and what would be feasible to make in a week. I wish I had more time to sew!

theladyrebecca: (Default)
All this curtain-along talk is seriously tempting me. But I already have so many things on my plate (and a definite lack of funds) that I know I shouldn't jump in. If I ever finish the stays, the first thing up will be my red wool 1780s riding habit, which is based on this portrait of Baroness Crussol. Somewhere before Thanksgiving, I also need to finish a mockup of a late Victorian/early Edwardian jacket for my mom (the final will be her Christmas present). And I was still thinking I might want to throw together a Victorian fancy dress costume for Halloween. Plus, this year I'm finally going to make the robe a la turque that I bought fabric for over a year ago. And I bought a ton of fabric in the fabric district to finally start making some Regency things. But I think not having any events to wear this stuff to is really hindering any potential progress. I miss being in the Bay Area, where there was always some sort of upcoming event! And I'm jealous of all you east-coasters, who at the very least have a bunch of reenactments you can visit...

So I don't know - should I be weak and jump on the bandwagon? (I tend to have a rule that I never pay more than $7/yd for fabric, unless it's silk.) Or should I be strong, and just actually work on the projects already on my plate.

And as far as the stays go, I did actually start on the binding. But I still have a long road ahead of me.

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