Sabrina

I tried on my petticoat yesterday so that I could fit the straps. So you get (not very exciting bathroom mirror) pictures! The fabric is a cotton print from the Old Sturbridge Village collection by Judie Rothermel and I found the actual fabric on the OSV website, which dates it to 1822, so a bit after this outfit, but still pretty close. This petticoat has a gored front piece and straight back piece that is gathered at CB. Slits are left in the seams to reach pockets (which I'm hoping to make for this month's HSM challenge: Holes), and the hook and eye closure is at the left seam. The waistband is fabric and the straps are twill tape, based on this example from the Royal Ontario Museum. I'm wearing it over my quick 'n' dirty Regency stays that I made for CoCo last year and my shift, which you can see I adjusted by gathering the back neckline to a band because it was too big.

I need to finish this off today so I can get started on the shortgown. Hoping to get it patterned today and maybe also cut out.

I got my quick 'n' dirty Regency stays finished off. They don't look so pretty, but they get the job done. I think I've also got a Regency bodice pattern. I drafted something up based off of the shapes from this dress pattern and using my body block for some proportions. Today I tried on the mock-up and made some minor adjustments, so I think it should be good to go. It's going to have a lightly gathered front and a fitted back in dark purple poly shantung. I didn't draft up a sleeve because I'm just going to go with a short, puffed sleeve, which *should* be easy to figure out later since it won't be fitted. The sleeve will be made out of black poly chiffon, stamped with gold stars.

I really want to get this one done and out of the way by the weekend so that I can spend the last few days finishing up other things, like the boning in my Little Mermaid bodice, the hair ornament and corsage, and my reticule.

I got back yesterday afternoon from a weekend out at a friend's cottage. The weather was so hot and humid, but I had a lot of fun. It was tiring though and today is my day at home then it's off again tomorrow to Kingston, ON. I'm going with my dad and we're going to try and get furniture for the apartment as well as actually see the apartment and get things signed. We won't be back until Friday, which is when there is some family coming in from out of town and stuff to do with that over the weekend.

I did a tiny bit of tambour embroidery on my reticule and I got a busk and some binding sewn into my Regency stays. I figure I can sew down the wrong side of the binding on the plane rides this week. Costume College is fast approaching and I'm just not ready yet! Although my gloves came in the mail and they are really pretty and they fit! So that's one more thing off the list. But with all this other stuff going on, it's going to be tough to get time to work on the Lost Hope fairy gown. Maybe I can pattern and mock-up today? But I still need to pack and I have a softball game this evening. So much going on!

I tried on my Regency stays and they have all kinds of problems. Like the straps are too short. And maybe the gussets are too short too? And I think I need another bust gusset because I think I put the gussets too close to the front. I think I need to do what the_aristocat did on her Bernhardt stays and add a third bust gusset and a drawstring in the neckline. Luckily the top is unbound still, but I really don't feel like adding another gusset by hand (if I can even find the right fabric, wherever it is!) and then doing more eyelets by hand (for the straps, I swear the eyelet gods are laughing at me so hard). These are salvegeable, but not right now. With a big deadline looming, what's a girl to do?

I think I'm going to make a quick and dirty, machine sewn, metal grommeted pair of short stays. Like really short stays, so I don't have to deal with hip gussets. I'll still have to draft up a pattern, but I won't be starting from scratch because I can use my unfinished stays as a base. Any advice or thoughts?

I'm done with eyelets! YAY!!! They're all done on the Little Mermaid bodice AND the Regency stays. Whew! That was way too many eyelets in one week. My stays now have eyelets, the fronts and backs are sewn together, and the bottom edge is bound with cotton twill tape. Today is all about boning and busks. I want to put the busk pocket in my stays, cut down my paint stick so that it's proper busk length, get the boning (cable ties) cut and edges finished, and attach the straps to the back pieces. Then it'll be in good enough shape to try on and adjust the strap length. Tomorrow will be finishing off the binding around the top and armholes. That'll leave me this week with one day to pattern out a bodice and another day to cut out the dress.

My short cut is that I'm not going to properly finish my busk, just cut it to the right length. I can make it all nice later with holes bored into it and sanded down. Without the holes to tie it in the pocket, I'll need to temporarily sew it into the pocket. No big deal.

Darn! I just realized I'll have to make 2 eyelets in the busk pocket. Will it never end???!!!

I am determined to finish my Little Mermaid bodice today. That means neck and armhole frills, bias facings on the edges, the last few eyelets, and boning a couple of the seams. It seems doable, especially since I have pretty much all afternoon and evening to work on it.

I really want to get to work on my Regency stays. I want to finish them by Monday, because I'll be going away for the following weekend and then again after, so I need to get my Lost Hope fairy dress mocked-up and started since I won't be able to work on it while travelling. I'm going to hand sew a reticule while I'm away; I need somewhere to put my camera at CoCo! Lots of driving and plane time to get that done. My inspiration (mine will probably be much plainer):


What's left:

• Little Mermaid bodice


• Regency stays


• reticule


• Lost Hope fairy dress


• Lost Hope fairy turban? (This may just end up being a piece of fabric wrapped around my head and pinned. But it may also be a fixed turban. tbd)


• *Bonus*: 1950s play suit (If I have the time. I have all the stuff for it. This one would be for Thursday.)

I bought this pair of gloves on Etsy for Little Mermaid. I think they should fit. Then I should have all my accessories ready for the Gala (once the reticule is done). Whew! Lots of stuff! Better get to work!

I bought my Costume College ticket the other day! And a ticket for the Gala! Yay! I can't believe that it's really happening. All I need to do is make a bunch of things to wear now... It looks to me like there are about 4-5 opportunities for costume wearing (not including vintage stuff that can be worn whenever, like it in classes). So here's what I have on the docket, but very little idea on which days to wear what:

1. 1880s Little House on the Prairie cotton print bustle dress


2. GoT Tyrell costume


3. 1882 Little Mermaid gown for the Gala (Hm... just noticed that both of my bustle dresses have "Little" as the theme)


4. Regency, either something new if I finish my stays or my 1790s white striped dress for the Breakfast with the Bennets (which needs a sash and petticoat, also need to figure out some sort of hair)

Also, hair stuff! I've got to figure this one out. I'm thinking a braided bun of some sort will be nicely versatile for lots of the above.

Other things that I am thinking of bringing, mostly vintage-y stuff for day wear

1. 1960s pink cotton confetti print dress, has super handy pockets and is very comfy


2. 1942 green linen dress, need to repair a seam, concerned with the fact that it's linen and wrinkles like a MoFo

Other things that I am thinking of making, but won't really care if I don't get around to it

1. 1920s 1-hour dress, Gatsby theme


2. Some other random vintage dress so I can make some use of my fabric stash and patterns that I have


3. 1890s something, totally a pipe dream, I think 1890s might be my post-CoCo era

Whew! So many plans and thoughts! Anyone else bought their ticket yet? What do you think you're bringing or wearing to what (even though it's still months and months away and all plans are subject to lots and lots of change)?

Ok, so things are busy now. Three of my good friends are getting married (a wedding every 2 weeks from Aug. 23 - Sept. 21) and I am in two of the weddings. This means planning out and executing showers and bachelorette parties and 2 of those are this weekend. I have also been commissioned to make the bouquets for the weddings I am in. Plus, I will be making my bridesmaid dress for the second wedding. In addition to this, I am trying to get thesis research done so that I can write my Master's thesis and graduate in May and I have a part-time job as a research assistant (which is fun and awesome, but still takes up time). I also have regular life stuff to do, like be a normal sociable person and spend time with family, friends, and boyfriend. So what does all this mean?

When it comes to sewing, I have a lot of grand plans. (Don't we all?) But I think that I need to streamline them a bit. While I still want to get my Regency stays finished, there is no way that I will finish them and then get to the next 2 HSF challenge project and sew up a bridesmaid dress. So I am giving myself a pass on the Regency stays. I will work on them when I have time and they will eventually get done. But my next three projects will be (and aren't you getting sick of my sewing plan changes?):

1. 1880s bustle pad (HSF Plaid and Paisley Challenge): a very simple project that I can complete in a day or two and that I have all the materials for


2. My bridesmaid dress: something that I HAVE to get done, but since I don't want any extra stress I am changing my design for it. Instead of a bias cut dress (which I would have to pattern from scratch), I am going with an Audrey Hepburn-inspired design with a bateau neckline and slim skirt, (something like this) using a tried-and-true pattern that will take minimal adjustments. Not very exciting, but nobody cares what I look like, I'm just there for pleasant-looking background to the bride right? :)


3. Margaery bodice (HSF Terminology Pattern): this will be the most labour-intensive because it will involve creating a new pattern and some hand-sewing, but I can use my body block as a starting point and I have all the materials for it

All of these projects are on the smaller side, especially the bustle pad, compared to my other grand plans. But that's a good thing, because it means that they will get done without taking up inordinate amounts of time and I will feel accomplished. Sometimes I really need to have completed projects. Sewing for weeks and not having anything to show for it can get discouraging at times, especially when I feel like so many other things in my life are going the same way. It's just like treading water: tiring and you don't go anywhere, but you have to keep paddling so you don't drown. If all the other things in my life are treading water type things, then I need something that I can get DONE, that I can have finished and put aside and check off a list and point at and say, "Look what I made!" and not have a UFO hanging over me.

Grand plans can wait until after the wedding madness is over. Of course, then it might be thesis madness... ;p Enough rambling for now.

I just feel like posting to keep up the good habit of posting regularly. I finished the centre front seam of my Regency stays. I sewed three of the layers together (2 sateen, 1 broadcloth) using a back stitch and only catching the sateen in the first and last 1/2 inch. Then I turned in the other broadcloth layer's seam allowance and whipped that down to the already sewn in broadcloth. Since I don't have a busk, this allows me to have all the edges on the inside finished and leaves me with a divided centre so I can put boning on either side of CF. I also sewed one CB seam, just backstitching with the sateen and broadcloth layers right sides together.

I am not looking forward to the eyelets, which will be coming soon. I'm thinking I need to find out the least number of eyelets I can put in. I will also be spiral lacing these. I find it so much easier to put on than cross-laced when there's no front opening busk.

Silk thread is so much nicer to hand-sew with than cotton thread! It hardly ever knots. And it goes through the fabric so smoothly. I don't think I can ever go back.

I've also been spending WAY too much time scouring the internet for fabric that I might want to use for a GoT Mormont gown. I want something with a bit of shine, but not too much. And something of natural fibres so I can dye it. I am considering cotton sateen because I can get it for pretty cheap, it looks nice and drapes nicely, and it will dye fairly easily. However, it doesn't have the same look as the actual GoT gowns have, which appear to be made of silk. Dharma Trading has some low-priced dupioni that looks fairly slub-free, but it seems that silk is more difficult to dye dark colours and it would also be twice the price of the sateen (and even more than that with the cost of shipping to Canada). I wonder if any of the silks back at the fabric store would work. They were all under $15/metre but mostly they were very slubby duipionis. Such a difficult decision... *sigh* :p

But on the plus side: Look! New GoT userpic! :)

Last night I actually got in some sewing. I put on the new Robocop movie and sat down to do some serious hand-sewing. (My boyfriend remarked that it was a combination that has probably never been done before. I'm rather inclined to agree.) I have cut out all the stays pieces; one layer of cotton sateen and one layer of cotton broadcloth. I'm using a backstitch for the gussets. Since I am planning on turning in the edges and sewing the two layers together using le point a rabattre sous la main (instead of binding), I am sewing in the gussets a particular way. I treat both layers of the gusset as one, sewing them into the slit in the fashion fabric (sateen) the usual way: folding back the edges of the slit about 1/4 inch and top-stitching at the edges.

However, at the start and end of the gusset at the edge of the corset, I only sew the sateen layers together, leaving the broadcloth layer free about 1/2 inch. Later, I'll whipstitch the broadcloth/lining front piece to the broadcloth gusset on the inside. This will allow me to turn in the edges towards each other.

Overall sewing progress during the movie: 1 hip gusset and 1 bust gusset. Not very fast, but I'm sure I'll speed up.