Sunday, April 19, 2009

I'm Sewing!!!

Okay, I'm re-engaging with the sewing after a bit of illness. For a while there, I was convinced that I would have nothing to bring with me to Costume Con, and was considering dropping out of the one competition I'm enrolled it. But NOW....

...I started wanting to sew again last Wednesday. I fit the bodice toile Wednesday night, cut out the pattern on Thursday night, and I've almost got the basic gown assembled. Then, there will still be finishing details, trim, and three accessory garment pieces that need to go with it. Still, I'm feeling very pleased that I will have something to compete with.

Otherwise, I'm going to be selecting costumes to wear to Costume Con, I've signed up for the Victorian hairpieces workshop, and I'm going to be a model for one of Simplicity's news patterns! I"m definitely looking forward to Costume Con, and all the fun I'm going to have!

Saturday, April 04, 2009

The Devil's in the Details

A few weeks ago I went to Williamsburg to take a another Burnley and Trowbridge workshop, and I'm just now getting around to posting the photos. There were lots and lots of froofy dresses to look and and drool over, and I learned a few new tricks:

How to make your own 18th century trim (seriously...this was so time consuming, I can't ever see wanting to do this myself...but I suppose you never know just how crazy 'period correct' I might want to go some day).How to make Death Head buttons. These are really cool! Here are the ones I made. I had a much easier time with the basic four point Death Head than the six point "Astral" pattern (the one where I used two colors). I was cursing that silly button the whole time.So, enough about what I learned. Here's what came out of the Williamsburg Costume shop vault: a froofy organza cap.FROOFY apron.A pretty stomacher with lots of froofy trim.A pretty purple and white stomacher with an amazing blue and white hat next to it.A pink Polonaise with Organza trim.An amazing Robe Francaise with self trim.A froofy organza and silk trimmed robe Francaise.And the piece de resistance that I really wanted to take home with me: A FROOFY yummy hat.

I apologize for the overuse of the word froofy in this post, but it's the appropriate adjective. I thought the striped polonaise brigade might get a kick out of this.

In other news, I'm in a bit of a costuming funk. The timing couldn't be worse, with Costume Con at the end of the month, but I just can't seem to make myself get my sewing out. The only contest I've pre-signed up for is the Single Pattern competition, but I may be pulling out of it. Oh well. It will still be fun to go. I'm also getting cool invites that I'm not sure I can accept. (there's a trip to Williamsburg that I'm dying to go on, and a tea), but I think everything is falling in the middle of the week, and with no leave saved up, I'm out of luck.