Ruff beginnings
Next on the docket, that head-on-a-plate ruff for my 1580s gown. Because I hath seen Patterns of Fashion 4 and it doth rock. Yea verily forsooth!
Faux-Embroidered Jacobean Jacket
I finally got to wear this Jacobean jacket at Mists Bardic and received compliments & queries about how I made it and what it was all about (update: I’ve worn it many times since, and people always ask if I embroidered the whole thing — heck no!, I tell them :-). I wore it with
Kinda sorta complete
Finished something! Well, except for closures (doesn’t everyone need a little closure?). But there’s enough trim on the black Jacobean jacket, enough to call it baked. ‘Cept do I want bows or not? I could add pink ribbon bows up the front, prob. four of them. Might still need to close with pins because there’s
Funny (to me)
I just sewed a bunch of trim on the Jacobean jacket and I’m still kinda drunk. And I think the jacket could use more trim. That’s what I love about Elizabethan and Victorian bustle eras — shit-tons of trim. Add more, then add a little bit more on top of that. Just in case.
Just keep sewing
I sewed a lot of trim on my black Jacobean jacket. But there’s still more to do! Got the godets outlined in black braid, put on the lace at the collar, and eeked out a bit more of the crewel edging for cuffs. But I want to edge the sleeves’ crewel stripes in a narrow
ABT (all but the trim)
I finally finished this sucker, despite a number of setbacks. Like discovering I had cut out two upper left sleeves out of the crewelwork, and of course, there wasn’t enough fabric left to cut a right upper sleeve. So instead of making the sleeves half crewel/half solid, they’re all solid. DOH! The pattern was kind
Tricky triangles of d00m
My so-far attempt at a Jacobean jacket. The muslin looked really good on me, and this part doesn’t look too bad, even though I could not line up the border pattern and I royally f-ed up the godets. Speaking of which, does anyone have a trick for putting in triangular godets? I’ve never gotten them
Reminders to self
There’s no point even considering hand-sewing something when the pattern you’re using (Jacobean Jacket by Dawn Anderson Designs) isn’t terribly accurate to begin with. It’s not horribly inaccurate — I can see exactly why the designer chose to put a seam there and that *is* accurate for doublet bodices in the era, even though it’s
Make a Metal-Frame Purse
These are the instructions and pattern to make a small, metal-framed purse, for a class I taught at Costume College 2008. Metal-frame purse instructions PDF — Complete details for making a purse with a metal “kiss clasp” frame. This style of purse is accurate from about the 1400s to the present day, and you can
Showing off
What I wanted to find at this year’s trip to the LA Garment District was something to go with this hot pink and silver (polyester) sari I’ve had in the Stash for years: I made a sketch of my costume concept in Tara Maginnis’ drawing class at Costume College (shown at left). The idea is
Carnivale musings
So I updated my swatch book last night. Which required measuring of some yardage. And I don’t think I have enough fabric for my intended Carnivale costume. The black shantung embedded with shisha mirrors is only 4 yards of 45″ wide material, and something tells me that just won’t be enough for a robe a
Blue Caraco Jacket and Petticoat
Well, no in-progress updates or anything! Half a year later, I picked up the project again about two weeks before the Lumieres Summer Pique-nique. I wanted something new to wear, as I’d worn the same pink francaise to two other picnics at the same location already. Also, I got the idea of buying a big
For future reference
This sort of robe a la francaise held up in a polonaise would be both very pretty and quite practical for Carnivale next year. Can’t have a train or anything dragging about in the damp, and despite the potential cuteness, I don’t want to go all lolita-short. That example circa 1760s-1770s is more accurate. I
Marquise de la Tour-Maubourg in the Eugenie Project
Photos from Costume-Con 26’s official photographer.
The CC26 Recap & Eugenie Project Summary
My weekend… It was a lot of things. 98% of them amazingly good. The truly crowning jewel, for those who didn’t hear, was this: Best in Show, Costume-Con 26 Historical Masquerade. Master Costumer for reals. See also: and the original inspiration. SO FUCKING WORTH IT. ******