tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81715617632511339122024-03-14T17:02:01.181+11:00Angelic CowAngelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-56637584595350799562021-08-23T14:11:00.000+10:002021-08-23T14:11:03.384+10:00Its Been a While so lets catch up<p> So I know I have not updated in a long time but in my defense I have been stuck in lockdown and homeschooling my son as well as looking after the baby. We have had a sick rabbit and energy levels are just low. I have not however been idle and much work has been done even though photographing it has caused issues, I literally have posts written with no pictures to add which is very sad.</p><p><br /></p><p>In any case lets take a snapshot of what I am up to and what has happened with planned projects from April.</p><p><b>Project 1</b> - <b>The Spotted dress </b></p><p>This is done and dusted and I just need some photos of me in it, don't know how that will go now as I think I am about 10kg lighter than I was but worst case scenario I will just take it in, the construction is simple and I don't think this would be too much of a hassle. </p><p><b>Project 2 - Renaissance Dress </b></p><p>This became so much more than it ever was supposed to be. I am very nearly done, in fact I believe I will get the last bit of velvet ribbon needed in todays deliveries. Then it is just finishing the beading on one lower cuff and adding a few eyelets to lace the sleeve cuffs on. For those of you who follow me on Instagram (angelic_cow) will have seen the progress unfold. The beadwork got more and more complex as I found it was a good way to relax and pass time during the lockdown. This dress truly has kept me sane. I am hoping to have it done by the end of the week. Photos may be boring and in my yard for now but I will hopefully be able to get to a cool location for shots soon. (fingers crossed for high vaccination numbers by Septembers end)</p><p><b>Project 3 - 1930's Project</b></p><p>This one has a made skirt (though I will likely be taking that in as with the dress above) and the top is call cut out ready to go. I have found it hard with the kids here to get time where the machine can be safely set up so most of the work I have been doing is the tracing/cutting/handwork as well as planning. I will have to get this completed soon though lest it end up in the UFO box for another 10 years lol.</p><p><b>Project 4 - 1700's Corset</b></p><p>I am both sad and impressed that this project has had to be entirely shelved and restarted. As mentioned above 10kg loss means this is less a corset and more a lose fitted bodice now so will need to redraft from the beginning. I do have the supplies in stock now though to be able to move fast once I get to this. I do think it would be best if it is the ONLY project I work on though from start to finish in order to keep momentum going, so on that I am waiting on the Renaissance and Hoop (below) to be complete.</p><p><b>Project 5 - Chemise Dress</b></p><p>This project is semi contingent on the above so won't move until I have the corset done and a few minor supplies (like the twill tap required for the gathering)</p><p><b>Project 6 - Hoop</b></p><p>I have (just in the last week or so) made some good progress on this. The fashion fabric I wanted to use was not in large enough supply in the stash so I had to piece the bag with the fashion and white cotton sewn down the middle. I am not up to the point of finishing up the bag when I realised I needed ribbon so bought that and hopefully I will see it this week.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Further Projects</b></p><p>My lovely family procured me 6m of Capulet silk from www,silkbaron.com for my birthday and I plan to make a late Victorian walking suit with it. Obviously one does not cut into expensive silk without a trial so I have some very cheap taffeta on the way which will hopefully become a wearable mock up. I am pushing this forward as the next big project to replace the renaissance dress once it is complete.</p><p>I also have the linen for the planned 18th century English gown waiting so that will need to be slotted in somewhere. It will also be waiting on the corset however.</p><p>I have fabric coming to complete another Truly Victorian 101 Bustle for a friend which will take about a day or two based on the last one I made. It will be Pink.</p><p>I also want to try a Victorian corset but figure I should wait until I have finished the first corset before I get too excited about it.</p><p><br /></p><p>I guess all of the above should keep me busy at least until after lockdown.</p><p><br /></p><p>Happy sewing peoples</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-23925952066156526862021-05-13T10:25:00.004+10:002021-08-23T13:17:12.146+10:00March Summation and April Plans<p> Guess who didn't factor in school holidays for April.</p><p>As you can likely tell by the lack of posts I did not manage to finish anything at all in April. I very nearly managed to finish the unfinished project but not quite (finishing it today).</p><p><br />What I did manage:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Drafted and pattern mock up for 1785-1788 corset from Stays and Corsets (volume 1) by Mandy Barrington. I also managed to get the sized pattern cut out twice but did not get to sewing it together to create the boned mock up.</li><li>Traced the pattern for my renaissance dress, no more movement there.</li><li>Finished my unfinished brown floral dress that (surprise) does not fit me.</li><li>Traced and resized the pattern for the 1930's outfit but did not even get the trial cut out.</li><li>Discovered that the material I wanted to use for the hoop is just a bit to small, I have come up with a fix and even located more stash fabric to use but just never got round to more than that.</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>So yes the boy does suck a lot of time out of my life but I wouldn't have it any other way. For this reason I won't be summarizing the projects as I did last month, its just a little too depressing.</div><div><br /></div><div>However the Plans for May are already going well</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Project 1</b></div><div>Blue and White spot dress, which is at time of posting this is already done but I do need some more time to get photos done (as the hat I wanted only just arrived) however I can present this preview.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBrQ0gzlc68YJSqaCoEDl_zBF2HJelx5EHxwxW_SGicfyGiKLZYl4BGGH93zAI4mNKJ5HRtqRBQpGf8E0JGOOdMzuw0DAWUKTm8r0BBFGxnt_MQUoy_-GwgmI94d_WeqPmPVdmMBcWnyd/s1800/preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBrQ0gzlc68YJSqaCoEDl_zBF2HJelx5EHxwxW_SGicfyGiKLZYl4BGGH93zAI4mNKJ5HRtqRBQpGf8E0JGOOdMzuw0DAWUKTm8r0BBFGxnt_MQUoy_-GwgmI94d_WeqPmPVdmMBcWnyd/s320/preview.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Project 2</b></div><div>Renaissance dress, I have prewashed the fabric and planned my cutting lay out today so tomorrow I should begin the actual process of putting it together. I also received the last pieces for trims in the form of 3.8cm wide black velvet ribbon. I was very happy to pick this up at about $3/m as its somewhere near $7 at spotlight. As the ribbon I got is technically millinery it isn't as plush as spotlight but it will be beaded over anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Project 3</b></div><div>The 30's Project, as per last month and as above. I have the skirts pinned to a cheap rayon I have had laying around for ages so its just cut and size but this project may take a back burner to some of the others in this list as its probably the least exciting to me right now.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Project 4</b></div><div>My corset as above and last month. I really want to get movement on this as I don't think it will take much more than a full day to get it done, again its a case of focus. Perhaps I will pick a few days to dedicate to this and just knock it off.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Project 5</b></div><div>Chemise Dress. I have the fabric and need the says finished but if I can't get it done in time for the white event I will use the swan maiden as a back up. I would however really like to see this one complete as I think it will make a very pleasant addition to the costuming wardrobe.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Project 6</b></div><div>Hoop as above and last month. I really do want it out of the strawberry fabric as shown in the previous posts but there isn't quite enough to do this. My plan is to use the left over white cotton from the first project of this month and seam it together along the bottom rather than fold. I hope this doesn't compromise the pattern but then piecing is period I hear.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know that is heaps (with one already done) so hopefully I can get somewhere on something. I have not allocated an unfinished project due to the fact that its demotivating to not have outfits finished that I can even get on.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many of these are actually I think really fast to complete, its just a case of getting onto it. The corset and hoop for example I think are both only a couple of days each, the 30's outfit is maybe one solid day of sewing, chemise dress may take up to a week pending drafting and what I choose to do about the hems. I can see the bulk of the renaissance being completed rather quickly and the real time suck being all the decoration I want to do on it, which may push this out over another month or two.</div><div><br /></div><div>hopefully by the end of next week I will have up the posts about the brown 40's finished project and the spotted dress as well as some more future plans for things I want to make that are still mulling around my head.</div><p></p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-14233143170894583282021-04-03T22:56:00.000+11:002021-04-03T22:56:03.321+11:00March Summation and April Plans<p> To be entirely honest I don't know how many people would even be interested in this type of post but it seems as good a place as any to start documenting how things have gone and where I want them to go so read on if interested and ignore if not.</p><p><b><span style="color: #38761d;">March Goals</span></b></p><p>For March I was supposed to get done my Renaissance Dress and My Hoop, neither of which happened. I did however manage to get finished two unfinished projects and a new 1920's 1hr Dress as well as complete the layover 40's dress from February. I know that last one is technically not finished but buttons will happen when I find them and no sooner. I also am most of the way through sorting out my stash and documenting what I have so that is another win.</p><div><b>Finished Project 1</b>, was the 1950's dress which does not even come close to fitting right now but I do really like. Maybe by next winter I can get it closed. In the mean time I shall have to find a way to pack up the stuff that doesn't fit me anymore or maybe I find a new home for it with someone who can zip it up. What is certain is it feels good to be getting some of those lazy projects out of my pile. </div><p><b>Finished Project 2</b>, turned into an 1860's ish dress with a matching bonnet and a pleated underskirt. The underskirt will be very useful as a petticoat for all my hoop projects though I will need to finish the hoop more on that later. I was very pleased with the rework, more pleased than I was with the original design. Having worn it today however I do think that the green dress needs something more on its hem, so whilst I am leaving it for now as functionally finished don't be surprised if it finds its way back for more embellishments.</p><p><b>New Project </b>was the 1920's 1 hour dress for my niece. This is the one that I am most happy with from this month probably because it caused me pain to get to where it was done but in then end was so pretty and worked so well. I may tackle more 1 hour dresses in future.</p><p><b>Stash Fabric Used </b>- technically I did get rid of 3m of satin though it was not used in a finished product it was attempt 1 of the 1 hour dress and we shall call it a mock up because it sounds more encouraging than a cock up. Down side is that I did not really get through a lot of the stash in this month and instead did have to buy more fabric than I would like and should therefore plan for better busting projects moving forward. I did use up some green ribbon, ivory ribbon and white cotton lace from the trim stash so that's something at least</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="color: #38761d;">April Plans</span></b></p><p>April has some must have plans as well as some desires. Thanks to the cleaning out of my stash I have so many projects that I have remembered I have fabric for so I should see some stash busting in this month. </p><p><b>Skills</b> to work on include drafting my basic block using the corset and stays instructions (at this time) and attempting to fit that block for future use. Drafting one stay or corset from the afore mentioned books and hopefully seeing that through to first mock up. </p><p><b>Project 1 </b>will be a 1930's ensemble for a party at the beginning of May. I have had the fabric for a good many years now with this plan in mind so it will be good to get through that and also necessity for the theme of the high tea I am to attend. It will need some resizing and fitting so I plan on actually doing this properly this time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlji4K4IwG1-0901O0NFTUsGyYA6s1ztMYv-Zs6sUAoSTFVlL04abAkRThIHZuB9o7DwKMM_xN5BYtTfe4L-caL8c83efuiReNJpLiTLa0b5IltqLHeEoQcrlr_-p0XwC98lZrllbtQwyj/s640/IMG_5447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlji4K4IwG1-0901O0NFTUsGyYA6s1ztMYv-Zs6sUAoSTFVlL04abAkRThIHZuB9o7DwKMM_xN5BYtTfe4L-caL8c83efuiReNJpLiTLa0b5IltqLHeEoQcrlr_-p0XwC98lZrllbtQwyj/s320/IMG_5447.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Project 2</b> will be the hoop, I know it needs to be done I have the fabric chosen pattern traced and just need a nice day to cut metal outside (this is not an inside task).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBDuVg6hmoz-Wg9q38dqUqWn9YMx1asDQNM8PEmjTBsF-Dd4j26uF0FZtX9A9bxr3ybyV5AdYsLVsS3RpG8WTCR4pRSuxz3KEV-qFRZBWYkXM-wSwO_a92Qe8Ob_bJ7ggZJ9fB9uKeKLu/s640/IMG_5448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBDuVg6hmoz-Wg9q38dqUqWn9YMx1asDQNM8PEmjTBsF-Dd4j26uF0FZtX9A9bxr3ybyV5AdYsLVsS3RpG8WTCR4pRSuxz3KEV-qFRZBWYkXM-wSwO_a92Qe8Ob_bJ7ggZJ9fB9uKeKLu/s320/IMG_5448.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Project 3 </b>will be the renaissance dress, there has been some start on preparations but long story short I have the entire requirements and will be need to start putting the dress together. This may be a project over a couple of months because the embellishments are quite involved.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIekyxasIgMKaT5rOaXeeScz7UwdP2Hm3zDjJet45pur-YfMDUvY-asz97_6nHuCEAtCUjlVHS46-AKcuCVI4KIgL40GmbZRKH7P034XHt_u3Sevd2ngyriortcmIqgX4CJoqWIjlBet-q/s640/IMG_5185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIekyxasIgMKaT5rOaXeeScz7UwdP2Hm3zDjJet45pur-YfMDUvY-asz97_6nHuCEAtCUjlVHS46-AKcuCVI4KIgL40GmbZRKH7P034XHt_u3Sevd2ngyriortcmIqgX4CJoqWIjlBet-q/s320/IMG_5185.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Bonus Projects </b>wearable block dress based on the skills above, 1950's spotted dress, 1940's tropical crepe dress all of which fabric has been acquired for. I also have earmarked an unfinished 1940's dress from late 2015 in my unfinished pile.</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-31882085691507276102021-04-01T22:33:00.005+11:002021-04-01T22:33:45.431+11:00Finishing the Unfinished - Big Green Edition<p> Sometime in a January, I am going to guess 2019 because 2020 was a blur of nothing, I started sewing a simple dress of green cotton to wear to an event at the Australiana village in Windsor. The idea was a rework of the pagoda bodice body, a semi-full skirt over just the petticoat with no hoop, long sleeves and the use of a collar I had acquired from the sewing basket. I had planed it to button up the side under the arm and sized the whole dress to be able to be worn without a corset for the sake of Australian summer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8ma2KLtWAdB0dZJG7gaGo4Ts1HAhHHYrdKZqJjoX8mbdGUumohzMVELKlwetmA470dAaXXxLNy7aax1sCw8NFMyPy93TW6ynVmBz_FJ9NWDc4KYLMhipRQaEDCoAovrbmGEaiNFseQMl/s640/IMG_5354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8ma2KLtWAdB0dZJG7gaGo4Ts1HAhHHYrdKZqJjoX8mbdGUumohzMVELKlwetmA470dAaXXxLNy7aax1sCw8NFMyPy93TW6ynVmBz_FJ9NWDc4KYLMhipRQaEDCoAovrbmGEaiNFseQMl/s320/IMG_5354.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I got the outfit to the point where the hem was pinned, no buttons yet and no sleeves but I had handsewn in the collar, which I may add, was no mean feat. Trying to get it pinned to lie flat on the bodice with it on me (Gladys is in need of repair so not really good for that sort of thing) was not something I wish to ever repeat - but I did get there. All the internal seams were finished in a hand felled method or french for the long skirt seam (there is only one). And there it sat.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2r5H5zNTtX-j2KowtPdeaC5ghXylP6uxadouc08Qa2kd1pbmpIbdoMgIm2AF610ZM2WBFZz_9BBCgW_mRlMLyP-3yxX7zBsJDQg96p7ceHMB9LeyvfAhgCO9GNTGf1WrxAePElDrSfh6/s1920/IMG_8923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2r5H5zNTtX-j2KowtPdeaC5ghXylP6uxadouc08Qa2kd1pbmpIbdoMgIm2AF610ZM2WBFZz_9BBCgW_mRlMLyP-3yxX7zBsJDQg96p7ceHMB9LeyvfAhgCO9GNTGf1WrxAePElDrSfh6/s320/IMG_8923.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>From memory I had issues working out what sleeves I wanted then there was trying to get a sleeve to fit into the hole left by the drop sleeved style of the pagoda bodice, and finally the event ended up on a day I could not attend (the reason why escapes me as it was a date I had organised so all I can think is that a family event came up). Then I sent Gladys for repairs (that never happened and took 9mths but that is a whole other story) so the dress came down was packed away and passed over for more needed or exciting projects.</p><p>This month we have an event on, open themed and I wanted to make the renaissance dress for it but the green dress made its way back up and into sorting as we move my stash from under the house into storage for mould reasons. I took another look at it and thought it deserved to be finished - especially after the battle that was the yoke/collar piece, however the basic colonial style wasn't exciting me. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1IHqPzmhHFRP-labBlY8dmGmKG8f_v62EMC0jp6nVu_0vKexWJGmwzgtS6nbi6zvC8gpOolpvgi2I_cnbAkfwDe0BHRpzSzqabDTKGVbJknZnc4YXi4dsP4h6NFsvqWNvIITx2hlBzVO/s640/IMG_8602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1IHqPzmhHFRP-labBlY8dmGmKG8f_v62EMC0jp6nVu_0vKexWJGmwzgtS6nbi6zvC8gpOolpvgi2I_cnbAkfwDe0BHRpzSzqabDTKGVbJknZnc4YXi4dsP4h6NFsvqWNvIITx2hlBzVO/s320/IMG_8602.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqglQuji0HuuvIId44IyRgAftC-CJyxhFCuJx5pEHO1bEgy1tqmVs3_qVnBJIyukwbVjRkTL0IReyQSgWDd7OoCNBHz8hym-99EwSfOr_S9-8VGw1ii-nOjv6jktlL7FLln12D_jFqVj9/s640/IMG_8881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqglQuji0HuuvIId44IyRgAftC-CJyxhFCuJx5pEHO1bEgy1tqmVs3_qVnBJIyukwbVjRkTL0IReyQSgWDd7OoCNBHz8hym-99EwSfOr_S9-8VGw1ii-nOjv6jktlL7FLln12D_jFqVj9/s320/IMG_8881.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>First step was to put sleeves in and rather than spend weeks wrestling with patterning I decided to put the pagoda sleeves on. I wondered if it would fit over a hoop (as that was also on my to do list this month) and a new plan was born. Raise the hem, make a pleated petticoat to go underneath and fit over a hoop. I added some stash cotton lace and ribbon to the sleeve ends to finish them nicely and balance the white portions. Also yay some stash use.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpqDFGvlH_YWbCCz26EnuTSXeIgGB33l8Ow8Qdga9U1QZU_E5VQ9aTkiBsZCHJ6c9GmzQes5Qb-ixP_GaKdb_4l8S0ZvUuv1n7RNVbpJsWHAeSfQfCHu8ckc9n3c_dQPDxfBcs_e1mViT/s1920/IMG_5238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpqDFGvlH_YWbCCz26EnuTSXeIgGB33l8Ow8Qdga9U1QZU_E5VQ9aTkiBsZCHJ6c9GmzQes5Qb-ixP_GaKdb_4l8S0ZvUuv1n7RNVbpJsWHAeSfQfCHu8ckc9n3c_dQPDxfBcs_e1mViT/s320/IMG_5238.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>I did not have the required amount of fabric for the petticoat, so I hit up spotlight for the first of about a million visits this month. Cotton cost was high given the amount used in a hoop petticoat, plus the cotton needed for the pleats would make one very heavy petticoat. Given my other petticoat is already out of a too heavy linen the idea of having both on my hips was not appealing. In order to save money and in line with the "is it pretty" mentality I bought some $2/m poly/cotton poplin and a couple of meters of white quilting cotton (same quality as the green fabric).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-sfYqeKHQfpxIojRxH6K23VeeF4B76w6m5amxNj-ZnyWeiaUcTlchUutGSmlzHsCpsS5pTQMVHjXvL67DVi37evmRA7DljuM6eq6OoCSgfpL6nElih5asQKPvpesLbW0ODxSP9C5Kwb_/s640/IMG_5253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-sfYqeKHQfpxIojRxH6K23VeeF4B76w6m5amxNj-ZnyWeiaUcTlchUutGSmlzHsCpsS5pTQMVHjXvL67DVi37evmRA7DljuM6eq6OoCSgfpL6nElih5asQKPvpesLbW0ODxSP9C5Kwb_/s320/IMG_5253.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>As it turns out 2m was very ambitious as I worked out the pleat depth etc and returned the next day for another 2m. I would need 12m total to make the 4m hem of pleats. Setting the pleats I tried the vinigar methods and other than giving me a craving for chips it did not seem to help me much. But giving them a good steam and basting has held them so far. The dress hem ended up being lower than anticipated so I have kept a basting stitch above this hem to hold the pleats better.</p><p>When hemming the dress my original plan was to have about 10 inches of pleats showing, however that did not look balanced at all, so after consultations with friends it was decided to just about halve that, in the end its 6 inches from green to floor in hoop. This is mostly eyeballed but i also used a 6" paper template to run under the green and make sure it was at least in the ball park.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFIpphXbMyuuelQZbLVOEUzAlkHkCPE9IQnAgYRWkdfYfpiatn0T-ZoampcDNS1y6NO0m4W_QuqcJHv3fyz6hsu-Tp5h_BOYAnKST0-eoFXd1dX6SE6b0-Lc_4DKdzd7TjGwsF83Ovcel/s640/IMG_5297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFIpphXbMyuuelQZbLVOEUzAlkHkCPE9IQnAgYRWkdfYfpiatn0T-ZoampcDNS1y6NO0m4W_QuqcJHv3fyz6hsu-Tp5h_BOYAnKST0-eoFXd1dX6SE6b0-Lc_4DKdzd7TjGwsF83Ovcel/s320/IMG_5297.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yes this was to much pleats</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>One of the best secrets about this dress is the with the side closure I can line up a whole bunch of openings to be able to access my Bernie Pocket rather than carrying a bag.</p><p>I am very happy with the result and glad I took the time to reimagine and finish this project.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHcDMzO0J_wl5TUHyZU_CCr42gta6bMvW9Ewtts9hpVU98_-KDT4alPI-jfBKMkWmWK3y7Yl43AD3mPuJ5vpP5WiGONhP2GFEctGtSRquW_10BCm1jUtAn75i1YfobXPlXhqC_7cK_FJ3/s640/IMG_5408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHcDMzO0J_wl5TUHyZU_CCr42gta6bMvW9Ewtts9hpVU98_-KDT4alPI-jfBKMkWmWK3y7Yl43AD3mPuJ5vpP5WiGONhP2GFEctGtSRquW_10BCm1jUtAn75i1YfobXPlXhqC_7cK_FJ3/s320/IMG_5408.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Keen eyes may have noticed a bonnet appear in the final photos.....I have considered a separate post but as the bonnet was made in one night I don't think I have enough to say to fill out a whole post. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRRK0xAqQux4lehSAoep4m_Tmt06tNg19Vi3MJm6YO89ug54RnGkUIz1FF5-8qXBz5Q_Hx_MLpdeFli0NHACsMtGNOCQxSpwTbdS78yfNRml7-bHt1fla0Z10YWV6DHqjKb-NKOr2OhRd/s640/C3D39E75-B59E-4D93-969F-41AF8E365ABE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRRK0xAqQux4lehSAoep4m_Tmt06tNg19Vi3MJm6YO89ug54RnGkUIz1FF5-8qXBz5Q_Hx_MLpdeFli0NHACsMtGNOCQxSpwTbdS78yfNRml7-bHt1fla0Z10YWV6DHqjKb-NKOr2OhRd/s320/C3D39E75-B59E-4D93-969F-41AF8E365ABE.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>The basis was made from some fleeting tips made by Angela Clayton, and it is constructed with buckram and wire frame, padded with some quilted wadding and covered in left over cotton from the pleats and uses up a length of ribbon I had in my stash from gods know when.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja4x_YGGgMjaXhp4bdivH089k2AGY4GMzvOSe0rGlnBt7O_YI4wulatxgrujWYaOXyhqeaxGquxujL-lQJDNVEdbjv8MTPttP_qkMIF1xG7KbhgBBSED84Yun8w2N2t5DHJPSWjmZuj0I/s640/IMG_5328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja4x_YGGgMjaXhp4bdivH089k2AGY4GMzvOSe0rGlnBt7O_YI4wulatxgrujWYaOXyhqeaxGquxujL-lQJDNVEdbjv8MTPttP_qkMIF1xG7KbhgBBSED84Yun8w2N2t5DHJPSWjmZuj0I/s320/IMG_5328.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I love the gather effect on the back though I have been told it looks a little bit handmaids tale so I may need to add more adornments before I wear it again.</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-26949639087992568412021-03-28T16:01:00.002+11:002021-03-28T16:01:23.335+11:00Because its the 20's - why not a 20's Dress<p> The Historical Picnic Society Event for March is bring a friend. I made it so, it is my fault but I do tend to call the first event of the year bring a friend every year. As such I asked who wanted to be my friend. My niece, Tayla, very quickly volunteered.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFokUAwXdqaT4kRXXdXjGPbJnSS7nn1e8KzYzzwJ7umeYc26cuk33NNrhz1NlwiqWqfPleuleOdSa7iROcDmLSLcg8_4fyXIN4ye6lnjBg85n5yCdkylNJf4kbs5OTjNnrUzdCqRLMVW40/s640/IMG_5359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFokUAwXdqaT4kRXXdXjGPbJnSS7nn1e8KzYzzwJ7umeYc26cuk33NNrhz1NlwiqWqfPleuleOdSa7iROcDmLSLcg8_4fyXIN4ye6lnjBg85n5yCdkylNJf4kbs5OTjNnrUzdCqRLMVW40/s320/IMG_5359.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I asked her what she wanted, suggested I could do a quasi medieval dress, Regency or 1950's all of which I could pretty easily throw together in the time I had. She countered that she could do 1940's or 1920's. Having been binge watching Closet Historian I immediately thought ahhhh the 1 hour dress and plans for a 1920's began. Should be simple but for those who have read my previous posts nothing is ever easy when I get involved.</p><p>The one hour dress is an easy draft, for full explanation <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsmLtA4nJjc&t=356s" target="_blank">here</a> is where I got my instructions. Basically take bust measurement plus ease make rectangle half this wide and as long as you want the dress, add some arms and expand at hips to make an I shape. I however thought ohh the hanky hem that would be great. Yeah ballsed that one up when my side triangles were like tiny little spikes instead of long billowing hanky hems. After two days of attempts to fix and trying to reimagine how to add panels to create not only what I wanted but something that was even wearable I decided it was just not pretty. I wanted my niece to have a nice dress not some frankensteined messed up rag.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-N0VtavRFrXmtiwSTwVty10UGLFQqY3NwfYb-iiI9FMzrkzBT2yv-0__5PSD8zzWqxgeFaUJveKbZ8zSjQkcMLDc_auX0ynF508BIST4I5VBk5KGyW6bmcNeWWKYEb2UKTKh2pYVUu9zv/s640/IMG_5446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-N0VtavRFrXmtiwSTwVty10UGLFQqY3NwfYb-iiI9FMzrkzBT2yv-0__5PSD8zzWqxgeFaUJveKbZ8zSjQkcMLDc_auX0ynF508BIST4I5VBk5KGyW6bmcNeWWKYEb2UKTKh2pYVUu9zv/s320/IMG_5446.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yes the first attempt was indeed this bad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I bit the bullet hit up spotlight (again visit 50 this month I am sure) and discovered to my delight a 40% of apparel fabric sale. This meant that I didn't have to buy the cheap winston or plain satin and suddenly could afford the beautiful Satin Rayon - so pretty, so slinky, so arsie to sew I will never again taint my sanity with its luster. To accent I found an almost perfect colour match lace. Armed with these purchases I returned home to complete my 1hr dress.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUlyRWZXjVIwEeduTuQEH3zwU1XRZyaMpvUgutp6LgOmpFRnA5BlYzFxKhuuywRKeoD_7g-3uqOZLmHjkDak4hPL2JFtsHZhPaRR3UVeoDCTUdy4pBFxiDzmjt0UwM1J3zKZQamn0-ooY/s1920/IMG_5340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUlyRWZXjVIwEeduTuQEH3zwU1XRZyaMpvUgutp6LgOmpFRnA5BlYzFxKhuuywRKeoD_7g-3uqOZLmHjkDak4hPL2JFtsHZhPaRR3UVeoDCTUdy4pBFxiDzmjt0UwM1J3zKZQamn0-ooY/s320/IMG_5340.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>Personal side note I did this dress in its entirety, including all planning, patterning, draping and adornments in one afternoon from about 10am to 4pm with an hour or so of breaks to pick up my son and the repeated interruption of a baby and a 5 year old (post school). Do I think it is possible to make a 1hr dress in an actual hour... yes I do. But it would need to be made out of cotton/easy to sew fabric, have no extra trims or finishes. I may one day challenge myself to do so. This one however with lace inserts and neckline belt and bow in slippery fabric was not going to behave in such a manner as to make a 1hr finish possible.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwq9uFHqA813eYb-DJjp1FBbgsa3iXPVZnsUAEhKBIHeFrZGikJcRHiW-d1fXcRheLZD4VoXnPlhR6dGX3XyKB3lHiXaxKpPMk6NghCQ4Ku3-eJYLtuLlj8Nrvwpbp-ZGo6-uUWRz9jJLE/s640/IMG_5392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwq9uFHqA813eYb-DJjp1FBbgsa3iXPVZnsUAEhKBIHeFrZGikJcRHiW-d1fXcRheLZD4VoXnPlhR6dGX3XyKB3lHiXaxKpPMk6NghCQ4Ku3-eJYLtuLlj8Nrvwpbp-ZGo6-uUWRz9jJLE/s320/IMG_5392.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I am actually really happy with the finished result. I don't think some of the inserts or collar are professionally finished but I also don't think Tayla will care - she isn't going to be wearing this to her wedding. </p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-80065680369988095522021-03-23T17:21:00.002+11:002021-03-23T17:21:22.930+11:00Finishing the Unfinished - Blanket Dress<p> So this is the first in a series I will be calling finishing the unfinished. To qualify as a UFO the item has to never have been completed to the point of wearable. In future I will take photos of how close they were but for this one I will just have to be descriptive. I call this project The blanket Dress.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTQicoTnYuJjFlRiOvnu8NuVCs6PaRCIJBtFLAECjMFwXb5KvpVyvWL47N_w9L3ysSNOno5yP0YQFm15qe-cRBVhJ3fv9J80sGKn3Erg1mKIhNQt71-AOaJpglNMq0edSbRFPoM_k8PYl/s640/side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTQicoTnYuJjFlRiOvnu8NuVCs6PaRCIJBtFLAECjMFwXb5KvpVyvWL47N_w9L3ysSNOno5yP0YQFm15qe-cRBVhJ3fv9J80sGKn3Erg1mKIhNQt71-AOaJpglNMq0edSbRFPoM_k8PYl/s320/side.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Date Started: Circa 2011-2013</p><p>Date Finished: 22 March 2021</p><p>So with the window of a full decade this dress was left languishing because I was just generally unhappy with how it was going. It got put aside and not picked up again until now. The thing I remember not liking - the wonky front neckline. It was left with all seams done except the zipper side including the lining inserted in the same state but the lining was missing a ruffle (not part of the original pattern - though then again neither was the lining). </p><p>The Pattern was Vintage Vogue 2267 (Currently I believe out of print). I (well we including Ange) were going through a big 50's phase buying up all the vintage reprint patterns we could get our hands on. Its not the most exciting vintage pattern but I do like the faux princess line (I say faux because it does have side bust darts so its not entirely princess) and the softer 50's silhouette rather than the super full skirt more often found on these reprints.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMEjsw-7cX_w27z_TL-R5E37Mq_zO8SPdSVfMq12jWykZojb2jh5gDSP7BJk4O-NY76xdnHM_RRIyCt3T4DESnleCM2FRRtBUYWH9xBZT4_xTC05oJ1L00RrCFURikG9835SvywMCs2O4/s1653/Pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="1428" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMEjsw-7cX_w27z_TL-R5E37Mq_zO8SPdSVfMq12jWykZojb2jh5gDSP7BJk4O-NY76xdnHM_RRIyCt3T4DESnleCM2FRRtBUYWH9xBZT4_xTC05oJ1L00RrCFURikG9835SvywMCs2O4/s320/Pattern.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>The fabric I bought to make a Victorian bustle gown with, and yes I still have umpteen meters of it. I think it cost a couple bucks a meter in Cabramatta and was a few years owned by the time I made this dress. The thought was that it would be a warm winter look because the fabric is a very loose weave and very thick fabric. I like warm. The loose weave however also made it terrible to cut and sew hence the weird front neck angle. (yes it can not be unseen).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVyZRySh-r-QNQiJfMz_5VcoFxChKp1uELAb2aMhI_yclcid9iIRx0Ic6o3b9i618UzAHR5eEBbp3-_d8AbdXEDetDdMbSKUdO6lcSC0OrMOdpqkzo7SVmXNgvEKK2ON3M37sHd6WUM4D/s640/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVyZRySh-r-QNQiJfMz_5VcoFxChKp1uELAb2aMhI_yclcid9iIRx0Ic6o3b9i618UzAHR5eEBbp3-_d8AbdXEDetDdMbSKUdO6lcSC0OrMOdpqkzo7SVmXNgvEKK2ON3M37sHd6WUM4D/s320/front.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>It was dragged around (2 moves) and eventually the cut and overlocked poplin pieces to create the ruffle were misplaced. The bulk of the dress was located again when my friend and I were organising my sewing stuff and she suggested it was so close to done that I should take a look at it.</p><p>It required at that stage: Zip and side seam, ruffle and hem. Time to complete if I have worked on it non stop probably one afternoon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmppkzQss_iN67cC-m5H59FA1Q75p0B17RuDjZ1ILzk8iJHNZMbfVGhZcw09ZPDKwBSjtG3VxUFeOFYRZNVFGhCcTRyGZGXTKdN3UU_8xWWqkjRgfoZV7cYbMw7jVoH7ftxgF5YCJY2eg/s640/ruffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmppkzQss_iN67cC-m5H59FA1Q75p0B17RuDjZ1ILzk8iJHNZMbfVGhZcw09ZPDKwBSjtG3VxUFeOFYRZNVFGhCcTRyGZGXTKdN3UU_8xWWqkjRgfoZV7cYbMw7jVoH7ftxgF5YCJY2eg/s320/ruffle.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Will I use it: Unlikely - 2011 was not just 10 years but also 2 children ago and alas I even tried a corset to get into this for photos and the universe is not favouring me on this one, so Gladys got spiffied up to show off the finished product.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDQAhk2NT1YzGVH7J3276zUVnkeT_TMTHQAhAaWNTCIpoH-XVdDaolqtLAxO7rbTHiEoVEsF51alon1OVtq9_UCAMQ4g7v21Jjs9xoGrSoxLPclLnLlRU0sD96zVdcmt4SHS9bjdKb5PG/s640/back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDQAhk2NT1YzGVH7J3276zUVnkeT_TMTHQAhAaWNTCIpoH-XVdDaolqtLAxO7rbTHiEoVEsF51alon1OVtq9_UCAMQ4g7v21Jjs9xoGrSoxLPclLnLlRU0sD96zVdcmt4SHS9bjdKb5PG/s320/back.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I am proud of how I got my zip in, it is pretty invisible and should be given that it was hand basted, then hand sewn then machine sewn in just to keep the fabric from shifting. The ruffled under petticoat lining is great for holding the dress in a nice shape without being too over poofed and it styles well with the shirt here. However that neck still bugs me senseless. I could given the masses of this fabric left try again in a bigger size, with the experience I think I could generally have this dress finished in a week including taking time to fit the pattern to me (would need resize and FBA) and all finishes, the hem for example was measured from the waste and hand basted before being hand stitched down. It is a very uncomplicated pattern. I am unlikely to do so however - at least not with this fabric. I do think I would like a similar style for my wardrobe but I don't have the patience to try lining up these stripes so we will see if I do find a fabric to inspire me. I actually think this would look really good with a matching coat, the pattern does have a matching bolero but that isn't as winter friendly.</p><p>Now its done I need to decide what to do with it - do I hold onto it in the hopes that I can get small enough or do I send it to a new home?</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-42985706145929046732021-03-21T18:15:00.002+11:002021-03-21T18:15:43.580+11:001940's Crepe De Chine Dress - Final<p>It sounded so simple right, a commercially available multi-sized reprint of a 1940's pattern. I have made tones of 1940's dress, most of them requiring resizing from something crazy like 30" bust. A week tops right. Enter Crepe De Chine....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdYfz2yHGjFO09THEsnWou9AkSXrCg1QDD4JJ3SGbnqBIV2djihBaQKImJ8ANU7v2B6a5MVhdVN4S0oO0jfnQpV7DGkHQDa30eYBEG2zx6Oo57E7vg8vB4sdQq-NoJY9ge0zbb2913_Nz/s640/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdYfz2yHGjFO09THEsnWou9AkSXrCg1QDD4JJ3SGbnqBIV2djihBaQKImJ8ANU7v2B6a5MVhdVN4S0oO0jfnQpV7DGkHQDa30eYBEG2zx6Oo57E7vg8vB4sdQq-NoJY9ge0zbb2913_Nz/s320/front.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I bought the Crepe de Chine (polyester) from Pitt Trading in a remnant bundle 3m for $5 - who can say no especially when one is already paying postage for other fabric. It was a soft dove grey colour and reminiscent of a dress worn by the mother in the queens gambit. I had the pattern already in mind and crepe de chine is one of the suggested fabrics. Tick and Tick.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg98YKN2T72X75fFaF-KnKGRPJ2eWZVYS7r7mV6_EVqsL8pn-xnXx4SLiSeZ8HMj1YFmlLX3MMsnwgRTkf-3e_d2NYxZdm4-_bZEd-xHrMX3Vvi5pUu1Y-hDe-2TFoLvnBU7CLduQFL0Mg/s500/Pattern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg98YKN2T72X75fFaF-KnKGRPJ2eWZVYS7r7mV6_EVqsL8pn-xnXx4SLiSeZ8HMj1YFmlLX3MMsnwgRTkf-3e_d2NYxZdm4-_bZEd-xHrMX3Vvi5pUu1Y-hDe-2TFoLvnBU7CLduQFL0Mg/s320/Pattern.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I actually didn't even need all of the 3m which was fantastic, I started strong trying to do all the things - bar a mock up because how do you make a mock up for something that literally cost $5 in materials? when the material is like water, so it isn't like calico is going to show you anything. Having made many patterns from the big 4 companies I already knew that the vast majority fit fine if I make a size 16 front and a size 14 back, I just cut and go. But I did baste my curves and corners, follow the pattern instructions (for a little bit anyway) and I piped pockets and collar, I lined up all my notches you know all the things you should do but I rarely do. As photo below yes I always trace my patterns.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldMuN40pF2-y5NW5qoX62xza8hDOXjdm2JWnGM5fxJ3pV1L2WelBz3ThYDLlgy3BA15JD-Le0DzyRMHbfFb9eii85ezpibn5EezDgaOvnAzHWhH6hw6vUdE0TQ32FYQxbnf4cL9T64eLh/s640/tracing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldMuN40pF2-y5NW5qoX62xza8hDOXjdm2JWnGM5fxJ3pV1L2WelBz3ThYDLlgy3BA15JD-Le0DzyRMHbfFb9eii85ezpibn5EezDgaOvnAzHWhH6hw6vUdE0TQ32FYQxbnf4cL9T64eLh/s320/tracing.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>So prior to major construction all my pieces looked fantastic. Pockets attached ready to go the first issue - a narrow bias cut strip sewn into a tube turned out and cut into 6 equal peices to form button loops. Once sewn I could not get that thing to turn for love nor money. No worries, take the second one (cause I cut it on the fold) and sew the tube by turning in both sides to the middle then folding down the middle and sewing down the upper edge. Except Crepe de Chine slides more than even satin, its like as slippery as a bathroom floor after a 5 year olds shower. So even ironed the strip was too narrow to keep even no matter how many pins it had. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhM6_qzsC_5YAeGaD0q-PIM8G7KtxxXMmjf1V-dPPP31hr3jVCJ6W4XPRHqL0e8nSzjtwV18jN1U2MH80CTAYk7qSmkCWIarI1eXh-apW9I01HBzvM2db0a2egwGq0bA6BzVX8HDj-hcWt/s640/piping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhM6_qzsC_5YAeGaD0q-PIM8G7KtxxXMmjf1V-dPPP31hr3jVCJ6W4XPRHqL0e8nSzjtwV18jN1U2MH80CTAYk7qSmkCWIarI1eXh-apW9I01HBzvM2db0a2egwGq0bA6BzVX8HDj-hcWt/s320/piping.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Ok lets just try and use the best bits, again the slippery nature of the crepe meant I couldn't sew them in the right shape and before full meltdown tantrum could ensue I made the decision that I would create thread loops for the buttons and quietly congratulated myself for such a smart idea. But was it smart ... indeed it was not, as one can not work out how big the loop must be for the buttons when one has not chosen the buttons. More on that later - the button loops were sewn further down the process so we will come back to that.</p><p>My next issue, why did I decide to come back from almost a year off sewing and make a dress with a round yoke that calls for not one but two 90 degree turns to create the front seam? oh that's right because I am a masochist. This is I think the pinpoint of where things really started going south for this project and I started giving up on it. I could not get those turns in. Maybe in a cotton but not in crepe de chine. They ended up slightly rounded and not entirely symmetrical but I could not even anymore.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TFJwtRPMkagnzPuKUsYOrB71ZZl04Ux-xilgMPqEJSOpJFtG2A4ZH8S0-HMKiRAMixYttiF3wIm5wFerhkxmLUnnwgQyy4s1LC22Ra0SBSsLHZZU4lQLBDXIEfylvnCdZlOorKBcCRDt/s640/baste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TFJwtRPMkagnzPuKUsYOrB71ZZl04Ux-xilgMPqEJSOpJFtG2A4ZH8S0-HMKiRAMixYttiF3wIm5wFerhkxmLUnnwgQyy4s1LC22Ra0SBSsLHZZU4lQLBDXIEfylvnCdZlOorKBcCRDt/s320/baste.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>At this point I sewed up my side seams and pinked (as was my chosen method of finishing) and cut through a seam..... because that's something I do. Never mind it's low so that can be an issue for future hef when she works out the hem. I tried it on and pulled together the opening where the zip would go and oh god it looked yuk. Like gab on every single lump and post pregnancy bump possible gross. It just didn't fit. And at this point I stopped caring and my brain wandered further and further to the future projects and my sewing time spent on Bernie.</p><p>As February closed I realised I had to get this done. Even if I called it an almost wearable mock up I just had to do it. There could be no more adding to the UFO's and my self imposed February 28 deadline had come and gone. I pulled it back out hung it up and assessed. It needed, zip, hem, button loops, buttons and a good iron.</p><p>So in an effort to finish I created the button loops first, yes before I had chosen buttons. And yes that is as stupid as it sounds. Next was zip, I hand basted then hand sewed and then machine sewed this in - overkill perhaps but I wanted to make sure there was no slip on that seam. Once hand sewn in I tried it on again and was pleasantly surprised. It didn't have that loose fit as patterned but it didn't look bad, well not unfixable by the wonders of elastic slips bad anyway. Then it struck me I had given up for dead before the race was run.</p><p>Lesson Learned - keep an open mind until all hope is gone.</p><p>For all its evil the crepe de chine does have a fantastic drape, a soft floaty feel and almost zero fraying. So it isn't all bad, I think if I use it again I will just have to hand baste the entire seams to ensure less slip.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIn8L61In0qXvET_HbrX-DGFRJyUMUodgyRehibWat8i8QSAgpTZI-xlHvSRCDgRUD5rGXyeJUjzP1ecNBwUqZs1oeQRGvInjUIqyFa8SGetUgYIciRgHkkUiwLVDhDjrDycVp7s2dFXuS/s640/collar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIn8L61In0qXvET_HbrX-DGFRJyUMUodgyRehibWat8i8QSAgpTZI-xlHvSRCDgRUD5rGXyeJUjzP1ecNBwUqZs1oeQRGvInjUIqyFa8SGetUgYIciRgHkkUiwLVDhDjrDycVp7s2dFXuS/s320/collar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHLjfULNImrZioEbS0gSdwKkGF_7sbw7htsMDx4B5pgoAfwaTudDw6Kk0SnG9ONf6DiJ8gOkPVHhckddDa8BeNNZAaEGXypLvfdwYqXB1Uvfp457E6c6uN6bXFUCO5ZKf_ubCe_2do9cI/s640/pocket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHLjfULNImrZioEbS0gSdwKkGF_7sbw7htsMDx4B5pgoAfwaTudDw6Kk0SnG9ONf6DiJ8gOkPVHhckddDa8BeNNZAaEGXypLvfdwYqXB1Uvfp457E6c6uN6bXFUCO5ZKf_ubCe_2do9cI/s320/pocket.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I am really happy and proud of the way that the piping turned out and the dress is really lovely. Still needs buttons but I am having issues finding the matching lime colour and I am in no rush so I will keep looking. All in all it turned out really nice, like everything it isn't perfect but it is wearable, feels beautiful and has far more right than wrong.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvffsvNtw6DLuvQ8E6mDiwuFB9HPxHsmV81WiUWInKSblXN84km21wK2MmTlGs4Ttmni-1NUXnYUwYjhTN3lbJqEXBuzuvQuEN-G_KaJmwd6Jr-Ffa4LhnEwrsgZ_eoNWFXtFU3It-B8ra/s640/side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvffsvNtw6DLuvQ8E6mDiwuFB9HPxHsmV81WiUWInKSblXN84km21wK2MmTlGs4Ttmni-1NUXnYUwYjhTN3lbJqEXBuzuvQuEN-G_KaJmwd6Jr-Ffa4LhnEwrsgZ_eoNWFXtFU3It-B8ra/s320/side.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-43773333767360967022021-03-16T17:21:00.001+11:002021-03-16T17:21:45.996+11:00Is it Pretty? - Finding my sewjo and finishing the unfinished<p> Last year was a great big giant sewing rut. I fell pregnant in January and was sent home to lockdown in March and was unable to return to work in office before my maternity leave. Quite literally I spent about 8 months sitting on the lounge doing nothing much. It was not good for me in many ways and was likely not that different to most other people given the global shitstorm. </p><p>Normally I would have spent time sewing but the pregnancy was quite demotivating, I didn't have anywhere to go and anything I made would be useless now, may not fit later etc etc so why bother. New year came and the competition for Foundations revealed reinvigorated me and now I am overflowing with plans and ideas. </p><p>Slowly the sewing supplies are making their way back up to me from under the house, organisation was happening but sewing, well not so much. There were setbacks with the 1940's dress I had started not turning out as I had imagined, everything was just a lot. Then in my procrastinating binge watching of you tube I came across the closet historian and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBb3dwUk9_E&t=1s" target="_blank">this </a>video. I don't think the closet historian could have imagined what effect the small intro to this video would have on me and most specifically one question.</p><p>IS IT PRETTY? </p><p>A lot of my procrastination happened because I want it to be perfect, but it doesn't have to be perfect, does it? It just has to be pretty (to me, beauty is after all in the eye of the beholder). Does it matter if it has a zip instead of hooks and eyes - no because its pretty. I don't want to wear costumes because they are historically accurate, reenactment isn't my thing. I want to wear costumes because they are pretty. I want to make my own clothes because they are pretty and if I stop trying to fulfil the self imposed accuracy to historical standards I could concentrate more on the modern technical skills such as fitting, drafting, designing. Those things will make my stuff more pretty not hand felling the internal seams.</p><p>So today I did something I haven't done in about 2 years at least - I got out my overlocker (serger for those who know it by that name). Is it historically accurate as a means of seam finishing ? - nope. Do you see it? also nope. And it has the major benefit of being quick and easy. </p><p>That's not to say I can give up on all hand finishes just that I can prioritise what will add to the aesthetic and what is just being finicky for no personal gain. Sure there are those out there to which the historical finishes are super important, and that is what makes them happy but I won't find my happiness in their pursuits - and you may not find yours in mine. Find what satisfies your own desires and follow that path.</p><p>So with this new motivation I have hit the ground running and am on track to complete 2 unfinished projects this month. One a 50's dress that was started probably 8-10 years ago... sat unfinished and unloved until this week when I inserted a zip, added an internal ruffle and now am left with just a hem. Oh and a diet because it doesn't quite fit me - sorry if those pics end up being on Gladys.</p><p>I have also redesigned a costume from January of 2019 taking it from "colonial" to "gone with the wind" using mostly stash.</p><p>The 40's dress just needs buttons, though I may need to provide the post for that before I add them as I am yet to find ones that will work. Lime green buttons are hard to find.</p><p>I have also traced out designed and prepared for the making of the renaissance outfit which I am dramatically calling Juliet in mourning... despite it not being black. </p><p>I doubt I will finish all of this for march but I will have the two UFO's over and done with I am sure and that feels like an accomplishment.</p><p>So though you are likely to never see this My thanks <a href="http://theclosethistorian.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Closet Historian</a>, your work has refocused my joy.</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-71498258632424290542021-03-08T14:18:00.001+11:002021-03-08T14:18:17.796+11:00Procrastination or am I just being organised<p> So technically by now you should be seeing the finished 40's dress from February but alas it remains unfinished. There are several reasons why I have procrastinated but I will save those for the next post which should be the finished dress (hopefully by the end of next week, I am so close to done). This post is less about why I am procrastinating and more about what I am doing instead of finishing the 40's dress.</p><p>Well for those who have been on the instagram (angelic_cow) you will have seen I have been collecting the necessities for the next big costume a renaissance inspired simplicity pattern I have been dreaming of for about a decade. I have only some velvet ribbon to source and I will be good to go and expect to start this week. </p><p>However, the major procrastination project has been to get all the textiles we have stored under the house and move them to a safer storage facility. This was pushed by the removal of a cot and mattress last month from storage under the house and discovered the mattress was moldy. Queue concern for my entire fabric stash.</p><p>I could have just brought up boxes as they were and moved them to storage but that would not be procrastination, and so I decided to catalogue and re-organise the entire fabric stash. To be fair its been a long time coming. My reasons to do this now is that the bulk of the fabric was being stored in large 120 litre tubs and I can not move them. Worse I can not convince my husband to move them. So those big tubs are being broken down to smaller tubs that can be easily managed. Secondly as previously mentioned I need to work on clearing out the stash and so I need a way of knowing what I have.</p><p>I have previously planned out this sort of thing even started big spreadsheets of length, width, thread count, ideas for it, cost of it and so on..... and on.... and on. This time I have decided to keep is simple and I am finding that I am getting to the bottom of things rather quickly. I am recording no more than the length and width with a small swatch carefully measured and cut. Nah, just kidding I'm hacking off from scraps or selvage edges at random. I was smart enough that I have recorded the measurements in lead pencil so that if I use some but not all I can just change the measurements to what is left. I used a hard cover notebook that my husband had laying around. Because it is a cleaning out kind of time, so use what you got right?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAigr9_qXdrEEzPCbFRKv0sUFFNg3bCG5JSfk3YIrDll6p7BCXQfnnQSiejEtX1yH2GtEdnzc3iB9Y95e7hiZereqjA-8MVY_ARA0QC_onegtlPscheB-gkxeoepCPAmB1a3qrk68Fqhyb/s960/book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAigr9_qXdrEEzPCbFRKv0sUFFNg3bCG5JSfk3YIrDll6p7BCXQfnnQSiejEtX1yH2GtEdnzc3iB9Y95e7hiZereqjA-8MVY_ARA0QC_onegtlPscheB-gkxeoepCPAmB1a3qrk68Fqhyb/s320/book.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>As for the organisation on the other side, I am trying to some extent to group fabrics in some way so each box can be labeled. It started more simplicity with just costume, children's and wearable fabric but I have since expanded to having a specific suiting and wool box, because as it turned out for that box I could be more specific. I have not referenced the box to the book as yet since I assume I will end up resorting at different times.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6hHHepnf-R0DQhnfw2yet-8Q6abKz2foo2rwfvMIG4hyphenhyphenZVP7hA9G_ZP1PrE7CuBIpaYeq1PS51gyx9hZNrK2zyNITJsUVoAbyY62cg38dlDZW93ZFDnZg1KosCHzBuVhCbgAf0jYi49T/s960/boxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6hHHepnf-R0DQhnfw2yet-8Q6abKz2foo2rwfvMIG4hyphenhyphenZVP7hA9G_ZP1PrE7CuBIpaYeq1PS51gyx9hZNrK2zyNITJsUVoAbyY62cg38dlDZW93ZFDnZg1KosCHzBuVhCbgAf0jYi49T/s320/boxes.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>On top of all this I am (gasp) getting rid of fabric I don't think I will use. Yes I know I will have a use for it about a week after getting rid of it but at the same time I do just need to cut back on some things. At this stage using only stash fabric I could continue to create well into my 80's and much of it is not a good quality fabric. Do not fear though I am not sending this to landfill and if a friend doesn't take it I will drop it off at the sewing basket to support Achieve Australia.</p><p>I estimate maybe another 4 or 5 boxes of various sizes exist under the house so this project may go on until the end of March, but once that's done I guess I can start re-organising trims and notions. </p><p>Anyway with luck I will have the 40's dress up next week and have begun the hoop and Renaissance projects of March even with all the organisation.</p><p><br /></p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-90021176700296977482021-03-05T14:26:00.002+11:002021-03-05T14:26:32.887+11:00Feeling the 18th Century Bern.... Or Making Bernie Sanders Pockets<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuFpKmUkqcgu1Z8Qr5lzVRWOIqVmQKeTt9Jvqe2_XGBjew4kdR-XJbVRbNcYz2tQi4oCEFNhsM-jwSG60L50UM4SFhb9L7sOlhDJXNzwH8RRqpMNNNCol2i-x2XH1PpNZgv1mEqZS33Ub/s960/bernie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuFpKmUkqcgu1Z8Qr5lzVRWOIqVmQKeTt9Jvqe2_XGBjew4kdR-XJbVRbNcYz2tQi4oCEFNhsM-jwSG60L50UM4SFhb9L7sOlhDJXNzwH8RRqpMNNNCol2i-x2XH1PpNZgv1mEqZS33Ub/w212-h320/bernie.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Ok so it may seem like a random combination but really was there anything safe from the insertion of Bernie Sanders and is rocking mittens? </p><p>For anyone who hasn't been following and missed it (don't know how you could have missed the Bernie Meme but found this blog but who am I to judge), a photo was snapped of Bernie Sanders at the Biden inauguration looking so very Bernie with a pair of the most awesome warm gloves known to mankind. Queue the internet photoshopping Bernie into anything and everything, Bernie himself printed the image on jumpers and sold them to send proceeds to Vermont Meals on Wheels. Jumpers sold out almost immediately. </p><p>Now maybe one day I will make a post about politics and costuming but for now let me just say the TL:DR for that post would be Hef believes that political discourse is not a requirement of costuming and would therefore prefer to keep the two separate. Many don't and whatever you do you, but I don't costume for political reasons. Having said that I can't say I am not a Sanders fan, despite being an Aussie and it having zero impact on my life.</p><p>So when <a href="https://sewstine.com/" target="_blank">Sewstine </a>posted a <a href="https://youtu.be/3evJsua1LF8" target="_blank">video </a>alerting me to the fact she had created a pattern for an 18th Century Pocket with the Bernie Meme on it I was on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/SewStine" target="_blank">etsy</a> faster than the road runner evading Wylie Coyote. I purchased the hand embroidery pattern and as a complete noob just winged it.</p><p>I located in my stash a mid to heavy weight calico and purchased a cheap hoop and the cheap embroidery thread from Spotlight. I decided Bernie wouldn't mind the utilitarian use of stash and cheaping out on notions so long as it got the job done. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnC8Oy_41KXYO9coMMkejYGZ68h-YhjlFCkmWyzDTKtR9evbW2fM0nv_9R3nUL0qBEzJD4UC1fUZRuVngi7g1apHXFgZq1DhJZGgFoWDEcaheGhD5Laa8BDx_mjp-92I_n43wwVufG326/s960/bernie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnC8Oy_41KXYO9coMMkejYGZ68h-YhjlFCkmWyzDTKtR9evbW2fM0nv_9R3nUL0qBEzJD4UC1fUZRuVngi7g1apHXFgZq1DhJZGgFoWDEcaheGhD5Laa8BDx_mjp-92I_n43wwVufG326/s320/bernie1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>My method to transfer the picture from pattern to fabric was rudimentary and wrong, tracing the picture on tracing paper in pencil and then rubbing the pencil onto the material, this explains both the fact that Bernie is transfixed (faces the wrong direction) and the B and S at the top are not perfectly positioned. The later happened because my method gave me a backwards B and S on the wrong side of each other - yes this is what tipped me off to the issue. I did however keep the direction and just tried to reverse and replace the letters on the top. I am not unhappy with my result but next time I'll tape to the window and trace directly to fabric.</p><p>I won't go into too much detail regarding how I stitched this since I am fairly certain I did it wrong, I did make a few artistic choices which deviate from the sewstine original design because it either was easier or seemed like a good idea at the time (lesson learnt future hef did judge past hef harshly for most of those choices). It is basically a satin stitch on everything. I will however note that I was very unhappy when i was stitching pants, but then when I got some distance to view it they became my favourite part of the stitching.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uafAFsKWO4V1rM8Ttg4M1cUG1SxM2IP6LdeU_GQp_cDL-wAKO8HXS139T0dqTCCmyoJyVRAPKqk4lTGWV_G6Vxq_6CwFjCNPsmyDmShhPsUQjO8moS_scO5NJR5rgXF-XgSTXz5NV6H2/s960/bernie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6uafAFsKWO4V1rM8Ttg4M1cUG1SxM2IP6LdeU_GQp_cDL-wAKO8HXS139T0dqTCCmyoJyVRAPKqk4lTGWV_G6Vxq_6CwFjCNPsmyDmShhPsUQjO8moS_scO5NJR5rgXF-XgSTXz5NV6H2/s320/bernie2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>To finish it off I ironed on interfacing to the back of the stitched panel, no idea if this is what you are supposed to do but I figured since I wanted the pocket to be useable it would protect my internal stitches. I then placed a second square of calico behind it and cut the pocket out of all three at once. I returned to my stash to find a ribbon to edge with and though there were several choices (emerald green, grey blue, teal) none seemed right. I decided that it was too fancy for Bernie, a man so practical that this meme exists at all, and decided to edge it with a simple similar toned bias tape and a democratic blue seam line to match the initials.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnA7qHqalnfexj7P-uhZKPWz7dggII0umdhRcnak6_cSpSkQ7r2To_UyqXUr5-cKLJuk-4-NC93Y4olm2JZ51s9UjQyt0ej_fcIiD_CVRVH4T8PdGy85bWhsKDu9tzM-ipJTNbpLzvWiK/s960/bernie6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgnA7qHqalnfexj7P-uhZKPWz7dggII0umdhRcnak6_cSpSkQ7r2To_UyqXUr5-cKLJuk-4-NC93Y4olm2JZ51s9UjQyt0ej_fcIiD_CVRVH4T8PdGy85bWhsKDu9tzM-ipJTNbpLzvWiK/s320/bernie6.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I first whip stitched the bias tape to the open slit to make sure this didn't get damaged in the process of sewing up the rest. Call me crazy but my very careful external stitches look worse than my quick and functional internal ones... I think I need to work on my whip stitching. The bias tape here got folded twice because well that S was placed to close to the slit and a full half width would have gone over its edge. I think it looks fine though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQkmL00TpYUCsAYgoc9y5k8M6la_cBXkBvofk8xxfzo1WtBKbYQpHjSwlVt3jkhu2n_x5etFHF2yCwbh72ORS1HJzJUit97OxtULWT9E6Xl5CJMuI3QfBV1xB0aXxSJ_sUg-QXEtellRd/s960/bernie4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQkmL00TpYUCsAYgoc9y5k8M6la_cBXkBvofk8xxfzo1WtBKbYQpHjSwlVt3jkhu2n_x5etFHF2yCwbh72ORS1HJzJUit97OxtULWT9E6Xl5CJMuI3QfBV1xB0aXxSJ_sUg-QXEtellRd/s320/bernie4.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>I sewed the top to be open as a tube to feed the cord (also from Stash) through that will then attach it to my waist. Couple of knots later and he's done.</p><p>Is he perfect, no - but I think Bernie Sanders would appreciate the imperfections exist but not to spite the efforts made. In short I am very happy with my work here.</p><p><br /></p><p>By the way for more regular updates I now have an instagram </p><p>angelic_cow</p><p><br /></p><p>come follow for the progress shots of these projects :)</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-51694359591279927712021-02-16T13:29:00.004+11:002021-02-16T13:29:53.038+11:00My Advise to the beginner sewest<p> I often get asked about starting sewing or teaching someone sewing or helping someone and thus I present to you 5 pieces of advise for beginners. Now my advise does not always add up with other peoples but fits more my sewing personality which is essentially fast and dirty. In any case let me know if you agree or disagree with the below.</p><p><b>1. A Basic Machine could last you a lifetime</b></p><p><span> For a very long time sewing machines actually only did one stitch, a straight stitch. In the beginning it only did one length of that one stitch. Nearly a decade ago now I was replacing my machine, (the original was a Janome that cost me $120AUD) and looking to upgrade to a computerized machine. Truth be told there wasn't anything mechanically wrong with my Janome but the machine tray piece had a fight with a heater and the heater won, meaning that I only had the small bit that you wrap sleeves around.</span><br /></p><p><span> I looked at many many machines with all sorts of bells and whistles when I had an epiphany. I use Straight stitch, maybe the occasional zig zag and the one step button hole. AND THAT IS IT!!! Sure I could spend the money and get a machine with eleventy billion stitch options, but I would still only use straight, zig zag and button hole - so why pay for stuff I won't use.</span><br /></p><p><span><span> I ended up with a Brother NS10 which was at the time the most basic of the computerised machines. I still sew on this machine with the occasional service to keep it in good working order. </span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>I have since inherited a fully working 1948 Singer and a more advanced computerised Janome. I worked on the Janome to create the swan maiden but to be honest I pulled out my Brother to sew the 1940's dress you will be seeing soon. This is likely due to me just being more familiar with the Brother now. Yes it does take a bit to get familiar with your machine no matter what machine you get.</span><br /></span></p><p><b>2. Sewing is not actually that hard.</b></p><p><span> I know what a well hidden secret, however it is true. Since the advent of sewing machines sewing requires far less skill to get started than you would think. Most people seem to be holding back due to the intimidation of getting started. Honest if I can do it anyone can. Line up the seam push the the pedal and pray to the Rhapso (yeah apparently there was a minor goddess of sewing in Greek mythology.)</span><br /></p><p><span><b>3. If you aren't interested you won't be interested</b></span></p><p><span><span> So much of the beginner advise out there is "make a pillow" or something equally as exciting. Yes that was sarcasm. Who wants a pillow or cushion? That is not going to inspire you to continue or get better. I say pick something you want to make. If historical costume is the reason you want to start sewing then make an historical thing. </span></span></p><p><span><span><b>4. Basic advise on some pattern choices (Historical and Wearable)</b></span></span></p><p><span><span><span> To start use sized patterns, that is a pattern that comes in your size (use measurements as "standardised sizing" is anything but standard).</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>For Victorian, Truly Victorian patterns are relatively simple as a base and the complexity comes from the additions you choose to use. They also have basic Edwardian bases. (No I am not sponsored by anyone). Do not start on Ageless patterns, they are not shy in advising you that these are for advanced sewers (so wait till you are at least comfortable with a sized pattern before attempting this)</span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>You can get basic historical patterns from the big 4 now and I could recommend working with the Angela Clayton patterns from McCalls, I personally haven't yet but for most of them you can search out her vlog on you tube where she makes the item you are making and you can't get better advise than that.</span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>Regency are a very simple pattern by default and again there are big 4 patterns, or sense and sensibility, folklore, Laughing moon. Personally I would steer clear of Reconstructing history their patterns are rather complicated.</span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>There are plenty of books out there that allow you to draft up a pattern on scale models. Personally I wouldn't go with these as a first up but if you are artistic in a drawing sense or exceptionally mathematical you do you right.</span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>For wearable stuff the big 4 (which by the way are Simplicty and then the three all owned by the same parent company - McCalls, Butterick, Vogue) have wide catalogues including vintage styled patterns. Pro Tip, if you wait for it sewing shops will have a sale every month or so where you can get 4 for the price of one.</span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span>Point is most patterns will come with full instructions, start with step one and work through to the end.</span></span></p><p><b>5. No shame in cheap crap fabric</b></p><p><span><span><span> It is a truth universally acknowledged that I am a cheap bitch. Even now most of the fabric I use is on sale in some way shape or form. Watching many of the you tubers you will fall in love with the natural silks, linens, cottons, velvets .... yeah that's for future you. There is no shame in polyester, cheap poplins, sale fabric from the haberdashery section. Even now, remember the India Wilkes dress, yeah if I stand to close to a fire it will melt.</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> See there is a chance, going my way that you won't be 100% in love with what you get at the end, but I guarantee you will learn fast and on the job. You will be proud of the final product but it won't be <span> </span><span> </span>"perfect", so keep the financial risk low as you are happy with. </span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span> On top of that some of those really costly fabrics are a shit to work with, satin for example slides like a greased pig, velvet crushes if handled incorrectly, brocade can frey like crazy. Which leads me to a <span> </span>bonus Tip:</span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><b><i>BONUS - Hef's top 3 Banned Fabric List:</i></b></p><p><span> In my years of sewing here is a list of fabric types I will avoid like the current plague....</span><br /></p><p><span><span> </span>1. <span> </span>Chiffon, in any incarnation though that shitty crystal stuff is the worst. Look at it wrong and you <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>are left with nothing more than a pile of unwoven threads. It grips to nothing, slides around, <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>puckers up and almost left me insane. Use at own risk.</span></p><p><span><span> </span>2. <span> </span>Tapestry, Used this for the Elizabethan dress which looks fantastic but unravels worse than <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>chiffon with the added problem of being the thickest fabric choice I have ever had. Literally <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>broke 4 Leather needles while hand turning to try and sew the skirt on.</span></p><p><span><span> </span><span> </span>3. <span> </span>Really flowy light weight crepes. This stuff is sooooo slippery. Impossible to cut unless you <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>trace the pattern piece and cut one at a time.</span></p><p><span><br /></span></p><p><span>So there it is my advise for a beginner, just to what you want and have fun with it. I will be back soon to tell you all about my 1940's return to sewing and maybe even a plan out for some future works. Let me know what you think of my tips in the comments below.</span></p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-41650258953421271942021-02-03T21:09:00.004+11:002021-02-04T00:31:30.320+11:00Swan Maiden and the Foundations Revealed Competition<p> The deed is done there is no going back now, the swan maiden is entered and now it is but to wait for feedback with all things crossed. Honestly I don't know how I will go there is so many talented people out there, far more talented than I but as the saying goes got to be in it to win it. Beyond that competitions like this can only serve to strengthen my skills and better my sewing so it all fulfils the plans I have for 2021.</p><p>Before I continue I do just want to address why I didn't do update posts, I had wanted to but the thought about it in terms of best use of time and felt I was better off hand-sewning feathers than typing in order to get it finished on time. I also conjectured that one good post at the end of a project is probably more worth while than posting weekly for the sake of it.</p><p>So without further ado the summation of the Swan Maiden</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jmEHMPNoMEIGvVsHZSrJbJ-ywq1cAJeY3zu_fy1PNRIYggsIIjPPVZP9JGPqjMAea4Ti5LfnRZerLDf5h3MENNNIlP-_fkNA5WdezTJIghaOOJS8Q-lSdhpcwV9ql19rHR41bYvoBw7b/s960/Wings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jmEHMPNoMEIGvVsHZSrJbJ-ywq1cAJeY3zu_fy1PNRIYggsIIjPPVZP9JGPqjMAea4Ti5LfnRZerLDf5h3MENNNIlP-_fkNA5WdezTJIghaOOJS8Q-lSdhpcwV9ql19rHR41bYvoBw7b/s320/Wings.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>Part one: A Silk taffeta regency inspired style dress with lace and pearl detailing</b></p><p>This part of the costume was cannibalised from the remains of an unfinished wedding dress I inherited from the estate of a deceased seamstress. Not only did I unpick the large skirt for yardage I also removed all the pearl details, pearl buttons and the elastic button loop. As they say waste not want not.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SFobdRYPbjvRNqw4E3pnnKRKlg4LMEqCCu6Hc1fiAcdH4DIYaDngQbDV7IqPQfCCUQrtSDjAR5QEpyag-NuLd7_4wdLAbZ2_LfFDQdtA80hrH688rv7bIQFoAYChUaRGoAr5mzyIgbuE/s960/CANNIBAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7SFobdRYPbjvRNqw4E3pnnKRKlg4LMEqCCu6Hc1fiAcdH4DIYaDngQbDV7IqPQfCCUQrtSDjAR5QEpyag-NuLd7_4wdLAbZ2_LfFDQdtA80hrH688rv7bIQFoAYChUaRGoAr5mzyIgbuE/s320/CANNIBAL.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkNsuRs9mOhPi7ipOV1cH_Qij0b06xaVcmnekNy1jLYFu_1iJe74iuRhR6j4ZtZky5Qm_le1p24iBXmC07D4meH7-64_3-PEDKY4jD5z9Jpc_QVlKePw9MxF1enKIyYYMDrQqks6SauUj/s960/ORIGINGAL+BACK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkNsuRs9mOhPi7ipOV1cH_Qij0b06xaVcmnekNy1jLYFu_1iJe74iuRhR6j4ZtZky5Qm_le1p24iBXmC07D4meH7-64_3-PEDKY4jD5z9Jpc_QVlKePw9MxF1enKIyYYMDrQqks6SauUj/s320/ORIGINGAL+BACK.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The process of construction was fairly simple and the dress pattern is based on Sense and Sensibilities <a href="https://www.sensibility.com/blog/patterns/regency-gown-pattern" target="_blank">Regency gown</a> pattern. Alterations were done on this though as I wanted the neckline to be V shaped, inspired by Jane in BBC's version of Pride and Prejudice. I have no idea of the historical accuracy of this in terms of regency but given the swan maiden is not historical it felt like the best time to take advantage of how well this looks on the décolletage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi075GMBVGCj9NPJJ06yhX7Jn2l9x9JFNGpziXz7_TVPmg6d51WhVlATAWXFP-2Uyb0KOhYxEO38-5Tjj4of-w3951xm6qSZEmc6AZrGZyzkNe29ChdBfzDWX6yKg6Vyf0dWLURXa52_6HF/s960/jane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi075GMBVGCj9NPJJ06yhX7Jn2l9x9JFNGpziXz7_TVPmg6d51WhVlATAWXFP-2Uyb0KOhYxEO38-5Tjj4of-w3951xm6qSZEmc6AZrGZyzkNe29ChdBfzDWX6yKg6Vyf0dWLURXa52_6HF/s320/jane.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I also had to (for both personal journey and competition reasons) work to create the right fit, which did present some challenges. Primarily having a large and high bust with a small back the bust measurement generally creates a far to big bodice size for me where the side seams push forward and the back just swims. So I did several new things here. Firstly I traced out the size based on a smaller back than front, trued up all lines on the pattern with rulers and French curves then made the thing I avoid most..... a mock up. I in fact made 2 mock up's of the bodice before I was happy enough with the fit. Changes included, in addition to the neckline and getting that curve right, adding about an inch to the back side seam tapering down to nothing, and adjusting the back curved seam. Proud of myself I moved onto the silk. (trust me the assurance of fit comes up later).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZxddjCUk7c61NfebtpiQgVf4ggQWerQSsIHpF3ZM5CWXshLKorkqZFvj6CXtNcnAT4DeTugiIqTRy52FGfaGi43_KTY1791iUk5N0tfjn0L7pY_-D0UFKkRurobIOzI3xHdZ2YiMYq9_/s960/draft+mock+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZxddjCUk7c61NfebtpiQgVf4ggQWerQSsIHpF3ZM5CWXshLKorkqZFvj6CXtNcnAT4DeTugiIqTRy52FGfaGi43_KTY1791iUk5N0tfjn0L7pY_-D0UFKkRurobIOzI3xHdZ2YiMYq9_/s320/draft+mock+up.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So how does one cut into silk taffeta that they would never have the budget to buy otherwise? Simple just don't think about it. I used the two back panels to create the skirt back as they had the most length. I even kept the train and the scalloped hem for about a week. the plan was to join them to what had been the front piece of the skirt and use a side piece for the bodice and bodice lining. However this was not to be, the front piece came up a few inches short. I was then left with the decision of whether to give up on the idea of the already partially finished hem detail or use the two side fronts and have a seam in the center of the front of the dress. I deliberated for a week on this as I worked on the bodice (being cut from the otherwise too short front piece).</p><p>In the end logic won out, I shortened the train cutting off the hem and used one side front piece of the original to cut out my dress front. Being regency inspired the skirt work did not require much more. I French seamed all bar the Centre back seam (it was on selvage) and pleated in the back top using both my eye and hope and prayers. In hindsight I probably should have done larger pleats for less of a poofy end effect, they do however sit well when ironed flat.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRA89XLOh7UQlYK-OpygE2Yv8Y634kqA6GuKaR7rKkNX1zO5-ansHbALZEXDtGFOlFsqcV_biKUSzn7f3cbMLPgkv-m9q7Qbn2FRoVGcFn2FQHdRGVAtwTCHJ0WmZkRsiYhiuHW6fkWYG0/s960/Backfull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRA89XLOh7UQlYK-OpygE2Yv8Y634kqA6GuKaR7rKkNX1zO5-ansHbALZEXDtGFOlFsqcV_biKUSzn7f3cbMLPgkv-m9q7Qbn2FRoVGcFn2FQHdRGVAtwTCHJ0WmZkRsiYhiuHW6fkWYG0/s320/Backfull.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Now back to that bodice I was working on earlier. I used several techniques that I have generally not used before (watching you tube gives me so many ideas). These included under stitching, which is likely to be my new favourite thing ever. Drawing out the seam lines on all pieces, tacking the seams prior to the machining and ironing as I went. I still had to whip stitch the lining in place though not trusting myself to ditch stitch neatly enough.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnxfX-yRt8Wm0vv8ERtCHX-KVA0Z5eWG8k0BAZMWdZhQs6qYCdyDNbYFnb_O4VWqbB11z2GaA3_Mxi21pbbiHIQQp5bsTbh3dgzVuCBH1w-tYYM8XKjmrijMAzzdf8gIeP2HsJOs7wSN9/s960/Inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnxfX-yRt8Wm0vv8ERtCHX-KVA0Z5eWG8k0BAZMWdZhQs6qYCdyDNbYFnb_O4VWqbB11z2GaA3_Mxi21pbbiHIQQp5bsTbh3dgzVuCBH1w-tYYM8XKjmrijMAzzdf8gIeP2HsJOs7wSN9/s320/Inside.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboD8lfSYTbmyl1QREuwB88lF7Ic00bkOxjahMinsTBFZGq-eflwMAxqHCoau9yX0GwYf7Mn84SL6QiBea7qJre8sOJR8junWvDifAl4-t8uqRP2eMLXsAZ2metkNafbFBtqrgcUjgBLOH/s960/STAY+STITCH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboD8lfSYTbmyl1QREuwB88lF7Ic00bkOxjahMinsTBFZGq-eflwMAxqHCoau9yX0GwYf7Mn84SL6QiBea7qJre8sOJR8junWvDifAl4-t8uqRP2eMLXsAZ2metkNafbFBtqrgcUjgBLOH/s320/STAY+STITCH.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>For sleeves I toyed around with the patterned poofs but in the end decided to use that scallop work as at least a nod to the efforts of the original seamstress. Whilst the scallops were there I did have to finish them (they had only been tacked in place, I assume based on other wedding dress bodice that the scallops were to be finished with lace and beadwork) and there is small piecing under the arm due to the whole sleeve pattern not fitting on the width I had to work with but the outcome I think looks fantastic. This was also technically the place I first used the hem stitch or cross stitch. That's right I actually hand finished hems this time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOAkfJf_PEfU8jjj0u-HBqTJLHyHTWGqvpIKSyO_dn3G0vH3P351cHoQu8tT_MkflgqsmItzZykm0nmQ0axkKlKw3C2MjZeKqDhOzEHVME1oypeYcEzRoAHMF2UjKWTuDDeePvlTeaVQM/s960/SLEEEVE+CUT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOAkfJf_PEfU8jjj0u-HBqTJLHyHTWGqvpIKSyO_dn3G0vH3P351cHoQu8tT_MkflgqsmItzZykm0nmQ0axkKlKw3C2MjZeKqDhOzEHVME1oypeYcEzRoAHMF2UjKWTuDDeePvlTeaVQM/s320/SLEEEVE+CUT.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_0m3w4IEQPsPACtTN-S2GSjaCb4ZJ9C3i52MT3PRSGlpJAVX8zKdlVWTe0VfWdeAiuNh7LhyJkRu4eM4CPQuSrXRETbDAVqpQVbCDQqNcTxC8rOemfJfwBLAiJOmT-P-lU_Qvy1q-yad/s960/Stitching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ_0m3w4IEQPsPACtTN-S2GSjaCb4ZJ9C3i52MT3PRSGlpJAVX8zKdlVWTe0VfWdeAiuNh7LhyJkRu4eM4CPQuSrXRETbDAVqpQVbCDQqNcTxC8rOemfJfwBLAiJOmT-P-lU_Qvy1q-yad/s320/Stitching.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The original wedding dress had used pearl beads as buttons down the back with an elastic loop closure so both of these I salvaged for my dress. I did later find out when I went to sew on the beads that the loops counted 11 where the beads counted only 8, so I had to do a quick match at spotlight. I briefly considered changing them out for swarovski pearls but decided against it based on the expense of the cloak notions.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqVhmvZvoB_vDaREnLTMbE0OGnookyBTeV4cK4tHCjPIIFUjquTwqMq8cTVsovObOKKyoJW7-ZF4l9pUyRYNn4AhB8OUhER0rlOQgeFq5_zFHJBL0j0HltV5Z-Zhdr_avDoqxP4wFlKPA/s960/Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqVhmvZvoB_vDaREnLTMbE0OGnookyBTeV4cK4tHCjPIIFUjquTwqMq8cTVsovObOKKyoJW7-ZF4l9pUyRYNn4AhB8OUhER0rlOQgeFq5_zFHJBL0j0HltV5Z-Zhdr_avDoqxP4wFlKPA/s320/Back.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In order to dress up the front I purchased form <a href="https://www.millineryonline.com.au/" target="_blank">Millinery Online </a>(where I got my feathers) the off white lace which I then hand beaded with some salvaged pearls to dress it up. Feeling bold I followed up with some pearl detailing in the scallops of the sleeves again with salvaged beads. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZ9_S8COLcke9Jy9htyb5VOvldBh3gVO649YjqcTgBNNGlkCNxIgtSJWFa0CBlimqkxQ_cF_mxXjCccEXENppmqX_BqzzhpHIr-Lhm0bSwgzarmkCjZoUl84NAXX0dUQyAuPGZQeBmc_i/s960/front+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZ9_S8COLcke9Jy9htyb5VOvldBh3gVO649YjqcTgBNNGlkCNxIgtSJWFa0CBlimqkxQ_cF_mxXjCccEXENppmqX_BqzzhpHIr-Lhm0bSwgzarmkCjZoUl84NAXX0dUQyAuPGZQeBmc_i/s320/front+detail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>In the end I was very impressed with the finished dress, it works as a stunning stand alone piece and also within the context of this overall costume. The silk was a literal dream to work with, weightless, rustling, exquisite. The fit however, remember I said we would come back to that. Well apparently in the time it took to make this (only a few weeks) I saw a significant (think 2" across the front bustline) drop in my boobs. Highly likely this had to do with the whole being post natal and hormones but those hormones didn't make it any less infuriating (actually probably made it worse). There was little I could do about the dress and to be fair to myself the looser fit is not an issue so much on the dress as it was on the stays.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Part 2: Sizing down Half Stays because your timeline does not allow for a whole new set.</b></p><p>It actually only took one night of hand sewing while binge watching costube so I can't complain to much, however undergarments' like this one are kind off boring so I will keep this brief.</p><p>To change the size of the bust line I unpicked all my meticulous hand sewn binding, unpicked the top stitched gores and cut them down by 1/4" each side. 4 gores across the top meant a total of 2" was taken out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiXn2WmiOb39BY-Q7O4uY1BOCf9Na0MdK-__LuzYr3gydKuNXP_0uKupO1jKQR4bL9s-FHAW36TDfSQheOyaxjTOkjJc5Jcpozhdf4o38D7q5t4of5OXL-5b9mJSTEQWbYlum0P-id-p7/s960/STARY+APART.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiXn2WmiOb39BY-Q7O4uY1BOCf9Na0MdK-__LuzYr3gydKuNXP_0uKupO1jKQR4bL9s-FHAW36TDfSQheOyaxjTOkjJc5Jcpozhdf4o38D7q5t4of5OXL-5b9mJSTEQWbYlum0P-id-p7/s320/STARY+APART.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I then replaced them and whip stitched them back into place folded up the binding and re-stitched that down as well. Interestingly hand stitching the gores in was way easier, neater and less time consuming than machine top stitching them in the first time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEheyQmj2cy-vUxcR-2KPo7KOGWP34TUFE1LN31eR7CEBz5Me-F9o_tx9nRAOhkIjMGGOdch26GiOeUCXgrOEe-ACFezkfEgCkE_lX_xhrMsSgCKNa9YFnUDT0fVOW9rfsKqdtqUSTL_3/s960/STAY+SEWING.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEheyQmj2cy-vUxcR-2KPo7KOGWP34TUFE1LN31eR7CEBz5Me-F9o_tx9nRAOhkIjMGGOdch26GiOeUCXgrOEe-ACFezkfEgCkE_lX_xhrMsSgCKNa9YFnUDT0fVOW9rfsKqdtqUSTL_3/s320/STAY+SEWING.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This is possibly a construction method thing whereby the first time I flatlined the lining with heavy linin, and sewed the entire stay as a lining and then a fashion fabric then sewed them together around the outside and top stitched to enforce the seams, when hand stitching I treated the stays as done and just layered the three fabrics on the gores, placed them in, folded back the raw edges and whip stitched them on both sides. If I have to make short stays or any sort of bust gored stays again I will likely use this method rather than that of my earlier attempts.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mxi9v_8fIsSyH4U9JZm2wbviyN2zw6cu_VJ0CaesjCJv3su9lE50IUp7GmLRw6avvrln3x_cqzZGN_bfz9aKjqCzQPWQ3I3SeFuWQvNozMh0_Fy7IBTNrcczyDRZfxK8kbeVwNd26RdL/s960/stay+done.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mxi9v_8fIsSyH4U9JZm2wbviyN2zw6cu_VJ0CaesjCJv3su9lE50IUp7GmLRw6avvrln3x_cqzZGN_bfz9aKjqCzQPWQ3I3SeFuWQvNozMh0_Fy7IBTNrcczyDRZfxK8kbeVwNd26RdL/s320/stay+done.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Part 3: Crinkle Organza Cloak with individually hand sewn feather trim and hand beaded lace edging</b></p><p>So the crowing glory of this costume, for where would a swan maiden be without her magic cloak (married to an abusive asshole who would rather control you than risk losing you to actual freedom that's where). I purchased for the price on sale of $5/3m (that's 5 bucks total not per meter) crinkle organza from <a href="https://www.pitttrading.com.au/" target="_blank">Pitt Trading</a>. I wanted a sheer fabric but I also wanted to have some texture. I had considered glass organza or crystal organza, but then had flashbacks to earlier projects. So I started surfing my favourite Aussie online fabric places and was fated to find this bargain.</p><p>The pattern for the cloak is simple and thus kind of draped on myself. I started with a vague shoulder shape, angled down to ensure enough length to cover the dress train at the back and reach the ground at the front. The shoulder shape did have to be reworked when tried on and I did this by simply pinching in what was sticking out weirdly. And by weirdly I mean Gridiron padding weirdly. </p><p>I was going to French seam the cloak also but the nature of the organza as a sheer meant that any time I doubled the fabric it was very apparent, so having essentially 4 layers of the organza in the seam would have been unseemly (pun totally intended). I checked the organza for fraying and found it held up to a lot, given that the nature of this item was to be delicate, I decided not to apply a seam treatment but rather keep the seam allowance as small as possible (1/8") to minimize seam visibility from the outside.</p><p>The inside seams were folded over and then folded again and sewn down with invisible thread. For those who have never heard of this it is like really fine really breakable fishing line that you cant see and knots like a calf after leg day. You have likely seen it on some hems in mass produced fashion, the hems that drop regularly and within the first two to three washes. Yeah.... can't say I will ever use that again by choice. It did however allow for me to have no visible seam line on this finished edge.</p><p>I then started sewing on feathers, lots of them, like over 500 feathers, one at a time, for hours and hours. For those wondering I found the easiest method (and there are a few tried on this) is to sew through the shank from the front on like a cushion or lounge arm back up through the shank then around the shank a few times then knot off. I did start with using my thread two ends through the eye of the needle and bring back through the loop to knot off and start. WRONG. no you need to have a knotted end because otherwise your thread slips out of your needle eye every single stitch. I did try working from the back. WRONG. Your feather will move and end up at an odd angle requiring you to undo that feather and start again. So the best way I found was; </p><p>1. Stab thread through shank, close to where it turns white,</p><p>2. Sew through fabric where you want it placed and pull tight.</p><p>3. Stab back up through shank about 5mm higher in the clear section</p><p>4. loop around shank a few times</p><p>5. knot off.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4fjLLlmZBYgxfvsD3H6JqXlA8z7mwCXXEL8tcT6o72UxojLGzwUED3G_SW0fGkFQVFZ-MCapa6qXV1jq9IE74msjmcymqLtVeFlTLAtcCHpLJXTEMn8gCSOqeL5gSYtNqNwaeI141p6O/s2016/heathermcgreal6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4fjLLlmZBYgxfvsD3H6JqXlA8z7mwCXXEL8tcT6o72UxojLGzwUED3G_SW0fGkFQVFZ-MCapa6qXV1jq9IE74msjmcymqLtVeFlTLAtcCHpLJXTEMn8gCSOqeL5gSYtNqNwaeI141p6O/s320/heathermcgreal6.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Second issue I came across was not having enough feathers to do what I wanted. It took more feathers than anticipated to get the density required. I quickly ordered more feathers express, though also had an issue with cost. All up I think there is about $100 in just feathers on this cloak so you can see why I was unable to fund Swarovski pearls now. I also had to re-assess just how much of the cloak i could cover. The original plan was to go up to about the knees, then start to fade out/decrease density to about the hip. As you can see in the photos that would have taken probably another $300 easily. So plans were changed to bring up to above the knees in center front, then taper it down in an uneven pattern towards the back which would be 3-4 rows of feathers high (depending on stock).</p><p>One of the reasons coverage is low is because the feathers are natural so by nature not uniform. In a pack of 50 you could get on average half really good full shaped feathers and half kind of long skinny feathers. There is no saying if you will get a pack with only 10 good ones or only 10 shit ones. But as I say to my son you get what you get and you don't get upset. It did however make it harder to guess what number I would need.</p><p>I don't think this change necessarily had an adverse effect on the costume though as you can see in the photo (top) there is a certain wing link quality to the pattern when held out. Also while I can say I am unlikely to work with feathers in this quantity again I do like the finished look of them all bunched together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0welmAnBpOgGBMj-xkV5u4ShQgNSf0HDHxTc-xjeqj4_yNgfen_tuarb-2qqdxKGhH_GcECaC4_1s2q8dEdMV_IVqoRj0zmasMW5t2h4IeT3bjHfb6t47IsQB9wgb7O8qm5_I-UzKeGcL/s960/Fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0welmAnBpOgGBMj-xkV5u4ShQgNSf0HDHxTc-xjeqj4_yNgfen_tuarb-2qqdxKGhH_GcECaC4_1s2q8dEdMV_IVqoRj0zmasMW5t2h4IeT3bjHfb6t47IsQB9wgb7O8qm5_I-UzKeGcL/s320/Fit.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>This brings me to the next issue, after I was half way through the feathers (both fronts and half of two rows of the back done) I tried on the cloak and you know how they say light as a feather - well 250 of them on crystal organza does actually create some drag. Add to that the natural convex of the feathers and the cloak was just not sitting right. The feather boarder which hung beautifully on the hanger, was curling under. I shortened from the shoulder to counteract this, however I did make sure to sew all feather trim and then shorten so that I didn't have to do this twice.</p><p>Finally it came time to add the hood (drafted as a basic hood shape based on a hoodie) which is where I realised as much as I hate it I should have gone with a more draped chiffon over organza, which has a lot of body. The hood was not going to sit flat on my head. I having just wrangled a whole hemmed edge plus felled seams in the stupid invisible thread was not about to be defeated though. I went to my trim stash and pulled out several options to try and weight the boarder of the face hole (sorry I don't know the technical terms for these things and face hole works for me). I decided on a lace embellished with more pearls to tie into the pearl detailing on the dress.</p><p>Once finished I added the hood to the cloak with more of the devils thread and created a thread loop and pearl closure. It was done and ready for photos.</p><p><br /></p><p>The costume has been entered in the foundations revealed competition today so hopefully I can get at least some constructive feedback from the costume community at large on where I can improve in this 2021 the year of improving. And stash busting.</p><p>I think the biggest lesson I take away is to work on the chemise dress next as anything fitted is going to cause problems as I continue to drop pregnancy weight. I am however also trying to stagger the costumes out. I would like to complete 12 solid projects this year (that's at least one of these posts a month) but they will be split between a costume, then something to add to my wardrobe, then something fixed/ufo completed and then start back at costume.</p><p>Stay tuned for my 1940's dress made from another $5 bundle (cause I may be stash busting but who can resist a bargain).</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-65522430126164123232020-12-15T08:09:00.001+11:002020-12-15T08:09:35.592+11:00Regency Ballgown - History and Planning<p> Regency is a period most people are familiar with, if for no other reason than the insane popularity of Pride and Prejudice - or more specifically the Colin Firth one that made every history loving girl fall head over heals for Mr Darcy. I mean why wouldn't you.</p><p>The fashion of the time was a nod back to the roman and Grecian styles. The waistline moved right up to under the bust that also moved right up. Skirts were narrow by comparison to earlier styles and the look altogether more sleek and less floofy. The image of Regency is so engrained in our minds that we often don't realise the entire period lasted less than a decade (1811-1820 or the time in which the Prince of Wales ruled as Regent for an ill King George III).</p><p>Besides the cut of dresses the era is also known for its excess, whilst the Bennett's had their modest farm we must remember and picture the Netherfield Ball, or the sheer amount of food being brought into Netherfield on Bingley's return. There was once an awesome show called Supersizers Go where they would live as in a specific era and the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4SXaAKHmL4" target="_blank">Regency episode</a> is hilarious. I recommend watching it. </p><p>Regency is not a period I am unfamiliar with, I have made something like 10 dresses of this period all using the sense and sensibility series of patterns. They tend to sew together very quickly and simply on modern sewing machines. Though more so than any other era a regency stay of some description is required to get the silhouette correct - least you look more like a 70's hippy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHXEF2JSjOE_HKGCZI1Hif9axdK9I10ALjCDW90csqgMMHhGuH5y6pPouNz6FHZmri1F3LFvbmJelLgztYc88QU74YJiqZ6Gs_D8jZQfZJuCN9upHnG9VzBxjUljdyecYjViD_DAxq_47/s280/regency2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHXEF2JSjOE_HKGCZI1Hif9axdK9I10ALjCDW90csqgMMHhGuH5y6pPouNz6FHZmri1F3LFvbmJelLgztYc88QU74YJiqZ6Gs_D8jZQfZJuCN9upHnG9VzBxjUljdyecYjViD_DAxq_47/s0/regency2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuhwDWVb5dvoKr3NRkgTIlBHX6JAL0qxJQnX6KdMDhW55jK0-LmRPPjdCePggae6_m4dw504CWUx4XxAe8pwOi_AkBUOESG3xVdgFy7Jir7_WGdl1Mm8YtV06MHknFa3_NfirVUiBtewp/s604/regency.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuhwDWVb5dvoKr3NRkgTIlBHX6JAL0qxJQnX6KdMDhW55jK0-LmRPPjdCePggae6_m4dw504CWUx4XxAe8pwOi_AkBUOESG3xVdgFy7Jir7_WGdl1Mm8YtV06MHknFa3_NfirVUiBtewp/s320/regency.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So what has made this project jump the queue as it were, well Foundations revealed are running a <a href="https://foundationsrevealed.com/competition/" target="_blank">competition</a>. The theme is Once Upon a Time and the idea being that you create a character. I am happily using this as inspiration to get creative. </p><p>So I selected my character, which in the end was harder than you would think - not only because there is so many characters to create but also because I still need to stick to the two rules - busting the stash and working on skills. Regency was already on the cards and seemed to be the easiest to adapt to the theme set out. By now you are probably thinking another Lizzie Bennet then but you would be wrong. That would be far to easy (Plus I would do Mary she is way more interesting). I decided I wanted to adapt the regency style to a character of folklore - The swan Maiden. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrUIQhdzDQgcZgWjqVShEm-r0fNh0utLdIKSk6UvgqZcomN_giRGP4UeejSdo1GTU4ddcp3X9aWJx-376CbZyq7ADDdwGAGl-xSLclH9-PYWbEOYw0muouNu-LfrXRz-jNb-cat740CTk/s500/swan+maiden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrUIQhdzDQgcZgWjqVShEm-r0fNh0utLdIKSk6UvgqZcomN_giRGP4UeejSdo1GTU4ddcp3X9aWJx-376CbZyq7ADDdwGAGl-xSLclH9-PYWbEOYw0muouNu-LfrXRz-jNb-cat740CTk/s320/swan+maiden.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The tale of the Swan Maiden exists across a number of cultures, however I was able to find <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/swan.html" target="_blank">published </a>(at least online) tale and song for this which means (I hope) it will fit the boundaries set out by Foundations Revealed. The basic premise of all stories is that a hunter sees swans land, shed their feathered clocks and transform into beautiful women who proceed to bathe then put back on the feathered cloak to transform back into swans and fly away. Hunter steals cloak and blackmails swan maiden to marry him. Eventually Swan Maiden finds clock and flies away. Academically there is much discussion over the themes and tones in these folklores but really I just love the image of the transforming swan.</p><p>What I will need in terms of costume pieces</p><p>1. Feathered clock, of cause this would be the most important part though it is as yet only ideas in my head</p><p>2. White Regency Dress</p><p>3. Regency Petticoat</p><p>4. Regency Half Stays, which I already have done (thank the lords for small favours)</p><p><br /></p><p>In order of priority though I will make the petticoat, followed by the dress and then the cloak. I know this seems counter intuitive given the importance of the cloak but I can get the dress and petticoat done whilst mentally figuring out how I will do the cloak and what its design will be, and I can plan out the draping/pattern changes I would like to do to the dress while I work on the Petticoat. Also as the petticoat is made up of mostly the same pieces as the dress its almost a wearable mock up to get my sizing right.</p><p>Skill wise I will need to draft some elements on the top of the dress which is quite new to me. I have some ideas such as wanting slashed sleeves. I also need a more mythical sort of look to the dress so design is obviously the biggest part of this project in general. Again I will be concentrating on finishes (you will see this as an ongoing theme) with things like hand sewing and seam treatments and all those fun things.</p><p>Now to the important bit, the stash. The bulk of this (the dress part) will be using not only stash fabric but entirely recycled fabric. Early last year some friends and I were invited to inherit the sewing stash of a late dressmaker. Within that stash was an unfinished wedding dress of white silk. No one else wanted it because they would never finish the dress but I saw potential. Specifically large panels of silk that could be repurposed to a new item - it was always earmarked for a regency dress. obviously first step will be to get it out unpick the old dress and see what I have to cut from (I will try and get this done next week)</p><p>I may need to get some silk organza for some of the elements like the insides of the sleeves because I don't see the point of mixing polyester with silk, though the cape will likely be made from an polyester fabric that I also got from the same dressmaker because it seems like it would be financially problematic to buy a silk for the cloak and then in all likelihood glue feathers to it. Though net may be a better option. Again these are things I need to think about. See why I am starting with a petticoat.</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-50351051317418449622020-12-08T22:23:00.001+11:002020-12-08T22:23:18.190+11:00The Tram Outfit<p> This outfit was actually made last year. The Historical Picnic Society of Sydney was made aware that there was a celebration happening at the tram museum to celebrate 110 years (I think) of Sydney Trams. This placed the opening to 1899 so we decided a suitable presentation should be attempted and on this day in 2019 we all assembled suitably attired.</p><p>Originally I had bought a 1898 Ageless Patterns option in the strawberry Linen suit, however as deadline loomed I knew I would not have the time to do it the justice I wanted to that outfit. For those who have not worked with ageless patterns before they are a reproduction of patterns at the time. They give you the basic pattern pieces in whatever size the original is in and the rest is up to you. I knew I would need to do a lot of resizing and refitting to get the result I wanted let alone the trim plans I had.</p><p>So with limited time left I turned to my trusty <a href="https://trulyvictorian.info/" target="_blank">Truly Victorian</a> stash of patterns and moved a few years post the trams opening to make the 1903 Plain Blousewaist (<a href="https://trulyvictorian.info/index.php/product/tve41-1903-plain-blousewaist/" target="_blank">TVE41</a>) and the 1903 Trumpet Skirt (<a href="https://trulyvictorian.info/index.php/product/tve21-1903-trumpet-skirt/" target="_blank">TVE21</a>). For those who have not used Truly Victorian they give you for the most part the basic structure and you are able to decorate to your hearts content to create a variety of options. Depending on fabric choice, trim choices and accessories you can obtain a large variety of looks. I was aiming for Edwardian Middle Class woman on a day out.</p><p>For fabric I turned to <a href="https://emgreenfield.com/" target="_blank">E&M Greenfields,</a> a Sydney store that supplies wholesale and also direct to public both online an instore with a large range of basic fabrics in a rainbow of colours. Having been in there the range online is a drop in the ocean of what you can get in store especially in the trim department. Being wholesale primarily if you don't order in large enough quantities there is a cutting fee and prices are not advertised but given by quote. Having said that whilst the system is one step longer it really isn't complicated and their response time is amazing. So is the cost. I asked for a quote on a yellow Linen (skirt) and white preshrunk Voile (top and lining). </p><p>I don't remember the exact price I paid but the Voile was so cheap I thought why the hell not and bought the 15m that was the limit before another fee kicked in - I mean who doesn't need 15m of voile, I can use it for lots of things, anything, I live for voile. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8-r2xpJB9LHh_bIUyyErFeoNfud21NZRhaaO99nTmM6az-VUUYJsscsv-NZV6QmHOCX2LsIflfJNbToxpEmy9_uEx7sxFVdxHP19gAFnZtodvgIF80ZwG18HmZHXCXkzMr-UpGaSoh7-/s960/more+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs8-r2xpJB9LHh_bIUyyErFeoNfud21NZRhaaO99nTmM6az-VUUYJsscsv-NZV6QmHOCX2LsIflfJNbToxpEmy9_uEx7sxFVdxHP19gAFnZtodvgIF80ZwG18HmZHXCXkzMr-UpGaSoh7-/s320/more+front.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1AoItZEChx9UOXI6W83zzRSQAFIZX38OL2FKh86KQv_6xgPmiD5cLhvJucRfFowM-OfNxwRUudKfsnsVqepYuj53HDwuSItVm9nKy-XsC69-BkvIVaNlUjyfs9jNk5PJsWatFxno9XOx/s960/side+on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1AoItZEChx9UOXI6W83zzRSQAFIZX38OL2FKh86KQv_6xgPmiD5cLhvJucRfFowM-OfNxwRUudKfsnsVqepYuj53HDwuSItVm9nKy-XsC69-BkvIVaNlUjyfs9jNk5PJsWatFxno9XOx/s320/side+on.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The outfit turned out ok I guess. The skirt I love though I think I should placket the back opening and to be fair Linen whilst time period appropriate is a wrinkling nightmare, the yellow colour however I love. The shape is very flattering I think.</p><p>The top however, I am not sure on. I think I need to remake in something with a bit more body than the voile to be honest. It isn't bad just boring. Also I could be being tainted by years of watching Pollyanna but I feel it is very "pidgeony". I did lower the neck using only the undercollar. Having made the Train outfit previously with the full heighted collar I knew I did not have a graceful swan like Edwardian neck and ended up looking like a floating head. This height turned out perfect for me and is finished with a tiny little ruffle of eyelet lace. The same lace is backed on itself to form a double sided run down the blouse Centre. Problem is none of these details really show up in the photos.</p><p>I topped it all off with a bought boater, found in the post Melbourne Cup sales (the only time to buy hats).</p><p>So what do you think, should I try the bouse again? If so what fabric should I use?</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-45754485838703604642020-12-06T20:23:00.002+11:002020-12-06T22:52:39.101+11:00Chemise a'la Reine - History and Planning<p> The Chemise a'la Reine, which translates to "underwear of the queen" is a very simple but beautiful dress that had a small role in changing history.</p><p>At the 1783 Marie Antoinette dared to be shown wearing the lightweight, "peasant" style garment in a painting by Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun. Whether it was because the queen was seen to be in underwear, or because the queen was appropriating or costuming outside her class is unsure but it caused a big stir within all classes of France. The disapproval was so complete that the artist repainted the queen using the same base in a more aristocratic garment and the painting was quickly swapped out. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4sPmq3hATNhUCKupyzIEtilb8FiHrGDiBuhQz1sOYWjnCHBRPaXrnjMvkd75ctqHlyJZmW49NffZwCTktl_P-wkdJI36KkMir2qAC2EMf9XL1qoZHuEPueiKK_wnGAe8mArvfLsStmXy/s437/marie+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4sPmq3hATNhUCKupyzIEtilb8FiHrGDiBuhQz1sOYWjnCHBRPaXrnjMvkd75ctqHlyJZmW49NffZwCTktl_P-wkdJI36KkMir2qAC2EMf9XL1qoZHuEPueiKK_wnGAe8mArvfLsStmXy/s320/marie+1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_uwNTHH7BGZ7TmOWHeLkag9XoDCHK4j6hLiFUYMJI6LFP5uKGE_P-zZATPQvdoWUDBo5etC8tNApHrTAIMHta2Fq9wAB39KiI4OW85TSLG87eu4VTV6DrbhFDRHPG3pjYlC-ITA-sB7n/s300/marie+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_uwNTHH7BGZ7TmOWHeLkag9XoDCHK4j6hLiFUYMJI6LFP5uKGE_P-zZATPQvdoWUDBo5etC8tNApHrTAIMHta2Fq9wAB39KiI4OW85TSLG87eu4VTV6DrbhFDRHPG3pjYlC-ITA-sB7n/s0/marie+2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The damage however had been done. While this garment is certainly not a deciding factor in the french revolution it was ammunition for those apposing the rule of Louis XVI against the already unpopular Austrian born queen.</p><p>Marie Antoinette is an historical figure whose existence is shrouded by her legend, her extravagant lifestyle, the infamous "let them eat cake", a far cry from the humble last words of "pardon me sir, I didn't mean to" (having accidentally stepped on someones foot on the way to the guillotine). We as modern people are left to wonder what is true and what is propaganda. What is fact without question however is that she was a very real human being, who's life and death was dictated by the whim of politics. She died as a sacrifice to the revolution in 1799 less than a month shy of her 39th Birthday.</p><p>Despite the shock when it first emerged, and quite ironically the chemise a'la Reine was taken up by Josephine, wife of Napoleon first emperor of France and inspired the regency fashion that was to follow.</p><p>But I doubt you are here for a history lesson, its about the sewing right. Well, this dress looks to be the first project I will kick off in 2021. I have some very clear reasons for this. Firstly having had a baby in October I am not in what one would call my perfect shape and the ease of sizing in this garment makes it perfect for both weight gain and weight loss. Secondly the lightweight cotton fabric is great for Australian summers, and finally because I can wear this with or without underpinnings. The true historical silhouette will have the stays but I would rather ease back into sewing with something a bit more simplistic than stays, that and I haven't yet found a pattern I would like to make stays for the 18th century. I am open to suggestions on that.</p><p>Speaking of patterns, i will technically be drafting this one but it will be based on this pattern found online (so sorry but I can only find it on pintrest so if someone knows who should be credited I will be very grateful). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_wbCCs33gLv5YKtwy2aiWhIKFFE57CCHshIxjY8luP_BkOewg9verREUhAu_y3sGaKi7kJ13gHBDEXCkOBd0KTi3DileLX96EMN8yj0gqLDdGPCT2MzkSnSAwYpF4m9flJ0uLrab2uqf/s648/pattern.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_wbCCs33gLv5YKtwy2aiWhIKFFE57CCHshIxjY8luP_BkOewg9verREUhAu_y3sGaKi7kJ13gHBDEXCkOBd0KTi3DileLX96EMN8yj0gqLDdGPCT2MzkSnSAwYpF4m9flJ0uLrab2uqf/s320/pattern.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>As you can see, it is a very simple pattern to work with, the entire dress is just masses of lightweight cotton pulled together around 2 drawstrings in the mid section and a further neck drawstring front and back with a separate shoulder piece added. The sleeves similarly are also shaped by either full gathers at shoulder or the drawstrings at elbow and lower edge. This is to be in line with the image of Marie Antoinette. If you are interested in making your own different sleeve treatments not only exist but are period appropriate like this extant example.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_OwcK842nyohAPO1eCn09bAkwoyZHvA989t4ex6ayGeijM0ZIUsFf3VDLS7VgN5lDyLBnpdzh-wiU_axQwJH_GlWRyb9LGc1YfiIpVWbjlF4e8SFS_4sYcQj2GdYl6S6G8Vw8Qxqt9Qm/s640/long+sleeve.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_OwcK842nyohAPO1eCn09bAkwoyZHvA989t4ex6ayGeijM0ZIUsFf3VDLS7VgN5lDyLBnpdzh-wiU_axQwJH_GlWRyb9LGc1YfiIpVWbjlF4e8SFS_4sYcQj2GdYl6S6G8Vw8Qxqt9Qm/s320/long+sleeve.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We can not see in the Queens Portrait whether her dress had the bottom ruffles but as I will include the neck ruffle I think I will go with a more plain hem.</p><p><br /></p><p>So what we are up to now is how this fits into the goals set in previous post.</p><p>1. Challenging.</p><p>Whilst the dress is deceptively simple in theory in practice it requires meters and meters of hand sewn tiny rolled hems to be useful. In order to achieve this the fabric must be cut 100% on the straight grain. There is no near enough is good enough that usually tempers my efforts. I will need to draw threads and cut precisely for this to not turn into a hemming nightmare.</p><p>Therefore the skills I am working on are being more precise in set up and hand sewing.</p><p>2. Stash items</p><p>For reasons that will be made clear in a future post this week, I am the owner of between 10 and 15m of white cotton voile that will be perfect for this project.</p><p>Need to source is only twill tape and silk ribbon. Plus the hat stuff if I want to get the right Marie look, though I may do headwear slightly less formal than the portrait above</p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-36673313002999585822020-12-06T18:20:00.002+11:002020-12-06T18:23:55.688+11:002020 - Realisations/2021 - Goals<p> As the hell year that was 2020 comes to a close I find myself very inspired to get a whole bunch of sewing done in the new year. How much I get through is questionable as I will be on a year of maternity leave so finding a balance between parenting, housework and sewing may be hard. </p><p>I also have 2 goals to work on sewing wise this year, they are</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>1. Increase skills by working on more elaborate and complete pieces</p><p>2. Work through stashed fabric and notions</p></blockquote><p>The first goal is logical, we only get better if we challenge ourselves. The second has a sad but kind of inspiring story attached.</p><p>At the beginning of 2020, my mother passed away. She was young at 66 and it was an unexpected loss. I won't go into large details but sufficed to say as she was also a sewist and as I am the only relative who is also a sewist, I inherited a large amount of sewing stuff. It is also probably relevant to point out that we were also both kinda low key hoarders with a special interest in sewing stuff, so stash mountain has turned into stash Everest.</p><p>I did let a lot of the stash go, donating to The Sewing Basket or to family friends who were making large numbers of masks given the situation with Covid. In truth there was no way I could ever consider being able to get through it all. But there were many many fabrics I kept, so many of them purchased with plans to make things for her grandchildren - a task I will try and complete in this year coming and others fabric she had had for a long time. Fabric she found and liked and would use one day but never got the chance. Perhaps the right project never did come up or perhaps it did but what if she lost weight (she was always trying to lose weight) or what if she found something more perfect to use it on.</p><p>I think we all have a stash like this, we end up buying fabric specifically for projects rather than using what we have and a lot of what we have could have been used but its like deciding between having your cake and eating your cake. What I realised in all of this was cake is no good if you don't eat it. Eating it is its purpose, having it is a waste. So 2021 needs to be the year I realise the perfect project is the one I have now not the one that may or may not exist in the future. That silver and grey brocade I have been holding onto for nearly a decade, the vintage fabrics I found at fairs all of it is useless unless I use it. I don't want to hold onto it and then miss my chance. </p><p>With that all in mind I have started making lists of ideas on what projects I could conquer in 2021 - Assuredly I will not get through all of this but the priority is that each project must meet both goals. I will list them here in short form so that I can refer back to it when I finish one and move onto another. Some of these I will expand on in planing posts so that I also have an easy reference place for all my research. (List is being done in chronological groups)</p><p>Please feel free to comment on what projects you think would be most fun or that you would like to see or hear about.</p><p><b>Medieval</b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Viking Apron Dress</li><li>Tudor Catherine Parr </li><li>Italian Renaissance Gown</li></ul></div><p><b>1700's</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Robe a'la Francaise</li><li>Robe d'Anglaise</li><li>Slytherin Riding Habit</li><li>Chemise a'la Raine</li></ul><p></p><p><b>1800's</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Regency Silk Ballgown</li><li>Scarlett's Orange Mill Dress</li><li>Linen Walking Ensemble</li></ul><p></p><p><b>1900's</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>WW1 Era dress</li><li>1920's daywear</li><li>WW2 Military Suit</li></ul><b>Non Costume Sewing</b><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Vintage inspired work pieces</li><li>Mums Children's wear</li><li>Baby Bix Baby clothing</li></ul><b>Fixes and Finishes on old projects</b><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Elizabethan Cartridge pleating</li><li>Cursed Green Dress</li><li>Blanket Dress</li><li>Plaid Dress</li><li>Toph's Victorian Coat</li></ul><p></p>Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-50128128583012344892019-06-17T18:23:00.001+10:002020-12-06T20:26:00.491+11:00India Wilkes dress finalSo I just realised I forget to post this one up .... after all that build up lol<br />
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Before I start I have been looking at my stats and seeing that there appears to be people all over the world you read this. Weird feeling. Out of interest please leave a comment about who you are and where you are from it would be nice to know who's connecting to this.<br />
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Anyway without further ado, and I believe there should be a post for each part so I won't go into to much detail in this one just an overview. If I have missed any pieces I will go back and fill them in later.<br />
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The dress was a raging success though I am still on the hunt for a snood. Below are some pics because I know when I am looking at blogs that's the main thing I am interested in anyway :) Enjoy and remember leave a comment I would love to know what you think of my work.<br />
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<br />Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-28113713660831342832019-06-17T15:59:00.002+10:002020-12-06T20:27:22.028+11:00Edwardian Madness - Ageless #1344<a href="https://www.agelesspatterns.com/">Ageless Patterns</a> had a sale in April to celebrate their birthday and I couldn't resist.<br />
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Firstly I was already looking at there patterns for an outfit for an 1899 outing in December and secondly I am a sucker for sales!!. I end up with 3; <a href="https://www.agelesspatterns.com/images/1315.gif">#1315</a> from 1892, <a href="https://www.agelesspatterns.com/images/1389.gif">#1389</a> from 1898, and #1344 from 1912.<br />
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My original plan was to make the 1389 for a tram anniversary in December and the others were just to make postage viable and take advantage of the sale. However when a steam train ride to Kiama appeared on my Facebook feed and a friend in the <a href="http://historicalpicnic.com/">Historical Picnic Society</a> decided to organise the troops the 1912 jumped the queue.<br />
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<b>Planning Process</b><br />
This pattern says (and Ageless even checked there original for me) it is a 40" bust and a 27.5" waist. I made up a trial knowing that I would not ever corset down to a 27.5 at the moment expecting to resize. In the end it actually fit my 40"/30" amazingly well with zero alterations. I can't explain this but don't look a gift horse in the mouth.<br />
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Ageless patterns do take more planning than many others due to the lack of instructions. Ageless do not pretend to be anything more than a reproducer of the original pattern with original instructions. Thus it is important to remember going into this that no one will hold your hand, "finish in the usual way" was a very valid instruction for the Victorian and Edwardian times when sewing was much more widespread and people just knew how to do those things. Given that i rarely actually follow instructions this isn't a huge hindrance to me but I understand it may be to others.<br />
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These instructions seemed even more vague than usual, possibly as the original is in french and Ageless have translated as best they can. Both English and French are included so if you do speak both perhaps it would be easier for you. The biggest issue I had was was the closure none of those instructions made any sense nor did the pattern pieces that came intuitively give you a closure point. Instructions say that bodice closes at center back, and that the first few buttons on the front are functional but with no center back seam on the skirt there was no place for the waist band to open. I decided after consulting many online groups to add a center back seam and go from there. This has worked though I can't say I am a fan of the hook and eye closure and will be de-historifying it with a button covered zip in the near future.<br />
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Another point to be aware of is that the entire over bodice is one huge pattern piece with some deceptively simple shaping techniques for the sleeves and the side seam. <br />
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In short ease the dart in the sleeve part, sew small darts into the underarm/underbust/side seam area. Line up sleeve ends and side seam bottom pull straight and sew one continuous seam. <br />
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Took some fiddling but this was worked out in trial stages. Not doing this will cause the arm to twist oddly.<br />
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<b>Fabric Choice:</b><br />
Knowing that this dress would be for winter - specifically for this train trip I wanted a warmer fabric than the suggested taffeta. After much deliberation I decided that despite my wool allergy a wool or wool like would be best and due to the bodice piece issue a non plaid. Any pattern was going to need to be small and able to conform to biases. I thought and fiddled and searched until I happened upon a beautiful marle Oxblood mostly acrylic (yay for less allergins) from <a href="https://www.pitttrading.com.au/">Pitt Trading</a>. I accented with tulle from stash, lace and velveteen from spotlight. Lining is left over white cotton and white linen/cotton.<br />
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Buttons came from a <a href="https://www.allbuttons.com.au/#/">shop in newtown</a> that sells huge amounts of buttons in all shapes sizes and colours. They are a black plastic with a little shine to them.</div>
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<b>The Making:</b><br />
This pattern (by fluke of fitting me) came together perfectly once I had worked out the few small issues - being the closure, the sleeves twisting and that I misinterpreted a pattern marking and cut off some of the left side skirt (yeah don't do that - you will have to add it back later).<br />
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The fabrics were of little issue EXCEPT the tulle. It has gone straight onto the banned list and I will avoid it now like a creeper in a club. I have to thank <a href="https://angelacostumery.com/">Angela Clayton</a> for the inspiration to overdo the dicky adding both lace and pleated tulle. Undeniably it looks fantastic, but it was a nightmare to control and still is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l35l9rEvPT7OyW1jJRr3VU90ocTioO9b49ZMNAGnFX0_yaz9PFO4l0lnQnMe1lx_KNwUUY2OFc-H0ex85yu6Pi3nuaNQlFaf_81MbNXJ9jbdIutK7FK2hY5vsdBnPi_2a933Nartx5UC/s1600/tulle+sucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l35l9rEvPT7OyW1jJRr3VU90ocTioO9b49ZMNAGnFX0_yaz9PFO4l0lnQnMe1lx_KNwUUY2OFc-H0ex85yu6Pi3nuaNQlFaf_81MbNXJ9jbdIutK7FK2hY5vsdBnPi_2a933Nartx5UC/s320/tulle+sucks.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horrible pleating tulle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOwmUcEJGnUAbPXswePAJBZ-Fmp-3X54Ar3d0PDzbuKZLisi6f12pJqjarbbX36CYMJmc_eEdMWZxLsiK8_yaBceR0kiDg_0-Jk9pHaf7iuBjQzeymhagS1X-KNFmAKV7iswXj91LaLc1/s1600/tulle+over+lace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOwmUcEJGnUAbPXswePAJBZ-Fmp-3X54Ar3d0PDzbuKZLisi6f12pJqjarbbX36CYMJmc_eEdMWZxLsiK8_yaBceR0kiDg_0-Jk9pHaf7iuBjQzeymhagS1X-KNFmAKV7iswXj91LaLc1/s320/tulle+over+lace.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But soooo pretty</td></tr>
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So without further ado here is the pictures of the finished dress beautifully backdropped by vintage trains.<br />
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As a side note the hat was also made - I will eventually do a post on that too - another credit to Angela Clayton.Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-7286775841425059342018-10-27T20:53:00.004+11:002018-10-27T20:53:56.730+11:00Forward Planning - Or how do I make room in my stash for better fabric.Well it is the night before the big unveiling of the India Wilkes dress, It sits still incomplete (I have to do the sleeve epaulets) which I will work on tonight once my little man goes to sleep and tomorrow I will get some photos to be able to do a big review of the project and probably some individual pieces going into more detail on the bodice and the skirt.<br />
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In any case the time has come to start thinking about what to do next and I think it is time to focus on some smaller scale, more usable on a daily basis pieces that use up stash fabric. We lovingly refer to my stash as stash mountain and you can see the beginnings of it in previous posts (years ago) and the fun thing is that most of that fabric is still around..... and it's found friends along the way.<br />
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On top of the stash is unfinished projects, many that will be abandoned to time and waste due to size changing, needs passing or it just being a project that didn't work. However in the interest of motivation I am below posting some of the ideas that I have.<br />
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Starting with an unfinished project;<br />
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<b>the 40's floral</b><br />
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Most of this dress is done, I started it about 3 years ago because it was just after my son was born. It is actually the third time I have worked with this full pattern not including when I turned the bottom half into a skirt. Obviously I love this pattern, the fall and drape is beautiful and flattering.<br />
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I halted because as you can clearly see on the picture the front is not symmetrical and I somehow managed to cut the front right piece the wrong way. Stupid right - yes very, especially the 4th time you have done it.<br />
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The material I had gotten on sale for $10/m and its a faux silk satin that falls like water. I loved the vibrancy of the colours. Eventually and randomly as I had given up hope I did find more of the fabric and bought another meter but by that stage I had moved onto another project that had a more pressing deadline and then I just never picked it up again. I deserves another look though<br />
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<b>Black and White Gertie Pattern</b><br />
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I bought this black and white gaberdine in a big spotlight sale specifically to make this super sexy 60's ish number from Butterick's Patterns by Gertie Range. I have never even traced the pattern. Again this was just after having my son and I wanted to lose some weight, which I did but then with a baby didn't have time and since then I have put a whole bunch on again that I am in the process of trying to lose. Life is a never ending desire to drop weight unfortunately.<br />
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I will probably look at this again for winter time next year, simply because it is a heavier fabric and more suited to the autumn winter seasons. It will be great for work though<br />
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<b>Red Rayon Pattern Copy</b><br />
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I have had this red rayon for a long time - it was bought when Spotlight had a buy the rest of the bolt for stupid discount and I was big in love with both the 40's fashions and the no iron properties of rayon. <br />
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Red has always been a good colour for me and there was only a few meters on the bolt making it viable to buy and so it has sat ever since. <br />
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This is another project that has sat around since my maternity leave. I selected this pattern because could you ask for anything more perfect for a red rayon than copying the dress on the pattern drawing. I even remember buying black rayon for the neck though it would take a miracle to find that in my stash now.<br />
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The pattern is traced and that tracing "should" fit me now so I should probably prioritise this one even though the sleeves make more of an autumn winter number too the rayon means it shouldn't' be too hot.<br />
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<b>1940's Blue Birds</b><br />
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This fabric has also been in my stash for a very long time. It is a crepe that has zero body. I bought it and another fabric which i made the first pattern mentioned on here out of. The end result is a weightless beautiful drape, the work to get there though was a headache. This slips and slides and does not like to behave.<br />
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I selected this pattern for it at time of buying and I have never changed my mind, but I would be lying to say that the creating those front gathers and curved seam in this weightless fabric is not intimidating. Likely this is the reason I have never gotten around to this one.</div>
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It would make a very elegant summer dress though so maybe its time I grew some and cut into it. I could always starch it first and see if that helps. I will need to get lining though.<br />
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<b>Random Shirts</b><br />
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So under this category I have a whole bunch of possible projects. Maybe I need a day or a weekend to pump out all of them. <br />
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The orange spot is a rayon originally purposed for a skirt but I think maybe a shirt would work better in my wardrobe - I have tones of skirts and dresses but few tops. I just can't decide which pattern to use. One of these or none of them.<br />
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I will be using the peplum with this Japanese lawn. It was bought with that pattern in mind.<br />
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Outside of the above I have plans for two 1930's dresses, a 1940's military style costume, more 50's dresses and some wardrobe pieces.<br />
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But for now I better get to those India Wilkes sleeves<br />
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Happy sewing.Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-62368457182738094392018-10-15T11:01:00.002+11:002020-12-06T20:28:19.833+11:00Buttons? Buttons? Who's got the Buttons?At last count this dress will have over 90 buttons on it. Most of them cloth covered and only 23 of them functional These buttons (and the phone replacement issue) account for the delay in these posts.<br />
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The plan for the buttons included around 25 functional buttons for the front of the bodice, 20 for the sleeve epaulet detail (10 per sleeve), and 8 skirt epaulets with 7 buttons each for a total of 56 - 101 buttons in total (Plus what will be used on the under sleeves).<br />
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I wanted the functional buttons to be about half an inch, smaller for the sleeve detail - but the hardest to find would be the skirt buttons.<br />
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Anyway, I went searching for buttons online. I could have gone to the local spotlight but there cloth covered buttons are expensive at $8 for 10, have crappy plastic backs and the size range isn't as extensive as I would need.<br />
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This brought but the next issue in the planning, how to attach the buttons to the skirt and not have them flop about, I wanted them to sit flat. Shanks on functional buttons are both necessary but also get held into position by the extra material around the button hole. Without a button hole it flops around which wouldn't work for what I was after.<br />
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So I found on ebay a listing that had not only metal backed cloth cover button kits but came in both flat back (for gluing on jewellery apparently) and shanked. A bit more searching and I found the website<a href="http://www.ilikebigbuttons.com/"> I like big Buttons</a> and placed an order. <br />
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I decided on the small 12mm (25), for the sleeves, 15mm (25) for the functional buttons, and huge 1.5inch for the skirt (50). I was able to get shanks only on the functional buttons and flat backs on the rest. You may have noticed that I had to cut down the plan for the skirt buttons because they came in packs of 50 or 100 and I didn't want 44 unnecessary 1.5inch flat back buttons on my hands. Seemed easier on the pocket and storage to cut down each epaulet by 1 button and only need 48.<br />
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There was only one issue with the delivery which is that one of my shank backs came shankless which cut down the number I had to work with by one. Otherwise, service was fast, friendly and the website easy to use. I also found that the smaller button sizes were smaller than I had anticipated. I think maybe if you flattened out the metal circle it would measure 1.5cm but the front buttons came in more the size I wanted for the sleeves and the sleeves are tiny - but we make do and I don't think it will make too much difference to the final look<br />
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Then set about the epic task of covering these bad boys. The process is long winded enough when you have 5 to do for a dress, 89 (as the final count was) took a long time and patience that I am not well known for. But I did promise myself that I would spend more time and effort on the finer details of the things I make so I persevered.<br />
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To cover the buttons, first I had to cut the circles out of the fabric - a process made slightly easier by spending the extra buck on the plastic sizing tool which provides an exact template of the size that circle. Then you stitch a run around the circle, put it in the rubber setting tool, place the metal to cover in pull the stitch tight and then push the back in with the plastic finishing tool. To make things a bit more secure I added some craft glue between the inside and the back. Then I did this about 90 times.<br />
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<br />Pro tip, the bigger the button the easier it is to get the back in. For the really small ones I used a vice, for the really big ones my own hand strength was fine.<br />
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Once all done I attached the buttons to the bodice front the traditional way (shanked) though I screwed up on spacing and will have to redo them today :(.<br />
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For the Skirt Epaulets I sewed through the the fabric where it curls under into the button.<br />
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I will provide further details of the process of making the epaulets when I do the post regarding the skirt and the one for the bodice, but for now progress continues and with only a couple of weeks to go I better get back to it.<br />
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<br />Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-69087504818593414602018-10-02T19:05:00.001+10:002018-10-02T19:05:43.102+10:00The Sound of SilenceI know I really should be posting some kind of update about now. I even have the subject as my buttons have come in and I have spent time covering them and have reviews of the site I got them from but alas - I lost my phone this weekend and thus I have no way of documenting the progress<br />
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In related news I feel so lost without the phone, I can hardly remember life without a 24/7 connection to the world. I can't count the amount of times in the last 3 days I have had a thought and reached to get my phone and look something up on google.<br />
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The positive is there has been little to distract me so I have had to focus on things like covering my buttons rather than procrastinating on whatever the weird ottoman empire game is that I had been playing. I hope that in the next week I will have a temporary replacement in place. Until then I may have so see if my husband can help out though his photography is a little advanced so I doubt he will be happy with my quick snaps<br />
<br />Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-17789171889461875702018-09-18T23:46:00.003+10:002018-09-18T23:46:48.370+10:00Little things for Little peopleMy mother and I have been considering and working for a while on the idea of making vintage inspired clothing for children. We have a ways to go before we can do our first market stall and much planning but in the mean time I find sewing children's clothes to be fun and fast - a great deviation from the more involved projects I am working on.<br />
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There won't be to much information about the how's and why's of these few things I have made for friends but I thought I may as well share these with the world.<br />
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I am going to start with this one, which I call beach baby. It was made for a friend who was pregnant at the time (that little girl is about to turn one) and I used a cotton spot that my friend had bought for me to make her a costume for stage. I knew she loved the fabric, the stage, the show and the costume and so kept all the scraps to make her daughter an outfit. Gave it to her at the baby shower and she cried. Got to love pregnancy hormones. I really liked the hat in this one - its a basic tulip pattern finished off with a matching daisy button and some crossgrain ribbon.</div>
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Also for the same friend, this one was using a quilting cotton (what a dream to work with good quality cotton) in a vintage blue striped floral print. The lace was used to decorate the costume I had in the show. I think this one turned out with the most vintage feel. You will also see a pattern emerge of nappy covers, nothing cuter than some little matching pants.</div>
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This one is the most beautiful delicate pink fabric with a sweet bunny print, also a quilting cotton and finished with a cotton lace. All the above are lined in lawn. The Hat for this one didn't turn out as well as I would have hoped. I love the gathered brim but I must have misjudged the seam allowance on the crown because it was tiny. I think the very tiny baby only ever fit it once. Again same friend but no special meaning other than I liked this pink.</div>
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This one was started for a friends child's first birthday, but I accidentally made it 18mth size and then didn't finish in time anyway. These friends a huge supers fans so I knew Wonder Woman would be a hit. The birthday was last December, the friends received the finished piece a few months ago. Basically when my sewing stuff was packed away it ended up a UFO and I only got it back out when doing some more stuff for a workmate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVPAp_SCfuqYlW1OyX38JDrs_uJbnUyXJ5qM3h50xDHdPqH_IEESQQp6GU_ytPUiYsCwld_-DwPKa9AB5qyu6XZ5X1BlHFLCecsTSiIWBBeS28OOdE759kZhPt_EdpGkKfvGhyNGHbYNE/s1600/green+scotties.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVPAp_SCfuqYlW1OyX38JDrs_uJbnUyXJ5qM3h50xDHdPqH_IEESQQp6GU_ytPUiYsCwld_-DwPKa9AB5qyu6XZ5X1BlHFLCecsTSiIWBBeS28OOdE759kZhPt_EdpGkKfvGhyNGHbYNE/s320/green+scotties.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I love this pattern. I found with my son that there was very little sweet, vintage baby stuff appropriate for a boy. I made this for another friends baby shower, she was having a boy and I felt the colours and style would work without being too out there. Quilting cotton with lawn lining and simple brown buttons.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15twgjONVCRK4jNkCoGU9sgq9tCtAncBVHcpClfaFdEsesbbGkjwS3dc8JFJ_m_L5QuxFBxr4rGMV5Z-ybcU6srGF4bV7yTjDf-4Ox84tLwrbF_kCKOBzboXWULBNTMZRsuVlWvrUj6_o/s1600/kitty+overalls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15twgjONVCRK4jNkCoGU9sgq9tCtAncBVHcpClfaFdEsesbbGkjwS3dc8JFJ_m_L5QuxFBxr4rGMV5Z-ybcU6srGF4bV7yTjDf-4Ox84tLwrbF_kCKOBzboXWULBNTMZRsuVlWvrUj6_o/s320/kitty+overalls.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also for my friends boy, overalls because who doesn't love overalls. This fabric has a kitten drinking on it and I am especially proud of the button closures I did on the leg inseams. I ended up using simple clear buttons here because I hate working with press studs and coloured buttons looked too busy. The clear blends perfectly whist still being functional.<br />
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This is from an actual 1950's girls pattern. I am yet to see this dress on someone and I would really like to because from here it is a little meh. I think I am so used to seeing the shaping in women's 50's that I see a box with an unflattering skirt but on it would probably be very cute. I also think it needs a ribbon which I still have not gotten round to getting. I had this cotton in my stash for years, I bought it when I went through a phase making small things. The post exists here somewhere and maybe I will even link it one day. It is a cheaper quilting cotton from spotlight that was on sale for probably $5 and I don't think this even took a meter to make.<br />
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This psychedelic spot number is so cute. One of my workmates was going to be a second time grandma and so I made three outfits for her. She has told me this is her favourite. I can't remember but I think I also added the lace to the bottom of the tunic in the end but didn't get a photo. Again quilting cotton and lawn, I kind of want to get this fabric again and make myself a shift dress.<br />
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This bunny fabric was so cute. I used a white cotton to do the bust stripe and added some lace I had hanging around for literally over 15 years. Still have some left too. Instead of gathering as I did on the blue vintage one above I pleated to keep bunnies looking neater and it worked a treat. I believe it was my first foray into pleating with a fork but I stand by the method 100%. In the end I think it may have ended up a bit stark but at the same time I did photograph it on my work desk which is also white so I doubt that helped matters.<br />
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And lastly, of cause my pregnant workmate saw the bunny dress and being rabbit crazy was very jealous. As I had some fabric left over (I bought 1m and got all this out of it) I decided to use up the excess on her. I actually prefer this fabric in this more modern tunic style. Not that the last one wasn't cute but I think the blue shorties break up the starkness of the white and black beautifully. This one does still need buttons though.<br />
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I am sure there will be more to come in this category as I have about 5 more outfits already cut out.<br />
<br />Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-28665912439123983642018-09-18T22:59:00.003+10:002018-09-18T22:59:41.629+10:00When Heaven is only a few doors awayThere was a sewing shop that I was informed of sometime ago. It must have been in 2016 because I am sure I was on maternity leave. In any case word had gotten around that a sort of sewing charity shop existed in a far flung non event suburb of Sydney that had terrible parking options and next to no public transport. <br />
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The idea behind this shop is that it took donations of anything sewing and sew craft related and then on-sold it - like a sewing op shop, with proceeds going to <a href="https://achieveaustralia.org.au/?ads_cmpid=1012705861&ads_adid=49675404437&ads_matchtype=b&ads_network=g&ads_creative=238245393279&utm_term=achieve%20australia&ads_targetid=kwd-345814814848&utm_campaign&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&ttv=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwxILdBRBqEiwAHL2R89cXbhVpWxEGzbYZ-nYZB0dqnT2OgTbPh2H8j4Cl8CrhZkVcYkVqvBoCPmsQAvD_BwE">Achieve Australia</a> Disability support.<br />
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Anyway on hearing of its existence my mother, a friend and I decided to pay it a visit. After all both my friend and I were on maternity leave so what else did we have to do with our time but trek into random Sydney suburb in search of a sewing op shop in the industrial area. The place had a lot of pro's - things were different to the more traditional sewing shops like spotlight. Everything was hit and miss but you could pick up a bargain in terms of fabric or patterns if you were willing to search. Years of it being at premises meant that there was some level of mess to contend with and everything is basically a one off. <br />
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I think I bought a pattern, My Friend who quilts found a few pieces she liked and I don't recall what mum walked away with but we clutched our treasures vowed to return and then, well didn't. Basically nothing against the shop but it was out of the way.<br />
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A couple of years go by and Facebook lights up with a notice. This shop is undergoing a name change to <a href="https://achieveaustralia.org.au/my-career/the-sewing-basket/">The Sewing Basket</a> and it is moving premises. One block down from my work no less. <br />
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With business hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday I was happy and my husband worried but either way I had a place to visit at lunch that meant I could be on task for any of those real bargain finds that pop up from time to time. <br />
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In support of their opening day I headed down and whilst it is apparent that they are still sorting through, setting up and finding their feet I did manage to find a few things to take with me. The staff were lovely, helpful and friendly. The shop much more organised and clean though with all fabric shops how long that lasts is debatable.<br />
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My first find was actually a suggestion by the woman who worked there, a double edge broderie for $10.50 and there is about 2.5m which my research says is a bargain.<br />
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Secondly I got this vintage kids fabric - 3m for $15. Plan is to make something for a friend who is pregnant and rabbit crazy!! but with 3m I am sure mum and I can come up with a whole bunch of things.<br />
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Anyway - watch this space as I am sure to find more fun things as time goes on.</div>
<br />Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-59519770533688505692018-09-07T19:28:00.004+10:002018-09-07T19:28:30.467+10:00The Petty PetticoatAs I outlined in my last post I have been planning how to strategically create my petticoat using the fabric that I had in my stash. I methodically ran and re-ran the math, I was sure it could be done. Then the first hiccup - when i took the material out of the bag marked 4.5m of 150cm I discovered about 2.5m of 150cm, which is confusing to say the least as I know that the only thing I have made from it was done before those labels. I put it down to the fact that at time of labeling I had over 3km of material to catagorise. In any case I pushed on.<br />
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<b>Lesson one</b>: Don't count your meters before you unfold. I really should have checked this and planned for what I had not planned for what 2012 Heather said she had.<br />
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I decided to cut the first tier at 30cm then the bottom two at 40cm. The benefit of two tiers being the same was that I could sew and gather one full strip and then just sew on however much it took to attach to the full circumference of the preceding tier. I was going to get out my gatherfoot and it was going to be so fast breezy and dreamy. That was my second hiccup - pride goeth before the fall.<br />
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Unperturbed I pressed on with one 30x150cm strip and less 40x150cm strips than I had hoped but assumed with less gather I should be fine. After all I only needed a hem of about 4m to go around the hoop.<br />
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<b>Lesson two:</b> the gatherfoot says it can gather and attach easily in one seam is the biggest lie since the cheques in the mail. I watched the tutorials I have seen it done but attempting myself was a hellish trespass that I won't be quick to try again. Instead I selected the rate of gather I wanted, used that to simply gather single layer of fabric and then pinned and attached a second layer in another step. This seemed to work well and with practice I feel I can say I even became proficient.<br />
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<b>Lesson three:</b> One can not gather material that has already been gathered, or has any sort of thread left in it from a previous gather. I would even consider fabric with slubs a risk the foot was that touchy. I broke two needles on that.<br />
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So with those two things in mind the project is coming along very nicely. I was however about to learn another valuable lesson in planning;<br />
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<b>Lesson four:</b> there is more than one hoop in a three hoop skirt, and you should know the circumference of all of them as well as their distance from each other and the waistline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G4v2M4t63qLVt_Pw_kKF5UURLjySuCvjCnR_ljjt0_TWCfNAr4rD2k620BhiZe5-dgQ1dYI8gzcClEveG_pCr1Rb8grUJqn5_MeDGJRTYBvpqTbip9-pPIhTLikfTjlAqSh_glfqphTy/s1600/WTF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G4v2M4t63qLVt_Pw_kKF5UURLjySuCvjCnR_ljjt0_TWCfNAr4rD2k620BhiZe5-dgQ1dYI8gzcClEveG_pCr1Rb8grUJqn5_MeDGJRTYBvpqTbip9-pPIhTLikfTjlAqSh_glfqphTy/s320/WTF.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As you can see this outcome is not really what was in my head when I pictured it. So I had to move into the how the hell do I fix this mode. Thus I took my overtired butt to bed. When I woke up my plan was simple - get more fabric and make the same thing again and use one as a front and the other as the back. By Lunchtime I had decided to tackle in a different way - one which was mirrored by another sewing friend.<br />
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<b>Step one:</b> The first tier is obviously too long, to combat this I halved the distance by self facing the top tier. The self facing would allow for a strong support for the rest of the skirt (reasons to follow) and the sewing of a channel to put a drawstring through.<br />
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<b>Step two: </b>add pin-tucks to the obviously also too long and too tight second tier. this would allow the first tier seam some room to breathe and also put some added bulk over that first hoop better disguising it under a skirt.<br />
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The result<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN8m-IxpFBMihQ-L8Kdw9TiKGmzC5-fWN2feISMg279O2QE8RzYSynvFsDl0VX-GAf2EmwbEkOoWzGg3t1Slil_3M9Php2kfSatbjQINTAvyZGkRe2rlI6W589CjGshTc8ablJIV6zJcx/s1600/two+tier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMN8m-IxpFBMihQ-L8Kdw9TiKGmzC5-fWN2feISMg279O2QE8RzYSynvFsDl0VX-GAf2EmwbEkOoWzGg3t1Slil_3M9Php2kfSatbjQINTAvyZGkRe2rlI6W589CjGshTc8ablJIV6zJcx/s320/two+tier.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Now it was looking more like I wanted. In fact I would almost call it pretty. Short but pretty. There was no escaping it I knew I would need more fabric and as luck would have it Spotlight was selling there cotton linen at some sort of markdown. I took 3 more meters because I didn't want to end up short again.<br />
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Not really learning from the above I cut 4 more 40cm strips for a total of 5.4m (this was a shorter bolt). When attaching to the above tier I was short and cut another "40cm" strip that ended up being 35cm but in the end that didn't matter to much as I was able to hem out more than what I had missed. Final hem is over 6m.<br />
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For decorative reasons and to create a more ideal length I added two more pin-tucks on the second tier. The whole thing sits beautifully but weighs a fair bit. When they say use lightweight material they mean it. The lightest you can work with because this fabric economical design has still got 4m ish fabric in it and it all adds up. It does mean that the extra fabric on the waist adds weight but it also anchors well.<br />
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Finally because I am trying to use finishes on all my pieces I moved to decoration. I contemplated covering the pin-tucks as I don't think they are neat enough but was convinced otherwise by various strangers and friends on the internet. <br />
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In the end I am glad I did because I planned to do 4 rows plus ribbon row on the bottom hem - and ended up with just two. It literally took 20 minutes easy to pin the trim on and sew it round. Not all the trim that is 20 minutes for each row. Not to mention the time it took to thread the golden orange ribbon (I know orange is an odd choice it is a nod to my sons favourite colour), only to discover I was under a meter shy of a full run<br />
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So another day, another spotlight trip and 20 more minutes and I have a finished and final petty petticoat.<br />
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Apparently I should be wearing at least two so I have plans for pin-tuck petticoat sometime in the future but today is not that day.<br />
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<br />Angelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8171561763251133912.post-92045230236828222282018-08-21T22:59:00.001+10:002018-08-21T22:59:23.128+10:00Planning the Petticoat of doomI have to confess I am cheating a little on my hoop for the India Wilkes dress. I bought a hoop skirt for about $10 on Ebay years ago to go under my Elizabethan dress and I am just going to reuse that one. What I would love is to be able to make a hoop from Truly Victorian but the price of getting the pattern and materials to myself down-under is almost prohibitive and to be honest I do only have until the end of October so timing wise at this point it may be a little ambitious.<br />
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The hoop skirt I have is sadly only 3 hoops (recommendation appears to be 5 minimum on all historical costuming groups). Although all 3 hoops can be adjusted on my skirt the largest setting on the largest hoop is about 3.5m. After much discussion with those in the know I was advised that 3 was most likely closer to realistic. This is of benefit as I don't have as much fashion fabric as I would like so shrinking the hoop will give me a much better finish on the skirt.<br />
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Only problems remain that a 3 hoop will not hold the bell shape as well as a 5 so there is a rather more conical finish than I would prefer, and that one does not want their hoops showing through their skirt. This calls for a petticoat and so my research began.<br />
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Firstly and this took a long time to figure out and I know I would still be muddled if a friend had not politely pointed out my folly, but Americans call Muslin what we in Australia would call Calico (apparently). They also call Muslin Muslin and did use it for petticoats but when they say lightweight it doesn't mean necessarily feather light like out muslin is. If someone in the USA could clarify this that would be great but my understanding now is that our muslin is what you would use to wrap cheese and squeeze out excess liquid but not really sew a garment with. I know I have tried and that shit unravels as soon as you so much as breath on it - overlocked or not!<br />
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The good news about this is that a) I don't have to work with "muslin" again and b) the cotton linen blend that I have had 4.5m of in stash for the past 7 or so years will be more than adequate as a lightweight fabric option for my petticoat. <br />
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The other recommendation was at least 2 petticoats but given the lack of over skirt material (remembering that I need the petticoats to fit under its final hem) and the Australian heat in this instance I am going to be attempting to hide the hoops in a single petticoat. Not particularly accurate but cross fingers it works well enough for my purposes. <br />
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The next thing to do was decide on a style. Flounced would be my first choice as it pretty much can guarantee hiding hoops and gives a lot of volume where I want it most. The downside is that it also takes up excessive amounts of fabric. As in a friend who made a 5 tier flounced skirt used 11m of taffeta. Sure it looks amazing, but that is a tone of fabric that I don't have and don't want to buy. I am trying at least to use something from stash in every costume I make.<br />
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I also looked at the free to download TV pattern that makes a petticoat with an 8yd single flounce, but it appeared that I could not work my fabric enough to get the yardage where I needed it. It looked like I was going to need to do a single tube and MAYBE one flounce around the bottom, though that worried me because it would add bulk at the waist (something I want to avoid) and it may not give the added oomph at the top of the hoops I am hoping for.<br />
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I was at a loss researching and hunting when I came across my possible solution, in any case it is the one I chose to attempt. A three tiered petticoat with increasing volume in two places. My basic pattern will start with a trapezium 1.5m at the waist to minimize the bulk and 2m at the hem and sit about 25cm long. To that I will gather another piece 35-45cm long and hopefully around 4m top and bottom. To that a final tier of up to 8m at the hem and 45cm in length.<br />
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I am still working on the math for the final skirt length. I have however thought that the 35 then 45 would give a nice aesthetic, but the 45 would mean that I could just make one long 45cm run and use the gather foot and let it add what it will.<br />
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I won't get to start this till next week I am sure, especially since I still need to complete the pleated trim on my Victorian dress but I will be sure to keep you updated once it is done<br />
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caio for nowAngelic Cowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17516247814896783012noreply@blogger.com0