A Damsel in Distress or a Distressing Damsel?

It's clear, the list is off the table. I started with a nice, defined, short list of what I intended to make this year. 

• Pirate Garb
• Stays and Shift 
• Curtain-A-Long 
• Tudor Undergarments

The 1790s gown wasn't originally on the list, then I fell in love with theses shoes:

They're from the 1790s and the pic is from Vintage Textiles. I originally saw them on American Duchess ages ago and saved the pic, then found it when organizing files. One cannot make shoes and not have a dress to go with them! 

So despite the 1790s not being my favorite time, that joined the list. Then we decided to have some fun and run around at the NY Renaissance Faire as more than just the secret project. Lover and I like having characters to be. And since part of the Secret project also works as Hero Attire (Clue #3). We decided to also go as the Hero/Damsel. Which was more to design! But really fun to play, I mean who doesn't want to be rescued and swept off her feet every once and a while?

After look at tons of pics and trying to think of something, I came up with this:

I love the sleeves but I wanted to make the dress blue and that would look too much like Belle's out of Once Upon a Time:

 Both pics are from IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0305780/mediaindex)

Don't get me wrong, I like Belle as a character, sometimes, but I really don't want people to think that's who I'm dressed up as. And Once Upon a Time is a really good show, but I want this to be me, one of my characters. So back to the drawing board.

So I thought I need to be in a dress that could be a "working dress" for a noblewoman in the Elizabethan Times, because A) for some reason upper class women are the majority of the ones who run around damselling. and B) I wanted to be even a little historical.

Also because I fell in love with pretty purple linen off Renaissance Fabrics. Linen would be nice and cool for the hot summer. So I got bored and doodled, and since I can't find the sketch, I have a pic of the idea that I did off the Tudors Scene Maker off Doll Divine. It's a really cool way to get ideas and lose track of massive amounts of time.

The left image shows my Elizabethan character, Isabel, dressed for court before the Queen, and the right shows her as a damsel in a working dress which is really the same as court dress just with unlaced sleeves, sleeve rolls, no ruffs, partlet or fancy hair. The idea is to be on the summer progress with the Queen, ie like a RenFaire. 

My plan is to make the purple out of purple linen, the underskirt and sleeves out of damask or flocked fabric, and then have all the pieces. 

So now there are sixes things on the list instead of four. And I've already made some stuff I didn't even bother to list. Perhaps I need to learn to plan better. Or maybe it's just a costumer thing. 

Cheers 

Merlina

More Secret Project!

A brief post with more clues for the Super Secret Project. Hehe. It is well underway. In addition to the shirt, the pants are almost finished. Lover is doing quite well with his first sewing project. (I delegated pants because I still have far too many projects in progress) There may or may not be pictures, I can't decide, because they could give away the project. I don't think they will though.

For this project I get to work with buttons, such a rare thing. So here are some of the potential buttons:

Possible of for the shirt

Another possibility for the shirt. 

 Clasps. Right in the center there

These look the closest to what is needed. I will tell you I need more than one

 And pirate buttons! Which are not related to the rest but who doesn't like pirate buttons?

Keep guessing!

Merlina

Old World Tokens

It was tradition for ages for the lady to grant her knight a token of her affection. This was part of the rules of Courtly Love. Gradually it be came less formal and the gifts we give today to one's significant others are at least partially influenced by this. Originally, I think, it was a sleeve or glove then a ribbon when the knight was to joust for the lady. You can see this in several episode of The Tudors. (Yes not historically accurate but still pretty fun).

Tokens of affection were often handmade items. Keep in mind, noblewomen had time to sit and do all the embroidery and sewing. (Unlike us who scrounge for sewing time - well I do). Sometimes it would be family crests then it became initials, intertwined.

Now, before I show you all the pretty pictures, it must be said, I loathe embroidery. I rarely if ever do any of it. Yes, I did make a Christmas table runner, but that took me two years. So the fact I did this in about four days total, spread over a week, is a pretty big deal for me.

And now for the pictures.

In progress, letters intertwined and the crown beginning

More of the crown

Finished piece, except for the hemming around the edges. 

The colors are brighter in real life

I made it on a scrap of Aida cloth I found in the stash, and with DMC cotton embroidery thread. I found the pattern out of a book I found in the library. I don't remember the name but it was full of monograms. I blended a couple of the patterns together to get the image I liked. All the colors are symbolic and directly linked with Heraldry - a hobby and fascination of mine. 

I'm quite happy with it. And it's likely the only embroidery I'll do for the next couples years. Although embroidery floss is quite useful for eyelets.....

And no, no you don't get to know who the initials are for. ;)

Merlina

Cats and Sewing

We interrupt your regular sewing news to bring you cute news overload! It seems cats and sewing going hand in hand. Personally I blame all the moving pieces and feline curiosity. My sewing world is no exception. I have three but only two are truly interested in sewing and only one when it amuses her - which for those of you who know, is typical feline behavior. 

So allow me to introduce:

Mittens, our Queen. 

She is thirteen and a sweetheart, unless she doesn't want to be at any given moment. She likes sleeping on fresh from the dryer prewashed fabric and any fabric left laying around, especially fleece. She also likes to ensure the trim stays where it should, help lace stays and corsets, and most importantly, sample any snacks. 

As we can see: 

Cat and Vanilla milk shake 

Next in the feline social order is Zoey. She is seven and does not help, simply observes, and fights Mittens for the warm fabrics

Finally we have Sylvester

He is the most helpful. He keeps fabric from flying away when it's getting cut out, he kills all the invisible mice hiding in the wrinkles. He also captures run away spools of thread and bobbins. Sylvester is the Official Cat Who Sits Upon Things That Are Next to be Sewed, as well as Official Needle Watcher - he stares at the sewing needle to ensure it goes up and down at the same time. He learned the hard way not to touch. (No really wound, just hit on the head with part of the moving machine)

This is Sylvester and Mittens assisting with the pinning

And Sylvester invisible mouse hunting

Cats assist until more interesting things happen: 

Like Cardinals

And this is the end of the interruption, back to your regular scheduled programming!

Plus if you want more fun kitty and doggy sewing assistance check out some of the posts on American Duchess, and The Dreamstress. They also make awesome costumes/historical clothing. So much so that it scares me sometimes. I know there are others with sewing pets, I just can't remember those off the list I follow so I'm sorry if I forgot! 

Cheers!

Merlina

Arrrr! And other 18th Century Things

Wow! It's January 2013! So weird getting used to that. Anyway, I am back, having successfully survived the holidays. (There were a couple questionable points there but alas...) Which means we shall be attempting to blog more often. I made that one of my New Year's Resolutions. Hehe. Well clearly I'm not off to a good start.

To begin we have more pictures of the Colonial Dress. It has since been finished, I just don't have finished pictures. Since these were taken, the trim has been stitched down and hooks/eyes have been added to the center front, I find I dislike pins for closure.

This shows the pinned box pleated self trim and the ribbon down the center. I know it's probably not completely historically accurate, deal with it or unpick the trim and do it yourself. ;) 

Larger picture of the dress, Showing the sleeve and the other petticoat. 

Full shot of the dress.  

Sleeve Ruffle Thingy. Double layered, pleated to the sleeve with the same ribbon as the neckline. 

Now with a completed dress, with hems and closures (big deal for me), there is one less thing to do on the list. And I can take pictures with the cat! (Once cap and neck kerchief are finished). Although that kind of back-fired because in trying on this dress, I learned I need new stays.....doesn't that always happen?

Anyways! In an effort to accomplish many things, and not be sewing right before upcoming events, things have been started early. And those things that have been started early are Top Secret Projects, yes with capital letters. I can show you some pictures but cannot tell you what they are.

This is my corset, I have since fixed the binding on it so the fashion fabric lays flat. The corset is four layers; lining, interlining, interlining, fashion fabric. The "boning" is 1/2'' cable ties sandwiched in the interlining layers. I used my corset block pattern, same as I did for my Marian costume, just the full length version. 

This last picture is this gorgeous tooled faux leather. I found it on Ebay and it will be a key part of my costume. Soon. 

Lastly we have the first part of lover's Top Secret Project costume. It still requires buttons, and its proper collar. The fabric was horrid to stitch. 

Feel free to guess. I ain't saying a word!

Cheers!

Merlina

It's a Dress! Or Finally Finished

Semester ends! Yay! And I catch the sewing bug. But with money tied up in Christmas Gifts, I must dive into the UPB or Unfinished Project Box. We all have one, they're usually that box tucked away in the sewing room of things no one wants to see, where a couple tweaks and maybe an hour and there'd be a finished project.

Anyways....

This is my first colonial dress. I made the stays, shift and pockets a few years back. As with the small bumroll and the three petticoats underneath. (Said petticoats and bumroll are used for everything requiring petticoats.) There are pictures of the underthings, somewhere. And I know I need new stays. The ones I'm wearing are from when I first started sewing and not really comfortable. (had yet to learn of tabs. OMG! I love tabs.) Pretty much they're boring white with blue thread. I'm debating new ones with an actual pattern and possible that goregous curtain fabric......

So here is the dress (excuse the cell phone):

It is a very pretty quilter's cotton I found in Joann's. The pattern looks very colonial to me, but I cannot swear to accuracy. I'm a costumer not a historian, Jim! (Sorry, couldn't resist). The back is quartered and the front fastens down the front with pins, which are currently pulling because I'm not laced right. (My assistant was over the river, literally) The pattern is a combination of the Simplicty pirate gown and historical stuff I found/looked at online. I drafted it from the information myself! I doubt it's together historically acurate but alas. Partially machine partially by hand.

You can see the pattern of the fabric well here and how full I got my skirts. Plus the shape provided by the stays.

The yellow skirt is not the right one for this gown. I made a very full, teal petticoat that looks gorgeous under the gown and adds even more fullness. But it and I are not on speaking terms (long story.) So I am using possibly the first skirt I made. It too is of quilter's cotton and has a matching blouse and corset to go with it. (technically it belongs to the Padme outfit...)

The neck-kerchief is not the right one. I have one somewhere but I don't know where. So its a muslin square. And a little bit of self fabric trim is not on yet. I ran out of fabric. But there are sleeve flounces that had to be removed to adjust the sleeves. Hey! There's a hem and a closure, to me that means finished!

Happy New Year!
Merlina

It's because of the 'Birds, I swear!

At the heart of it, I blame the Angry Birds, after them comes Disney. And exactly for what praytell do I blame them? Why for the "Sew Star Wars" Bug, I've been obsesively playing the Angry Birds Star Wars game on my phone. It really is a fun one and the Leia Bird's power is awesome. Couple that with the news Disney plans three more Star Wars movies, has sent my sewing bug all a twitter.

I love the costumes out of both trilogies. Personally I favor the original trilogy for story but the new for costume. I mean have you seen some of the costumes? I'm particularly partial to Padme's costumes. Her Picnic Dress was one of the first I made.

(http://www.padawansguide.com/padme/flowered/padme_flowered_promo1.jpg)

Alas this is not my version. Mine was made when I was 16 and of a pretty yellow quilter's cotton. I didn't have the shawl or the headpiece. But the piece de resistance in my opinion was my corset. My very first corset, which I painted the embroidered design on to. I will have pics as soon as I remember to take any. The blouse is currently in pieces, I wanted to redo it. And I do have new ribbons.

However! This time it is not the picnic dress that is in my mind. Although if I finish the blouse redo, I may wear it to Faire. Ha! No this time it is Padme's battle dress from the end of Attack of the Clones. I have spent much time debating how to do the cloak, and spandex is cake for me to work with. (cough Catwoman cough).

(http://www.padawansguide.com/padme/white/padme_white_promo12.jpg)

I also admit fascination for Princess Leia's white dress in Star Wars A New Hope and also for Arwen's Chase outfit in the Fellowship of the Ring but I fear that is to another post.

All I have to say is any of us who sew Star Wars or at least based on many of the movies are truly in debt to Maggie (http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/). She is truly awesome to have compiled all the great pics from numerous movies. I do not know how she does it. So check out www.padawansguide.com for Star Wars costumes and www.costumersguide.com for many other movies. We will not discuss how many times I have been there to drool over costumes.

Cheers All!

Merlina

PS: If you want, I can put the links in proper reference format, but it'll be MLA regardless of how pissy that makes my professor.