In Which Maleficent Wins Halloween

Happy Halloween! Well technically the day after Halloween. But I wasn't ready to write the blog post until today - so - Happy Halloween!

I trust by now we have all unlaced our stays from the delights of chocolate and other sugary delicacies. Or are realizing that was one short cut on the costume we should not have take. I fall in the later camp since I didn't actually get to my costume until Monday, roughly 5 days before Halloween, and finished it five minutes before I was due out to an event. (Sound familiar?) It was to be really simple, I was going to wear my pirate from last faire season and my new cutlass, but then I bruised a couple ribs and couldn't wear a corset, so out came Maleficent.

It is truly terrifying to go dig out a half finished costume (half may be putting it lightly) after the influence of several glasses of wine. Insert freak out here. And then to realize there needs to be accessories and a fabric store run. And then next day led to two runs to the hardware store. (For headpiece and staff)

To begin we have the accessories.

PVC pipe with watering orb on top as orb on Maleficent's staff. I wrapped the pipe in painters tape to give it texture and grip for the paint. 

The Staff with the added pieces at the top. I cut down the swirls on the right because it didn't look evil enough. At this point the orb was wrapped in tinfoil and out to the backyard with the spray paint!

The paper mache layer over the headpiece. Yes my head form is a can of tomatoes over a wine bottle. I have no shame. And no head form. 

There wasn't sufficient time to paper mache the headpiece all together so I just used more painters tape. This shows the painted staff too. I believe this was Wednesday. So far no robe...

Required Feline Assistance. You can see the base of the horn to the left of the picture. The right picture shows the horn form and a completed horn. This was Monday? Or maybe Sunday. I can't remember. The kitty is Sylvester. He likes to help.

The lefr shows the spray painted headpiece and the right with some of the purple decorations I believe the left was the "OMG It fits!" moment.

Sylvester assists again. "I'm so bored, why are you playing with my bed?" He had spent the last few days on the fabric. 

In progress shots of the robe. I love the color contrast. And the sleeves are amazing! There will definitely be more on this. And we can also see the train. There is just something about a fabulous train that puts a girl in character. 

And now the finished robe! More pictures coming I swear.

Happy Halloween!

Cheers!

Merlina

A Tudor Gentleman and Lady

So we plotted and planned for Faire, then life got in the way. However I got part of the plot done, and then it go adapted. And I still need to do something about these sleeves.

Close up showing the white fabric with the subtle design

Quilting the canvas interlining. I wanted to experiment with minimal boning for Tudor Dress

 Fitting. This is just two layers of cotton canvas quilted together with vertical lines as if for boning. The canvas and quilting gives quite a good shape. I added two strips of flat reed to the center front and a pair on either side of the lacing. The fashion fabric was mounted on the top of the lining. I also like how smooth the sides and front are. The only seams is the side back.

Handsewn partlet, because after wicked sunburn it is 110% necessary. 

Trims on the left: silver cord, fancy silvery trim and black velvet ribbon. And then the way they were sewn on to the right. I love using simple trim to build up the design. Just one would not be enough. And ironically the trim was the cheapest part of the gown. 

If I remember correctly this was shortly after I stitched on the last of the trim, Had to see what it looked like! This is just over my handsewn shift (because we must brag about that) and a prequilted fabric turned petticoat. 

Cheap paper fan decorated to accompany the gown. Fans in summer are very important. 

AND *drum roll* Pictures from faire!

Lover having fun!

Lover's attire as a proper abet still roguish gentleman for the day. All save the hat and bracers are from previous years. I made the hat the night before. Along with my hood. 

My gown! It actually came together really well. I lined the sleeve turn backs in net a la Jane Seymour. I also had black velvet under sleeves. Which are currently tucked in my pockets because they were too hot. I also have my French hood. I made it based off the information here: http://www.modehistorique.com/research/ReconstructingTheFrenchHood_06-2009.pdf

I did cheat a little, I do not like coifs. So my pleated ribbon is stitched on a band like a medieval veil. I also have a muslin braid beneath my hood for the braid that would have been worn of one's own hair. (Previous pictures show I do not possess sufficient hair.) Everything is then pinned together. So many pins! My neck and shoulders hurt for days after. This is quite a heavy gown and headdress. 

And a quasi close up/cute picture.

There should be more on Nefertari soon and the Celt Warrior and his Queen. As well as a head first off the high dive jump into TWO, read that TWO new eras which have previously only been dabbled in!

Cheers!

Merlina

She for Whom the Sun Shines

This is the photo heavy photo shoot for my full Ancient Egyptian gown. I still want the vulture crown and my bracelets were not dry, but we took advantage of the weather. And now for the gown and all the context. And so we know, by far I am no Egypt expect. In this post, I'm the author painting a picture of a world gone by.

It is 1280 BCE, Ramses II is newly upon the throne of Egypt, a superpower of the Ancient World. Later to be known as Ramses the Great for his military and political prowess as well as the numerous monuments he erected all over Egypt. It is the carvings we see another side to Ramses, he was a man deeply in love with Nefertari, his queen.

http://euler.slu.edu/~bart/egyptianhtml/kings%20and%20Queens/Queen_Nefertari.html

It is upon the walls of Nefertari's tomb we see how deeply Ramses loved his queen. We also get the poetry which I used as the basis to this challenge.

Real Quick, The Challenge Facts:

The Challenge: #18 Poetry in Motion 

The Item: Ancient Egyptian Overdress, dated to the New Kingdom, more or less
The Fabric: 3 yards White Linen, gauze weight
Pattern: Looked at the pretty paintings, went from there
Year: Reign of Ramesses II, 1279 BCE to 1213 BCE
Notions: Linen thread, hook and eye
How Historically Accurate is it? Um. It’s linen, which Egyptians used, it looks like the pictures but there's not much evidence to show how to make this. It's more theatrical. But is hand sewn too. Also the train is not accurate as far as is known but I really wanted the train, looks fancy. I'd say 40-50% because of linen, hand sewn and looking the part.
Hours to Complete: Roughly 24 hours total
First Worn: For the photo shoot and some quick pictures
How is this Poetry? I took my influence from the poetry in Nefertari's tomb. It was written by Ramesses to honor her. He called her "she who makes the sun shine, just in her passing she has stolen my heart."

In the pictures I am wearing the gown from Pretty Pretty Princesses last year, my belt from an earlier challenge which name is escaping me, the robe for this challenge, my beautiful jeweled sandals, a black wig cut short, a wide collar from Egypt, and my crescent moon headpiece because it works. 

And now for all the pretty pictures. 

 Walk like an Egyptian!

 We are a tomb carving!

 At this point I gave up on the wig. Red hair is period anyway. Ramses had red hair 

Close up of the makeup

And there you have it! Nefertari! Up next we have the making of the pieces as well as the Tudor Lady. Then tis on to Halloween and two new eras well not new but new requiring full wardrobes! 

Cheers, 

Merlina

Forward into the 1770s!

So here we go. Severe lack of sewing desire for the faire stuff has led to a venturing out back into the 1770s. As mentioned previously; Lover, Friendy, and I are going American Revolution reenacting. I being me and recently in the possession of Patterns of Fashion has led to much plotting.

The new printer led to a stay pattern that might actually work. Yay!

And I found fabric to use:

It's a lovely silver blue I found on Fabrics-Store. They also have a lovely linen canvas. It's also not softened! Yay! I have round reed to use for boning. I bought a pound and have since made two Elizabethan Stays from it with plenty left over. It's about 1/8" which means two pieces for each 1/4" channel. I intend to bind the stays with the binding from Burnley and Trowbridge. Which Lover has offered to help me with. My hands have never been particularly strong. 

Okay. I bragged about my plots and now I'm supposed to go work on the Celts so they can be photographed for the Plaid and Paisley challenge. Which is probably what I should have been doing from the beginning. 

Cheers!

Merlina

The Latest Burst of Insanity

I am back. Which shows how much of a bad blogger I am. But in my defense I was in sewing slump and have now suddenly become very busy doing stuff for Faire and now for American Revolutionary War Reenactment. Which is always fun but can be a bit insane at times. I also have many challenges in the HSF to catch up on and then to do. I am determined to do many even if it means playing catch up. Plus I still have to finish Nefertari and find her a wig. So much to do. So here is the full list of where I shall be. Hopefully blogging in between. Well now I have my new tablet so that should make it much easier.

For Faire:
Celts:

1.  Green Dress with Green Plaid Wrap (Done! Pics coming as soon as it cools off here! Plus the plaid will be my entry for the Plaid and Paisley Challenge!)
2. Blue Dress with Blue Plaid Wrap (The plaid is done and shall also be featured in the Plaid and Paisley Challenge. The Blue Dress is to be patterned on Thursday)
3. White shirt, Green Plaid Cape (Cape is done. Shirt is cut out and sitting next to me. I should probably be working on it rather then blogging...)

There are also the necessary sleeves to be added on to my doublet from last year. 

It also needs new pants and a new blouse. Hopefully I can do all that. But I can always wear modern pants as long as they're not jeans. 

In addition Hook needs sleeves and a longer doublet. And I have a corset to make for a friend. and Then there's all the reenactment stuff. For another post I think. I will hopefully have a lot photographed this week and more posts! Yay! 

Time to go stitch the shirt!

Cheers, 

Merlina

How I Will Lose My Mind

Arrr! And welcome to more Pirate Insanity! Last year 'twas Once Upon a Time pirates, this year 'tis rather more insane than last! To begin we decided to go to faire (New York Renaissance Faire) as pirates, specifically Captain Calico Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, and Mary Reed. Pretty easy when you think about it. I am to be Anne Bonny. That doesn't change we (Lover and I) just decided we needed to go to the Blackbeard Pirate Festival in Hampton VA too.

Now here's where the insanity strikes. There is a grand ball Friday night of the event. Ergo one must be dressed appropriately.......and what better reason for a robe a la francaise! (I know, I'm nuts.) Originally I thought I'd finally make the curtain along dress, but calculated out I'd need four panels, rough $100! I don't exactly have $100 lying around to spare. If I did there would be shoes. So Stash Shopping it is. Stash then grants this:

Actually 5 yards of this. The tag still stuck on it read that it was an Upholstery/Slipcover fabric and original retail was $4.79 a yard. The tag was written by a typewriter so this fabric has been around for awhile. It has a nice shine to it and a heavy-ish hand. The edge claims it was made for Concord Fabrics by Joan Kessler. A quick Google search turns up several similar fabrics. All are polished cotton from the 1980s. So it works. plus the print is almost identical from this example found in Patterns for Theatrical Costumes by Katherine Strand Hokeboer:

Pg 231

I feel pretty happy with myself. I know cotton isn't fully period but so far one of the biggest pieces I've ever made has cost me absolutely nothing! Which is always an awesome feeling.

I intend to use these two patterns from Norah Waugh's The Cut of Women's Clothes as inspiration along with Katherine's tutorial from The Fashionable Past (link goes to the start of the tutorial. With the fabric amount I have, I feel the second is better for conservation of fabric, but I love the cuffs on the first. 

Now if only I could have stays that actually fit and no fear of hoops........

More on Lover's clothes later!

Cheers,

Merlina

Challenge #4: Underneath it All

I had awesome plans. I was going to keep up with the blog and have all the challenges up on time. Ha. I'm hilarious. Then the universe intervened. And I had to haul my dear laptop off to repairs and find a real job.

So without further delay I give you my pre quilted quilted petticoat for Historical Sew Fortnightly 2014 Challenge #4: Underneath it All (And as soon as I find buttons I like do I have an awesome post for Innovation.)

 

I am not wearing anything under it. It stands out just like that on its own. I intend to add a bit of stiffener to the hem to make it even sturdier.

I like the quilted petticoat because I have no patience for hoops or corded petticoats of any kind. This one is to be worn under a Florentine Gown with one petticoat over it. So it should stand up nice. Plus it holds my skirts out with the same umph but fewer petticoats. I'm also planning to use it for several eras. 

Here it is under a skirt. The skirt is 4 yards quilters cotton with two grosgrain ribbon guards. The petticoat holds up rather well. 

Now for the Facts:

The Challenge #4: Underneath it All

Item: Quilted Petticoat

Fabric: 3 yards prequilted red fabric (cotton fabric with polyester batting)
Pattern:  Cut 4 rectangles at the proper waist to ankle height. And two longer ones for waistband.
Year:  I consider it rather multi era, given it gives awesome skirt support. Its true purpose is for 1570s Florentine.
Notions:  Thread
How Historically Accurate:  Cotton and Polyester are not accurate, neither is machine quilting. However, red was a popular color for petticoats. And quilted petticoats do exist, especially in the 1700s. I say 3-4/10
First Worn:  Only for the pictures and then around the house when finished. Intended for the 2014 Faire Season and then to help hold skirts out (hoops and I hate each other. Even corded ones.)
Time Spent: Took abou 15 minutes to cut out and then about 3 hours to assemble. That includes French seams because I use those on everything. So 3 hours 15 minutes

Total Cost: Fabric was on sale so $15? I bought it awhile ago.

Hopefully the dress will be soon!

Oh and my help:

Gods forbid the fabric floats away!

Cheers!
Merlina