a quick pic of my1920s outfit

I had a fabulous time at the 1920s lawn party & will post more photos when I have time on my computer at home (not tonight cos I'm going to see the Cure in concert).

I used a bone brooch to gather up the centre front of the collar, and am really pleased with much better the dress looked. Wearing the right underwear, accessories and make-up also helped me feel much happier with me+the dress. It's looser than I would like, but as it has no side fastening it needs to be able to go over my acreage of boobage.

Here's a quick post with a photo taken by Desir Brulant. I haven't even seen my own photos from the weekend.

my bodgy version of the Sleepy Hollow windmill dress

I thought I'd got a photo of me early in the evening but nope I hadn't, and neither did any of my friends who I thought had taken one. So I've found a less flattering photo from a little later in the evening when I'm not so carefully posed (where is the nice one dagnabbit!).

The skirt is creased cos I didn't get a chance to press it after taking it out of my weekend bag.


With the retrospectascope these are things I wish I'd done differently:
- not bothered with the hip pads with this costume - they're too much for it.
- not raised the neckline so much. Some, but not as much as I had.
- put a modesty panel behind the hook/eye opening as per the screen version.
- cut the skirt longer & wider. I cut it 3" longer than my archery skirt, but it's still too short.*

* the blessing of buying a 9.5metre length of vintage rayon faille curtain fabric from ebay is that I can completely remake it with minimal cost ie time+thread

What I'm happy with overall it's ok for an impression of the costume, not a screen accurate one.

The skirt pattern from NSCT worked really really well. I'm more than happy to pleat the front & gather the back again. So easy to tie 1 set instead of 2. I used grosgrain ribbon cos it was cheap enough and robust enough to use. I'm loving grosgrain ribbon instead of poor quality cotton tape.

And here I am being silly ... again.


Because I raised the neckline too much, the drawstring at the neckline (attached to lining) is obviously gathered. If the topline was lower, there'd be less gather required.

my 2013 costuming year in review

No wonder I'm happy this year, not only have I successfully defeated death again (this year gall bladder, last year hypertension) but despite being unable to sew for 7 months of the year I've had some successful sewing. In May I'd recovered enough to start sourcing fabrics and starting to work on both my Sydney Supanova costumes -

The Catelyn Stark was finished to an acceptable level (still needs the chemise)


And I got the hobbit costume done - though I'm going to take out some of the boning in the bodice as it's not working for me.


 2 weeks later in July my working class shortgown was done (needs the sleeves tweaked)


In the 2nd half of July it was accessories time. I got my saque hat finished for the Heritage Ball in Brisbane, and the working class fichu.


Which leads up to a great week in August where I started and finished 2 costumes I love - my bloomer and my regency steampunks.
 

Then there was a 3 month break for recovery from the tumour removal on my right knee - actually I still managed to hand sew 2 items of dark ages costume at the start of that.



Since then I made the Vampire of Venice costume


and then only had 3 weeks to make all 4 pieces (including petticoat) for my femme 8th doctor.

femme Doctor leaves the production line

I stood no chance of getting the frock coat equivalent made, but it was so hot that I was glad about that.

I need to paint the bullet shaped part of my sonic with red enamel paint, but still got some appreciation from other fans. It's a solid heavy piece of skilled work - turned rather than cast. So, here I am ... though I'm sure 99.9% of those there had zero clue what my costume was but I made it for me & not them. Also I am even more of a McGann fangirl than I was before.  What a charming man. Most of the Who guests complimented me on my costume - it must be something about a well fitting corset.

Daphne Ashbrook told me I was beautiful, and even included that in her autograph for me ... which was lovely to hear (even if my inner voice says that I'm gilded, stout mutton).

And if you weren't sure, it's a femme version of the 8th Doctor.  I only let myself buy brocade, and it's nothing like the screen accurate fabric.

 



The reason my lacing cord is wrapped to the front is that it originally wasn't but I made it half way along my street & it came undone. Eeeek, had to try to fix it asap, and after that I didn't trust it to stay tied properly behind me. Stash used 10.5m (with more to be used in the jacket), and 1m brocade bought & used)

my Vampires of Venice costume - and a fabulous party

I got a haircut this week - and didn't wear a wig as it was too hot when I arrived. Probably should have cos then I could have pinned the veil to my 'hair'. Instead it was precariously in place for a couple of pix and then tossed aside. Plus this costume was comfortable to sleep in.

 Back to the night before: The shed out the back

 some of my peeps
 

Some of the Doctors present
 

Lorna had a TARDIS apron, and a skirt with Paris on it - Paris is bigger than an apron!

One of the Sisterhood I want to join

opening night of the Viking! exhibition

I enjoyed being part of the opening ceremony for Viking! at the ANMM and in the pic the hyperlink is to, I'm holding one of the flaming torches.  yes, despite my limping gait, I was allowed to carry one.  I didn't get a pic of me in my new garb, though here is one with me (taken by Lily Smith) in which I think I look preggers. Dang hormones causing crazy bloat!


After the performance we formed a guard of honour so that the guests could go through to see the exhibition & after a while we were let loose to join in the eating, drinking & chatting with the guests.  It was amusing to me that we swarmed to the BBQ table and then the soup & cheese tables - and the wine.  Cheese!  delicious cheese and I enjoyed the fish/prawn/veg soup though I suspect there was barley in it. Though I'm already bloated enough that it's not possible for me to tell if it there was and it's affected my poor innards.  I had some lovely chats with others -  local re-enactors and some know from closer to Canberra, a craft blogger and event ticket holders. 

 I did a selfie of me at the light-rail station at the start of my trip home afterwards.  It reminds me that these colours are soooo unflattering, and I look tired. Cos I have been tired for a couple of weeks. I'm finally being able to sleep in a new position for almost a whole night.


I've thought of making a braid to go around the edges of my new gown & embroidering the seams.  First I need to take it in a little, and then overdye to darker tones.  These colours are achievable with natural dyes but they don't suit me

oops, I forgot to post about Sunday at Supanova

eek, I completely forgot to post about the Sunday at Syd'nova.

My long planned hobbit costume finally got to see the light of day.  I was even told how cute I was, and got a random hug from someone who was genuinely excited that someone did a background character ... so many want centre stage costumes. Not that I don't sometimes, but usually I pick something I want whether or not anyone else would recognise it.

PoisonedKitty wore Vanellope Von Schweetz (Wreck it Ralph)  a great costume, and comfy on a cold wet weekend


We weren't alone in our costuming choices, there was one other female hobbit and 3 other Vanellopes (2 in the same costume as PoisonedKitty and one in her dress).


a couple of my friends also in LOTR costumes :D


a couple of other friends in Doctor Who costumes - luv2costume made a brilliant Cat Nun/Nurse (Dr Who) and her husband is as the 4th Doc.  craftee is one of the brides of Venice


Now we're onto people I don't know but loved their work.

And during the day we met some sybilline sisters


There was so much diversity, and although I've never seen a single Jay or Silent Bob before, this time there were 2!


Sportacus!  I squeed & ran after him, and I think he was shocked to be fangirled by a woman old enough to be his mum. LOL   And this Edward was great, tho how endured the day I'm not sure.


Of course there was Disney


And this guy's friend appeared disappointed that it was the Green Arrow photo I wanted (the mate had his shirt off & was painted green).  and family costuming! Matrix


And the leashed zombie Poison Ivy + the Joker stayed in character all day! Amazing from my perspective


And cos I have to share a pic of me with as many of my peeps as I could, I've saved it for last

Catelyn got finished and worn to Sydney Supanova

What can I say ... I'd have liked to get the chemise done for a smidge more character recognition. Though it may not have done as nobody seems to expect to see the mother. It's the hot young things that most people want to cosplay.  I've alway's gone for characters or costumes that interest me, rather than what may be popular.  It was great to be with the zeitgeist however ... so many other Game of Thrones costumes that we saw and a few more we heard were there.

Dolores was smooth sewing - easy-peasy

Sunday morning I had to sew all of the collar, edge the strips for fabric bows and pop in some small shoulder pads.   My shoes weren't left long enough, that is I should have had them done several days before and not 24 hours in winter. ie cooler.  So a couple of spots the new colour has been damaged (they wanted to stick together if I'd left them).  I'll probably touch them up fairly soon.




Thinks I'm not happy with, the fabric 'relaxed' as I wore it so that it ended up wider than I would like.  A clue should have been that it ended up about 2-3" longer than it was drafted.  I'd realy aimed to have it proportionally the same length as Imelda Staunton's ensembles.

The group I made the costume for, met to have a photo shoot at Sydney's oldest university - lots of sandstone buildings. One of the rooms was open so we took the opportunity for a group shot.

Ironfest: Steampunk in 2011

Ironfest's theme for 2011 was steampunk, and I just had to get there for at least 1 day.

 

and I made sure to wear my grey ribbon for May - Zombie Awareness Month

1790s open robe inspired by Costume in Detail

I really wanted a regency open robe, and didn't want to have exactly what was in Janet Arnold's patterns of Fashion, so fortunately I had a memory of something in Costume in Detail (Nancy Bradfield) which a friend brought with her for a visit earlier in April.

Inspired by the 1790s open robe we mocked up a pattern based on my Period Impressions robe anglaise.


I had the indienne print cotton that I bought late last year in two pieces.  I'm amazed that I've used almost all of it.  The skirt was pleated for all but 2" of the 2.5m length I bought to make sure that I had enough.  It's attached with the selvedge running along the waist ... we decided (ie my roomies at JAFA) that the indienne print was busy & rotational enough for it not be be obvious that the bodice was cut in one grain and the skirt the other.  El Presidente pinned up the hem as the back waistline was intentionally raised at centre back, and the hem was just basted flat. At some point that will be turned into a small rolled hem. A period finish & all there's room for at the centre back.  I need to finish sewing all the hooks & eyes on the bodice centre front ... I only got 2 sewn before I had to wear it!

El Presidente also helped me get the sleevil defeated far to easily. She is a maestro of technique!  I spent Saturday hand sewing the sleeve hem, prick stitching the front edges together and pinning the skirt into place - I eyeballed the pleats & pinned them into place, being very thankful that by the time I got to the other side I had a teency bit of fabric left over and wasn't a teency bit short of fabric. 

I have about 60cm left to make the winged cuffs, plenty and they shall be done this year.