Not the best of years

Turns out I've had another health problem all year that's just flared up ... gall bladder issues.

Now most people with gallstones have no problems, and when I say most it's around 70% are hassle free.  I found out from my ultrasound & CT scans earlier this year (for other issues) that I had them and the reason for the scans was tickety-boo fine but BTW gallstones.  Even the more problematic lady-parts ultrasound at the end said BTW gallstones. (What the???  how are they even close!!!!)

Anyhoo, it turns out that the reason all year that  I've (1) had days off my food (the sushi a month or so ago wasn't not-right, it was me) and that (2) off & on when I've gone to bed I flopped around like a dying fish cos of a whingy ache-not-pain around my right shoulder blade is all because my gall bladder decided it was unhappy. I've had no other more common pain or signs.

I think I've avoided hospital for this year, but at least even though it's only a matter of time, it's not as likely to be a sudden emergency when it happens.

I'm hoping my energy levels will be better and I'll get some actual sewing done and therefore have content to blog about.

baby-stepping to a hobbit costume

I know I could draft the hobbit blouse myself - using the Elizabeth Stewart Clark chemise directions but to be honest I know that would just lead to even more procrastination. So I squizzed peasant blouse patterns & thought Simplicity 1915 would be easy enough but wasn't prepared to pay the $18 price tag in Australia. Not even prepared to buy it 50% off at Lincrap.

But while I was there I thought I'd look at pattern books, something I haven't done for years. I was flipping through Burda and spotted in their Historical a set comprising chemise, 2 piece drawers and a corset. Which amused me cos the drawers are a different era to the corset and the chemise isn't a proper period pattern but it is exactly what I wanted. I got the pattern even though it was $16 and not on sale cos I want the corset pattern as well as the chemise.

There's some fuzzied up logic in there somewhere. 18x50% saved me time only & still needed tinkering. $16 saved me time with way less tinkering and got me the entertainment value of the pattern set AND the corset pattern.

new fabric for current & soonish fabrics

One of the many highlights of my weekend with friends in Brisbane was a shopping trip to several fabric shops. I got 3 fabrics in each of the first and last shops. One in the middle gave me ticker shock even though I was warned it was luxe, and very luxe at that.

Here's the haul.
Top left is going to become a vintage style summer dress, and top right the petticoat skirt for Idris. Not perfect I know but it was affordable in a tight budget year to be.
Middle left is to be a summer lawn blouse, and the brown/red tiny check is going to be my hobbit blouse, and a 1800s fichu.

Bottom left I almost squeed, regency dress fashion plate below (posted on LJ by lamodeillustree), and bottom right is going to be a regency open robe. wooot.  ow that sheer isn't a dead ringer, but it's the best I'm ever going to find so I just couldn't resist.

easy peasy costume - pyjamas :)

I'm going to a Rocky Horror themed party tomorrow night and decided that I'd go for the comfort costume option - Columbia's PJs+mouse ears. She wears it in a song, which one I can't remember but it doesn't really matter.

I've taken almost no progress pics ... they're not exactly fascinating.

PJ pants all done, elastic on the waist -


then 5 automatic button holes & I can sew the buttons on by machine if I set it up right. Other wise I can sew them on the train out to the party.  Must double check my make up bag for

and the top is 50% done. body assembled, sleeve assembled, collar assembled.  Tonight I'm going to pin the collar and facing ready to blast in 1 steady seam ... then I'm stitching the facing down.  hem is overlocked ready to eyeball tomorrow morning, and I'll pin the sleeves in ready to blat around & then overlock.

mmh cake is baking in the oven

I've been a patchy blogger this year - I've been plagued by ill health although that seems to be turning the corner.

I'm very happy with my new hand held blender, it's making baking much easier as my tennis elbow means I can't whisk or beat eggs/mixes by hand for long enough.


Today I've got a pear upside down cake in the oven - gluten free and I used nuttlex instead of butter for the topping.

This is it ready to go into the oven.  I could never have beaten the egg whites until they were stiff peaky.

The recipe I'm using is this one, although I used 4 eggs as mine were small not large
http://soursaltybittersweet.com/content/pear-upside-down-almond-cake-gluten-free

Deadwood on a Saturday night

A nightclub (but not really a nightclub, they have live bands, retro movie screenings etc) had a Deadwood ball on Saturday night.  I met some friends and friends of friends there for a fun evening.  I'd planned to make a copy of Alma's red dress but time and health intervened. I had my fallback plan of historical underwear and a short lived career in the Gem saloon.

I wore my candy stripe corset, and it's now so loose that I can put it on with the back fully laced closed. Also wore it over my bustle petti & bustle pad cos it's prettier that way despite being inauthentic. Oh and I added some eyelet broderie anglaise to the neckline of a regency chemise as I didn't need a wardrobe malfunction.  I figured I'd be lucky if more than 3 people knew it wasn't done that way.  A slightly matted long curly brown wig from my wig box was ideal for the Gem but not for Alma. 

The bustle pad could have been very handy if it was more stable


With a couple of friends, one as Joanie and the other as one of her Chez Ami girls (I was Gem saloon for sure)


A Wyatt Earp with a couple of the Gem's girls


The Reverend Smith showed his concern for all residents of Deadwood!  I saw him when I arrived but didn't spot him again until the evening was almost over, and I just had to get a photo with him.

invited to the Miss Page Collection 1940s patterns launch

I feel incredibly lucky have been invited to the launch of a new vintage pattern range.  I met Lorna of Stitch Up History about 18 months ago through the Australian Costumers' Guild, and only recently found out she not only had a vintage pattern range planned but about to be launched. 

What a happy coincidence for me that I was in the right city, at the right time *and* was invited to the launch last Sunday. The Paragon Cafe in Katoomba was the venue, which is where Miss Page worked in the 40s ... and hated the drudgery by all accounts. Who can blame her for that though she made life long friends with other workers there.

Enjoying the champagne on arrival.  My camera is proving to be a disappointment. Too many out of focus shots and it's determined to not use the flash when *I* think it should.  It's also taking far too long to take the pic and waits a minimum of 6 seconds to be ready for another. grrrr.

So here's some more abstract pics of the garments.

A land army style overalls - stylish!  and a cuter than cute sailor suit.  If only it would make my posterier look half as good I'd have bought it. The website isn't showing the patterns so I can't tell you their names at this point.


The cutest dress Lily Rose - which I pre-ordered


 and here it is with a couple of other views. Onceuponatoile on the left is a comparatively new to sewing and made it in a couple of days so she could wear it to her friend's launch, and that's Lorna on the right in the red with green trim.


There are a couple of evening dresses - the yellow one comes with a fetching shoulder cape (seen further down on onceuponatoile), and the lady in red, Mouna, sang 40s songs between each new garment (one model),


And of course it had to finish with a wedding dress.  Gorgeous too and almost the only photo of the pattern garments to turn out!

Laughing Moon regency/romantic stays pattern

My near obsession with transitional and regency stays continues.

I first heard that Laughing Moon were beta testing a regency stays pattern about a year ago and it's finally being produced.   I pre-ordered mine about 10 days ago to get a small discount and also to get it into my grabby hands as soon as possible. Had I lived in the USA the pre-order also includes free postage, but I'm not so it isn't. (Not a complaint, just a comment).

I got an email saying it's in the mail to me :D 

The pattern includes a theatrical version ... which I'm hoping is easy to dress oneself in so I can use that.