Friday, June 15, 2012
Because I am crazy
Because I am crazy...... I blame my husband (it WAS his idea) .....and Jo-Ann's 50% off clearance home dec fabric.....
Renaissance Dress: Assessing the Damage
My Renaissance dress needs SO MUCH WORK! Losing ~30 lbs after making a costume tends to cause problems. I've been trying to avoid going to Jo-Ann's since I've been trying to stash bust but I definitely need to make a trip for notions and things and I thought it would be a good time to take a closer look at my costume (since it hasn't seen the light of day since October) and see what I might need to buy. So this is really more for me than you, but I'm ok with that.
If you want to see older posts on this costume, go here.
So, from the inside out:
Chemise:
When I made this, it was too small in the arms and I never got to wear it. Now it fits! Assuming the neckline isn't too high (since I never actually tried it on with the dress), no work needs done on this piece.
Corset:
I need to start from scratch on this one.... It was always just a smidge big but now it's huge. I plan on reusing the busk and lacing but that's about it. Last time I made size 16 and this time I'm going with 12. Thankfully, the pattern was printed in such a way that I can cut out the 12 even though I already cut it as a 16 so no need to buy a new pattern.
hoops:
I did, for some reason that has now escaped me, pry up the casings a bit all the way down one side so those will need tacked back down.
Bum roll:
Bum roll (aka butt poofer to my husband) is ok as is.
Under skirt:
I slipped the under skirt on with no foundational garments and the waist is too big so it'll definitely need taken in with a new corset.
This does not have a drawstring so I'll have to take the grosgrain waistband off and gather the skirt a few inches tighter.
The dress:
I was most worried about the dress because I couldn't remember how I finished the seams! Thankfully, I finished each side separately with bias binding.
The thing I'm dreading really is the cartridge pleats which I hand sewed on. They'll have to come off so I can take in the bodice and then be sewn back on again. I'm really hoping that the waist is where most of the adjustments will have to be. I won't know though until I get my new corset done.
I may try and drop the neckline a bit. Since it'll have trim, I can just pop the top open, shorten the boning and then just top stitch through all layers. Not sure about it yet, but I did think this area looked a bit funky last year.
I also want to remove the sleeves and make them interchangable. These sleeves were a bear to get on though. There are two yards of fabric in each of the bottom parts of the sleeves! I do have some extra red and gold fabric to make a simpler long sleeve.
I also want to kind of pump up the volume with some more trim. These are some I have in my stash but we'll see how my budget and time are looking closer to the end of the summer.
French Hood:
I also have a lot of faux pearls that never ended up on my French hood.
Other bits:
My husband bought me this FABULOUS hat from The Blonde Swan last year and I promised to make it work with my outfit. It definitely reads more Elizabethan than Tudor and ideally, I'd like to do the smooth sleeve plus a new underskirt in a green color to tie in the hat.
I also never got around to the foresleeves last year and there were actually some days that were cold enough for me to welcome them! I have the main fabric and I did have some white fabric but I think I used it for something else.... Will have to scour the stash if I get this far.
I'm also on the wait list for an Elizabethan wired cap class at Costume College so that'd be nice to add to my Renaissance wardrobe.
Phew! That's a lot! The original ensemble took me the entire month of August and that's all I did. I wasn't working so I probably put 40-50 hours a week on this dress not to mention about $500 so I'm so not going to give up on this dress!
 |
| The patterns I used. |
If you want to see older posts on this costume, go here.
So, from the inside out:
Chemise:
When I made this, it was too small in the arms and I never got to wear it. Now it fits! Assuming the neckline isn't too high (since I never actually tried it on with the dress), no work needs done on this piece.
Corset:
I need to start from scratch on this one.... It was always just a smidge big but now it's huge. I plan on reusing the busk and lacing but that's about it. Last time I made size 16 and this time I'm going with 12. Thankfully, the pattern was printed in such a way that I can cut out the 12 even though I already cut it as a 16 so no need to buy a new pattern.
hoops:
My hoops have a drawstring waist so I don't need to adjust them at all.
I did, for some reason that has now escaped me, pry up the casings a bit all the way down one side so those will need tacked back down.
Bum roll:
Bum roll (aka butt poofer to my husband) is ok as is.
Under skirt:
I slipped the under skirt on with no foundational garments and the waist is too big so it'll definitely need taken in with a new corset.
This does not have a drawstring so I'll have to take the grosgrain waistband off and gather the skirt a few inches tighter.
The dress:
I was most worried about the dress because I couldn't remember how I finished the seams! Thankfully, I finished each side separately with bias binding.
The thing I'm dreading really is the cartridge pleats which I hand sewed on. They'll have to come off so I can take in the bodice and then be sewn back on again. I'm really hoping that the waist is where most of the adjustments will have to be. I won't know though until I get my new corset done.
I may try and drop the neckline a bit. Since it'll have trim, I can just pop the top open, shorten the boning and then just top stitch through all layers. Not sure about it yet, but I did think this area looked a bit funky last year.
I also want to remove the sleeves and make them interchangable. These sleeves were a bear to get on though. There are two yards of fabric in each of the bottom parts of the sleeves! I do have some extra red and gold fabric to make a simpler long sleeve.
I also want to kind of pump up the volume with some more trim. These are some I have in my stash but we'll see how my budget and time are looking closer to the end of the summer.
French Hood:
I also have a lot of faux pearls that never ended up on my French hood.
Other bits:
My husband bought me this FABULOUS hat from The Blonde Swan last year and I promised to make it work with my outfit. It definitely reads more Elizabethan than Tudor and ideally, I'd like to do the smooth sleeve plus a new underskirt in a green color to tie in the hat.
I also never got around to the foresleeves last year and there were actually some days that were cold enough for me to welcome them! I have the main fabric and I did have some white fabric but I think I used it for something else.... Will have to scour the stash if I get this far.
I'm also on the wait list for an Elizabethan wired cap class at Costume College so that'd be nice to add to my Renaissance wardrobe.
Phew! That's a lot! The original ensemble took me the entire month of August and that's all I did. I wasn't working so I probably put 40-50 hours a week on this dress not to mention about $500 so I'm so not going to give up on this dress!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Dressing Downton: Daisy's Purple Dress
Despite having pretty much one dress in season one, Daisy has a pretty cute purple dress in season two.
It has a really cute collar.
I'm sure it's made of a sturdy fabric to stand up to kitchen work.
When unrolled, we can see that her sleeves have cuffs that match her collar.
It has a nice wide skirt to allow for easy movement. This dress would be a fabulous every day house dress! The Crawley sisters may have dibs on glamor but the servants sure have more practical garments.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Fourties Hat and a Farm House
I just had to wear this 40s hat even though it's much more of a fall/winter piece.
I paired it with this great 40s dress. Despite having 3/4 length sleeves, the dress is quite cool since the fabric is pretty thin.
Outfit:
Dress- Fab Gabs
Belt- New York and Company
Crochet cami- New York and Company
Hat- Feathers Vintage Clothing
There's a really fun old farm house on my church's property that was just perfect for this photo shoot.
And I had some fun with photo editing too. This effect is 1960s style and so fun!
I love hats so much!
Youtube: Easy Retro Scarf Do
Today's tutorial is a a great simple summer look with a hair scarf. I love vintage hair scarfs! They are so fun and pretty plus I can usually find them at a thrift store for under a buck.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Summer Sewing and Knitting plans
I haven't posted any sewing plans lately so I thought I'd do some to help me get motivated. It's gotten hot lately and I need summer clothes.
First up: Circle skirt
I adore circle skirts and have decided that I need another one. My husband surprised me one day a few weeks ago by bringing me home some lovely fabric. It's a quilting cotton, but that's fine for circle skirts and because it's cotton, it will breathe and that's perfect for summer. Despite the length and gobs of fabric, I find them actually quite cool especially with a crinoline (or pooffer as they are called in my house) since they are light and keep the skirt fabric off your legs. Plus, there's all that space for air circulation.
Next: Dressing Downton Half Circle Skirt
This was supposed to be my May Dressing Downton project, but that didn't happen. I'm planning on doing a half circle skirt again but shorter since the appropriately deep red fabric in my stash is not long enough for a full length skirt. I'm almost 100% sure that Mary's skirt is not a half circle skirt. It has some kind of seam that goes part way down the front. I'm thinking it might be some kind of yoke??? All I know is that it is there. I got the blue ray of season 2 and you can see everything! (Well, almost everything.) Anyways, my fabric is just the right shade to go with my new 40s hat and I just bought a great 40s sheer blouse so this project is going to be a 40s inspired Downton Abbey look.
Thirdly: blouses
I've been toying with the idea of playing with my back buttoning blouse pattern and switching it up to be front buttoning. I have some stash fabrics that would work well with this. I also have some fabric for another Wearing History Smooth Sailing Blouse.
Next: Costume College things
I have one skirt I need to make for Costume College to go with my Dressing Downton blouses. I think I've decided against making a corset because I will need a new one for my Renaissance dress and I don't think I'll have time/finances for two new corsets.
More: Renaissance dress
This needs a new corset plus everything needs taken in plus my original plans for this dress which include more trim, interchangeable sleeves and maybe a new underskirt. And there is another accessory/sleeve bit that came with this pattern that I do want to make eventually. We'll see how much of this actually happens but I do want it to be wearable! I also wanted to make a simple skirt and top to wear under my corset for a more peasant-y look but I doubt that'll happen this year.
Lastly: Mending/UFOs
I got through a lot of my mending/resizing during Me-Made May but I still have a few things that need work. Also I have a 50s blouse and 40s dress UFOs that need finishing.
And I've also been pondering my next knitting project. I've been pouring over my giant book of vintage knitting fabulousness (aka A Stitch in Time Vol 2) for my next knitting project. I'm torn between wanting to try a more summery project or get started early on something more fall appropriate since it probably won't be done till near September anyways. My goal is 4 big knitting projects this year so this next one will be my July/August/September project. Here are some that have been catching my eye lately:
First up: Circle skirt
I adore circle skirts and have decided that I need another one. My husband surprised me one day a few weeks ago by bringing me home some lovely fabric. It's a quilting cotton, but that's fine for circle skirts and because it's cotton, it will breathe and that's perfect for summer. Despite the length and gobs of fabric, I find them actually quite cool especially with a crinoline (or pooffer as they are called in my house) since they are light and keep the skirt fabric off your legs. Plus, there's all that space for air circulation.
Next: Dressing Downton Half Circle Skirt
This was supposed to be my May Dressing Downton project, but that didn't happen. I'm planning on doing a half circle skirt again but shorter since the appropriately deep red fabric in my stash is not long enough for a full length skirt. I'm almost 100% sure that Mary's skirt is not a half circle skirt. It has some kind of seam that goes part way down the front. I'm thinking it might be some kind of yoke??? All I know is that it is there. I got the blue ray of season 2 and you can see everything! (Well, almost everything.) Anyways, my fabric is just the right shade to go with my new 40s hat and I just bought a great 40s sheer blouse so this project is going to be a 40s inspired Downton Abbey look.
Thirdly: blouses
I've been toying with the idea of playing with my back buttoning blouse pattern and switching it up to be front buttoning. I have some stash fabrics that would work well with this. I also have some fabric for another Wearing History Smooth Sailing Blouse.
Next: Costume College things
I have one skirt I need to make for Costume College to go with my Dressing Downton blouses. I think I've decided against making a corset because I will need a new one for my Renaissance dress and I don't think I'll have time/finances for two new corsets.
More: Renaissance dress
This needs a new corset plus everything needs taken in plus my original plans for this dress which include more trim, interchangeable sleeves and maybe a new underskirt. And there is another accessory/sleeve bit that came with this pattern that I do want to make eventually. We'll see how much of this actually happens but I do want it to be wearable! I also wanted to make a simple skirt and top to wear under my corset for a more peasant-y look but I doubt that'll happen this year.
Lastly: Mending/UFOs
I got through a lot of my mending/resizing during Me-Made May but I still have a few things that need work. Also I have a 50s blouse and 40s dress UFOs that need finishing.
And I've also been pondering my next knitting project. I've been pouring over my giant book of vintage knitting fabulousness (aka A Stitch in Time Vol 2) for my next knitting project. I'm torn between wanting to try a more summery project or get started early on something more fall appropriate since it probably won't be done till near September anyways. My goal is 4 big knitting projects this year so this next one will be my July/August/September project. Here are some that have been catching my eye lately:
Dinah's Lacy Jumper for a fun summer project. I've decided that I really like lace work (and really hate tiny ribbing).
The Lavenda Droplet Jumper is lovely for fall. Plus it has the benefit of being mostly stockinette stitch.
The Jan sweater has been a popular one with many knitters and looks just delightful.
Simple- But So Attractive is a favorite of mine, but with the long sleeves this would be a major project and I'm not sure I'm up for that yet.
The Tailored Cape Stole would be a practical and (hopefully) easy project.
I've still got some work to do on my Ribbon Threaded Jumper but I've got all the separate pieces done so I just need to finish knitting the yoke and do all of the finishing and sewing up.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
It's graduation party season!
It's graduation party season and Saturday I had two in one night. I went comfy casual while I was thrifting but just couldn't resist the chance to dress up for evening.
Outfit:
Sweater: The Limited
Skirt: me-made
Shoes: Payless
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Earrings: Forever 21
Hat: Feathers Vintage Clothing
Oh, my goodness! I adore this hat! I knew it was cute when I spotted it in the store but it's so much fun to wear! It's days like this that make me really love my bangs.
I think I need to add more navy to my wardrobe so I can rock this hat all summer!
I had a great hair day too! This is my THIRD day on the same pin curl set! This just goes to show that it's all about using the right products. More info on this to come later this week.
Usually, I have a hard time mixing neutrals. It just never feels right, but this combo worked. I think the pop of red helped. It would have been better with a red belt or purse or something but it's good. :)
Outfit:
Sweater: The Limited
Skirt: me-made
Shoes: Payless
Necklace: Charming Charlie
Earrings: Forever 21
Hat: Feathers Vintage Clothing
Oh, my goodness! I adore this hat! I knew it was cute when I spotted it in the store but it's so much fun to wear! It's days like this that make me really love my bangs.
I think I need to add more navy to my wardrobe so I can rock this hat all summer!
I had a great hair day too! This is my THIRD day on the same pin curl set! This just goes to show that it's all about using the right products. More info on this to come later this week.
Usually, I have a hard time mixing neutrals. It just never feels right, but this combo worked. I think the pop of red helped. It would have been better with a red belt or purse or something but it's good. :)
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