On the grind…again! Tuesday, Sep 1 2009

So I am STILL trying to finish Blakes ensemble! Yesterday I hand stitched the trim to the cuff pieces while my husband was getting his hair braided. But I still have to do the following

• attach grommets to the sleeves
• attach cuffs to sleeves
• add trim to the bottom and the opening
• add 3 snap hooks to close the doublet
• pin and cut pants pattern/sew
• pin and cut hat pattern/sew

Like I said before, all this work..for free. booooo!  Once I do that I wanted to knock out a new corset for this weekend.  This weekend is the big Labor day/Rendezvous at the fair, and this is the first year my husband and I will go!  Big tailgate with the people from renaissancefestival.com, woot woot.

So anyway, yeah, I have a couple of yards of this blackish/silverish tafetta fabric that I got months ago, when my original gown was going to be black and silver.  And I was thinking about making a corset with straps out of that, then adding some extra fabric along the bottom, to give it somewhat of an attached skirt look, but it’s not really a skirt-feel me?  sort of like this:

Example Corset

This is by Damsel in this Dress (her stuff is amazing)-and I give credit where it is due.  But You see that bottom part with the floofy (technical term!) fabric around the bottom?  that is sort of what I want to do.  Now for a corset, the fabric seems perfect, but to make a skirt out of it, seems a bit weird, the fabric itself is somewhat stiff.  So I am not sure what I am going to do for the skirt.  I mean a simple skirt will do, BUT  I don’t think I have enough extra fabric! lol.  So we will see.

I must go now, another day of sewing, then picking my little sister up (who now loves the ren fair by the way) to bring her back to my house. Happy sewing!

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It’s crunch time…again Tuesday, Aug 25 2009

So today, I am going to get it going and sew…ALL DAY. I had to wake up early to accept a package from Fed-Ex, and while we waited for our friend to come to pick the package up, I started pinning the edges for the sleeves for Blake’s doublet. I realize that it’s not that actual sewing that takes forever. It’s the pattern laying, the pinning, the cutting, the pinning the pieces, and then the sewing. I have resolved that after I get the major projects done which are:

• little sisters renaissance dress
• sister in laws’ corset
• blakes entire ensemble
• rons cloak

I will get to working on clearing out that second room and turning it into my sewing room.  I need my own space to work, and the little section that I have off of our living room is not working.  So once the room is complete I can focus on the inventory for the opening of my new etsy store, and actually make my love of sewing and crafting into a business.
I figure this, while I was well and able to work full time, I complained about not having enough time to work on the things I love like sewing, crafting, and photography.  Now that I do not work anymore, and have been blessed to still receive an income (social security disability) I know have the time to do the things that I wanted to, and damnit I will!

So I am going to head off of here, and start working on my little sisters dress, since this is her first opening day at ren fair!

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Opening day of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire! Sunday, Aug 9 2009

Opening day was fun! The weather was great, not to hot and with a light breeze. The crowd was very nice, and the food and shows were great. I even talked to the Queen! So here, are pictures of my garb, and my husbands garb (which I am quite proud of) finally…

Allison and I

Fred (Allisons husband on left) and Wes-my dashing husband on right

My husbands doublet, I used a pattern. As I have said before, I HATE PATTERNS, and despise using them. perhaps its the fact that I am stubborn and like to do things my way, or that reading patterns confuses me, none the less i hate it. But for him, i used the pattern, and he was quite pleased with it. he received many compliments, as did I on my gown!

I do think that I am going to change the sleeves, and make them fitted, because honestly, all the bell sleeve was in the way! and I need to add boning to the bodice, because it frumped alot, even with the corset on. and for the corset itself, i have to reinforce the boning

all in all it was a great day! and I am tired!

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Almost there Wednesday, Aug 5 2009

progress is coming along

here is my awesome corset that i am so proud of. it is not laced yet, but when we put it on me, and had Megan pull it back, it looked good. i had an awesome figure!!!!

inside of corset, pinned and on the floor

Megan holding the corset out for all to see

And here is my awesome necklace that my other friend Meghan made for me to wear to the faire!

my awesome handmade necklace made for me!

So Megan is coming over today, again. Our goal is to have everything done by Thursday night, so we can relax on Friday.  For my gown I have left:

1. Add lace to bottom of gown
2. Cut and sew sleeves
3. Make pouches
4. Still debating on doing a French hood

Then I have to cut and sew the pants and doublet for my husband, and add the trim to the doublet.  And I should be finished.  So since Megan will not be here till about 8, let me get showered and get started now!

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Not motivated… Thursday, Jul 16 2009

I’m feeling unmotivated lately, and that is not a good day. While I have had two sewing dates with my friend Megan over the past week, I have yet to make a major dent in any of my projects. Megan completed her pantaloons, underskirt, and overskirt for her ensemble, she moves fast! I on the other hand am still working on my bodice. Today I inserted the grommets on one side of my the back of the bodice, and I still have to do the other side. Once that is done, I try it on, then pin the wide straps for where I want those to go.

I just realized I made a boo boo. When I worked on my bodice, and placed the middle panel of an alternating fabric than the rest of the bodice, I applied a green 1/8″ velvet trim, and I totally forgot that I ordered another trim from ebay.

The whole purpose of ordering the trim was to use it as the trim for my bodice. I suppose I can still do that just place it on the outside of the green velvet. But the annoying thing is I like symmetry. So if I place the new trim on the outside of the green velvet, then I would want the green velvet trim to go down the opening of my over skirt, and I do not have enough left over for that. Blah!!!

Tomorrow, I seriously plan to bite the bullet and at least get the bodice and sleeves finished (excluding) trim. Then I will work on the over skirt, and underskirt.

Other projects I have to do are:

1-My husbands new ensemble:  Which includes a doublet, and pants, possibly a new shirt

2-A friends ensemble:  Doublet, pants, shirt, hat, belt, and pouch (he already purchased the fabric and supplies for me)

3-Finish off my ensemble:  Detachable sleeves, overskirt, underskirt, pouch, possibly a hat (not sure yet)

well I suppose I should hit the bed, it is quite late. happy sewing!

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