Getting started.. Tuesday, Jul 7 2009

So my goals for today is to:

1. Clean my living room
2. Clean my sewing area
3. Straighten up kitchen and bathroom
4. Vacuum
5. Clean bedroom

Although it seems like a lot, it really is not. But for me, especially with feeling exhausted all hours of the day since we came back from Disney world, it appears to be a daunting task! lol.  Hopefully I can motivate myself to get it all done.  Because once those are done then I plan on doing the following things:

1. Make a new bum roll.  Last year’s bum roll was way to small, not enough roll for the bum to be noticeable!
2. Make a new, pretty pouch for my new pretty gown
3. Layout and cut the under layers for my bodice for my gown
4. Layout and cut the under layers for my husbands doublet.

Here is the pattern that I ended up buying, although I said I will never buy a Simplicity pattern unless it was on sale, I just couldn’t let it go! lol

Men's Doublet

Now, if you know me, and have been a reader of my blog. You know that I hate using patterns!  Not because I dislike patterns, but because I am the type of person that always wings it, and can figure out how to do things myself.  When I use patterns, it kind of throws me for a loop when following their directions.  So it’s not guaranteed that I will be using this pattern for his doublet, but it will be used as a guide at least.

Now for my dress this year.  Of course I am basically winging it once again, as I did all of my dresses, but here is the inspiration:

Inspiration

Now for me, I don’t think I am going to do the shoulder rolls, and not sure if my waist of the dress will have the pleated effect as seen above.  But that was basically my inspiration.

But I suppose that the only way to actually get those lists done is to stop blogging and do it!  I will be back later with pictures on my progress!

Leave a Response »

 

Fabric Fiasco!!! Monday, Jul 6 2009

So ren fair is about a month away, and I have yet to work on my gown. The main issue is the fabric crisis I am having. I have yards and yards of this gorgeous silver fabric, but upon further investigation, it turns out the fabric is way to thin to do anything with. So I visited JoAnns where I always see lots of fabric I want, but surprisingly nothing I wanted.

So I ordered a couple of swatches from https://www.800fabrics.com/new_home.php, and hopefully when they get here I can make up my mind. I did find this great silver drapery fabric, on sale for $3.99 or $4.99, can’t remember, so if the swatch is perfect, then I will be ordering it asap! I hope it is perfect though, because the pattern looks really pretty.

i think it is absolutely perfect for what I wanted. I was going to go with a black underskirt, since I have a black chemise already, and black trim.

There was this PERFECT dark gray/blackish pearl trim at JoAnns, but at 24.99 a yard I definitely had to put it back. Hopefully I can find something similar, because it was perfect!

The fabric is not only for my dress, but for my husbands doublet that I will be making. I know I have to get started soon, but I need the fabric to get here!!!

I typically do two gowns a season, I mean I could wear the two gowns I wore last season, but as my sewing skills expand, I love to create new things, that and being that I am at home since I am on disability, lol. It gives me something to do. For the second gown I was thinking of this

my husband loves blue, so I figured he would enjoy this. we are trying to go for a matching theme this year. I also have to get some black crushed velvet to make him a new pair of tights. there is nothing wrong with his old tights, but he is looking for something new, and I can understand that lol. ren fairs are the only time that i can get him excited with clothing.

well i need to finish laundry and cleaning, then i have to visit my mother

oh wait, here is another fabric i was considering

im not too sure about using it as a fabric for my ren fair gown, or any ren fair item for that matter. but i do absolutely adore the pattern, and i was thinking about getting it anyway, just so i can make a really cute corset. add some frilly lace along the bottom. yes? no? we will see!

happy sewing!

Leave a Response »

 

Working on my cat tail.. Thursday, Feb 5 2009

As I have stated before, I am going to AnthroCon 2009 this year with Wes (my husband) and some friends (who invited us).  I always get excited about things like this, basically all I need is an excuse to sew, and I am there.  So Wes and I discussed what my “fursona” should be, we decided that I am a liger (liger/tiger mix).  I am an exotic liger (I needed an excuse to wear hot pink and  black).  So here is what I worked on

This is the fabric and stuffing used to fill it. It is a hot pink/black tiger print, both items are from JoAnns

So the first thing I did was fold in the fabric about 3.5″ and cut.  That left me with a folded piece of fabric, approx 42 inch long.  After that I folded it the other way, with right sides facing eachother, and sewed a 1/4″ seam

Seems basic enough. So after I did the seam. I then laid the fabric out so that the seam is in the middle of the fabric, I needed to do this, so I can sew the bottom edge together.

That white line you see is my attempt to make a curved line, so that when flipped inside out, instead of being straight, it will have an actual curve to it, just like a cats tail. Didn’t work out…exactly the way I wanted it, but it was ok.

So after all that, I flipped the tail inside out, and started stuffing it using the poly fill. I was able to slip my hand and wrist in there, and basically I would hold the poly fill and then scrunch the tail. I didnt over stuff it, I just stuffed it enough to be full.

Then…I took a hanger, straightened it out (to the best of my ability) and CAREFULLY worked the hanger into the tail, leaving about a 1 inch space from the bottom so that it doesn’t pole through.  I bent the top part of the hanger, stuck it into the poly fill, and then sewed the top close, and then flipped the over lap over and sewed that close to create a basic loop to slip the band through.  Here is the finished product..

It just so happens that my sheets have a tiger pattern going on. I also have a black and white tiger print blanket, and a tiger print bag, and other countless tiger print things (I love tigers, can’t you tell ?)  So the resulting length of the tail is about 37 inches, and with the hanger in it, I can curve it any way I want.

Tomorrow I am going to basically do an elastic band using 1 yard of elastic and the same fabric. I am just going to make a belt, slip it through the loop of the tail. And I can wear it around my waist. I am also going to do the ears/headband.

And I have designed my dress for opening day-here is a quick sketch of it

Sorry that it is on the side. But I basically want a bodice, overskirt, and underskirt.  The bodice and overskirt will have black trim. For the main color I wanted a light gray/silverish fabric. It has to be lightweight (opening day is usually a scorcher).  I will be wearing a white chemise, and detachable bell sleeves.  So once I go through my existing fabric (I think I have some light gray/silver fabric lying around) I will start working on it .  I am adding black to make a stark contrast, and black is usually a color associated with nobility.

Well that is it for tonight. Feel free to share your comments and questions! tata

One Response »

 

Huzzah! Monday, Oct 6 2008

I am so happy. My boyfriend is going to pay off my cloak at the MDRF, so I will be able to wear it closing day at  both the MDRF and the PARF! I am excited! I love that cloak.  This is what it looks like :

wool cloak from half moon

So basically it is a two layer wook cloak, that is lightweight enough to wear both pieces seperately, and warm enough to wear both pieces together.  The colors are Dark navy blue and Ivory.  My boyfriend has a navy blue and grey cloak from them, so he really wanted me to have this cloak because we will match! that is the benefit of having a rennie spouse! lol

here are some pictures of the bodice (now completed) when I was working on it. It was my first bodice!

actually i dont know where the pictures are lol.  So it looks like i will have to put my whole ensemble on and take pictures. i completed the bodice, the chemise, the skirt, and the kirtle.  the outfit was ready for last weekend at the MDRF but it rained so we didnt go.

but we will be going on closing weekend. so that gives me a chance to add sleeves that match the kirtle, and better hem my skirt-it is a bit long

oh, i also completed a bum roll! i love making my dress poofy.

well that is it for now. i have alot of random things to do, so i have to get back to those

Leave a Response »

 

I got it! Friday, Sep 12 2008

A new sewing machine! And I am so happy

I also have been to like every Goodwill located in Newark and got some great steals on fabric. I have this dark/navy blue velvet (curtain panel) that is wide (didn’t measure it yet) and VERY long. enough to make a bodice and the gown! Huzzah I am happy.

I also went to Joanns and Walmart, I purchased Muslin, duck cloth, and some other things to get to work on my bodice. Today I will be going to Home Depot to get the boning for my bodice. And today I will work on folding clothes and washing clothes so I can get a clean area in my room set up with the sewing machine.

I will do a mock up of the bodice, if that turns out good I will use that as the draft for the bodice pattern. and get to work on the whole dress.

But for now I must go!

Leave a Response »

 

huzzah! Wednesday, Aug 13 2008

huzzah! i have a dress making blog   although i have been doing my own renaissance style clothing for the past two years, i have not had anything to track the progress.

the reason why i started this blog is for two reasons

1) to keep track and show my progress and skills

2) to challenge myself to make a nobles garb in less than two weeks (still waiting for my check to come in so i can hit up the fabric store)

This is definitely a big challenge as

1) I generally dont use patterns and freehand everything i do

2) Ive only worked on pirate/wench/peasant garb which is fairly easy

Here are some pictures of past garb that I have created

now these were my first ever pants/garb that i created. they were black pirate pants, and i am very glad of the results

this is the next piece of garb i made, pirate/wench skirt, chemise, bodice

this is my most recent piece, peasant outfit

that dashing man in the blue tights is my bf, he buys all his garb, eventually i will get around to making him something

so my task at hand is to turn a wedding dress into nobles garb.  the wedding dress itself is a a-lined strapless gown with beading on the bodice.  the color is ivory, and i have a hoopskirt to wear under it to make it “poof” out.

so, ready, set, sew!

Leave a Response »