Is it possible I haven't posted in a year??  I don't believe it!

Using the Truly Victorian early Edwardian patterns, I made this 1903-ish evening gown and corset (corset under gown ;) ) from black sequined net over black taffeta

I made a fun 1890s day suit for a Mad Hatter's Tea by combining the Truly Victorian 1880s riding habit bodice front, Truly Victorian 1885 curiass bodice back, and  the sleeves and skirt from Simplicity 4156 with a harlequin print cotton:

Here's my inspiration:

I made a 1920s day dress for the NY Jazz Age Picnic - self drafted using graphic black and white cotton and red piping.

A regency outfit using the Sense and Sensibility wrap bodice gown pattern and the Timely Tresses Virginia bonnet pattern

An early bustle outfit using Truly Victorian patterns.  Still have to trim that skirt!

A Regency chemisette using the Simplicity 4052 pattern

A regency evening gown from the Sense and Sensibility Regency gown pattern of dusty purple satin and black net with silver beads and sequins

bodice detail of silver metallic sequin braid trim

For the Francaise Dinner this year, I wore the same black brocade sacque dress, but I added new mitts and a muff!  I also made muffs for my friends.  Muff pattern from Stephanie Pool, mitts pattern by Mantua Maker (and adjusted to fit my little wrists).

Here are all three muffs I made; Photo courtesy of http://inthelongrun.wordpress.com/

Here's a detail of my "portrait" muff.  I used dark fabric photo transfer paper as advised my a fellow costumer, ironed it onto my fabric, and sewed trim around to hide the edges

An Elizabethan partlet from a pattern shared by http://www.festiveattyre.com/

For the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit at the Franklin Institute in March, I made a 1912 suit from the Wingeo #410 suit jacket and skirt from the Butterick B4092 from gabardine and cotton velvet.  the suit jacket was VERY square and ill fitting.  The recommended size was several sizes too big in the shoulders, bust, and waist.  I also clipped down the lapel which went past my armcseye.  I added cuffs and made the jacket front a "cutaway" style popular at the time.

I think that's it so far since I last posted.  Apologies to anyone still watching this blog!  I promise to be better about keeping it up.

Titanic Boarding Suit and Accessories

Honoring the Titanic was not finished with the Epic Titanic Dinner I posted about earlier.  No!  I met up with some friends at a local theatre to see Titanic 3D in costume.  

About a year ago I commissioned the Boarding Suit from Fan + Friend.  Came out great!  But I needed the accessories that always make the difference between so-so and great costuming.  I needed The Hat, The Shirt/Collar, The Tie, The Purse, The Gloves, and The Jewelry.

Here is how the hat started out:

Here is the finished hat:

Then, after a lesson from my friend Robin, I removed the modern collar from a white button down shirt and made my own Edwardian collar with cotton lace edging like in the movie:

Then I made a reticule (pattern from the Folkwear Poiret Cocoon Coat) and bought vintage leather gloves from Ebay:

I didn't carry a parasol because it was night and this was an indoor event.

Here I am waving

• White louis heeled boots from Sinistersoles.com
• Jewelry custom made with blue crystals from Karen's Romance on Etsy

Action!! Wearing our 3D glasses.

It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed seeing the film in 3D!

Epic Titanic Dinner

It's been a while, but I have been sewing a bit, I promise.  I attended the kind of event I've dreamed of for a long time: an elegant, first class Titanic Dinner in honor of all who lost their lives on the ship 100 years ago.  

I made the Jump Dress from the movie a few years ago, so my gown was all set!  However, after dinner we were asked to change into "aesthetic or lounging attire" for a swanky absinthe after party.  Yes, please! What to make??  After changing my mind 3 times, I decided to make the Folkwear Poiret Cocoon Coat.  Fabrics are black burnout velvet and gold crepe back satin (alas, all poly!).  Underneath I wore a black swiss dotted lace empire sheath dress I got from Forever 21 a few weeks ago.

So here I am:

Photo by Somewhere In Time Photography:

Photo by: K C-G

Photo by: me!

Under all that I wore a 1912 era corset I made myself!

18th c. francaise

I put together an 18th c. dinner party at the William Penn Inn with a group of fabulous ladies!  For the occasion, I finally made the black francaise gown of my dreams.  Made of cotton brocade in a black on black design from Simplicity 3637 with no changes apart from the trimming.  This pattern goes together very nicely.

So here's the inspiration

Here's the fabric (complete with Sewing Cat)

and here's the gown

Here I am at the dinner. I am posing with the other lady who wore a black francaise

and here's everyone!

Regency!

I've finally joined the bandwagon and made a Regency dress and spencer!  Here I am wearing it at a Pumpkin themed tea event.  The dress is mostly the Sense and Sensibility pattern with some alterations recommended by Katherine and others.  The spencer is Period Impressions (though I had to make up my own sleeve as I had a ton of trouble with their sleeve shape.)

I was inspired by spencers made by fellow costumers like Lauren and Stephanie as well as this fashion plate

So here I am!

I had a truly wonderful time and can't wait to make more spencers and open robes to wear with my dress!

May Welland visiting dress

I was inspired by the dress seen several times on May Welland in The Age of Innocence.  Mine is made from a black with white stripe cotton and some white ribbon with black pick stitching.  Patterns are the Truly Victorian natural form era jacket bodice, a heavily modified Hermione overskirt, and the basic natural form underskirt with two tiers of pleats trimmed with ribbon.

 

 

 It needs a white ribbon belt or something for when I wear it next.  The front is too plain.

Hat is by One of One Creations https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1148722603028.2023366.1376476474

Crocodile bustle dress

Last year I found a red satin embossed with a crocodile print.  So crazy that I had to have it!  I was inspired by the Pingat red day dress at the Kyoto Costume Institute.  My version is the crocodile fabric paired with a plain red taffeta and black venise lace with tassel trim at the hem.  Bodice is an altered Truly Victorian late bustle bodice and the skirt is a heavily modified Truly Victorian 4 gore underskirt. 

 Here is a close up of the croquet mallet harness I made out of one wide belt, one cannibalized thin belt (used as the shoulder harness), some brass D-rings, a scrap of black vinyl fabric, and some brass stampings.

Dashwood helped keep the fabric in order

Madeline dress

For the Steampunk World's Fair this year, I made a new evening bustle dress inspired by the gown Madeline wears in the film Interview With the Vampire, and a dress someone made and wore to Costume College 2008.

The bodice is a Truly Victorian with no changes.  The skirt is a heavily modified combination of the Truly Victorian 4 gore underskirt and the back of Simplicity 5457 (OOP, but easily found on Ebay).

I made a corset!

I'm taking a pattern and drafting class at school, and today I completed my first corset.  I drafted up and modified an 1892 corset from the book Waisted Efforts by Robert Doyle.  Of course it fits me better than my dress form.