A moment of 'Duh' for New Years Eve

I assume we've all had those moments. I was wondering what to go as for Anthony's parents New Years Eve party. I was in about 3 minds as to what to go as, I thought of the Queen Victoria dress, Captain Cook or a Grecian Goddess. After much pondering and thought as to the weather, the location and such, I've settled for Artemis! The goddess of animals and the hunt.

And then I started to worry that I don't want a toga or just to wrap a piece of material around me and had a little look into it. I thought of buying material and then remembered the very fine muslin sitting in my stash that was going to be used (and even had about a foot of embroidery on it already!) for a 1770's skirt. I thought that I can always get more material and do not bother myself with wasting money on something I already had, and it's more than enough for what I want! I can always pull apart this dress and reuse it! And then the worry of draping and patterns. And the ultimate 'duh' moment struck me! The Regency gals of the day based their whole style on the Grecians! And what pattern do I have more of? Regency! Needless to say the worry is over now, I just have to cut and sew the daylights out of it between now and New Years Eve....I can do it!

I'm going to heavily modify the daylights out of this pattern: The Elegant Lady's Closet. Mainly using the cross over bodice and gathering it severely and then adding a skirt which will gather all around, no sleeves of course, I should be able to drape this material around me come to think of it, to break things up a bit. When I do my mail run on Thursday (which is tomorrow cunningly enough) I'll grab a post cylinder and make my quiver out of that, I'll fashion a bow out of a stick and bobs your uncle!

Next project

Now that the Queen Victoria outfit is complete. I have to focus on finishing another project started at probably the same time as the corset, if not earlier. My red and black dress. I have to put the zipper in and hem it all and bind it and it should be done.

I've had a few requests to do some costumes for friends and friend of friends short films for school. But their timing is rather questionable. I would prefer a month in advance, and 2 weeks is a big no no. I have many things, beside my own projects, work, a partner, a house to maintain, work, youth group beside just living and winding down from a days work.

I have my partners family new years eve party to attend this year and it's fancy dress. I was going to drag out the Queen Victoria dress, but after being in it a few hours and it being hot, and it's not really summer yet, I may have to rethink this. I would love to use the sash and tiara again, so I might just go as some Regency Royal. Any suggestions would be awesome!

Le Fini!

We have come to a conclusion, me myself and I, that we have something that resembles a dress once worn by Queen Victoria in a portrait or two!

I will have pictures of me in it tomorrow, right now, it's 11:30pm and I could not be bothered getting into it and trying it on. I know it fits. Driving in it should be a laugh!

I will go for a quick run to the shops tomorrow to see if I can find a simple bar brooch with diamontes on it to keep it on the shoulder like she does.

*Edited to add a photo from the night: The Regency, Tudor and Victorian era's represented.

Nearly there

The back of the skirt has been sewn up, the sleeves have been attached, the lace bertha tacked on. My tiara arrived on Tuesday, thankfully. I already have pearls and gloves. I just have to hem the skirt and finish the sash, which I can do Friday night or Saturday day.

Driving in hoop skirts are not impossible!

Looking like a dress.

We have the bodice almost complete, save for the bertha and the sleeves. I always manage to leave the sleeves until last. Don't know why. I just do!

Ever have trouble with men getting too close? Well fear no more! These pins will do the trick! I had just pinned the skirt to the bodice and saw how they were sitting and found it funny enough to share.

This is to show how sheer this material. In some photos it's not as sheer as that, but there you go.

I know I should have gotten Anthony to help take photos, but he was busy. Plus the dress isn't entirely finished, hence why you can see my chemise at the sleeve holes. Still have to sew on the sleeves, the back of the skirt, the sash and await my crown in the post!

Befitting Royalty

As Queen Victoria was in fact a Queen, I found I needed a little something to complete my illusion.

I bought this on ebay and expect it (hopefully before the 13th of November!):

I was initially looking for things like the sun ray tiara, or something with sapphires, emeralds or rubies, but alas they were all either too expensive or didn't look anything like anything she wore. This is the closet I could find on the budget that I had. I do know she wore pearls in some of her crowns/tiaras. So here's to hoping it looks good!

I'm back!

I have the back completed. It looks baggy because it is. I will fit it tomorrow or tonight, what ever takes my fancy. But that means putting the whole kit on and putting the bodice on backwards. Gertie isn't exactly my size, but she is good for height and skirt making.

We have proof that I have been hand sewing a little at least.

And all taken on my shiney new camera! A vast difference from my old camera! So, many more high quality pictures to come!

Of hooks and eyes

The bodice itself is sewn, I need to fit the darts though. But to do that I need to finish the back closures so I can fit it properly. I have 2 down, about 5 to go!

I need to trim the bodice down as well, it's a little long for me, it is an 1860's bodice that I'm turning into an 1840's bodice, so it's to be expected.

But some updated pictures. Half sewn, dart placements, I can't get a clear enough picture of the hook and eye closures though. But they will be shown. I'm sewing those with a silk thread which is funnily enough called 'Regina'.

Not dead and not done

I have been a rather busy bee, unfortunately not with my sewing. But I did a little bit tonight. Ironed and sewed the front part of the bodice together. Turning it inside out and so forth. Making sure no little bits of black fibre get trapped between the layers as it is very sheer! And that's all I have to report. Sad really!

Gertie models a pinned Queen Victoria Gown

I pinned the bodice and part of the skirt this afternoon. And for all those purists out there who have spotted my dodgy cage, yes I am aware that a crinoline cage was probably not an 1842 thing, but I do not have the time to sit and make a proper corded petticoat. And here are some progress pictures to see how pretty Gertie is looking:

This is Gertie in her corner, which is my corner of the lounge room, I can't help but find a funny resemblance between the fact that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had desks next to each other, and Anthony and I have desks as good as beside each other. This 'naaw' moment was brought to you by one loved up gal.

The pinned and being cut bodice pieces.

As pinned on Gertie. Skipper the penguin is making one of I'm sure many photo bombing opportunities.

A close up of Gertie

The lace bertha. I found this cutting of lace at the Gerringong Tin Shed, which is no longer. The brooch is a $4 find at a cheap store in Figtree. It's love heart shaped, which Victoria's was not. There had the exact shape I wanted, but not in the right colour. I did contemplate scratching off the back and painting it to the right colour, but for a $4 bit of jewellery, it's not worth it. I'll keep an eye out though. And the sleeves are yet to be cut also.

Gertie again, with the beloved sewing machine in the background.

A reminder of what the original looks like again:

Friday night's a great night for...sewing? O_o

Well in this case it is. It's a little chilly and dismal outside and it's supposed to be like this all weekend. Might be a chance to finally get started on the dress as the corset is complete!

Pictures as follows as modelled by the lovely Gertie:

Thought I should include what I used and where I got the notions. I used the Laughing Moon pattern, the Straight Dore corset to be exact. I used Aussie Corset Supplies for the bones and busk. Now the only problem I have with this website is that the bones were far too thin and flimsy. The busk was fine, you can't really differ I've found in the quality, but this place seemed to offer them a little cheaper and now I know why. If you want light boning I highly recommend this place, otherwise if you want something more sturdy, I used Gallery Serpentine for my original bones, they make some 'out there' stuff if you're not accustom to it, but gorgeous none the less. I emailed them for an up to date price list, ordered my bones and took a nice little drive to Robertston to pick them up. The lady I've usually dealt with (whose name escapes me was always lovely, Annette I think), but apparently there is a slightly snarky lady there now. The blue silk was from Spotlight, as was the herringbone weave under layer. All up I think this corset has cost me under $70.

And to show the bad weather we've been having, this is what greeted us on Wednesday afternoon. Impending doom:

Picture Progress

I thought it was high time to see what I've been up to, rather than just reading ;)

The blue silk corset with 3 flat felled seams to go. I got it down to about 5 eyelets in 15 minutes.

The corset without bones and binding. Had to try it on! All that wrinkling will not be there once the bones are in, particularly on the sides. Well, the back has temporary bones in it.

The corset itself really has nothing to do with Queen Victoria, I was due for a proper fitting corset, and splashed out with my last years birthday money last year and got this blue silk, I started it back in October 2009, high time I finished it!

The fabric for the dress, yet to be ironed and yet to be made into the dress! I was concerned when I got it in the post as to how it would turn out, but it's not a bad match I reckon, once the petticoats are on and it's pleated properly. I think it will turn out alright.

Just a reminder what the gown looks like:

So far...

We have almost completed the corset, I have 3 more flat felled seams to sew, all the boning channels, then binding and just adding the cord with which to pull it all together. I ended up just giving my chemise a good washing, I could not be bothered to make a new one.

I found a little brooch to wear at the bust of the dress today, it's a lighter blue than the one in Queen Victoria's portrait, found it at a $2 store in Figtree.

My mate is doing another short film for his film school, a fantasy medieval thing. And asked if I would like to do the costumes. I have more time with this one, unlike the diocese costumes.

So far all I know is there are 3 main characters, an evil prince, a farmers daughter and the hero I suppose.

I know I'll need 2 cloaks for woman and the man, the prince, I'm not sure. But he'll probably be in darker colours, for the woman, I'm looking at paintings and colours, it's an Irish setting. She is a farmers daughter after all so not a high station, but that's perfectly fine by me. Less detail!

Corset Progress and Bodice Points

We have one full busk hand sewed in. Half of it was done almost a year ago, but it's better late than never to finish it.

The second machine that Mum owns is working like a charm now, I don't know what it's problem was a while ago, but the bobbin thread was very loose, it might have been the material I was using or the cotton, but either way, it works fine.

I still need some blue material for my royal sash. Half a metre of something will be fine. I'll grab that when I go shopping with Sara Howson.

I took a photo of the material I'll use for the dress, and it turns out OK with the light. I thought it would be too sheer. I may have to make either another petticoat or chemise though, the old chemise is a little grey in its usage and another petticoat to fluff things out.

I was pondering on the point of the bodice for the dress, it's obscured by her hands, so I can only guess, the painting was taken in 1842, I have had a little look at fashion plates from the era and a look in my books and the closest I can come up with is this:



So I'll see what I can come up with, I won't have sleeves like that of course. But it's a gorgeous dress none the less.

After a momentary distraction that lasted about 9 months

Don't go getting excited, it's just the amount of time it took me to get back into the sewing swing of things.

Oddly enough, I was asked to sew 3 more costumes for church. Sorry but I have more important things to do!

Like this dress for instance:



I have to finish this though:



It's a little further along than that, it has half a busk and is half sewn! Yay!

So I have have:

Material, albeit not the type I wanted, but it will work...I WILL make it work!
Half a corset, which needs to be finished first before I start the dress. But as I have made this dress before I can complete it in half the time.
Victorian Chemise, in need of a wash!

I need a blue sash, possibly some lace, I have the lace for the bertha at least. That was a cheap find in Gerringong one day.

Can't wait to put all this together!