| FINISHED! |
[Oct. 15th, 2005|01:38 am] |
Branching Out is finished!! Going from finishing the knitting to getting it blocked out took awhile, as we have cats here, and my last attempt at blocking something overnight led to the cats screwing it up. Not willing to take the risk with my precious lace scarf, I took it and Grandpa's scarf to my parents' house, which has no indoor animals, and blocked it on their carpet.
It blocked out beautifully, and the lace pattern shows off to great effect.
That being done, I had to take it outside to take an artsy picture of it. I may actually post this photo in my DeviantArt account as textile art.
I loved the Elspeth Lavold silky wool yarn, and I'd definately use it again. Considering possibly doing a double wide branching out stole in either silky wool, or Doucer et Soie.
Now that's finished, I made a visit to the yarn store in Paris, which is a bit of a drive, and smaller than the one close by, but very cute, and the proprietress was incredibly nice. With her help, I managed to find a substitute yarn for Rowan All Season's Cotton, and promptly cast on Trelllis for my cousin Jeff's baby.
I'm doing it in Brown Sheep's Cotton Fleece, which is a cotton and merino wool blend. It's lovely to the touch, though it splits more than I'd like I haven't had too many problems with it otherwise. I've not worked with a cotton before, and I can definately tell the difference in terms of wool's natural fiber elasticity, and cotton's lack thereof. It does show the cables well despite that, and the pattern is super cute.
I'm knitting it for a little girl, and managed to find the cutest shade of butter yellow. I'm sick of giving little girls pretty pastel pink presents. And that alliteration was (mostly) unplanned. :) I'm about halfway up the back now, just past the beginning of the armscye.
~~~
On another note, though, the Vader pants had to be taken in. My brain is exploding. Gawd I'm sick of this project. |
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| Vader's bodysuit.... |
[Oct. 7th, 2005|10:09 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | accomplished | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Star Wars - Vader's Theme | ] |
So, the project that has been eating my life for the past two weeks and more is finally halfway done!
My roommate John asked me to help him with his movie replica Darth Vader costume. I made a 3/4 circle cloak for him to go with it last year, and this year he's completing the outfit. And instead of shelling out $300 for a pleather bodysuit online, he ordered some pleater from Denver Fabrics and asked me to quilt it and put it together for him into a jacket and pants instead of a bodysuit.
I agreed not knowing what a total pain the project was going to be. VERY labour intensive, and tedious work. First, all pieces had to be quilted in inch apart vertial lines. I used a cotton broadcloth for the backing and some low-loft quilt batting in the middle for definition. The problem with this was, even with a walking foot on my machine, the heavier pleather top layer pulled through more slowly than the broadcloth and batting, making the back gather up sharply and the edges creep and not go to the edge of the pleather. The only solution was to cut the batting and broadcloth larger than the pleather, in sort of a 'halo' effect, and then trim any remaining excess when the quilting process was done.
I've only done the jacket so far, and let me tell you, the actual putting together was a huge huge pain. The separating zipper in the back took 4 tries to get in right. The collar took 3, and finally, like the zipper, had to be hand-basted first. A real pain in the fingers trying to get the basting through the thick layers! And then, one of the armscyes grew. I have no idea why. Both sides were cut perfectly symmetrically, as were both sleeveheads. One side fit perfectly. One side, the armscye had a whole inch and a half extra that I had to fudge. What a pain. Especially since the pleather won't tolerate any kind of ease whatsoever. Fortunately, this problem spot will be hidden underneath his armor, under cloak and cloak.
I present, picture! This will link to a larger image so you can better see the quilting.
On a different note, my branching out is done! Thank you all for your kind comments, and I'll post finished pictures as soon as it's blocked! |
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| Almost FO, and two WIPs |
[Sep. 29th, 2005|07:33 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | knitting | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | accomplished | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Amy Lee - Broken | ] |
So, I finished off Grandpa's cabled scarf, minus blocking, weaving ends and fringe. The gauge on this was so tightly knitted that it ended up taking forever! So, I pinned it out to block, to make it a little flatter, and during the night the cats got into the study and screwed it up. It's now laying in a pile until I can take it home to the 'rents and pin it to the carpet where there are no indoor animals.
Me being my ADD self, I now have two WIPs. I cast on what should have been branching out in the Modea Dea Dream yarn, but chickened out when I discovered that it's actually a compound yarn -- one strand for the lovely soft velvet that makes the bulk of the yarn, and one thin strand for the eyelash 'halo'. It's also quite slippery, and made too chicken to attempt knitting my first lace pattern with it. So, after working the first five rows in garter stitch in preparation to do branching out, but then switched to seed stitch when I decided to be a wimp. I'll work the bulk of it in seed stitch, and put a matching border in garter stitch on the end before I bind off.
This is my progress so far, before I got bored with seed stitching:
Then, on Tuesday this week, my wonderful mother and I went to the local yarn shop, where I discovered they DO carry elspeth lavold's Silky Wool!! And Mom treated me to a skein in a cranberry red color! Double YAY! So, with no more excuses, I cast on my branching out. I had to look up most of the standard increases and decreases on Stitch Guide, but it was really helpful, and although tricky, if you take time to learn the necessary stitches, branching out is really not that hard. I'm totally addicted to lace knitting now!!
One hundred rows (in two days) later, and mine looks like this:
Obviously it'll need to be blocked, but it looks great, and I'm sooo proud of myself. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 27th, 2005|10:09 pm] |
So, I've recently been frequenting the knitter's crack website, aka Knitty.com. Imagine my suprise to discover that people blog their knitting exploits just as much or more than people blog their sewing and garb exploits! *GASP!*
So, of course I got bitten by the bug. I'm posting it here because as an artistic endeavor of the fiber arts/textile arts persuasion, I think it goes here rather than my regular LJ, even though this is technically Abby's Dress Diary.
Anyway, sometime this past winter, I knitted up a scarf for my grandmother, to thank her for paying for my dress form. I later decided I wanted a custom-made form, out of plaster wrap, which has yet to come together, but that's immaterial. Regardless, Grammy gave me money for a form, and one day I will have one. So what do I do to thank her? This:
It's just a simple allover stockinette stitch scarf, very fast and easy, knitted with one skein of Lion Brand Fun Fur in Sorbet, I think the color is. I knitted it on US 10 needles, and with the stockinette stitch the large needles makes for a very loose, stretchy drape in the fabric. Grammy will like the pastel colors and the soft eyelash texture, and never care that it's about the most basic sort of scarf in terms of complexity, or lack thereof. You can see in the photo how I'm stretching it out between my fingers.
But then, I finished it (minus weaving the ends) and thought, "But won't Grandpa feel left out, without a scarf of his own?" So I put Grammy's away until I could start on Grandpa's. His health recently took a turn for the worse. He's out of the woods, but recovering his strength is taking forever, and has him really down in the dumps. So, I decided a scarf for the upcoming fall would be just the thing to cheer him up, and give him the motivation to get up and about so he could actually wear it once the weather turns cold.
Here's the current progress:
It would be longer, but I discovered earlier today that I had turned one of the center cables the wrong direction, three repeats back! That's more than 30 rows!!! ACK! So, I had to go frogging and rip it all out. :-( Boo hoo. I picked up a set of stitch holders earlier today at work, and I think I may take a break on that for a couple of days -- I'd been working on it really hard, hoping to finish it, but it's progressing rather slowly.
I'm knitting it with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted Weight in Wheat. The color recently got discontinued for newer colors, so I got the skeins very very cheap. Can't say it's super high quality yarn, but it's nice and even, in a neutral, oatmeal color, and works well. Not itchy either, which will be good for grandpa. I'm knitting it on size 8 needles, with three cables, two wider on the outside turning left, and one narrower in the center turning right. The smaller needles and gauge of yarn means that the knitting is quite dense, and it'll need to be blocked when I get done to take care of the way the edges curl. It's quite wide, as well, which means that it's not progressing nearly so fast as grammy's.
Here's a closeup:
You can see the cabling pattern here, and also the stitch density. The flash at close range bleached it out a great deal, so this is taken without. The progress picture is truer to color.
So, having put away the cabling project to let the frustration cool, what do I think about doing for a break? I went to Michael's earlier, mostly because I wanted to get out of the house, and discovered they carry alot of gorgeous Moda Dea yarns, including Dream, which is a mohair-esque yarn so soft, I absolutely can't believe it's all manmade. Given the choice between it and true mohair, I'd say Dream is as soft, or softer! So, of course I had to grab two skeins in a beautiful pure white, which my camera has decided to hate:
This was taken without the flash, hence the yellow cast, because my flash turned it into a big white blob. Take my word on it, this stuff is fabulous.
So, what am I going to do with it? I've been lusting over a branching out of my very own since discovering Knitty, and since gauge isn't crucial for this pattern, the Dream may just suit! I've never tried anything more advanced than cabling, and I'd like to give this lace pattern a try. We'll see how it goes, I guess. Wish me luck!
I may or may not cast on tonight. With all my unfinished projects, I'd do better to hold off, but....!! Pretty pattern, pretty yarn! Ooooooh! Bad for the willpower! |
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| Halloween Costume thoughts |
[Aug. 23rd, 2005|11:50 pm] |
So, I realize that Halloween is two months and a bit away, but if I'm going to make my costume, I need to be deciding what I'm going to be soon. I don't want to do last year's sewing marathon again -- it really burnt me out.
But I've got about 5 different options, and I'm having trouble deciding.
1) White ANH Princess Leia gown. Same thing as I wore last year. Pros: Wore it last year, so no real work to do on it. Cons: Wore it last year.
2) Princess Leia's scoop-neck celebration gown from the medal scene at the end of ANH. Pros: I started this last year, but didn't get it finished in time. Fabric is already bought. Cons: I might be Princess Leia-d out.
3) Eowyn's white gown. Pros: I have all the fabric from an incomplete model garment I was supposed to make for Hancock's. Also, I'll match Andrea, who's going as the Witch King. Cons: The fabric and pattern were a bitch to work with, which is why this was never completed, and sits forelornly in a bin somewhere.
4) Nerys Ada'in, Jedi padawan. The Jedi character I designed. I've worked out her tunic designs already, and have aquaired one of four necessary fabrics. John just finished building me a lightsaber. Pros: Will match John (he's doing Vader again), and I'll have a Jedi costume lying around to wear to cons and such. Cons: Alot of fabric still needs to be purchased, so more expensive. Also, 3 layers of undertunics, plus big Jedi robe = lots of sewing.
5) One of two of Padme's gowns from AOTC. Either the light blue Tatooine midriff gown, or the blue family gown that was cut from the movie. Pros: They're both cool costumes, and could be done with relatively cheap costs. Cons: They'd require patterns drafted almost completely from scratch, especially complicated in the case of the family gown. Check out the back of the gown. Padme's on the far right.
6) The one that hit on me at work, and won't leave me alone: Phedre no Delaunay de Montreve, from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy trilogy of novels. She's half courtesan, half spy, and a really awesome heroine. Not because she's a fighter, or stupendous at anything, but because she's smart, knows how to combine her brains and beauty, and because she never takes the easy way out, when it comes to doing the right thing.
Here's the gown I would make, from a masquerade scene in the second book: Phedre's Longest Night dress. It's made of red silk jersey in the book, is a backless halter, accessorized only with a black half-veil over her eyes, and ribbons on her wrists. We have the perfect color of fabric for it at work, a changeable red/black fancy fabric. Such color, described as 'blood spilled by starlight', could only be worn by anguissettes like Phedre herself.
Pros: Simple to accessorize, I'd only have to make the dress, which wouldn't be too costly, and have my roommates paint her tattoo onto my back with paint or marker. Also, Phedre looks very like me: brown, naturally curly hair in an updo, fair skin, petite and curvy. The dress could actually be reused for a slightly daring formal gown.
Cons: I'd have to draft the pattern from a commercial halter, none of which go low enough in back. I'd have to buy all the fabric. And I don't relish spending the whole night explaining who I am to people who have no clue.
Please, please, leave a comment and help me choose. |
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| Hehehe |
[Aug. 21st, 2005|10:32 pm] |
 | You scored as Court. You belong in Court. You can sew like nobody's buisness, you believe in historical accuracy (of *course* you're not hot in that - ahem), and when it comes to seed beading, you are not only obsessed, you're slightly masochistic.
Court | | 100% | Bella Donnas | | 94% | Kids Kingdom | | 25% | Fantasticals | | 25% | Fight Cast | | 19% | </td>
Which Bristol Rennaisance Faire cast would you fit in with?
created with QuizFarm.com |
This is SO me. I'm SUCH a garb Nazi, and I love to make Noble Garb. I'd kill to be part of the court at a faire.
Actual subject update coming later. |
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| Found it! |
[Jul. 21st, 2005|03:32 pm] |
I knew I'd run across the link sometime soon!
I got my patterns for both chemise and drawers at Elizabeth Stuart Clark. They're both very easy patterns to draft, as you are just applying your own measurements to rectangular and trapezoidal shades, but I have a few suggestions for each.
For the CHEMISE:
1) The sleeve is cut on a fold, with the folded edge being the one that runs vertically down the outside of your arm. That means that your bicep measurment, the one that determines the size of the sleeve opening edge, needs to be halved, since the fold will double it otherwise. It doesn't tell you this in the directions.
2) You need to hem the bottom of the sleeve before you flat-fell the underarm seam closed. Also, not mentioned in the directions.
For the DRAWERS:
The major problem I had with the drawers was length. I added 4 inches for tucks to the length, plus 2 for the hem at the bottom. The pattern drafting tapers from a very wide, rectangular crotch and thigh area down to a narrower rectangular calf area. The pattern allows for the tuck length (each tuck takes 1 inch of fabric) at the bottom to take place on a square section, but does not tell you to allow this square section to be long enough to accomodate the space in BETWEEN the tucks. Thus, to get my tucks to all be straight and flat, with no gathering, I had to leave off one tuck, and make my hem smaller. This is what made the drawers so long initially, and also why I think the bottom pulls a little strangely instead of hanging straight.
This errors, in hindsight, are very easily corrected, and I will use these patterns again! Just chalk the first time up to the trial run.
I will eventually make a hoop and corset for this gown, though the first time through I'll just wear it with stays. Victorian-era corsets, though intimidate me. Does anyone have any good sites or patterns they have used, and would recommend? I would like more of a true, hour-glassy shape than you can get from fabric store commerical patterns like Butterick or Simplicity. |
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| Civil War Undies, yay! |
[Jul. 18th, 2005|11:47 pm] |
As promised, I finally present to you, CIVIL WAR UNDIES!
We have here, a chemise and a pair of split drawers in white cotton muslin. I got the pattern online and drafted it to my measurements, but CRAP if I didn't forget what the link is. If I find it, I'll update you with the info in another entry. There were a few problems with the pattern for each that I'd like to detail eventually for the help of fellow people.
I ended up having to take up the drawers as the pattern made them too long, and that necessitated also taking out the crotch, so it didn't dig in. But it all seems to be fine now. Both drawers and chemise body are simply gathered into a waist or neck band. The chemise is decorated with some cotton eyelet lace with a lavender sating ribbon threaded through. The drawers have three tucks, and some cotton cluny lace that looks big enough to be hand done, but probably isn't. I labeled it Close Enough.
Here's a detail shot of the drawers:
There are three tucks, each a half inch in size. They are functional tucks, as they would have been in period, meaning they can be taken out if I ever need extra length in the drawers (not likely!). The blue marks are my fabric marker, which needs to be washed out.
Also, I changed my orignal fabric from this linen blend plaid:
to this lightweight, somewhat sheer, 100% floral print cotton:
The cotton print is lighterweight and lighter in color, which equals much cooler in summer heat. :-) Also, the extant dress I'm working from was made from a sheer cotton with a small, allover floral print, so this is as close to the original as it is possible to get. The original had small, narrow dotted trim around the neck opening and horseshoe-shaped sleeve cuffs, and that small dotted grossgrain trim I found shown in the picture matches well, and makes that detail close to the original, as there was no hope of ever finding matching trim for the plaid.
Next, I shall finish the STAYS! |
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| Short little Venetian update |
[Jul. 18th, 2005|05:44 pm] |
Well, with everything so crazy in the few days before the faire, I never got to post much updates on the Venetian gown, as it's STILL not done. But, faire being past, I put it aside so I could have a bit of a break and work on something different. Hence the beginnings of my Civil War gown.
I actually have the Civil War undies done, and I WILL post pictures of them later tonight. I just have to get one of my roommates to take a picture of me in them.
But, in the meantime I have this tiny Venetian update that readers can help me with. I picked out two choices for buttons to decorate where my sleeves attach to the shoulders at the paned tops. I can't decide between the two:
So, leave a comment and VOTE! White round, or blue oval?? |
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| Entree into a new period! |
[Jun. 16th, 2005|12:33 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  excited | ] |
I've made my first foray into the new area of Civil War era costuming. (For all you non-Americans, you'd think of it as 1860's Victorian.) There's a local reenactment that I'm going to, and also a state faire with the possibility of earning some prizes.
I've taken some step-by-steps, but I'm running on a time crunch, so for now, until the weekend is over, I'll just post quick snapshots of finished pieces.
Behold, my chemise!
In white cotton muslin, with eyelet lace at the neckline, beaded with a lavender ribbon.
All seams are flat-felled. You don't see French seams in this era in undergarments, as the little flap created would chafe underneath a tight-fitting corset.
It looks slightly top-heavy, but my roommate was sitting down on the couch when she shot this picture. It's a little long, but I haven't hemmed it yet.
Next:
DRAWERS and STAYS! |
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| FINALLY! |
[May. 1st, 2005|06:40 pm] |
Finally, both camera and internet have co-operated long enough to allow me to post an update! I bring you: NATE'S SHIRT!
I'm sorry Nate, this was done last week, but my technical issues wouldn't allow me to show you any earlier! Hope you like!
So, here we are:
Made of hanky-weight linen, using primarily the rectangular construction demo on The Renaissance Tailor which is a great reference for period costumers. If you haven't seen it yet, go now!
The collar and cuffs were made to turn back over the doublet collar and sleeves, and are simply doubled from their normal height. I made the ties out of finger-braided cotton perle cord in black and white, and I think it gives a nice touch.
Here's the details on the placket and cuffs:
I stitched the small lace on by hand, and added small black stitches in embroidery floss, to mimic the twisting pattern of the ties and set off the lace a bit. I really like how it turned out, though that was more handwork than I had originally intended. The inspiration for this embellishment was from the great Lynn Mcmasters.
Nate, I hope you enjoy. The collar will hang more naturally on you than on my hanger, but unfortunately I don't possess a dress form to show it off on beforehand. Voila!
I've also made alot of progress on my dress, so stay tuned for another update later today! |
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| Nate's Fabric Choices! |
[Mar. 7th, 2005|10:54 pm] |
Well, there we have the promised fabric choices!
On the bottom left, rather bleached by the camera, is the wonderful hanky weight linen bought at Gail K Fabrics in Atlanta. It's very very lightweight, and has almost no slubs whatsoever--it's a very smooth weave! The piece in the middle of the pile is a lovely Irish linen that will line the doublet, and on the right is the wonderful silk/wool blend (20%silk, 80% wool). It's so lightweight, and has the most beautiful weight. I'm not sure how period a blend fabric is, but both silk and wool were the main staple fabrics of the nobility for outerwear, so I'm inclined to overlook the blend.
The black braided trim will be used on the outside of Nate's doublet, as in the Bronzino portrait in the last entry. It's narrow, but has the loveliest scroll pattern on it, and I really like it. The lace is actually for my Venetian gown, it's more pointy than the scalloped lace I had planned to use underneath the sleeve heads, and much more resembles my inspiration portrait by Titian.
Here we have the silk satin color choices:
These are the choices for the contrasting sleeves -- all of these colors are fairly closely represented in the portraits of the area and time. The silver is closest to the Bronzino Florentine portrait, and the red is quite close to the Tintoretto Venetian man's portrait. There's also a Moroni painting of a man in pink wearing shades very similar to the middle pink. Nate likes all three, and those will be ordered later, depending on what he picks out in the end.
Next in the works: working on the shirt! |
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| Presenting, a Venetian Man! |
[Mar. 2nd, 2005|02:29 pm] |
So, as I mentioned last post, I've been conned/talked into making a Venetian man's costume as a complement to my 1550-60s Venetian gown. I've picked out most of the fabric, and here's all my images I've used in coming up with my design.
First, let me say a HUGE thanks to Bella of The Realm of Venus, most of the images I used in the design phase were very kindly given to my by her, and her site has been a tremendous help to me during all parts of my own adventures in Venetian costuming. Thank you, Bella!
The first thing you notice about both Venetian and Florentine mens portraits, is that there's little stylistic differences between the two areas. Black is HUGELY popular for doublets or jerkins. Sometimes the canions, slops and sleeves match the doublet, sometimes the slops and sleeves are of a contrasting (but matching each other) color, perhaps arguing that the outfit is actually a doublet with matching sleeves and slops and a black jerkin worn closed over top. Unlike the English malefolk, the Italians don't seem to be prone to wearing their jerkins partially open to show the doublet underneath, so we don't really know if it is actually a jerkin over a doublet, or a doublet worn alone. For my purpose, I'm going with a black doublet with contrasting sleeves. I don't have the time to make both a doublet and a jerkin, and Atlanta in May is quite warm. One layer over the shirt will be more than warm enough, especially in black.
So, on to THE IMAGES:
Shirts can be either worn with a simple standing collar (perhaps with a small ruffle) or with a turned-down collar not too dissimilar to modern men's shirt collars today. The Venetians seem to prefer the shirt collar turned down more often than not, where as the Florentines seem to like it standing, with a simple ruff. Keep in mind these are just generalizations, now. There can also be either red or black monochrome embroidery on the turned-down part of the collar. Cuffs of the shirt can be simple, or turned back to match the collar. When closures are visible, they seem to all tie with twisted (perhaps finger-braided) cords. I'll be making a shirt out of hanky weight linen with both turned back cuffs and collar to give it a more Venetian feel.
My final design sketch was influenced jointly by the first portrait above, by Tintoretto of a man with pinked red sleeves and slops, and the below Bronzino portrait of a Florentine man for the doublet and sleeve decoration pattern.
His doublet has simple bands of braided trim in vertical lines down the front and along the seamlines and pinked and trapunto corded sleeves. Here's my quick and rough design sketch for Nate's outfit:
You can see the doublet closely echoes both the Tintoretto and Bronzino portraits, and you can see my design for the sleeve detailing as well. I couldn't convince Nate to wear slops, and at any rate I'll be busy enough just getting the doublet ready. He'd prefer to wear turned down pirate boots, but if he can't score a pair, we'll have to force him into canions, stockings and a pair of period-esque shoes. If the sleeves can't be ready in time, he can wear just the shirtsleeves. He might be a touch underdressed, but at least he'll be a bit cooler.
Next post, the FABRICS! |
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| Calling all Venetian men.... |
[Feb. 16th, 2005|01:45 am] |
I have been appointed to wear my completed blue Venetian to the Atlanta Ren Faire in April/May, so that gives me a deadline and some motivation to get this project moving!
I am also taking a male friend of mine and he wants a linen shirt and doublet for the faire. Don't think I can talk him into trunk hose but canions are a possibility.
My question is this: Does anybody have any good Venetian men's portraits from 1550-60s era? The ones I have predominantly come across are religious figures or scholars in their long dark robes....this does not give me a good idea of Venetian men's doublet possibilities. Send me your portraits and links, I beg of you! Send them forth! |
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| Survey |
[Feb. 12th, 2005|09:03 pm] |
Found this on ~noxcat's diary and just had to use it.
1. What is your favorite fabric?
For wear and use - natural fibers. For utter beauty and quality of workmanship - Japanese silk textiles.
2. Best pattern you have ever used?
Drea Lead's online corset generator. I used it to draft 2 corsets and a bodice for my first Elizabethan.
3. If you had to choose to make a dress from either the 16th century or 18th century which would you choose and why?
16th century, it's always been my interest. I'm not too big on wigs and panniers.
4. Last costume book you purchased?
Janet Arnold, PoF
5. Do you prefer hand sewing or machine sewing?
machine sewing, except for blackwork. I have little patience.
6. What type of sewing machine do you own?
Kenmore sewing machine and White Speedylock serger
7. If you were given a choice to visit a museum to study costumes, what country and museum would you choose?
Well, the Nishijin Textile Institute in Kyoto, Japan is a prime choice. But since I'm already going to Japan in a few months, if I had another choice it would be the V&A.
6. Favorite costume designer---before 1945?
Err.....
7. Do you prefer to work with silk or velvet?
Silk. Lighter, and you don't have to fuss with matching the direction of the nap.
8. Cotton or Wool?
Cotton
9. If given the opportunity to be taught the craft of costuming by a costume designer from any era, who would it be?
Edo era kimono schools.
10. Silk thread or Linen thread?
silk
11. Given the choice would you choose to learn the art of dyeing fabric (natural or chemical) or the art of draping?
Dyeing, as taught by the Japanese. Definately a fine art. If you doubt my word, go and look at how yuzen dyed kimonos are made.
12. What is your dream dress?
Damn, this is a tough choice. Arwen's Blood Red or Funeral gowns, a cut velvet doublet with hanging sleeves and matching kirtle, any of the gowns in Pirates of the Carribean.....
13. Arnold or Hunnisett?
Arnold
14. What costume drama would you prefer to have worked on?
Lord of the Rings
15. Favorite Queen?
Isabella of Spain
16. If you could own only one costuming book, which would it be?
Alcega or Arnold
17. If you could only choose one embellishment for your gown, what would you choose?
blackwork
18. Feathers or fur?
Fur
19. Green or Red?
deep red
20. Assuming you own more than one vintage garment. Which piece would you donate to a costume museum?
Umm...I own several vintage kimono, one a wedding kimono of some value....probably that one, but I'd have to be pryed from it by force
21. What is the most comfortable - corset/stays/set or bodies you have worn?
The most comfortable is the built-in boning of my Campi bodice.
22. Embroidery or Tatting?
Embroidery
23. Lord of the Rings or Star Wars?
I have to CHOOSE?!
24. Favorite Costume Drama Actress?
Cate Blanchett
25. What was the last Costume you made and why?
Heh, I have three in various stages of completion: Cream and Burgundy Elizabethan: 95%, Campi peasant gown: 80%, Venetian: 30%. Why? Because I want pretty costumes, damnit!
26. Last costume drama DVD you purchased?
King Arthur. I want Last Samurai soooo bad.
27. What type of music do you listen to while sewing?
Depends. I have a rather ecclectic taste. I do handsewing while in front of my computer watching anime.
28. What inspires you to create a ensemble?
Seeing other great garb online or in film.
29. Would you prefer to be a costume designer or a costume technician?
Both! |
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| Quiz fun |
[Feb. 9th, 2005|11:06 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | dorky | ] |
| [ | music |
| | BOONDOCK SAINTS - THE HILLS | ] |
You know, I'm glad to know I'm going to end up as a Light Side Jedi, but a PINK lightsaber? I dunno if I'm cool with that. |
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| Venetian Jewelry Update! |
[Feb. 8th, 2005|11:28 pm] |
Well, the apron for my Campi is currently half done, and I got tired of hand-sewing so I moved on to the jewelry for my Venetian!
The ensemble consists of a girdle, the pearl necklace we see in almost all Venetian portraits and a pair of drop pearl earrings on thin gold hoops:
I apologize for the way the pearls glow, the flash on my camera really whitened them. I knotted the pearls (and they're real, btw :-) ) using the wonderful directions on Jessamyn's site. She has a fabulous Florentine gown made with some of the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen, so if you haven't seen her diary before, you seriously need to check it out.
The earrings are simple drop pearls hung from a brass pin with a decorative end, on a gold loop. The pin I used is also in the photo next to the earrings. I simply bent the end of the pin in a loop and threaded it around the gold hoop. Those ribbons I tied in bows to hide the ugly uneven loops that were the best I could do with an old pair of pliers. Does anyone know if decorative bows like this exist in period portraits?? I swear I've seen some on earrings just like this, but I can't find the portrait for the life of me. It might be Elizabethan rather than Venetian.
And, here's my girdle!
It's made of an assortment of handmade glass beads in various shades of dark blue, which I thought would contrast nicely with my lighter blue brocade. Inspirations for this came from the wonderful girdles made by Oonagh of Oonagh's Own and Alyxx of Immortal Longings. In the center are the much larger beads I plan on using to make the head of my ending tassel out of. That part is being problematic, so I thought I'd get what I had posted and leave it there. I'm very pleased with the look of the girdle, even in it's unfinished state. |
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| Campi Skirt is attached! |
[Feb. 3rd, 2005|01:47 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | jubilant | ] |
So, I got the skirt of the campi dress cartridge pleated and attached to the bodice. It's my first time attaching a skirt to the bodice directly, as I usually just pleat the skirt to a waistband and leave it separate. I think this worked quite well, though, and it really makes it feel more like a gown this way. So, pictures!
You can see that I made a slight slit in the front of the skirt to make it easier to get in and out, and I'll put a hook and eye there to keep it from gapping. I eased most of the pleats towards the back to give it a bit more fullness there.
My chemise is a bit problematic is terms of how it lines up: I actually bought it at a renfaire before I had even begun to get into making my own garb but wanted something to wear to faire. It's got elastic at the neckline and cuffs (gasp!) which makes it hard to get it to lie even on the neck. I may very quickly replace the elastic with a ribbon, which would more easily allow me to loosen it to lie the way I want it too. It also has raglan sleeves which I've discovered are a bit annoying. But I have utterly no intention of making another one.
Just for fun, I held up the length of fabric I bought to make my apron out of to see the color against the dress. It's a nice, wine red color. It will be fast, just hem the sides, fringe the bottom (if possible) and run a cord through the top to tie it on. I may put some simple blackwork at the bottom as well. View the combination!
(You can also see my cat Mitzi poking the tip of her tail around from behind me. :-) ) |
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| She LIVES!!! |
[Jan. 30th, 2005|06:29 pm] |
I haven't posted anything in months on here, and for that I apologize. However, most of the sewing I've been doing recently has been contemporary clothing, as I am about to start a job requiring office wear, and I don't have much in the way of nice professional clothing. So, I made some.
This is not a Venetian gown update, but instead a Campi gown update! I started an Italian peasant gown several months ago, inspired by the paintings by Vincenzo Campi, and also by the lovely Italian working class gown over on that ever-so-helpful Festive Attyre site.
I wanted a simple, cheap but relatively authentic peasant gown that I could wear on hot summer days, and also on camping events. My goals were: a)keep it cheap, b)make it look authentic, c)make it be comfortable and cool. I decided on going with cotton instead of the period choices of wool or linen mostly because making a gown out of real wool or linen would blow my budget right out of the water.
Here are my two main inspirational pictures, both by Vincenzo Campi:
The Fishmongers, 1580's
The Fruitseller, 1580's
The gown is most like the Fishmonger woman in design, with a very similar moss green color cotton, with heavier weight black cotton twill guards. I include the second picture because of the details of her chemise cuffs. I already own a chemise very similar to hers, and not having to make a new one will also keep my cost down.
I finished the last details on the bodice last night, namely finishing and attaching the shoulder straps at the top. View:
The bodice is self-lined, with a single layer of canvas for interlining. The guards are sewn down by hand (gasp!) as I didn't want any machine topstitching showing. I also plan to add one, possibly two, more guards at the hem, and we'll see if I'm dediated enough to also handsew those. The bodice is front closing with a simple ribbon. I took a page from the wonderful Festive Attyre's Jen, and used a ribbon to create a way to spiral-lace the bodice. I simpled sewed down a ribbon at intervals to each side of the edge, and the intervals allowed 'holes' through which to lace a second, smaller ribbon to hold the bodice closed. View:
You can also see the boning channels, two per side, in this photo. Campi's Fishmonger obviously has little to no stiffening in her bodice, but some other Campi paintings just as distinctly show some. Much less than any noble gown, though, these women had to be able to move! I used cable ties (for cheapness!) and only used enough to give me some shaping and support, but not give me a conical shape. There is quite a distinct curve when I wear the bodice, so it looks to be just enough.
Hopefully, I'll get the skirt attached to the bodice tonight. I've already marked the intervals for the soft cartridge pleating, and I'll attach it directly to the bodice. I've never had to gauge a skirt to attach it to a bodice with a point before, and I'm a bit unsure how it will work. We'll see. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 30th, 2004|09:21 pm] |
Today, I bring you: the PETTICOAT!
I was meaning to work on my bodice next, but my pretty, pretty silk shined out to me and said "Sew me! Sew me!" So I listened.
It's box pleated to the waist, with about 4 inches of flat gap at the front with no pleating. The hem is pinned, but neither ironed nor sewn. I did this in a very rushed manner, so I think it needs to hang for a bit and I'll check the hem again before I trim and finalize it.
I also retain a few delusions of chopine grandeur, and I'd like to have small (3-4 inch) chopines with this dress, which would change the hem length. In that case, I need to reserve some length via hemming it up in order to lengthen it later. Anybody know anyone who has actually made chopines?
The skirt itself was made from two rectangular panels and two large-ish gores. Here's my cutting layout:
This made for a nice hem yardage, and I should be able to wear this over a modest farthingale for Elizabethan clothes as well.
Next, on to: the BODICE!! |
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