What I did last night

I finished my mini bloomers with elastic through all the casings. I think they're pretty cute.

I got my beau's new Shipwreck costume ready - took a Navy button down shirt, shortened the sleeves and sewed on name tapes and a patch. Pretty easy. And hemmed his new pants - heavy jean bell bottomed style. Had to shorten them by six inches. Cut off 4 1/2 inches, then did a 3/4 inch hem. And I re-enforced the stitching on the waistband button.

Hopefully I'll have time before Trauma tomorrow to put elastic across the bottom of my spats.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

What I did this weekend

I think that an itemized list style list of what I did this weekend will work best, so here we go, my dearest readers -

1. Finished my spats. All that's left is the elastic strap across the bottom, which should be done in two shakes of a lamb's tail so no worries.

2. Worked on my Harley Quinn hat. Originally used a pattern that was much too large for my head so I had fun taking it in again and again and again. Finally got it to fit and then I think it was too small, so I added a bit to the face opening edges by using a spandex strip to finish the edge. Also hand sewed two snaps on below the chin to close it. Now I need to stuff the head thingies and hand stitch them onto the hat and then figure out how to do the pom poms at the ends. I'm thinking gathered lace to match the lace trim already sewn onto the body suit. Then I'll have an (almost) complete Harley Quinn costume!

3. I did some ironing - the dress that I had planned to wear on an airship outing yesterday but the weather did not cooperate and the fabric I purchased to make my parents' Christmas gifts.

4. Washed and dried the petticoat that I had planned to wear yesterday and did not end up using. I also moved the hook and eye closure so that the petticoat will sit at my waist instead of my hips. I've been safety pinning it pretty much since I made it, figured it was high time to fix it.

5. Painted the wings for my Halloween costume. It took a total of three cans of paint (one regular spray and two fabric spray paint, I decided that the fabric paint worked better) plus a tube of glitter (sprinkled on while the paint was wet) and some glow in the dark paint for accents. Hopefully they look fine with my costume on Thursday, otherwise I may be running to the store for new wings.

6. Worked on my mini bloomers - put together and cut out the pattern pieces, cut the pattern out of the fabric (decided to use green satin), stitched them together then pinned and stitched the elastic casings at the waist and leg openings. The pattern calls for button holes and ribbon to be threaded through the legs but I think that elastic will work just as well and be a mite easier.

7. Worked on a couple projects for my beau, including redoing the hem of the kilt I made him. It wants to curl up. I folded it up again and machine basted it. He said it looks okay so I'm going to hand stitch it and then remove the basting. Hopefully it works for him afterwards. I'm personally worried about the length, but don't know how else to fix the issue. I'm guessing that there's no enough weight in the hem for some reason.

8. Took apart my captain's spats and figured out how much fabric was necessary to redo them. I purchased said fabric but have not worked on the spats yet.

Current project list --
1. Elastic on my spats.
2. Elastic in my bloomer casings.
3. New Shipwreck shirt for my beau.
4. Spats for my captain.
5. Finishing my Harley Quinn hat.
6. Hemming my beau's kilt.
7. New Rebel Trooper shirt for my beau.
8. Imperial Officer uniform for myself (will tackle this for Mid Ohio Con if I have the time).
9. Next steampunk costume which I've already been thinking about and sketching.
10. And of course, there are Christmas presents to be made.

No rest for the wicked.

A bientot,

Miss Leah J Wilde

Halloween Update! 4 - Spats!

I know, I know, I fail at the whole pictures thing. Miss Dashwood has promised a photo shoot so hopefully I'll have some pictures soon, of several of my costumes.

Last night I finished one spat completely and have the second partially done. I cut the pieces out of pleather, leaving extra at the top and bottom to turn under and finish the edge, then flatlined all the pieces with the muslin. Then I stitched the pieces of both spats together and inserted the zipper into one. I tried the spat on over the boot, and while it doesn't look absolutely fabulous, it looks acceptable. I topstitched along the seams, partially for decoration, partially so the spat will lay better, then turned and finished the top and bottom edges and added three sets of eyelets above the zipper (I purchased 12" instead of longer zippers in the interest of saving money). I plan to lace them with a little of the organdy ribbon.

So all I need to do is finish spat #2, add elastic to the bottom of both, paint my wings (I plan to do that this weekend at my beau's) and make the choker, which I don't see taking more than a minute or two, depending on how elaborate I decide to get. I work both jobs today and so will doubtfully have any time for sewing and crafting, but hopefully should be able to finish the spats and choker tomorrow evening after work and attending church services.

Then it'll be on to the next project! A new set of spats for my beloved captain and a hat for my Harley Quinn costume. Both of which need finished before the first weekend of November aka TeslaCon / Mid Ohio Con weekend.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

EDIT - Oh and I have the mini bloomers to make! I downloaded and printed the pattern today. It can be found at http://www.colettepatterns.com/blog/colette-patterns-news/free-pattern-to-download-the-madeleine-mini-bloomers So all I have to do is put the pattern pieces together (the sucky part about downloading free patterns), cut out the pattern (trying to decide between white and green bloomers atm) and put them together. The pattern seems relatively easy so I don't anticipate it taking very long.

Halloween Update! 3

Hello my dear, beloved readers!

My costume (except the accessories) is finished! Last night I finished putting the eyelets in the corset (which will lace with white organdy ribbon) and took in the skirt. I also trimmed away the excess fabric from the sleeve adjustment on the blouse.

Now for the accessories!

1. I bought a blonde wig, shoulder length with bangs. I might style it but haven't decided yet, that will probably be determined on the day of Trauma. I'm tempted to add in green clip in extensions.

2. I bought white spray paint to paint my wings. They're currently green and purple but the green is too off, so we'll see how they look after a coat of white.

3. I haven't started the choker yet, but don't expect it to take long.

4. I did however work on my spats. I took the spats pattern I had and elongated it as the spats will be worn over knee high boots. Then I stitched the pieces of one spat together with a basting stitch and tried it over the boot - no go, the bottom fit fine, but the top was much too small. So I took out some of the stitching to determine where it needed to be widened. Then recut all the pieces adding about an inch to each of the front edges and about two inches to the back seam. Pinning took a little finangling and adjusting (and in one case, adding more fabric because the piece was too small to pin to its neighbor) but I got the pieces for one spat pinned and stitched. Then I tried it again. And it was pretty perfect, once you account for the fact that I'll lose some of the side seam when I put in the zippers. Since it fit perfectly now, I took the spat apart and used it as the pattern to cut out my muslin lining for the spats. All I have to do tonight is cut out the pleather and start sewing! Hopefully I can finish them tonight, or at least get a good start.

5. AND I found a free online pattern for mini bloomers. I'll either make them out of white cotton or left over Princess Leia fabric. Figured that works instead of buying white ruffle panties to wear underneath.

I'm almost there!

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Halloween update! 3 (still no pics, major fail)

Tonight I - Finished sewing on the snaps and hook closures onto the skirt. Hand sewed the bottom opening of the corset and finished the arm holes - stitched about 5/8 inch from the outside, trimmed away the muslin, turned the pleather and stitched it into place with a zig zag stitch. Tried everything on - the skirt needs taken in just a pinch in the back so that's pinned to take care of tomorrow. The blouse needed a sleeve adjustment, so I took care of that this evening: started an inch in from the current stitching at the top and tapered out as I approached the sleeve opening. I'll have to try it with the corset to make sure that it worked. The corset also needed some adjustment - took about two inches total off the front, just folded it back and stitched it into place. And I started putting the eyelets in. I need to pick up more eyelets from the store so I can finish it. But my new eyelet pliers work fabulously, at least once I figured out that the eyelets were two pieces (the old ones that I'm used to using were not two piece eyelets).

I'm almost there!

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Halloween Update! 2 (still no pictures - sorry)

The underbust corset is almost done. Just need to do a little handsewing to finish it off. Now for the play by play of the corset - started out with all the pieces cut out of white pleather and muslin. Stitched all the seams of the pleather with 5/8 inch allowance and it was too big so I went to an inch allowance and it fit pretty perfectly, especially taking into account that I'd lose part of the front when I put the corset together. Next I repeated the sewing with the muslin, this time just using inch seam allowances. Then I stitched about 3/8 from the edge of the seam allowance to make channels for the boning. I laid the boning on top of the muslin and cut it about two inches shorter than each channel to allow for the top and bottom seams. Next I basted all the seam allowances down. I trimmed both the pleather and the muslin where necessary then started pinning them together, right sides facing. I left the opening inbetween the back side seams open along the bottom to allow for turning when I stitched the two together. Then I trimmed the corners and turned the corset so that right sides were out. It might need some topstitching but my current plans are to just hand stitch the sleeve openings and the opening in the back that I left for the turning. Then it needs the eyelets put in and it'll be done (unless I decide it needs topsitching).

I also worked on my skirt. I handstitched two pants hook and eye closures on the skirt front so it can close in the back. Then I pinned and hand stitched the skirt front and back together about halfway up each side. The plan is to have another hook and eye on each side at the top and then a couple snaps inbetween the hook and eye and the stitching. That way, its a little easier than my current bustle skirt that is stitched on one side and closes w hooks and eyes on the other. I got one hook and eye and one snap sewn on, one hook and eye and about three snaps left to go.

I also sewed a few patches onto my favorite pair of comfy jeans - two red hearts and a penguin (for my readers that are unaware, I have a thing for penguins so I could not resist a penguin patch).

So the costume is getting there, just a few last minute things and then the choker. I also need to pic up a blond wig and a pair of ruffled white panties to wear underneath. Or maybe some dark green boyshorts. But I do need to get something. I'm also contemplating making white pleather spats to go over a pair of my boots. I was thinking of wearing strappy silver sandals which would look good, but then I can't wear anything on my legs and I might get cold. Readers - Any thoughts on boots vs sandals with a steamy saloon girl esque outfit for a fetish Halloween party?

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

And the sewing continues...

Last night I took in a jersey for a friend. Then I worked on my Halloween costume, which is coming along just swimmingly. :) The top is pretty much done, just need to figure out what I'm doing with the sleeves. The pattern calls for elastic but I'm tempted to leave them kinda poofy... I used 1/4 inch elastic along the top and 1/2 non roll elastic along the bottom. I thought it'd be better to hold the top down while I'm moving around. All that's left to do on the skirt is hand sewing on snaps and hooks and eyes. I tried the bottom layer idea I had and didn't like the way it turned out, so I just hemmed the second layer of the bustle and called it done.

So all I have to do is (1) figure out the sleeves and either hem them or put elastic in (2) hand sew closures on the skirt and (3) make the underbust corset. I'm also planning to make a little choker necklace to wear as well.

That's all for now, a bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Halloween Update!

Bonjour mes amis!

Well, I got quite a bit done this weekend.

Instead of going with a half circle as the base for my bustle, I decided to just put a waistband along the top. It lays better that way. I used a couple left over pieces to make the first layer of the bustle, which was pleated down to the length of the waistband. The two were stitched together and the waistband was folded down to finish the edge. I cut out both pieces for the next layer and stitched them together, sheer over satin. Then I stitched a gathering stitch along the top edge and gathered it to match the bottom of layer #1. Layer number 3 has been started - I took what was left of the sheer, cut it in two and sewed the two pieces together along a selvage edge. My plan is to fold it in half lengthwise, put a gathering stitch along the top and connect it to the bottom of layer two.

I also worked on the bodice. I basted the sheer to the satin. On the front, I folded the satin down so that some cleavage will be exposed through the sheer. Then I attached the sleeves and sewed the side seams. Next came stitching the elastic casings along the top and the bottom.

Still left to do -- (1) finish the bustle (2) finish the blouse - elastic and (3) make the underbust corset. Not too shabby.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Sewing Project Updates

Wow, its been a month since I last posted. I really need to be better about this blog.

1 - Princess Leia: Fully lined. Figured out how to do the hem but haven't done it yet. When I went to do the collar however, I realized that I messed up the neckline. I plan to add a piece so that the neckline fits correctly even though it will destroy my chances of using this costume to join the Rebel Legion, but I'm okay with that - I only planned to join because I figured why not just go ahead and join if the dress met their specs. So to finish I need to - fix the neckline, do the collar and hem the dress.

2 - Still need to do a hat for my Harley Quinn costume.

3 - Started my Halloween costume. I'm layering a sheer sparkle organza in a light green over a darker green satin. It looks beautiful but the layering process is a little annoying -- I cut two of each pattern piece - one satin, one organza. Then they're basted together along the edges to be used as one piece of fabric. Not a complicated process, just a bit time consuming. I have part of the skirt done, just need to do the bustle part of it and hem the front apron. Then I still have the blouse and the underbust corset (white pleather lined with muslin and boned) to finish. Hopefully neither will take too long. I promise to take and post some pictures so everyone can see the pretty pretty fabrics I'm using.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde