Mid Ohio Con / TeslaCon Prep

Last week I worked on sketching and planning out both my next steampunk creation and my Imperial Officer / Juno Eclipse uniform. I've got patterns and pattern modifications planned out and sketches of what I want to do. Right now I'm trying to decide if I can make the jacket of my steampunk outfit out of spandex with the matching underskirt out of a different fabric but the same color. I'd like the stretch in the jacket (and I already have the fabric) but don't want a knit skirt. By the way, the two will be separated by a patterned bustle.

What I did this weekend -

1. Finished my Harley Quinn hat, classic version. It took some work cuz the jester pieces just weren't the right shape and size but I finally got them right, stuffed and hand sewn onto the hat. Then I hand stitched gathered lace pompoms onto the ends. My beau thinks I should add bells, we'll see. I would like to get the bra section sewn in - I originally cut out lining for the top of the suit, and had pinning bra cups into the lining, planning to hand stitch them in. I recently sewed the bra cups into place and now all I need to do is hand stitch the lining into the suit and I won't have to wear a bra under it (which always shows).

2. Worked on my beau's new RFT shirt, using a few tutorials found online. Cut the backs out of two shirts, made them into rectangles, stitched along the sides and the top, turned it right side out, stitched the bottom closed (then had to open the bottom and redo the sides because the bib was too wide), stitched one side of the bib to the shirt, then started sewing snaps on the other side. The plan is to sew about three more snaps down the side, maybe one or two at the top and put either a snap or a hook and eye where the top button used to be - this will hold the shirt close and hold the bib in place.

3. Worked on Captain LaGrange's spats. I used his old pair as a pattern and added seam allowances when I cut out the white canvas. I then used the canvas as the pattern to cut out the red and black brocade lining. I sewed all the seams of both sides (had to redo one of the canvas pieces because I put it in upside down), clipped the curves, ironed the seams flat, then stitched the lining to the outside along the top and bottom. Next I pinned in the seam allowances on the sides and top stitched all around in black thread. All that's left is removing the buttons from the old spats, sewing buttonholes on the new spats and sewing the buttons onto the new spats. Oh and sewing elastic across the bottoms.

So my to do list right now for this week is --
1. Spats for my captain - buttons, buttonholes and elastic.
2. Finishing my Harley Quinn - bra.
3. New Rebel Trooper shirt for my beau - snaps and hook and eye.
4. A wrap to go with Queen Gorgo - planning to just buy some muslin and tearing the sides so it matches the dress. No sewing required.
5. Velcro on a tshirt for my beau.

Other things on my to do list --
6. Hemming my beau's kilt.
7. Imperial Officer uniform for myself, definitely won't be done for Mid Ohio Con.
8. Next steampunk costume.
10. And of course, there are Christmas presents to be made. I'll probably actually tackle these before I start on the next costumes for myself.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde