MARCon photos!

First up, an outfit and person I came to admire: Jess from Ties that Bynde corsets. Isn't she pretty-ful? (photo by Jeff Carlisle)


The following photographs are all from Miss Dashwood's camera:

First up, the three musketeers of multicultural steampunk: Miss Von Stoup is on the left in her Asian inspired jacket (by me), I'm in the middle wearing my Persian steampunk ensemble (with a very curly black wig) and Miss Dashwood is on the right in her new rajpunk outfit, inspired by Buddist nun's robes (also by me, with a corset she special ordered).


Next, a single shot of me:


Of Miss Dashwood:


And of Miss Von Stoup:


All of the above photos were taken Friday at our Steampunk Around the Globe panel.

On Saturday, I decided to wear my Persian vest with a black tank top and leggings. You can sort of see it here as Miss Von Stoup and I molest a stormtrooper.


From Saturday night, Miss Von Stoup and I as Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. We wore these for the steampunk fashion show.


The following photographs were taken by Corielle Riddell.

Me as Harley Quinn, showing off the necklace my beau bought me. It's a claddagh pendant with an amethyst as the heart.


Miss Von Stoup and I as Ivy and Harley with Captain LaGrange.


Miss Von Stoup showing off her Ivy makeup that was done by Miss O'Hare from the Archon.


Another shot of Miss Von Stoup and I as Ivy and Harley.


And another shot of me in my Persian steampunk:


And finally, a picture of me as Gorgo!

My MARCon Schedule

FRIDAY

I'm presenting two panels:

4 pm Victorian 101 in Fairfield
10 pm Steampunk Around the World in Madison

SATURDAY

I have the panel I am most looking forward to --
10 am Making a Bustle in Champaign

SUNDAY

I am being used in one panel as a prop --
11:30 am Costuming for Your Body Type in Champaign

And I have one panel to present --
1 pm Steampunk and Neo Victoriana in Delaware D

So I have a total of 4 panels I'm presenting, another that I'm helping with as well as numerous panels that I hope to attend.

I'll post next week and give you all the details and pictures from the weekend!!

Last Minute MARCon Prep

I made my beau a toga. Why he couldn't just pin it like a normal person I don't know. Sigh. Sewed two side seams and hemmed the top and bottom. It'll pin at the shoulders and he's gonna wear an Imperial Officer hat, belt and badge.

Good thing I decided to just go as Gorgo huh? Cuz its the hat and badge from my costume. Oh well.

There is however enough left over to make myself a little black toga if I wanted to match him.

I also finished the Asian jacket. Hand stitched the collar in place and put on a white Chinese frog closure at the neck. I'll drop it off today or tomorrow.

And now I should really leave for work.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Details on MARCon Prep

Details on my finished MARCon preparations:

• Miss Von Stoup's jacket - Cut out and put on the collar, with a layer of interfacing. Just need to hand stitch it down on the inside to finish the seam. Put on yellow bias to finish all the edges. All it needs is a closure.
  
• The Captain's pants - Taken in successfully.
  
• I'm not doing a SW toga, I'm just going to wear Gorgo. But we need to go shopping for fabric for the beau's toga, who is now going Star Trek inspired with two of our friends.
  
• Shortened my Imperial Officer uniform skirt. It now hits above my knees.
  
• No bustle help was needed.
• I do need to go over Miss Dashwood's raj punk outfit and pull out threads, but that's a little project.
  
• I went to Sally Beauty, got the proper supplies and bleached and dyed my hair on Friday.
• Decided against the extension pigtails.
  
• I've been researching and planning my panels.
  
• And I'm mostly packed.
• I need to go to the store for a few little things, but that's it.

In other news, I started tie quilting the beau's quilt!

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

MARCon Prep...

is DONE.

I feel like I'm missing something...

Things to Do Before MARCon

MARCon starts a week from tomorrow!!

I started packing last evening. Which translates to I threw some things in a bag and put costumes in my garment bag. I also figured out what I will likely be wearing to the Contraptions concert Thursday evening.

My to do list is rather small, but I still have things to work on:

• Miss Von Stoup's jacket - We had a fitting yesterday and it fit just fine. I need to cut out the collar and attach it. I'm thinking of finishing the edges with bias, but I need to run it by her first and then purchase some. But the fabric has a little stretch to it, so just hemming all the edges isn't going to turn out very well.
  
• The Captain's pants - I need to see if I can take them in, or if I should cry failure.
• Get fabric and safety pins for the Star Wars inspired togas that my beau and I plan to wear to the toga party. If we're still doing this.
• Shorten my Imperial Officer uniform skirt. Its not 501st acceptable anyways, so why not make it just a little shorter? I hate the current length.
  
• Help my fellow Archonite with her bustle if she needs it.

I also need to:

• Go to Sally Beauty to get bleach, dye and extensions
• Bleach and dye my hair
  
• Construct blonde pigtails from said extensions
  
• And research and plan FOUR panels for MARCon: Victorian 101; Steampunk around the world; Making a Bustle and Steampunk & Neo-Victoriana
• Oh and pack. I might just need to take care of that.
  

As I mentioned before, next week is very busy (concert Monday, work Tuesday, concert Thursday) so I need to get the majority of this finished this week and weekend.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

MARCon To Do List - May 16, 2011

I'm sad to say that I made no further progress on my sewing after my post Saturday night. Well, not really 'sad' -- I enjoyed a day doing nothing actually. But I do feel a bit guilty that I didn't work on my sewing projects.

So here's what I need to accomplish over the next week:

• Finish inserting the zipper into Miss Dashwood's bustle DONE
  
• Cut out the collar and put together Miss Von Stoup's jacket. PROGRESS Jacket is put together, but I want her to try it on before I put the collar on.
  
• Take in the Captain's vest. I might not be able to take in the pants, I plan to call my grandmother for advice. They have a double waistband, just taking them in is going to be very bulky. I fear I may need to take the seam apart and put it back together. PROGRESS Vest has been taken in. Now to figure out those damn pants...
  
• Get fabric and safety pins for the Star Wars inspired togas that my beau and I plan to wear to the toga party.
• Help my fellow Archonite with her bustle if she needs it.

I also need to:

• Bleach my hair, which I'll probably do over the weekend
• Find blonde extensions and construct blonde pigtails
• Research and plan FOUR panels for MARCon: Victorian 101; Steampunk around the world; Making a Bustle and Steampunk & Neo-Victoriana
  

I hope to get most of this done this week, because next week is very busy.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Just a little progress and weekend sewing plans

First of all, while helping my fellow Archonite last evening, I finished my Persian hat! Huzzah!

Secondly, I packed the following projects in my sewing bag for the weekend (in order of likely sewing, depending on my mood): Miss Von Stoup's Asian inspired jacket, the Captain's last two alterations, and Miss Dashwood's utility bustle. I also packed the patterns and muslin I cut out a few days ago for my playsuit. I am very eager to start on that project.

I plan to use the bodice of the walkaway dress, altered to have side seams and a back zipper / front buttons, not really sure yet. I'll also use the skirt to go over the playsuit, it will definitely have buttons.



And I'm going to use the shorts from this out of print Simplicity pattern that I have in my stash.



Wish me luck! Oh how I love franken-patterning!

And now I'm off to work and then to Cincinnati!

A bientot my dear friends!

Miss Leah J Wilde

UPDATE - Tonight I: (1) sewed the zipper into Miss Dashwood's bustle (2) pinned the Captain's alterations, but I'm not really sure how one is going to work out... (3) cut out Miss Von Stoup's jacket and (4) worked on my playsuit pattern for a bit. Not too shabby for an evening's work.

Update on MARCon preparations

As many other bloggers have commented on, we are missing posts, a fact that will supposedly be remedied but...

So I figured I'd summarize my last couple posts, and give my weekend to do list while I'm at it.

First of all, the Confederate uniforms are being set aside for the moment. I'm instead going to focus on getting Miss Von Stoup an Asian inspired jacket for our "steampunk around the world" panel.

Full MARCon to do list

• Helping a fellow Archonite make a bustle. She's coming over tonight.
  
• Finishing the Captain's alterations
  
• Finishing the hat for my steampunk Persian costume. All I have left to do is a bit of hand sewing and the elastic to hold it on my head. DONE
  
• Putting a zipper into Miss Dashwood's utility bustle.
• Asian inspired jacket for Miss Von Stoup.

Most of this is going home with me this weekend to Cincinnati. An unexpected trip but a necessary one. I'm hoping to get the Asian inspired jacket mainly finished, as well as the bustle alteration and the hat, and hopefully finish the Captain's alterations as well.


In non-sewing news, before MARCon I need to:

• Dye my hair - bleach it out and dye it a lighter shade of blonde
• See if I can find extensions and make pigtails for Diamonds Are Forever or hunt down a wig
  
• Research and prepare panel presentations. So far I'm doing Victorian 101, Steampunk and Neo Victoriana and Steampunk Around the World

And for your viewing pleasure, my Persian hat!

Pants Idea for Persian Steampunk

So a customer bought this pattern today and I couldn't help but think "those pants might be cool w my Persian costume..."



Done in white to match the bodice. Oh maybe I can even do them in eyelet...

I just think they look interesting and slightly exotic. In other words, perfect for Persian.

By the way, I still haven't named this costume...

Bonne nuit!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Picture Time!!

From WindyCon 2009 - steampunk saloon girl (Photo by the Reverend Captain out of Chicago):



From MARCon 2010 - Victorian vampire with Miss Dashwood as my human servant (photo from Miss Dashwood's camera)



From Ohayocon 2010 - one of the many incarnations of my burgundy and black outfit (taken by Lindsay)



From Ohayocon 2011 - the only picture I have of "Lady of the Ottoman Empire" (and that's my beau next to me) (photo by Pete Taylor):



From Gothcoming 2010 - another incarnation of my burgundy and black outfit (photo by Miss Van Eycke of the Airship Archon)



Ohayocon 2011 - Steampunk Gotham City Sirens. I picked this picture because it shows my bustle very well. (photo by Jolt Photography)



From our photo shoot this past weekend - Time Traveler. I like how my hood looks in this picture. (photo by CThomas Photography)

Progress on the Confederate Uniforms

Miss Von Stoup has been working on her skirt and estimates completion this evening or Thursday at the latest.

I worked on my jacket last evening, putting the sleeves together and putting them in. Then I tried the jacket on and realized...

I'd put the sleeves in incorrectly.

Sigh.

I'll have to take the stitching out and try again. Not. Happy.

I think the jackets are going to get topstitched. I have pins along the top of the jacket for this purpose.

I may have a fitting issue with the collar but its a little hard to tell with the gigantic sleeve issue.

After setting mine aside for the evening, I started taking in Miss Von Stoup's jacket. I got three of the four seams done and ran out of bobbin thread on the fourth. Already upset from my earlier issues, I turned off the machine and the light and left the room.

Last evening, Miss Von Stoup and I discussed the possibility of making her a Mandarin inspired jacket before MARCon. Our reasoning is that we have a "Steampunk Around the World" panel and she has nothing to wear. So its a definite possibility that our uniforms will not be complete (which I already suspected anyways). Oh well, we'll have them done and perfect for Dragon*Con.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

MARCon To Do List - May 9, 2011

Hopefully I can get more done this week. My only plans are working tomorrow evening, hanging out with friends Friday evening, work Saturday and then clubbing. Sunday is plan free. So I should have plenty of time.

You know the drill. Recap of the last week:

• I repaired Miss Dashwood's utility bustle.
• I finished my beau's new vest before the photo shoot Sunday (and then he didn't go to the photo shoot).
  
• I finished my Persian skirt.
  
• We had a fitting for Miss Von Stoup's jacket but no more sewing has been done.
  
• And I don't know about her skirt progress.
• And it wasn't on my list but I worked on my jacket and my Persian hat. Both are coming along quite well.
  

And now for this week's to do list:

• Finish my Confederate jacket. I need to put in the sleeves, hem the sleeves and the jacket and sew on snaps to close it. Then of course comes the buttons and braid...
  
• Finish my Persian hat. This is almost done, I just need to put in elastic to hold it on my head and the turban-esque wrapping. I may add some decorations...
  
• Work on Miss Von Stoup's Confederate jacket. This still needs a lot of work...taking in, facing needs put together and put on, collar needs put on, sleeves need put in, everything needs hemmed and then comes the braid and the buttons...
  
• Do one of the Captain's alterations. I really need to get these finished.
• If I get around to it, putting a zipper into Miss Dashwood's utility bustle so that the back bustle part is a functioning pocket.
  

What I need to do before Marcon -

• Steampunk Confederate Vivandiere Uniforms - I need to finish both jackets and then see about putting on the braid and buttons before the convention.
  
• Finishing the Captain's alterations
  
• Finishing Steampunk Persian costume - Making the hat. And I need to name it.
• Putting a zipper into Miss Dashwood's utility bustle.
• NEW ADDITION - Mandarin inspired jacket for Miss Von Stoup and possibly a bustle as well.
  

In non-sewing news, before MARCon I need to:

• Dye my hair - bleach it out and dye it a lighter shade of blonde
• See if I can find extensions and make pigtails for Diamonds Are Forever
• Research and prepare panel presentations. So far I'm doing Victorian 101 and Steampunk Around the World

After Marcon --

• Pants to go with my Persian outfit. Deadline - June.
• My playsuit / skirt combo. Deadline - Fourth of July.
  
• Scarlet Spider for a fellow Archonite. Deadline - DragonCon
• Fix my Ottoman costume. Deadline - DragonCon
• Improve both the Confederate uniforms and the Persian outfit. Deadline - DragonCon

Miss Leah J Wilde

MARCon Progress, slowly but surely

Yesterday, I hemmed my Persian skirt. So all that needs finished is the hat, which I also worked on. I'm going for a 'when pillbox met turban' feel -- white gauze with some brocade, with a strip of white gauze wrapped around for the turban feel. Its loosely based on a Racinet illustration:



Actually the entirely thing started with this illustration. The costume is based on the girl who's second from the left and second from the right. The underbust jacket was a major inspiration, and the hat looks to be a pillbox turban. With the use of the white gauze in the hat, it seemed natural.

The hat is coming along nicely: the outside is stitched together (the crown has netting and buckram for support, the top has heavy interfacing) and the lining is also put together. All I need to do is stitch the outside and the lining, finish the edge and add the turban elements.

I finished my beau's vest -- yesterday I did the buttonholes, today I sewed on the buttons and bought new cording for the lacing in the back. I think it looks quite spiffy myself.

I made myself a dress. They sell presmocked fabric during the spring and summer. All you have to do is sew the back seam and you have a dress. I have one that I made when I first started sewing, and I wore it a lot last summer so I decided to make a new one. The old one is actually hideous -- bright pink with dark pink leaves on it. The new one is nicer - black with colorful flowers. I did the seam today, I'll wash it tomorrow when I do a quick load of laundry.

Tomorrow I need to work on my Confederate jacket, after our photoshoot of course.

Bonne nuit!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Weekend Sewing Basket

In order of when it needs done, what I have packed to work on this weekend (even though I don't know how much will actually get done, since my weekend is about as busy as this past week was) --

1. Vest - need to sew the buttonholes, slice them open and sew on the buttons. I need to finish this by about noon on Sunday for the photo shoot.

2. Persian skirt - needs hemmed (might work on this at work tomorrow) DONE

3. My Confederate jacket - need to finish putting it together

4. Hat making supplies for the Persian hat

5. Patterns for my playsuit / skirt combination

And the Time Traveler is all packed for the photo shoot!

A bientot,

Miss Leah J Wilde

More Progress! Vest is Almost Done!

The first thing I worked on tonight was Miss Dashwood's bustle -- it just needed a quickie repair after all. With that taken care of, I moved on to my beau's new vest.

I put together the lining then attached the lining to the outside, leaving a space to turn as is my usual. Curves were clipped, corners were trimmed, then I turned it, arranged everything accordingly and pinned the turning opening and the armholes. Those were stitched closed in the space of about two hours. Then I put eyelets in the belt, found some cording and tied the belt closed.

By the way, the belt idea came from A Tailor Made It - http://atailormadeit.blogspot.com/2011/05/19th-century-waistcoat-finished.html I saw this vest and fell in love and had to take inspiration from it.

All that's left is doing the buttonholes and sewing on the buttons. I found nice red buttons with a little detail around the outside. He'll likely wear it with a red tie, so red buttons (as well as red cording on the belt) seemed like a good option.

I'm a little sad that I didn't get to Miss Von Stoup's jacket, but I was slightly distracted by the "Four Days of Dragon*Con" documentary. I saw several people I know -- Miss Dashwood, the Captain and a couple that I know from the 501st. I think D*C is a valid excuse for not getting more done, but I am rather satisfied with my work so far.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

MARCon Costume Plans (updated on 5/13/2011)

With 13 days to go, here's a little sneak peak at what I plan to wear at MARCon this year:

• Persian inspired steampunk costume
• Time Traveler
• Gorgo which will be worn to the toga party
• Both versions of Harley Quinn -- Comic bodysuit and Diamonds are Forever
• If I can find the missing pieces - my Imperial officer and maybe an imperial officer toga for the toga party
  
• And...a friend is going to let me borrow her old Slave Leia costume so we'll be running around in those at some point.
  

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

A little Marcon progress...

I cut out the back lining for my beau's vest and pinned it to the front lining at the shoulders and side seams. Tomorrow I hope to get it sewn together and get the lining put into the vest.

I also stopped by Miss Von Stoup's and fit her jacket. I am happy that I went with the larger size because if I'd gone smaller (with the size the size chart suggested), I don't think the jacket would have fit over her ample bosom. I took in (although its just pinned now) the side seams and the front seams, at the bottom and at the top, but not over her breasts. I may also try to get the alterations to the jacket stitched tomorrow, but the vest is more important to me at the moment.

Bonne nuit, dormi bien, a bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Marcon To Do List - May 2, 2011

Bonjour!

As Marcon reminded me on Twitter this morning, 25 days til the convention.

Let the panic begin.

I have a busy week this week (concert tonight, work tomorrow and Thursday evenings and friends coming into town Friday night) so I don't know how much I'm going to get done. Unfortunately. So this is going to be a very conservative to do list.

First of all, a recap of what I accomplished last week:

• I asked Miss Von Stoup about her skirt and she plans to finish it this week.
  
• I cut out Miss Von Stoup's Confederate jacket.
  
• And I started working on the jackets. Both have the main body put together and mine has been fitted.
  
• My Persian steampunk skirt is almost finished.
  
• I put together my Persian bodice.
  
• And I still haven't worked on the Captain's alterations.

Okay so here's my (conservative) to do list for this week:

• Repair Miss Dashwood's utility bustle
  
• Finish my beau's new vest before the photo shoot Sunday - The main part has been put together, including darts, attaching the 'belt' at the side seams (it goes across the back), sewing on a pocket for his pocket watch and putting the lapels on before I did the shoulder and side seams. I need to cut another back out for the lining, put the lining together, insert it, hand stitch where necessary and then do the buttons and buttonholes.
  
• Finish my Persian skirt - Just needs the hem done.
• Fit Miss Von Stoup's jacket and take in where necessary. I plan to stop by her abode tomorrow after work for the fitting.
• Make sure she finishes her skirt.

While short, I honestly think this is probably all I can accomplish this week with my aforementioned busy schedule. If I can get more done, I will.

What I need to do before Marcon -

• Steampunk Confederate Vivandiere Uniforms - I need to finish both jackets and then see about putting on the braid and buttons before the convention.
  
• Finishing the Captain's alterations
  
• Finishing Steampunk Persian costume - Hemming the skirt. Making the hat. And I need to name it.

After Marcon --

• My playsuit / skirt combo. - Current idea is a navy playsuit with a red white and blue skirt. We're contemplating a trip to the lake for the Fourth and I just love the idea of a patriotic sundress to wear. And I can sunbathe in the playsuit without having to slather myself in sunscreen to protect my tattoos. Deadline - Fourth of July obviously.
  
• Scarlet Spider for a fellow Archonite. Deadline - DragonCon
• Fix my Ottoman costume. Deadline - DragonCon
• And probably improve both the Confederate uniforms and the Persian outfit. Deadline - DragonCon
• I want to make a pair of pants to go with my Persian outfit for our Steampunk Invasion of the Santa Maria that is planned for June. I'm thinking bloomers or possibly salwar... Deadline - June.
  

That's it from me today, dear readers! A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Weekend Sewing - Trying to Finish 4/25 To Do List

Less than a month til Marcon equals a very rushed and panicked Miss Wilde.

I just finished my Persian bodice. I hand stitched the overlay along the top in the car while going to meet friends for a birthday luncheon. Then I basted the zipper in on the way home. I tried on the bodice and it was still a little big (I'd taken our a couple inches when I basted the zipper in) so I took out a little more, pinned it, tried it on again and it was now pretty much perfect, so I handstitched the zipper in. And that part of the costume is DONE.

I also worked on my Persian skirt -- the waistband is stitched in place and the closures are stitched on. Just needs hemmed.

I worked on my Confederate jacket. The body is put together and taken in to fit me. I think I should have gone with a size smaller but taking it in worked.

I'm trying to get a new vest made for my beau before the Airship Archon photo shoot next weekend. Fingers crossed it works out. Its cut out and I've started putting it together. I can do this. I want him to look snazzy for our photo shoot. I will be wearing the Time Traveler, by the way.

That's it for now! A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde