Steampunk Empire Symposium is THIS Weekend!

Adelaide, shuttle for the Airship Archon, is all packed and ready to make the flight to Cincinnati for a rendezvous with the rest of the crew!

The Archon is presenting NINE panels this weekend: Victorian Inebriation, From Disaster to Dashing, Steampunk 101, Steampunk 210 and Steampunk 320, Charm Swagger and Bravado, Prominent Posteriors, a Make and Take for modding a weapon and Prop and Costume Alchemy. I'll be serving on the Prominent Posteriors panel about bustles as well as Steampunk 210. And probably poking my head into several of the other panels to check on everyone, because I was recently made the official Convention Liaison for the Archon. *pauses for applause* lol This is the last convention that someone else in my group will be organizing panels for, so I'd like to get a step up for the next convention by knowing what's going on in our panels.

Packing is always a hard decision but here's what I decided to take: my new pink and white underwear set (dubbed Peppermint Candy Cane Underwear), Time Traveler (because I haven't worn it in a while), my Black and Burgundy set, the new 'steam stripper' in green and gold, as well as The Governess and some of my Black and Silver set because it can be mixed with the Governess. I'm pretty pleased with my choices, but packing always makes me feel like I'm choosing one child over another.

If you're there this weekend, come check out my panels! Prominent Posteriors is at 1 pm on Saturday and Steampunk 210 at 11 am on Sunday! Besides the Archon's always informative panels, there's loads of other panels to choose from (including a corsetmaking demo by Jessica from Ties that Bynde!) on a variety of topics, including workshops where you can make things! Plus there's the Symposium Games and music!

I'm just a touch excited for this weekend. lol

Shuttle Adelaide departs in t-minus two hours!

When Last We Saw Our Sewing Heroine...

...she needed to spend her weekend sewing (1) a corset (2) a bustle (3) a shrug and also (4) test run new costumes.

(1) The corset is coming along nicely. It's boned (I used cable ties and lighter plastic both), has a zipper, and the lining is put together. I need to stitch the lining in, finish the edges with the bias tape I bought, put on the trimmings, put in the eyelets, make a little watch pocket and sew it on and sew on a D ring or two. I'm even putting in bra cups because otherwise I would have had to take in the bust.

Wow that sounds like a lot...

(2) The bustle is DONE. Just need to play with the ties a little bit.

(3) The shrug is also DONE and fits fine

(4) I haven't tried on the pink and white underwear yet, and I'm also gonna need to try out  the new steam stripper.

And I need to PACK! The convention is a week from tomorrow. A WEEK!!!! (Yes, I am in pre-con panic mode, thank you for asking lol)

And now...for some costume porn!

This is my first overbust corset.

One half of the corset done, including boning

Eyelets, d rings, bra cups, boning and bias tape? Must be corset making time!

And the finished Lobster Tail bustle!

In other news, I went fabric shopping the other day. I picked up some quick dry performance knit (running clothes), a yard of white Swiss dot to go with the blue I have in my stash for a new dress, and some teal taffeta for an underskirt to go with my Pink Paris jacket and overskirt. I went shopping with a new client, so I have the stuff for her commission as well.

Steampunk Empire Symposium Preparations!

To do list progress!

• Need to find white or pink laces for my new corset - DONE! I still need to do a trial run of the outfit though...
• Finish the lobster tail bustle - I worked on this, but ran out of boning. I'm going to hit up the hardware store tomorrow (payday) on lunch
• New 'steam stripper' outfit - Is coming along nicely! The bustle is DONE, except for any sort of closure but I think I might just safety pin it this time and worry about a more permanent closure later. I decided to go with a corset, which has been cut out and the basting has begun. I might not line it though...haven't fully decided on that yet.
• And I want to make a little shrug to go over the pink and white underwear, I cut out a piece of white fishnet, just need to sew it up!
• I finished the little vest for my stuffed penguin to wear. I was going to trim the black side in the some trim I used on his hat, but didn't have enough.
• Comic pants - DONE
• Striped corduroy skirt - DONE

Everything for my friend is pretty much on hold, because she decided to skip the convention. :(

Almost complete steam stripper bustle apron

And I stitched up this hole in my BRAND NEW lace fishnet tights

So I've got this weekend (most of which I'll be either working or at an Archon event) and next to: (1) make a corset (2) finish a bustle (3) make a shrug and (4) test run my pink and white underwear. That's actually not too bad...

To Do List - Mostly Steampunk Empire Symposium Preparations

For me:

• Need to find white or pink laces for my new corset - Have a couple ideas for this, just need to go hunting
• Finish the lobster tail bustle - I misplaced this, but found it yesterday. It's pinned and ready for the boning channels to be sewn. Should be able to finish it over the weekend (I hope!)
• Maybe make a new underskirt for my Pink Paris ensemble, in a vibrant color like yellow or teal, if I can find some fabric that I like enough. - With everything else going on, and with needing to narrow down my packing list, I decided to not take this outfit to SES, so I don't need a new underskirt.
• Although I decide that I needed a new 'steam stripper' outfit (short bustle with matching top) and bought this:

For my friend (she will be helping me with a lot of this):

• Jacket and skirt to go with her new corset. I'll be making the jacket, and maybe assisting with the skirt if necessary. - The jacket is well underway. I cut and basted the lining and used that for fitting. I added a few inches to accomadate her (she's a little larger than the measurements given on the pattern) but ended up basically taking almost all of those added inches out. The fashion fabric is almost all cut out, and ready for construction! The skirt is also underway, its just a simple underskirt - one seam, elastic waist, hem. All I'll probably need to help with is the hemming.
• Chemise and bloomers, also to go with her new corset. I think she'll be doing most of the work, but I'll likely be assisting her. - She bought a pattern and when last seen, was planning to get it cut out yesterday.

Also for the Symposium, I decided this was necessary:

New work clothes:

• The comic pants, which just need the zipper put in, the waistband finished and hemmed. - Just needs a tiny bit of handwork on the waistband.

Comic pants, when almost completed. Still needed the hem and waistband finished at this point. I did end up taking them in a little tiny bit.

• The black and floral corduroy skirt.
• The striped corduroy skirt, which just needs the zipper, the waistband and the hem done. - Also just needs a bit of handwork on the waistband.
• And the purple skirt that was once a dress that just needs the waist finished somehow. - DONE (as long as its actually wearable...)