First Project for 2014 is....

REGENCY!

Is anyone else surprised? Because I kinda am. lol A friend (Dixie, you all know her!) wanted to start a historical costuming group and I said I was down, so we started one. Central Ohio Costuming Society, you can find us on Facebook. And then I read on one of the blogs I follow (The Victorian Needle) that there's a Regency Ball in Michigan in March 2014. I asked Dixie if she was interested and bam! I'm making an outfit in the one era I thought would be the last I tackled. I did a little research, and I could get away with a redingote or something (the ball covers 1790 to 1825, so I do have a little leeway) but I found and fell in love with the open gown so full on Regency it is! Albeit early Regency.

So, my to do list:

1. Regency undergarments: Short stays, chemise and a bodiced petticoat. I already have fabric for the short stays -- white 100% linen and 100% cotton canvas that I found in the remnant bin at Joanns. If I can get on it, I'll do the stays for the HSF 2013 One Metre challenge, if not it'll just go with the rest for the HSF 2014 Under It All challenge.
2. A gown, this will be in white as it seems to be the most common. Plus it'll be easy to dress up or down.
3. And an open robe, probably in pink (for the HSF pink challenge!) in a sari if I can find one I like.

I'm planning to purchase Sense and Sensibility's Regency underthings pattern as well as her Elegant Lady's Closet pattern for the gown. I'll use her tutorial to make the bodiced petticoat based off the gown pattern. And I'm not quite sure on the open robe yet. There aren't a lot of patterns for it out there, so I may have to learn to enlarge and or drape patterns. Eeep.

I also plan to make:

4. A spencer, by cannibalizing the aforementioned Joker coat. It's corduroy which I know they had, but I doubt ladies spencers were a common thing to make from it. But I really love the color so I'm doing it anyways. Since I'm re-using fabric, I'm doing this first to get it done for the Make Do and Mend HSF challenge. I'm going to use the Simplicity Regency dress pattern I have and figure out a pattern for this.
5. A sleeveless spencer, out of some turquoise dupioni silk I have. I don't have a lot left, but it should be enough for a cute little bodice to fancy up my white gown.

What's in Miss Wilde's Sewing Basket - Thanksgiving Edition

Here's what I'm taking home this week to work on over the holiday:

1. Fleece for the pajama pants for my cousin's boys (still need a pattern)
2. Pajama pants for my brother and nephew so I can put the elastic in and fit them. My nephew's look really small, I hope they fit :/
3. 18th century stays pattern along with material. I'd love to cut the interlining and do a fitting but don't know if that'll happen
4. Corduroy tailcoat I made for my former beau's steampunk Joker costume. I'm going to start ripping it apart so I can make myself something (details to follow on that!)
5. Oh, and the embroidery I bought in Plymouth
6. And I plan to have the materials for my friend's baby gift (which I need to buy today) so I can work on that as well. I was given little notice for the shower so it's gonna be a rush job!

I know I won't get to everything, but that's okay.

And of course, my mother's finished scrub top. I just hope she likes it.

Historical Sew Fortnightly 2014 - Edited 11/20

Okay, I'm really gonna do the 2014 HSF, I swear!

I hope!

The Dreamstress has announced the following challenges so far:

1. Make Do & Mend, due January 15. The idea for this one is to fix issues with something and get it ready for the new year, or to re-purpose fabric into something new for your historical wardrobe. No idea what I can do for this one right now, but I'm thinking about it.

2. Innovations, due February 1. "To celebrate the way inventions, introductions and discoveries have impacted fashion, make an item that reflects the newest innovations in your era." Not sure what I'll do for this one either, maybe something black, or white (innovations of dyeing and bleaching respectively) or one of those corsets I have to make (innovation of front fastening busk) or a hoop skirt because that was definitely an innovation...

3. Pink, due February 15. Oh I can definitely think of something pink to do. Maybe an 18th century petticoat.

4. Under It All, due March 1. How perfect for me! Since I need to make all sorts of undergarments. I'll just have to make sure something is done by March 1st!

Christmas Sewing #1

I finished my mom's scrub top yesterday!

I had issues with the neckline, and eventually just decided that it would have to do after the third try even though I'm still not happy with it.

The scrub top is penguin tested, penguin approved.

And I may have also made myself a little triangular headscarf out of left over fabric to wear during the Christmas season.

To Do List Update!

1. Hand quilting my embroidered quilt.

2. Purple corduroy skirt is DONE! Finished it yesterday. Actually, it's a little big (how the heck did THAT happen? cuz I've used this pattern more than once) but it's wearable. I do want to take it in though.

3. Christmas circle skirt is also DONE! It needed hemmed and a zipper. Took care of that yesterday, then tacked down the facing today, tried it on and took it in a little bit.

As for the Christmas sewing:
- Pinned the first set of seams on the scrub top for  mom
- Cut out my nephew's pj pants and pinned the first seam. Also pinned the first two seams on the pair for my brother.
- Haven't worked on the pjs for my cousin's boys yet (I don't know their measurements!), or the apron for my father (don't even have fabric for that one), or the apron for my cousin (no fabric for it either), or the pillowcase. I do have the fabric for that, but I need to buy the pillow first so I can make the right size pillowcase. She just wants a travel size pillow for him. I probably need to make her other boy a pillowcase as well, out of something interesting, maybe dinosaurs.

To Do List - Deadline December 31, 2013

1. Hand quilting my embroidered quilt. Obviously, I don't really expect this to be done, but I might surprise myself. Hand quilting is addictive, people! I sit down almost every night and do a few lines.

2. Purple corduroy skirt. This just needs a zipper.

3. Christmas circle skirt. I think all this needs is hemmed.

4. Christmas sewing: Scrub top for  mom (the deadline on this one is actually Thanksgiving). Pj pants for my brother, nephew (I'd like these put together by Thanksgiving as well, for fitting) and my cousins two boys. And probably an apron for my father, because Joanns has Clifford the Big Red Dog fabric! (his name is Clifford, thus my excitement). Oh and an apron for my cousin but that doesn't need finished til January. And a little pillowcase out of train fabric for one of my cousin's boys.

I think that's everything! Man, I really need to get on this Christmas sewing thing...Maybe I can get some done this week since I took time off from job number two. I want to get the house decorated as well.

Completed Projects as of November 12, 2013

• Finished Suicide Squad Harley Quinn for Ohayocon
• Embroidery portion of my embroidered quilt
• Keeper of the Keys corset
• Baby quilt for my cousin's little girl
• Quickie zebra print, elastic waist skirt
• Pink and white steampunk underwear ensemble.
• Green and gold corset and bustle.
• Green cotton lobster tail bustle.
• Comic print pants
• Striped corduroy skirt
• Teal pintucked taffeta underskirt 
• A new nursing cover for my sister in law in Dutch themed cotton prints.
• Red and black gingham shorts with matching bodice, sleeveless jacket and black circle skirt trimmed in the gingham. I finished the skirt sometime towards the end of July. I bought the fabric, but used a stash pattern and thread.
• Red pique pencil skirt.
• Pink and black plaid pencil skirt.
• Star Trek wrap circle skirt.
• White striped sateen wrap blouse.
• Paris printed cotton bodice.
• 60s shift dress in pink scroll cotton.
• Dotted swiss sundress and matching reversible jacket.
• Green knit shrug.
• Measuring tape printed cotton circle skirt.
• Brown capris.
• Commissioned Mad Moxxi costume!  
• Denim high waisted shorts (finished before July 29th). Purchased fabric, stash everything else. I may have bought the zipper, I don't remember.
• Pink high waisted shorts (finished before July 29th). Purchased fabric remnant, stash everything else.
• Blue embroidered linen dress and cropped pullover. No idea when I finished these. Purchased fabric and pattern (dress); stash thread, pattern (pullover), and I think I purchased the zipper for the dress. Oh, stash bias tape as well. 
• Converted a pair of capris into a skirt for my mother. 
• White eyelet 60s shift lined and trimmed in lilac cotton. The eyelet and thread were stash, and I used my vintage 60s shift pattern, everything else was purchased.
• Lolita commission for a friend: I made her three skirts for Teslacon. Finished before September 23rd.
• Jacket commission for my friend TerAnn that I started earlier this year. Finished in early October.
• Black satin jacket and skirt, natural-form-esque for Pandoracon, trimmed in vintage gold satin. Stash pattern and thread, purchased all the fabric. Also made a petticoat, purchased fabric and crinoline. Stash thread and lace. Finished early October.
• Turquoise corduroy 60s jumper from another vintage pattern. I purchased a zipper, but everything else was stash. I don't remember when I finished it.
• Striped pencil skirt, from the Echino fabric I bought in New Hampshire. Stash pattern and thread, purchased zipper. Again, I don't know when I finished it.
• Cream corduroy pencil skirt. Purchased fabric, thread and zipper, stash pattern. Unknown finished date.
• Navy corduroy pencil skirt. Purchased fabric, thread and zipper, stash pattern. Unknown finished date.
• Disney villains wrap skirt. Purchased fabric, stash thread and pattern. And OMG is it awesome. I wore it on Halloween, but I totally plan to wear it all year round. Finished before Halloween.
• I finished the quilt I started like a decade ago! I tied it on October 26 and bound it the next day. The quilt top, binding (which I made) and yarn were all stash, I bought the backing and some needles because I couldn't find mine.

2014 To Make Wish List

Okay, so I know its only November, but one of my sewing friends (Dixie) recently made a similar post so I figured I might as well start the thinking and the planning. After all, it's never too early for planning!! We're actually trying to start a historical costuming group in Columbus, so let me know if you're interested!

First of all, I think I'm going to start making a change from steampunk / pseudo historical dress into sewing more historically accurate clothing. This has been stewing for a while, so it's not really surprising that I'm making the leap.

So without further ado...

1. I still want to make an 18th outfit. Starting with a shift and stays, then an under petticoat (since a skirt is a petticoat when we're taking 18th century) and some sort of gown. I personally love the Robe a l’Anglaise for some reason. Or maybe a Robe a la Piemontasse. Or maybe just a jacket and a petticoat.  My indecision is why I figured I should just start with the undergarments!

2. I've been obsessed with the Civil War pretty much as long as I can remember. I used to doodle ridiculously full skirted dresses when I was in school. And had Civil War paper dolls, I think from when we went to Gettysburg. I blame my father for the obsession, by the way, because it's totally his fault Mr. I Have Union and Confederate Kepis hanging on my wall. Anyways, I've decided to finally give in and make a Civil War dress.  The full nine yards -- corset, shift, drawers, hoop, petticoat, and (again) some sort of dress. Also if anyone knows of any female reenactors in Ohio, I want to be friends with them. Connect us, please!

3. As some of you may know, I'm a genealogist. And I have a few favorite ancestors, one of which is my great great grandmother Minerva (Dupre) Fink. My mother recently gave me a bunch of old pictures (imagine the squee-ing the resulted), including what we believe to be their wedding photo. I'd like to recreate her wedding ensemble. They married in 1901, but since they lived in Ohio, I'm guessing she's dressed more in the late 1890s style: high necked, slightly poofy sleeves. Unfortunately, the picture is only from the waist up, so I'm going to be doing a lot of guessing. Again, this will be corset, shift, drawers, petticoat and then the dress / blouse and skirt.

Looking at this year's sewing to do lists, I'd like to finish a couple other projects next year as well that are already begun:

4. I cut out the overskirt for the sari ensemble that I want to do. I used Truly Victorian's 1886 Bordered Asymetrical Overskirt. I'd like to get that put together. And make some kind of bodice to go with it, I just don't know what yet. So it's on the to do list, but maybe not very high up on it.

5. I'd also like to finally make the 1884 Wash Overskirt (also Truly Victorian). I traced it a while back, but didn't feel like starting on it. It'll be out of grey satin to go with my Governess costume and trimmed to the nines in whatever I can find to trim it in.

Other things I'd like to do (also from my 2013 list, but not started yet):

6. I still want to do something Regency (another era I'm obsessed with). But again, I'll want to start with accurate undergarments. I actually know less about this era than others, so if I'm wrong in this forgive me, but accurate undergarments will probably mean a chemise, stays (but much different than 18th century stays), and a petticoat (or bodiced petticoat) and then a dress. And I still want a spencer because they are much too cute NOT to own one!

Added on 11/18:
7. I'd also love an Edwardian corset because they are so freaking beautiful, but I pretty much have no reason to make and wear one.