Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Summer Sewing Plans

It's been a while, dear readers, and I do apologize. I've just been ... caught up in life I suppose.

Right now I have several projects underway.

1. I still have that jacket for my friend T lying around.

2. And I have a commissioned jacket that I have one little week to finish. I'm starting to panic a bit on that one, honestly. It's Mad Moxxi from Borderlands. I had to paint stripes on the jacket, which meant removing the sleeves so I could paint said sleeves. So now I have to put the sleeves back in, put in the lining, then work on handstitched trim. Plus I have to MAKE striped fabric (white satin + ribbon) for the collar and cuffs. Oh, and then there's the buttons and the snaps and...And I have a week from tomorrow to get this finished.

3. I'm in talks to work on some Lolita style items for a member of the Airship Archon.

4. And I promised my dearest Sarah that I'd shorten a dress for her.

With all that out of the way, I've also started a retro inspired summer wardrobe for myself: black and red gingham plaid shorts and a matching top (maybe even a plain circle skirt trimmed in the plaid...); a red pique pencil skirt; a black and pink plaid pencil skirt (for which I'll be matching the plaid!); brown on brown dotted capris; a measuring tape patterned cotton circle skirt; a turquoise and white striped seersucker 40s style blouse; a pink floral 60s style shift dress (my first use of a vintage pattern!); a pink and white floral print top of some sort; blue embroidered linen for a skirt of some sort; white on white striped sateen that I think is going to be a wrap top; Paris print top using a dress bodice pattern; and I have some green and gold floral print that I'm going to make something out of, I just haven't decided what exactly yet. Patterns I'm using: this Simplicity 1960s retro suit for the red pique skirt and I think the pink and white floral blouse; my first vintage sewing pattern experiment; this Simplicity 1940s vintage top (view C); a couple out of print McCalls patterns that have 5 different lengths for pants and skirts for the shorts, capris, and pencil skirt; and a few different random dress patterns (mostly retro reprints or retro inspired - Simplicity 3780) for the other skirts and tops. I also have this top, something my mother found in my grandmother's things, that I think will go perfectly with the brown capris.


The whole inspiration behind this wardrobe is my vintage Samsonite luggage and a planned vacation in August. I want to go on a trip with my oh so pretty luggage and I decided my wardrobe should be appropriately retro as well. :)
I have a retro reprint sundress that's almost done as well. Just needs a little bit of handstitching, the skirt lining and then the hemming before its complete. It may go with me on my summer vacation, but it's white so I don't know if that would be a good choice... And I'm making a Star Trek comic print circle skirt. That's more just for me, for fun, than for this wardrobe idea, but I may be able to incorporate it. That's probably first on my list because I need it for something in just a couple weeks.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Completed Projects as of May 22, 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
  • Chemise, petticoat and additional ruffled panel for the petticoat of my pink and white steampunk underwear ensemble.Before SES I also made a little shrug from some stash white fishnet to wear with this.
  • Green and gold corset and bustle finished before the Steampunk Empire Symposium. This was mostly stash - green sateen and green fringe from my stash, gold lace was bought mainly cuz it was pretty and a good deal and just enough for a little bustle, purchased gold biased trim, boning, and eyelets.
  • Green cotton lobster tail bustle. (finished in early April)
  • Comic print pants (finished in early April) - Stash / UFO
  • Striped corduroy skirt (finished in early April) - Stash
  • Teal pintucked taffeta underskirt (finished May 18) - Okay this technically needs a waistband closure, but its wearable, just needs a safety pin to hold it closed that's all. And this was purchased fabric and thread, stash ribbon for the waistband.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Steampunk Empire Symposium 2013

Friday: From Justin B Greathouse on Facebook, from left to right Justin (I assume), the Captain, Rachel, myself in my black and burgundy ensemble (complete w last minute decorated hat), the ever so lovely Miss Sarah Hans and Gloria, wearing a corset and bloomers she made!   
Friday: Myself and Sarah during the opening ceremonies. Photo by Sally Van Eycke.
Saturday morning before our bustle panel: Gloria in her diesel punk suit, myself in my Peppermint Candy Cane underwear and holding several items for show and tell during our panel
Saturday: Presenting the Airship Archon! (I'm in the middle, just behind the Captain, wearing the Governess, but without the blouse because it was rather warm inside the convention) Photo by Brian Kollig on Sally Van Eycke's camera.
Saturday night: my green and gold 'steam stripper'. Photo by Sally Van Eycke.

Sunday: myself in Time Traveler with my friend Leanna Renee Hieber, famous author and actress. Photo by Sally Van Eycke