To Do List - Steampunk Empire Symposium and Work Clothes

For me:

• Need to find white or pink laces for my new corset
• Finish the lobster tail bustle
• 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.

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.
• 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. 

That's not too bad, really.

I also want to finish some new work clothes:

• The comic pants, which just need the zipper put in, the waistband finished and hemmed.
• The black and floral corduroy skirt.
• The striped corduroy skirt, which just needs the zipper, the waistband and the hem done.
• And the purple skirt that was once a dress that just needs the waist finished somehow.

Gypsy Steampunk: The Plan

Blouse:
I'm going to wear a white embroidered peasant blouse.

Corset:
As seen in previous posts, the corset is a vest-like design made from teal silk dupioni and trimmed in black and brown with buckles at the shoulders. All that needs to be done to the corset is the attaching of a couple D rings so I hang things (keys, jewelry, pockets, etc) from the corset.

Petticoat:
This is going to have a white broadcloth base and then black ruffles at the bottom that show beneath the crazy quilt skirt. Obviously, I can't really start this until the crazy quilt skirt is done so I get the proper length. The black ruffles are going to be a little random in size and shape as they are left over pieces from other projects. I'm thinking of trimming the ruffles in lace...

Skirt:
As seen in previous posts, the skirt for this costume is crazy quilted. Right now, stage one of the skirt is complete: all six gores have been pieced. Next up is stage two, embroidering over all of the seams where the pieces were put together. Stage three will be assembly - sewing the skirts together - and finishing - adding a waistband and hemming it.

Accessories:
I'm going to wear a headscarf (black trimmed with black lace and purple and teal ribbons) and lots of jewelry. I'm also wearing a coin belt and may be sewing little coins and such onto my clothes, or a scarf to tie around my waist.

So my next step(s) right now, is to finish the corset, talk to my mother about the embroidery and get that started, finish the headscarf and maybe trim out my petticoat ruffles. Once the skirt is finished, I can make the petticoat.

Paris Themed Late 1880s Ensemble - Post the First

Still in the planning stages, so these are just kind of my plans right now.

Patterns

Truly Victorian's 1886 Bordered Asymetrical Overskirt and 1872 Vest Basque Yes, I know, I'm mixing eras, an early bustle bodice probably shouldn't be worn with a late bustle overskirt. However, (1) I don't really like any of the late bustle bodices Truly Victorian has available, except for the French vest. (2) I already own these patterns, so I'm not spending money on the French vest pattern. And (3) It's steampunk, I work on a airship, I can mix eras if I want to.

Since I have no border print to use for the overskirt, I have decided to make my own.

Fabrics


Black and white Paris themed calico: This will be used in strips to make the 'border' of my overskirt. It will also be used for the vest and possibly the collar and cuffs of my basque.



Pink Satin: I have yards (and I do mean yards) of pink satin that was originally bought and used as curtains. My plan is to border it in the Paris print for the overskirt and use it as the main fabric in the basque. If I have enough, I may also make an underskirt, hopefully something more accurate than my current black one which will be the default until a pink one can be made.



Black heavy cotton, I think its target or trigger: This will be the interlining of the basque.

Black broadcloth: This will be the lining of the basque.

Accessories:

I'd like a new hat, but am unsure how to go about it. Neither hat patterns nor buckram frames are very inexpensive. I may look into purchasing a modern hat to use as a base and then decorate it. I want a Victorian-esque hat, not a tiny top hat.

I purchased a Paris pendant (on clearance) and would like to use it somewhere, either as jewelry or as a hat decoration.



Since this pendant has some blue / turquoise, I plan to wear some jewelry I purchased in Paris as a teenager -- a bead and wire necklace and bracelet in silver and turquoise and matching earrings.

To Do List to Complete by December 31, 2011

I think December 31 will make a lovely due date, don't you? Since I have no events to count down to until January.

My basic to do list:

• fall/winter sewing
• elf punk
• sewing for Miss Von Stoup
• Harley Quinn revamp
• patchwork skirt for gypsy-punk
• stash sewing: cream and black satin, black and silver plaid, purple linen, bright pink satin
• corsets

Progress so far and plans:

First up, Harley Quinn revamp in two parts:

• Comic book version: Made a pattern for the new collar. I need to make the new collar and make the cuffs.
  
• Steampunk version: Finished sewing trim around the jacket edges and to the skirt hem. I may need to purchase a little more trim.
  

Next, fall/winter sewing:

• I have two jumpers cut out and started pinning them.
  
• And I finished the Keeper of the Keys skirt.

As for my Christmas sewing...

• I finished the elf punk bustle.
• I'd like to make a hat for the elf punk ensemble.

And my gypsy punk costume is coming along.

• Patchwork crazy quilt skirt is started.
• And I'm thinking of doing a teal silk high backed corset vest if (1) I have enough fabric and (2) the silk coordinates well with the blouse.

I've made no progress on Miss Von Stoup's sewing. Nor have I started any of my planned stash sewing, although I did set aside a couple things -- the cream and black flocked satin is sitting with the pattern I plan to use and I bundled some black and silver plaid with the leftover flocked chiffon from the underskirt. I have more plaid somewhere.

Oh and I need to make a toaster cover for a Christmas present. But I forgot to measure the toaster...

What I'd like to get done this weekend:

• Pink full skirted jumper.
• Navy slim skirt jumper.
• Harley Quinn collar.
• Work on crazy quilt skirt.
  

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

Daily To Do List - April 13, 2011

With Marcon swiftly approaching, I've decided to start daily to do lists. They may progress to weekly, but this one at least is what I'd like to accomplish this evening.

• First of all, Rachel has a fitting for her corset tonight. Hopefully, I can get her corset to fit her perfectly, and then perhaps sew the cotton / denim pieces together.
  
• Finish the Captain's Ren Faire tunic. I've already taken it in, but it lays a little odd. My plan is to cut off the excess fabric, see how it lays, redo the vents if it still lays oddly, and finish the seams.
• I'd also like to repair his hooded vest, which has a seam that's starting to tear. That will be hand sewn.
• I'd like to talk to Miss Dashwood about her Steamnun and what (if any) patterns she wants to use. I won't start her costume until Rachel's corset is finished, but I'd at least like to have a mental concept.
• If possible, I'd like to work on my Persian steampunk vest. Perhaps put the lining together, as that will be the easiest part. And since I can't really do the brocade until I dye the silk faille since that will be the pocket facings as well as the skirt.
  
• Maybe work on my Ottoman vest embroidery a little. I have all the pink around the outside edge finished, next up is either more spirals or pink around the armholes. I'm also probably going to be putting a little pink in with the spirals.

I think that's probably more than enough for this evening, don't you?

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

PS The vivandiere costume may not happen. I've rather lost interest and I'm feeling time crunched so I don't know if I want to take on another project, especially such a big one.