The Airship Archon at Pandoracon!

This weekend, a handful of the Archon crew will be attending Pandoracon in Cincinnati and presenting three panels on steampunk:

• Steampunk 101 at 5 pm on Friday
• Steampunk 210 at 11:30 am on Saturday
• Steampunk on a Budget at 5:30 pm on Saturday

All three panels will be in Windsor Center. 

Pandoracon is a small sci-fi fantasy convention, so it'd be a good starter con for anyone who is new to this! I believe online sales are over, but I know badges are available onsite as well. The convention is at the Atrium hotel in the Tri County area of Cincinnati.

More information about Pandoracon can be found at their website.

As for me, I will be sitting on all three panels, moderating / leading as is usual. I started packing. Sorta. I have the costumes I think are going in my garment bag (black and grey with the square overskirt, teal skirt which I may or may not wear, Diamonds are Forever, Confederate Vivandiere, and the new black and gold ensemble will go as well...I think that's it...)  I'm also planning to take the green and gold saloon girl-esque outfit (to be worn with leggings or tights) and my cream and black Victorian underwear to wear on Sunday.

I really need to finish packing...

What Has Miss Wilde Been Up To?

I started the lolita commission. The cream overskirt is ready for a try on and the grey tiered underskirt needs a little work, but it will be ready soon. The red overskirt is on hold because I don't have ribbon for the ties and its too hot to iron the seams. (90s all week + no central air = no ironing, among other things)

Other than that, I've been working to get things finished for my upcoming trip to New England! You know, that whole retro summer vacation wardrobe idea.

So far, I've made:

1. Brown capris (that I liked better when I actually wore them, in case you were wondering)
2. Red and black gingham high waisted shorts with a matching bodice (the bodice just needs ribbon ties on the halter neck before it's finished)
3. Red pique pencil skirt
4. Black and red large gingham plaid pencil skirt
5. Star Trek printed cotton wrap circle skirt
6. Measuring tape printed cotton circle skirt with pockets and I'm in the process of adding tabs to the waist to solve a little fit issue
7. White striped sateen wrap blouse
8. Black and white Paris printed cotton blouse
9. Pink 60s shift dress from a vintage pattern
10. White and blue dotted swiss dress

What I hope to make before I leave:

1. Finish the blue linen dress that I've barely started
2. A cropped pullover top from the leftover blue linen (it'd look great with those brown capris!)
3. Another pair of high waisted shorts, probably in denim
4. Black wrap circle skirt trimmed in the red and black gingham to coordinate with the shorts and bodice
5. Maybe another 60s shift dress (I definitely want another one, just don't know if I can get it done before vacation)
6. And if I end up with extra time, that 40s seersucker blouse. Which I have started, I just can't get up the interest to work on it

What's in Miss Wilde's Sewing Basket today? The measuring tape skirt and tabs. The blue linen dress with interfacing (okay, its really leftover poly cotton broadcloth from lining the Swiss dot dress because as you know, I really hate interfacing) for me to hand baste.

After all the sewing is done, then of course comes the best part -- the PACKING FOR VACATION.

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.

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

Weekend Sewing Plans

Tonight I want to get one alteration done and start putting the jackets together. I'll probably do Miss Von Stoup's first as it will more than likely require more alteration than mine. UPDATE -- Got the body of her jacket put together: front to side front, back to side back, shoulder and side seams are basted. No alterations though. I went and had my hair cut instead.

What I need to take to my beau's this weekend --

1. My Persian bodice and skirt for hand sewing
2. Supplies for making a hat for my Persian costume
3. My Confederate jacket
4. Fabric and pattern to maybe make my beau a new vest
5. Patterns for playsuit / skirt combo. Current idea is to use the walkaway dress pattern and a short pattern.

And now I also want this -

But I want it black with red and white diamonds. Thanks to Tuppence Ha'penny for the idea!

That's it for now!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Marcon To Do List - Week of 4/18/2011

Okay, readers, here's what I need (or would like to at least) get done over the next week:

• Finishing Rachel's corset - It's almost done, all that's left are the eyelets and a little handsewing around the armholes and where I left an opening to turn it after stitching the lining to the outside. (one to two hours)
  
• Miss Dashwood's Steamnun - I need to have Miss Dashwood try on her tunic and then finish it, and then figure out the length of the skirt, hem it, sew the casing, put in the elastic and sew the back seam. (two hours, maybe three)
  
• Steampunk Confederate Vivanidiere uniforms - These WILL be started this week. Fabric has been purchased and prewashed. We are starting the skirts tomorrow. (two to three hours for the skirts, probably four to six hours for each jacket, so a total of eleven to fifteen hours for basic construction. Embellishment will add to that time considerably.)
  
• Fixing my Ottoman bustle. (two to three hours, if that)
• Maybe finish one of the two alterations remaining for the Captain.
• I'd also like to start quilting my beau's quilt, but that's obviously not for Marcon.
  

And here's the full Marcon to do list:

• Finishing Rachel's corset
• Finishing Miss Dashwood's Steamnun
• Steampunk Confederate Vivandiere Uniforms
• Improving my Lady of the Ottoman Empire - bustle and vest
  
• Finishing the Captain's alterations
  
• Finishing Steampunk Persian costume (including naming it...)
  
• Adding lace to Miss Dashwood's bustle if she purchases lace soon enough.

I'm slowly checking things off at least. I'll be going to visit my parents over Easter weekend so I need to decide what I can work on down there, because while there is a sewing machine it is not easily accessible. I'll probably take the Ottoman bustle and vest, and maybe the quilt if I get backing for it. And a pattern that I would like my grandmother to help me with -- I'm obsessed with having a playsuit / suit combination like the ones Whirling Turban sells
(http://whirlingturban.com/boutique/boutique_detail.php?id=366&c) I have a dress pattern I'd like to use, but I need the shorts portion of the playsuit. Grandma may need to help me with the quilt as well.

I'll probably be heading to bed soon, after packing up my things so I can head back to my place tomorrow.

Bonne nuit, mes amis. Dormi bien.

Miss Leah J Wilde