Projects in the Pipeline - February 2016

Since I posted about all the things I finished in January, I figured the next step would be to let you all know what I've been working on in February!

1. 1955 Butterick retro reprint Star Wars BB-8 dress:

 2. Civil War (my deadline is like TWO MONTHS AWAY), part of my 2016makenine

3. Everything else is in these piles: two tshirts for myself using leftovers from other projects; a BurdaStyle wrap cardigan (on my 2016makenine); a commissioned sarong for a friend; a flannel nightgown for my little cousin; a kilt from an old pair of jeans for my dad (!); a 1970s denim skirt; two scrub tops for my mom; a button up shirt for my brother (also 2016makenine); a 1950s dress for my little cousin; some gifts for a couple of my favorite female wrestlers; and a 1950s dress for me out of Cinderella fabric.  The BB-8 dress is also in that pile.



Current Deadlines:
1. Green scrub top for mom by March 1st
2. A dress for myself by Easter March 27th: What says Easter more -- Star Wars or Cinderella? :)
3. I'd like to also make my cousin's dress by Easter
4. Civil War by April 8th

Fall/Winter Sewing Update -- Trying to Prioritize

The current priority is making three wise men costumes for the church musical.  I honestly wanted to say no when I was asked, but then I thought "God gave me this talent, I should use it FOR Him." So I'm making them.  The worship pastor seems thrilled and keeps bragging to the choir about me making the costumes so I guess I'm doing alright with them so far. lol

Current status: Both collars are at the hand-sewing portion for the trimmings as well as the Velcro closures (might machine that actually).  Both belts are cut out.  One tunic and one coat are cut out, not for the same wise man of course.  Two tunics will be cotton, those will wait til Thanksgiving because I need to iron the fabric first and I don't have the ability to iron several yards of fabric at my place, my ironing board is too small.  In total I need to make: two collars, two belts, three tunics, two coats, one cape, a crown, a fez, and a turban.

After that, finishing my winter coat is probably the next priority.  It just needs the buttons and buttonholes.  I'm actually wearing it unfinished, I figured I can either belt it or just wear it open. 

After that, Christmas projects are probably the next priority.  I need to redo our family stockings for my mom (I've got them cut out and pinned, just need to sew and then do the felt cuffs).  Then I've got the bath wrap for my dad (which is cut out), pajamas for my nephew, and then pajama pants and a nightgown for my cousin's kids. 

After that, it's finishing other in progress / cut out projects, which might get worked on if I need a break from the wise men.  I've got two jumpers for my cousin that just need the shoulder buttons.  Brown leggings cut out for me.  Lining the top section of my new workout leggings, they're done but the fabric is rather more see thru than is acceptable so that needs fixed.  1930s Paris vest, I finished the skirt but the vest is still mostly cut out.  I bought more fabric so I can finish it since I ran short.  I also have my mid 19th century chemise and drawers cut out but those aren't a major priority.

Actually, the undergarments might need to be a priority, my deadline to finish that outfit (undergarments, hoop crinoline, and dress) is early April, which is only a little more than four months away...

Rest of my to do list (roughly) in order of importance:

1. Sweater fleeced hooded cardigan: Fabric is prewashed and pattern purchased, haven't started yet. I obviously need this for the winter so it needs to get done sooner rather than later.
2. T-shirts:  I bought myself more knit the other day -- black and grey striped, cream, purple/pink (there was a remnant left, took that to make mini-me a matching tshirt), and grey and navy striped. And a green knit remnant for mini-me.  I just want more actually wearable tshirts.  Then I could get rid of some of the lower cut ones and older ones that I have now.
3. Jeans from a Burda download pattern: fabric prewashed and pattern printed but not put together. Obviously having another pair of jeans that (hopefully) fit is a priority.


Recently finished projects:

1. Penguin hooded jumper and two tshirts for my little cousin.

2. T-shirt for myself. And I love love LOVE that pattern.  The neck is high enough, the sleeves are long enough and the shirt length is practically perfect.  Which is why I bought more fabric for more t-shirts. :)
3. Workout leggings (kind of since they still need work to be wearable in public)
4. 1930s Paris print skirt.

Other projects in pretty much no order of importance:

1. I'm thinking a coordinating workout top, out of left overs plus a remnant I picked up.
2. Cinderella dress
3. 1930s dress
4. Simplicity knit dress
5. Another scrub top for my mom.
6. Slips -- I need these by spring/summer at the latest
7. Wrap sweater from a Burda download pattern
8. Bought a 1970s reprint Simplicity skirt pattern that I think would be perfect for the denim skirt I was wanting to make.

Update on my Year End To Do List

Update on my Year End To Do List:

 1. Finish the elephant baby quilt - DONE

Finished baby quilt! And my friend LOVED it! :)

 
2. Finish the Teslacon stuff - yeah, didn't really finish any of this...
3. Finish a pair of purple leggings I started last winter - These aren't done either...but I did buy some knit for the waistband so I can hopefully finish them soon!
4. Grey and black plaid jumper -- DONE

Finished plaid jumper

Which I'm actually wearing today. It's actually a little shorter than I usually like (I almost always wear my skirts a little past my knee, or at least to the middle of my knee) but since I'm pretty sure I'll always wear it with tights (it's heavy flannel) I think it'll be okay.

5. Star Wars print 1930s style skirt -- DONE

Fabric and pattern

Finished skirt! totally love this pattern by the way, so I'm sure I'll be using it again

6. Knit tunic using my funky dress pattern from McCalls -- Cut out but haven't put together yet
7. Black 1950s dress with snowflake overskirt -- in progress, hopefully I can make a big post on this later with all the details :)
8. Black specialty mesh petticoat for said dress -- Haven't started yet
9. Fix my mom's Christmas scrub top and make her a new one -- DONE

Mom's new Christmas scrub top.  The other one was enlarged with gores of red and white dotted cotton on the sides.

10. 1940s hooded blouse and trousers from Eva Dress -- I don't think this will happen
11. Nightgown for grandma (if I have enough of the fabric that she wants me to use) -- or this
12. and start a cosplay for Ohayocon -- or this
13. Christmas pajamas that I somehow started for myself -- I just need to add cuffs to the sleeves of the top (they're too short) and this will be done

I bought the penguin flannel for new pajama pants and decided to make a matching top using left over fabric from enlarging my mom's scrub top.

Partially constructed pajama top.

So that's what I've been up to!  Sorry for the sporadic blog posts, my goal is to be WAY better with this next year. I hope. Fingers crossed.

End of 2014 To Do List

My to do list is probably too long, as always, with less than three months left in the year, but here we go:


First of all, where I am on Teslacon preparations:

1. Rococopunk: the stays have been done, the hoops are done, the jacket needs a lot of work, the stomacher needs finished, the knee breeches are almost done. I need to figure out / make a hat and probably (hopefully) make spats.

2. The Harley Quinn improvements are DONE

3. The fichu may or may not happen

4. I don't know if I'll bother fixing my time machine purse either

5. I still need to make a garrison hat for my main airship uniform, but at least I found a pattern

6. The braid onto my polonaise is DONE

7. So is the black bustle apron. 

Dream projects won't happen, except for maybe black drawers, just quick and easy ones based off of a pajama pant pattern with elastic. I'm really pretty much focusing on the rococopunk and the garrison hat, nothing else is really that important at this point.

Now for the actual to do list:

1. Finish the elephant baby quilt
2. Finish the Teslacon stuff
3. Finish a pair of purple leggings I started last winter
4. Grey and black plaid jumper
5. Star Wars print 1930s style skirt
6. Knit tunic using my funky dress pattern from McCalls
7. Black corduroy 1950s dress with snowflake overskirt, probably with a slightly narrower or shorter skirt because I don't think I have enough fabric
8. Black specialty mesh petticoat for said dress
9. Fix my mom's Christmas scrub top and make her a new one
10. 1940s hooded blouse and trousers from Eva Dress
11. Nightgown for grandma (if I have enough of the fabric that she wants me to use)
12. and start a cosplay for Ohayocon

Told you there was too much on it!! Most of it shouldn't be too hard though. I hope.

What HAS Miss WIlde Been Up To?

It's been FOREVER since I've posted, which was kinda expected gearing up to Teslacon but I figured a little update would be nice. So here's a whole bunch of pictures of what I've been up to over the last...almost two months.

First up, some vacation photos!!

What I wore: Star Trek circle wrap skirt. My new funky sixties esque Zodiac dress. Blue linen dress (I ran through the rainy fields of Shiloh wearing this actually). Disney Villainesses skirt. Travel sunset-dress. Train skirt. Striped circle skirt.

Star Trek skirt with new petticoat taken prevacation

Funky sixties esque dress in action above the Mississippi River in Memphis

Travel sunset-dress in action above the clouds at Point Park up on Lookout Mountain. They called it the Battle above the Clouds for a reason.

And at our hotel in Chattanooga which was an old TRAIN STATION

Train skirt in action on the rails...

And on the train.

Finished striped circle skirt taken pre vacation

Circle skirt at a shopping area in Gatlinburg

I also bought some sewing things while on vacation, a pattern and a Civil War quilt pattern book.

How could I resist buying a Civil War era pattern AT a Civil War Battlefield?!?! (Chickamauga btw)

And since our train station was built in the early 1900s and since we were staying on a train car, I decided to take my Edwardian undergarments for photos.

Okay, now for a little of what I've been up to lately:

I made my mom a new scrub top:

And I've been working on a baby quilt for a friend / coworker:

And I had a bad day a while back so I worked on my charm quilt. I have like 70-80 charm squares so far. I need 400-500 for a quilt. This might take a while.

There's also been a little Teslacon prep:

My polonaise got a red stain on it, and despite our best efforts, it refused to be removed. So I had to cut it off. I'm currently in the process of sewing about three more yards of braid on.

I originally wanted to complete three new outfits for Teslacon: Victorian swimsuit (which is done), Rococopunk and a blue and green sari ensemble. With all the other things going on, that's not going to happen. So my goal is to finish the rococopunk for Teslacon and move the sari outfit back for SES in the spring.

And, of course, when I start to think about what to pack, I add to my to do list...As of now, here's what I'd like to do: rococopunk (which needs a LOT of work), finish the Harley Quinn improvements, make a fichu for my lower cut dresses, fix my time machine purse, make a garrison hat for my main airship uniform, finishing sewing the braid onto my polonaise, and make a black bustle apron.  If all that gets done, the dream projects are a red petticoat, gold purse cover and spats to match my polonaise, some black bloomers / knee breeches (these might be done as part of the rococopunk) and a fancy pencil skirt.

All that, and I'm stuck at work. And out of town this weekend. Sigh.

What Has Miss Wilde Been Up To? 1

As you know, dear readers, I decided (practically at the last minute, of course) that I needed new attire before my vacation. Officially, my mother and I depart on 8/31, but I will be journeying to Cincinnati on the 29th, so vacation begins rather soon... Besides the aforementioned Audrey skirt, train skirt, dress and petticoats, I also decided to use left over swimsuit fabric for a circle skirt. Mainly because I love striped circle skirts. And because it was in two of my favorite colors to wear together.

First up, the fabric...

Second, the finished Audrey skirt with an old petticoat. I plan to wear it with a tank and a belt so it covers the white waistband.

Third, the train skirt. Shown with old petticoat.

 So that's all done. And I decided I needed a new dress pattern because I didn't have anything unstructured and drapey enough to use with the silky fabric I randomly bought a while back just because it was a cool pattern. So I went to the fabric store...

I couldn't resist the 1930s suit patterns (one's the skirt, the other is the jacket) and the bottom pattern is the one I'm using for my new dress.

 I managed to cut the dress out using a lot less fabric than it called for because (1) I'm not doing a self binding around the neck or using the fabric for the tie. I'll purchase binding and use some ribbon for the ties. And (2) I changed it so it has a center back seam instead of being cut on the fold. Otherwise I had no where near enough fabric for it.

Also purchased at the fabric store: (1) a couple yards of a Star Wars print to make a skirt or maybe a dress, I'm not sure yet. I know I don't have enough for a circle skirt, at least not at a good length but I have too much for a little gathered skirt so...We'll see. My dear brother assisted me over the phone to pick out which Star Wars print to purchase. Because he's just that awesome.  (2) Fabric to finish a project for a friend.  (3) Like eight yards of netting and some muslin remnants to make petticoats. I got four yards of white and four yards of yellow (because the yellow could go with a couple things in my wardrobe and white is basic). So we'll see how that goes. (4) Oh, and a zipper for my rococo punk project.

So for vacation sewing: the Audrey skirt is DONE. The train skirt is DONE. The dress is cut out but I haven't started putting it together. The wrap circle skirt is put together and pinned for the hem. So all it needs is the waistband and hemmed and it'll be done. And I have fabric for the pettis but haven't started them yet.

I haven't made much progress on my Teslacon sewing. The swimsuit just needs the buttons sewn on, the buttonholes sliced open, and the hat finished though, so it's almost there. It's CUTE. I'm excited about wearing it. I haven't touched either of my other projects though.

Sunset Dress - Toledo War and Some Updates

As you probably know, I made a little steam casual sundress from some travel prints I had in my stash. It was supposed to be quick and easy, but was neither, but I got it finished and made a matching hat band well before the event, so that's all that really matters, right?

Anyways, here's some pictures:

The best picture is a side view. Of course, my sunhat was so huge that my face is obscured in pretty much all of these... Picture by Dixie, cropped by me.

The back, also featured is my awesome backpiece that still needs work
Picture by Sally, cropped by me.

And this was the only picture I could find of the front. The one with the pigtails is my friend Gloria, who is a-maz-ing. Picture by Corielle Riddell, cropped by me.

 The event was fun, and we had a decent turn out. A lot more Ohio people than Michigan, which was amusing to me because we drove a lot farther than they did.

Details on the dress: I used Simplicity 3823 for the base, pretty much just the bodice part. I converted it from a side zipper to a back zipper. Pretty sure that I could take the bodice down another size, but if I end up gaining back the weight I lost, then it would be too small so... The skirt was as long as I could make it while matching the pattern along the center front and center back seams. It's not perfectly matched, but only I can see the issues so... I just gathered the panels so they fit the bodice. The zipper is a orange-rust color, and I used dark red thread. The zipper was hand picked, the hem done by  hand as is my standard operating procedure and the lining whipped in by hand as well. I also wore one of my petticoats in most (if not all) of these pictures.

Note to self: I really need a new petticoat. Or three. I've been trying to find a good tutorial, the Sugardale one might be the best so far. Although I really love these layered rainbow pettis. I really need several in different lengths for different skirts and dresses, to be honest.

On that topic, I have vacation coming up and have decided to make a couple new things to wear. (1) I bought around 4 yards of an Audrey Hepburn print cotton (not really the one I wanted, but the movie poster print sold out :( ) and plan to just make a quick little dirndl skirt. Maybe a wrap, if I can figure it out, maybe gathered onto a waistband that has elastic, maybe gathered with elastic. I haven't decided yet. (2) The same thing for some train print cotton I have. I've kind of been saving it for a steampunk outfit, but we're going to Chattanooga. And it's TRAINS. So I figured if I did the same kind of skirt, that I could just undo it if I wanted to use the fabric for something else in the future. (3) I'm also thinking about a little silky dress from some cool zodiac print fabric I got from the red tag table on my last little spree. (4) And petticoats. Even if I just do one or two new quick and dirty ones, I could really use some new petticoats.

As for Teslacon, that sewing is coming along pretty well. The swimsuit is almost done, except for the sash and the hat. The rococopunk is well underway and the stays are DONE. And I started work on the bustle gown as well. I'm hoping to have another serger date at my friend's place soon to work on that. If I do any panels, it'll just be one, so I'll have plenty of time for fun. :D

Current To Do List - Summer Sewing and Teslacon Prep

As you all know, dear readers, I'm attending Teslacon for the first time this fall.  I'm super excited (and a little nervous to be honest!) so here's what might be an overly ambitious to do list:

1. Steam-casual sundress for Toledo War, which I've already started because it needs to be taken care of and out of the way. Deadline: Oh let's say this coming Sunday, July 6th. It's already cut out and I've started pinning it so hopefully it won't take too long. Although I am going home this weekend and I no longer have a machine there because it's up here so...we'll see. Maybe I can do some hand sewing at home. 

Realization: I need to make my mom a scrub top too...*sigh* One for the summer and one for Halloween time.

2. Victorian swimsuit: I ordered the pattern today, so hopefully that'll get shipped out this week so I can start working on it. I anticipate that there will be some pattern work / sizing involved because the pattern was marked a 'medium' with no measurements included. Once I get that figured out, I can buy the fabric because right now, I have absolutely no idea how much I need. Deadline: August 15th. (hell, if I'm going to be ambitious, might as well go all the way!)

3. Black and Gold Rococo Punk: This is basically gonna be from the skin out -- stays, jacket, bloomers, panniers...You get the picture. Deadline for the stays: September 1st. Deadline for everything else: November 1st.

4. Fixing my gold polonaise: There's one or two fitting issues that need corrected, and then I need to add more black braid. Deadline: September 15th.

5. Green Sari Bustle Gown: This is another skin out outfit. I already have the overskirt cut out, and I have a friend that's letting me trace her copy of a pattern for the bodice, but I also need to make an 1880s petticoat and underskirt. At least I already have the lobster tail bustle, right?! I also need to decide what color underskirt I'm doing, because that may affect what I do with the bodice... I'll probably try to do the petticoat first, then the underskirt and actually work from the skin out. But the overskirt might happen first since it's already cut out and easy to throw together, especially since I've made the pattern before. Deadline: Before I leave for Teslacon

6. Make a garrison hat for my black and gold airship uniform

7. Revamp my steampunk Harley Quinn a little

All that in a little over four months. Why do I do this to myself? Oh, because I like it! lol

Steamtopia Preparations: Post the Fourth

1. Airship uniform is DONE. I kinda just picked a spot and went for it with the wrist loops, we'll see how it works.
2. Airship corset still needs that eyelet replaced, but I might just do it at the convention.
3. Wash overskirt is almost finished actually.  I sewed the waist and sides, including the casings for the drawstrings, cut and attached all the strings, pleated the back to fit the waistband and sewed the waistband on, flipped and pinned the waistband. All that's left is finishing the waistband, sewing on a closure, and putting a button and maybe another string or two underneath for the poofing of the bustle. 
4. Gold polonaise: I washed the brocade, and cut everything out, including the facings / lining pieces because I had enough of the brocade so it seemed silly to buy something else. I also cut out the interlining which had already been prewashed. I had a date with my friend's serger to finish all the edges this past week, but I caught some kind of plague and have been sick since last Thursday. So we rescheduled for tomorrow. Once all the edges are finished, I'll start construction. I need to figure out how I'm going to finish the armholes, since I'm doing it without sleeves (facing or just binding); and buy some buttons and trim.
5. Pretty sure the garrison hat's not going to happen, however, my papa gifted me with a vintage top hat he owned so now I have that to make hat bands for! I already have pieces cut out for one out of the brocade. :)

I also need to prepare for my panels: I'm presenting Mentioning Unmentionables and Prominent Posteriors, at 530 pm on Friday and Saturday respectively. I'm excited because they're having a stitch and bitch Thursday night -- just a casual social hour to hang out and sew, finish costumes. Should be fun!

By the way, we are at less than two weeks now! A week and five days left to prepare! Eeep!

A bientot, mes amis!

Steamtopia Preparations: Post the Third

1. Edwardian chemise - DONE!

Edwardian corset and chemise. I was checking the length to see if I was happy with it.

2. Airship uniform - I actually *just* sewed the closures on. I can't really figure out a good place for the wrist loops, I kind of tried the side and the middle of the train and I feel like it just ends up looking awkward.

3. New airship uniform corset - DONE! I plowed through and finished it this past weekend, just in time to wear out to Privateer's Promenade 2.0. The corset actually took a lot of work: I screwed up the lining so I ended up putting it in a piece at a time by hand. Which makes for a prettier lining, but it definitely takes longer.  I used gold eyelets from my stash, a black busk, and spiral steel (two on each seam). Flat steel would've been sturdier but it does cinch rather nicely. I did pop an eyelet lacing it so that needs replaced before Steamtopia.

Almost finished corset, trying to decide if I wanted to use gold or black for the binding.

Finished airship uniform corset!

And my outfit for the Promenade! Everyone said I looked amazing, so I think this is going with me to Steamtopia.

4. Wash overskirt - Coming along. I added the red ruffle, which was a labor of love: 45 minutes just to pin the hem, then once it was gathered I had to hand stitch it all on. But that's all taken care of now and I've got the waist / side seam pinned for the next step. So it's getting there!

Pinning the hem on around 11 yards of ruffles takes a while...

All pinned on and ready to sew!

5. Gold brocade polonaise - I cut out and fitted the mockup, it was just a smidge tight so I'll probably do a 3/8 or 1/2 inch seam instead of 5/8 like my usual. Next up is buying lining, washing the lining and brocade (after I zigzag the brocade's raw edges) and then cutting out the fabric, lining and interlining. I should probably also iron the interlining before I cut it out... I think that's going home with me to my parents' this weekend. I need to have it done by next Tuesday, I have a date with a friend to use her serger to finish the edges of all the brocade pieces so they don't ravel.

6. New white petticoat - DONE! It's really basic and simple but it's a new petticoat!

Basic, white batiste with white denim at for the hem facing and waistband.

7. Swimsuit - I ended up buying one from JCPenney's. It's a bikini and has this black lace / cut out that looks vaguely like ironwork and I think gives it a steamy feel.

8. Garrison hat - Haven't started or even really found a pattern yet, but I think I'll have time for it before the convention.

9. Grey bodice (the Governess bodice) - I took out some stitching on the ribbons along the front edges and restitched them down after tucking the ends under a little more. The ends were starting to come out so it went on the repair to do list. But now it's DONE! 

Also, Sock Dreams had a sale so I picked up a few things for Steamtopia:

L to R: Black Paris knee highs, black sheer to waist pantyhose, black striped lace topped thigh highs and white ruffled shorts to wear with the Edwardian underwear

T minus three weeks and two days! Cuz all the prep needs done by the 11th.

A bientot, mes amis!

Steamtopia Preparations: Post the Second

First of all, here's where I'm going: Steamtopia and here's the Archon and regular Facebook events for it. I should be working the Costuming track and presenting a couple panels on historical undergarments, but I don't have 100% confirmation of that yet so...*fingers crossed*  But they have a lot of awesome stuff planned, so even if I don't end up working the convention, I'm bound to have a great time! As of now, the Archon departs Columbus at noon on June 12th. :)

Secondly, I did find some time to sew over the weekend!

• Edwardian corset -- DONE! Sewed the hooks and eyes to the bottom of the corset while at Family Camp with my church. Totally sat outside on the deck overlooking the stream with a friend and sewed. :)
• Edwardian chemise -- Mostly done, including handsewing lace onto the front yoke. It ended up a little short and a little more high necked that I would have liked, so I pinned in a piece on the shoulders in between the shoulder seam to lengthen and lower the neckline. Haven't stitched it into place yet though. Once that's sewn, I'll try it on with the corset to check the length and decide if it also needs a ruffle at the bottom. I also plan to add more lace to the side and back neckline, but not the back yoke because I want to be able to tell the front and back apart!

• 

  Hand sewing lace onto the chemise yoke.

   
• Airship uniform -- Still haven't touched it.
• New airship uniform corset -- Basted the interlining together and fitted it, decided it was okay so I took it apart and cut out the gold satin and black pleather lace (for two panels only), basted all the layers, then sewed it all together.  Then I measured everything and ordered the busk and boning yesterday. Going for all steel this time! Trying to figure out the eyelets though, cuz I think the gold ones I have are too brassy. I can order black ones online though so that might just be the way to go... Once I have the busk, I'm going to put it in and do a fitting because I need to see how it fits through the hips.  I may have to make some lacing strips for that as well. Then comes the bone casings, the boning, the eyelets and the binding. I haven't decided 100% if I'm lining it or not.



Corset in progress.

• Lobster tail bustle -- Finished replacing all the ties while at Family Camp, sitting on the aforementioned deck!
• Wash overskirt --The apron has been trimmed in black and silver plaid bias strips, I cut the placket into the sides / back and finished it with bias as well. The placket isn't the prettiest thing ever, but it'll be covered by the bodice's tails so ... I also made more bias strips and pinned it to the hem of the sides / back.  Currently trying to decide if I want to add a red ruffle as well or not, out of the same fabric that the bodice is lined in. The hat has a tiny bit of red, so I kinda want to bring that on down.
• Gold brocade polonaise -- I've been measured by a friend, and just figured out what size to make. So the next step is tracing the pattern and cutting out the mockup. Probably out of the interlining fabric so that I can then just use it as the pattern and as part of the finished garment. Once I get the brocade cut out, I'm going over to a friend's to use her serger to finish the edges. And I've been shopping for trim, cuz I'm gonna need a LOT of it.
• New white petticoat -- Nothing, but I think I'm just going with a quick and easy pattern not the TV one I have. It'll be a lot simpler plus I don't think I have enough for an 1870s or 1880s TV petticoat.
• Swimsuit -- Nothing. In fact, this is getting marked off. I really want to make it, but I've never made a swimsuit before and if I rush to get it done before Steamtopia, I'll just foul it up. So I'm better off to just say no to the project. And go buy a new one instead! Cuz I seriously haven't bought a swimsuit in like...7 years.
• Also I'm thinking I need a garrison hat to go with my airship uniform. And I think I'm going to ask if I can borrow my dad's top hat as well, it'd look good with the polonaise...

HSF-wise: The chemise needs done by June 1st so I can take my pictures for the Art challenge. And I'm thinking I may just pound out that petticoat for the Black and White challenge, but the deadline is soooooon (May 15th) so I'm not sure if that's gonna happen or not.

But convention prep-wise? I feel like I'm pretty on top of this!! T minus FIVE WEEKS and I'll be on the road headed to the wild northern lands!

A bientot, mes amis!

Steamtopia Preparations: Post the First

I haven't gotten too much done yet, but here's my project updates:

• Edwardian corset -- In a bag with hooks and eyes and blue thread
• Making the Edwardian chemise -- Cut out and the first seam pinned
• Airship uniform -- Nothing. Still in my garment bag.
• New airship uniform corset -- Cut out the interlining, lengthening the pattern a little for a different look. It's pinned together for basting so I can try it on.
• Lobster tail bustle -- Cut out all the old ties and started replacing them. I ran out of ribbon, so I think I have like four or five more to do. There's a lot of ties.
• Wash overskirt -- Plan one: back and sides in silvery grey, front in black. But didn't have enough for that. So...after thinking about it, and asking friends, and thinking about it, and asking the HSF group and the Truly Victorian boards, and thinking about it some more, I decided to cut everything out of the grey satin, and just shorten / narrow as needed. So the apron is about 4 or 5 inches shorter than the pattern, the back / sides are a couple inches shorter and maybe a foot narrower than the pattern. I also pinned the darts and cut out the waistband.
• Gold brocade polonaise -- Nothing so far, except reading the directions.
• New white petticoat -- Nothing.
• Swimsuit -- Nothing.

All in all, not too shabby for a few days work! I'm supposed to go to church camp tomorrow with my church family and maybe stay overnight (don't work til 2 pm on Sunday) and I have a Cinco de Mayo party to go to after work on Sunday, so I don't know how much I'll get done this weekend. But I figured a couple little hand sewing bits could go with me (like the Edwardian corset and the lobster tail bustle) and if I get the chance, I could sew.

Greatly Revised To Do List

If you read my post on SES, you'll know that I had a super awesome time. So awesome in fact, that when I found out about another steampunk convention happening up in Michigan this summer, I knew that I had to go.

The consequence? My to do list for this year and my HSF plans are basically screwed, because now I need to make new things for Steamtopia. So...Here's what I'm working on:

• Actually finishing my Edwardian corset (hooks and eyes at the bottom)
• Making the Edwardian chemise (this will actually be an HSF challenge!), which is already cut out!
• Actually finishing the airship uniform: the skirt and petticoat need hook and eye closures on the waist, and they both also need wrist loops on the trains.
• Making a new airship uniform corset that actually fits. I have some awesome ideas for this! I probably also need to either make a little bolero to wear or get a cute short sleeved black blouse to wear.
• Fixing my lobster tail bustle. I used random bits for all the ties and some of them don't hold well at all. So I need to replace them with some grosgrain ribbon.
• To go with my Governess bodice and black underskirt: a new overskirt in grey and black, using the TV Wash Overskirt pattern. Of course, I don't have enough grey for everything, so I'm trying to decide how to make it work.
• Also to wear with my black underskirt: a gold brocade polonaise, using the Truly Victorian pattern. I'm the most nervous about this one, as it's going to need a mock up which means it'll take more time to make than usual. So cross your fingers!
• I'd also like to make a new white petticoat, out of the rest of my poly cotton batiste. Mine is old, and if it's hot a sheer petticoat would be nice. But if it doesn't get made, no huge loss.
• I'd also like to make a swimsuit, cuz Butterick just released a new Patterns by Gertie pattern for a super cute one! But ... time.

There's some pictures of fabrics and such over on my Instagram (midnyghtsnow)  And just in case you're wondering, I have six weeks. Actually a little less, because in six weeks, I'll probably be on my way to Detroit.

Six. Weeks.

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.

To Do List - Pandoracon

TerAnn's jacket:
1. Pin and then hand sew in the lining.
2. Fix the cuffs. They need a little handsewing and maybe some bias to finish the edges.

My new green and gold outfit:
1. Sew the gold satin bias onto the black satin for the ruffles. Iron it then hand stitch on the opposite side.
2. Then comes making it into ruffles and sewing said ruffles onto the black skirt.
3. Hem the black skirt. I'd like to use some horsehair braid on it, but I don't know if I'll get the chance to pick some up.
4. Skirt waistband. Closures if I have the time, but I can always safety pin it.
5. Pin and hand sew the lining into the bolero.
6. Trim the bolero sleeves in gold satin bias.
7. Whipstitch the crinoline train into the petticoat.
8. If there's time, sew a closure onto the petticoat. If not, safety pins.

The green overskirt is already done. As is the petticoat.

T minus NINE days and counting.