Christmas and Ohayocon Prep 2

I hemmed my beau's kilt and he says that its 'perfect' now. So happy that I managed to get the hem to lay correctly.

I got a lot of work done on my parents' aprons this weekend -- I hemmed the top and the sides of both aprons. I sewed the ruffle together for the bottom of Maman's apron (its two pieces of striped red and white cotton about 6 to 8 inches wide by the width of the fabric which is 45 inches), used a basting stitch on it and gathered it down to fit the hem of her apron. Sewed it on, zigzagged the edges and top stitched it to hold it in place. Currently the hem of the ruffle is pinned and ready to be sewn (and yes I realize that I should have hemmed it BEFORE I gathered it. I was in a hurry and skipped a step. Everyone messes up now and then.) I also put a smaller ruffle at the top - took a piece of the striped fabric about 3 to 4 inches wide, folded it in half lengthwise and gathered it. I didn't use the entire 45 inches, maybe only about half of it. That was stitched along the top of the apron. Next I sewed together a few strips of bias cut from the striped fabric and stitched it along the curved edges of the apron (the armholes if you will), leaving enough at the top for the apron to go over her head and enough on the sides to tie behind her back. Then the rest of the bias was folded in half and stitched together. As for Papa's apron, I ironed the applique onto the front using Stitch Witchery before using a satin stitch on the machine to go around the edges of the applique. I cut out the bias, sewed it together and am currently in the process of pinning it so that it can be sewn. His apron also needs hemmed.

I went fabric shopping this weekend and bought several things. The first was fabric for my sister in law's pajama pants. I prewashed it yesterday so its ready to be started on anytime. I already have a pattern and I purchased elastic for both pairs of pajama pants this weekend as well. I still need to purchase fabric for my brother's, but the shop did not have the right fabric in the right color in stock.

The fabric shopping expedition also included Miss Von Stoup and Dr. Chronus. For Harley, I purchased a little more than eight yards of taffeta -- half black, half red. The black has a tiny pattern of fleur de lis, the red of diamonds. Miss Von Stoup purchased green satin and sheers to used for her dress and bustle and Dr. Chronus found some natural colored linen to use for his outfit.

In preparation for Harley Quinn, I prewashed all the fabric that I plan on using. Once my parents' aprons are completed, I plan to start on this costume. I'll likely make the petticoat first, work from the bottom up if you will.

We have added two more participates to our steampunk Rogue's Gallery -- Miss Dashwood will be playing the role of Catwoman while my beloved beau will be dashing as the Joker. Needless to say, I am VERY excited to have him as my Joker. After all, Harley Quinn wouldn't be Harley Quinn without him. Honestly she wouldn't - he's the one that made her, in his own image. One demented clown as a mate for another.

Definite projects over the next few months --
1. Aprons for my parents - hem Maman's ruffle, sew on Papa's bias and hem Papa's apron
2. Pajama pants for my brother and sister in law - purchase fabric for my brother, sew my sister in law's
3. Steampunk Harley Quinn for myself
4. Steampunk Joker for my beau
5. Steampunk Catwoman for Miss Dashwood
6. Helping with Poison Ivy and Mr Freeze

Hopeful projects over the next few months --
7. Imperial Officer uniform for myself (this will probably be pushed farther and farther out with all the other sewing I have going on, but I have at least purchased the pattern for the jacket! and I already have patterns I can use for the skirt and or pants)
8. A couple new, normal skirts for me to wear to work this winter. I have some nice wide wale heavy corduroy in blue and purple that I want to use.

Possible projects over the next few months --
9. Maybe other costumes for fellow Archonites

That's all for now! A beintot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Harley Quinn Inspiration

First of all, a picture of the original Harley Quinn, this is a comic book cover I believe.













My main inspiration for my new HQ design was Victorian fancy dress costumes. They were often shorter than normal wear and a bit over the top. Perfect for a harlequin.

I love this dress, pictures found online at the FIDM Museum and Galleries blog (http://blog.fidmmuseum.org/museum/2009/10/fancy-dress.html#more)



I also found some inspiration in a book from the 1880s on how to dress for a fancy ball. The book can be found here - http://www.archive.org/stream/fancydressesdesc00holtrich#page/n5/mode/2up I saved some pictures from it, but there are simply too many to post.

I also took a tad bit of inspiration from this artist's rendering of a female joker figure - http://nakai.gfxartist.com/artworks/182455 I'm just linking to the webpage so as to not offend the artist by posting his work. I love the headdress, but the whole outfit is beautiful.

And I positively love these 17th century stays (no idea where I found the photo...) I might incorporate a similar closure into Harley.













Some patterns that I'm planning to use (these are all from Simplicity) --

Christmas Gifts and the beginning of Ohayocon Prep

Hello my dearest readers!

With Christmas and Ohayocon fast approaching, I find myself up to my eyeballs in sewing!!

First of all, Christmas since it is after all only a little more than a month away! I have to make two aprons for my parents and two pairs of pajama pants for my brother and his wife. The aprons are going to be Christmas themed, Santa and Mrs Claus aprons if you will. After all, my father already looks rather like good old St Nick with his almost white full beard. His apron will be red with a red and white striped candy cane applique on the front while Mother's will be red trimmed in red and white striped ruffles. Both will have red and white striped bias trim. I've already started these - both aprons have been cut out and partially penned for the hemming, I cut out the ruffles for Maman's apron and the candy cane for Papa's, and I started cutting the bias (I don't know how much I'll need so I didn't want to cut up all the fabric. After all, I might need it for something else!) I already have a pajama pant pattern. I need to purchase the fabric and get those made soon, so I can focus on other things. And so everyone actually gets their gifts on time lol

Now for Ohayocon! Jillian Von Stoup, Dr. Franklin Chronus and I have decided to do a Steampunk Rogue's Gallery. I was already planning to do a steamy version of Harley Quinn (one of the costumes I've been sketching in recent weeks) so when she mentioned doing a group costume, I jumped in with both feet (she's a redhead you see, so of course I thought of Poison Ivy). Ms Von Stoup will be playing Poison Ivy while the doctor is on board as Mr. Freeze. We've all three gone into major planning mode. Ms. Von Stoup and I actually plan to meet this evening to discuss our costumes. I have not started anything yet, but plan to work on a few pieces of my costume soon (after I finish my parents' aprons). I already have the fabric I need for my bustle, corset and petticoat / bloomers (not sure which one I'll do yet), so I figured I could get those started before going on a shopping trip for the rest of the fabric I'll need. As of now, I'm only making my costume and helping with Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze (at least, that's what I'm hoping). However, I am trying to talk my beau into dressing as the Joker for me. The trick is to design a costume that he'll actually be happy to wear. Then I'll have mine and his to make, which I don't think will be too overwhelming. I don't know if any other Archonites will be joining in on the fun, so there's always the possibility that I'll be sewing more. Otherwise, I'll also be making an Imperial Officer uniform for myself. I have patterns I can use for the skirt and pants, I just need to pick up the jacket pattern and the fabric. This would be the other costume that I've been planning recently.

Definite projects over the next few months --
1. Aprons for my parents
2. Pajama pants for my brother and sister in law
3. Steampunk Harley Quinn for myself
4. Helping with Poison Ivy and Mr Freeze

Probable projects over the next few months --
5. Imperial Officer uniform for myself
6. A couple new, normal skirts for me to wear to work this winter. I have some nice wide wale heavy corduroy in blue and purple that I want to use.

Possible projects over the next few months --
7. Joker for my beau
8. Maybe other costumes for fellow Archonites

And in my sewing bag today is my beau's kilt. I plan to get it hemmed for him.

That's it for now! A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

PS If anyone else from the Archon wants in on our Steampunk Rogue's Gallery, please let me know asap so we can get the planning (and the sewing!) started!

Mid Ohio Con - some pictures

Hello my darlings, I had a fantastic time at Mid Ohio Con this weekend and thought I'd share a few pictures and construction details. Unfort. I find myself without photos of my airship stewardess costume so here's pictures and info about Harley Quinn. By the way, I had a fabulous time cosplaying as her this weekend.

Here's a full length view of my Harley Quinn costume with my new hat. I used Kwik Sew 3052, View A for the body suit, inserting a waist seam. It has a front zipper (which is canon). The body suit is trimmed in white lace, which is not canon but I chose to use it because I do a steampunk version of this costume and wanted it to have a Victorian aesthetic for that purpose.




















For the hat I used McCalls 2814 (which I think is now out of print). It took massive alterations for it to fit and it still needs work. The pompoms are made out of lace that was gathered to make the pompoms, again not canon but done to match the lace on the costume.




















Here's a shot with a random military ball attender and a couple fellow con goers that I made friends with, including a pretty awesome Mistah J.

















And in case anyone is interested in the steamy pajama pants I made for myself and the lovely Miss Dashwood, here's a shot of me wearing mine (with a classy Hustler tank top that I think is funny and my beau's RFT helmet).

Mid Ohio Con / TeslaCon Prep 3

Progress --

1. Finished the Captain's spats for my captain. All of the buttons and the elastic were sewn on yesterday afternoon. Once I got home, I treated all the buttonholes with Fray Check, let it dry (aka hit it with my hair dryer) then slashed the buttonholes open. I made sure all the buttons and buttonholes would close before taking them over to the Captain's lodging.

2. Finished my beau's new Rebel Trooper shirt. Last night I lengthened the bib using left over bits of one of the shirts we cannibalized to make the bib in the first place. I just finished sewing on the last snap so that the bib will fasten to his liking.

3. Velcro is hand basted onto both sleeves. When I get home tonight, I will go over it on the machine. Basting will hold the velcro in place for the machine stitching better than pins. Planning to buy more velcro and might also pick up some matching thread for the patches on my lunch break. I'm going to look into double sided tape as well. I have some but its at home and the more sewing I can get done at work, the better!

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Mid Ohio Con / TeslaCon Prep Take 2

Progress on my to do list --

1. Spats for my captain - Buttonholes stitched using the fabulous 4 step buttonhole stitch on my beau's mother's machine. The functioning buttons are all sewn on, I first attempted to sew them on w her machine but it was too much of a hassle. Hand stitching was much easier. What I still need to do - cut open the buttonholes and put fray check on them, sew on the non functioning buttons and the elastic across the bottom.

2. New Rebel Trooper shirt for my beau - Sewed five snaps down the side and a hook and eye at the top. Beau has requested the bib be lengthened so that he can tuck it in and another snap be sewn on near the bottom.

3. A wrap to go with Queen Gorgo - I purchased and washed two yards of 36" wide white muslin for my wrap. Also washed my Gorgo dress as the hem was covered in stains from the party I attended at Marcon while wearing it.

4. Velcro on a tshirt for my beau - Started this last night. One side is hand basted on. I need to hand baste the other side on, then machine stitch both sides and then see about sewing the other side of the velcro onto the patches that will then velcro onto the shirt. Have I ever mentioned that I hate velcro with a fiery burning passion?

So my current to do list right now for the rest of this week is --
1. Spats for my captain - finish sewing on buttons, finish the buttonholes and sew on the elastic.
2. Finishing my Harley Quinn - bra. (I think this is going to wait for another time).
3. New Rebel Trooper shirt for my beau - bib lengthening and snap.
4. Velcro on a tshirt for my beau - finish and then work on the patches.

Other things on my to do list --
6. Hemming my beau's kilt.
7. Imperial Officer uniform for myself.
8. Next steampunk costume.
10. And of course, there are Christmas presents to be made. I'll probably actually tackle these before I start on the next costumes for myself.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Mid Ohio Con / TeslaCon Prep

Last week I worked on sketching and planning out both my next steampunk creation and my Imperial Officer / Juno Eclipse uniform. I've got patterns and pattern modifications planned out and sketches of what I want to do. Right now I'm trying to decide if I can make the jacket of my steampunk outfit out of spandex with the matching underskirt out of a different fabric but the same color. I'd like the stretch in the jacket (and I already have the fabric) but don't want a knit skirt. By the way, the two will be separated by a patterned bustle.

What I did this weekend -

1. Finished my Harley Quinn hat, classic version. It took some work cuz the jester pieces just weren't the right shape and size but I finally got them right, stuffed and hand sewn onto the hat. Then I hand stitched gathered lace pompoms onto the ends. My beau thinks I should add bells, we'll see. I would like to get the bra section sewn in - I originally cut out lining for the top of the suit, and had pinning bra cups into the lining, planning to hand stitch them in. I recently sewed the bra cups into place and now all I need to do is hand stitch the lining into the suit and I won't have to wear a bra under it (which always shows).

2. Worked on my beau's new RFT shirt, using a few tutorials found online. Cut the backs out of two shirts, made them into rectangles, stitched along the sides and the top, turned it right side out, stitched the bottom closed (then had to open the bottom and redo the sides because the bib was too wide), stitched one side of the bib to the shirt, then started sewing snaps on the other side. The plan is to sew about three more snaps down the side, maybe one or two at the top and put either a snap or a hook and eye where the top button used to be - this will hold the shirt close and hold the bib in place.

3. Worked on Captain LaGrange's spats. I used his old pair as a pattern and added seam allowances when I cut out the white canvas. I then used the canvas as the pattern to cut out the red and black brocade lining. I sewed all the seams of both sides (had to redo one of the canvas pieces because I put it in upside down), clipped the curves, ironed the seams flat, then stitched the lining to the outside along the top and bottom. Next I pinned in the seam allowances on the sides and top stitched all around in black thread. All that's left is removing the buttons from the old spats, sewing buttonholes on the new spats and sewing the buttons onto the new spats. Oh and sewing elastic across the bottoms.

So my to do list right now for this week is --
1. Spats for my captain - buttons, buttonholes and elastic.
2. Finishing my Harley Quinn - bra.
3. New Rebel Trooper shirt for my beau - snaps and hook and eye.
4. A wrap to go with Queen Gorgo - planning to just buy some muslin and tearing the sides so it matches the dress. No sewing required.
5. Velcro on a tshirt for my beau.

Other things on my to do list --
6. Hemming my beau's kilt.
7. Imperial Officer uniform for myself, definitely won't be done for Mid Ohio Con.
8. Next steampunk costume.
10. And of course, there are Christmas presents to be made. I'll probably actually tackle these before I start on the next costumes for myself.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde