Christmas Sewing #1

I finished my mom's scrub top yesterday!

I had issues with the neckline, and eventually just decided that it would have to do after the third try even though I'm still not happy with it.

The scrub top is penguin tested, penguin approved.

And I may have also made myself a little triangular headscarf out of left over fabric to wear during the Christmas season.

To Do List Update!

1. Hand quilting my embroidered quilt.

2. Purple corduroy skirt is DONE! Finished it yesterday. Actually, it's a little big (how the heck did THAT happen? cuz I've used this pattern more than once) but it's wearable. I do want to take it in though.

3. Christmas circle skirt is also DONE! It needed hemmed and a zipper. Took care of that yesterday, then tacked down the facing today, tried it on and took it in a little bit.

As for the Christmas sewing:
- Pinned the first set of seams on the scrub top for  mom
- Cut out my nephew's pj pants and pinned the first seam. Also pinned the first two seams on the pair for my brother.
- Haven't worked on the pjs for my cousin's boys yet (I don't know their measurements!), or the apron for my father (don't even have fabric for that one), or the apron for my cousin (no fabric for it either), or the pillowcase. I do have the fabric for that, but I need to buy the pillow first so I can make the right size pillowcase. She just wants a travel size pillow for him. I probably need to make her other boy a pillowcase as well, out of something interesting, maybe dinosaurs.

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.

Completed Projects as of November 12, 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
• Pink and white steampunk underwear ensemble.
• Green and gold corset and bustle.
• Green cotton lobster tail bustle.
• Comic print pants
• Striped corduroy skirt
• Teal pintucked taffeta underskirt 
• A new nursing cover for my sister in law in Dutch themed cotton prints.
• Red and black gingham shorts with matching bodice, sleeveless jacket and black circle skirt trimmed in the gingham. I finished the skirt sometime towards the end of July. I bought the fabric, but used a stash pattern and thread.
• Red pique pencil skirt.
• Pink and black plaid pencil skirt.
• Star Trek wrap circle skirt.
• White striped sateen wrap blouse.
• Paris printed cotton bodice.
• 60s shift dress in pink scroll cotton.
• Dotted swiss sundress and matching reversible jacket.
• Green knit shrug.
• Measuring tape printed cotton circle skirt.
• Brown capris.
• Commissioned Mad Moxxi costume!  
• Denim high waisted shorts (finished before July 29th). Purchased fabric, stash everything else. I may have bought the zipper, I don't remember.
• Pink high waisted shorts (finished before July 29th). Purchased fabric remnant, stash everything else.
• Blue embroidered linen dress and cropped pullover. No idea when I finished these. Purchased fabric and pattern (dress); stash thread, pattern (pullover), and I think I purchased the zipper for the dress. Oh, stash bias tape as well. 
• Converted a pair of capris into a skirt for my mother. 
• White eyelet 60s shift lined and trimmed in lilac cotton. The eyelet and thread were stash, and I used my vintage 60s shift pattern, everything else was purchased.
• Lolita commission for a friend: I made her three skirts for Teslacon. Finished before September 23rd.
• Jacket commission for my friend TerAnn that I started earlier this year. Finished in early October.
• Black satin jacket and skirt, natural-form-esque for Pandoracon, trimmed in vintage gold satin. Stash pattern and thread, purchased all the fabric. Also made a petticoat, purchased fabric and crinoline. Stash thread and lace. Finished early October.
• Turquoise corduroy 60s jumper from another vintage pattern. I purchased a zipper, but everything else was stash. I don't remember when I finished it.
• Striped pencil skirt, from the Echino fabric I bought in New Hampshire. Stash pattern and thread, purchased zipper. Again, I don't know when I finished it.
• Cream corduroy pencil skirt. Purchased fabric, thread and zipper, stash pattern. Unknown finished date.
• Navy corduroy pencil skirt. Purchased fabric, thread and zipper, stash pattern. Unknown finished date.
• Disney villains wrap skirt. Purchased fabric, stash thread and pattern. And OMG is it awesome. I wore it on Halloween, but I totally plan to wear it all year round. Finished before Halloween.
• I finished the quilt I started like a decade ago! I tied it on October 26 and bound it the next day. The quilt top, binding (which I made) and yarn were all stash, I bought the backing and some needles because I couldn't find mine.

2014 To Make Wish List

Okay, so I know its only November, but one of my sewing friends (Dixie) recently made a similar post so I figured I might as well start the thinking and the planning. After all, it's never too early for planning!! We're actually trying to start a historical costuming group in Columbus, so let me know if you're interested!

First of all, I think I'm going to start making a change from steampunk / pseudo historical dress into sewing more historically accurate clothing. This has been stewing for a while, so it's not really surprising that I'm making the leap.

So without further ado...

1. I still want to make an 18th outfit. Starting with a shift and stays, then an under petticoat (since a skirt is a petticoat when we're taking 18th century) and some sort of gown. I personally love the Robe a l’Anglaise for some reason. Or maybe a Robe a la Piemontasse. Or maybe just a jacket and a petticoat.  My indecision is why I figured I should just start with the undergarments!

2. I've been obsessed with the Civil War pretty much as long as I can remember. I used to doodle ridiculously full skirted dresses when I was in school. And had Civil War paper dolls, I think from when we went to Gettysburg. I blame my father for the obsession, by the way, because it's totally his fault Mr. I Have Union and Confederate Kepis hanging on my wall. Anyways, I've decided to finally give in and make a Civil War dress.  The full nine yards -- corset, shift, drawers, hoop, petticoat, and (again) some sort of dress. Also if anyone knows of any female reenactors in Ohio, I want to be friends with them. Connect us, please!

3. As some of you may know, I'm a genealogist. And I have a few favorite ancestors, one of which is my great great grandmother Minerva (Dupre) Fink. My mother recently gave me a bunch of old pictures (imagine the squee-ing the resulted), including what we believe to be their wedding photo. I'd like to recreate her wedding ensemble. They married in 1901, but since they lived in Ohio, I'm guessing she's dressed more in the late 1890s style: high necked, slightly poofy sleeves. Unfortunately, the picture is only from the waist up, so I'm going to be doing a lot of guessing. Again, this will be corset, shift, drawers, petticoat and then the dress / blouse and skirt.

Looking at this year's sewing to do lists, I'd like to finish a couple other projects next year as well that are already begun:

4. I cut out the overskirt for the sari ensemble that I want to do. I used Truly Victorian's 1886 Bordered Asymetrical Overskirt. I'd like to get that put together. And make some kind of bodice to go with it, I just don't know what yet. So it's on the to do list, but maybe not very high up on it.

5. I'd also like to finally make the 1884 Wash Overskirt (also Truly Victorian). I traced it a while back, but didn't feel like starting on it. It'll be out of grey satin to go with my Governess costume and trimmed to the nines in whatever I can find to trim it in.

Other things I'd like to do (also from my 2013 list, but not started yet):

6. I still want to do something Regency (another era I'm obsessed with). But again, I'll want to start with accurate undergarments. I actually know less about this era than others, so if I'm wrong in this forgive me, but accurate undergarments will probably mean a chemise, stays (but much different than 18th century stays), and a petticoat (or bodiced petticoat) and then a dress. And I still want a spencer because they are much too cute NOT to own one!

Added on 11/18:
7. I'd also love an Edwardian corset because they are so freaking beautiful, but I pretty much have no reason to make and wear one. 

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...

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.