Sewing Goals for the First Couple Months of 2014

Regency spencer using fabric from another project before January 15 for the HSF2014 Make Do and Mend challenge. Should probably work on this actually...

Pajama pants for my cousin before January 16. Should probably work on that too...

Aprons for my father and brother. Sooner rather than later, but no real deadline.

I've been thinking about things I could do for HSF2014 Innovations and Pink challenges (both due in February), but don't have anything firm yet.

Finish my Regency underthings before March 1 for the HSF2014 Underthings challenge


Teal silk sleeveless spencer before March 15 for the HSF2014 Bodice challenge

Regency ballgown before March 22 for the Regency ball I want to attend. I'm letting ideas brew of what Cinderella would wear to a Regency ball so it also fits the HSF2014 Fairytale challenge due on April 1st.


18th century stays. No deadline yet, but they might take a while so sooner rather than later is better I think. I've contemplated doing Cinderella in this style instead, but I don't know that I'll have the time. Or come up with a rococopunk outfit using the stays by April 25th for Pandoracon.

Black and gold corset by April 25th for Pandoracon to complete my airship 'uniform'

And my hand quilting of course.

2013 Finished Projects

• 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
• Pink high waisted shorts
• Blue embroidered linen dress and cropped pullover.
• Converted a pair of capris into a skirt for my mother. 
• White eyelet 60s shift lined and trimmed in lilac cotton.
• Lolita commission for a friend: I made her three skirts for Teslacon.
• Jacket commission for my friend TerAnn that I started earlier this year.
• Black satin jacket and skirt, natural-form-esque for Pandoracon, trimmed in vintage gold satin.
• Turquoise corduroy 60s jumper from another vintage pattern.
• Striped pencil skirt, from the Echino fabric I bought in New Hampshire.
• Cream corduroy pencil skirt.
• Navy corduroy pencil skirt.
• Disney villains wrap skirt.
• I finished the quilt I started like a decade ago! 
• Purple corduroy skirt.  Purchased fabric and zipper, stash thread and pattern. This actually came out too big somehow, so it needs taken in. Finished by November 13.
• Christmas circle skirt. Purchased fabric and zipper, stash everything else. Finished by November 13.
• Christmas sewing: Scrub top for  mom, finished November 17.
• Pajama pants for my brother and nephew, out of matching Where The Wild Things Are cotton. Finished mid-December
• Pajama pants for my cousin's two boys, out of Veggie Tales fleece she was gifted. Finished mid-December
• Travel sized pillowcases for the boys as well, one of train printed cotton, the other out of dinosaur flannel. Finished mid-December
• Baby quilt and nursing cover for my friend Anna. Stash pattern for the nursing cover and stash batting for the quilt; purchased fabric, thread and D rings. Finished before December 15.
• Regency chemise. Machine sewn seams, hand sewn seam finishes, hems and drawstring casing. Purchased fabric (I bought an entire bolt of muslin, it was half off!), and pattern; stash cotton thread leftover from a quilting project. Finished December 29.

Full steam ahead for 2014 sewing plans!

Current Projects - December 2013

Just a few pictures of projects I've started recently:

Cut out my first pair of 18th century stays a couple weeks ago. It took a while: There's eight of each piece. The outside is a green and pink home decor print in heavy cotton, interlining is black target, and lining is green cotton.

Regency shift, using Sense and Sensibility's Regency Underthings pattern. Once the basic construction's done, I'm going to start on the short stays.

Regency spencer, from a coat I made for my former beau. I drafted my own collar piece while looking at pictures of a spencer I liked online.

And my quilt that I'm hand quilting. Definitely a long term project.

Christmas Sewing #2 - Almost Finished

Almost finished Veggie Tales fleece pajama pants for my cousin's two boys

Finished travel size pillowcases for my cousin's two boys

Finished Where The Wild Things Are pajama pants for my brother and almost finished matching pajama pants for my nephew

First Project for 2014 is....

REGENCY!

Is anyone else surprised? Because I kinda am. lol A friend (Dixie, you all know her!) wanted to start a historical costuming group and I said I was down, so we started one. Central Ohio Costuming Society, you can find us on Facebook. And then I read on one of the blogs I follow (The Victorian Needle) that there's a Regency Ball in Michigan in March 2014. I asked Dixie if she was interested and bam! I'm making an outfit in the one era I thought would be the last I tackled. I did a little research, and I could get away with a redingote or something (the ball covers 1790 to 1825, so I do have a little leeway) but I found and fell in love with the open gown so full on Regency it is! Albeit early Regency.

So, my to do list:

1. Regency undergarments: Short stays, chemise and a bodiced petticoat. I already have fabric for the short stays -- white 100% linen and 100% cotton canvas that I found in the remnant bin at Joanns. If I can get on it, I'll do the stays for the HSF 2013 One Metre challenge, if not it'll just go with the rest for the HSF 2014 Under It All challenge.
2. A gown, this will be in white as it seems to be the most common. Plus it'll be easy to dress up or down.
3. And an open robe, probably in pink (for the HSF pink challenge!) in a sari if I can find one I like.

I'm planning to purchase Sense and Sensibility's Regency underthings pattern as well as her Elegant Lady's Closet pattern for the gown. I'll use her tutorial to make the bodiced petticoat based off the gown pattern. And I'm not quite sure on the open robe yet. There aren't a lot of patterns for it out there, so I may have to learn to enlarge and or drape patterns. Eeep.

I also plan to make:

4. A spencer, by cannibalizing the aforementioned Joker coat. It's corduroy which I know they had, but I doubt ladies spencers were a common thing to make from it. But I really love the color so I'm doing it anyways. Since I'm re-using fabric, I'm doing this first to get it done for the Make Do and Mend HSF challenge. I'm going to use the Simplicity Regency dress pattern I have and figure out a pattern for this.
5. A sleeveless spencer, out of some turquoise dupioni silk I have. I don't have a lot left, but it should be enough for a cute little bodice to fancy up my white gown.

What's in Miss Wilde's Sewing Basket - Thanksgiving Edition

Here's what I'm taking home this week to work on over the holiday:

1. Fleece for the pajama pants for my cousin's boys (still need a pattern)
2. Pajama pants for my brother and nephew so I can put the elastic in and fit them. My nephew's look really small, I hope they fit :/
3. 18th century stays pattern along with material. I'd love to cut the interlining and do a fitting but don't know if that'll happen
4. Corduroy tailcoat I made for my former beau's steampunk Joker costume. I'm going to start ripping it apart so I can make myself something (details to follow on that!)
5. Oh, and the embroidery I bought in Plymouth
6. And I plan to have the materials for my friend's baby gift (which I need to buy today) so I can work on that as well. I was given little notice for the shower so it's gonna be a rush job!

I know I won't get to everything, but that's okay.

And of course, my mother's finished scrub top. I just hope she likes it.

Historical Sew Fortnightly 2014 - Edited 11/20

Okay, I'm really gonna do the 2014 HSF, I swear!

I hope!

The Dreamstress has announced the following challenges so far:

1. Make Do & Mend, due January 15. The idea for this one is to fix issues with something and get it ready for the new year, or to re-purpose fabric into something new for your historical wardrobe. No idea what I can do for this one right now, but I'm thinking about it.

2. Innovations, due February 1. "To celebrate the way inventions, introductions and discoveries have impacted fashion, make an item that reflects the newest innovations in your era." Not sure what I'll do for this one either, maybe something black, or white (innovations of dyeing and bleaching respectively) or one of those corsets I have to make (innovation of front fastening busk) or a hoop skirt because that was definitely an innovation...

3. Pink, due February 15. Oh I can definitely think of something pink to do. Maybe an 18th century petticoat.

4. Under It All, due March 1. How perfect for me! Since I need to make all sorts of undergarments. I'll just have to make sure something is done by March 1st!