Brewing Ideas...And a Progress Report / Weekend To Do List

I have a ton of ideas brewing in my head (yes I know, shocking). And I wanted to get them all down somewhere I won't lose them, so here you go! lol

1. A diagonal seamed corset. The obsession started a few days ago when I saw this on Bridges on the Body. Then I found this post today on a new blog, The Laced Angel, and she had a link to an article on Foundations Revealed that tells you how to make a diagonal seamed corset. So now I know HOW to make a pattern I have into a diagonal seamed corset. I really want one, probably an underbust since that's my favorite. I kinda want one that's longer, like an Edwardian corset...
2. I still want to make an 18th century outfit.
3. And I've been having these Regency cravings lately. I even bought a Simplicity Regency gown pattern! I want a gown with a spencer soooo badly. Not that I have any idea where I would wear it...

Progress Report:

• Mom's second gore is almost finished for the crazy quilt skirt.
• I have five seams to go on my second gore.
• I'm going to do another mock up of my vest basque this weekend. Heather from TV thinks I have my bust measurement wrong, so I'm going to try a new size for the front only and see how that works before I re do all the pieces.
  
• And I think I've figured out the fabric combinations for the bodice. I was going to do the vest in the contrast Paris print, but didn't know how to do the collar and cuffs. I just saw a version w the vest matching the rest of the bodice and the collar / cuffs in a contrast. I think I'm going to go that route.
• Playsuit / skirt ideas: if I have enough of both, I'm thinking green patterned cotton playsuit w a lilac skirt. If I don't maybe do the playsuit in the lilac and get a contrast print for the skirt. Yardage estimate: 2 yards for the playsuit, 3 yards for the skirt.
  

Weekend to do list:

1. Replace a zipper in Beau's vest.
   
2. Embroider on my skirt, at least finishing the current gore. EDIT -- Since the current gore is DONE, I might just try to get my last one done this weekend. :)
   
3. Start on the gyspy petticoat. Launder the muslin and start cutting it into strips, after I decide how wide said strips need to be. Cut out the yoke. Pull out my white eyelet skirt for cannibalization, wash it as well, but don't cut into strips until necessary.
4. Also launder the interlining fabric for my basque so it loses some stiffness.
   
5. Re-trace the front basque pieces in a larger size, cut new muslin pieces and re do the front of my bodice for another fitting.
6. Once the fitting issues are figured out, start cutting out the bodice fabric if I can.
   

Marcon Prep: The Ottoman Vest and Cage Bustle

Ottoman Vest:

So far I've completely used up one skein of metallic thread - there are two rows of couched thread around the entire outside of the vest, and around the armholes and there is one row of couched thread about two inches above the first two rows around the outside but not the armholes.

Tired of couching thread, I pulled out the pink embroidery floss this evening and started a simple outline stitch inbetween the two rows of couched thread. I'm doing this to bring some pink into the vest to match the scarves better.

I'm thinking I'll add a nice gear design on the front in a couple places, but that won't come until after the border is complete. The large design on the back will likely also involve gears.

However, I have little to no idea what to do to fill in the border space. Maybe some spirals. Maybe a nice paisley design. I really don't know.

Cage Bustle:

I also worked on my cage bustle. I shortened most of the bones and basically pleated the casing down to be the right size. And I sewed the ties on underneath. I just need to try it on, and then put the skirts on over it to make sure the length is good before hemming it. I was thinking about ruffles, but now I'm leaning away from that.

I may have other plans for that left over muslin...

In other news...

I made myself a bandanna out of a remnant of UC Bearcats fabric that I picked up last week. It was a pretty quick project. All I did was use another bandanna to measure how big it needed to be and then did a narrow hem on three sides, the fourth was the selvage edge.

I've also had this costume idea running around in my head for a week or so. It's based on a Persian jacket I saw in a Racinet illustration. I was contemplating franken-patterning it out of a jacket pattern, but when I checked the Simplicity site today, low and behold, they have a pattern that is pretty much just what I had in mind. Of course, mine will be different as I don't have enough fabric for the entire jacket. It'll probably be sleeveless and shorter to accommodate how much fabric I have. Or I may end up buying more fabric, who knows. But this is probably where the muslin will go, cuz it would make nice lining for the vest I think. However, this outfit will likely not happen until DragonCon since I still have my vivandiere outfit to make for Marcon.

And now, this steam-stress is off to bed. Bonne nuit, mes amis, et dormi bien.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J. Wilde

New Costume Ideas

First of all is the steampunk Confederate vivandiere that will be for Marcon. When I discussed this outfit with Miss Von Stoup she expressed interest in joining me and perhaps even dressed her Doctor as a zouave. I just sketched the costume and I think my ideas will work just swimmingly - Burda 7458 cropped to the waist (in gray of course), a Civil War style gathered knee length skirt (also in gray), and harem style trousers underneath, either tucked into knee high and ankle boots. I want to use authentic insignia and such for accuracy. I may actually do gray trousers and a colored skirt, with the color based on what division I want to be. Artilliary, medical, etc. This is assuming of course that we go army and not navy...that'll change insignia and such.

Secondly, I've been researching and planning a Middle Eastern inspired steampunk costume. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a good resource for nineteenth century Islamic clothing, so I'm leaning more towards the Turkish style. This idea has been rolling around in my head for a few months and this morning I sat down at my desk and thought - I could probably put this together for Ohayocon. My original plan was to use scarves I already have for a hijab and bustle so that's already taken care of. I'd really like to do a Turkish style jacket (square front, elaborate embroidery) but don't know if I'll have time for that before Ohayo, so I was thinking and I have a short black corduroy vest that I made a while ago and have never worn. So that could definitely work. I'll probably look into adding some appliqued embroidery or beading but may just leave it plain. I have a white Victorian style blouse that I can wear. So all I need are the trousers. I don't know if I'll go with the full 'Turkish' style trousers yet, I have some black knit that I think would make comfortable bloomers but there's not enough for actual Turkish trousers.

So for Ohayocon I'm thinking - white blouse, black vest, maybe a waist cincher, black harem style trouser tucked into boots, bright pink scarf as a bustle, with another bright pink scarf over my head. Probably not a full pinned in place hijab, but at least draped. All I have to make is the trousers which should be super easy and maybe a cincher if I decide I want one. I have a metal belt that I might wear, but it has brown leather on it so it may not work. Although I am sort of tempted to see if the pants I'm wearing right now would work in a pinch - black striped and full so if I tucked them into boots they'd blouse...might be worth trying.

Future plans - Actual Turkish jacket and trousers and probably some other accoutrement.

I'm rather excited right now -- upcoming steampunk Confederate plans for Marcon and putting together this costume for Ohayocon (after Miss Dashwood's Catwoman is complete of course). By the way, the blog Multiculturalism in Steampunk has been a huge inspiration.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde
Steam-stress of the Airship Archon