MARCon Progress, slowly but surely

Yesterday, I hemmed my Persian skirt. So all that needs finished is the hat, which I also worked on. I'm going for a 'when pillbox met turban' feel -- white gauze with some brocade, with a strip of white gauze wrapped around for the turban feel. Its loosely based on a Racinet illustration:



Actually the entirely thing started with this illustration. The costume is based on the girl who's second from the left and second from the right. The underbust jacket was a major inspiration, and the hat looks to be a pillbox turban. With the use of the white gauze in the hat, it seemed natural.

The hat is coming along nicely: the outside is stitched together (the crown has netting and buckram for support, the top has heavy interfacing) and the lining is also put together. All I need to do is stitch the outside and the lining, finish the edge and add the turban elements.

I finished my beau's vest -- yesterday I did the buttonholes, today I sewed on the buttons and bought new cording for the lacing in the back. I think it looks quite spiffy myself.

I made myself a dress. They sell presmocked fabric during the spring and summer. All you have to do is sew the back seam and you have a dress. I have one that I made when I first started sewing, and I wore it a lot last summer so I decided to make a new one. The old one is actually hideous -- bright pink with dark pink leaves on it. The new one is nicer - black with colorful flowers. I did the seam today, I'll wash it tomorrow when I do a quick load of laundry.

Tomorrow I need to work on my Confederate jacket, after our photoshoot of course.

Bonne nuit!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Weekend Sewing Basket

In order of when it needs done, what I have packed to work on this weekend (even though I don't know how much will actually get done, since my weekend is about as busy as this past week was) --

1. Vest - need to sew the buttonholes, slice them open and sew on the buttons. I need to finish this by about noon on Sunday for the photo shoot.

2. Persian skirt - needs hemmed (might work on this at work tomorrow) DONE

3. My Confederate jacket - need to finish putting it together

4. Hat making supplies for the Persian hat

5. Patterns for my playsuit / skirt combination

And the Time Traveler is all packed for the photo shoot!

A bientot,

Miss Leah J Wilde

More Progress! Vest is Almost Done!

The first thing I worked on tonight was Miss Dashwood's bustle -- it just needed a quickie repair after all. With that taken care of, I moved on to my beau's new vest.

I put together the lining then attached the lining to the outside, leaving a space to turn as is my usual. Curves were clipped, corners were trimmed, then I turned it, arranged everything accordingly and pinned the turning opening and the armholes. Those were stitched closed in the space of about two hours. Then I put eyelets in the belt, found some cording and tied the belt closed.

By the way, the belt idea came from A Tailor Made It - http://atailormadeit.blogspot.com/2011/05/19th-century-waistcoat-finished.html I saw this vest and fell in love and had to take inspiration from it.

All that's left is doing the buttonholes and sewing on the buttons. I found nice red buttons with a little detail around the outside. He'll likely wear it with a red tie, so red buttons (as well as red cording on the belt) seemed like a good option.

I'm a little sad that I didn't get to Miss Von Stoup's jacket, but I was slightly distracted by the "Four Days of Dragon*Con" documentary. I saw several people I know -- Miss Dashwood, the Captain and a couple that I know from the 501st. I think D*C is a valid excuse for not getting more done, but I am rather satisfied with my work so far.

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

MARCon Costume Plans (updated on 5/13/2011)

With 13 days to go, here's a little sneak peak at what I plan to wear at MARCon this year:

• Persian inspired steampunk costume
• Time Traveler
• Gorgo which will be worn to the toga party
• Both versions of Harley Quinn -- Comic bodysuit and Diamonds are Forever
• If I can find the missing pieces - my Imperial officer and maybe an imperial officer toga for the toga party
  
• And...a friend is going to let me borrow her old Slave Leia costume so we'll be running around in those at some point.
  

A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

A little Marcon progress...

I cut out the back lining for my beau's vest and pinned it to the front lining at the shoulders and side seams. Tomorrow I hope to get it sewn together and get the lining put into the vest.

I also stopped by Miss Von Stoup's and fit her jacket. I am happy that I went with the larger size because if I'd gone smaller (with the size the size chart suggested), I don't think the jacket would have fit over her ample bosom. I took in (although its just pinned now) the side seams and the front seams, at the bottom and at the top, but not over her breasts. I may also try to get the alterations to the jacket stitched tomorrow, but the vest is more important to me at the moment.

Bonne nuit, dormi bien, a bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Marcon To Do List - May 2, 2011

Bonjour!

As Marcon reminded me on Twitter this morning, 25 days til the convention.

Let the panic begin.

I have a busy week this week (concert tonight, work tomorrow and Thursday evenings and friends coming into town Friday night) so I don't know how much I'm going to get done. Unfortunately. So this is going to be a very conservative to do list.

First of all, a recap of what I accomplished last week:

• I asked Miss Von Stoup about her skirt and she plans to finish it this week.
  
• I cut out Miss Von Stoup's Confederate jacket.
  
• And I started working on the jackets. Both have the main body put together and mine has been fitted.
  
• My Persian steampunk skirt is almost finished.
  
• I put together my Persian bodice.
  
• And I still haven't worked on the Captain's alterations.

Okay so here's my (conservative) to do list for this week:

• Repair Miss Dashwood's utility bustle
  
• Finish my beau's new vest before the photo shoot Sunday - The main part has been put together, including darts, attaching the 'belt' at the side seams (it goes across the back), sewing on a pocket for his pocket watch and putting the lapels on before I did the shoulder and side seams. I need to cut another back out for the lining, put the lining together, insert it, hand stitch where necessary and then do the buttons and buttonholes.
  
• Finish my Persian skirt - Just needs the hem done.
• Fit Miss Von Stoup's jacket and take in where necessary. I plan to stop by her abode tomorrow after work for the fitting.
• Make sure she finishes her skirt.

While short, I honestly think this is probably all I can accomplish this week with my aforementioned busy schedule. If I can get more done, I will.

What I need to do before Marcon -

• Steampunk Confederate Vivandiere Uniforms - I need to finish both jackets and then see about putting on the braid and buttons before the convention.
  
• Finishing the Captain's alterations
  
• Finishing Steampunk Persian costume - Hemming the skirt. Making the hat. And I need to name it.

After Marcon --

• My playsuit / skirt combo. - Current idea is a navy playsuit with a red white and blue skirt. We're contemplating a trip to the lake for the Fourth and I just love the idea of a patriotic sundress to wear. And I can sunbathe in the playsuit without having to slather myself in sunscreen to protect my tattoos. Deadline - Fourth of July obviously.
  
• Scarlet Spider for a fellow Archonite. Deadline - DragonCon
• Fix my Ottoman costume. Deadline - DragonCon
• And probably improve both the Confederate uniforms and the Persian outfit. Deadline - DragonCon
• I want to make a pair of pants to go with my Persian outfit for our Steampunk Invasion of the Santa Maria that is planned for June. I'm thinking bloomers or possibly salwar... Deadline - June.
  

That's it from me today, dear readers! A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde

Weekend Sewing - Trying to Finish 4/25 To Do List

Less than a month til Marcon equals a very rushed and panicked Miss Wilde.

I just finished my Persian bodice. I hand stitched the overlay along the top in the car while going to meet friends for a birthday luncheon. Then I basted the zipper in on the way home. I tried on the bodice and it was still a little big (I'd taken our a couple inches when I basted the zipper in) so I took out a little more, pinned it, tried it on again and it was now pretty much perfect, so I handstitched the zipper in. And that part of the costume is DONE.

I also worked on my Persian skirt -- the waistband is stitched in place and the closures are stitched on. Just needs hemmed.

I worked on my Confederate jacket. The body is put together and taken in to fit me. I think I should have gone with a size smaller but taking it in worked.

I'm trying to get a new vest made for my beau before the Airship Archon photo shoot next weekend. Fingers crossed it works out. Its cut out and I've started putting it together. I can do this. I want him to look snazzy for our photo shoot. I will be wearing the Time Traveler, by the way.

That's it for now! A bientot!

Miss Leah J Wilde