a bit of knitting

For a while now I'd been playing with the idea of getting back into knitting - looking at patterns, getting book with interesting techniques, stalking people on ravelry, etc..     A couple of weeks ago I ended up in a part of the city I don't usually frequent and happened to walk by a yarn store.... so in I went to start petting the merchandise.  I can't wear wool next to my skin (even cashmere or merino - trust me.  I stuck my arm into the boxes of yarn to test it out) so the original plan was cotton with some spandex and the owl sweater.

 However, I didn't like the colors they carried, so I continued petting things until I came to a silk and cotton blend I fell in love with.(Seta Tweed, by Lang Yarns in a sort of turquoise color - its brighter and darker - I guess more intense - than shown above)  I was paranoid about the stretch and recovery, so I ended up going with a franken-pattern of a cardigan from Textured Stitches by Connie Chang Chinchio (plus the inevitable screwing around that happens with all my projects)   the next big challenge is getting the arm holes to come out right... wish me luck!

sewing to the last minute - finished B5748

Can we stop for a moment and discuss how incredibly and unreasonably cold it gets in New England (both before and after this photo shoot I was covered head-to-toe and there was a hefty dash of polar fleece in the mix.)   Anyhow, I finished this sucker a good four hours before the wedding, so ..win!   (I actually really like this patten, especially with the pockets, and plan to make a couple more.. although probably in the spring.)

spin spin spin - and try not to fall down the hill....

I highly recommend it for its spinning-ness and general fluffy flouncing about.  In all of these pictures I'm wearing it with a full crinoline, but it also works with just the dress.  The pattern itself is was very easy to work with and the fit came together nicely.  The only major change I put in, was to add pockets.

The fabric is a cotton lace, backed with cotton broad cloth -- meaning the whole thing is machine washable, which may make it my new favorite formal dress.

Liza, the glorious photographer of awesomeness.  She is cold too.

wedding fun times.  (and conveniently wearing the same color as the bride's maids)

RennFest Part Two - the return of the bodice!

and I'm back ... with renn fest costume fun times!

I've been sewing quite a bit, but just haven't been in a bloggy sort of a mood - however, a new renn fest costume (yes, its the second one this year) seemed to deserve a proper post.

It was started for the historical fortnightly 'wood, metal and bone' challenge - although having missed the deadline by about two weeks, I think I'm going to push it forward and have it be my 'something green'.   The bodice / pair-of-bodies / corset / stays is an update of the one I made a few months ago.  I think I'm slightly short waisted - so I took about an inch off the length of the bodice.  I also narrowed the whole thing and added tabs for shoulder straps.

update = purple, original = white

 I find the updated version to be much more comfortable.  It doesn't pinch at all, and having the boning (zip-ties) extend down into the tabs prevents pressure points.

 The outer fabric is a brocade drapery remnant of in determinant material and the lining in a thick cotton twill I used for a skirt many eons ago.   (The whole costume is actually a glorious stash bust!    The green dress is muslin I dyed forever ago and never got around to using and the black is an embroidered cotton that I loved in the store but was a little two sweet when I got it home.   For costuming it worked perfectly.   In fact, the only thing I had to buy was the bias tape for the binding and the lacing cord.)  the green under-dress is your basic huge shift with not enough shirring at the top and the back over-skirt is a large square with the circle cut out of the center.

The final fit of the bodice still isn't quite right (it needs to be tighter on top - I put the tabs too far to the sides and my arms prevent it from sitting correctly...  c'est la vie) However, all in all, I'm really happy with this costume and plan to use it for another yer or two.  (Ideally with more elastic in the sleeves...)  (They are actually even... it was really hot again and I kept tucking them up, out of the way)

The Challenge: #19 'wood,metal and bone' or #21 'green'   (you know... whichever makes you happy...)

Fabric:  mystery brocade and cotton twill
Pattern:  pair-of-bodies: Elizabethan Custom Corset Generator, 
Year:  circa 1550
Notions:   heavy-duty zip-ties, grommets, cording, bias tape
How historically accurate is it? the shapes and patterns behind both items are actually pretty accurate.  The fabric and construction methods were modern.
Hours to complete: About 6 - I was able to reuse the zip-ties from the last time, which saved a lot of effort.
First worn: October 6, 2013,  To the Maryland Renaissance Festival
Total cost: free - I made it from scraps left over from other things  (well, the bias tape and cording, so maybe $10)

state of the dress (exclamation point)

The dress progresses!

I added slash pockets!

Here they are!   I love pocket bags!

This is where I started figuring out the ISO and shows the real color of the fabric!
Also the basting holding the layers together!

I also switched the linings for facings!
Not my usual choice, but so far the dress is all machine washable,
and I didn't want to screw that up or buy more fabric!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fitting B5748

I really need to start paying more attention to finished garment size, rather than the sizing on the back of the envelope, as Butterick and I have rather different ideas about reasonable amounts of ease.

a straight size 14 - no alterations.

Anyhow, to lop this sucker down to a more sensible size, I pinched out an inch on either side, shortened the strap in the back (and smoothed out the neckline after), and cut the back of the armseye a bit deeper (this last isn't shown in any of the pictures above - last minute alterations...)  However, other than that, it was a really good fit.   I didn't have to move the darts or make any other major alterations.

Scribbled on parts were removed.    The fold on the piece 2 got rid of the droop over my shoulders.

 now with alterations! and a skirt! and two crinolines!

(I'm pinching down the seam allowances on the sides - otherwise its hard to see the changes...  fun with lousy lighting late at night.)  Anyhow - the result is looking pretty close to the design on the package - I think their scoop neck is a bit lower than mine, but I can easily fix that during construction.

I think I'd need three crinolines to pull off the level of pouf the pattern models have going on. Not sure I really want to travel with that much fluff... so we shall see. 

warm brown skirt + floor length hems

Excuse the sunset-ness of the pictures -- It was finally cool enough to wear this outside, so I dashed out as soon as I got home and changed.  Or we can pretend alien attack.  That could be fun too.

Anyhow, this is the first volley of my be-warm-with-options-other-than-polar-fleece campaign.  (Winter does get a bit monotonous) It's a self drafted 6 gore skirt, with a side zipper.   Its made of a thick woven cotton, with blue and white sewn (maybe woven, but it looks like stitching) stripes.  Its been sitting in the stash for ages, waiting for me to come up with something interesting.

 snazzy stripes.

 I've developed a fondness for floor length skirts lately, and getting the hem to the right length is a bit of a trick.   (I find about an inch off the floor is good - doesn't drag, but looks like it might)   Anyhow, to do it without help, I use my handy-dandy chalk marker on the lowest possible setting

Due to the stand, this still ends up being a few inches higher than I'd like, so after chalk marking, I go around again and add 3 or 4 inches (depends on the weight of the fabric) 

and voila! floor length hem!  In this particular case, I actually went with three inches, and then attached a hem band to the bottom.   This allowed me to use the band's seam allowance to anchor the hem, resulting in no visible stitches.   (the close up of the stripes, a few pictures up, is actually the interior of the hem.  I serged the end and whip-stitched it in place)

Experiments with embellishment (also, Renn-Fest!)

in which I abandon historical accuracy to the wolves. *

Long and involved story short:   I usually go to the renaissance festival in late October. This year, plans changed and we went today - when the temperatures were in the mid 90s (also, humidity?  yeah. lots.)     So I figured between not having enough time to finish my massive tudor re-do and not wanting to die of heat exhaustion, I would join the legions of women who go as sort-of-not-quite-belly-dancers and generally look pretty darn comfortable.

I also decided to experiment with embellishment.    (sadly, not at all visible from a distance, as you can see below)  Both the vest and belt have free hand embroidery based on the Angie's Fall design from Alabama Chanin (but mucked about by me - I didn't trace anything, just sort of did what looked right at the time) I also added a bit of beading in the primary petals of each design -- I ran out of time for anything else)  I've never tried anything so loose and sketchy looking before, and both enjoyed the process and the result.   (i.e. you will be seeing more of this at some point)

The Good:   as comfortable as could be expected (it was reeeeaaallly hot**, and we were all sweaty greasy messes by the end.  But, as usual, it was renn-fest-tactular.)   (fun fact: some of the performers strap ice-packs under their costumes to handle the heat and the layers.)

The Bad:  black on black really doesn't show up well.   Next year! colors!   (However, given this was made of the scraps of an old ikea slip cover, I think we can give it a pass)

Best part of the day?   I was able to wander around for hours (and drive there and back) and my knee didn't bother me.   (I tore my meniscus in March, and this was a first for me.)  Its aching  bit now, but I think that's more psychosomatic than anything else.

Pattern details:
The vest is based off the bodice of simplicity 3673, with pointy bits added, the neckline lowered and the opening moved to the front.

The belt is from simplicity 2158 (which is actually a belly dance costume, shock of all shocks.  It's rare I use something as intended - I think I originally got it as a basis for a bathing suit.)

The skirt is the lining I pulled out on an 80's monstrosity and now use as general purpose I-need-a-black-skirt-and-don't-have-time-to-make-what-I-want type of thing.



*Short digression on Amanda being a hero and pulling it off despite the heat.   She is amazing and insane and knows a lot of the performers and their secrets for making it through.  Although, I'm pretty sure she was ice pack-free.  Clearly, superhuman.

** not to be confused with I-refuse-to-go-outside-and-turn-into-a-hermit-hot, which is around about 110. like earlier this summer.  (33 and 43, respectively, for you Celsius folks)

(yes. I know, lots of fuss.   but the weather was the main topic of conversation today, along with making sure everyone had enough water.   I think I'll try to go again in a month or so....)