First look at the Simplicity 1612/2580 hybrid

 I still need to hem it, but my lovely franken-pattern has come together nicely.

In fact, I'm more than a little smug with how its turned out, and plan more of these.   Now I need to convince the world that they are work-appropriate and then I can live in them all summer.

Check out the snazzy back - its hard to tell from the low-res, brightened pictures (I'll be getting nicer ones when its slightly warmer out) but there is a nifty twist detail on the back)

So very many things

Excuse the lack of real pictures.  I blame light, cold and the fact that I'm prepping to move and loosing my mind a little.  (New job, new city, happening in three weeks and no apartment lined up just yet.   Getting more than a little bit twitchy)

BUT THERE HAS BEEN SEWING!   Stress reduction through creativity!    But still, I've crapped out of getting good pictures

This dress is in progress and almost finished  - Its a frakenpattern using the bodice from 1612 and the skirt from 2580 - not much difference you think - except I didn't like the gathering in the center front of 1612, so rather than modify the pattern I snatched the skirt from the other.   Its coming along really well and only needs a hem.

bodice

skirt

I have a bolero made for stretch knits is in it's second muslin (but in static tulle, for my friend's wedding)   (Making things for people in a fabric that the pattern was not intended for when that person is 200 miles away is somewhat trying) (happily it has only two seams)

The perfect shrug pattern on burda style

A baby's dress is going to be made with cotton and lace for a christening next month.    However, the baby keeps growing.   I have measurements, but I'm going to put in some serious ease.    Babies are unreliable.

S2457 (view A, but with a lace overskirt and no tucks)

and my boyfriend has requested this, in lime seersucker for the end of June.  (Have I mentioned the now *7* weddings of the summer?   the poor man needs something other than wool.)

V8988 - with fun aliasing from the stripes!

Things are...busy.

a renfrew

strike a pose

 Renfrew!  finally!  yay!    I really see why everyone loves these - they sew up really easily and the finishes look great with very little effort.

The only problem I have is with fitting -- I made mine a combination of an 8 on top and a 10 on bottom, but according to the measurements, I would need to be a 4 in the middle, which was a little harsh to grade, so I let it hang loose.   So... its a little on the baggy side.

 the back is too... So I need to figure this out.  I have some ideas for taking chunks out.  I'm thinking a wedge in the back and maybe... maybe... darts in the front.  but that sort of defeats the simplicity.   So we shall see....

ALSO - me-made-may starts tomorrow.   I've signed up, but its not really that big a thing as there hasn't been a day in the past two weeks in which I haven't worn at least one thing I made (actually, I think its been over a month since I can come up with a day that wasn't at least partially me-made)   So, I'll be participating, and posting pictures, but its not really the challenge it is meant to be.   However, I'll be using it to help identify wardrobe gaps (mostly shirts, with a dash of I've-nearly-worn-through-my-pants)  and force me to change it up a bit as jeans and the turquoise fleece are pretty much my uniform when it is cold out.

pink eyelet dress

 It is wearable!     Not technically done, as the interior is a mess and the facings are basted, etc...  but as long as it stayed all zipped up and nice, no one could tell.    I felt sneaky.

hop - front

The dress was "done" with several hours to spare before the wedding - the past few weeks have been stupid busy.   I'm glad I started this about a thousand years ago, or ... well, it's not like I don't have a closet full of other dresses, so I can't really say there would have been a problem.

hop - side!

 When I redo it, I need to lower the armholes a bit....  the right one in particular was cutting into my arm all evening.   Based on pictures, the back also seems to be pulling oddly... so I'll need to check that.  (Basically, I'm taking this thing back apart... but... it will be better the second time around)

hop - back

 However, despite all my fussing, it was fun to wear.   I love pockets.  It was a good length / width for dancing - so I could spin without flashing seated grandparents.    (My date wore a kilt, and not being used to paying attention to such things, he Marilyn Monroed over a particularly strong air conditioning vent)

hop - dance!

The wedding itself was lovely - and the couple got lucky with not only a gorgeous day, but the cherry blossoms in full bloom for their wedding pictures.

Bonus Cherry Blossoms!

two steps forward, one step back

You'd think I'd have figured this out the first time I made this pattern, but somehow I needed to take over an inch off the bodice length to get it to sit properly.

Yes, I know - not much progress.  Things have been stupid busy lately.  But the wedding is on Saturday so I have to get this finished up soon.....

The plan is to sew up the side seams tonight (Wednesday), baste in the zipper and get the straps placed.    Then, if I can attach the lining tomorrow (Thursday) and sew in the zipper (I hand-pick.... so it takes a thousand years.  But I cannot for the life of me do a machine zipper properly), Then Friday I mark the hem and head down to the venue and Saturday morning I can sew up the hem.....    The wedding isn't until 3pm, so I've totally got time.

Right.

Lots.

Gah.

I have other dresses.  I will bring a back up.

Progress - slow and steady

the leaping dolphins are straps

 a couple weeks ago I looked at my calendar and realized how close we are to the first of the six (SIX!!!) weddings I've been invited to this summer.   (It is utter maddness.)  Which meant it was time to get cracking on what I've started calling *my* wedding dress, since I think I can probably get away with wearing it to all but one of them (in which I am a bridesmaid).  Oddly enough, they are all in different groups of friends, so there won't really be any overlap and I can be shiny and new each and every time.

mighty pockets of glory

Anyhow, I have the shell almost done, the lining put together and even made my own binding tape for the pockets.    This dress is going to get a lot more wear than my formal stuff usually does, so I want it mighty and ready to scoff at anything the washing machine can throw at it.

somehow, they will end up long enough....

There has even been progress on the sweater (it comes and goes)  although I'm getting steadily more worried that the sleeves will not be long enough.   The two and a half skeins pictured here are all I have left, and I'd like the sleeves to be about double the current length of the longer one.   I may have to get more yarn - possibly even from another dye lot -- but we shall see.   fingers crossed.

the pile of desire

And finally, my snuggly shirts got kicked down the queue when I looked at the calendar, so they're hanging out (cut out!) waiting for me to have time to re-thread my serger.  (Yes, it takes all of five minutes.  But somehow it always seems like an immense burden.)   Considering the change in the weather, I'm also thinking of going with the scoop neck, rather than the cowl option I've cut out.   It would involve adding a binding instead, but it would mean I could use the shirt in spring and fall, and they layer it in winter.

Downton Abbey Costume Exhibit at Winterthur

Yesterday I went to see the Downton Abbey costume exhibit currently being held at Winterthur (The old du Pont Estate in Delaware).    Excuse the quality of the photos - they had poor lighting (and technically, pictures were banned... so I didn't dare break out my flash.   But the guards absolutely saw me and didn't seem to care... so I just went with it.)

My overall impression is that the actors are REALLY short.   (as in all the costumes were on platforms and they were all (even the men's outfits) still shorter that me - and according to a docent, the mannequins were made to the measurements of each of the actors.)  (But then again, I went to comicon once, and "met" James Masters (who played Spike on Buffy, and he came up to my chin.   So... there are a lot of short actors.)

(For reference, I am 5'9") (But I also just looked up Hugh Bonneville's height, which is listed at 6'2" .. so I'm not sure what manner of shenanigans was going on with the costumes and mannequins.) (Additionally, it has been pointed out on more than one occasion that I may not be completely sane.  So, feel free to throw that one into the mix.)

Mary's white suit was one of my favorites -- I particularly liked the seaming, which I *think* is inside out french-seams. 

The trim around the collar and cuffs looks from far away to be threaded through the fabric, but from closer up seems to be a ribbon with matching pale stripes.

Not surprisingly, a lot of the costume pieces were like that - visually stunning from far away, but with innumerable imperfections close up, that the cameras won't capture.   (For example, one of the pockets on Lord Grantham's hacking jacket was sewn on with the wrong color thread)

On the other hand, there was a lot of fine details that I never noticed when watching the show - for example, all the beading on Edith's wedding dress.

And another favorite - the Egyptian print on Daisy's apron.   (Fun fact: Highclere castle - the real name of the building where they filmed Downton - was the home of The Earl of Carnarvon, who funded Howard Carter's expedition which found Tutankhamen tomb and ignited eypytomania in England.)

This probably isn't a surprise, but Sybil's harem pants have a satiny looking lining under the chiffon.

 And, finally, the detail that seems to have taken the most work with the least chance of being seen - the trim on Mary's engagement dress.

 What I thought was just plain gold trim on the scallops (I have to admit, I hate scallops) (not that anyone asked) is actually multi colored beaded flowers.    the picture above is from a poster on the staircase - the lighting by the engagement dress was "romantic" with screen projections of falling snow and the scene playing in the background.  All very lovely, but not beneficial to capturing the details.

All in all, I had a really good time there - but I will say the exhibit was a lot smaller than I'd anticipated.   There about 27 costumes there and about half were set up so  you could see their backs.     Its also important to remember that these are costumes, not real historical garments, so they don't really stand up to a close inspection.   (Not to say the aren't lovely -- but some things which look stunning on film are rather underwhelming in person) (The dress Mary wore to Sybil's wedding in particular -- there are a lot of weird pulls and the belt loops don't seem to have been sewn on correctly).

It took me about 40 minutes to go through the exhibit (The ticket window is for two hours) and afterwards we wandered around on the grounds of the estate for a while.  Winterthur has lovely gardens - if you come from any significant distance, be sure to plan for the spring or summer when everything will be in bloom. The garden and house are worth a visit.

As for just seeing the costume exhibit,  I'm close enough that we were able to go there an back in an afternoon, having both lunch and dinner in Philly on either side.   I don't know that its worth coming from much further away if you aren't going to see anything else as well.

~More on all the fancy evening wear in another post. ~