Not quite yet

I know there are a lot of costumers out there who have been doing their 2013-in-review posts, and it is usually around this time that I would put one out myself. However, I am not yet done for the year. 2013 is not over yet and I am still working on my final project. So, for those who have asked me, please be patient. I will get to it once we hit 2014.

As for my New Year's project itself, work is steadily progressing. I am making a 1780s Georgian Vampire outfit to wear to Dracula's on New Year's Eve. I know that I don't have a lot of time left to finish it up, but I will get there. I only have a few more trimmings to sew on and a wig to style. Which I plan to complete tomorrow!

Beariness

Another project non-costume related that I have been working on, is for my teddy bear. Earlier this year, I hosted a teddy-bears picnic and when I pulled out my bear, I discovered that her little rompers were falling apart. To be fair, I got Honey Bear when I was 3 months old and the rompers were mine before they were hers. At any rate, the elastic had perished and so had some of the stitches. I stripped my bear down (who looks incredibly odd naked), and got to pulling apart the rompers for a pattern.

What I discovered is that my Nanna (who made them) was a really lazy and crappy sewer. But here I was, ready to try my hand at them. I cut them up and lay flat each piece of the rompers on some pattern paper and traced around them, adding in my seam allowance. I also took the opportunity to make some adjustments to the pattern so that they would be a more custom fit for my bear.

The next step was fabric. I dug through my pile of left-over cottons and cut them. I had decided to make a couple of pairs so that I could change them up if I felt like it. My three fabrics are a black background floral, a black background with sweets, and a blue floral comic book heroes. The went together pretty quickly, and I managed to use a bit of left-over lace trims to decorate the bib section on each of them. I added in elastic at the legs and waist and positioned the straps so that they would cross over a the back. I finished them off with some buttons and gave them a quick press.

And, here is the finished product.

White Linen

I’ve been a little off track lately with my sewing. Instead of working on my next project (for New Year) I’ve been getting a few other projects done. One such project is a couple of new regency chemises. Lately I have noticed when wearing my regency chemises, they have a tendency to smell a little bit sweaty under the arms when my body heats up. I think it’s just a matter of wear over so many years use. All the ones I have are still the same ones that I made when I first started costuming regency. And so, I thought it was high time to whip up a couple of new ones.

Over the last year, I have been buying up pieces of thin white linen when I spotted it. One piece was in particular for another project (a Christmas gift) while the rest was to be put away for undergarments. So, a few weeks ago, I dug out what I had left and cut out a couple of chemises. I still use the gold old simplicity pattern for them, since I know that it works, and I went to the trouble of flat lining all of my seams as it seems to strengthen them and help everything sit a little neater.

All in all, my two new chemises have turned out well. I’m kinda looking forward to wearing them at my next event.

A State of our own

Last Tuesday, I attended the annual Proclamation Day event at Newstead House with the Australian Costumers Guild. We have been invited along for a number of years to add atmosphere in period costume to the event that celebrates the day when our state became a state in its own right. It’s a simple celebration with a flag raising, nibbles, speeches and carols by the piano at one of Brisbane’s most known heritage houses. But it is wonderful that we get the opportunity to be there an provide that element of atmosphere.

It had thankfully cooled down quite a bit after a stinker of a day and the breeze off the Brisbane river was keeping us cool. We wandered the grounds for some photos in the gardens before the ceremony began. 

Ceremony...

Afterwards, we took a quick tour around the house and snapped a few more shots before the light disappeared completely. The evening finished off with carols around the piano and chatting with the interested attendees.

It’s a lovely event to be invited to, and I strive to make the effort to go along each year. This year, I pulled out my white silk crinoline that I re-trimmed from the heritage ball earlier this year. I love the ensemble now, and have my old purple one in the pile of stuff to be sold (so if you are interested in it, watch this space).

I did however spend some time making a new petticoat. This one, out of taffeta. An unfortunate side effect of wearing silk skirts is that they stick to a cotton petticoat. I've had a taffeta petticoat planned for some time, I just haven't had the fabric or gotten around to making it. So, on my last trip to Adelaide, I picked up a lovely silver taffeta and I spent some time last weekend whipping it up. I even spent some time decorating the hem with some pin tucks and lace.

And despite recovering from a stomach bug at the time, and feeling rather awful, I had a wonderful night out with my ACG girls.