Six Months Ahead

Since I started working full time again, I have discovered a distinct lack of energy of an evening. So much so that I really don’t get a whole lot done during the week anymore. I suppose it doesn’t help that I have been sick, but I really need to get into the motivation thing and start cracking on some work. With that in mind, I thought it was high time for my six monthly planning post. I warn you, there is a whole lot coming up and a good amount of it, I need to be sewing for.

AUGUST:
3rd – 4th Steamfest (the first Steampunk convention – attending with EDAS)
Rewear – Steampunk Safari outifts

10th Storia Vivente (14th / 15th Century immersion weekend)
Sewing – Smock
Rewear – Red Kirtle, Blue Cotehardie (Late 14th Century)

18th Alice In Wonderland High Tea
Sewing – White Rabbit Suit

25th Regency Strawberry Picking
Rewear - 1795 white gown and red open robe

31st ACG Ball
Sewing – Historical Disney Princess - Ariel
Back-up Plan – Charlotte LeBouf (Princess and the Frog)

SEPTEMBER
7th Bloodlust Ball (Gothic / Vampire event)
Rewear – Steampunk Geisha

21st Gangsters Ball
Sewing – 1930s grey satin gown

22nd My Birthday Party
Sewing – I have invitations, decorations and an outfit to make. Lots to do and soon.

OCTOBER:
5th Wedding
Sewing – 1950s taffeta gown

12th Marburg Festival
Rewear

NOVEMBER:
8th – 10th Supanova Brisbane
Rewear – I Dream Of Jeannie, Sansa Stark (and fix up belt)
Sewing – Lord Varys (Game of Thrones) for my Brother, Margery Tyrell (Game of Thrones)

30th RIFF Christmas Party
Rewear – Minoan Gown

DECEMBER
ACG Christmas Party
Sewing – 1920s summer frock

There’s a whole lot of planned sewing going on there, so I will need to get cracking ASAP. The main one I need to focus on is my ACG Ball costume – The Historical Disney Princess, Ariel. I am planning to enter the parade, but what I do will depend on me getting my costume completed. At least I have a backup plan. So far, the patterns have arrived and I have all of my materials, trims, wig. The best part is that I am using a roll of fabric from my stash for the bulk of the costume. So this week, I am starting the pattern drafting. Then I simply need to mock it up, make any adjustments and then get onto the real thing. The part that worries me the most is the trimming detail that I am planning to put into the gown. Handsewing will be plentiful.

Dancing the night away

And I am back at work after another weekend out on the town. This time, I attended the annual Heritage Ball at Morningside. The day started off with helping my parents move an old spa that we were giving away out of our backyard and onto a trailer. I then proceeded style my wig and to host a historical hair styling session with the Australian Costumers Guild. In the end, I ended up styling five heads of hair in preparation for the night. We all went with different styles – I had three 1850s crinoline ear styles and two bustle era styles.

We then all popped on our ballgowns and suits and made our way over to the Heritage Ball. The music was playing, the dancing was going and we all looked fantastic.

Unfortunately one of our girls came down with a food allergy reaction and had to head home early to recover, the next to take off was a very tired couple worn out from a full week of work. And then next were my parents and myself, my mum suffering from a head-cold. I danced a number of dances but was restrained by the coughing fits brought on by too much exertion, a result of my recent bouts of illness. In the end though, it was a lovely evening out, I wore myself out for the day and crashed into bed when I got home. But let me just say, it's not an easy task waltzing with two crinolines.

For the occasion, I decided to wear my white tartan silk 1850s ballgown. I made this last year in December to attend Proclamation Day at Newstead House. Looking back at photos of it, I decided that I wanted to re-trim my ballgown. The original trim just felt too heavy for the delicate colours and weight of the fabric. I went hunting through my stash and came up with a plan. I started by unpicking the existing trim, hem and sleeves. I then folded up the hem so that it would be straight across at the waist instead of a point. The next step was to attach lace over the sleeves. I then dug out the remaining silk from my mum’s bustle ballgown (a perfect match for the pink) and made a scallop trim for the neckline and a sash for my waist. I then finished it off with some velvet ribbon bows on each shoulder and the back. The wig is styled with some matching paper flowers that I dug out of my flowers supply.

It wasn’t too much work to fix up, but the result was worth it. I am much happier with the ensemble now and I think it makes for a more feminine outfit. I also pulled out my new vintage collet necklace to wear for the evening – a perfect complement to the outfit. Colour me pleased. I think I now love this outfit more than my purple crinoline.

Halloween in July

Then came Saturday night. I attended a Halloween in July themed Birthday Party. I didn’t make anything new, but I did have to narrow down my decisions of what I would wear. Obviously, I wanted to wear one of my character costumes, but which one. I eliminated all of the summery ones first given that the part was scheduled for a wintery Brisbane evening. The next step was to take out the big ones that would take up too much room as the party was to be held at a rather small townhouse. I ummed and ahhed over which one to wear, but it wasn’t until Saturday afternoon that I finally made the decision- Mrs Lovett. I had completely forgotten that I had the costume as it hadn’t been worn for years and was packed away in a box. My only dilemma was that when I previously wore the costume, I styled my own hair, which is now short, white and pink and completely unsuitable for the costume. I ended up using my Georigan Hedgehog wig, by tamping down the curls with a heap of pins and pushing it into shape, I was able to get what I wanted. Best of all, it will all bounce back into shape for me the next time I want to do Georgian.

The party itself was pretty incredible. The Birthday Boy had gone to a lot of decorating trouble and the whole house was decked out with blood spatter, murals and props. I particularly liked the fridge decoration. He also had a smoke machine and at one point so much was pouring out the back door, the place looked rather conspicuous. There were many other fantastic costumes out for the night, as well as a good deal of skimpy ones (not my forte, but works for some).

I was glad to re-wear my Mrs Lovett. It has been too long and I really do like the costume. It’s an obscure one and is rarely recognised, but I still love it.