New skirt!

Started this months ago and got distracted by other things... nothing fancy but I can see me wearing this a lot!

One day to go

Aaaahhhhh!!

Home stretch. Getting close. Except the cat keeps stealing stuff like buttons and thread.

But I am pleased to say the shoes are done. Thought they would be easier, starting with the Chinatown cotton Mary Jane slippers I wore throughout highschool, but you can't get them anymore, only slip-ons. I remembered this as soon as I saw them--last time I thought I'd buy those slippers they were nowhere to be found. I asked the shopkeeper who confirmed it's been years since they were available. 

So, slipper conversion as well as applique. 

At least handsewing is portable--took this with me to Sunday service!

Still plugging away as the deadline looms

So this is basically my only plan for the weekend—sewing, sewing, and more sewing.

Here's what I've done so far:

• Base dress (done)
• Bloomers (done)
• Ribbon tie with insignia (done)
• Wig (purchased)
• Shoes (purchased)

Still to do:

• Assemble apron with gold trim (augh)
• Sleeves (more gold trim augh)
• Collar/Dickie (had hoped to start with a thrift store shirt but didn't find a suitable one)
• Gold trim on shoes (augh)
• Bowtie (do I have one somewhere?)
• Bunny tail (purchase)
• Style wig

What am I forgetting...

Anyway this gold fabric is awful. Slippery, stretchy, even when I stabilize it with fusible interfacing it won't stay fused. I tried using a hotter iron, up to the point of starting to get a scorched plastic smell, but even though it seems attached, it comes loose after a few minutes if you try to cut or sew. Grr. I'm going to experiment on a scrap with spray starch, but I see a lot of basting in my future. 

Looks nice though!

When you can't find what you want, make what you want

A big part of the Saber Astolfo costume is the gold trim. I initially imagined using braid or similar, but couldn't find anything that was just exactly right. And trying to work out how much I'd need to follow the zig-zaggy crenellated pattern was requiring too much thought. Then I saw this fabric: 

Liquid gold! I got some fusible interfacing to make it less liquid where needed (although I'm afraid I'll just melt it) so I can cut out the various trims and decorations. Meanwhile I started with the sleeve trims:

Red ribbon edged with gold. The one on the right shows the bits before I put them together. 

And the final product:

C'est l'Hallowe'en!

Late decision but I'm making a Fate Grand Order Saber Astolfo (3rd Ascension)!

Started by sketching out some pieces directly on the fabric in chalk: circle skirt, simple v-neck bodice, puffy sleeves. 

Here's where we're at after a couple of try-ons and couple of tweaks:

Glad this part was fairly easy as the trim will  be something else!

Holiday pyjama time again

Is anyone else feeling behind in their xmas shopping? I have two things ordered and on the way, and that's basically it. Today I bought fabric for pyjamas though! Getting more sedate as my kid gets more grown up. I was thinking piping and buttons in the taupey grey colour that runs through both fabrics, but maybe navy blue?

Getting closer

More work on the straw hat bike helmet! 

I suddenly realized that my arbitrary deadline is drawing near. I had the idea that it would be part of my Shakespeare in the Park picnic outfit, and our tickets are for next week! This is why I need arbitrary deadlines, I guess.

Somehow I never took a photo of the shiny straw capeline I bought from Petersham but it looked exactly like their photo on Etsy:

Shiny Straw Capeline from Petersham’s

I’m sure they won’t mind me borrowing it, since I’m linking back to them (and you should buy one!)

Yesterday, I finally got around to shaping. Lots of steam from my kettle (I steamed the outside, then the inside, then just took the lid off the kettle and plopped the capeline on top), and I got this:

Partially shaped Capeline

It took a lot of work to make it fit around the helmet! I used pushpins (carefully pushed between the strands of straw, not through them) to hold in in place while shaping.

Next, I moved it all to the ironing board, to flatten out the brim, and get a crisp edge where brim meets crown, and heavily steamed the top and shaped it by hand to look more “hat-like” instead of just wonky. I weighted it with what was handy while it was cooling and drying:

Shaped!

Next will be applying a band and stitching in the lining. I’m a bit worried about the pull of the elastic causing problems with the straw. Maybe it needs a permanent hat stand when not in use? Hmmm...