Sunday, December 20, 2015

Catching Up: Teslacon Part 1

So... I didn't get the 1840s dress done for the event last weekend, but that's okay! It will be shiny and new for Costume College, and I'll be all set for the 1840s event NEXT year!

In the meantime, I have a bunch of finished projects that need to be shared! Mostly Teslacon and a couple things I made in October. The theme for Teslacon this year was Wild West, and I was really inspired by Annie Oakley's cute outfits and others like hers. Short skirts, fringe, etc. I came up with "Steampunk vivandiere goes West" as one of my outfits. It's made from teal wool from Burnley and Trowbridge with hand-cut deerskin fringe. The outfit consists of an underskirt, overskirt, Swiss waist, blouse, and jacket. I actually thrifted the blouse because... why not! It was perfect for the outfit and saved me a lot of time. Plus it goes perfectly with a 1940s Western outfit that's been sitting in my closet for a couple years. I was going for an 1860s silhouette, and I think it turned out okay. I cut down an old cage crinoline but I'm not completely happy with the shape. Starting a cage from scratch would have been better but I just didn't have time! This was the first outfit that I could really have fun accessorizing. It just begged for goggles, and for once, goggles seemed totally appropriate! It's very sandy in the West, you know. ;-) I also got an old ammo container and I snagged Michael's hat. Michael Steampunk'd my barrel, which was just awesome and got so many compliments. He's so creative! It really lights up!


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Sunday, December 6, 2015

Early 1840s Bonnet


I'm so happy with how this bonnet turned out! And I had everything I needed to cover and trim it in my stash!

This bonnet is for a c. 1842 outfit that I'm suddenly working on! It's mostly for Costume College, but there is also a small 1840s event a week from today that I will hopefully have it finished for! At least I hope to have the gown wearable, even if it doesn't have all the trim.

The bonnet form is from Timely Tresses, and I covered it using their pattern. I decided to pipe the tip of the bonnet and do a bias binding on the front edge for added interest. After looking at dozens of original bonnets and fashion plates, and playing around with my silk satin ribbon and velvet flowers, I came up with this trim design. 

The pink silk is sarsenet from Burnley and Trowbridge. The ribbon and flowers are vintage pieces from an antique store in Michigan. I bought them without a project in mind but knew they'd come in handy eventually!

Now on to the gown!


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The curtain is gauged after this original bonnet
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Bonnet insides are rarely a thing of beauty... Silk taffeta brim facing and a cotton "head liner". 
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