Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday Progress Update: Apr 30

I got a new battery for my video camera, but I think that finishing April A-Z is just gonna have to wait until after Costume Con.  I have so much to do, costuming and documentation and programming stuff and my job interview tomorrow!  Squee but stress!

Here's what took the stress off this week:




Cinderella's ballgown is done!  I've tried it on, and it fits wonderfully.  Only need to move two eyes and it will be all set!



My Regency and Sam's Regency.   Thought this would be something really comfortable for her to run around in all day on Saturday, so the family is going to match :D  Hers is finished except for hem and mailed off to her, mine needs eyelets in the back and a hem, and I need to start mom's.


Merida!  I'm super-excited about this costume!  The sleeves need to be redone because they're too tight, but everything else is great (even the front, which fits me but doesn't fit my dress dummy).

This week I need to finish the new sleeves for Merida and mom's regency.  It seems like so little and yet so much!  Only 1 1/2 weeks to Costume Con everyone!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Creative Chat Wednesday - Closure

Creative Chat

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About Creative Chat



This Week's Topic:


What is your favorite type of closure to use on a garment?


It seems like I lace everything.  I do a lot of corsets.  If I had a preference, though, it would probably be for these huge snaps we called "Whopper Poppers" in the costume shop.  I love them, they hold really well and are pretty easy to sew on.  I think most of my skirts close with at least one whopper popper.




Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday Progress Update: Apr 23

Thing 1's flower dress is done except for its belt.  I'm still deciding why to do with that.

 I think I'm leaning towards this belt, but I"m still not sure.


Here's her accessories: a headband and wristlets. ; If I have time I'm going to make two more kanzashi for shoe clips.




I also finished my SF/F entry.  I added the trim to the skirt:



And made this sceptre:



All I have left is to finish the circuit for the skirt, which I'm actively avoiding.



I also did some embellishing work on my historical dress:  I added lace and bows to the stomacher:



And added trim to the skirt:



And the petticoat:



So much handsewing I rubbed my thumb raw!  I also covered my shoes:

But they still need decoration.



Since those are mostly done until my wig shipment comes in I started to work full on my Cinderella dress.


T- Thread Treatments





T is for Thread Treatments!  Today we go over two different thread treatments and I teach you a trick to make one work better!


Saturday, April 21, 2012

S- Scissors



S is for scissors!  I show of how I store my scissors and cutting implements and talk about what I use each for and why they're good or bad.


Friday, April 20, 2012

R- Ribbon



R is for Ribbon.  I talk about my favorite ribbons to keep around.


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Q- Quilting



Q is for Quilting, I show off my first quilt and discuss how important it is to keep on learning.


P- Pattern Tracing



P is for Pattern Tracing, we learn about different methods of tracing patterns onto fabric. 


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Creative Chat Wednesday - Patterns

Creative Chat

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About Creative Chat



This Week's Topic:


What is your favorite pattern company to work with?

I don't know why, but McCalls works the best for me and my body.  I especially like their arm holes, they seem to fit the best and afford a good range of motion.




Tuesday, April 17, 2012

O- Overlocking



O is for Overlocking!  I go over my serger and how to thread it, and mostly I just talk about sergers.


Monday, April 16, 2012

N- Needles




N is for Needles!  Today I show you my favorite needles.


Monday Progress Update: Apr 16

I got a lot of stuff into finished stages this week.  I'm so excited!  If Costume Con were to happen tomorrow all of my competition pieces would be able to go onstage (not that I'd be happy with them, but they could do it).


 I finished grommeting my SF/F bodice and made a modesty panel with a peplum to match the bodice.


I also replaced all the LEDs in the skirt that I blew out last fall.  I'm in the process of figuring out resistors in order to not blow them out again.  I also spent 2 days looking for my pink EL wire, but it has gone AWOL after DragonCon.  I don't know where it is, so I guess I'm gonna work without it.



Thing 1's SF/F sleeves got cut out on tissue paper stabilizer,


And sewn to her dress  . . .


And then the dress hem was dyed light green,


And then stiffened with horsehair, lined and finished!  I may add a hook and eye to the top of the zipper, but otherwise this dress is done!


I also wired her heart . . .


And got it painted!


I finished painting all the petals for the flower dress, and I sewed them on the skirt then sewed the skirt to the top, added a zipper, put lace on the neckline, and put the lining in at the neck.  I still need to finish the lining to the zipper and waist, and finish the sleeves and trim them, add a sash, and finish her headpiece and tights (whew!).


And finally I got a good fitting mock-up of my Cinderella bodice.  It's ready to get cut out!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

M- Machine Maintenance




M is for Sewing Machine Maintenance.  I show how to take apart and clean a sewing machine.


L- Laundry






Catching up, I needed a bit of a mid-month rest up.  This is L for Laundry, where I show five great laundry tools every costumer should have around.



Thursday, April 12, 2012



April A-Z project. A demonstration of three ways to do knife pleats.


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

J- Jacquards



Jacquards and how to tell two types of Jacquards, Brocades and Damasks, apart.


Tuesday, April 10, 2012



Today we learn the difference between Ironing and Pressing and why pressing is so important.


Monday, April 9, 2012

Monday Progress Update: Apr 9

I've been making lots of videos!  I've got a few other irons in the fire too, though:


Thing 1's competition dress for the F/SF is coming together.  I put in the most beautiful invisible zipper yesterday!  I think the key is putting it in before you sew the back pieces together.  Hope I can get something half as pretty on her fairy dress.


The flower dress is coming together nicely too.  I'm edging each of the petals in fabric paint, which is the longest part of doing this.  The first row of petals was a little hard to sew on, but I figured out to use my teflon foot to go over the fabric paint and now they sew like a dream.  Only 4 more rows to go!  Thank goodness there are fewer and fewer petals on each row :P


I cut the skirt of the Cinderella Historical . . .


and I made the bodice mock-up.  I've got to figure out how to fit it on myself, since it's back-closing :(  I'm using these two patterns:


The skirt is TV247:  1865 Elliptical Skirt and the bodice is TV442: 1860s Ballgown Bodice.  I'm going to wing it on the puffs of the skirt.  I tried dying the stripey over fabric and failed miserably (it's as plastic as plastic can get, but, unfortunately, it's the only thing I could find in a narrow enough stripe).  I guess it's just gonna stay white and hope the under taffeta shades it enough for pictures because I don't have the money, time or energy to airbrush paint the entire 10 yards blue.


Finally, since it was Easter yesterday here's a picture of Thing 1, Thing 2, and Monkey in their Easter outfits: