Not much time for sewing since we moved and I miss you guys!! However, I did mostly finish the bodice to the 1884 reception gown (if you forget, it's here: http://madamemodiste.livejournal.com/107909.html)

It still needs sleeve cuff trim and some lace at the bust, but it's generally done. I wore it to Linsey and Duncan's wedding a week and a half ago.



No plans to make anything until the semester is over next month, so I'll have to live vicariously through you ladies!

Hee hee...there's nothing like knocking over your box of pins all over the floor for the first time in your new sewing room in your first house. The room has been initiated!!

Happy Halloween!

Because of school I didn't have time to make a costume this year, so I decided to use feathers to turn existing clothing into a raven costume. I also have a great raven mask from the Pottery Barn of all places.

Here's a preview of what I have done for the upper half. God, I hope the feathers stay in place! They are only pinned to the bodice with straight pins since they will have to come off afterwards. Any advice?

[EDIT] I've decided to use small black safety pins.

I need to tap into all the great creativity here on my very talented friend's list!

After finding a beautiful raven mask at Pottery Barn (of all places), I decided to be a raven for Halloween. OK, so I have the mask, which is very elegant with a mass of dyed black coque feathers, black glitter and a little sequins. I also have a black coque feather collar, and I'll probably wear the corset in that photo, too. So...give me some more ideas under $50!! I could get wings, but the event is really crowded, and I fear I'll get sick of spilling everyone's drink/knocking people in the face with them. Alternatives? I did a google search and saw this, so wanted to let you know I've seen this link already, but it didn't show me anything new.

I also found this coque feather trim: http://cgi.ebay.com/Coque-feather-fringe-72-inches-black-irridescent-trim_W0QQitemZ170385100169QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item27abbe4d89&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 What can I do with it? Sew it up the length of my gloves? Something around my shoulders somehow?

Other ideas?

Thanks, everyone!!

Following the look of the fashion plate, I added a net draped front panel and 8" wide double-scallop edged lace to the front panel side seams.



( side view here! )

Most of a skirt!

So you'd think that a person in the middle of Fall semester, who is moving in less than 3 weeks should NOT be taking on a new project. I took a week off of sewing and I was just itching to make something, and of course it's better to use some Stash before I move, right??

So I looked through the Stash and saw I still had a bunch of that black velvet flocked rose print taffeta, and a bit of black/red shot taffeta. Then I pulled this out of my "do to one day" files:



From Harper's Bazar in 1884, it is listed as a "toilette for dinners, receptions, weddings, or any full-dress occasion where a high-necked dress may be worn". I plan to make it with 3/4 sleeves, which I have discovered was commonly done for evening dress with a high neck.

The bit of red taffeta will be the skirt center front panel, sleeve cuffs, and ? I haven't decided which TV bodice pattern I'm using yet.

Started cutting last night, but didn't get far before the season premier of Heroes came on, and sewing had to stop (Jason sometimes complains if I sew through our tv shows :)

I made one mistake already...I forgot to cut the front panel longer so it could drape like in the fashion plate, so it will have to do. I'm thinking of doing some bows up the skirt front anyway.

I totally forgot to show a photo of my completed NF era evening bodice! You remember, perhaps, that the sleeves were extremely sleevil, but I conquered them anyway.



(since I was working on two different projects at once I had the wrong skirt on the mannequin when I took this photo)

And here I am wearing it to the Drac's Ball!

Hello! I finished the black and white NF era gown that I have simply named "Donna's Dress" since she inspired it!

I wore it this past weekend to Belvidere Victorian Days in NJ. It sort of drizzled all day, but we made the most of it!

Made entirely of cotton from the Truly Victorian 1882 tea gown pattern with the neckline from the TV 410 1873 polonaise, and a "Victorian revival" white blouse underneath purchased at the mall.



Please ignore the alien cat in the background. She is clearly engaging in shenanigans.

As you can see, I paired the overdress with a striped skirt I made several years ago. The parasol frame is circa 1890's and was recovered in net and lace by me and mostly Beth because I was distracted putting in an offer on a house the day she visited.

Here is a link to photos from the day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14941369@N07/sets/72157622226266761/

I just fixed my own serger!! It was jammed, and I fixed it! Yay!

I'm making ruffles for the black and white natural form era day gown and watching 1995 P&P because between reading the Jane Austen sequel "Old Friends and New Fancies" (in which all the books characters come together...it's so much fun!), watching "Lost in Austen" (also a fun film), and <lj user="Bauhausfrau"'s post of that gorgeous black velvet pelisse she made, I'm on a Regency kick.

I'm trying to make up an evening sleeve from Jean Hunnisett's Period Costume for Stage and Screen 1800-1909. If you have a copy of that, could you get it out? Take a look at page 122 at evening sleeve D. I enlarged the pattern, but can't figure out how it works. It looks so simple, yet it's eluding me. What am I supposed to do with X and Y? There seems to be no indication of where to add in the pleats as there is on pg 148-49 evening sleeve C. I like the crossover version, though.

Any help appreciated!

Project Runway premieres tonight at 8pm on Lifetime!! I'm so excited!

http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/schedule/daily

Yay, I won 1st place in the gothic category for the bustle dress contest for my Lady Dragon gown and 2nd place for my black and white striped "Buccaneers" gown in the day gown category!!!

http://www.bustledress.com/cgi-bin/z.pl/reset/article.contest.20090815-01.html

Congratulations to all the winners!! You all did an amazing job!

So I began cutting out fabric for an evening bodice that can go with either this new overskirt or any of my other NF skirts. So I have to make it from an all black taffeta so it can mix and match. That means I need to make removable trims to match each skirt. It will have an open square neck, short draped sleeves (sort of like the girl on the right) and a long pointed back hem.

*************

And in an unrelated note, here is a pretty fashion plate from the New York Public Library online catalog.

It needs a waist closure and a back hem, but it's done. Unless I decide to add lace trim to the pannier hem.

The underskirt used here is the same one that goes with the Lady Dragon gown (TV 221).



( See More Here )

What I really like about this overskirt is it can be worn with either proper Victorian underskirts, or to jazz up any long skirt.

I've been slowly working on a new NF overskirt from the TV 326 Hermione overskirt pattern. I'm doing the panniers and back in black taffeta, and the front apron in that black and red stripe taffeta I got recently. It's turning out cute, and I hope it doesn't make me look huge (and not in the good way).

Here's a sneak peek

Hey, Everyone!! Sorry I've been a little MIA. We're in the process of putting in an offer on our first house and things have been a bit crazy this week.

BUT I wanted to thank those that were able to go vote for me on the bustle dress contest I posted about the other week. 3 of my dresses made it to the "finalist" stage and I'm so thrilled! Thank you all so much!!

This is the bustle I worked on Fri/Sat and wore last night. I'm really happy with it, but next time I'll cut the bustle stay pieces narrower.

For summertime, I made a knee length bustle skirt. It's also great to show off boots that normally are hidden by my dresses. Jacket is from the new "Cirque 21" line at Forever21.



I even made a new bustle for it because my current one has an ankle length built-in petticoat that this skirt is too short for. See Laughing Moon hoops and bustles pattern, view E.