Renaissance Skully Bodice Complete!

So I finally finished this bodice:  I ended up cheating and using the sewing machine for one front panel of boning channels, but the rest is hand sewn!  I discovered that I had made the pattern a tad too big so emergency slicing of edges had to occur to make it a couple of inches smaller.  This will allow me to lace it up firmly.  This is when I discovered to my dismay that the yellow silk bodice that I had sewn already would be far too big: I actually thought this white bodice was far too small so made the pattern for the yellow silk larger...whooooooops!  Oh well, all fine now and it fits wonderfully and feels really comfy.  Planning on getting this one ready to wear to the next event at the end of May. 

 

Another side note, in between sewing eyelets I managed to finish my Russian inspired hat :)

 

IRRC3 Pattern Fail and Recovery Attempt

Well, somehow I managed to totally mess up the pattern for the bodice.  I have now unpicked all the bodice pieces and done them again but to the smaller pattern size.  Sigh.  This meant I had to do some creative patching of the yellow silk as I don't have enough to cut pieces again.  Hopefully they will fit this time! 

 

As you can see, there is a bit of a gap from the too big pattern to this version, but it is on the tabs so I used a bit of waste silk (glad I kept all the offcuts) and patched it.  It will be hidden under the skirt anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

So far I've completed the eyelets on the back piece, so now on to the eyelets for the front pieces and cut some bias out of scraps to bind the edges.  The tabs may get a different colour if I run out, but once again, no one will see :)

Sunshine Underdress

Well, I ummmed and ahhhhed for a while before deciding to make my underdress for the IRCC3 out of some bright canary yellow duponi silk that I have had in my stash for over a year.  I bought a whole heap of roll ends off the clearance table for $2/m so I have quite a lot of small amounts of silks.  Better to use them up I guess :)

I dip washed the silk (fill bathtub with cold water, lay silk in, take silk out) and then ironed it to get most of the wrinkles out (haha silk...no wrinkles..funny joke) and used a ironing spray to get the sheen back and to mask the silk smell.  Does anyone else think that silk smells icky?

So cut out, lined with white cotton and then folded and stitched down.  Will then add the lining piece and hand stitch.

On a side note, I'm trying to get through the huge pile of unfinished projects; this is the finished embroidery for my early Russian style hat/coif thing.

Let the Challenge Begin!

okay, so the IRCC3 has already started, and I'm having issues already.  Changed my mind from a skirt only petticoat to a kirtle-type petticoat to wear under the big silk frock.  This is mainly so I can bone the underbodice for support, and also I get a 'free dress' out of if rather than just a skirt.

I stuffed about with my tabbed boned bodice pattern and made a calico mock-up, then copied the pattern onto proper patterning fabric rather than brown paper for a change.

The fabric I'm using is from my stash, the green thick stuff is in the middle and the yellow denim-y fabric will go on the outside of this.  Then an outer fabric and a lining fabric.

I decided to try to use as much fabric from my stash as possible: these fabrics have been sitting about waiting to be used, and they really aren't much use as an outer fabric.

 

 

I'm still having outer fabric issues, I really want to buy some new fabric but I have so much already that I am determined to use stash fabric!  Will see how it pans out during the day.  Hoping to get to the hand sewing of the eyelets today....

 

Pieces all cut out, I use pen to mark the lines as it washes out plus it will be covered up. :)  Time to dust off the sewing machine (I use a vintage 1950's one) and get channelling!

 

Renaissance Skully

So finally the embroidered red skull is done on the back bodice piece.  I'm a bit concerned because I think I cut the piece a bit large, so I might have to do some adjusting on the shoulders.  Won't know for sure until the front pieces are done as well but to be safe I'm not binding the rest of the piece just yet.  Now to move onto the eyelets.  It is coming up to the start of the IRCC3 so this project may get put on hold for a while.

Yes they do exist!!

After scouring the local fishing shops I was beginning to think my friends were having a lend of me: I never saw the brass rings in store!
Well I went online and got some, only because I will need them for the upcoming Italian challenge.  I have been using split rings for reinforcing eyelets, they work okay but don't have the really smooth look I want.  Especially if I'm going to use silk :)
Anyhoo, I ordered 10 packets of the rings, only to get a phone call from the supplier.  Apparently they have had a run on these since January and only had 6 packets in stock, which he sent to me.  The poor guy was a bit bemused as to why all of a sudden people needed bulk brass rings!  I decided not to tell him about the possible frantic sewing going on in preparation for Rowany.  Ahhh, Rowany, I would love to go one day :)

Hopefully these will keep me going for a while: 12 x 6 = 72, which is a lot of eyelets!!

In the Beginning...

Well, it is Easter Monday and I decided to get my blog up and running.  I really should be marking or prepping lessons but I really don't want to do that.
I'm a high school science teacher who has just recently (4 days ago) resigned my teaching job as it was becoming so unenjoyable.  I always promised myself that when I got to the point where I no longer liked being a teacher I would quit.  Hey, who wants someone teaching their kids who doesn't want to be!  This of course means...EEP what am I going to do now?  Well, that is all part of the adventure isn't it?
I have loads of craft/sewing things on the go so I'm creating a page for each project.  I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy working on the projects.