Last night, I took some cough syrup to help me sleep and while it knocked me out, I had some weird and wonderful dreams as a result of whatever powerful narcotic was in the medicine. I vaguely remember some epic dream involving some kind of alien world where people had to take M&M type pills every so often to keep from dying in the barely habitable atmosphere. It was one of those awesome adventure dreams... Much running around, trying to save the human race while running low on M&Ms...
Anyway, this isn't about that.
I also dreamt about Florentine clothing, so that's clearly what my brain wants to be working on right now, rather than Costume College prep. See, Florentine clothing in the mid-16th century is so unlike English clothing from the same era, so wrapping my brain around the idea of not having lots of support in the torso and kind of just letting the figure be *natural* is weird to me. Really weird. In fact, I'm having a hard time coming to grips with the idea that there was absolutely no boned corsetry in Florence until way late in the 16th century (well, there may have been some outliers who used boned garments, but most research out there points to it being a really rare thing among the fashionable). But corsetry has always been questionable throughout the all major European regions in the 16th century, even though you really can't get the look of English, French and Spanish upper class clothing without some kind of corset-like garment.
But in Florence, you look at the portraits of the upper class women, and the figure is not compressed or rigid. Its fleshy and the clothing rumples slightly where the body rumples naturally (under the breasts, around the waist). There's clearly some attempt to control the figure, using simple close-fitting kirtles, but that's about it. It's a nod to the standard European silhouette, but it isn't anywhere near as extreme. So, I've been pouring over Moda a Firenze for ages, trying to put the layers of Florentine clothing together in my mind and having a really hard time with letting go of the rigid flavor of Western European clothing and coming to grips with *gasp* unstiffened garments.
This is made interesting by the florid translation in Moda, and of course, the translators (and who knows, the author as well) probably don't have the intimate understanding of clothing construction that people who actually make this stuff have. So there's a lot of throw-away comments about "felt interlinings", cardboard (and the huge variety of possibilities with that broad term) and buckram (which, in my minimal research, probably didn't mean what we think of as buckram, but an unstiffened cotton or linen fabric that could be used for a multitude of purposes ranging from bed sheets to interlining, to clothing. It was probably sturdy-ish, medium to heavy weight, at least when used as an interlining, one assumes. But there's also evidence out there that it could be finely woven as well). I'm focused on doppia, the felt interlining that was used in kirtles and to stiffen hems. How stiff was it? How thick? Of course those answers are elusive, and I have to figure it out by experimentation.
Reading through Katerina's Florence Files has been helpful in seeing some practical application of this research and how it bears out. It's also reassuring to see that I'm on a similar track, so I must not be too far off base with my suppositions. Still having a hard time giving up the issue of rigidity in my support garments, but I'm getting there. I do know from past experience that layering unstiffened, or minimially stiffened garments often provides enough support to prevent extreme wrinkling in the torso, so I'm running with that idea here. Except, contrary to the number of garments an English woman would have been wearing around the same time, Florentine women were probably wearing no more than three garment layers (not counting the camicia and any loose gown type of garment worn over the gown itself). So, my thoughts return to the doppia and whatever possible interlining structure might be sandwiched between the layers of each garment.
Late last year, I played around with the concept of using felt as the only "stiffening" agent in a bodice, but putting the bodice on recently, I didn't like the effect. Too bulky (I interlined the whole thing), not supportive enough (I drafted it over my corset and then eliminated the corset, which means my bust falls down below the neckline). Having recently played around with 14th century self-supporting dresses, I'm scrapping the first attempt and starting over with a slightly different plan of attack.
Anyway, this isn't about that.
I also dreamt about Florentine clothing, so that's clearly what my brain wants to be working on right now, rather than Costume College prep. See, Florentine clothing in the mid-16th century is so unlike English clothing from the same era, so wrapping my brain around the idea of not having lots of support in the torso and kind of just letting the figure be *natural* is weird to me. Really weird. In fact, I'm having a hard time coming to grips with the idea that there was absolutely no boned corsetry in Florence until way late in the 16th century (well, there may have been some outliers who used boned garments, but most research out there points to it being a really rare thing among the fashionable). But corsetry has always been questionable throughout the all major European regions in the 16th century, even though you really can't get the look of English, French and Spanish upper class clothing without some kind of corset-like garment.
But in Florence, you look at the portraits of the upper class women, and the figure is not compressed or rigid. Its fleshy and the clothing rumples slightly where the body rumples naturally (under the breasts, around the waist). There's clearly some attempt to control the figure, using simple close-fitting kirtles, but that's about it. It's a nod to the standard European silhouette, but it isn't anywhere near as extreme. So, I've been pouring over Moda a Firenze for ages, trying to put the layers of Florentine clothing together in my mind and having a really hard time with letting go of the rigid flavor of Western European clothing and coming to grips with *gasp* unstiffened garments.
This is made interesting by the florid translation in Moda, and of course, the translators (and who knows, the author as well) probably don't have the intimate understanding of clothing construction that people who actually make this stuff have. So there's a lot of throw-away comments about "felt interlinings", cardboard (and the huge variety of possibilities with that broad term) and buckram (which, in my minimal research, probably didn't mean what we think of as buckram, but an unstiffened cotton or linen fabric that could be used for a multitude of purposes ranging from bed sheets to interlining, to clothing. It was probably sturdy-ish, medium to heavy weight, at least when used as an interlining, one assumes. But there's also evidence out there that it could be finely woven as well). I'm focused on doppia, the felt interlining that was used in kirtles and to stiffen hems. How stiff was it? How thick? Of course those answers are elusive, and I have to figure it out by experimentation.
Reading through Katerina's Florence Files has been helpful in seeing some practical application of this research and how it bears out. It's also reassuring to see that I'm on a similar track, so I must not be too far off base with my suppositions. Still having a hard time giving up the issue of rigidity in my support garments, but I'm getting there. I do know from past experience that layering unstiffened, or minimially stiffened garments often provides enough support to prevent extreme wrinkling in the torso, so I'm running with that idea here. Except, contrary to the number of garments an English woman would have been wearing around the same time, Florentine women were probably wearing no more than three garment layers (not counting the camicia and any loose gown type of garment worn over the gown itself). So, my thoughts return to the doppia and whatever possible interlining structure might be sandwiched between the layers of each garment.
Late last year, I played around with the concept of using felt as the only "stiffening" agent in a bodice, but putting the bodice on recently, I didn't like the effect. Too bulky (I interlined the whole thing), not supportive enough (I drafted it over my corset and then eliminated the corset, which means my bust falls down below the neckline). Having recently played around with 14th century self-supporting dresses, I'm scrapping the first attempt and starting over with a slightly different plan of attack.
- Mood:
busy
Quite a lot of us are burnt out from Costume Con and other LifeTM interference, and I'm seeing countless people posting to LJ bemoaning their inability to sew anything between now and the first weekend of August. I posted just such a thing recently, to my private journal, as a matter of fact.
I pulled off four major new costumes for Costume Con, only two months ago, and I'm really not in the mood to try and pump out another spectacular outfit any time soon. I have some commissions that need my attention and energy, and so it is not in my cards for a never-before-seen-spectacular-spectacula
(Let's wait for the shrieks of horror to die down, shall we?)
So here's the deal: If you're sitting there feeling like a failure because you're not going to have some new, fabulous gown for the CoCo Gala and all your friends will think you're a loser because you can't just pull a Worth gown recreation out of your nether regions in less than 2 months (no offense to![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
harmanhay, who has been slaving obsessively over a Worth gown recreation for the better part of a year now, just to wear to the Gala), PLEASE STOP THE SELF FLAGELLATION. The only person you will be disappointing is yourself, if anything. I won't hate you. Everyone else won't hate you. In all likelihood, we'll all be too busy feeling like losers ourselves to notice that you wore that same gown once, for some other event, that 99% of us weren't even at.
Ok, I'll turn the sarcasm down a notch and just level with y'all... There was a time when I was compelled to churn out a new gown for every single SCA/Faire/GBACG event, regardless of whether I already had a whole mess of outfits in my closet that already fit the bill. This was due in part to the fact that I felt like I had something to prove, and that my skills as a costumer were still lacking in fundamental areas so my costumes were rarely fit to be worn twice without major overhauls. Now I'm older, more secure in my abilities, and I feel like I owe it to MYSELF to wear the hell out of the costumes I already have. Truth is, I don't like wearing costumes I rushed to finish at the last second, because they often times don't fit right, or fall apart because I took short cuts.
I have a competitive streak in me, I'll admit. And I like outdoing myself year after year, particularly with the Gala, but I'm also sane enough to sit this round out and let some other people rock the red carpet for a change. I'm still going to look fabulous, trust me. I'm just going to be wearing a dress I wore before, and I'm cool with that. So, if you need my permission to do the same, I declare this Costume College Gala's theme to be "What, this old thing?" :P
Poll #1417146 What, this old thing?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
I pulled off four major new costumes for Costume Con, only two months ago, and I'm really not in the mood to try and pump out another spectacular outfit any time soon. I have some commissions that need my attention and energy, and so it is not in my cards for a never-before-seen-spectacular-spectacula
(Let's wait for the shrieks of horror to die down, shall we?)
So here's the deal: If you're sitting there feeling like a failure because you're not going to have some new, fabulous gown for the CoCo Gala and all your friends will think you're a loser because you can't just pull a Worth gown recreation out of your nether regions in less than 2 months (no offense to
harmanhay, who has been slaving obsessively over a Worth gown recreation for the better part of a year now, just to wear to the Gala), PLEASE STOP THE SELF FLAGELLATION. The only person you will be disappointing is yourself, if anything. I won't hate you. Everyone else won't hate you. In all likelihood, we'll all be too busy feeling like losers ourselves to notice that you wore that same gown once, for some other event, that 99% of us weren't even at. Ok, I'll turn the sarcasm down a notch and just level with y'all... There was a time when I was compelled to churn out a new gown for every single SCA/Faire/GBACG event, regardless of whether I already had a whole mess of outfits in my closet that already fit the bill. This was due in part to the fact that I felt like I had something to prove, and that my skills as a costumer were still lacking in fundamental areas so my costumes were rarely fit to be worn twice without major overhauls. Now I'm older, more secure in my abilities, and I feel like I owe it to MYSELF to wear the hell out of the costumes I already have. Truth is, I don't like wearing costumes I rushed to finish at the last second, because they often times don't fit right, or fall apart because I took short cuts.
I have a competitive streak in me, I'll admit. And I like outdoing myself year after year, particularly with the Gala, but I'm also sane enough to sit this round out and let some other people rock the red carpet for a change. I'm still going to look fabulous, trust me. I'm just going to be wearing a dress I wore before, and I'm cool with that. So, if you need my permission to do the same, I declare this Costume College Gala's theme to be "What, this old thing?" :P
Poll #1417146 What, this old thing?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All
What should Sarah wear to the Costume College Gala?
View Answers
The 1580s gown
23 (25.8%)
Stripey polonaise 35 (39.3%)
Eleanor Benlowes gown 16 (18.0%)
1890s-esque ballgown 10 (11.2%)
Red revamped Norris gown 5 (5.6%)
- Mood:
determined
I think everyone should first go pour themselves a nice cup of their favorite tea, get comfy, and then go visit Kate's flickr set of her tailoring final project.
Isn't it gorgeous work? (Hint: Just nod and say yes) I want the stripey dress and a couple of those jackets. :)
Isn't it gorgeous work? (Hint: Just nod and say yes) I want the stripey dress and a couple of those jackets. :)
- Mood:
happy - Music:KQED Public Radio - Talk of The Nation
Ok, I'm just going to go right out and say it: You all can hate me. The scaled up 1660's bodice pattern from Arnold fits me pretty much exactly right, with only a minimum of tweaking. The part I was most concerned about was the fit of the off the shoulders neckline but turns out that was basically perfect. I needed to actually take in the pattern along a few crucial seams, and I ended up cutting off about 4" of the front point, but that was really the extent of it.
So, now that the pattern is good, I need to start making the boned foundation. This is the part that I'm the most wobbily about, even though I have the process mentally mapped out. Construct it like a corset, apply fashion fabric over the boned bodice, bind edges, apply linen lining. Pretty straight forward. I think what's hanging me up is the seamlines... Arnold only patterns the outer fashion fabric of the bodice, but Waugh diagrams the boned layer and the fashion layer and they are slightly different. In Waugh's diagram, the boned layer has less seam lines (make sense, if you're dealing with boning) and the fashion layer has what amounts to decorative seams added in.
The thing to bear in mind, of course, is that Waugh and Arnold are working from two different garments. It's just Arnold doesn't mention whether or not the internal boned bodice is assembled differently than the exterior fashion layer. I'm going to have to think about this a bit more before deciding whether or not I should eliminate some seams for the interior boned bodice...
More musings.... Another thing that's inspiring me is the Claydon House gown (Arnold's 1660s example) has self trimming. I have a lot of 1" wide gold lace that I was planning on using for the trimmings, but I wanted to veer away from the same trimming scheme most people go with for this era. Also, if I go with the self-trimming, I could save yardage by using a taffeta for the interior sleeves and that would enable me to put more yardage into the skirt. The strips left over would be used for the trim, in addition to the gold lace.
So, anyway, that's where the CoB project stands currently. Costume College is, naturally, my deadline, and it is the only major outfit I have planned between now and then. A couple of minor projects and a few commissions, but otherwise it's just Catherine. And despite not being all that excited about it for the longest time, I'm starting to feel the first flutterings of excitement now. :)
So, now that the pattern is good, I need to start making the boned foundation. This is the part that I'm the most wobbily about, even though I have the process mentally mapped out. Construct it like a corset, apply fashion fabric over the boned bodice, bind edges, apply linen lining. Pretty straight forward. I think what's hanging me up is the seamlines... Arnold only patterns the outer fashion fabric of the bodice, but Waugh diagrams the boned layer and the fashion layer and they are slightly different. In Waugh's diagram, the boned layer has less seam lines (make sense, if you're dealing with boning) and the fashion layer has what amounts to decorative seams added in.
The thing to bear in mind, of course, is that Waugh and Arnold are working from two different garments. It's just Arnold doesn't mention whether or not the internal boned bodice is assembled differently than the exterior fashion layer. I'm going to have to think about this a bit more before deciding whether or not I should eliminate some seams for the interior boned bodice...
More musings.... Another thing that's inspiring me is the Claydon House gown (Arnold's 1660s example) has self trimming. I have a lot of 1" wide gold lace that I was planning on using for the trimmings, but I wanted to veer away from the same trimming scheme most people go with for this era. Also, if I go with the self-trimming, I could save yardage by using a taffeta for the interior sleeves and that would enable me to put more yardage into the skirt. The strips left over would be used for the trim, in addition to the gold lace.
So, anyway, that's where the CoB project stands currently. Costume College is, naturally, my deadline, and it is the only major outfit I have planned between now and then. A couple of minor projects and a few commissions, but otherwise it's just Catherine. And despite not being all that excited about it for the longest time, I'm starting to feel the first flutterings of excitement now. :)
- Mood: pleased
- Music:Grey - Lanterna
I am really not a fan of the majority of the 19th century as far as costuming goes. There's little bits of fashion here and there that I find interesting, but on the whole, it's my least favorite century in terms of women's clothing. Weird, I know, because there was so much variation throughout the century, you'd think there would be a lot of stuff to like.
Butzaphod_groupie inadvertently sparked my imagination by posting an image of a Bloomer Cigar ad from c. 1897 and I was instantly in love! A brief run through Google and I found plenty more where that came from!
Are these not the cutest outfits ever?
A dress my mother would love.
Pink! Ruffles! Tam o'shanter !
I'll have to file this away for a future project, should I find myself in need of a 1890s cycling outfit...
But
zaphod_groupie inadvertently sparked my imagination by posting an image of a Bloomer Cigar ad from c. 1897 and I was instantly in love! A brief run through Google and I found plenty more where that came from!Are these not the cutest outfits ever?
A dress my mother would love.
Pink! Ruffles! Tam o'shanter !
I'll have to file this away for a future project, should I find myself in need of a 1890s cycling outfit...
Taking a hiatus from the Basement Excavation to get some long overdue work done on two of the corset commissions I've taken on. I will reiterate this for the millionth time: It never really sinks in how expensive costuming is until you sit down to write an itemized break down of the cost of materials and labor. Suddenly a smallish project goes from being just a thing, to an expensive thing. Oof. But then again, I realize that's why people are willing to pay me for the service, because such things are often far more expensive when it comes to aggravation and frustration than they are in terms of materials.
I think that part of my problem is that I look at the total cost and think "Dude, I'd be really reluctant to pay that to someone to make me this thing." But therein is the logic fail: I am good at making this thing, so why would I need/want to pay someone to make it for me? However, things I'm not good at making (hats, jewelry, shoes, for instance), I'll cheerfully fork over $$$ just to avoid frustrating myself.
I think that part of my problem is that I look at the total cost and think "Dude, I'd be really reluctant to pay that to someone to make me this thing." But therein is the logic fail: I am good at making this thing, so why would I need/want to pay someone to make it for me? However, things I'm not good at making (hats, jewelry, shoes, for instance), I'll cheerfully fork over $$$ just to avoid frustrating myself.
- Mood:
hot
I've been hoping that the cleaning up of the basement would reveal the location of my roll of white silk satin I had earmarked for the Charles II project, but so far nada. This hugely irritates me. And if I can't find it, I'm not sure what I'm going to do... I can't afford to buy more $20-40/yard fabric. I guess I'll have to go diving through my silk stash to see what I can come up with. I have a dove gray silk satin and a light blue silk satin, and a heavy silk taffeta in bronze that kind of behaves like satin... But that's about it. And none of those options scream "CATHERINE OF BRAGANZA" at me.
Sigh.
I really wanted my gown to be white, because it will stand out among all the gorgeous colored satins that others are choosing for the mistresses and courtiers. That, and I'm weird... White looks great on me. With my black hair, my pale skin (made paler from the makeup I coat myself with when in costume), and the fabulous pearl jewelry I have planned, this dress is going to kick so much ass.
Provided I can find the silk. Dammit. I'm about to dismantle my closet to see if the roll fell back behind the clothes. I can't think of where else it could be! Curses!
NEVER MIND:
Proof that whining about it on LJ sometimes DOES solve the problem. I found it mixed up with some other rolls of fabric in my mom's closet. Hooray! I guess that means I still have to finish cleaning the basement, though...
Sigh.
I really wanted my gown to be white, because it will stand out among all the gorgeous colored satins that others are choosing for the mistresses and courtiers. That, and I'm weird... White looks great on me. With my black hair, my pale skin (made paler from the makeup I coat myself with when in costume), and the fabulous pearl jewelry I have planned, this dress is going to kick so much ass.
Provided I can find the silk. Dammit. I'm about to dismantle my closet to see if the roll fell back behind the clothes. I can't think of where else it could be! Curses!
NEVER MIND:
Proof that whining about it on LJ sometimes DOES solve the problem. I found it mixed up with some other rolls of fabric in my mom's closet. Hooray! I guess that means I still have to finish cleaning the basement, though...
- Mood:
triumphant - Music:All for Me Grog - The Clancy Brothers & The Dubliners
DSCF1902.JPG
Originally uploaded by modehistorique
I owe this website and its readers a huge update on a lot of things (finish my Costume Con recap, for one... And upload the photos of all the new 18th c. dresses, and then get back around to finishing updating the look of the site all together...) but I wanted to put this out here while its still fresh in my mind.
A few weeks ago, I bought a hat from the lovely and fabulous trulinor. The hat arrived in the mail while I was at Costume Con, and then because of the rush on Roric's 16th c. Mists/Cynagua War outfit, I didn't get a chance to take the hat out of the box until this past Friday.
Let me just say, it is a FABULOUS hat. I LOVE IT. I have been wanting a 16th c. tall hat for well over a decade, and now I have it the perfect head accessory for my wardrobe. :)
I wore it on Saturday to the Principality of the Mists Spring Investiture with my new "little black dress" (black wool flannel, lined in pink linen for extra awesomeness). allison_is was awesome enough to take a few pictures of the ensemble for posterity:
IMG_5894
Originally uploaded by nisaatbl
I have been eagerly trawling Flickr for pictures of Mists/Cynagua War since Sunday morning, hoping to find a photo of Prince Roric wearing the 16th century outfit we (myself, Master Vyncent and 5 buttons worth of help from the lovely Mistress Morgan. With moral support and Tiara Time enforcement by Her Highness Syele. Hey, it's all about giving credit where credit is due!) created in under 2 days.
I was so excited to see this picture that I actually squeaked a bit. Audibly. Scared the cat.
I am so so so happy with how it turned out! His Highness looks magnificent! And looking through the rest of the photos, I am going to admit that I am a little sad that I missed the 16th century salon. Everyone looked so beautiful!
Ah... For some reason it's a little bittersweet... I will see everyone soon, but I hate missing out on a good party!
I've been insanely busy since coming home from Costume Con this week, so I apologize for the lack of recaps. I was busy since Wednesday sewing a 16th century outfit for His Highness of the Mists, which should be getting worn right about now (and I am very much endebted to Master Vyncent atte Wodegate for his assistance... Without his help, the outfit never would have been done on time). I was so exhausted by last night that I passed out before the buttons were on the outfit and just handed it over to Vyncent to take it to Mists/Cynagua War. I have to remind myself that while I can bust out a Victorian dress in 15 hours, that is known territory and I'm a short person so it doesn't take much time to sew my stuff... Sewing a man's 16th century outfit, in 2 days, when one is not as familiar with menswear and said man is of truly impressive proportions...? Again, I can't say it enough: I wouldn't have been able to do it without Vyncent's help. Pure and simple. The outfit is beautiful and His Highness looked great in it. I hope someone gets pictures of court tonight!
Also, I'm glad I had Her Highness of the Mists there to insist on Tiara Time between the hours of 8pm-midnight on Thursday night. I might not have survived otherwise. :)
Anyway!
I kicked back today for the first time in a week and just relaxed with Katie. We got on a Steampunk kick, which was loads of fun. She's dragged me over into the SP world, so I'm actually seriously planning a costume now. It should seriously rock, if all goes as planned. :)
I will get on wrapping up the recap from last week, I promise. In the meantime:
Two photos I love from Williamsburg, courtesy of Trystan:
Also, I'm glad I had Her Highness of the Mists there to insist on Tiara Time between the hours of 8pm-midnight on Thursday night. I might not have survived otherwise. :)
Anyway!
I kicked back today for the first time in a week and just relaxed with Katie. We got on a Steampunk kick, which was loads of fun. She's dragged me over into the SP world, so I'm actually seriously planning a costume now. It should seriously rock, if all goes as planned. :)
I will get on wrapping up the recap from last week, I promise. In the meantime:
Two photos I love from Williamsburg, courtesy of Trystan:
- Mood: accomplished
( Wherein our heroines take Colonial Williamsburg by storm... )
Stay tuned for Part The Second: Polonaiseville, USA!
Stay tuned for Part The Second: Polonaiseville, USA!
I've been away from the computer for a whole week, off on the East Coast hanging out with some truly fabulous people. I'm working through a backlog of email at the moment, so please have some patience. Also, I will be doing a write up on the trip, plus pictures, soonish... Just need to recover for a bit and take it all in!
And speaking of pictures, in the interest of being kinda sorta organized, I started Flickr groups for photos from Colonial Williamsburg andCostume Con 27.
Historical Costumers at Costume Con 27 Group (open to all, as long as it has to do with historical costume/costumers and was at CC27)
Williamsburg/Berryville Group (invitation only, because it was a smaller group of individuals who participated. I did not send an invite to everyone because a lot of people are not listed in my flickr contacts, so if you were there and you want to add your photos to the group, email me with your flickr ID at modehistorique@Gmail.com and I'll add you to the list).
And speaking of pictures, in the interest of being kinda sorta organized, I started Flickr groups for photos from Colonial Williamsburg andCostume Con 27.
Historical Costumers at Costume Con 27 Group (open to all, as long as it has to do with historical costume/costumers and was at CC27)
Williamsburg/Berryville Group (invitation only, because it was a smaller group of individuals who participated. I did not send an invite to everyone because a lot of people are not listed in my flickr contacts, so if you were there and you want to add your photos to the group, email me with your flickr ID at modehistorique@Gmail.com and I'll add you to the list).
- Location:Bedville, USA, Pop. Me
- Mood:
semi-conscious
Collegium was very good, all around. My classes ran smoothly, my friends seemed to be enjoying themselves, and the hotel experience was top notch, even for an SCA event. ESPECIALLY for an SCA event, honestly. The autocrat team, vittoriosa, Vyncent, and HRH Constantina get mad, mad props for putting on one of the best arts and sciences centered events I've ever had. Thank you! I hope you all get the recognition you deserve for making such a potentially crappy situation for the Kingdom into something that absolutely rocked. :)
So, now that Collegium is behind me, and the West Kingdom Arts & Sciences Tournament is coming up June 12-14, I want to put out a call for teachers on clothing & textile topics. I'm organizing the costuming/textile track for A&S, and some of you may have already been approached by me, but all the class slots are not filled and so I'm casting my net a bit wider.
If you are reading this and you're thinking, "Hey, I could teach that class on 14th century fake hair/Norse support garments/16th century hat bands/insert costume-y thing here that I've always been hoping to teach" please don't hesitate to send me an email with your name, your class description and contact information, by May 4th, 2009. We have 4 class sessions on Saturday and 2 on Sunday to fill. Hands-on classes are always a plus, and since this is an outdoors event, slide shows and projectors are not a possibility.
Email me at modehistorique-AT-gmail-DOT-com. Looking forward to hearing from you!
vittoriosa, Vyncent, and HRH Constantina get mad, mad props for putting on one of the best arts and sciences centered events I've ever had. Thank you! I hope you all get the recognition you deserve for making such a potentially crappy situation for the Kingdom into something that absolutely rocked. :)So, now that Collegium is behind me, and the West Kingdom Arts & Sciences Tournament is coming up June 12-14, I want to put out a call for teachers on clothing & textile topics. I'm organizing the costuming/textile track for A&S, and some of you may have already been approached by me, but all the class slots are not filled and so I'm casting my net a bit wider.
If you are reading this and you're thinking, "Hey, I could teach that class on 14th century fake hair/Norse support garments/16th century hat bands/insert costume-y thing here that I've always been hoping to teach" please don't hesitate to send me an email with your name, your class description and contact information, by May 4th, 2009. We have 4 class sessions on Saturday and 2 on Sunday to fill. Hands-on classes are always a plus, and since this is an outdoors event, slide shows and projectors are not a possibility.
Email me at modehistorique-AT-gmail-DOT-com. Looking forward to hearing from you!
- Mood: happy
I've taken a bit of a break from working on 18th century things to shift back into 16th century mode (not as hard you might think). This weekend is the West Kingdom's Spring Collegium, and I will be teaching two classes on Saturday. The first is on my theory and construction of the French Hood (lecture and demonstration, not hands-on construction), and the second will be a 2 hour lecture on upper class clothing styles in England, 1500-1600.
If you're within reasonable driving distance of the Doubletree Hotel in Modesto, CA and want to come, I highly encourage you to do so! The hotel is not sold out, either, so if you have a wild hair to come down and join in the fun, there's still rooms available in the SCA block.
My class times, in case anyone is curious:
San Jose Room - 11:15-12:15: Analysis of the French Hood
San Jose Room - 1:30-3:45: Overview of Upper Class English Clothing Styles, 1500-1600.
My classes are free (there will be no paper handouts. In the interest of keeping paper use down to a minimum, I have a PDF handout for the French Hood class that I will email to those interested in my documentation), but the site fee is $15 for SCA members and $18 for non-members. Children under six are free. :)
Hope to see you there!
If you're within reasonable driving distance of the Doubletree Hotel in Modesto, CA and want to come, I highly encourage you to do so! The hotel is not sold out, either, so if you have a wild hair to come down and join in the fun, there's still rooms available in the SCA block.
My class times, in case anyone is curious:
San Jose Room - 11:15-12:15: Analysis of the French Hood
San Jose Room - 1:30-3:45: Overview of Upper Class English Clothing Styles, 1500-1600.
My classes are free (there will be no paper handouts. In the interest of keeping paper use down to a minimum, I have a PDF handout for the French Hood class that I will email to those interested in my documentation), but the site fee is $15 for SCA members and $18 for non-members. Children under six are free. :)
Hope to see you there!
- Mood: busy
- Music:Lonely - Lanterna
I've been working nonstop since early this morning to get my costume affairs in order for Colonial Williamsburg/Costume Con. I have this rule: No sewing the night before an event, and so the pressure is on to get everything completed well in advance of the actual trip. And so far, so good on that account!
So, here's what I've done today:
Got up around 6:30am and immediately started boiling water for the great hair curling project of 2009. I had some wefts of fake hair, a pot of boiling water, a few bobby pins, and a 3/4" diameter dowel. Cut the wefts into 2" segments, wrap the dowel with the hair, secure with a bobby pin, and then dip in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove dowel, place on a towel to cool, remove the bobby pin, remove the weft, let dry, repeat 123182391874 times until you have ( this ).
While the ringlets were drying, I stitched eleventy million yards of lace to the necklines and sleeve openings of all four of my 18th century dresses. ( Here they all are hanging on my closet door... )
A couple days ago I'd already started the wiglet, followingvivcore's instructions (note that she uses natural human hair, not synthetic, so she is able to curl her wefts with a curling iron), so after the boiled hair dried, I finger combed it out and hot glued the tracks to the base. An hour later, I had ( this ).
( Here I am modeling my rockin' new hat with my gigantic hairs )
Once the wiglet was finished and deemed comfortable to wear, I started making hair accessories. Bows, bouquets, scarves... ( Here's me modeling the big-ass black silk ribbon bow... ) There's a shocking lack of feathers, however... I must remedy that oversight.
After the hair accessories were done, I finally made myself a pocket that I've been telling myself I'll make for years now. ( The fabric looks familiar, doesn't it? )
And in between all of those things, I re-hemmed a petticoat, and started my packing list. I'm bringing seven petticoats. I have no idea how I'm going to lift my luggage...
(ETA: What the hell is up with my html suckage today??? Gah! It should all be fixed now...)
So, here's what I've done today:
Got up around 6:30am and immediately started boiling water for the great hair curling project of 2009. I had some wefts of fake hair, a pot of boiling water, a few bobby pins, and a 3/4" diameter dowel. Cut the wefts into 2" segments, wrap the dowel with the hair, secure with a bobby pin, and then dip in the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove dowel, place on a towel to cool, remove the bobby pin, remove the weft, let dry, repeat 123182391874 times until you have ( this ).
While the ringlets were drying, I stitched eleventy million yards of lace to the necklines and sleeve openings of all four of my 18th century dresses. ( Here they all are hanging on my closet door... )
A couple days ago I'd already started the wiglet, following
vivcore's instructions (note that she uses natural human hair, not synthetic, so she is able to curl her wefts with a curling iron), so after the boiled hair dried, I finger combed it out and hot glued the tracks to the base. An hour later, I had ( this ).( Here I am modeling my rockin' new hat with my gigantic hairs )
Once the wiglet was finished and deemed comfortable to wear, I started making hair accessories. Bows, bouquets, scarves... ( Here's me modeling the big-ass black silk ribbon bow... ) There's a shocking lack of feathers, however... I must remedy that oversight.
After the hair accessories were done, I finally made myself a pocket that I've been telling myself I'll make for years now. ( The fabric looks familiar, doesn't it? )
And in between all of those things, I re-hemmed a petticoat, and started my packing list. I'm bringing seven petticoats. I have no idea how I'm going to lift my luggage...
(ETA: What the hell is up with my html suckage today??? Gah! It should all be fixed now...)
- Mood:
sore
DSCF1729.JPG
Originally uploaded by modehistorique
After literally weeks of dreading the trimming of my small straw hat, I finally forced myself to jump in to the scary (for me) waters of hat trimming. Its not totally finished yet, but I've decided to let it sit for the night before doing anything else to it. The rose at the top is actually just stuck in there next to the bow... Not sure if it'll end up on there or not. Also, I think I like it tilted to the other side better, because it allows the feathers to fall more gracefully...
Regardless, its almost entirely done! Next up on the agenda... Finishing touches on my chintz anglaise. I feel like I'm running out of time. I have an SCA event to go to this weekend, and then Monday I leave for Alameda and Tuesday we fly out to Virginia to start the week of costuming insanity leading up to Costume Con. And you would not believe the anxiety I'm having about losing my luggage...
DSCF1699.JPG
Originally uploaded by modehistorique
The pouf wig actually came out decently! For a while there, I was feeling like it was going to resemble Amy Winehouse's ratty beehive more than a true pouf...
I'm going to add more stuff to it tomorrow, to fill it out a bit, but other than that, it looks pretty much like it should. I just threw it on and hastily pinned my hair over it, so its not really arranged properly. Also, my attempts at photographing the back (where all the interesting stuff is, natch) didn't work out.
With the wigs styled, I'm feeling more empowered to start on the hats and hoohahs. After I sleep, that is...
DSCF1691.JPG
Originally uploaded by modehistorique
One wig down! One to go! Well, more like 1.5 to go... I have a bit of a wild hair (har) to try to make a demi-wig. We shall see. Anyway, here's my slightly restyled hedgehog wig. I think it looks decent... Not anywhere near on the level of Kendra's wig wa, but I think it'll do. :)
Next up, I'm going attempt a pouf. Wish me luck!
At what point does it actually cost more to try to reproduce a garment, rather than just paying outright for it?
For example: There is a cardigan I am madly in love with. Buying it will cost me about $75 plus shipping. Looking at the garment, I see that its actually a fairly straight forward pattern, with exception for the double notched collar which, in all honesty, I have always sucked at figuring out.
So, calculating the cost of everything, it would break down as follows:
My hourly sewing rate = $15 (I'm giving myself the friend rate, because I like me)
Number of hours to pattern out garment = 3
Number of hours to sew everything but the collar = 5
Number of hours to pattern and sew collar = 2-5 (depending on if I'm suffering from the dumb that day, or not)
Total, not including materials = ~10 hours x $15/hr = $150
Materials alone would probably run me about $50.
Of course, I wouldn't *actually* be paying myself to make this cardigan, but the amount of time and aggravation I'd be putting into patterning and sewing, it would feel like I'm taking a $150 hit, for sure. And if you consider that materials will cost me $50, it starts to feel like I'm out fifty bucks for $150 of labor that I'm not actually being paid for.
I think I'll just buy the cardigan.
For example: There is a cardigan I am madly in love with. Buying it will cost me about $75 plus shipping. Looking at the garment, I see that its actually a fairly straight forward pattern, with exception for the double notched collar which, in all honesty, I have always sucked at figuring out.
So, calculating the cost of everything, it would break down as follows:
My hourly sewing rate = $15 (I'm giving myself the friend rate, because I like me)
Number of hours to pattern out garment = 3
Number of hours to sew everything but the collar = 5
Number of hours to pattern and sew collar = 2-5 (depending on if I'm suffering from the dumb that day, or not)
Total, not including materials = ~10 hours x $15/hr = $150
Materials alone would probably run me about $50.
Of course, I wouldn't *actually* be paying myself to make this cardigan, but the amount of time and aggravation I'd be putting into patterning and sewing, it would feel like I'm taking a $150 hit, for sure. And if you consider that materials will cost me $50, it starts to feel like I'm out fifty bucks for $150 of labor that I'm not actually being paid for.
I think I'll just buy the cardigan.
- Mood:
lazy
I've been wanting a pagoda umbrella for ages now, but the dang things are rather expensive, so I've been putting off purchasing one for about as long as I've wanted one. Then today, I got a wild hair and plugged "pagoda umbrella" into the search bar over on Kaboodle.com, hit "compare prices" and discovered that Socially Conscious Shopping is carrying Bella Pagodas for 30% off their MSRP.
It came out to a little over $80 with tax and shipping, but that's still under the average $96 price tag that they usually come with. Not cheap, true, but better than roasting in the sun at an event, IMHO.
It came out to a little over $80 with tax and shipping, but that's still under the average $96 price tag that they usually come with. Not cheap, true, but better than roasting in the sun at an event, IMHO.
- Mood: happy
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