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nuranarFirst, the Other I know about:
1. Even up the hems on the blue and white toile curtains ("bt. blue") I got for my den. They're great curtains, but not hemmed evenly - which makes it pretty hard to put up curtain rods!
2. Sew a window seat cushion and a couple of throw pillows. Joann's has the same blue-on-yellow chintz that I had my special chair covered in! It's $30/yd, yes, but with a couple it's do-able, and the cushion won't take too much fabric. And since it's something they carry now, this is not a purchase I need to make immediately.
3. Make my bridesmaid dress for Bro. No. 2's wedding. It is Butterick 4443, View C (yellow) - boat neck, sleeveless. The dress will be made of navy Casa satin; they'll provide a sash, which I suspect will be silver. (My SIL-to-be's undergrad degree is from Rice, and navy and silver are their colors.)
4. Make a wearable mockup of Butterick 4443. I already started this, actually - I cut out a pattern size 12 - way smaller than I should wear, but according to the finished garment measurements printed on the pattern, it should fit like a glove. The lining I cut out first sure does! The mockup will prove to me if it's wearable at that size, too. :p The fabric is a poly/cotton semisheer plaid shirting: fine red lines on a white ground, sort of like a large Glen Plaid/windowpane, overlaid with machine embroidery of vines and flowers in light pink, light blue, and metallic bronze. It's interesting stuff! Instead of trying to match plaid on the princess seams (the front seam is very curved), I cut the side fronts and backs on the bias, matching so the dominant stripe makes chevrons at the side seams. I think it will be very pretty. :D
5. Make my black and white dress for the rehearsal dinner. This is a dress I've been planning for 2-3 years, so it's great to have a June deadline. The pattern is now out-of-print Vogue 8353, but instead of large gingham, I have a white voile embroidered with heavy (1/2" and 3/4" wide) but evenly spaced floral stripes in black. The benefit of this fabric as opposed to gingham is that I can taper the darts to the waist and flare them as much or as little for the bust and hips as I want. So it will keep the near-solid-black waist look, but be less blocky overall. (I'll lose the exaggerated white stripe down the side, too, because that's kind of weird.) Fun!
6. Remake brown tweed skirt. I have a skirt from Chadwick's that I rarely wear, although it's a lovely piece of brown wool tweed and nicely lined. It's just at that awkward longer length AND is cut in a flat A-line that hangs out from the hips. My hip-ness is wide enough, so this is not necessary. I'm contemplating re-making it with a vintage pattern like this or this. It will be far more flattering and wearable for everyday AND for reenacting.
7. Make blue nightgown and white robe. I love flannel-backed satin, and I don't like pajamas. Nightgowns for me, knee-length at the longest! I loved with a pattern (that I can't find online right now GRRR) when I first saw it, because it's such a cute design and it has real long sleeves. And the robe that coordinates in design is just lovely. I have blue flannel-back satin to make this in, and I want something white or winter-white for the robe. Fleece is kind of a cop-out, but I do want it to be warm. Any recommendations?
8. Ed red cloak (FMA) for Jordi. Boy, long time not making progress on this one! I do know exactly how to make the robe itself (it's a kimono! Who knew?), and just need to drape the hood/cowl. Oh, and get some lining material. Then, per![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
laughingmagpie's suggestion, I think I'll try painting the crest.
Whew! That's a lot to do! And that's not even the costuming. Starting with DFWCG's 2012 schedule:
February 18th: Antique Elegance show at the CivicCenter in Richardson... The fashion show is for Big Band Era fashions...
--> I'm there, with at least one family member. We'll do vintage, because that's easy and I don't want to make anything.
March 18th-19th: All-Con at the Crown-Plaza Hotel in Addison.
--> Not much interested in this.
March 31st: Steampunk Tea Party at the Plano Heritage Farmstead.
--> Steampunk can be fun, and my thrown-together outfit from last year was enjoyable, but I don't really want to do it again right now. And that's a looong way from home. Skip.
April14th: Edwardian day in the Park, location TBA.
---> Aagh. The 1915 dress I planned for last year's Costume College would be perfect for this. But I so do not have the time or energy to get it ready so soon! I'll have to skip participation.
May 12th: Tarantula Train and Frontier Forts Days at the Ft. Worth Stockyards.
--> This will be FUN, provided I don't have a conflict in schedule. Depending on the weather, either the sheer floral or black-and-blue not mourning 1860s dresses will work - although the black one is a lot more practical around trains (and oil). It'll be warm in May, but I'm using tropical wool and minimal lining (I think).
July 28th-29th: Costumers Retreat.
--> It sounds like I'll need stuff for three events: the Costume College "mourning" party, a pajama party, a pool party, and a time-travelers event (breakfast?). The 1860s Not Mourning dress will be perfect for the first. I can do a vintage hostess gown for the second. I'm still mulling over the third, although I'm leaning toward the 1940s playsuit I wore at Costume College last year. The shorts have had a lot of wear, although not the top; and it's just fun. But Texas in July will be a lot hotter than L.A. was last year... so I may make a vintage-style coverup and wear that over my modern skirted swimsuit. As for number 4... I could do anything, but this would be the time to do the Red Lensman. Which is simultaneously So Awesome (although no one would get it) and So Terrifying (mostly because I have no idea what material to use).
August 11th(?): 20th c. Vintage Ice Cream Social.
--> Vintage again! Although the 1915 would work here as well, if I get it done for Costume College.
September 15th: Antique Elegance Show in Richardson.
--> No idea. Vintage is easy, and I love my Regency.
October13th: Sewing day, location TBA.
--> I wonder, is my place too far out of the way? I've got a pretty great setup, IMHO, and it should be really good by then.
November10th: WWII event in Waxahachie.
--> Yay, fun! Bro. No. 3's trying to get me into a WAC uniform, but barring that, of course I'll be civilian.
Novmber17th: 4th annual Georgian Picnic at the Botanic Gardens in Ft. Worth.
--> No idea, although I really kind of want to try true 18th century again. I just have no idea where to start. I keep getting all sorts of ideas, but nothing gels. Or Regency yet again... I have rose-colored gabardine (I know it's not the perfect weave) that would make a gorgeous winter dress. (Which would have been way too hot this past time! Hmm...)
December,date TBA: Lanternlight at the Plano Heritage Farmstead.
--> I never am able to do this. Even if I'm technically free, December is a mad whirl of rehearsals and concerts and I need the few breaks I get. If I were a lot closer to Plano it would be easier.
And Costume College! Because yes, I'm planning on going for now. Based on experience, I'll want:
1. Friday day
2. Social at night
3. Saturday day
4. Gala at night
5. Sunday morning
6. Pool party
The theme is Big Band, so I don't feel too bad about really focusing on vintage. So for the Gala, I'm planning a vintage evening gown.fancyfrocks let me trace a couple of her patterns (which apparently I haven't put into my Flickr... shame), and I can guarantee it will be Pretty and Actually Long Enough. :p
The Not-Mourning and/or floral printed sheer will also probably see wear, either at the social or maybe an LJ meetup, because hoops just aren't too much fun in class or shopping. If I can do the 1915 Edwardian this year, it will also be nice, whether for daytime or the social. I'll also have *something* different for the pool party.
I got some gorgeous deep pink/rose linen in the garment district last year. I tried to convince myself to do 18th century with it, but I just don't think I can. Not linen. What would be gorgeous is something Regency, with the pink for a slip under-dress, and a sheer white overdress. I know this was done for evening in silks and fine cottons, but I'd like to see some examples for daytime.
So in rough order from what I need to just ideas:
1. 1860s Not Mourning dress
2. 1860s floral sheer dress
3. c. 1940 evening dress
4. 1915 Edwardian - skin out
5. Pink linen slip dress
6. Red Lensman
7. Pool party something
8. Red-flowered rayonn 1940s dress
9. 1930s fairy-print linen
Add this on to the list from the top, and I think I'll be kept quite busy!
1. Even up the hems on the blue and white toile curtains ("bt. blue") I got for my den. They're great curtains, but not hemmed evenly - which makes it pretty hard to put up curtain rods!
2. Sew a window seat cushion and a couple of throw pillows. Joann's has the same blue-on-yellow chintz that I had my special chair covered in! It's $30/yd, yes, but with a couple it's do-able, and the cushion won't take too much fabric. And since it's something they carry now, this is not a purchase I need to make immediately.
3. Make my bridesmaid dress for Bro. No. 2's wedding. It is Butterick 4443, View C (yellow) - boat neck, sleeveless. The dress will be made of navy Casa satin; they'll provide a sash, which I suspect will be silver. (My SIL-to-be's undergrad degree is from Rice, and navy and silver are their colors.)
4. Make a wearable mockup of Butterick 4443. I already started this, actually - I cut out a pattern size 12 - way smaller than I should wear, but according to the finished garment measurements printed on the pattern, it should fit like a glove. The lining I cut out first sure does! The mockup will prove to me if it's wearable at that size, too. :p The fabric is a poly/cotton semisheer plaid shirting: fine red lines on a white ground, sort of like a large Glen Plaid/windowpane, overlaid with machine embroidery of vines and flowers in light pink, light blue, and metallic bronze. It's interesting stuff! Instead of trying to match plaid on the princess seams (the front seam is very curved), I cut the side fronts and backs on the bias, matching so the dominant stripe makes chevrons at the side seams. I think it will be very pretty. :D
5. Make my black and white dress for the rehearsal dinner. This is a dress I've been planning for 2-3 years, so it's great to have a June deadline. The pattern is now out-of-print Vogue 8353, but instead of large gingham, I have a white voile embroidered with heavy (1/2" and 3/4" wide) but evenly spaced floral stripes in black. The benefit of this fabric as opposed to gingham is that I can taper the darts to the waist and flare them as much or as little for the bust and hips as I want. So it will keep the near-solid-black waist look, but be less blocky overall. (I'll lose the exaggerated white stripe down the side, too, because that's kind of weird.) Fun!
6. Remake brown tweed skirt. I have a skirt from Chadwick's that I rarely wear, although it's a lovely piece of brown wool tweed and nicely lined. It's just at that awkward longer length AND is cut in a flat A-line that hangs out from the hips. My hip-ness is wide enough, so this is not necessary. I'm contemplating re-making it with a vintage pattern like this or this. It will be far more flattering and wearable for everyday AND for reenacting.
7. Make blue nightgown and white robe. I love flannel-backed satin, and I don't like pajamas. Nightgowns for me, knee-length at the longest! I loved with a pattern (that I can't find online right now GRRR) when I first saw it, because it's such a cute design and it has real long sleeves. And the robe that coordinates in design is just lovely. I have blue flannel-back satin to make this in, and I want something white or winter-white for the robe. Fleece is kind of a cop-out, but I do want it to be warm. Any recommendations?
8. Ed red cloak (FMA) for Jordi. Boy, long time not making progress on this one! I do know exactly how to make the robe itself (it's a kimono! Who knew?), and just need to drape the hood/cowl. Oh, and get some lining material. Then, per
laughingmagpie's suggestion, I think I'll try painting the crest.Whew! That's a lot to do! And that's not even the costuming. Starting with DFWCG's 2012 schedule:
February 18th: Antique Elegance show at the CivicCenter in Richardson... The fashion show is for Big Band Era fashions...
--> I'm there, with at least one family member. We'll do vintage, because that's easy and I don't want to make anything.
March 18th-19th: All-Con at the Crown-Plaza Hotel in Addison.
--> Not much interested in this.
March 31st: Steampunk Tea Party at the Plano Heritage Farmstead.
--> Steampunk can be fun, and my thrown-together outfit from last year was enjoyable, but I don't really want to do it again right now. And that's a looong way from home. Skip.
April14th: Edwardian day in the Park, location TBA.
---> Aagh. The 1915 dress I planned for last year's Costume College would be perfect for this. But I so do not have the time or energy to get it ready so soon! I'll have to skip participation.
May 12th: Tarantula Train and Frontier Forts Days at the Ft. Worth Stockyards.
--> This will be FUN, provided I don't have a conflict in schedule. Depending on the weather, either the sheer floral or black-and-blue not mourning 1860s dresses will work - although the black one is a lot more practical around trains (and oil). It'll be warm in May, but I'm using tropical wool and minimal lining (I think).
July 28th-29th: Costumers Retreat.
--> It sounds like I'll need stuff for three events: the Costume College "mourning" party, a pajama party, a pool party, and a time-travelers event (breakfast?). The 1860s Not Mourning dress will be perfect for the first. I can do a vintage hostess gown for the second. I'm still mulling over the third, although I'm leaning toward the 1940s playsuit I wore at Costume College last year. The shorts have had a lot of wear, although not the top; and it's just fun. But Texas in July will be a lot hotter than L.A. was last year... so I may make a vintage-style coverup and wear that over my modern skirted swimsuit. As for number 4... I could do anything, but this would be the time to do the Red Lensman. Which is simultaneously So Awesome (although no one would get it) and So Terrifying (mostly because I have no idea what material to use).
August 11th(?): 20th c. Vintage Ice Cream Social.
--> Vintage again! Although the 1915 would work here as well, if I get it done for Costume College.
September 15th: Antique Elegance Show in Richardson.
--> No idea. Vintage is easy, and I love my Regency.
October13th: Sewing day, location TBA.
--> I wonder, is my place too far out of the way? I've got a pretty great setup, IMHO, and it should be really good by then.
November10th: WWII event in Waxahachie.
--> Yay, fun! Bro. No. 3's trying to get me into a WAC uniform, but barring that, of course I'll be civilian.
Novmber17th: 4th annual Georgian Picnic at the Botanic Gardens in Ft. Worth.
--> No idea, although I really kind of want to try true 18th century again. I just have no idea where to start. I keep getting all sorts of ideas, but nothing gels. Or Regency yet again... I have rose-colored gabardine (I know it's not the perfect weave) that would make a gorgeous winter dress. (Which would have been way too hot this past time! Hmm...)
December,date TBA: Lanternlight at the Plano Heritage Farmstead.
--> I never am able to do this. Even if I'm technically free, December is a mad whirl of rehearsals and concerts and I need the few breaks I get. If I were a lot closer to Plano it would be easier.
And Costume College! Because yes, I'm planning on going for now. Based on experience, I'll want:
1. Friday day
2. Social at night
3. Saturday day
4. Gala at night
5. Sunday morning
6. Pool party
The theme is Big Band, so I don't feel too bad about really focusing on vintage. So for the Gala, I'm planning a vintage evening gown.
fancyfrocks let me trace a couple of her patterns (which apparently I haven't put into my Flickr... shame), and I can guarantee it will be Pretty and Actually Long Enough. :pThe Not-Mourning and/or floral printed sheer will also probably see wear, either at the social or maybe an LJ meetup, because hoops just aren't too much fun in class or shopping. If I can do the 1915 Edwardian this year, it will also be nice, whether for daytime or the social. I'll also have *something* different for the pool party.
I got some gorgeous deep pink/rose linen in the garment district last year. I tried to convince myself to do 18th century with it, but I just don't think I can. Not linen. What would be gorgeous is something Regency, with the pink for a slip under-dress, and a sheer white overdress. I know this was done for evening in silks and fine cottons, but I'd like to see some examples for daytime.
So in rough order from what I need to just ideas:
1. 1860s Not Mourning dress
2. 1860s floral sheer dress
3. c. 1940 evening dress
4. 1915 Edwardian - skin out
5. Pink linen slip dress
6. Red Lensman
7. Pool party something
8. Red-flowered rayonn 1940s dress
9. 1930s fairy-print linen
Add this on to the list from the top, and I think I'll be kept quite busy!
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no subject
Date: 2012-01-24 11:34 pm (UTC)Do you have any recommendations for costuming fabric sites, btw? I've found some 1860s reproduction fabrics that I really like... but they're quilting cottons, and I really don't want to pay $10 a yard if I don't have to.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-25 01:04 am (UTC)(Let me say real quick that quilting cottons aren't all bad. Some are indeed on the heavier/coarser side, but others are lighter and finer and quite nice. Common Threads Quilting in Waxahachie focuses on repro prints, and you can feel them and handle the drape as well.
http://www.commonthreadsquilting.com/)
If you want a sheer dress, Fashion Fabrics Club has a lot of lawns and some voiles on sale right now. Most of the prints aren't right, but some are; and this is a time when a solid-colored cotton is probably okay.
If you want a wool dress, look for suiting- or tropical-weight stuff. I've gotten some on ebay for ridiculous prices. It helps if you're not terribly picky about a particular color. ;)
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Date: 2012-01-25 04:39 pm (UTC)I could imagine how to BUILD one, but there's nothing I can imagine that LOOKS like one to start with.
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Date: 2012-01-25 06:20 pm (UTC)As for the uniform itself, the original cover illustration of Gray Lensman is pretty clear: jodhpurs/breeches and high-collared short tunic. (Also it's shiny. One strike against the suede idea. :/) And very very formfitting. But I have a pair of vintage jodhpurs that fit me very well, except for being too short; it won't be hard to take those half apart and make a pattern from them. And the tunic/jacket won't be hard either. Plus matching boots, but gray has been pretty popular this year. It's mainly the material that I'm hung up on.
From a very non-technical aspect, I'm reminded of a silly little fiber-optic-like light gadget I had in college. Rotating colors carried down long thin plastic "fibers" - rather mesmerizing. There are also more recent colored-light-changing thingies I've seen used for garden lights. Something similar in jewel-like form, and much brighter if possible, would be a very pale approximation, but that's as far as I've gotten. I tend to be much better with textiles than "hard" accessories.
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