Other frock coat with effects

My client sent me more pics of his new duds. Here they are. Looks like he is certainly ready for PyrateCon in New Orleans.

bridal pantalettes are finished

I used Simplicity 9769 and I used this for my first set, but they still came out too big in the waist even though I was careful about choosing the right size and cutting it out. Little disappointed, as I totally don't feel like taking out the waistband and replacing it. I actually had a hard enough time with certain parts of this - I can make extravagant things without major problems but not sew something simple made of batiste. Go figure. It turned out pretty good though - the flat-felled seams were actually hard this time around, as I don't remember it being like that last time I used this pattern.

The other frock coat

Officially beginning wedding projects!

Finally finished the last of my client stuff for now, and finally I can focus in on starting my wedding projects! (Pictures of the remade frock coat will be posted soon.)

Luckily I had 2 3/4 yds of white batiste left over from what I used on my ren faire chemise, so I was able to just barely cut out a pair of pantalets. It's a very easy pattern from Simplicity, and I used the pattern before on my old pair. Very happy with the crotchless style - definitely comes in handy when you need it in the restroom!

Still at a loss of where to get the super-wide eyelet I need for the flouncing on the petticoat. Walmart is so expensive, and I need many yards of it. I keep looking on eBay but no luck. Might have to splurge on it and at least be able to say I finally made one the way I wanted, because the old one I made just doesn't do it with the plain ruffle. Sure hope something works out soon.

reconstructing an already-made frock coat

My pirate friends have come to me again, this time with his first pre-made "off the rack" (so to speak, bought at ren faire) and he has decided that he wants me to make lapels, a matching mandarin collar, MUCH bigger cuffs (they were extremely narrow), and a tab on the back.

He picked out thick jet black upholstery-grade linen, which really looks great on the coat. The other coat has lapels made from a similar-looking fabric, except it was man-made. This stuff is really nice to work with.

It took me a while to figure out how wide I could make the cuffs without it being too wide in proportion to the narrow wrist edge of the coat. Also had to knock off a number of inches from the bottom which connects to the wrist edge - the original pattern was made for a hole like 2x that size or more. Finally got it in proportion to the opening, and even added the gold zig-zag faux button hole stitching on it and put on the buttons.

Now all I have to do is mark the placement lines on the remaining cuff and both lapels, sew using the gold thread, place the buttons, and baste and sew on the double-wide bias tape. Can't wait to finish! This project has been running too long, but work and other obligations got into the way.

Wedding dress material and lace; solution to the tiny pleat problem

I've been picking up random stuff whenever I find a good bargain (as weddings can be OUTRAGEOUSLY pricey!) so I have been very lucky lately to find things such as these:

14 yards of quality "rustle-y" bridal taffeta, 40% off at HL.....$62...originally $8 a yard/$104 (with 1 free because of defects)

20 yards of 6" wide lace for $13 (with shipping!)


20 yards of 3" wide white eyelet lace on eBay for $8 (with shipping!) (for pantalets)


8 yards of 1" wide eyelet beading for $1.27/yd at HL....$10.16 (for pantalets)


3 yards of small lace for .99/yd at HL....$3 (for chemise)

5 yards of sheer white batiste at HL for $1.67/yd....$8.35 (for chemise, pantalets, and petticoat...all that was on the bolt, need more)

2 packages of 1/2" wide twill tape....about $3.50

Hardest thing to find is 14" wide eyelet lace for the flouncing on the petticoat...last time I made one from that pattern I had to resort to just a plain batiste ruffle, but since this is my wedding and I WILL be using the undergarments in years to come....I'm not letting this one go.

Looked on eBay and it looks like the cheapest runs at $2 a yard, as Wal-Mart wants $4, and I need like 7 yards, so that adds up quite a bit just for one thing.

Also looking for light blue or country blue ribbon that fits the eyelet beading but no luck yet.

Also keeping my eye out for Venician lace on sale, need 2 yards for the hem of the chemise - might as well go all out.

And, since they didn't have enough batiste, I'm probably going to need another 10 yards or so.

Finally, I think I found the solution to the tiny pleat problem. Plisse pleats will not work on non-silk, so I found a tool called Clothilde's Perfect Pleater that should do the job for about $30-35 and says it is permanent. Hope it works, because I would much rather have the pleats than the ruffles or pleat by hand!