Dickens on the Strand this weekend!!!

I'm excited not just because I'm a professional costumer or that this is my first anniversary, but my dad decided he had so much fun at Dickens last year that he's coming again this year! I rented him a Victorian suit (slacks, white shirt, cravat, dress jacket, and vest) from Morgan Costume Studios. He doesn't have a website, but I do recommend him if you have an out-of-towner coming or you just don't have a costume yet.

However, if he comes next year, I'm thinking of just outright getting him a costume since I spent $80 last year and $80 this year on them so far. I could've gotten a few costume pieces for that kind of money! But I didn't know he was coming again until late in the fall, so I couldn't. I did however get him gloves from Somewhere in Time, a wonderful antique store on The Strand past Hendley's Market. I also got Christian a cravat there because I was too busy to make one! I had to resort to buying a top hat for my dad since Morgan didn't have any good ones left, so I found a pretty good one on eBay that I would highly recommend. His user name is Hatstu.

I've been very busy lately trying to finish my new gown. I used Simplicity 3855. I had to tailor it down quite a bit since the sizes ran so big. I didn't get to finish the trim on the upper sleeve seam so I'll have to do that for next year. I used taffeta for both the main part and the trim. It's kind of difficult to find a fancy fabric that doesn't shred so I'm not a big fan how the trim came out, even with the edges pinking-sheared. In all, I wasn't too thrilled with the construction of the gown as it is lined AND faced (weird!!!) and the dress was originally designed for 5 panels, with 1 skinny one in the front . I ended up using the pattern I used for my wedding dress and the Sunday dress from last year. I do like the style even though the construction design wasn't the best idea. I think it should last a long time since the front goes into a V and it has a little give in the chest area. I'm aiming at costumes that will last a while so I won't have to make any more for next year unless it's for someone else who doesn't have one yet.

By the way, I bought the iridescent purple/black taffeta on eBay from paylessfabric. I've gotten fabric from him before and he is awesome!!! I bought it at the *best* price I could find around here and online for $5.99/yard.

My School's Fall Bazaar Theme: Pirates!!!

Got dragged into the whole pirate thing this year. I'm such a girly-girl that this idea is completely alien to me. I don't mind making stuff for other people - they look good in pirate stuff - but I feel weird in it. Probably doesn't help that I'm a 34G. I know that I just can't pass for a guy no matter how much I try.

Anyway, I decided between teaching and finishing up these costumes, I would *shudder* BUY a pirate shirt rather than make it. Big mistake. I ordered a "swordswoman's shirt" from By the Sword, Inc. Since I'm kinda big on top, I ordered a woman's XL. Another big mistake. Usually I HAVE to wear XL, but I'm swimming - no, DROWNING - in this shirt. The worst part is that they claim that the cuffs are designed with a woman in mind. Maybe a 600 lb woman??? The cuffs are 11" around! My wrists are like HALF that!

On the flip side, I only have to wear it twice, once for the bazaar and once for Halloween at school. Then, I can give it to my husband and he can wear it to TRF, since I would estimate it's more like a man's size L-XL rather than a woman's.

Planning on going to TRF on Halloween weekend. I'm hoping Christian will pick out a costume for himself, preferably a musketeer since he has the sword and shirt already and the good looks. Hehe!

Anyway, I'm using some black capris/pants (depending on weather) that I already had, plus a single necklace from Wal-Mart that has 7-in-one (about $7) and a set of different-sized hoops at Wal-mart ($5) as well as thin black and red scarves for $5 each at Wal-Mart. The socks I might wear if it's chilly - they are the same pair I got for Mrs. Lovett at Hot Topic.

Anything to keep the school going and impress the kiddos, I guess...

Victorian Girl's dresses c. 1860

I finished two out of the three dresses so far. I just need to put buttonholes on the other two.

The girls were able to try on the finished ones while the third had to try on a muslin mock-up of her bodice as I had to enlarge it and tailor it to her.

I was quite disappointed how long they turned out, as I thought the tulle would make the dress stick out more like the picture on the pattern. I guess the taffeta weighs it down. So much for engineering...

I'm not a big fan of the pattern - the skirt lengths run rediculously long for their size. I had to measure and cut where I planned to, which didn't correlate with their regular size AT ALL.

Overall though, they are very cute and the bodices really flatter their natural shape and the dark colors flatter their skin color.

Stangely enough, I hope they all grow an inch taller by December! (However, I suppose too long is better than too short, right? I've seen too short and it looks worse!!!)

Mrs. Lovett is ready to go!

Well, fall is in full swing and I'm trying to finish up projects so I can enjoy goings-on like Boo on the Boardwalk, TRF, Dickens, and of course my school's Fall Bazaar.

I finished a lot of stuff over the summer but just never felt like writing since my aunt died.

I decided to use red bias tape to accent the dark black ruffles, and I think it makes it much more striking and gothic. I'm actually surprised how well it turned out, how easy it was to make, and how it (surprisingly big time!) fits me. And one of my husband's friends said I couldn't pull it off....

Hoping to go to Boo on the Boardwalk in Kemah this weekend. Still not sure about the make-up idea though, and never found a plastic roach to accompany me either....Halloween really sucks here in Texas. No stores have any cool accessories this year.

Mrs. Lovett costume almost finished

I finished the project as much as I could while I wait for my husband to fix the serger. I had changed out the white for black, and ever since it won't weave the thread like it used to.

I finished the skirt and decided to add some gothic brick-red bias tape to the edge of every ruffle (3 packages got me barely there!) I also finished the corselet, which really looks good with the clear red sparkly ribbon. All I'm waiting to do is serge the edges of the shirt, as it is made of a black sheer chiffon. Should look good once it is finished.

All I need is a pair of black mitts and some red and black striped stockings, as well as black lace and eyelet for the neckline (which I am having a hard time finding).

The only problem is that the black cotton I had to match to the chiffon picks up lint everywhere....looks like I'll have to carry a lint brush in my pie basket!

Three Dresses for Three Perfect Little Ladies

Since Ike and my first year teaching got in the way of making these last year, I finally decided summer to be a great time for a large, fun project. I decided to make my three cousins true-to-the-period Victorian dresses using McCall's 5131.

The pattern suggests to use cotton, but I decided it would look best in taffeta, since it was designed with all that fancy trim that would have been expensive back then. That way, they would match me and my husband in class.

When I went to NYC last summer, I had gotten cranberry and green taffeta, thinking my nieces would be in my wedding. (Didn't happen for a number of reasons.) So all I need is a third color (navy blue?) for the third. I've been looking on eBay lately but not much luck.

I've already finished the undergarments for Paris, including a chemise, pantalettes, and petticoat. I'm tempted to lace up the pantalettes to make them all frilly, since I have so much left over from the wedding, but I think I need to finish the rest of the outfit to see if that would be going overboard. Sure would look cute, though.

The underwear has been super-easy to make. It's the dress that has been the source of my upset lately. I started cutting the cranberry thinking if I messed up, I can always get more (yeah for $7.99/yd at HL!!!) Well, I didn't think of how the dress was made with 2 tiers, and I didn't notice that I had to cut 4 of the same pattern, 2 on the shorter line and 2 on the longer line. It's very confusing, since there are so many cutting and shortening lines I ended up cutting 4 shorter overskirts instead of 2. Looks like I'm going to have to go to HL soon...

I finally found the key to working with gimp trim. I remember having an awful time with it when I was making my first Dickens dress. You start out sideways, going frontways and back again until it's good and secure at the end. Then you go back into the middle and turn lengthwise. It's easier than using that clear anti-fray stuff because you don't have to wait for it to dry.

Mrs. Lovett Costume

I decided to take some advice from a blog I found about Mrs. Lovett's costume, and I think the patterns are perfect for the job.

http://simply-sewing.blogspot.com/2009/04/simplicity-2881-mrs-lovetts-wedding.html

So I ordered the following from Truly Victorian:

*TV108 Grand Bustle http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/108.html

*TV400 1871 Day Bodice http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/400.html

*TV492 1890's Victorian Corselets http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/492.html

I'm thinking of ditching the whole idea of going overboard and trying to find the right paisley, as I am a teacher and summer won't last forever. I'm thinking of just having it all black - after all, it's for Halloween, and it's going to be dark at Boo on the Boardwalk in Kemah anyway.

This is my last week of school, so I think I should be able to start on this project this week, as long as I can get a lightbulb for my sewing machine. Mine burned out last night. :-(