These are a few of my favourite things

About half-an-eon ago Villana asked me to post about some of my favourite sewing blogs. So here they are:

http://www.dressaday.com/dressaday.html
This is the one the probably started it all. I think I found it via mrsbrown’s f’list, but it may have been that someone else pointed it out to me (if it was you please do let me know, I like to give credit where its due.)
I think the next few came from Google reader’s recommendations.

http://nikkishell.typepad.com/wardroberefashion/
I think I found this one via google reader, its one of the most recent additions to my reading list, and it has inspired me to look at my wardrobe off-casts in a whole new light. I think I will take up the pledge for 2 months.

http://missceliespants.com/
I really enjoy Miss Celie’s writing style. I enjoy the way she talks about selecting fabrics, patterns and notions, her thoughts about pattern alterations, and the way she rocks her finished garments. I think this is where I first read about Burda magazine http://www.burdafashion.com/en/index.html (formerly Burda World of Fasion or BWOF) and http://sewing.patternreview.com/news

http://sewingfantaticdiary.blogspot.com/
I love reading Carolyn’s blog. She has such a joie de vivre and a joie de sewing! Sewing is Carolyn’s one and only hobby, and her blog is full of tips and tricks, great ideas in inspiration. I love watching a garment develop from an idea – often inspired by catwalk fashion – to wearing it out in the world. She is happy to answer questions, is very encouraging of less-advanced sewers, does a weekly New Sewists post, and generally makes me feel really good about where I am at in my sewing journey – I want to be like Carolyn when I grow up!
Reading Celie’s and Carolyn’s blogs have also alerted me other sewing/fashion blogs, some of which I have enjoyed, others I have passed by after a few entries. Here are some examples that (I think) came from these ladies’ recommendations:
http://betweenlaundrydays.blogspot.com/ (I don’t think she sews, but she makes jewellery)
http://daddylikey.blogspot.com/ (check out her “Don’t Showcha your Chocha” entries. They will change the way you view the world, I promise)
http://www.lindsaytsews.com/ (Lindsay and I have completely different aesthetic, life stages and experiences. Some days I scroll right over her posts, other days I am intrigued by what’s going on in her world.)

http://twoontwooff.blogspot.com/
I’m not sure how I found Dawn’s blog, but I enjoy her writing. She lives in Alaska, has 3 kids (twin girls and a son), works as a teacher, runs something like 5 miles a day, and yet find time to sew more garments in a week than I finish in a month. She has been sewing for a relatively short time, sews from Burda quite often, and is at the level I;d like to reach in the next year or so. Her “courageous” sewing, i.e. experimenting with her sewing, is inspirational.

http://botticellicraft.blogspot.com/
This is my friend A. Although we’ve lost touch over the last year or so, both busy with our respective lives, I enjoy seeing what she’s been up to, and what she is producing in her sewing/craft room.

I hope that you enjoy reading some of my favourite blogs. Please feel free to comment leaving links to any of your must-read sewing/fashion blogs that you’d like to share.

Going about sewing the wrong way?

As I came back to the office from my coffee run today I was struck by the notion hat I am going about my sewing preparation backwards. Inspired by Caroline of diaryofasewingfanatic, I have for some months been intending to use my week nights to prepare fabrics, patterns and so forth, so that on the weekends I can sit down and sew (or perhaps more accurately, construct). The problem has been that I often can’t be bothered with the ironing board, fold-out dining table, patterns and fabric on a weeknight, so inevitably I fall behind on my sewing plans.

This week I have been working on construction of SammyHubby’s robe for Armageddon. I am finding it quite easy to come home, have dinner, then sit at the machine for an hour to get a few seams done than I find it to start on project preparations. The added bonus being when its time to stop, I can just get up form the machine, throw the dust cover over everything and walk away, whereas if I am cutting, ironing etc, I feel I need to tidy up and put away at the end of the evening, especially if I have been working in the lounge room rather than the sewing room.

So perhaps I will try doing things the other way around – prepare for projects on weekends when I can dedicate several hours to it at once, then sew in fits and starts on weeknights.

BWOF & PatternReview

I have recently discovered Burda World of Fashion Magazine (BWOF) thanks to some sewing blogs I have been following – which I have also added to my blogroll here, in case you are interested in who has been inspiring me.
I have just joined PatternReview.com, mainly because I wanted to read the 3 reviews of the pattern I am about to tackle: BWOF Aug 2008 Jacket #119A. Turns out you have to be a member to read reviews older than 6 mths old. So my username over there is Bellestar. Not sure if I’ll be active and posting or if I’ll just use it as an info resource. I may sew along with some of the competitions; whether I actually enter them is yet to be determined.

Wardrobe in Progress: Merovingian - coat

I have almost finished the reconstruction of the brown wool/silk blend coat – or as I affectionately call it, Mervin. I removed the collar, pulled it apart at the side seams, took 15 cm off each side of the body panel, raised the gores to start in the underarm, added extra length and width to the gores, put it all back together and reattached the collar. All that remains now is to hem it.
In spite of the initial frustration of trying to get it figures out and the disappointment that many people looked at the first version and declared it unattractive or, worse yet, inaccurate, I am very proud of my work on this project, and with the finished product. Firstly, I took the research and had a go. I still stand by my initial interpretation of the construction. If I had made it up in a very light silk, as was the extant garment, I believe my original garment proportions would have been appropriate. However, I listened to and took on board people’s comments and observations, and decided to rework the garment, necessarily reinterpreting the research, to make it more practical, and more appealing to the modern aesthetic.
I showed the coat to (Mistress) Margie last night and we had a good chat about the difficulties of reproducing garments from early eras when there is so little surviving extant evidence. We also discussed the fact that, as modern people, we view things through our own filter, and make assumptions about how garments were made or looked in the period, based on our own aesthetic bias. Perhaps big, sack-like coats were how it was done, we will probably never know.
In any event, I will be warm, comfortable and dry at Festival in my woollen coat, although I worry a little about rain on the silk collar. On the other hand, the collar is easily detached and replaced, so I will try not to fret too much.


Still on the ‘to do’ list:
Re-hem the red tunic, taking about 10 – 15 cm off the length
Finish green linen tunic
Make 1 – 2 more pair of hose
Make red coat (maybe. I hope I get time, but it’s not essential)
Make 2 more under tunics, hem and alter current under tunic.
Buy 2nd pair of shoes – I wore my leather shoes with my hose last night. Not only were they comfy, but they also attracted compliments, so I will definitely buy a 2nd pair - Perhaps a red pair? Or black?
Have belt made to fit new buckle fittings from FC Pewter.

Birthday Dress – the beginning

I really wanted a new dress to wear for my birthday outing at the end of the month. I don’t need a new dress - I have plenty of lovely things to wear, but I wanted one. I had thought of going to Fashion Incubator and splashing out on a designer dress (http://www.fashionincubator.com.au/), but I also want to save my pennies for my trip to Festival at Easter.

The other day I was running through my stash in my head, thinking about another project I suspect, when I remembered the purple crepe I bought earlier in the year. I had planned to make a Golden Age Cat Woman dress for a fancy dress party (http://www.goldenagebatman.com/catwoman.html), then realised the party clashed with a mate’s gig at the Espy. Since we was driving overnight from Wollongong to do the gig, the least we could do was attend – so the dress was never made.

With less than 3 weeks until my birthday, rather than trying a new pattern, I have decided to make a new version of a dress I made several years ago: Simplicity 9258. I chose the pattern size based on measurements Villana took of me in January – does anyone else find they take bigger sizes in patterns than in off-the-rack clothing? Perhaps it’s because the patterns are not Australian.

Last weekend I cut out all the pieces. I have realised that, for me, I need to break sewing from a commercial pattern down into small steps. First, I cut out the patterns pieces, then I leave it until the next day/weekend to construct – otherwise I suffer delusions of grandeur about the speed with which I sew, and get upset when the piece isn’t finished in a day.

Today, I constructed the bodice section. I am taking my time, reading the instructions carefully and following them precisely, not cutting corners or rushing. And as a result, I am not only enjoying the process, I am really happy with the results (so far). It means I haven’t finished my dress in a day, but I think I will end up with something of which I can be really proud.

So I am not a fast seamstress – I can live with that, as long as I look good doing it.

The Tim Gunn Challenge (1)

In his make-over show, Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style, Tim Gunn asks his subjects to select ten items from their closet that they cannot live without, and explain why they selected each item. These items, says our stylist, should be ‘soul stirring’. Inevitably the subject chooses practical, comfortable, “safe” garments that have been in high rotation in their wardrobe. Rarely are the items classic, inspirational or irreplaceable – and rarely do they meet with the approval of Tim and his co-host Greta.

In the interests of investigative fashion reporting, I have decided to share with you some of the garments I cannot live without. For the purpose of this challenge, I define item as a garment of outer wear, excluding underwear, hosiery, shoes or accessories.

1. Black tulip skirt from Camden Markets, England – so called because of the embroidered tulips, not because of its shape. I love the drop waist with full skirt, which I think is flattering as well as comfortable; the flowers are beautifully done and the red border gives the piece interest and contrast; it moves well when I walk; it is appropriate for a variety of situations and weather conditions.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mskilian/2460355427/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mskilian/2461188744/in/photostream/

2. Brown vintage wool coat – well to start with it’s not black! Again, the shape is beautiful and flattering; the black velvet ribbon detail is elegant and glamorous; it works with pants or skirts; it’s practical for winter without being dull, bulky or ugly.

3. Light tan cotton coat from Cotton On – again I like the shape; it’s comfortable; the button detail adds interest; it goes with pants and skirts; it’s a good weight for trans-seasonal wear.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mskilian/3103625326/

4. Green vintage coat – again, shape is a big factor; the fabric and collar details are interesting and I love the colour; it’s another trans-seasonal piece; it’s a one-off (in fact I think it’s a bespoke garment); and I have altered it for fit and flattery, so it is now bespoke to me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mskilian/3003797105/

5. Jeans from Sara
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mskilian/2571959405/

6. Brown Ojay wrap dress – although this is getting on a bit, it’s still one of my go to garments; it can be worn alone or over pants, with boots, sandals or heels, and works for a variety of occasions and weather conditions; the shape and fit I think are flattering; the colours are good for me (I think), and the pattern is interesting.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mskilian/2504933078/in/photostream/

As you can see, there are only 6 items on my list. I had listed more garments, but upon contemplation, realised they are not soul stirring, merely comforting and comfortable.
So, over to you – what 10 items can’t you live without? Do you have 10 in your wardrobe that are soul stirring? Can you limit it to only 10? Leave a comment here letting me know you’ve taken up the challenge including a link to your own Tim Gunn challenge results.

Yours in fashion,

Belle.

Quickie Update

I am trying to finish some of my half complted projects, especially mending and alteration proijects, before we move. To that end, I have finished the mauve palla (photos may be posted eventually), mended a skirt and have ALMOST finished dolls clothes for my niece. Just need to buy some more press studs, because I was short by ONE. V annoying.
Since we move in just under 3 weeks, I think the rest of the projects will be packed in their partially completee stages. I hope to get a few hours in the sewing room on Sunday to sort them out, label and bag them.

Vikings and Favours

I went to the Viking Games on the weekend, which was a really fun, low key event. I’d like to see more of this type of event. Baroness Aefled was wearing a lovely Viking style dress with appliqué figures around the hem. I would like to publicly denounce my former statements about Viking garb, and acknowledge that on some people it does look quite pretty.

I caught up with Maeve, who gave me my silver bell for coming equal second in the Roman Garb competition at 12th night. I am going to sew it onto my purse together with the butterfly token from the event so I know that’s where I won it.

I have done some reading and thinking about favours both in period and in game. It seems that, in period, love tokens did not tend to bear any symbol denoting the giver’s identity. In SCA, a favour typically bears the arms of the giver or other identifying image. So, my plan is to make a SCA-style favour for Finian to wear, in addition to a period-style favour. I hope to enter them both in the Kingdom comp at May Crown. This is a plan and not a core promise ;)

More Shiny Things

As noted before Christmas, the Kingdom A&S Competitions at 12th Night Coronation this past weekend included a Roman Garb competition. I decided to enter my green Egypto-roman inspired outfit with my new burgundy palla and sash. Since the competition cam at the end of 3 weeks’ holidays one would think Belle had plenty of time to put together her supporting documents. On the contrary, Belle’s brain switched off completely and so the entry was accompanied by: an article from the internet; a few pictures printed out; and a piece of pink note paper listing the items that formed the entry, all of which I was wearing. Not surprisingly the 3 judges all said they’d have like to see details of what I had done, how I made the pieces and why I made the decisions I made. In spite of that I got marked in the high 20’s (out of 50) and the balance of the comments pleased me. I was also glad that I had entered, ensuring that the competition could run.

I wasn’t in Court on Sunday when the results were announced, however I was delighted to learn that Artemisia had won the garb competition and was declared overall Event Champion. I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that I had been awarded a highly commended for the garb competition, and that a token was on its way. I was also amused that my dear friend Blayney, who was relaying the news, hadn’t recognised my full SCA name when used in Court, he he he.

So, I have entered 2 competitions in the past few months, won the first and received highly commended in the second. I think I will enter a few more. Some Kingdom A&S Comps I might enter this year: Favours; Household items; Men’s clothes; Beauty treatments; Earrings. Stay tuned.

A Little bit of Roman, and little bit Irish

It’s December, you are off to a feast in a hall in Sydney. Its been hot and humid all week, what to wear? Roman of course. In fact it seems that many ladies had similar ideas this year. The theme of the event was Elizabethan Toga Party, but quite a few people skipped the Elizabethan garb altogether and went straight to Peplos, Tunicas and Chintons. I think the fact that Blayney, a roman soldier of some notoriety, was Knighted that evening may have had an influence too.

So, my trusty green tunica-type creation was pulled out of the garb box and freshened up with new sash and palla (long, narrow wrap) in burgundy cotton. I wore my Egypto-roman style pearl earrings, the necklace I won at 4 Winds a few years ago, and a new necklace of pearls and citrine that I strung on the afternoon of the event. Apart from my left shoe coming undone repeatedly throughout the night, I was most pleased with the outfit. Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos of the night; however, I intend to enter the outfit in the 12th Night A&S Competition, so there will no doubt be photos in January.

My soon-to-be new home, The Barony of Stormhold, is focussing its A&S activities on persona development in 2008. I have decided to jump on board and get a better understanding of Aine Ruadh inghean Chillin, born in Ireland in the mid-late 14th C. I have always thought she ends up in service to a great Lady of some sort, but I plan to do some research into the hierarchy and Irish nobility of the era to see whether that is a realistic life story, or simply a convenient fiction.

Projects for 2008 so far include:
Green Wool Moy Gown
Pattern and experiment with Irish leine for women (huge, baggy sleeved shirt-dress of medieval Ireland)
Research and develop my persona – lifestyle and station; hobbies and leisure activities; wardrobe.
Learn to play a few tunes on the Irish whistle
Take up archery

and not forgetting:
move house
find a new job
make new friends
keep in touch with old friends

Shiny Things

On Sat night I received a wonderful text message saying that I was the winner of this year’s Feast of the Four Winds Outfit competition! How exciting! The annual competition, run by THL Artemisia de Queitodarzenta, aims to encourage people to think beyond the garment to the entire outfit. As noted in my last post, I had 2 entries this year: I assume it was the Irish Outfit that was the winner. Artemisia is going to send me some notes on my entry, and I may post some or all of those comments here once I have had a chance to digest them.

I intended to make a new roman tunic to wear to Yule this year, but have decided against it for a few reasons. One the fabric I bought isn’t quite right - its not long enough and I can’t make it work. Second, I have come to the conclusion that I don’t actually like the way I look in roman garb. So instead I will wear my green roman tunic (for which I received a highly commended in the Four Winds Outfit Comp a few years ago) to Yule, together with the necklace given to me by Artemisa as my highly comended prize. I may make a new wrap out of some burgundy fabric I have in my collection, that would look very festive.

Ta Da

I have just sent off not 1 but 2 entries to the Feast of the Four Winds Complete Outfit Compeition. I have entered Finian's Woolen Tunic and my Moy Gown with woolen hood ensemble.

Here is a photo of me in my Moy Gown, taken by Katje at Flame Tree 07 and nicked from her flickr account (thanks lovely.



And this is my stripey woolen hood.




So proud of me.

And yet at the same time I am

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Finian on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Finian on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Ta da!
This is Finian on his way to Rowany Baronial Sucession in his new tunic.

Finian’s Wardrobe

Finian now has a great kilt to wear to Rowany 25. When we were in Melbourne in June we bought 5 m of green wool plaid from the lovely fabric lady at Queen Vic markets. It’s incredibly wide – about 150 cm I think. I was sure that 2.5 m would be sufficient, but Finian was sure someone told him we needed 5, so 5 we got.

After only a few relatively hassle free hours, and Finian only having to lie on the floor to check fit once, 2.5 m of the lovely wool has now become a great kilt. We opted for fairly wide pleats for aesthetic reasons. I hope that he will wear it with the baggy sleeved leine style shirt I made him a few years ago using a commercial pattern, but knowing Finian, he will opt for a more form fitting shirt or tunic. I have hemmed the other 2.5 m to be used as a mantle for now until we decide to use it for something else. Next on my shopping list is one of those lovely circle cloak pins.

Finian’s stripy woollen tunic is also in one piece. He wore it to Rowany Baroinial Sucession – photos to follow. I ended up finishing the seams by hand, but I intend to go back over them with the machine now that it’s repaired and working as well as ever. I also have to finish the hem, cuffs and neck.

There is loads of the stripy wool left. I used some of it to make myself a hood, but the rest will join my fabric miscellany until inspiration strikes.

This week, while continuing the remodelling of the burgundy dress I learnt a valuable lesson: don’t snack and stich lest you drop your salsa on your sewing. Luckily the offending dip landed on the lining and not the outer layer of the bodice, and has left only the faintest of marks. I am sure it will come out when I wash the completed garment. I am aiming to wear the remodelled dress to Rowany 25 and thereafter start work on the Moy Gown 2.

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Link to Moy Gown article

http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/irish/moy.html

If you scroll down through this article you will come to the painting "The Birth of the Virgin Mary" by the Workshop of Michael Pacher (Austrian, d. 1498), to which I refered in my post the other day.

The Plan (Revised Edition)

I made some progress yesterday with Finian’s tunic. It’s not quite at the one-piece stage, but I did get to fit it to him, and after a little bit of tweaking I think it’s looking quite good. The side gores are sewn in, the sleeves and underarm gorse are pinned in and the neckline has been cut out. He is quite set on his wide sleeves – he wants to put his hands inside the opposite sleeve in true Jedi style. For warmth, of course. I hope to have it all put together by the end of the week so it can hang in the bathroom for a week before I hem it.

I washed my wool yesterday and have struck a small hurdle – it’s not right for the Moy Gown Mark II. In my mind it was a lovely, buttery yellow medium weight wool blend. In reality its more like a beigey tan colour and quite light. It will make a wonderful underdress to something, and in summer I might wear it without a top layer. But for an event in winter, not quite right.

Having accepted that I am not going to buy any suitable wool in the next week or so, I have resigned myself to the fact I won’t have a new frock for Baronial change over. I do however have loads of the stripy wool left over from Sam’s tunic. I did consider making myself a tabard with side lacings to wear over one of my older frock, but I don’t want to look too matchy matchy. So I have decided to make myself a hood out of the wool, lined with left over burgundy from the cotehardie inspired, recently renovated frock. After making a pattern last night, I have cut out the wool and will cut out the lining tonight. Hopefully it will be together this week too.

I would like a new under dress for the Moy Mark I with nicer sleeves, in a slightly heavier cotton. We will see how the brain and the budget are doing after the Melbourne trip next week. Otherwise I might just go with 2 layers of underdress for warmth, the hood and a mantle on top.

Moy Gown Mark II

So, what will Belle wear to the Ball? Well, the Baronial change over anyway.

As the Moy gown was such a success I have decided to make a long sleeved version with a higher neckline. The advantages of this include that I only have to re-pattern the front panel to get the new neck line right, and fiddle about with the sleeves a little.

So, here is my ‘inspiration’ picture of gowns very similar in style to the Moy gown…. Or at least it would be if the link to her page was working. Hmm, will have ot get back to you with the picture. Moy Mark I was based on the lady on the right, with the short sleeves. I made the neckline lower as that is how the extant article appears to have been made. This time I am aiming for something more like the lady on the left.

So, step 1 is to re-pattern the front panel.
Step 2 is to wash the wool blend fabric I bought for this dress over a year ago (and hope I still like it).
Step 3 cut, pin together and check fit. This lady: http://matildalazouche.livejournal.com/ (see the Moy Gown entry) likes a slightly more snug fit, but I like the way mine hangs away from the body. Still, snugger might be warmer… will see how it feel in the pinning stage.
Steps 4 – 6 sew sew sew.
Step 7 accessorise
Step 8 Look beautiful!