The Happy Drummer

The Happy Drummer went home very late last night, wearing his most newly embellished jeans, a white suede design on faded black denim. He'd stopped by to pick them up and was wearing the previously done pair, a tribal cross motif on black denim. That pair had a need of a little bit of additional stitching, so he tried on the new pair for a photo and wore them home, grinning all the way out of the house!

So...here are the last 2 pairs, not the best of photos, but something at least!

Below, back view of motif on lower left pant leg on the tribal cross motif jeans.






















Mostly front view of right leg, barely showing motif on side at ankle.



The newest pair, closeup front 3/4 view and full view. They look a little wrinkly, but I think a good washing will settle the satin stitching into the fabric and a good pressing afterwards should be all they need to look pretty good. The white fabric is an inexpensive faux suede. Next time, I'd do them in Ultra-suede, regardless of the cost. The faux suede did tend to ravel a bit.


Back view, showing just how far around the ankles the design actually wrapped.



Next on the agenda, a chance to take some ideas that have been on my mental back burner for a while and play with them...something involving eyelets and lacing, something with some chain maille perhaps...fun!

Oohh...goody!

Well, it never rains but it pours, or so the saying goes. No posts from me for two months, yet now two in one day.

I was digging around on line, mainly in the pages of my own web site, a space that was begun several years ago and then mostly forgotten. A lot of what is there has also been added to this blog, but not all.

Here's a link to a page from a history class project where I was the student. I've still got the featured garment and enjoy looking at this project, contemplating using it as the basis for a reproduction of the blouse.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~laurie-taylor/garmproj.htm

And a link to the pattern diagrams:

http://www.users.qwest.net/~laurie-taylor/garmpatt.htm

There are also some pages of other projects that came out of my studio, and other odds and ends, nothing very exciting. I just thought that maybe someone would enjoy the historic garment analysis.

I suppose one of these days I'll have to re-build my web-site elsewhere, and in fact have a hosting service already arranged. Just need the time to make the change.

Oops...

Well, I promised myself, back when I started this blog, that I would not allow long periods of time to pass without posting something. Now it's been over 2 months again! Shame on me.

In my own defense, school did start during those 2 months, both for myself and for the boys. It has been hectic, getting used to the new routine, getting classes prepped every week and all the rest. The positive in all of this is that after a slightly rocky start, both boys are on their way to doing ok in school, so we'll take that gladly and move on.

Studio-wise - oh my - lots going on and lots of thoughts. I've got projects for 3 clients all in various stages, all waiting to be finished. I have trouble making myself work on those things some times, either because I'm not sure what I'm doing with them, or because there are other things I would like to be doing. That old conflict between what I should do and what I want to do keeps tripping me up. The good side of the client stuff is that I have figured out how to balance between my desire to do things perfectly, and the need of both my client and myself to having things done fast and less expensively. I'm learning.

Perhaps my biggest studio issue these days is the problem of what to sew for me and how to use up some of the overwhelming quantity of fabric and supplies that have accumulated over the years. We all chuckle at the concept of the fabric stash, arguing in favor of it as a hedge against inflation, and our own personal, open-24-hours-fabric store for middle-of-the-night sewing emergencies. Still, I've reached a point where the volume of the stash sometimes feels crushing. It's become too much. Money was spent to build the stash, so giving any away brings on guilt. Too, the stash has been considerably refined over the years, to the point where there really aren't that many pieces no longer in keeping with my ever-evolving tastes. So I need to use it up!

I look at my closet and dressing area - the obscenities of my wardrobe are as bad as my fabric stash. Having not maintained my weight-loss of a few years back, I now have 2 whole wardrobes - one larger sizes, one smaller sizes. I cannot bring myself to give up on getting back to the goal weight, cannot afford to give up for health reasons, yet must dress every day, so must keep the clothes. It's absurd. There's too much for my closet and my shelves. I do NOT NEED more clothes.

Do I wear my own work to my classroom? Ummm....no. I should though. A teacher of sewing and fashion design classes should absolutely be wearing her own work to the classroom, most of the time at least. So even though I do not need more clothes, I should be sewing for me for professional wear. I'm thinking that I need to sew pieces for now, regardless of size, and continue doing so even if the size seems to be changing. As for space, well I guess I need to apply the rule of getting rid of one piece for every new piece that I sew. Might even get rid of 2 pieces for every sewn piece at the beginning. Again, I paid $ for those clothes, but I know that not everything in my wardrobe, large or small, is the best possible fit - when it fits. Some pieces are not so flattering. It won't be easy, but I'm sure that I can clear out some pieces, refining the wardrobe in both size areas to where it's only the very best pieces left, with newly sewn pieces gradually taking over.

For a while, before that previous paragraph took shape in my mind (over many weeks), I was thinking that I needed to sew for me, but not needing clothes was looking for something ELSE to sew. I've always wanted to dress for the lectures in the History of Fashion class. I want to go to class wearing what I'm discussing that day. It will be fun and interesting and certainly could keep my sewing skills busy for a long, long time. I've been told that I should just sew 1/2 scale pieces, so that the students could touch and look. I might do that TOO, but I really want to do pieces that I can wear.

I've started that project, as per my previous posts (July 2009), with the 2 gowns that I did before Costume College. The dark green jacquard turned out ok, though I did not end up wearing it at CoCo. I just didn't have enough time to get my hair and accessories and such together. The white gown with the blue under-layer will need a different set of stays and the first stay did not work as well under the white as it did under the green.

Now, I'm planning out garments and patterns for several periods, figuring out underpinnings and getting ready to build a lot in the months ahead. I've got fabrics and trims set aside to do a while collection of Greek and Roman pieces, enough that we can use them in class, with the students getting to try wrapping multi-yard pieces into chitons and peplos and togas. I want those pieces to be nicely finished and trimmed, not just ragged cuts of yardage.

I'm also scouting patterns for a late 18th C. caracao (jacket) for a piece of fabric that is just begging to be sewn soon. Several other fabrics have got their destinies in view, so it will, will, will be a busy, productive fall and winter. OH, and I came up with a nice form to use for planning my costumes and keeping my ideas in order, even if I can't get to them for a while. I'll post a link to it here, as soon as I figure out how!

As for the sewing for my own wardrobe, I probably broke a mental barrier yesterday. I picked up and sewed up a pair of dark, dark olive-brown, slinky knit pants. I can't even remember which pattern I used to cut them, but I threw them together in a fairly short time, mostly serging the seams and am really happy with how they turned out. It feels so good to see something that I sewed, hanging in my dressing area, ready to be worn. I'll post a photo if I can convince myself to do so. I hadn't sewn slinky before, except to hem rtw pants. It went well and I'm going to cut 2 or 3 more pairs. I wear a lot of slinky pants already, but almost all black. I really want to have some color options!

Oh yes...the other big problem area in my studio - all of the home dec projects waiting to be finished! Part of what broke me out of my sewing block was that I finished a curtain panel over the weekend. Now both ends of the living room window have curtains - it's only been a year or two like that! I need to take the panel down and re-do the hem as it came out a little longer than it should have, but right now I don't care. It hangs partly behind a set of shelves, partly behind the cluster of plants and plant stands at that end of the window, so no one but me will notice that it is a little too long. It can wait.

Now that the weather has changed, I really need to finish one of the two bed covers for the master bedroom. I planned and got fabric to do a major overhaul of that room, but have finished nothing in 3 years I suppose. The original bed cover got the better of me somehow and I just set it aside.

Since then, I've also started a cover made of 14" squares set on point, cut from home-dec samples that were being discarded. These were fabrics that ranged from $100-400+ per yard. It took 80-90 squares to build the top. I serged them together with the seams on top, intending to cover the seams with upholstery gimp. This would make the back side completely finished too. I've since rethought how I should have done it, but I'm not changing it. It's in 2 pieces right now. I want to put the gimp on 1/2 of the seams - parallel to the last seam that joins the 2 sections, then do that join, then put on the rest of the gimp. It's really big - a bedspread rather than comforter size and it's going to be a lot to manipulate around the machine, especially after the 2 sections are joined.

I can't decide which to finish first, but we need one of them right away as we really do not have anything properly sized for the king-sized bed and have been making do with overlapping smaller pieces ever since we got rid of the waterbed. I want a nice room and I want it now and I need to GET THIS DONE!

Then I can work on the window treatments, bed skirt, table cover, throw pillows and whatever else I had planned. Is it any wonder that my studio is drowning in fabrics, projects and supplies?

I want my workspace to feel comfortable. I don't want to feel like I'm drowning in my own list of projects. I want to make lots of wonderful things. I want to dress in my own work and feel going doing so. I want not to feel confused and frustrated in my own space. And most of all...I want to crawl under warm, comfortable covers that are big enough for both of us to share!

Almost there....

more or less, with only a day in which to finish up. The stays still need to have hand-stitching over the eyelets, but if I had to, I could use them as is...my little secret. If I had them to do again (and I think I will) I'd cut the gores for the next smaller cup size, just to get better lift. They seem a bit loose around the top.

The green dress is finished except for hand hemming, which I expect to finish during evenings in a hotel room, over the next few days. The fabric is a bit heavy for the style, but I think it's ok. I'll have pictures later this week.

I'm working on the white-on-white striped dress. It's not exactly going to be what I had really wanted, but time just got in the way. It will be good though. The sleeve is the long sleeve, cut to a short sleeve length. I just did not want the puffy short sleeve that came with the pattern. I wanted the smoothly fitted sleeve seen in some of the art of 1795-99. I compromised with the slight puffing at the cap of a sleeve that fits somewhat smoothly the rest of the way down.

This whole process has certainly been about compromises, settling for stash items instead of buying new, settling for techniques that were not my first choice. I have NOT serged anything! I'm going to do French seams on the white-on-white, and on the baby blue underlayer. Yes, the white-on-white is over the top of a baby blue batiste. I'm doing two full-length layers, not the tunic length over long skirt seen in some paintings. I like the look, especially with the sleeves in the sheer white only.

It's too late for pictures tonight, but I'll add some over the next few days.

I had thought that it would be fun to photograph the process of building these gowns in some detail, but maybe on future projects. Too much of the time on these gowns, I was making it up as I went along, winging it, compromising between the Sense & Sensibility instructions and the Simplicity versions of the S&S patterns. It was too much to be thinking about taking pictures too.

Well, if I'm going to get these done tomorrow...I need SLEEP!

Moving right along...

Progress, slow but steady.

I got the interfacing layer for the stays cut out and sewn. I'll be darned if I can figure out how to fit myself, but it doesn't really seem to far off, so I'm going to gamble on it being ok. The outer and lining layers got cut, sewn and basted on either side of the interfacing. I'm ready for the eyelets, but will have to go to the hardware store in the morning to get a real awl or icepick. I just don't seem to have anything that will make enough of a hole for the hand-stitched eyelets. Here it is, waiting for eyelets, boning channels and boning, and binding. Actually, I really like it.














The chemise is finished. It's basic. The picture isn't very exciting, but finished is the key concept here.



So this evening, I was ready to cut the white-on-white stripe, but I'm having second thoughts about that gown. Instead, I cut the gray-green jacquard, to my own amazement! I'm not sure how well the fabric is going to work for this period, but I'm definitely going to find out.

Mid-way through the cutting out, I realized that I had misunderstood the gown assembly, and that I needed some lining. Luckily, I just happened to have a nice piece of dark green 100% cotton, acquired at Britex in San Francisco over 17 years ago. It should work well as the under layer of the skirt and the bodice lining. Nice to be able to shop in one's own stash.

As for the white stripe, I'm thinking maybe a pale silk satin under layer would be much better, but don't have the silk satin, so this would delay this gown until after Costume College. I don't want to do that, but will have to sleep on this one, think about it some more tomorrow. Maybe shop my stash once more too.

So I'm making progress. Four days until I leave for California. Four days to sew up, hopefully, 2 gowns. If they go well, I may try to squeeze in a really cute, novelty print chemise, just for grins and chuckles. We'll see.

And as for the costume...well...

Ah yes, the costume. Oh boy. Thank heavens the late 1700's, 1795-1799 specifically, produced some of the simplest women's styles since the ancient Greeks! Of course, those same Ancient Greeks provided the primary inspiration for much of what was worn during those 5 years, plus a few years on the other side of 1800. Sewing and fitting the chemises, stays, and gowns of the Directoire/Empire period isn't too terribly much more difficult than sewing a basic, elastic neckline, peasant top from the 1960's-70's - yeah - pretty easy for the most part. Not as easy as a Greek peplos or chiton, but not too bad.

Fabric was my first challenge. Inspite of having a stash the size of Mt. Rushmore, I really didn't have anything appropriate for this costume. I have a few basic white cottons suitable for chemises and stays, but nothing for a late 18th C. gown. Odds of finding anything locally? Why even bother looking. So I headed for the net, and had a pretty good time at Renaissance Fabrics. Ordered dark green cotton velvet, a dark grayish-green jacquard, a gold/taupe stripe, a white-on-white stripe, and both white and off-white cotton lawn.

Green Velvet

Gray-green jacquard

Gold/taupe cotton stripe - the light strip is more gold than it appears here.

White-on-white stripe

Off-white cotton lawn

The velvet is lovely, but not for this project. The jacquard is a rather large motif (see picture) and a little stiff, but might work. The stripe is a heavier, stiffer cotton than I wanted, and may not be useable for this at all. Not sure what it will be good for. The white-on-white stripe was the best piece for this project, provided I put a lawn or batiste layer under it, in addition to the chemise. I know the Directoire period gowns were very light and sheer - but not for me!

Then...the pattern. The time constraint was the major factor in choosing which pattern to use. I had several on hand, so did not have to lose time waiting for something to come by mail.

The main differences between the last years of the 18th C. and the first years of the 19th were fabrics and colors (or lack thereof), sleeve fullness, skirt fullness and details like trims. I wanted to aim for the simplest look of that 5 year period, 1795-99, not just because of time but because I prefer the smoother sleeve style of the early part of this look. I did not want to get into the Jane Austen, puffy-sleeve look.

Although, if I could go back a few years earlier, I'd love to do this:

This is Marie Antoinette in 1786, by the artist LeBrun, and my next project, I do believe.

But for now, I'm looking mainly at these images, all 1765-99, as my main reference.



Hoppner, 1795 --------- Boilly, 1803 -------------------- Boilly, 1798

I like the low gathered bodice on the right, or the smooth bodice in the middle. I also like the smooth, non-puffy sleeves. I would like to do the wrapped bodice someday, but not this week.

For patterns, I looked at these three:

The first on the left is the Regency Wardrobe from La Mode Bagatelle. It may be the best Regency pattern available, or not, but it's truly Regency and not as easily adapted to pre-Regency as I needed. The middle image is Sense & Sensibility's Regency Gown pattern. It seemed a more flexible pattern, given my need to make it look pre-Regency, but Simplicity has published their version of the same pattern, under agreement with Sense & Sensibility. I opted to use the Simplicity pattern for the convenience of the pattern tissue so I wouldn't have to take time to trace off pattern pieces. I will use the Sense & Sensibility pattern eventually but not while I'm in a hurry.

I will use the Sense & Sensibility instructions as they are more specific and detailed, and simply make more sense then instructions that Simplicity included. This is even more true and critical if using the Simplicity version of Sense & Sensibility's Regency Underthings pattern. Simplicity gives a vague instruction for seam finished and the best sequence in which to apply them. The S&S instructions are MUCH better.

So, I"ve cut and begun stitching a chemise and stays from Simplicity 4052, and expect to have them finished this evening. The stays look really comfortable! I'm going to make Simplicity 4055, with adjustments for the pre-Regency look that I'm seeking, first in the white-on-white stripe, and then in a color, time permitting.

Since all of this is initially for me to wear at Costume College, I had one more wild idea to squeeze in if time permits. For the Sunday Undies Breakfast, if they have it this year, I thought it might be fun to make up the chemise pattern in a really cute, contemporary print, for a nightgown for myself. The fabric is a ballet-themed print, showing little girls (3-yr-olds maybe?) in their tutus, in various poses, sitting, standing, holding toys. The colors are bright pastels of blue, pink and lavender.

I'll add pictures of fabrics, as well as the project in progress later today.

The Mad Scramble to Costume College

Well, here I am, less than a week from leaving for California, and just getting started on the cutting and sewing of one costume for Costume College! Nothing like waiting until the last minute. Of course, the moved-up departure date isn't helping any. I could leave 3 or 4 days later, but Chris needs a trip to the beach. He's had a very dull summer, so we're leaving early for Santa Monica. After we have our beach time, his dad will come out, pick him up and drive back to Phoenix...whew!

Before all of that happens, I am working on the little details of my costume - shoes, hair, a small bag maybe. The sewing part is no big deal, but the shoes and hair may drive me crazy. With my oh so very straight hair, the late 1790's are a real challenge. It's a pretty safe bet that I won't be looking anything like any of the pictures from that time!

Shoes...oh my. Well, it was suggested that canvas jazz boots might make a pretty good imitation of late 18th/early 19th century footwear, so I ordered a couple of pairs, one white, one black. Dance shoe sizing tends to be 1 to 2 sizes off from street shoes, so I called a company and got their advise on sizing. Lucky me! The 2 pairs fit great and are really comfy. I'm not sure how exactly I'll use them, but here's a picture.


I also made a trip to Payless ShoeSource, seeking simple flats. I have 3 possibilities, the first of which is pictured here:



The other two are almost the same, minus the arch strap. One is a skinny black & white stripe - side to side on the foot. The last is a slightly sparkly, course-weave fabric in a beige/gold. None of these are perfect, but for last-minute options, one or two of them should be manageable.

I'm contemplating ways to improve them, for period purposes, but will have better ideas about that after the costume is finished. More on that, later today, tomorrow...all week no doubt.

Well, summer is flying by...and I'm not getting much done! Need to have something in the way of a late 18th century costume ready for me to wear in about 2 weeks...probably shouldn't be on here typing!

Here's a little curiousity of mine:

http://www.cafepress.com/passion4fashion

I keep thinking that I should do more with this, but so far....nope.

I'll be back when I actually have something worthwhile to add here.

Whew!

Whew! Made it! Survived working full-time (theatre costuming), and part-time (teaching) and all the usual household stuff. The seasonal theatre job is finished, and I looks like I won't be trying to do that much again. School is almost finished for the year, so my summer break is close and I'll be able to re-group and get so many things back on track!

Summer sewing will include costumes for me, mainly for Costume College and for my Costume History class, more fun pieces for David and his band-mates, finishing up some home dec projects, and a few new fall pieces for my own closet. I'll be squeezing that in around revisions to my course materials for Fall, fixing up the house and trying to keep 2 boys busy, not bored, and out of trouble.

Yeehaw! Summer's here!

The Green Dress.... getting paid to have fun!

Yes, one can get paid to have fun. Having been lucky enough to have that much fun, I just have to share this one too.

A patron of the ballet bid to have a walk-on part in the annual production of the Nutcracker, one night only (not recently). The problem was that the front office forgot to mention the situation to the costume shop for a few months - bidding was in the Spring. We started the costume in late November, a couple weeks before that year's run was to begin. Something to be said for communications, huh? Any way, we had to scramble to build a costume because we had no spare costumes suitable for the party scene, for an extra person.

We also didn't have funds to spend on this project. My boss handed me the project and said, "do what ever you want with this - have fun", and then handed me the green fabric and said, "but use this." What could I say - cool fabric and a free hand. The plaid fabric was a donated silk taffeta, and there was only a limited quantity, in 3 or 4 smallish sections. I couldn't spend much on trims, but I had an idea.

I picked the 1857 Walking Dress from the Wisconsin Historical Society pattern line. This pattern has since been published by Simplicity. It has a blue sample dress on the envelope cover. For our purposes, the skirt was slimmed down slightly and the petticoats were minimized.

The front of the dress was made as if to open, per the instructions, but then invisibly stitched permanently shut. The back seam was finished with facings and hooks and bars.

The trim was where I really had a ball. I cut strips of the taffeta, selvage-to-selvage, about 8" long. I hemmed one edge, and ran gathers about every 6", across the 8" length. The gathers were pulled up and tied and a gold, gimp-type trim was sewn to the raw edge, making a really nice trim - not period at all, but nice. The original pattern called for fringe but we used the custom trim wherever the fringe would have gone. The front is accented with a couple of Josephine knots in green rattail, with purchased tassels attached.

The gimp trim, backed with a bit of scrap lace, made for a nice accent on the collar.



















The cuff, plain white cotton edged with the same lace as the collar, is attached to a removable undersleeve of the plaid taffeta.











I started this post several months ago, back when I started this blog. I know I intended to type more about this project, but can't remember what I had in mind so, here it is!

Things I'd nearly forgotten

Yes, I'm really deep through the old folders tonight. Some of my
favorite work was the dance costumes that I built for the ballet - good quality fabrics make such a difference.

I still chuckle at my trepidation when, on my first day on that new job, I was handed a rather worn Nutcracker tutu for which I needed to salvage the shredded lace and build a whole new bodice. I wish I'd photographed the old bodice. The finished new bodice looked so good and even I had a hard time believing what I'd accomplished, carefully recreating missing bits of the silver and gold metallic laces with metallic embroidery threads. There were no flowers left to replace
the old, worn flowers, but even those looked much better once they
were fastened on the new bodice.

Hmmm...is it me, or is this editing software really, really difficult to manipulate?

A few more projects from the past

Several years ago, I was the very lucky recipient of this delightful 1940's hat. A dear friend with no one else to whom to give it, opted to pass it on to me. The fabric, lime green with a plaid of shades of blue, black and white, feels like a very fine silk taffeta. It's the structure of the hat that just amazes me!

I photographed the hat so that I could send the images to someone else, but I just had to share them here too. The model is the nearly 1/2 scale My Size Barbie, wearing a very curly red wig made for a doll, though not necessarily her size. The hat was made to be worn by an adult woman. It sets a bit forward and to the side on the head, with the ring opened away from the crown, to catch on the back of the head and probably be bobby-pinned into the hair. It's really surprising how well it does set on the head, though I'd never wear it without securing it thoroughly.











Front and Top views


















Underside/inside view with ring held open





























Back view on the 1/2 scale model
















Side front view

I've studied the inner structure, as much as one can without disassembling the hat. It is so intriguing. I intend to attempt to reproduce it, using buckram, crinoline and wire for the foundation. Sections will be built and covered, before being joined together.

When I get it done (no, don't ask when) I'll post photos of the process and the copy.

Introducing...(the post that never had a title)

I've lost count of how many times I've started a blog only to lose track of weeks without making an entry. I've deleted them after only one or two posts, usually several months apart.

I'm going to try again.

This time, I'm going to do as so many other sewing list members do, and use my blog to share my projects with others who share my fascination for all things fabric and thread.

Actually, these days I'm getting paid to do my thing with fabric, making patterns and costumes for a local theatre company. It's nice, most of the time anyway, though theatrical costumes
seldom call for nice fabrics, just cheap. But we've got a fun show coming up, with the mundane costumes all being shopped and the fun/fantasy costumes being made in-house. We're doing The Neverending Story. So far, the theatrical version does little to remind me of the movie (just as well) and I don't remember the book well, but this is interesting.

I won't be able to post pictures of that work, but I have some other things to share. Most recently, I've been doing embellishment to jeans for a rock drummer, my son's drum teacher, David. This has been fun and quite far outside of my normal range of work.


Feet On Fire
These were done at David's request for something that would give the sense of his feet being on fire while he's playing! Given how hard he plays, this is not so very unlikely! The black jeans were opened up the inside seam and appliqued with red satin and flame-print cotton 'flames'. The raw edges (yes, all of them) were just zig-zagged, nothing as dense as a satin stitch. They are a little stiffer than I would have liked, due to the fusible web, but I think they'll soften up over time.

The whole thing actually began with this pair:

The Leopard Print
The first time that David and Lars (guitarist) came to the house to discuss this project with me, they just blew me away! It was the first time ever in all my years of having a fabric stash, that anyone of the opposite gender ever showed any enthusiasm for that stash! I had been planning on running the guys up to the nearest fabric retailer, but they stood in my studio and shopped MY fabric! It was so funny and so fun!

Differences between the two guys' tastes become evident very quickly with David choosing this soft, rayon leopard print and a grey/black-on-white snakeskin print, while Lars opted for plain denim for one pair, and a shades-of-grey camo print for the second pair. Those first four pairs were simply a tapering of the fit in the thighs, and adding the triangle flares in the lower side seams. They were fun and the guys really loved them.

Then came these:


The Snakeskin Print
I had a bit more fun on this pair. In addition to the flare, I added diamond-shaped appliques up the right side, above the flare, satin stitched in black.

Next up will be some tribal images, cut in suede and appliqued; also maybe, some custom glove.