Cutting

Not much time, but the cutting is done on interfacing. Marking done on all cut dress pieces.

Coming soon: lining and stripping boning!

Also found the perfect trim- can't wait to show off!

Rug Burn

Well, there's substantial progress to report today: pattern pieces cut out! :) With mum's help I laid all my pattern out and cut most of the pieces from the main gown fabric, with the exception of the sleeves. After cutting out 6 pieces in the span of 2 hours (with the addition of making cookies), I was quite tired, so I stopped lest I make some terrible mistake. So yes: progress! :)

Photography later.

~r

Progress- Finally!

So, after over a month of having this whole dress thing sit stagnant, progress was made today: I roped mum into this whole endeavor, and... *drumroll* found a lovely fabric for the outer dress!!

We went over to Hancock today (after having a great deal of dificulty finding the stupid store- it was only with my Mogul's help that we really did), and lo and behold, they had a WAAY supperior selection of upholstery fabs than JoAnn. I was in heaven, and probably spent waay too much time oggling at all the lovely fabrics. There was a 50% off sale on, conveniently enough, on most all of the decorator fabric, so I had my run of the place. what makes it even BETTER was where I found the piece i decided to purchase. After much digging by both me and mum, one of us finally unearthed this non-pretenious looking cotton thing. It's a brownish-gold back with red flowers on it. I know it doesn't sound like much, but the flowers are so terribly period, I couldn't resist! I'm planning on pairing it with a nice burgundy underskirt once it's all done.

So yes- I got fabric. Only problem is, it won't exactly match my fan, but oh well- how bad can it be, right? Maybe this will convince me that I must learn to make my own fans. As for other accessories... well, let's just say small steps, right? All I ended up getting today was the outer fabric (which was around $22... not bad for almost 5 yards!!): no underskirt fabric, no muslin, no trim, and certainly no grommits (which I, by the way, am having a devil of a time finding- eek!). But there is hope! With the fabric purchased, there's quite a lesser liklihood of this project ending up kaput due to lack of remembering: now all I have to do is work dress-making into the already hectic schedule of 2 jobs!!

~r

Congratulations

So- I won the ebay auction for the pattern! Yay!! For a grand total of $3.94 ($2 of which was shipping costs), I should soon have a pattern on the way to me! Hooray! I'm very excited, I must say.

To add happiness, my mum has agreed to take me to Hancock Fabrics, which, by their website, looks like they may have even better selection of adequate upholstery fabrics for this little endeavor of mine. I'll also be taking a gander into other types of fabrics, perhaps another brocade-esque pattern that's a bit more lightweight. Seeing as how I live in Texas and will be attending Ren fests primarily in Texas.... yeah, the summers are HOT.

Anyway, I'll probably be going to Michaels today, too, where I intend to look at the beads and whatnot, maybe even some trims and fabrics if they carry them.

I'll probably post again once I get the pattern.

~r

How hard is it...???

...to find a decent period-esque brocade or jacquard that isn't RED?! Honestly!! I don't want a red gown, thanks kindly!

Anyway, you may wish to know the source of my frustration- I went over to Joann fabrics today on a quest to both find my pattern and perhaps find that perfect fabric for the gown. Well- one thing was accomplished. I did find my pattern, but it's $10 there.... Why pay that when I could get it cheaper on ebay, right? So, we'll see. I think I made a $4 mistake by bidding for a pattern that, upon closer inspection, looks to be the upper size bracket, which I'm a wee bit too small for. I figure I'll make a size 14 (*sigh*- so big!), but still.

So, Joann's was... uhm... We'll start by saying that they had a far better selection of upholstery fabrics than Hobby Lobby- what a surprise. However, just when I had thought I had found something that would be perfect, a look at the underside revealed a tragic revelation- a plastic-y backing. *sigh* Why?! Oh well, I thought, surely there would be something just as nice....

Wrong. My original intention of a deep blue gown with silver underskirt seems to be dashed for the moment, since there seems to be a profound lack of navy blue upholstery material. I may have to switch to green with a light blue underskirt: my only hesitation with that is the simple revelation that, like Anne Boleyn, I've got a more olive complexion and therefore wouldn't look good in all the gaudy pastels that would be so terribly prevalent in the Tudor court. Deep blue, I found out through research, would have been a color of nobility for certain, since the plant that was used to make the blue dye was rare, and only the nobility could afford cloth that was dipped more (which would consequently make the clothing darker). So- since I certainly don't wish to portray myself as so highborn as that, I may take my other path- green. Since green is my color, I could really have a ball with it. Which poses the other problem- uhm, silver anyone? The common accessory color for green is often gold, but again, cloth of gold or anything that had a gold hue was, back in the day, *made* of gold, therefore costly beyond measure for all but a select of the nobility.

So- with that little history lesson over, we get back to today: essentially, no luck. My current intention is to go and do a little research into what appropriate patterns would've been in the Renaissance times and go oggle at more lovely costumes. I know- a big disappointment, right? Not.

Until then!

Little Luck

So- after about 15-20 minutes in Hobby Lobby, I was quite disgusted by their lack of fabrics and left. I don't think they had the pattern, either- then again, I was stupid and kinda neglected to write down the pattern number. Oh well...

Fortunately, I took a look on ebay as well today, and WOW! Our favorite online auction site has quite a large selection of fabrics, although some run around $10.99 a yard... which for around 5 yards would be a real kick in the wallet. Ouch. So, with luck I can find something a bit more economical. I'm really not looking to break the bank with this gown. If I was, I would've probably just gone ahead and picked up the lovely green chenille brocade that was at Hobby Lobby today (which was a killer $16.99/yd- ouch!).

Anyway, I plan to go over to Joann fabrics tomorrow to get a larger selection to look at. Tomorrow, I resolve, I'll actually go prepared- we're talking my measurements (*cringe*), pattern number (to avoid the mistake of today), and ideal materials that I'll be looking for. I'm still slightly leery of the mention of boning (featherweight though it is), given how boning has turned out in the past for sewing endeavors, but we'll see.

I've already gotten the subtle nod of approval from mum for this, so now it's just a matter of checking the old checking account (haha- checking checking) and looking for the ideal fabrics.

Wish me luck.
~r

Beginning

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge Tudor enthusiast, and have a deep love of anything to do with Renaissance. I had the distinct pleasure of exploring it deeper with an honors project this past semester by building a website for it, but now I want something more. I have long admired the fashions of the Tudor times, especially of the noblewomen whom I am so interested in. So... after years of admiration, I have finally decided that it's time for me to make one of these costumes that I've so long admired.

So- yes. I've got my eye on a pattern (Simplicity 4488), which, while I am a bit scared by the mention of grommets (eek!) and the complexity of the tucks, folds, and boning that are so much a part of the time period (for remember, this is the time of corsets), I do too greatly admire to pass up. It'll be a huge undertaking to be certain, but I'm anxious to begin!

Anyway, I'll be off soon to go and do a bit of investigation at my local Hobby Lobby, just to see if I can find the pattern (which was discontinued this year- damn!) and then take a look at the fabrics that are available. According to the envelope back, which I found on Simplicity's website, the best sort of fabric for the overskirt would be a very heavy brocade or jacquard, likely something quilted. From what I saw and touched at the Ren fest, these sorts of fabrics do seem the most likely, and from my knowledge of the time and the climate of England, it seems to be quite accurate. Now- we shall see what that sort of fabric will cost me.

A gown of this variety will have to have no less than two fabrics- one for the primary overskirt, and then a contrasting pannel of another fabric that will form a false front for an underskirt. The rest of the underskirt, I think, will be more easily made out of a cheaper material, so I can cut cost of this slightly. Eep. Memories of a prom dress my mother and I tried to construct come to mind now: let's just say I ended up wearing quite a different dress to the event.

Anyway, I'll wrap this up for now. The movie I've been watching/listening to is almost done, and I think it's time to go out shopping!

~r