A day trip to Dallas

Saturday, Hubbie and I took a lovely long drive up to Dallas for the exquisite Antique Elegance show.

What a treat it was! Here is a story of two lace grab bags and the treasures I found therein. 

Grab bags as you know can be a gamble, but traditionally the idea is that you get a mix of things worth at least the purchase price but of the bag makers choice. They have bits and bobs and end pieces. Well... here were my bags 

two gallon sized zip lock bags ...

and this mess is what fell out...

then my work began to gently pull the pieces apart and see what I had. 

dosent look like much.

but as I gently unraveled it spritzed it with some vinegar water and let that sit for a couple minutes so the fibers could relax you could see the lovely pattern of the lace

it's lovely.

and just over a yard long. 

this piece was a yard long and about 30 inches wide 

The pattern is delicate the way only the old laces are....sigh...

It still had the tag attached which was a treat! 

one side had scalloped edges- dreamy! 

This yummy bit was also just over a yard. 

the pattern looks like it stepped out of an 1880's catalogue.

there were several large motif pieces that had been cut from lace yardage. 

This piece was eight yards long 

This piece was about 26 inches

 but oh my...its lovely. 

it was about this point that I realized I needed to grab a note pad so I could write down the lengths of each piece. There was more than I expected! 

The lovely things kept coming... it was like a fairy dream. 

I am always so impressed with the intricate patterns of old lace. 

This piece is three yards long and over six inches wide...breathless! 

This small piece is 30 inches from scallop to cut edge and about 24 inches wide...perhaps an Edwardian bodice front? 

a photo of the wide piece with the ruler so you can see the pattern. 

then this piece unfolded....its edged all the way around like a sole or a very delicate table runner. Best grab bag ever! 

it does have a little hole in it but still - it has potential. 

this polka dotted pretty is 2.5 yards long and 4 inches wide. 

a couple more motifs came out of the bag

I am so glad I purchased Wearing History's blouse pattern as I think I may have enough bits with some good black batiste to make an Edwardian blouse. 

Well this went on for a time and at the end of it I had three pieces between 7-10 yards long of insertion lace and collar pieces and a cuff and more short but perfect lace bits. All in all a very well spent 16$ if I do say so myself and I hope you have enjoyed sharing in the fun along with me. 

The Plaid skirt is coming along... its been a very oddly over scheduled two weeks here. It has gone so very far beyond busy I won't even try to describe it. I did manage to get into the studio on Sunday though and TA DA! Pocket! 

Until next time my friends...pocket all the things! 

Rumors of my death...

have been highly overstated. After returning from costume college I went into some sort of mental and sewing shut down. I think I have recovered now. I find myself day dreaming of new things and feel already a slight but not unproductive panic about getting next years projects underway so as not to be a later-gator. So how did I do on the procrastination front? Better than last year- which frankly is great. I feel very positive about future goals. 

So what is up? I want to of coarse share all the drool worthy moments from coco 2014 and I will in a separate post but right now I just need to share how much fun I had with my friend Gina of Beauty from Ashes who unlike myself has posted all about the event from her side of things. Without her determination to force me into photo mode (there may or may not have been actual force used) I would have no pictures what so ever to share with you all. Having a shutterbug buddy is pretty cool if I do say so myself and now that I have survived the experience I do - say so. 

One of the unexpected things that happened was this silk...I mean I knew it would. I don't think I have ever gone to LA and got just what was on my list or even found everything on my list. LA is not like that it is a huge mash of possibilities that only occasionally align with the perfect timing of the universe to produce the elusive complete checked of shopping list. 

What I did find however is lovely. 

See that navy,tan, teal, white plaid silk on the left? Yeah...that came home with me. As you can see from the photo this is a tone I kinda, maybe, have a thing for. 

I'm going to be making a mid-decade 1890's walking skirt with a blouse waist to celebrate this fun plaid and Heather's new pattern. This outfit is a typical fresh start kind of project for me. After a really intense period of sewing and travel I like a nice straight forward project to get me going in the studio again. This skirt will also kick off my new personal challenge "pocket all the things!" once again I found that there are NEVER enough pockets while at conventions. Yes yes...I know...this is what bags and reticules are for. I can think of nothing so loathsome as having one more thing hanging off my body. I also tend to set things down and in the fun of chatting might very well walk off without a reticule (shuddering horror!) So to cater to my personal foibles and addresses what is for me a real annoyance I will be adding pockets both discreet  and obvious to my costumes in the coming year. Stay tuned for the pocketty goodness. 

See? I really do like teal... adorable color that it is. Here I am in one of my favorite new dresses at coco. I love this gown because "LOOK!" its me - in Regency! 

 Me again in proof of teal appeal. This dress is now a "that old thing" but it is very much a favorite. 

Shortly I will be cutting into the above teal cotton velvet goodness for a Regency Pelisse to wear this Fall. More teal...imagine that. 

So until next time fellow teal lovers- pocket all the things! 

Random peek...

I generally don't do full outfit reveals before a conventions. I mean... All that hard work/ research/ and scheming? Seems a shame to open the box too soon. So today I have a few more winking peeks into the studio. 

That last? Yes... I have had both machines go down. There are not capital letters large enough to convey the Grrrr of frustration this has caused. Pfaff to the rescue. 

progress...sweet progress

So its Gala dress stress time! However I am choosing not. Not to stress, about this dress!
We (my friend Gina from Beauty for Ashes and I ) have a firm plan, we have patterns and fabric we have a rather disgusting amount of accessories. Really- what could go wrong?

So I buckled down and got my beading pattern enlarged, altered, and simplified into a workable pattern.

I know blogs are all about the photos...seriously- that is what we are all here for right? Well in classic " I have a convention coming up" fashion I won't be doing a see all tell all until I wear this dress but I can share a little (wink)

And some recent progress photos... 

 And with that I bid you all a good night- the next several days will be very full. 

Move all the things!

   Move All The Things!

So it's time to complete the drywall and get the sewing studio looking all studio like. So today is "Move all the Things!" Day.

So here we go before 

"All the things!" Will be living in my bonus room for about a week. 

Really, there are a few things. 

Off we go. I like to use what I have, what I have is common sense, and an 18 ft flat bed trailer and minions. Seriously common sense is so uncommon it should be a super power. 

Load it up!

Move it out! 

Move it back in! 

A quick corset lacing post

Occasionally I am asked to show how to lace a corset. So let me start by saying this is not "my" method. Most modern corsets are laced much this way. However, it is nice to have a photo guide to remind you if you find yourself in need of removing and re-lacing your corset. 

Corsets can be tied with one, two or even three laces. I use one lace and get good results. I wear corsets as foundation pieces for historical costuming. I don't tight lace, that is generally where two or three laces are found. 

So, from the top...

Start with your lace at the top of the corset, the center of the lace starts under the corset, and the ends come out through the first grommet. 

Then much like shoe laces you cross over and lace through the second grommet.

At this point you could continue laceing like a shoe. However, after the lace is centered and anchored with the top two grommets I like to lace one stide of the string skipping every other grommet as seen here. Stop at the top of the waist. To do this simply note which two grommets are placed at the smallest part of the waist. Depending on the corset this may be below the middle of the grommets. The loops used to adjust the corset will be made here. 

Next lace down the other side picking up all the grommets you just skipped and stop at the top of the waist. 

Make your loops. To do this I generally pull the string out to the front edge of the corset then bring it back in to the grommets and place the string through the next grommet on the same side you are already on. These loops can be adjusted up and down to snug the fit of the corset once on as needed. 

Note the lace goes out and comes in on the same side for the loop and your laces are now coming out from under the corset. 

Cross the string so that the "shoe lacing" pattern can begin again. 

Bring each lace end out through the next grommet. 

Lace down to the bottom of the corset on one side skipping every other grommet again. 

Lace through with the second lace end picking up all the grommets you just skipped. 

Tie your laces off. I like to tie mine at a grommet on the outside of the corset. This is below the waist where, in costume, there is a great deal of volume and the knot will not break the line of your clothing. The knot being on a grommet and between two bones will also not dig into your body, this will be very much a boon after a long day in costume. 

And that is how I lace a corset. This is again a simple and common method that I feel does the job of securing a corset and allowing adjustments well. I hope this reference will come in handy. 

Five foundations challenge...Finally!

So apparently I'm the queen of procrastination but it's cut sew time or go without time. As is often the case I'm starting with foundation pieces.

Thanks so much to Mistress of Disguise for coming up with the perfect challange to get me going. 

On with my first of the five foundations. #2 is corsets and stays. I am making a regency era corset from the Laughing Moon pattern. The fabric is two layers of cotton linen.the pattern calls for cotton sateen, I for some reason have this notion that before Victoria everyone lived in linen. Silly I know but I purchased the fabric before reading the pattern, another vice, and I am just going to muddle forth. I have decided to hand sew this corset, less because it's historically accurate and more because my machine is currently in the shop for the next 10 days. So with it out for a well deserved and much needed tune up, I have the chance, without the catch net of a machine standing by, to make a corset by hand. Something I have always wanted to do but can easily talk myself out of. 

This is a new gadget I'm liking, it is a Fons and Porter making pencil which erases from fabric. The point is sharp for making accurate marks. The "leads" come in a dark or a white. 

I like long fine needles...long and VERY fine. English needles are my favorite however they become more difficult to find here in the United States. These are the latest needles I am trying and so far I am very pleased with them. So if your curious this is what I am using. ** edit- these are, after looking more closely made in England! So there you have it...want good fine needle? English. 

I took the advice given in the pattern to stay stitched around the edges of all the pieces first to keep the fabric from raveling. See? I'm not all sew and go, I can be taught. 

The wrong side of the first gusset.

The right side of the first gusset.

First cup complete.

One layer done.

The front piece of the corset and lining with gussets complete. 

The hip gussets marked and slit.

The first hip gusset in, here from the right side. 

First set of his gussets in progress. Today's reading of the pattern, tracing the pattern, cutting, and hand sewing totals up to about seven hours sewing time. All but four hip gussets (the lining) are complete at this point. 

And with that...I have officially accepted the Five Foundations Challange!