2 weeks till Festival
In 24 hours, including at least 9 of sleep, I've managed to create a woolen kirtle. This includes drafting a pattern from scratch *flails* I can do stuff! And that stuff fits!
With my...interesting...body type, the commercial pattern I was using for my Tudor outfits was just horrible. The first batch of gowns I made were rather forgiving size-wise, but I wanted to have a crack at a front lacing gown that fits me perfectly, was made of wool for the crazy Festival weather, and I can get in and out of easily.
Until Mother Dearest brings over a copy of the Tudor Tailor from England (in February, guh), I'm somewhat stuck with online resources.
I mostly followed the Kirtle Making Guide, with the original pattern coming from a combination of the Custom Corset Generator and Making an Elizabethan Bodice Pattern.
It's lightly boned with uber cable ties so that I don't have to deal with a corset underneath
It worked, it fits, the end result does what I need it to do. I know I know, it's purple, but the fabric was cheap and there wasn't much in the way of colour selection.
I still need to pattern up and make some detachable sleeves, and also hem it in a few weeks to allow for fabric stretch, but it's pretty much wearable.
Anyway, my next project is one that was inspired by de_chel's want of a kimono. A google search popped up with this wonderful guide on making them. Coincidently it was written by an SCA member over in Texas. I do love the Society for things like this.
While I will be making up a cotton kimono, even if it is just for bumming about the house or campsite in, my googling brought up a Gothic Lolita Kimono, which is almost Victorian in styling *flails* My thoughts then strayed to a couple of pieces of red and black satin that I have lying around that don't have a project assigned to them yet. There isn't enough fabric there for the full skirt, but the pattern that I've drafted up should be sufficiently made of Win. The current plan is for a rather short red slinky kimono, to be worn underneath a black corset.
The hardest bit is waiting for the fabric to be washed and dried.
*pouts* I wanna make my slinky kimono noooowwwww!
[edit] I forgot to mention that the fact that the kirtle making went so smoothly and so well kind of creates a milestone in terms of my skills as a seamstress.
My first dress I made was 6 years ago (OMG, already?!). It was horrid.
The next 4 years of dress making were better, but still really bad. It really was a case of ambitious, but rubbish.
The last couple of years, especially to begin with, I've had a lot of help from Mum. I hate to admit it, but I really needed the assistance because my skill set was negligible. I continued the ambitious trend, but I'm now really starting to pull it off on my own.
So yes, I am definitely excited that I can make awesome stuff that fits me really quite well.
Level up!
With my...interesting...body type, the commercial pattern I was using for my Tudor outfits was just horrible. The first batch of gowns I made were rather forgiving size-wise, but I wanted to have a crack at a front lacing gown that fits me perfectly, was made of wool for the crazy Festival weather, and I can get in and out of easily.
Until Mother Dearest brings over a copy of the Tudor Tailor from England (in February, guh), I'm somewhat stuck with online resources.
I mostly followed the Kirtle Making Guide, with the original pattern coming from a combination of the Custom Corset Generator and Making an Elizabethan Bodice Pattern.
It's lightly boned with uber cable ties so that I don't have to deal with a corset underneath
It worked, it fits, the end result does what I need it to do. I know I know, it's purple, but the fabric was cheap and there wasn't much in the way of colour selection.
I still need to pattern up and make some detachable sleeves, and also hem it in a few weeks to allow for fabric stretch, but it's pretty much wearable.
Anyway, my next project is one that was inspired by de_chel's want of a kimono. A google search popped up with this wonderful guide on making them. Coincidently it was written by an SCA member over in Texas. I do love the Society for things like this.
While I will be making up a cotton kimono, even if it is just for bumming about the house or campsite in, my googling brought up a Gothic Lolita Kimono, which is almost Victorian in styling *flails* My thoughts then strayed to a couple of pieces of red and black satin that I have lying around that don't have a project assigned to them yet. There isn't enough fabric there for the full skirt, but the pattern that I've drafted up should be sufficiently made of Win. The current plan is for a rather short red slinky kimono, to be worn underneath a black corset.
The hardest bit is waiting for the fabric to be washed and dried.
*pouts* I wanna make my slinky kimono noooowwwww!
[edit] I forgot to mention that the fact that the kirtle making went so smoothly and so well kind of creates a milestone in terms of my skills as a seamstress.
My first dress I made was 6 years ago (OMG, already?!). It was horrid.
The next 4 years of dress making were better, but still really bad. It really was a case of ambitious, but rubbish.
The last couple of years, especially to begin with, I've had a lot of help from Mum. I hate to admit it, but I really needed the assistance because my skill set was negligible. I continued the ambitious trend, but I'm now really starting to pull it off on my own.
So yes, I am definitely excited that I can make awesome stuff that fits me really quite well.
Level up!