Steampunk inspired pirate/ren dress, overskirt

[rhienelleth]

 Hi everyone!  Last weekend I finally roped some friends into helping make a duct tape dress form, so now I can finally take some better pictures of my works-in-progress. :)  I've almost finished the overskirt for the steampunk pirate dress, all that needs doing is attaching the waistband, and adding the ribbons and rings to the inside, for

Comments

[eduardoelric]

Does the underskirt have embroidery on it? It's such pretty fabric. I love silk anyway, so drool ;) And I agree ... Yuck to having to iron so much fabric.

[rhienelleth]

Indeed it does. :) If you click that link to m journal above, there's a closer up picture that shows the embroidery better.

Yeah, I have fallen in love with silk. it's so pretty, versatile, and much lighter weight that the polyester taffeta I've worked with in the past. The underskirt here is actually taffeta, but everything else on the dress with be silk. :)

[anielmom]

The outer fabric looks like yummy dark chocolate from where I sit! Very lovely combination.
My husband always asks why I spend do much time doing hand work on my costumes. Why don't I just apply the trim and hem it in the machine? 'Cause if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right, and that requires time!
Really looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

[rhienelleth]

I think of dark chocolate whenever I work with that silk, too! It's the same color as the ghiradelli chocolate sauce I like to put in my coffee in the morning. :)

[ragnvaeig]

I hadn't seen this answered in your journal entries on it either here or in your personal journal, so I guess I'll ask the obvious question: are you sewing gears to it later on, or is there a military inspired coat, or an aviator's cap, or...? Just curious as to what "steampunking" you're going to do with it.

[rhienelleth]

None of those things. :) I know steampunk can be any color, but the palette just reminded me of it, and I ran with it for the WIP name. Since I'm making it to sell, I don't want to specifically "steampunk" it up with extras, in case someone buys it for some other purpose...I figure if someone buys it specifically for sp, they'll have their own props, and it would be easy enough to hand sew on some brass decorations wherever they'd like.

[ragnvaeig]

Are you intending to tag it as steampunk when you sell it?

[rhienelleth]

Not specifically, no. I'll mention it could serve as a good base for a steampunk con outfit, or a steampunk themed wedding, but it could also serve as a great pirate or ren dress, or simply a beautiful wedding gown.

[erzsabet]

Lovely!

Btw, when you did your duct tape dress form, did you fill it with something?

[rhienelleth]

Thank you!

Yep. :) Just some stuffing, like what you'd use for stuffed animals or pillows. And keep stuffing until you can't easily stuff in more. If I could easily fit my hand in, I kept adding more stuffing.

[erzsabet]

Ah, ok. I stuffed mine with plastic bags. I've been storing mine away from buying groceries for a year and a half, so I figured that would be a good use for them. If it doesn't work out, I'll try that next.

[rhienelleth]

I don't see why that wouldn't work, and it's a nice way to recycle them. (I use mine for the cat litter box.)

Just be careful, as I read one tutorial warning not to 'overstuff' and lose the shape of your dress form, while in practice, I found being too cautious with stuffing meant my form had wrinkles or odd collapsible spots. *shrugs* I think a lot is just hands on and by feel.