Saturday, June 9, 2012

And now with a hat!

Today I attended a stroll and tea which required a hat as part of the dress code, so of course I started mine last night. ;) This is just a cheap party store straw hat, which got soaked and shaped and left over night to dry - which it didn't! So this morning, I spent time going over it with my hair dryer, which got it mostly dry. Then I took a long strip of fabric and fashioned it into something bow-ish. It's not perfect, but hey, it worked! And, being ever so slightly damp meant I was able to shape it a bit more once I had it on. Here it is in the picture below, worn too far off to the side, because during the course of the stroll, I discovered this hat is definitely a two-hat-pin hat!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

1840s Ensemble Finished!

Bodice #1 done! I managed to get sleeves that I really like, and actually, there are so few things I would end up changing about the bodice that I might not need to make a bodice #2 after all! And, skirt done as well. I did the bodice mostly by machine (except some hand finishing), but the skirt is entirely by hand. That is a LOT of cartridge pleating by hand! But, I just love the way it turned out. I can now live out the Jane Eyre fantasies I've had since I was little and first read Jane Eyre! ;)

Finished ensemble, front view Finished ensemble, back view

Finished ensemble, at piano

"You play A LITTLE, I see; like any other English school-girl; perhaps rather better than some, but not well."

Finished ensemble, tragically posed

Pining for Mr. Rochester on the moors! ;)

1910s Ensemble Finished!

I managed to finish the Armistice blouse (well, minus closures, as I have yet to find buttons I like well enough, and may just use hooks and eyes instead), as well as whip up a skirt from Butterick #4092, in time to wear at Dress U last weekend!

Finished ensemble, front view Finished ensemble, back view