tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83103213746170092942024-02-21T10:39:07.546-08:00A Nest of Shiny ObjectsMy attempt to share my personal creative journey in historic sewing and crafts.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-17590229460678252072014-11-23T17:04:00.000-08:002014-11-24T11:35:35.286-08:00Cuffs Finished!<div style="text-align: justify;">
...Though they are still not quite usable. I still have to plan out and execute the smock, including some further blackwork (in white!) for the neckline. But the cuffs themselves are all finished and only need to be gathered, trimmed, and sewn to their final resting place.</div>
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The first step after the embroidery proper was finished was putting the smallest possible rolled hem around the edges. For this I used 100/3 Londonderry linen thread waxed with some beeswax.</div>
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Then came the needle lace -- though it's a pretty generous term for what is basically a variant on a blanket stitch. This has the double benefit of giving a nice finished edge to the cuffs (and the neckline, when that gets finished) as well as giving some strength to the linen edge, since it's basically tied in double knots every eight threads.</div>
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And here's the finished cuffs after a quick hot water wash and some pressing. From here they'll be mounted on a mat board for competition and display until they are ready to actually become clothing.</div>
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Part of me is still just glad and sort of amazed that I actually managed to finish them.</div>
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-21238555277872163022014-11-04T15:17:00.000-08:002014-11-04T15:19:47.432-08:00Jane Seymore Cuffs: Embroidery Done!<div style="text-align: justify;">
In less than a year, too! My speed seems to be improving!</div>
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That's 36 total inches, accomplished during the few bits of motivated spare time I've had since mid-January. Next on the docket is to trim off all the extra linen, give it the tiniest possible rolled hem I can muster, and do some simple needlelace on the ends.</div>
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My previous screwup with the design ended up being perfect for learning and practicing a stitch that would work for the edges. I got the basic needlelace stitch (itself a variation of a blanket stitch) from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOY2PYr44-A">this tutorial</a> but added my own extra step to give it the bumpiness that exists in Holbein's painting. It's maybe not quite exactly the same, but it seems really close and plausible.</div>
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The neckline embroidery may very well end up going much faster since the design is pretty basic, but it's something I'll have to chart out myself and execute in white...so maybe sixes after all is said and done.<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-27885165134743076722014-02-28T19:24:00.005-08:002014-02-28T19:25:12.988-08:00Proof that I Can Finish Something: Blue Wool 15th century Dress, and Red HoodBoth items have been finished for quite a while, but my husband's photography assignments have given me the excuse to put everything on and get some decent documentary pictures. <br />
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The blue wool dress has been a regular part of the wardrobe rotation for well over a year. I need to track down my documentation for it, but it's an entirely handsewn waisted kirtle based mostly on museum of london finds. It's blue wool with a flat fell lining of white linen<br />
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I'm wearing it with my white linen smock and linen birgitta cap (which are largely machine sewn), and in the photo I'm fiddling with my hand spinning<br />
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I don't quite remember when I finished the last buttonhole on my red wool hood, but it was a very good day. It's red wool lined in plaid wool, completely handsewn and largely based on the Museum of London hood (though I took a few liberties with the pattern).<br />
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And the whole thing! I fell silly after the fact for not throwing on some sleeves, but we were fighting against time for the light.<br />
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Enjoy!</div>
Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-15338015386844074162014-02-03T07:59:00.001-08:002014-02-03T08:04:07.658-08:00Screwups, Explosions, and Other Matters Relating to EmbroideryThe embroidery is coming along, though a bit slower than I was hoping for. First of all, I did several inches of the second line completely wrong.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RkkyyQ1COyY/Uu-3EPR2kqI/AAAAAAAAAxA/dMOE6_jU1Kg/s1600/In+The+Hoop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RkkyyQ1COyY/Uu-3EPR2kqI/AAAAAAAAAxA/dMOE6_jU1Kg/s1600/In+The+Hoop.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
...and this was how much I did before I realized it, because that's how I roll, apparently. Even though it's quite a bit, it's less than a quarter of the motif's total appearance on both cuffs, so it was more worth it to start over than do the remainder of the design knowing it was wrong.<br />
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Pulling it out was remarkably painless.<br />
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And the actual design turned out to be much easier to execute in double running stitch, so I may have saved myself time in the long run.<br />
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It was the third row that nearly killed me.<br />
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The poor fabric just couldn't keep up with my repeated attempts to unpick stitches, and combusted spontaneously. At least it was close enough to the edge that I could fix it fairly easily.<br />
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The third photo is the back, which is slightly ugly due to having to tack down the tiny little threads leftover after clipping. From here I can start over as if it never happened.<br />
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The design worked up much better after I got that screw-up out of the way. I suppose my offering to the embroidery gods was pleasing.<br />
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I have a lot more of this in my immediate future. Upward and onward!<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-63737955590288316762014-01-12T07:52:00.000-08:002014-01-12T08:19:24.288-08:002013 at a glance, and looking ahead.2013 was a bit of a wash, it seems, blog-wise. Making things did in fact happen in 2013 -- I did a Japanese feast back in March:
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In the middle of planning this feast I ended up working two jobs and hardly ever sleeping, so it's probably the most seat-of-my-pants meal I've ever done. People seemed to like it all the same, though.I wasn't able to realize my dream of having the whole hall sit on pillows at low tables, we had a nod to that with our central show table (they paid a little extra and got their own feast gear in the deal).<br />
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I also finished a completely hand-sewn 14th century hood with a completely rediculous amount of hand-sewn buttons and button holes. It's red wool lined in plaid wool, sewn with silk thread. I really like how it turned out, though I don't think I was looking closely enough at the Museum of London patterns when I made it -- the gores are a little too shallow, they should be going right to the chin line. By the time I figured it out I'd already sewn all four of them so I just plowed ahead.
I also learned some basic bookbinding at our kingdom's big summer event, which inspired me to make a velvet-bound sketch book for a swap back in December.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3OSq-e1lMI/UtK3c-hIg6I/AAAAAAAAAv0/5yL8proh8ew/s1600/Craft+Swap+in+Progress.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t3OSq-e1lMI/UtK3c-hIg6I/AAAAAAAAAv0/5yL8proh8ew/s320/Craft+Swap+in+Progress.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_UgRAEhf9A/UtK3gGa6S1I/AAAAAAAAAv8/ajB25usn4WQ/s1600/Strung+Out+Book.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_UgRAEhf9A/UtK3gGa6S1I/AAAAAAAAAv8/ajB25usn4WQ/s320/Strung+Out+Book.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDm4GHPlBVo/UtK3jEzhmDI/AAAAAAAAAwE/I8zJFvVN_EA/s1600/Velvet+Bound+Book.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDm4GHPlBVo/UtK3jEzhmDI/AAAAAAAAAwE/I8zJFvVN_EA/s320/Velvet+Bound+Book.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><br />
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I used reclaimed book boards and some very polyester thrift-store velvet that turned out to be completely perfect for the application -- the poly backing let it stick to the glue without soaking it up, and the pile was nice enough that you couldn't tell once it was finished.<br />
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2013 doesn't seem quite so unproductive now that I think about it.<br />
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As for 2014, I'm finding myself with a little more hands-free time, so I've decided I need to do some blackwork again. I decided to go with the Jane Seymour cuffs, a pattern that I'd actually started on aida cloth way back in my earliest days of the SCA but never actually completed or used. Amanda Marksdottir has done a really great job creating an updated <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ragnvaeig/5495566197/in/photostream/">chart</a> for the design. I also have the benefit of some of the lighter-weight linen that <a href="http://www.dharmatrading.com/fabric/100-bleached-linen-fabric.html?lnav=fabric.html">Dharma Trading Company</a> started carrying thanks to a dropoff from Santa (thanks Mom!). I'm doing the embroidery in Guterman silk sewing thread -- it gives a good line for this kind of work and it's literally across the street from my apartment at the local Joann.<br />
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I'm more-or-less doing both cuffs at once, and after a week I've finished Row 1 and am now well into tackling Row 2.
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It always amuses me how the half-done stuff looks just a little bit pixilated.<br />
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And the finished motifs all close-like.<br />
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Still a long ways off from this, I'll admit.<br />
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In other news, I've gotten word that our area's Arts and Sciences championship is moving from May to July this year. With that slightly extended deadline and all of the things that I've been working on over the last few years, I think I might actually be able to bring five objects worth competing with, but we'll see what happens.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-76813901567389981572012-10-07T06:45:00.003-07:002012-10-07T06:48:27.701-07:00It *Has* Gotten Dusty in Here...Good lord, nearly a year since my last post. And what on earth have I been up to in that time?<br />
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Well, not a whole lot, to be honest. I don't think I've sewn a thing since I set down that bodice from last November (it had some strap issues and I just sort of put it down in frustration and then never took it back up). I didn't even make the Steampunk costume I'd finally had an excuse for over the summer. I put my loom with its barely-started brocade in a place where I see it every day, but it doesn't motivate me to start working on it again...<br />
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This sort of blah feeling about my projects transferred to my SCA attendance. I didn't leave the SCA for any particular reason, it just sort of happened. Drew and I went to about three events total over the last year, mostly due to costs of the big events like Uprising and some Real Life that seemed to keep getting in the way. I think I might have also gotten a bit depressed. I've also found an alternate hobby to keep me engaged that has nothing whatsoever to do with history or sewing (weird, huh?) and that's been a bit of a time/money suck as well.<br />
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In the meantime, though, I've moved, to a much nicer, though smaller apartment, which made me do a serious clean-out of a great many fabric and crafting bits that were just taking up space and re-assess just what I want to keep and focus on. At the moment, it's all of my "good" fabrics (linens, silks, wools, etc) and several things that I'm halfway finished with anyway (a tudor dress that's begging for completion, a mock-up for a St. Birgitta cap, and quite a few other things). That got rid of a *lot* of stuff.<br />
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I still sort of follow the local SCA goings-on on Facebook and I see all the great things that my friends are doing and accomplishing, and I start to want to be a part of it again, going to events where I can hang out with such amazingly talented people and engage in the mutual showing-off. Slowly I've started coming back to our local fighter practice and found the group, as always, to be very warm and welcoming of a wayward soul like me, so I've been trying to come more often and get back in the swing of things. I want to really try to go to Uprising next year, and possibly (POSSIBLY) try to save up for the 2016 50-year anniversary event, which means I have about 3 years to get my act together. :D<br />
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I want to make things again, but for some reason I'm still finding it difficult to get back into the swing of things. I want to finish my Margot de Valois dress, because damn it the sleeves look *great* and it's just like me to just quit halfway through. I want to submit a full complement of awesome things to Kingdom A&S, things that I've done the legwork and research for, that now I just need to *do*. I'm still finding it hard. I've misplaced my motivation, it seems, and I'm trying to find where exactly I put it.<br />
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I hope to start writing again, and to actually have projects that I can report on. I want to talk about how I actually finished my handsewn 15th century kirtle, though I've since torn out a few seams in the sleeves that need some work (they are a bit overly tight at the moment so I'm trying to figure out what to do about them). I want to find my camera (!) and finish documenting that properly.<br />
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I also found Pinterest! Feel free to look me up <a href="http://pinterest.com/sarcasticmuppet">here</a>. It's pretty sparse at the moment, but I hope to have more there as time goes on.<br />
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So that's where I am now! Not incredibly interesting, I suppose, but hopefully there's some hope for the future.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-25773791308906331132011-11-26T17:11:00.000-08:002011-11-27T13:42:21.826-08:00Productive Weekend? MaybeI had plans to really bang out my bodice this weekend, but here's how it went down:<br />
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Wednesday: Get off work early, help my friend who's hosting thanksgiving make pies, and set up the turkey brine. Dream about tasty pies.<br />
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Thursday: Cut out bodice front. Feel like a boss. Make trifle and creamed corn and use oven for casseroles and bacon. Feel stuffy in the evening, which is not a good sign.<br />
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BTW, here's the bodice all cut out, two layers of cotton canvas, and one of cotton batting:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hfJ5QzPjE08/TtGIrn1iZcI/AAAAAAAAAl4/NDEF0qhpYWo/s1600/IMG_1557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hfJ5QzPjE08/TtGIrn1iZcI/AAAAAAAAAl4/NDEF0qhpYWo/s320/IMG_1557.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_83LIc1Y8dA/TtGIv-RJu_I/AAAAAAAAAmI/se3yNLFc3t4/s1600/IMG_1560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_83LIc1Y8dA/TtGIv-RJu_I/AAAAAAAAAmI/se3yNLFc3t4/s320/IMG_1560.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Friday: Wake up stuffed and congested. Sit at sewing machine to quilt together bodice layers, only to have the machine not working. Remember the morning of Collegium, when in a pre-event rush the broken-spring foot pedal was left to run the machine on full power for twenty minutes. Curse. Take offending pedal to Bernina shop, where they miraculously had an identical spring to replace the broken one. Sit at sewing machine a second time, only to find that the fixed-spring pedal is still broken. Electrics are probably fried, which is a much worse situation than a broken spring. Curse. Determine to hell with it, the bodice is getting quilted tonight, and look up pad stitching. Nurse an entire roll of toilet paper throughout the day, play a bit of Mario Kart with friend's family. Try not to spread too many germs. Finally get Mucinex at 10:00 pm so sleep can be possible.<br />
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Saturday: Finish quilting bodice. Feel like a handsewing boss.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcoH7G4mxoM/TtGI0cYR8BI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/cvZCou2kRho/s1600/IMG_1562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcoH7G4mxoM/TtGI0cYR8BI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/cvZCou2kRho/s320/IMG_1562.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I6PtodlcBtU/TtGN2NYi-QI/AAAAAAAAAmc/6Q3De4qvy0M/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I6PtodlcBtU/TtGN2NYi-QI/AAAAAAAAAmc/6Q3De4qvy0M/s320/IMG_1561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Take machine back to bernina shop, pay $25 for a new universal presser foot retrofitted with the original wiring of the sewing machine. Express love and devotion to the awesome professionals at the bernina shop. Go to Zupa's for soup. Go home intending to work on bodice, but sleep for four hours instead.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-78007159731094098272011-11-23T15:59:00.000-08:002011-11-23T18:26:25.489-08:00ACC: SleevesThe wheels of progress move slowly, but they do move. This, as you may recall, is what I was going for:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Margot_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Margot_001.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margot de Valois, 1560 (from Wikipedia)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I decided on DMC memory thread for the decorative elements on the sleeves and front. It's a fine cotton/viscose thread wrapped around a cotton and copper wire core. It's also fairly cheap, readily available, and, conceptually speaking, fairly period to at least the 17th century (Tricia of <a href="http://thistle-threads.com/shop/accessories/silkwrappedpurl.html">Thistle Threads</a> offers a silk thread-wrapped pearl purl as part of her 17th century kits that was way out of my price range, but it gave me the initial idea). I looked into metallic threads but the cost was pretty severe in the amounts I was looking for; plus, I never really decided whether to commit to gold or silver jewelry, so I could still do either further down the process.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dmccreative.co.uk/Products/Craft-Threads/DMC-Desire-Thread/%7E/media/Media/Products/Needlework%20Threads/Specialty%20Threads/Memory%20Thread%20product%20image%205.ashx?mw=388" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.dmccreative.co.uk/Products/Craft-Threads/DMC-Desire-Thread/%7E/media/Media/Products/Needlework%20Threads/Specialty%20Threads/Memory%20Thread%20product%20image%205.ashx?mw=388" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DMC Memory Thread. The little plastic doohickies are useless</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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I worked on the sleeves for the last month or so; two weeks of actually embroidering, and several more of being completely unmotivated. I finished the last knot today:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0juoFNZfIJM/Ts1_JAn9PmI/AAAAAAAAAlY/ElDtNa476bs/s1600/IMG_1556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0juoFNZfIJM/Ts1_JAn9PmI/AAAAAAAAAlY/ElDtNa476bs/s400/IMG_1556.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couched Sleeves, DMC Memory Thread (white) on silk with silk thread</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I love the effect, though it was hard to work with such a large piece of fabric without everything kinking up.<br />
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A quick note on the sleeves: I usually do sleeves with the seam running down the back of the arm instead of the more modern technique of running it from the armpit because it's a more accurate cut for the 16th century. But trying to figure placement for the vertical lines was making my brain explode, so I went with the symmetrical sleeve pattern for easy ruling. <br />
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I'm thinking at this point that I will actually make the bodice of the dress first before trying the more complicated filigree embroidery on it, just to ensure that everything will work out with the fit and construction. Fortunately for me, I have a nice long weekend to make that happen.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-6757887427161478372011-10-14T10:38:00.000-07:002011-10-14T10:38:42.764-07:00Tablet Weaving AngstYou may recall my original pattern for a brocaded pair of garters, using a weaving diagram from Il Burato:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTyu3ctwqQo/TkKmtKjq5zI/AAAAAAAAAfI/v_2ji1W0TnU/s1600/Magpies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTyu3ctwqQo/TkKmtKjq5zI/AAAAAAAAAfI/v_2ji1W0TnU/s400/Magpies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did a small repeat of the pattern in the silk months ago and haven't touched it since because the pattern, to my mind, wasn't working the way that I wanted it to. Most of the lines were too narrow, the blue tails didn't read well, and the flowers were overly complicated and frail. Brocading really seems to work best with strong diagonal lines of 2 threads or greater, which meant that the backs of the birds were reading very well (I loved how that part was turning out) but the rest was just kind of blah.</div><br />
So, after looking at it in my apartment for months, I'm finally trying to come up with solutions. The benefits of brocading are in its flexibility. I can start over at any point with a completely new design if i so chose. I started by strengthening some of the lines on the magpie and making the whole outline black instead of black and blue. <br />
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Then, I played around with the idea of taking out the 3-flower motif completely, as it had the thinnest lines and had more complication than I was really willing to put the effort into as a result. The resulting bird-small flower-bird was too bottom heavy to use on its own, so I tried a bit of inverted tiling:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZwZvHQLQJY/TphovBMA5EI/AAAAAAAAAjU/IZPxwlqwT4s/s1600/inverted+magpies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZwZvHQLQJY/TphovBMA5EI/AAAAAAAAAjU/IZPxwlqwT4s/s640/inverted+magpies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I thought I'd love this, but I merely like it. It has nice strong diagonals, but I found I missed the larger flower motif. So I tried to fill out the design a little more, while not making it quite as compact since that was making the weaving process with two colors difficult. The results:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nZ8I6NpAtoA/Tphouae7pvI/AAAAAAAAAjM/XnZWoJVuG98/s1600/magpie+spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nZ8I6NpAtoA/Tphouae7pvI/AAAAAAAAAjM/XnZWoJVuG98/s640/magpie+spread.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I think this might work. There is a lot more white space (re: space I don't have to weave) which makes it a little simpler while still maintaining most of the integrity of the original design Several of the lines are thicker to keep it from being so frail. I won't really know until I start weaving it, but I'm hoping this will be a winner.<br />
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I'm also considering playing around with having a thicker line of brocading thread by waxing and doubling up the black and blue strands so they'd act a little more like a ribbon and better fill the space. I'm searching for my motivation to do so, but it'll come. Hopefully.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-78726736476613905162011-10-05T20:39:00.000-07:002011-10-05T20:39:39.470-07:00Petticoat BitsSince I was working on a few updates anyway for the ACC, I'll go ahead and explain some of my documentation for the petticoat, as well as a few detail shots that I took today.<br />
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In my prowl looking for extant garments, I was elated when I found this beautiful <a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O141134/petticoat/">painted cotton petticoat</a> in my search of "1500-1600" in the V&A collections, but I'm convinced that 1570 as the starting year is incorrect or possibly even transposed (as in, it should read 1750). The East India Company stamp indicates 17th century at the absolute earliest, and the design bears something of an 18th century aesthetic. Nevertheless, <a href="http://extremecostuming.com/articles/cartridgepleating101.html">Laura Mellin's</a> instructions on making a 16th century petticoat produced a remarkably similar garment, so I'm willing to think that the basic nature of this item (hopefully) indicates some common lines of construction through time. It's made in four panels and totals 4x my waist measurement along the width.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJCN-HwYoAk/To0NL5K-raI/AAAAAAAAAiY/UTbhfbbefIc/s1600/IMG_0237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sJCN-HwYoAk/To0NL5K-raI/AAAAAAAAAiY/UTbhfbbefIc/s320/IMG_0237.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My cartridge pleating has no gathering stitches -- don't ask me why, but I was just too paranoid about lining them up well to even try that technique. Instead, I marked a small hash mark every inch on the skirt and every 1/4 inch on the waistband, and used that as a guide as I whipstitched it together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea34o7Spo3Y/To0Nc6C9MEI/AAAAAAAAAig/-ygK1RHEqVM/s1600/IMG_0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ea34o7Spo3Y/To0Nc6C9MEI/AAAAAAAAAig/-ygK1RHEqVM/s320/IMG_0239.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The seams and hem were all done by machine, with the gold silk guard covering up the line of stitching at the hem. I was paranoid about having an overly wobbly line on the guard, so I pulled a thread in the fabric of the skirt for the top edge. It was kind of a nightmare to follow, but it did end up nice and straight as a result.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-80895311773402301512011-10-03T22:41:00.000-07:002011-10-03T22:50:31.383-07:00ACC: Petticoat BodiesJust to show that I can in fact take a hint, I finally got motivated to wear my new petticoat bodies to fighter practice and take a few mug shots next to the gym.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yqvls0hDi2c/ToqXPWw1BWI/AAAAAAAAAho/tRYnez4RSsI/s1600/IMG_0227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yqvls0hDi2c/ToqXPWw1BWI/AAAAAAAAAho/tRYnez4RSsI/s320/IMG_0227.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tx4yofiNI-Q/ToqXIAda2bI/AAAAAAAAAhc/ySY_NXJJtnI/s1600/IMG_0230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tx4yofiNI-Q/ToqXIAda2bI/AAAAAAAAAhc/ySY_NXJJtnI/s320/IMG_0230.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Now for me to nitpick everything wrong with it: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MTp4iY_ZMqM/ToqW3RcTO6I/AAAAAAAAAhU/it2WykJVU48/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MTp4iY_ZMqM/ToqW3RcTO6I/AAAAAAAAAhU/it2WykJVU48/s320/IMG_0234.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>The petticoat ended too big around the waist so it's sagging a bit, but it only needs a a few extra eyelets to pick up the slack. Doing all of the eyelets to match the ones on the tabs is looking mighty tempting, just for the potential for cute little bows all around the waist.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HWLMin4IHBo/ToqWz7lWPUI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/wk0fgEw9Kec/s1600/IMG_0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HWLMin4IHBo/ToqWz7lWPUI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/wk0fgEw9Kec/s320/IMG_0232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Also, because of the eleventh hour necessity to split it up the back, the bottom of the backmost tabs are taking way too much strain and so can't lace well. It's kind of my own fault for having such a dramatic bit of shaping at the side back seam, but it doesn't effect the overall look too much.<br />
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Those issues aside, I am tickled to death with how it turned out. It is exactly what I envisioned when I put the two fabrics together. I wore it for the better part of the afternoon and there were not any screaming comfort issues.<br />
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Also, at two years after I'd finished my lovely embroidered coif, I finally have an excuse to wear it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yz18Htx62RY/ToqWuqeTs8I/AAAAAAAAAhM/eObi1Ionv9I/s1600/IMG_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yz18Htx62RY/ToqWuqeTs8I/AAAAAAAAAhM/eObi1Ionv9I/s320/IMG_0233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> As much as I love the attack laurel coif patterns, I have to admit that they are really big on me. My hair's long but fine, so my only hope for tying it on was to do two braids over the top of my head to give the cord something to pull against. It worked pretty well while the knot in the cord held, but it was too slippery (it's my silk tablet woven hairtie) to stay in long-term, and after a few attempts and the pictures I just stopped bothering with it.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-87470895104116725312011-09-29T11:39:00.000-07:002011-09-29T11:43:05.623-07:00Closing inI haven't written in a while, but I've been the busy little seamstress. It's just been slow going due to a lot of hand work lately. I am very, *very* close on my petticoat bodies. I was having a crisis for a while because I wanted to use the gold silk from the corset binding for a guard around the bottom, but was mightily paranoid about having enough. The gold silk came to me courtesy of Mistress Bianca, and largely consisted of one or two large pieces (that I hacked into greedily for the corset binding) and several much smaller bias-cut triangles. I ended up sewing all of the triangles together into a super bias trapezoid in an effort to eke as much length from it as possible, and I managed to get all I needed with some to spare. The corset still needs a small amount of binding around the inside of the armhole, but I'm waiting on it until I can really test out the wear to see if there needs to be any adjustment first. The petticoat just needs a few eyelets to fasten in the front to be functional, and I'm suddenly on the fence on whether or not I want to do eyelets all the way around the waist to correspond with those on the corset tabs. It might just be more trouble than its worth.<br />
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I do love it though. The gold silk looks fantastic against the green linen, and the skirt itself is very full (4x my waist measurement). I can easily rock out the sort of wenchy bodice look in my corset-and-petticoat, and I'm very eager (after the challenge) to make an elizabethan-style jacket out of some lovely green shetland wool I got a while ago to make it respectably middle class.<br />
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With all of the effort into my underwear and with less than 100 days until the end of the challenge, I'm seriously considering calling my petticoat bodies my "intermediate" layer and foregoing the loose gown. That way I can devote my time and attention to the blue silk gown and all of the necessary frippery without having another garment hanging over me.<br />
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Here's to pictures as soon as I finish the last bits and find my camera!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-61035896497301137852011-08-22T21:49:00.000-07:002011-08-22T21:55:10.478-07:00I survived hand binding!I think the fifth sewing circle of hell is hand-binding corset tabs into eternity.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4t4PNZfsOk/TlMoyKPucHI/AAAAAAAAAgA/BeFShCNlH3U/s1600/IMG_1540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4t4PNZfsOk/TlMoyKPucHI/AAAAAAAAAgA/BeFShCNlH3U/s320/IMG_1540.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I'm pretty ashamed of the inconsistent job I did on this binding, but I grit my teeth and did it and now it's done and other than a very small amount of adjustment I'm just going to have to live with it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r01ewzMX-sU/TlMozcKEFgI/AAAAAAAAAgE/cdZn_2YitnE/s1600/IMG_1539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r01ewzMX-sU/TlMozcKEFgI/AAAAAAAAAgE/cdZn_2YitnE/s320/IMG_1539.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I do have to give my friend Karena some mad props for saving my sanity on this. While I was at fighter practice bitching about sewing down this stupidly frustrating binding, she offered to take it on in exchange for some consultation and drafting work on her own Elizabethan outfit. In my weakness (I think I said something about oh please take it away just make the pain stop) I took her up on it. She ended up getting waylaid by her own sewing deadline for a wedding, so i ended up doing most of it anyway, but it was enough that i could rediscover my motivation and push through it. THANK YOU! It still needs 9 sets of eyelets around the waist, a bit of boning adjustment, and binding around the armscye. I'm waiting on that until last because I might need to make adjustments to the armscye for comfort, and I've found the best way to figure that out is to wear it for reals once or twice.<br />
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If you've been following this you might have seen that my original pattern was for a one-piece corset with lacing only up the front in similitude of the effigy bodies, but the boning made it shrink to the point where it was *really* overly busty in the front. The back was split and eyelets added (criss-cross style instead of spiral, because I know from experience the limitations of my dresser/husband) and the effect was perfect once I gave the girls a little more room.<br />
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I also looked closely at the gold silk bits that made up the original binding, and I *think* I'll have enough for two 1" rings of guards around the bottom of the matching petticoat. I'll be reacquainting myself with my rotary cutter shortly to find out for sure.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-69809816356740343562011-08-20T21:57:00.000-07:002011-08-20T22:00:43.627-07:00WarpedThe problem with doing so much handwork is that there really isn't much to blog about. I've been working for weeks on the bottom edge binding around my corset, and it's finally done (pics to follow shortly) but today I was feeling particularly inspired so I started setting up the warp for my magpie garters. And, in my grand tradition of trying things for the first time, I decided to try my hand at circular warping.<br />
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As far as supplies are concerned, I found a really great source for silk weaving thread, so I bought two cones thinking it would be more than I ever needed:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W4TzOETGFaE/TlCJIyCV5eI/AAAAAAAAAfc/GB8ajx7st7M/s1600/IMG_1520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W4TzOETGFaE/TlCJIyCV5eI/AAAAAAAAAfc/GB8ajx7st7M/s320/IMG_1520.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>To do a continuous warp for tablet weaving, I needed four cones. so I cut each in half with the help of my fancy pants warping board.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ySnJIWowcWc/TlCJOlNaKCI/AAAAAAAAAfg/yLvQY8gtajg/s1600/IMG_1519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ySnJIWowcWc/TlCJOlNaKCI/AAAAAAAAAfg/yLvQY8gtajg/s400/IMG_1519.JPG" width="300" /></a></div> My husband built it, and it measures and holds an almost infinite amount of thread easily measurable increments (every pass from peg to peg is one yard, and the pegs on top help count each pass). With the help of this the job of cutting down my cones into four roughly equal parts was very easy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80K3AFRxT9A/TlCJZ3iOGoI/AAAAAAAAAfk/uml0d2CLhw0/s1600/IMG_1525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80K3AFRxT9A/TlCJZ3iOGoI/AAAAAAAAAfk/uml0d2CLhw0/s400/IMG_1525.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Why yes those are toilet paper rolls, and yes that is a spoon taped to the wall. They're hung on the wall with a dowel and threaded through the spoon's 'eye' to assist in the warping process. Don't ask me why I had to do it in the most white trash way possible, though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vud2quhHYoA/TlCJebxNLyI/AAAAAAAAAfo/FOZKb4-7hFY/s1600/IMG_1529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vud2quhHYoA/TlCJebxNLyI/AAAAAAAAAfo/FOZKb4-7hFY/s320/IMG_1529.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MWjrWxcvyAc/TlCJgyNHt0I/AAAAAAAAAfs/Jbbf5wfnN3o/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MWjrWxcvyAc/TlCJgyNHt0I/AAAAAAAAAfs/Jbbf5wfnN3o/s320/IMG_1530.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This part was really tricky to try to photograph as it involved all of my hands, but the method of continuous warp makes warping cards incredibly fast, because you thread the entire pack, and then separate out the cards as you warp it up. Once again, the warping board was invaluable. I ended up with perfectly strung cards that were pretty much all the same length, saving time and minimizing waste in the warping process. <br />
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Now it came time to pull out my newest favorite thing:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1WguDU52UfA/TlCJiMUSkoI/AAAAAAAAAfw/QEnJgm-r1aA/s1600/IMG_1532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1WguDU52UfA/TlCJiMUSkoI/AAAAAAAAAfw/QEnJgm-r1aA/s320/IMG_1532.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9R806taCftM/TlCJoBExuWI/AAAAAAAAAf0/sLH7xfaVIY0/s1600/IMG_1533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9R806taCftM/TlCJoBExuWI/AAAAAAAAAf0/sLH7xfaVIY0/s320/IMG_1533.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Drew's keen eye found this antique Structo loom at DI and it was love at first sight. The heddles and reed were easy enough to remove, and could still be re-attached easily:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mngGcuwBGgM/TlCJsrdfadI/AAAAAAAAAf4/DQGL8aOg7y4/s1600/IMG_1535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mngGcuwBGgM/TlCJsrdfadI/AAAAAAAAAf4/DQGL8aOg7y4/s320/IMG_1535.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So I had a simple ratchet setup, identical to my earlier idea pertaining to <a href="http://distracted-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/05/lj-archives-may-2011.html">box looms</a> (scroll down) based on examples from illuminated manuscripts.<br />
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So far, the idea seems to have merit:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvVoYOHUVdY/TlCJvfulwVI/AAAAAAAAAf8/81dqknbaifU/s1600/IMG_1537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvVoYOHUVdY/TlCJvfulwVI/AAAAAAAAAf8/81dqknbaifU/s320/IMG_1537.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And I'm very pleased with how much tension the loom provides as well. I hope to start brocading tomorrow.<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-73231450189990077142011-08-10T09:08:00.000-07:002011-08-10T12:02:51.287-07:00Update on a new thing: Tablet-woven gartersI got really inspired yesterday and decided more-or-less on a design for a pair of tablet woven garters as part of my challenge project: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTyu3ctwqQo/TkKmtKjq5zI/AAAAAAAAAfI/v_2ji1W0TnU/s1600/Magpies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTyu3ctwqQo/TkKmtKjq5zI/AAAAAAAAAfI/v_2ji1W0TnU/s640/Magpies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
-I got this idea from a band in <i>EP&AC*</i> that had birds on it, but I kept thinking that the birds on that band looked terribly dumpy. And while the patterns in <i>Il Burato</i> weren't meant specifically for a tablet weaving text, there are indications that they would be useful for woven narrow wares (several of the woodcuts show ladies at upright looms or portable rigid heddle looms). The design itself is a little complicated for tablet weaving, but not overly so.<br />
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-While I originally wanted baby blue silk thread to use for the ground, I determined that adding white thread to the magpie's breasts would make the brocade pattern overly complicated (several passes already have 2 or even 3 colors, which ups the complication considerably), so I might end up using a white ground so the white bellies can come from the negative space rather than brocading.<br />
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-<a href="http://www.guntram.co.za/tabletweaving/">Guntram's Tabletweaving Thingy</a> was incredibly useful in making this happen, though I'm still trying to figure out how to use the app to its full advantage.<br />
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-I think they look well enough like magpies (which was the main goal) but I might still tweak the blues and blacks a bit until it's perfect.<br />
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-the flowers are a different color of blue in the draft, but I might end up doing it in the same color blue as the wings and tails. It depends on how masochistic I'm feeling.<br />
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-the plan for this is to make three garters -- a pair for me, and one for my husband to wear with his western stuff as a favor.<br />
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-I hope to string it up on my new mini structo loom (DI find of the year!) so I can carry it around events and things to work on.<br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ecclesiastical-Pomp-Aristocratic-Circumstance-Tabletwoven/dp/0615116817">This book</a>, which is amazing and awesome and is not in my possession right at this moment, so I can't list the specific reference.</span>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-80342301098990162732011-07-28T14:12:00.000-07:002011-07-28T14:12:02.721-07:00Moved In!I've archived about a year's worth of relevant LJ posts by month (that's the only way LJ does it, which is annoying) and other than an omnipresent issues with pictures, it seems to have worked fairly well. There are a few LJ things I will miss (easy time stamping, f-locking posts) but I'll manage. The community aspect of LJ is also something I'll miss, but it's still there (when/if LJ functions) so I'll probably continue puttering around there a bit.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-17576103672451135162011-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:002011-07-28T08:03:28.223-07:00That's it, LJ...I'm done with your Russian spam and 4-day near nonexistence. I'm moving back to blogger.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-2166038511955586182011-07-05T10:47:00.000-07:002011-07-28T13:50:53.635-07:00Lots of stuff, but very little sewing<livejournal><entry><itemid></itemid><subject></subject><event>Over the last two weeks I've pretty successfully avoided sewing the binding on the bottom edge of my corset but still did enough that I feel like I had an acceptable amount of accomplishment.<lj-cut text="Lots o' stuff..."><br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003fxpx/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003fxpx/s640x480" style="height: 359px; width: 479px;" /></a><br />
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I ran the white silk through an hour-long dyebath using a little more than the recommended amount of dry dyestuff (Dharma Sapphire Blue Acid dye). Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough, and I didn't end up with the beautiful dark blue I fell in love with in Drew's samples. However, I still find the color (a very clear sort of french blue) to be very striking and while I have enough dye that I could run it through again, I'm thinking that I might just leave it as-is. The dark blue was a little iffy to document for the particular look of the 1560s, where gowns that aren't black seem to be pretty light colored. I also found that iron-drying damp silk makes it *very* stiff, which is hopefully good news for all the couching I'm going to end up doing.<br />
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At FP last week Owen brought a bunch of costume jewelry pieces to sell on behalf of a local former scadian, and there were a few things I couldn't resist getting: <br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003bsgc/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003bsgc/s640x480" style="height: 292px; width: 390px;" /></a><br />
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The cross belt will work really nicely as is with my 15th century kirtle, and if I really wanted to, I could probably add spacers to it to make it a nice girdle belt.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003cbss/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003cbss/s640x480" style="height: 296px; width: 394px;" /></a><br />
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And I found this awesome brooch! The stone in the center (most likely glass) is a smokey blue color.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003dyxh/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003dyxh/s640x480" style="height: 237px; width: 315px;" /></a><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003ex9w/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003ex9w/s640x480" style="height: 238px; width: 316px;" /></a><br />
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And in my neverending quest for cool time pieces, I found this great little watch face. It'll make a great end for a girdle belt, but I'm still trying to figure out how to change the battery. Hopefully I'll figure something out.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003h94p/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003h94p/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
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I'm working on some new SCA heraldry with a Magpie and three cinquefoils, so when I saw this piece I had. to. have. it. It's a little more junky than the brooch and other pieces, but the design was inspired, so I went for it.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003g4wr/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003g4wr/s640x480" style="height: 277px; width: 370px;" /></a><br />
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The seller also had a bunch of handmade bobbin lace, and I snatched about two and a half yards of this lovely stuff. I'm thinking I might be able to work a simple cuff on my 1560s project.<br />
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Also, my zibillini came in from etsy!<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003ke0y/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003ke0y/s640x480" style="height: 281px; width: 376px;" /></a><br />
It was originally a vintage 3-pelt mink stole, but I was able to pick apart the stitches without too much difficulty. I love the silvery color they have going on. I'm intending to give one to Aine to make a prize for the Insurrection A&S tournament, but that still gives me two to play with. They aren't huge (maybe 16" long with the tails) so they should be pretty manageable on a belt chain. PLUS, they were purchased before I heard about the ACC challenge, so they qualify as stash.<br />
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Of course, these were all *last* week's accomplishments. The 4th of July weekend was spent visiting Drew's family in Rocklin, and while there was no sewing whatsoever, I had a lot of downtime and so avoided being completely useless:<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003p09r/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003p09r/s640x480" style="height: 282px; width: 377px;" /></a><br />
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Here is my first attempt at pearl knotting, using stash freshwater pearls. Unfortunately, Hobby Lobby only sells silk beading cord in 2 meter cards, so the size of my piece is somewhat limited, especially since I made an unsuccessful buttonhole loop on one end (I ended up just tying the ends into 8-pearl loops). I'm hoping to do knotted pearls for most of my jewelry for my project (in keeping with the Margot portrait), though I will need bigger ones for the necklace and belt (budget-wise, I might have to make do with what I have). Some of the knots are kind of funky but I think the overall look will be nice with some practice. I'm hoping this sample will work reasonably well for a hairpiece.</lj-cut></event><security>public</security><allowmask>0</allowmask><current_music><current_mood></current_mood></current_music></entry></livejournal>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-19902927279450903352011-06-22T11:27:00.000-07:002011-07-28T13:50:18.713-07:00LJ Archives: June 2011<b></b><br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>June 22: ACC: Fabrics</b></span></div> My stash is pretty close to depleted, but I was able to pull all my fashion yardage from what I already have:<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00037akp/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00037akp/s640x480" style="height: 244px; width: 326px;" /></a><br />
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While this qualifies as stash, it's my newest purchase. I got it at a Hancock sale on Saturday ($5/yard!). It's a linen herringbone twill. It's wonderfully soft and floaty and will go toward a smock and probably also a partlet. There is also a japanese kosode in the works which will probably take the remainder of the bolt.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000395hg/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000395hg/s640x480" style="height: 245px; width: 327px;" /></a><br />
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My corset is wearable so I can start fitting the dress but still needs several hours worth of work binding the bottom edges. There is enough gold silk to make bias tape for those edges, and I'm hopeful that there will also be enough to put some guards on a petticoat. The linen fabric on the right was originally yellow until I threw it into a blue dyebath, and now it's a great shade of foresty green, which will be really fun with the magenta corset fabric.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00038314/"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00038314/s320x240" width="320" /></a><br />
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I had a picture of the blue on an earlier post, but here's a flash shot to give a little better idea of the color. The original fabric is a sort of creamy white in a kind of funny mystery weave (not quite taffeta, but not really anything else), but it's 100% silk, takes dye like a champ, and has a really nice crisp finish with a decent lining. There's enough to have some white silk to make the shoulder puffs, and maybe even to line a few things. My white kirtle is the undyed version of this fabric, and it was actually quite easy to work with.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003a9hy/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0003a9hy/s640x480" style="height: 240px; width: 321px;" /></a><br />
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For the ropa/overgown I decided to finally use this rayon velvet that was probably my first big fabric splurge (I bought 10 yards right after I graduated college; it was only $4/yard). It's a beautiful deep mulberry color that shines when it catches the light. I also have 20 yards of gold metallic bobbin lace (half bright gold, half antique gold) to trim it. While it might not coordinate perfectly with the dark blue gown, it'll look smashing with some other stuff I have (like my white kirtle). I foresee this fabric being a nightmare to work with, and much hand-basting in my future.<br />
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There are still little bits that I might not be able to pull from stash (canvas, linings, etc) but I'm pretty hopeful that the cost will be minimal.<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>June 21: Artemisian Costuming Challenge</b></span></div>So the call has been put out in our area for a challenge similar to the one started by <a href="http://renaissanceitaly.net/TempFiles/ItalRenCostumingChallenge.htm">Realm of Venus</a> recently, except it's open to any time period or locale used in the SCA. Since I had a brilliant idea for a gown anyway, I decided to join in. The challenge includes making the following between now and the end of the year:<br />
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1. A skin layer: for this I'll make a square-necked linen smock/chemise, possibly with some embroidery around the neckline, and a green linen petticoat made to coordinate with my corset (hopefully). I'll also finish my corset to wear along with it, though it might not count for the purposes of the competition. <br />
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2. The main garment: This will be a blue silk gown based on the portrait of <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Margot_001.jpg">Margot de Valois</a> with silver (yeah, I decided on the silver) couching.<br />
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3. An outer layer. I'm much more iffy on this (my whole point with the original gown was that I wouldn't need the extra layer) but if it's doable after everything else is done, I'm thinking of a loose gown with a high neck, similar to this one worn by Margot's sister Claude:<br />
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<img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Claude_of_Valois1.jpg/464px-Claude_of_Valois1.jpg" /><br />
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It's very similar to portrayals of Italian zimarra, so I might take some cues from that angle. I have no idea what it will be yet, because there's nothing in my stash that would work for it. Hastings recommended a dark purple fabric lined in pink, which sounds fantastic with a heavy satin and linen, but we'll have to see.<br />
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4. An accessory. Any number of things can apply to this, but I'm thinking anything from the following: a zibellino (probably with a lot of help from Holly), a partlet, stockings, tablet woven garters, a feather fan, etc.<br />
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There is also a price limit of $100, but stash materials can be used. I can actually cover quite a bit from my stash, but I'll still need a lot of notions and shiny bits.<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><subject>June 15th: New Project</subject><event> </event></b></span></div><event>I'd gotten some sapphire blue dye from Dharma in a futile attempt to get some silk embroidery thread that matched my blue 15th century kirtle (It tangled homelessly in the dyebath and I gave up on it when I found a thread that worked). Drew pulled it out last week to do some shibori experiments, and it is the most brilliant color of blue imaginable.<br />
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<img alt="" src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj230/aedo-sama/Photo3.jpg" style="height: 380px; width: 507px;" /><br />
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The photo barely does it justice. I just stared at the sample scraps longingly before I turned my sights to the entire bolt still left over from both of our projects. It turns out we still have over 8 yards, which demanded to be turned into a blue gown, so I called dibs.<br />
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I thought about doing a new Tudor, but the silk itself has a pretty soft drape, and even with the dye job giving it a crisper, more taffeta-like finish, I wasn't sure it would play well with the big sleeves of a typical tudor gown. Besides, I already have one of those in the works.<br />
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So I went a little later, to the work of Francois Clouet in the 1560s, and I found this portrait of Margot de Valois as a small girl:<br />
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<img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Margot_001.jpg" /><br />
<br />
And there it was. The dress that I must now have. The work involved tailoring-wise is pretty simple compared to my other projects -- there's really only one visible outer layer, and I don't even need a petticoat if I don't feel like having a split skirt in the front (and I'm thinking I don't). The sleeves are simple other than some classy embellishment and unique shoulder treatments, which are not huge and bulbous like what you see in England, nor are quite as crazy poufy and/or complicated like what you'd find in Italy. <br />
<br />
Adult women wore this stuff too:<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Clouet_Claude_de_Chateaubrun.jpg" /><br />
Claude de Châteaubrun de Beaune dame de Gouffier, by Francois Clouet, c. 1560s (and yes, there are plans for a zibillino too, now that I can finally succumb to that particular fad)<br />
<br />
My big internal conflict now is trying to decide if I want to do the embellishment in gold or silver. Gold seems to be standard for just about everything in the period, and jewelry-wise it would look really great with the pearls. Silver is used occasionally (it's certainly on Margot's gown), would be better suited toward my heraldic colors, and would be really eye catching couched on the blue. Using both at the same time seems cheesy. Decisions, decisions.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>June 8th: I did a Thing!</b></span><br />
Noelle asked if I could make her some garters for when she becomes a Laurel at Baron's war (big prestigious award in the SCA for historical arts), and gave me free reign over the design, so I decided to do not one but two techniques that were completely new to me: brocading, and warp twine manipulation. I'm playing a little fast and loose with specific time periods and places (though all of them are within the medieval period), mostly because I'm using design elements that are especially significant for the recipient. It's woven with a Kanagawa 1000 denier silk that Noelle purchased and sent my way.<br />
<br />
<lj-cut text="patterns and in-progress pics!">Here are my patterns:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00033ty6/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00033ty6/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000342ka/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000342ka/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The fleur-de-lis and leaf vine (reminiscent of laurel leaves, yes?) are from <i>Ecclesiastical Pomp and Aristocratic Circumstance</i>, about the 13th and 14th centuries maybe (I don't feel like checking right now). The vine was originally for 13 cards and was sized up to work with a 25 card band, but the fleur (which is 17 cards wide) was alternated between sides to fill up the space.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00035rg8/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00035rg8/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The brocading worked fabulously, even with my wonky tension at the beginning. This portion is for the tails of the garters, which are 5 fleurs long, or maybe 3-4 inches. It's done with a Kreinik gold braid.<br />
<br />
I was so tempted just to do the whole thing in this brocade pattern but it's really slow and the gold braid makes it a little stiff and potentially pokey.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000360c6/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000360c6/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The main body of the garters are the warp-twined laurel leaves. I can't capture it very well because the effect is very subtle, but the design comes about by turning the relief backwards and the rest forwards. This technique was in Peter Collingwood's <i>Techniques of Tablet Weaving</i> and is document-able to the 10th century. It's also pretty slow, but I get a lot of satisfaction of splitting up the pack and turning them in different directions. </lj-cut><br />
<br />
I'm maybe six inches in, and have 36 or so more to go.<br />
<br />
</event>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-56074642011666241032011-05-15T11:52:00.000-07:002011-07-28T13:50:01.982-07:00LJ Archives: May 2011<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>May 15th: New Project: Effigy Bodies</b></span></div>I started this corset ages ago, before I really got my butt in gear to finish my blue kirtle.<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002x02k/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002wqks/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002wqks/s640x480" width="640" /></a><lj-cut text="cut for pics..."><br />
<br />
<br />
It's fully boned (though I suspect I'll pull some bones out of the back) with cable ties, and is made with two layers of duck canvas. There are only a few tabs cut out now, but I will cut out a few more later to keep it from fraying too much.<br />
</lj-cut><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002x02k/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002x02k/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<lj-cut text="cut for pics..."><br />
And here it is with the silk taffeta outer layer pinned in place. It looks very similar in color to the last picture, but it's actually a really great magenta color. Since this silk was from a thrifted skirt, I had to split the large front pieces more or less in half. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ykeb/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ykeb/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I also wasn't super happy with how the front was connecting to the side back seam when sewing it by machine, so I'm handsewing it in place. I'm not entirely worried about making it look pretty because I'm planning to cover it with a decorative satin stitch that matches the binding.<br />
<br />
Which will be this:<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002zsra/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002zsra/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Bianca had several large pieces of this gold silk lying around, some with the bias already marked, which was awesome, considering the trouble I had finding any at the fabric store.<br />
<br />
Yay progress!</lj-cut><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>May 15th: Kirtle Progress: Tablet-Woven Reinforcement</b></span></div>To do the braid around the neckline and lacing edge of my kirtle, I used a simple setup of 2 cards with an SZ twist, with all blue thread that matched the fashion fabric of the dress.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002qd0x/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002qd0x/s640x480" style="height: 316px; width: 422px;" /></a><br />
<br />
The cards were turned in a continuous forward motion, which built up a lot of twist in the unused warp threads. I wanted to have the 'switch' to happen at the halfway point at the CB seam, which involved untying the end and combing out the twist. After the halfway point the cards were switched to backward turns.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002rg0c/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002rg0c/s640x480" style="height: 314px; width: 419px;" /></a><br />
<br />
Instead of using a shuttle, I just used a needle threaded with the weft thread (the same 1000 denier silk as the warps). I used the needle to beat the weft, and then sew it down to the edge in a circular, whipstitch motion.<br />
<br />
Note: This process KILLS the weft thread after about two inches of work. I had to use very small sewing lengths. It's also not great for your fingertips and fingernails, which will get pressed on and scratched up.<br />
<br />
Also note that in this picture I used the backstrap method to tension it (the warps are tied to a belt around my waist). I don't recommend it. After a while you won't be able to reach your shed. This happened to me, so I set up two fixed points with a doorknob and a table leg.<br />
<br />
Also, I about wanted to kill the little hummingbirds on my protege belt, the pointy little devils.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002sq27/"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002sq27/s640x480" style="height: 326px; width: 435px;" /></a><br />
<br />
The flash kind of ate this shot, but you can see how it turned out. You end up with something very much like a herringbone braid that sits not really on either side of the dress, but on the very edge between the layers.<br />
<br />
I worked this while the front seam of the skirt was still open, which worked out really well. Corners were kind of a monster, but I found that if you work a little weaving after you hit the edge but without attaching it, you could work up a little 'slack' and sew it onto the new edge after the corner. No pictures of it, sorry (it's very hard to convey what I want a picture of to my husband, and taking it myself just isn't going to work). I'll try to explain it better when I teach it.<br />
<br />
The dress is currently hanging up, waiting patiently for gravity to do its thing before I sew the hem.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>May 13th: More Tablet weaving Crazy</b></span></div>It seems that when most people do tablet weaving they use something like this:<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1c/CMP_Inkle_weaving.jpg/800px-CMP_Inkle_weaving.jpg" style="height: 478px; width: 638px;" /><br />
<br />
It's decent. The design dates to something like the 1930s and Angie seems to always burn through her tension bar, but it's much more portable than something like this:<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://resources42.kb.nl/MIMI/MIMI_128D30/MIMI_128D30_037R_MARGE.JPG" /><br />
<br />
These setups are pretty cool, and conceptually it's the only way to do the crazy warp-sewn braids like what I did on my blue dress (for the class I'm going to try to have the cards threaded between two clamps on a table), but even if you make it collapsible, it's not exactly portable in the grab-and-go sort of sense.<br />
<br />
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel:<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://resources42.kb.nl/MIMI/MIMI_74G27/MIMI_74G27_059V_MIN.JPG" /><br />
<br />
Box looms.<br />
<br />
Technically the figure here is doing narrow rigid heddle weaving, but it can also be used to good effect with tablet weaving. The problem is trying to find one that can go double-duty. While this one from <a href="http://www.spanishpeacock.com/catalog/tape_looms.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Spanish Peacock</span> </a>looks awesome, it doesn't look like they're offering it right now, and there are a few other sellers/SCA merchants that look to offer something similar in the 200 dollar range, though they all seem a bit too short to get a good shed. Alternately, there are directions available to <a href="http://www.projectarchive.org/proj_detail.php?id=139">make one from scratch</a>, which is beyond my capabilities (I need another sub-hobby like a hole in my head) but not beyond those of someone really awesome and talented.<br />
<br />
Perhaps someone as awesome and talented as my mom. <br />
<br />
Did I mention that my mom is <a href="http://bestlovedchild.blogspot.com/">awesome</a>? And occasionally reads this blog? And has woodworking tools? And loves me so much?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>May 10th: KA&S and Tablet Weaving</b></span></div>Kingdom A&S was pretty tiny this year attendance-wise, and since pretty much all of the attendees were either entrants or judges, there wasn't much going on in the afternoon. The fabric sale fundraiser seemed to work pretty well, but it seemed all of the good stuff disappeared right off the bat, so I didn't get anything. My blue dress was only lacking a hem, and I need to finish pressing that and do it so I can get some decent pictures, but it got decent scores -- I don't remember the rank it got but it scored somewhere around 35-39 on average (out of 50). My <a href="http://sarcasticmuppet.livejournal.com/tag/coif">embroidered coif</a> got masterwork level, which was pretty awesome since I have a lot of "this old thing?" feelings about it at this point (all of the scores were in the 40s). <br />
<br />
Even sans hem, I wore the dress later in the day and got a ton of compliments on it, including one from Elizabeth lamenting that mine was bluer than hers (and next to her she looked navy). Win! Everyone was also super impressed with the warp-sewn tablet weaving I did around the neckline -- if we go to Uprising (kind of up in the air right now) I think I'll try to teach a class on it.<br />
<br />
I really should get more photos of my completed work. It's kind of embarrassing.<br />
<br />
Tablet weaving is on my mind lately. A gal on <lj user="dressdiaries"> is working on a fantastic <a href="http://dressdiaries.livejournal.com/529415.html#cutid1">tudor-era gown</a> with tablet-woven trim, and it made me think about how we in the SCA tend to stick tablet weaving on all things Viking and not much else. And then I stumbled upon <a href="http://images.vam.ac.uk/item/O77639/woven-band/">this</a>! And this:<br />
</lj><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://afashionableexcuse.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/silk-brocade-tan-trim-view-16th-c_resize.jpg?w=212" /><br />
16th century silk brocade with tablet-woven edge<br />
Philadelphia University Design Center (via <a href="http://afashionableexcuse.wordpress.com/">A Fashionable Excuse</a>)</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
I mean, I know that tablet weaving was done in the 14th, 15th, and 17th centuries, but I'd never quite made the connection that it was still kicking around in the 16th. Plus, I got a ton of compliments on the hairtie I wore to KA&S (a very simple pink-and-white striped design in silk thread). So...there might be more tablet weaving in my future. Especially since I just ordered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615116817">this</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0971896011">this</a> for my birthday. Yay me!Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-80923500231421402632011-04-15T12:04:00.000-07:002011-07-28T13:49:46.290-07:00LJ Archives: April 2011<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April 15: *No Subject*</span></b></div><br />
Thinking once again on the lovely blue and gold (now blue and white) number I'm 2 years into based on this inspiration piece:<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00003pp5" style="height: 640px; width: 480px;" /><br />
I figured out a passamenterie technique that would be very similar to the one used on the neckline trim, thanks to the passament class at Collegium. I'm thinking I could probably make something nearly identical using silk and maybe even some metal threads.<br />
<br />
Awesome!<br />
<br />
I'm hoping to take some pictures tonight, but my 15th century bodice and 15th century skirt have come together to make something remarkably kirtle-like. I went digging for the sleeves that I cut out ages ago and THEY WERE NOT TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE!!! I hate my lack of space and organization ability when it comes to my fabric and sewing needs! Since I was mad and impatient I cut out some new ones -- I had a 1/2 yard leftover from cutting out the skirt AND my original paper sleeve draft handy, so I guess I was meant to stupidly lose it. If I had planned on long sleeves, I would be completely fuming now, but as it is I can sort of wave it off. They're all pinned together waiting for my lunch break so I can start sewing them together.<br />
<br />
I have a feeling that the original sleeves will turn up in about a month and I'll have to make a sleeve-shaped bag or something. I think it would be fitting punishment for going missing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April 4: *No Subject*</span></b></div><br />
Last night I got so sick of blue fabric I decided to start mocking up my next project: a recreation of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GCdbL3IKFHNyfurXjX9JD6bQyW4PGUd-Ib6LpWoGf7Qqaf7jn0vAVepEgyJTuJMxbdEIVZUk_pGv0q2LxPdhip_p5JgAHWpkMVrWImOxNJ3_qjnR-CPMKLydMNVp5jJxXkwGNzikfvPO/s400/birgitta+kapje.jpg">Saint Birgitta's Cap</a> from the Birgittine Convent in Uden. It seems that I always miss the best costuming memes by about two years, and this is no exception -- it seemed to be popular with recreationists a few years ago. I don't blame them -- the existence of an extant garment and plenty of corroborating evidence in artwork of the 13th-14th centuries makes it really easy to document. <br />
<br />
<div>My library doesn't have <i>Medieval Clothing and Textiles 4</i> (they only have volumes 1-3, and Interlibrary Loan is dragging its feet) but I was able to find a very partial version of it on Google books with the approximate pattern, so I was able to make my version look more or less like it. Since it's just a mockup, I used a cheapy puple poly-cotton blend and some ribbon that was only long enough to go around the head once.</div><div></div><div>These pics were taken over some fairly severe bed head, so cut me a little slack.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002kdze/"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ht80/s320x240" width="320" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002gb2c/s320x240" width="320" /><br />
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002kdze/s320x240" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
In the photos it looks a little small on top and a little big in the back, but it felt great. the ribbon coming around the crown gives it a nice tightness and kept it on my head for hours. I think it just needs minimal tweaking from here.</div><div></div><div>The extant cap is 14th century, technically a bit earlier than the blue kirtle I'm working on, but the style seemed popular for over the 13th and 14th centuries and doesn't seem to be unheard of as late as about 1475 (<a href="http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/images/chaucer/H252_0186rwf.jpg">http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/images/chaucer/H252_0186rwf.jpg</a>). Also, it seems really useful as a foundation for attaching further headgear and veils, which is still a valid need in the 15th century.<br />
<br />
The attachment mechanisms for this cap seem pretty similar to those of coifs of the Elizabethan era (<a href="http://www.extremecostuming.com/articles/howtowearthecoif.html">http://www.extremecostuming.com/articles/howtowearthecoif.html</a>), so much so that I wonder if one style didn't just lead to another over time, but that's research for another day.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">April 3: Kirtle Progress: Skirt of Death</span></b></div><br />
it's feeling that way, anyway. 12 gores was just a tad ambitious. I was really hoping to get the whole dress finished by the end of March, but I've been languishing on this skirt. I made a lot of progress over Conference weekend, and it's at least now recordable as something resembling a skirt. The final hem looks to be maybe 5/8 of a full circle, which is pretty good considering I used about 4.5 yards of fashion fabric. I did some math that led me to believe the hem will be about 200 inches, and even if that's generous, that's still a pretty full hem. Awesome!<br />
<br />
<lj-cut text="A few large-ish pics"></lj-cut><br />
<div><br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ff62/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002d5pw/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<div>I was a little worried about doing a true pinwheel technique on this instead of doing something more symmetrical to the right and left sides, but it was a lot easier to sew it straight-to-bias with my particular sewing method. Plus, there will be no weird stretching along the seams.<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ff62/"><br />
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ey3t/s640x480" width="640" /></a></div><div>The technique seems a lot more obvious on the reverse side. I haven't quite finished tacking down all the seams yet (you can see the 3:00 seam still needs the treatment), but I've gone over a major hump with this. There are probably 50 hours in that skirt, easily.</div><div><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ff62/"><br />
</a></div></div><div><div><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ff62/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ff62/s640x480" width="640" /></a></div><div>And my poor sewing finger laments! Thimbles seem to just slow me down, so I just deal with the needle pricks.</div></div></div>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-46860665983102312512011-03-31T12:12:00.000-07:002011-07-28T13:49:33.555-07:00LJ Archives: March 31, 2011<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March 31</span></b></div>Best. Fantasy dress. <a href="http://www.pasthorizons.com/index.php/archives/03/2011/the-archaeology-of-a-dress">Ever</a>.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://www.pasthorizons.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/dress4.jpg" /><br />
Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth in 1888<br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="http://www.pasthorizons.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/28.-After-conservation-and-re-mounting.-Belt-not-in-place-yet.jpg" /><br />
Her costume on display after intense conservation work.<br />
<br />
Beading a dress with thousands of actual beetle's wings is just a step beyond. The Victorians didn't mess around.<br />
<br />
If I had any occasion to wear fantasy stuff, I'd be all over this.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-77914590021978684812011-02-03T12:15:00.000-08:002011-07-28T13:49:18.535-07:00LJ Archives: February 2011<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">February 3: Kirtle Progress Update</span></b></div>I'm now about five months since my start date, give or take. Not that it's really taken that long, I've been stopping for research purposes and when I hit humps in my work, as I'll explain farther down.<br />
<br />
<lj-cut text="Lots of pics of in-progress stuff"><br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00027bq0/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00027bq0/s640x480" width="360" /></a><br />
<br />
It doesn't look all that great from the outside...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000289q5/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000289q5/s640x480" width="360" /></a><br />
But it gets a little more impressive once you look under the hood. In keeping with the London archaeological finds, I'm using silk ribbon (strips of fabric in my case) to face the lacing edge as well as the neckline.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00029c8b/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00029c8b/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The silk adds quite a bit of substance to the lacing edge to give it some stability. With the facing and a (future) line of tablet weaving woven onto the edges, it should take quite a lot of strain.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002artb/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002artb/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And here's the neckline facing. I'll mention now that the ribbon is cut on the straight grain, but eased very nicely around the curved neckline.<br />
<br />
I'm actually really proud of this. It looks just like the examples in Elizabeth Crowfoot's book, <i>Textiles and Clothing</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002b0pd/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002b0pd/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Where I'm running into problems is in the armscye. The edging isn't working nearly as well as it was around the neckline, probably due to the interference of the linen layer and the fact that it's a closed circle. when I reach the 'end' of the pattern piece at the side seam, I have too much wool and not enough linen, and nothing I do seems to alleviate it. You can see how it's behaving well on the right side of this section, but twisting in on itself on the left.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ce29/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0002ce29/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
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It results in an ugly and unavoidable wrinkle in the top of the side seam.<br />
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While it pains me to do so (I've attached the first row of running stitches on both armscyes) I think I'm going to scrap the facings here and simply turn under the edge. I only really did them here in the first place because <i>Textiles and Clothing</i> said one of the fragments MIGHT be an armscye.<br />
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Once I motivate myself to get over this hump (it's been about three weeks since I put this down in frustration) the rest should be very straightforward. I have the makings of 12 gores which will probably take forever, and the sleeves which should hardly take any time at all.<br />
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With Kingdom A&S in May, I have the makings of three solid entries:<br />
-My embroidered coif (done for over a year, suckas)<br />
-this dress (maybe 30% done, and most of the hard stuff is passed)<br />
-tablet weaving on this dress (it'll be like nothing anyone has ever seen, srsly) which I'm now pretty solidly in the research phase for<br />
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I have a few ideas for the other two, I just have to get motivated and do it.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-15342139122536598812011-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:002011-07-28T13:49:01.528-07:00LJ Archives: January 2011<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">January 27: Garb etc.</span></b></div><br />
I got together with my good friend Michele (who decided to play in the SCA again after an extended break) with the intention of starting on my green linen kirtle, but decided (yet again) that I need a new corset. It really happened when I decided that I really would try to draft a bodice pattern properly by using the sempstress <a href="http://www.sempstress.org/demo/the-basic-conical-torso-block-part-1/">body block draft</a> and thinking that I could finally make <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Woman_at_her_toilet.jpg">pretty underwear</a> that actually fits. Now I'm sitting on a pile of red duck canvas and some magenta silk that I found ages ago and suddenly camp garb doesn't seem so important anymore. I can't believe I keep doing that.<br />
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Anyway, here's what mine ended up looking like. It took the better part of an afternoon, but it seems to work pretty well.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00024daw/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00024daw/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
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And here's my first attempt at a corset pattern that kinda resembles the effigy bodies. Due to the brightness, you can kinda just barely make out the places I've marked out for tabs -- each one is 2.5 inches wide, and extends past the waist line for about 3 inches.<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00025b43/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00025b43/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
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I started thinking that the back piece looked really weird, so I tried again with a little different placement of the side back seam:<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000266d7/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000266d7/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
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I'm not sure what difference it would make between the two -- theoretically it could, since the angle of the boning would be different as it approaches the side back. #2 will likely be a bodice pattern regardless.<br />
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In other news, I'm making decent progress on my handsewn 15th century kirtle, and I'll be posting pics hopefully soon.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8310321374617009294.post-40857185830244345682010-12-12T12:30:00.000-08:002011-07-28T13:48:29.849-07:00LJ Archives: December 2010<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">December 12: Solstice</span></b></div><br />
Yay for actually finishing a thing on time! No time for sleeves, but the dress itself is finished. Now its just a matter of adding another layer, getting some accessories, and sewing on some bling. <br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0001z822/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0001z822/s640x480" width="360" /></a><br />
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I love how this turned out. The silk is so light, but with the lining I was able to make the pleats look really sharp. I got a ton of compliments on it. I was scared to death to let anything stain it, but I managed with no messes at all, and just a bit of grime on part of the hem from all of my walking around.<br />
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Here's the back:<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00020e2z/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00020e2z/s640x480" width="360" /></a><br />
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Ånd here's my new farthingale! I held up beautifully all day, though the tape on the topmost cord undid itself by the end of the evening. I just need to sew the ends together properly. 90" is probably the perfect size for me -- it gave just the right amount of poof and didn't inhibit my movement at all. Win!<br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000219x8/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/000219x8/s640x480" width="640" /></a><br />
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Drew didn't look so bad himself, either. He made extra pieces for his court outfit (the hat, red hitoe and purple hakima) in about two days. He considered himself the best dressed Japanese persona there, and I have to agree. <br />
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<a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00022bdh/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/00022bdh/s640x480" width="360" /></a><br />
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He was almost kinda sad that everyone noticed the hat (that took 20 minutes to make and starch) more than his enormous pants (which took the better part of two days).<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">January 8: How Cool is This?</span></b></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0001x801/"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" src="http://pics.livejournal.com/sarcasticmuppet/pic/0001x801/s640x480" width="375" /></a><br />
by "Master A.W", Portrait of a lady, c. 1536. <br />
(I thought I'd found it on Wikipedia, but turns out it was from Kimiko Small's website)</div><br />
I'm a total sucker for black and pink.<br />
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But not right now, with my latest project nearing completion. Focus!<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">December 16: Project Update</span></b></div><br />
I spent a long weekend with my family out in New Hampshire for my little niece's baptism, and it was a great mini vacation. I was hoping to hit the ground running to complete my Solstice project, but after waking up at 4:30 am EST to catch my flights back, I was pretty much useless for the day.<br />
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I made a new farthingale, though admittedly I wasn't really intending it to be as such. I just got three free yards of dupioni silk and decided to make a 10-gore petticoat as something of a practice piece for my A&S kirtle. The gore technique is fabulous -- by just cutting 10 trapezoids out of every bit of the fabric, I ended up with a beautiful full skirt with a fantastic drape. Since I went along the width, it was super long, so I decided to gather it up into 5 2" channels for an Arnold-style farthingale, and I boned it with some upholstery cord from Home Fabrics. It has some issues but I'm pretty pleased with it. It's a smaller circumfrence than my first farthingale -- 90 inches around the bottom instead of 120, which I think will be an improvement. I might go even smaller in the future but I want to see how this one goes first.<br />
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I'm also making a new kirtle, out of a white stash silk. Looking through the little scraps of gold silk I had left to try to extend my hem, I decided it was a worthless cause and I made some quick cash selling the gold kirtle to my friend Anna (who is now the lucky recipient of TWO kirtles that I made but can't wear, *grumble*). But I took my time over Thanksgiving break making the bodice for this next one, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I had a successful mockup with two layers of canvas with just a bit of hemp cord to reinforce the lacings, so I'm playing with this concept for a bit -- it seems to fit better with the sillhouette of the 1530s-40s (especially with all of the layers expected of a court outfit), but I have to see how it wears on my body for more than a few minutes at a time. I plan to cut and pleat the skirt hopefully today (Pics to come up then, hopefully) and do some fun sleeves. <br />
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It's time to consider the jeweled bits on the neckline. I was trying to find some gemstone-type cabs at Hobby Lobby or Joanns, and came up empty-handed. The closest I could find were some acrylic flat-backed gems, but they were only in packs of multiple colors and sizes and it didn't seem to be enough of the right size or color for what I want (which is admittedly pretty nebulous). Currently I have some pretty metal jewelry links that will hopefully get painted to a nice gold color (I found some Testors spray paint that should hopefully turn out well) and some pearls, but it seems a tad plain -- I need something colorful and maybe a bit glittery. Stuff from Firemountain seems to come so close, yet miss the mark: Something like <a href="http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?PN=H208192FY">this</a> could be nice, but 6 mm seems really small. Alternately, <a href="http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?PN=H206596CY">this</a> could work, but I'd have to glue it on, which might backfire on me. <a href="http://www.firemountaingems.com/details.asp?PN=H208146FY">This</a> would be awesome, but way too expensive to actually get enough to glam up an entire neckline. Maybe I should check the thrift shops once more.<br />
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The kirtle is my only solid goal for Solstice, and while I can probably wear it with my black velvet overgown I don't know if I will (it has some issues). I thought I could manage a brand new overgown too, but that will have to wait until 12th Night.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810113070259398400noreply@blogger.com0