My neighbor was cleaning up her pattern stash and had seen my 1911 corset so she gave me these to add to my pattern collection. Between this and the wonderful…
My neighbor was cleaning up her pattern stash and had seen my 1911 corset so she gave me these to add to my pattern collection. Between this and the wonderful renfair corset customer I had last night, life is awesome!
CJ’s 5th kid’s birthday party is this Saturday and it’s a Zelda theme party. I’ve been making favors from felt and perler beads. Each of the kids will get to pick one of the hats, grab a foam sword (or they will find sticks, this is safer), and get a pouch that has a Fairy in a Jar (a glittered puff with wire wings and hangs from the top of the babyfood jar with hot glue and wire), a Heart (hearts are life things), and a Rupee (game cash).
This is my character from the Pathfinder, Jade Regent game that my BiL Dave is GMing on Fridays.
BRANDR “RAND” RAUðISON CR 8
Male Half-Elf Sorcerer 9
NG Medium Humanoid (Elf, Human)
Init +7; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +4
Read the rest of this entry »
Kimiko has been posting about her work with bobbin lace which started making my gears turn. I tried learning lace years ago, but I just couldn’t make it “click”. Well, Kimiko inspired me to pull it out and try it again. Between her pictures and descriptions, and a video online, I was able to get a few more rows done before I had to stop for the night. I’m so psyched that it started to click! Thanks Kimiko!!!
Over the last week at work, I’ve helped people with projects involving: machine & hand embroidery, crochet, a variety of veils, corsetry, hatmaking, ribbon flowers, and even calligraphy. It’s just made me realize that I’m a “Jack of all trades, master of none”. I love working at Haberman’s where it nurtures so much creativity. 
I also think that my Nana (bottom left, and her sisters) would be proud of me for all the different things I’ve learned. She taught me that you’re never too old to learn, and the more diversified you are, the more resiliant you can be in whatever market you’re in. It was because of my Nana, that I had already become proficient in sewing, just in case the bottom dropped out of “computers”. This was before the dot com boom-bombed and I got laid off from my IT job. She had taught me how to do all sorts of hand crafts including a bit of embroidery and needlepoint. She’d love learning bobbin lace.
Civil war participant guidelines are a lot harder to find than Ren fair participant guidelines. But I have come across a few. Here they are.
The Sewing Acadame Assembling a Best Bet Wardrobe (thanks for this one Corsetra!)
I’d think it would be easier to find out what is expected of you to wear/buy/make when you’re joining a reenactment group. I know each group has different expectations, and when it’s written, you know your boundaries more… (Hint to Chris & his F&I group)
Ok, like I had said before, this was the first Victorian corset I had made about 8-9 years ago (pre kid), and I never really wore it because it just never fit quite right and the more I look at it the more problems I see with it to be something to wear on the outside. Anyway, I just cut out the back lacing, around an inch and a half at either side. I just cut it fairly close to the next stay, and bound the edges with bias tape, then added grommets down the sides (I love my grommet setter). I think it works pretty well. I just need to get a lace that’s about half again as long then I can pull it around front for easier lacing by myself (Why can I NEVER find the laces after I pull them out of the corsets?). I couldn’t get the tension quite right and I haven’t taught CJ how to lace me into corsets yet. Maybe after he’s 5. He IS learning how to unbutton me from dresses with buttons going down the back.
This summer I’ll make one that fits the current shaped me. *knocks on wood* Wish me luck on finishing it.
I figure I’ll need (approx yardage for 45″ width) 8 yards for a day dress, or 2.25 yd for a top, and 4.666-5 yd for a skirt. I’ve got several fabrics I’m contemplating using.
I need to finish Chris’ vest and adjust my underpinnings. But I’m wondering which would be best for the skirt if I did do the skirt/blouse combo. I just don’t have cash to go out and buy 8-10 yards of fabric for a dress right now. 2-3 yards for a blouse, that I can swing. I think it’s really between the cotton plaid flannel and the brown cotton velveteen.
Garibaldi Shirt… period & McCalls… my observations. Read the rest of this entry »
Hi, my name is Trish and I’m a full time Mom & Wife, part time Fabric dealer. I love historical pursuits especially costuming. I also enjoy role playing (and game mastering, see the Camelot RPG below) in several genres.
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