Project Runway Re-Creation #1 - part 1

When I saw this come down the runway on the finale of this season's Project Runway, I fell in love! 

It's a creation by the winner, Michelle Lesniak Franklin and her entire line was very Steampunk inspired. So, seeing as I had just purchased my tickets to TeslaCon (will be my first time attending), I knew I was going to need some new outfits, so I decided this would be a great opportunity to advance my non-existent patterning skills.

This is the preliminary sketch I made while watching the show:

This is the pattern I purchased for a starting point based on the above sketch:

This is the revised sketch after downloading every available picture I could find: 

This is when I realized would be learning a LOT more about pattern alterations. The pattern above was just 2 pieces for the dress.  

Using a bed sheet purchased from the thrift store I first converted the front piece to "cut on fold" so there would not be a center front seam. The back I eventually left to be cut as 2 pieces so I can put a zipper in once I make the top fitted enough so that it can't just be slipped over the head. Going through my reference photos, I figured out where to cut the pattern to create the seams

 I moved the side bodice dart up little and angled it differently and then added an under-bust dart to make the bodice more form fitting and create the front bodice seams I could see on the photo. (there are no pictures of what the dress looks like without the top vest so it was just an educated guess that they are dart and not princess seams)

Mock up of the bodice:

Adjustments to the initial pattern as I progressed:

 Starting to figure out the pleats on the upper skirt:

Added the lower skirt: 

(I've been using up what was once my quilt fabric stash.)

Continuing on to the sleeve:

I used the sleeve from this pattern that I plan on using for another re-creation once I finish this one:

After doing the test run, I need to lengthen it by 2 inches to get the cuff to start right at my wrist instead of ending there like on the pattern. I measured around my wrist and around where I want the cuff to end (about 1/2 way down my hand) and cut the sides of the cuff pattern. The non-doubled over width of the cuff is almost perfect once I take the seam allowance into account. I just have to remember that the cuff opening needs to be on the top side of my hand and not lined up with sleeve seam. I really like the way the sleeve is turning out. It has just a little bit of gathering at the cap. I will also need to widen the shoulders of the dress just a little bit so that it's not quite so wide-necked.

 So, now I just need to make a fabric selection for the main portion of the dress and then figure out the over-vest. Other things I need to not forget about when putting the final garment together:

1. Don't forget to lengthen the sleeve
2. Don't forget to widen the shoulders (and add seam allowance)
3. Interfacing and lining on the bodice.
4. Test transparency of main skirt fabric. flat line if needed
5. Angle and trim more from front to back
6. Practice seam finishes, the back seams will be visible, make them look nice.
7. Invisible zipper on dress, exposed zipper on over-vest.
8. Make a small purse to attach like original garment. Do this instead of worrying about making pockets; pockets might ruin the lines of the dress.
9. Don't make sharply pressed pleats, trying flattening them by hand.
10. Don't forget to mark on the mock up where all the pleat folds are.

Back To Blogging

I have recently told myself that with my new job (OK, been there for a little over a year now) and all the free time I have when I get home, there should be no excuse not to blog. So... I'm going to attempt to do a once a week update. That shouldn't be too hard, right? I mean I'm always taking pictures of what I'm working on with the intention of blogging about it, but I always seems to find something else to do instead.

I currently have about 7-8 projects I am either currently working on, thinking about or planning for, or got started and now they're sitting to the side because I got on to something else. So all the things are kinda like this:

1) Currently working on: A recreation of a finale piece from this season's Project Runway winner Michelle Lesniak Franklin. I absolutely fell in love with this when I saw it. This is being made for TeslaCon in October. Currently have the pattern figured except for sleeves (that's today's goal). Bought some grey suede-like fabric for the bottom layer on Saturday at Jo-Ann's off the clearance shelf (50% off red tag price & a 10% entire purchase coupon - Go Me!!!).... I just hope 1 1/2 yards is enough for that part. Waiting on some swatches to come in from a couple of online fabric stores for my options for the cream/ivory portion. If I don't like any of them I'm going to go with a linen-look fabric from Jo-Ann's. Will probably use some sort of suiting material for the over-vest (or whatever you want to call that). This has also been my first go at "franken-patterning" - blog post to come on this creation.

 

2) In planning stage: Another Project Runway finale piece from Michele Lesniak Franklin. Also will be made for TeslaCon in October. I bought a hunter green chiffon, but the vintage shirt pattern I bought to make it from should be easy enough to do in other colors and I have thought to attach the lower skirt ruffle by snaps so that it could be changed out to match the shirt or worn without a lower ruffle. Also, probably going to use the sleeves from the shirt pattern for the above dress as they look very similar.

 

 

 

3) In thought process: Steampunk Roller Girl for Teslacon. Did some research and have only found 2 other girls who have done it and only 1 of those went the direction I am thinking. There will be lots of knitting and leather working needed for this one.

 

4) On the back burner: A pattern that belonged to my Grandmother. My Aunt found several when cleaning out the attic for a yard sale. I have traced this pattern, made a mock up and have started trying to scale it down to fit me. I can't decide on a fabric to make it in. 

 

5) On the back-burner: Another pattern of my Grandmother's. This one is at the exact same point as #4: pattern has been traced, enlarged and mock up made. Also cannot decide on what kind of fabric to use.

 

6) In thought process: Again, another pattern from my Grandmother's attic. This one has just been ironed and put into the Ziploc bag for protection. I have to finish #4 & #5 before I will allow myself to go further on this one. 

 

 

7) In planning stage: Found the photo at an antique store(name on the back is "Minnie"). I have never seen anything from this time period with that kind of pattern for the shirt - it's AWESOME! Then I found this polyester fabric at the thrift store that was almost identical to the pattern in her skirt. There's only 3 yards of the fabric so I don't know that I can do it on the diagonal like Minnie's. Then I was going through my patterns I got for Christmas and realized that I had something that was practically perfect for recreating this.... when I get around to it. Would be good for TeslaCon but I don't really know that I will have the time and I haven't even started looking for the fabric for the top.

 

 

8) In planning stages (for about a year now): This 18th century fashion plate. I found this after I have bought some fabric that would have potentially become an alternate underskirt for my Marie Antoinette dress I made last year. The greens are a nearly perfect match and I was able to find the blue as well. I already purchased a Polonaise pattern to use, everything else just keep getting put ahead of this on the "To Do" list. I had intended on making for Halloween this year but now that I'm going to TeslaCon, I won't need it and I really don't think I have the time to fit it in with everything else I need to make.

So you see, I do have plenty to blog about! Let's see how much I can get done by Halloween!

American Duchess has a new Regency Era shoe . I might get around to making something Regency ear one day. If I won the drawing at least I'd already have the shoes taken care of.

New Historical Shoes

http://americanduchess.blogspot.com/2013/02/gibson-edwardian-shoes-giveaway.html

American Duchess has new Edwardian shoes!!! I will say that Edwardian has never been one of my top favorite time periods for clothing, but thanks to Downton Abbey I love it! Maybe one of my top 5 favorites now. If I won these shoes I would have a valid excuse to make something new.

Beginning the Journey Into Vintage Patterns

I just finished tracing my first vintage pattern. I'm pretty sure it's a pattern my grandmother gave me many years ago (Butterick #9262)  It's early 1960s (the kind that still looks 50s). To maintain the original pattern, I have traced it on to brown paper as directed by one of the books I got for Christmas though I can't recall which one exactly (probably Gertie's New Book For Better Sewing). I will need to size it up about 2" (thankfully, me and my grandmother are not too far off in sizing because I think 2" is the max recommended scaling if I remember what I've read so far).

While looking for a pencil sharpener, I found 7 yards of very wide muslin in the top of my closet that I purchased a few years back to make a photography backdrop with and never did. This will be my stash of mock-up material as I learn to re-size and alter patterns!

 Now to give my back a rest from bending over my table and read more about what to do next. Of course I've already gotten distracted because this started with me tracing out the pattern for the Pencil Skirt from Gertie's book. I want to make the skirt tomorrow so it can me "something simple" challenge for The Historical Sew Fortnightly started by The Dreamstress. I think I'm going to sew my way through Gertie's book (kinda like Julie and Julia - which I'm currently watching), because everything is so cute and I would end up with an entire vintage wardrobe when I'm done

 I also spent 3 hours today re-arranging my crafting/sewing area to hopefully make it less cramped and more usable. I have come to the conclusions that I have way too much stuff for just using my dining room for a sewing room but since I only have a 1 bedroom apartment, I'm afraid it's just going to have to continue to be enough. I mean, who needs a dining room anyway?

Hat-Wearing Etiquette... etc.

 Ever wondered about when it is and isn't OK to wear a hat? Check out this great article!

Went antiquing today, hoping to find 1) a fox fur muff, and 2) and hat to go with this dress:

 

Found it at a thrift store this summer for about $2.50 I think! Fantastic, right?

I bought it for our Roller Derby vs Kentucky Derby theme for this year's DooDah Parade (4th of July). I think it made a perfect Derby dress. Of course I had to make a hat to go with it to fit the theme....

Back:

Front:

 

 Finished ensemble:

Of course add skates and knee pads to this on a 90+ degree day and I ended up with heat exhaustion and almost passed out. Many thanks to our medic in helping me get cooled off and re-hydrated. So glad I was carrying a light change of clothes with me at the time. 

But now I feel the need to finish the outfit with a proper hat and gloves... and eventually shoes.

The only thing I found hat-wise today was the knowledge that my head is, for the most part, too big for vintage hats!

Antique Victorian hats though? .... Perfect! I, unfortunately, did not purchase this beauty today, but I will be going back for it!

And this gorgeous cape!

Historically Inspired Shoes

American Duchess is giving away a pair of her new shoes, the 23Skidoo. Now, while I have yet to venture into vintage sewing, if I were to win these shoes, I would of course have to make a dress to go with them. They're super cute!

Halloween 2012 - Recap

Unfortunately, this year I did not blog along with the making of my Halloween costume. There was so much to do there just wasn't time. I took pictures when I remembered to so the recap should go fairly quickly.

These are the patterns I used. I bought them when they first came out, probably around the time Marie Antoinette staring Kirsten Dundst came out. They are now discontinued but you can still find them on eBay. I did not make the panniers on undergarments pattern because I knew that I would need to easily get in and out of car (I had to drive myself to 2 parties wearing it). I opted for pocket hoops because 1) they collapse for ease of maneuvering in crowds and through doorways, and 2) they are like purses that you don't have to carry. They have closed bottoms and slits in the top so you can access them through the dress which also has slits.  I did however start the entire project by making the tie on pockets from the pattern (I wasn't thinking clearly and was just excited about making pockets. I'm hoping to one day possibly embroider them).

Cutting the pattern out. Sookie is helping :)

 

The inspiration pieces with the fabric that I ended up choosing. I had originally had other fabric in mind but then I saw this and couldn't get it out of my head. Normally $9/yd, I waited for a 50% off coupon. I also decided to do the underskirt in a coordinating solid color that was cheaper to reduce some of the expense (I think one day I might splurge and redo the underskirt in matching fabric for a little more authentic). Neither the mask not the bird got worn with the dress and at the last minute I added a white plume tot he flower to add some extra pluminess!

Ruby does quality control on the fabric. I was not amused!

 

The most stressful part of the whole process... actually cutting the fabric. It took me so long to get to this point. I made everything else first that was made out of cheaper fabrics.

See... this is the sewing on of the ruffles of the chemise.

 

Lining going into the stays.

 

Lining is in!

 

The front side showing the boning channels. Still to do at this point: decorative trim over seams, binding, and grommets (I did decide to do grommets instead of hand stitched eyelets so that they would be more sturdy.)

 

This shows the chemise and stays in progress and is the only picture I took of the pockets. Also, the first necklace I purchased (it got lost at the first party I attended. I wonder how many necklaces Marie Antoinette lost because she got tipsy as a party and decided she was tired of wearing ... everything except her chemise?) The second necklace ended up being way awesomer!

See!!!!!! (And only cost $10!!!!!)

 

Skipping ahead 1 1/2 rolls of thread and ungodly amounts of time spent hand stitching trims....

 

See all the trim on the right side? It started out being pink like the right side. I had had this image in my head when I had purchased all the fabrics.... this image did not involve the pink trim making the dress look like a friggin' cupcake! Before I pulled off the trim on the right and started replacing is was when I made my plea to American Duchess. It went something along the lines of "Help! I think I hate it!" Then I found this on her Pintrest board and pulled off all the pink and redid all the trim (at this point I had already put a weekends work of work into the trim and was now looking at another weekend to change it all!)

 

I changed up the inside zig-zag by making it into larger poofs. I think eventually I will redo it to make it a little closer to the inspiration piece (a closer look of that)

Taking a break from the dress, I got inspired to work on my shoes.

I found them at the thrift store for about $5 (actually I think they may have been 50% off that day so I possibly only paid $2.50). They look like shoes someone bought to wear to a wedding and then never wore them again. They had the general shape was I was looking for. I know they not perfect for 18th century but they will just have to do until I can afford a pair of Devonshires. (Christmas is right around the corner. Hint! Hint! I wear a size 8.5 and they are on sale right now!)

3 DAYS!!!! 

It took me three days (OK nights) of shoving a needle through shoe leather with pliers to get these done. I broke 3 needles and strained a muscle in my arm!

 

 

I just kinda laid the fabric over the shoe and then started pinning it to the form of the shoe. The edge is turned under at the sole of the shoe so there wouldn't be any frayed edges.

 

  It was too hard to turn the edge on the inside and the shoes were already tight enough that I didn't want to risk them being unbearable.

 

 The only seam is at the heel. I did

 

Finished product with the gold trim I selected (again not authentic but it gave me the general look I was trying for and I had to have something to cover up all the stitching!). I ended up hot-gluing pink satin ribbon over the stitching on the inside of the shoes at the top because it was ugly and even though it would never been seen by anyone but me, it bugged me and had to be covered. (I can sleep well at night now.)

TheeeeeEEEeeen.... I splurged and bought clocked stockings from American Duchess!

Of course I had to have red heels!

 

Soooo long story short. I started on the project around March I think. There were times I went days, weeks, maybe a month without working on it but that's why I gave myself so much time, so I wasn't trying to make it in a matter of a few weeks. I was still stitching little fixes up until the night before the biggest party. (The first party ended up being a trial run and I had to redo the hem on the both the dress and the underskirt because they were way too long.

 

Stay tuned for the next entry on how all the pieces come together to form the overall look!

 

 

 

New job is great and I'm finally getting used to staying awake after I get home. The first month it was nap time as soon as I got home. It is a mentally exhausting job but I've learned a lot (that I never thought I would know.... or want to know.... like what luan is.). 

Since then, Halloween Costume 2012 (tm) has (slightly) commenced. 95% of the fabric has been purchased (just need the sleeve flounce fabric and glad I waiting because the book I'm reading now - The Secret Wife of Louis XIV - states that having pristine white clothing was a sign of wealth. I will make sure to get white white fabric), 85% of the boning for the  stays has been purchased (out of stock on 3 sizes), pockets are 99% done, pocket hoop pattern purchased (need to get all ingredients for these), sound a pair of shoes that I am going to cover to match the dress, and wig tutorials have been bookmarked. I look forward to really diving into this project when my current living situation gets back to just me in a couple of weeks. My biggest complaint..... not enough occasions to wear this once I am done. I wish there were costume groups here in Ohio like the ones I read about out on the west coast.

I also bought this Polonaise pattern when I bought my hoops and boning. Happy Tax Return Day for me! This will be my next project after Marie Antoinette is done. Aaaannnddd theeeeenn, I want to make either a riding habit or pierrot jacket/dress (either one can be seen here - last one on the top and first one on the bottom).

Stay tuned for more sewing excitement to come.

New Job

So last month, January 23rd to be exact, I got laid off from job of almost 11 years. Sad but not entirely surprising due to the economy and such.  Today, February 23rd, I got a new job. A nice 4 week staycation ends next week when I become and Account Manager for Rite Rug in their corporate office. Room for growth. Actually evaluated for raises. Good benefits. Nice people. MONDAY THRU FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!! I no longer have to work weekends or holidays!!!! This was item #1 on my job search criteria.
Keeping this short and sweet since I have to get to bed soon so I can get on a bus at 8am to start a 13 hour bus ride to Minnesota to play 3 games of derby in a 24 hour time frame.
Now through when I get back from Minnesota I am offering 15% off anything in my Etsy store in celebration of the new job. Use coupon code "EMPLOYED" at checkout to receive your discount.''

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dixieheartless

Grandma's Biscuits

Another trip down Grandma Memory Lane

In case you haven't read the "Grandmother's Ambrosia" post, this is my Granny...

 Mattie Jeanette Turner

In my opinion, the worlds greatest cook. Please don't try to convince me otherwise because it is an argument you will not win! But that's not how she is in my memory, in the above photo she was attending the wedding of someone who cared enough about her to get a nice shot.

This is how I remember my Granny...

Sitting in her chair (usually hand quilting) and talking on the telephone. She could talk all day!

Now on to the good part!

Any time I stayed with my granny, Saturday and/or Sunday morning breakfast contained homemade biscuits (along with bacon, eggs and grits that she probably started cooking at 6am.... with breakfast around 9am). I "helped" her make biscuits once I was big enough to stand on a chair beside her at the counter (and there's picture proof that that one Christmas she moved things to the kitchen table so I could do the mixing).

She had a very large wooden bowl (which was probably supposed to be a salad bowl) that she kept her flour in (Martha White). It was covered with a dish towel and stored in the cabinet under the counter (flour replenished as needed. And, btw, the sugar was kept in an old LARD container. I want hat container one day. Flour bowl has already been given to my cousin Karen). So, every weekend the bowl would come out. She's make a well in the flour for the other ingredients. Add to to that a little hand scoop (dad describes it as about a 1/2 cup) of Crisco and some buttermilk (some is not defined) and start mixing (by hand), incorporating the flour as you go (use as much or as little as needed to get the right consistency). This is one of those "This is not an exact science" things. It was all by sight and feel. I think I could pull it off today even though she died in 1997 and it was many years before that that she was not able to cook anymore.

Once the dough came together she would put some flour down on the counter and roll out the dough (if you are cringing here you haven't read the post about her Ambrosia). Here's where there's a conflict of opinion, I say she used a coffee cup to cut the biscuits out. My aunt says she used something else. No matter, she probably used whatever was handy (and round).

Now comes the information that involved a "dad call" (see highlights). Put them on a greased cookie sheet (unless using a newer non-stick pan or a silicon mat) and bake at 450 for about until brown minutes (hehehe, I liked the way I had this written out in my notebook so I left it that way). On the top Rack (I didn't even think about that). Serve with the previously mentioned bacon, eggs and grits and sides of butter and preferably home made jam, jelly or preserves (see future post for Granny's Strawberry Fig Preserves that she made for her favorite granddaughter every year).

So, give it a try (or 10)!

Me and my Granny (with my Aunt Pat and Uncle Mike in the background).