Selene... my nemesis... completed!

Halloween came a little early to our house this year and yes, I got the Mermaid costume finished, I was (finally) Selene for an evening.  

Reading back to my first thoughts on this year's project, all buzzing with inspiration and optimism, I honestly don't know whether to laugh or cry; I had such great plans and hopes and have found it, instead, to be deeply frustrating.  Giving up and starting again was exactly the right thing to have done, the wonderful Mrs B is a wise woman indeed!  It was a therapeutic and very satisfying experience and one that I found that I didn't want to blog about.  The majority of the dress is handstitched, curled up on the sofa with the boyf and the dogs, remembering, as I went along, little details about how I made the first dress and reminiscing about those first early days of falling in love with the Jedi.  It became a private process that I felt no desire to document.

That said, now that it's all done, I'm more happy to share the results and finish off Selene, once and for all! Starting off with my favourite picture of the evening, taken by Mrs S.  Blurry I know, but I love it.  It's us.

So, to start, my lovely little Starfish and Seashell tiara.  This was the second attempt as the mutts ate the first and I mean ate... demolished, destroyed.  It was touch and go as to whether I took them to the vets; happily, starfish, it seems, are not poisonous to dogs, nor bits of shell and silver plated wire... Even more happily, I had spares of everything and time in which to quickly wire them all back onto the headband.  It was a huge improvement on the bouncing silver stars I sported in 2006!

And then the dress itself.  A boned, empire line bodice attached to a gathered skirt, in the dark grey/blue sateen.  The bodice was of my own design (I may post the pattern later) and the skirt was based on the fantail skirt from the Victoria costume.  I shortened it to the point at the back of the knees where it is gathered and cut the front into a slightly deeper "V" that dropped from knee 3-4 inches.  Each panel of sateen was matched with a 1/2 as big again panel of a very soft net tulle which was gathered, stitched on and then treated as one piece.  In this way I was able to create the deep drapes and ruches without losing too much structure.  The bodice was attached to the skirt and the netting handstitched to it, first along the neckline and then gathered, vertically, along each seam of the bodice and stitched in place.  A zip was then handstitched in at the back.  The bodice is a far improved version of the original and inspired by a 50's prom dress that I have.  The front panel naturally fell into an attractive drape and so I left it as was.  The bottom, fishtail, of the skirt was a double layer of a pale blue chiffon under a iridescent, stiffer, dress net.  This was just over twice the width of the skirt hem, gathered and stitched in place.  The back half of the skirt was gathered at the back as per the fantail skirt pattern.

Green ceramic beads and silver and orange seed beads were stitched across the top of the bodice and at various points on the dress, with individual shells added in places and a rosette at the knee of sari fabric ribbon and a shell "corsage".  Again, a huge improvement on silver stars!

So that's it, before and after.  An although I have replaced my Jedi for a Vampire...

...it all worked out in the end ;o)

More finishing details...

The nearer to completion that my costume gets, the more I wonder about my choice of fabrics.  My initial thoughts on fabric for this project were to steer clear of the "traditional" interpretations and go for a cleaner, perhaps more modern, look.  However, the more involved that I have become, the more I question my initial choices.  Perhaps it is the two fabrics I chose?  There was too much going on in Mood, and not enough time to hand, to concentrate properly.  Perhaps I have just found my inner Victorian, and she's crying out for frills and furbelows!   All this said, however, I am very happy with both my fabrics and my costume, I guess what I am trying to say is that I would be less cautious next time.

"Next time?" I hear you say.  "Yes, indeedy!"  There will be a next time... :o)

In the meantime, I am finding that not only do my finishing details need to complement each piece and its fabric, they also need to work that bit harder to pull the outfit together.  I have a few ideas but will work on completing the individual pieces first.  I am also finding out just how time-consuming they can be; at the rate that I am currently going (which I know is far too slow and cautious) the snaps closures for the jacket will take 8-12 hours!  Last night I took a break from the snaps and concentrated on finishing the ruching and hemming of the overskirt. 

 I also found myself handstitching the ribbon trim to the fantail skirt, over 8 yards in total... I grabbed a glass of wine, curled myself up on the sofa and "watched" a movie with the boyf - not quite his idea of a cuddle on the sofa, I know... sorry honey!

Although the fantail skirt and the jacket/overskirt need to be "pulled together" more, I am starting to see progress.  I have found a very cool wig - this is afterall a Halloween costume as well as an exercise in sewing - now I just need it to arrive in good time for Friday and I can put my last ideas into place.

Finishing touches

I decided this week that it's time to start on the jacket for the Victorian costume.  First of all, I needed to take my measurements whilst wearing the rest of Victorian costume.  It's amazing the difference it all makes, I am at least 3" wider once the chemise, corset, petticoat, skirt and overskirt are on despite the corset initially reducing my measurements! 

It was also an opportunity to put closures on both skirts; including the pretty vintage button that the 10 yr old found in the garden during her recent excavations.

Finishing the Fantail Skirt

It's done and I am soooo pleased!!

My unassuming ball of twine has done exactly what I hoped it would.

It's taken three evenings to hand sew the hem.  I took this picture after the second night, when you could start to see the difference between the more structured curve of the sewn hem and the fall of the unstitched sections.

Once done, it had to go back on Miss G and once on Miss G it sat so beautifully, I was thrilled.  I still need to press the skirt and it's really too dark for decent pics, but I couldn't resist a few...

Now that's a fantail skirt! 

Once the overskirt and jacket are done, I think I will add some trim, but for now it's finished and I am over half way through my Victorian costume!

Making the Fantail skirt... thinking time

The back of the fantail skirt has bothered me ever since I finished it; the  overlap is too great.  A minor detail, especially as it will be hidden under the overskirt but I don't like untidy or inexact, it would always bother me if I didn't sort it out now.

So, after much procrastination, and with a nice quiet morning ahead of me, I unpicked, tightened the gathers, and trimmed the excess.  The waistband is now 4 inches narrower, not a huge amount, but 2" in a 5" gather does make a difference, the tighter gather creates a more pronounced and fuller shape.

Sitting, stitching, is always thinking time for me.  Today's little exercise was my Sunday meditation; and today's thoughts were about my love of exactness and detail.  I would not say that I am a perfectionist, I do not necessarily strive for perfection, but I do like things to be correct.  To have left the skirt was really never an option; it could not be left "a mess".  For myself, I see no harm in wanting things to be "just so"; it keeps me striving to be better in myself and all that I can do.  How this extends to those around me is perhaps less successful; I can be bad-tempered if things are not done as and how I would do them!  ...it is a detail of myself I must learn to temper. 

As the thinking progressed I was distracted again by the subject of hemming my skirt: another detail I need to get correct!  To just hem it would not be enough, it needs something to give it body.  To use modern horsehair braid also does not seem right; as lovely as it is, the Victorians would not have used beautifully manufactured polyester trim.  In researching original braids, they looked to have been flat woven plaits of horsehair, looking almost like shoelaces today.  Buying a 4 1/2+ yd length of shoelace doesn't seem quite right either, but at the supermarket this afternoon I spotted and bought some undyed cotton twine; at 80p for 80m I wasn't going to be an expensive experiment!  It's only 2-3mm thick so I am hand knitting it into a braid.  I'm hoping the end result will be more authentic, if not the material... certainly, my test length worked really well.  It can be sewn into (hidden in) the hem seam, lies flat and gives definition to the skirt's edge.

So, I am handknitting every chance I get... I even took it as I walked the dog up the field before dinner!

Ooh the excitement!!

Patience was rewarded and both the petticoat and bloomers arrived today... beautifully packaged on both counts, it felt a little like Christmas! 

The bloomers fit perfectly but are so baggy at the seat that they look quite ridiculous; I don't mind admitting that they make me smile and a little ditzy!  The lace at the bottoms of the legs is just beautiful and in extraordinary condition.

The petticoat is just divine!  Too small at the waist as I knew, but I will add ribbons to tie it, I don't want to mess with the gather at the waistband.  It is very full and sits under my fantail skirt very nicely; adding real fullness to the front of the skirt.  I will need to use horsehair braid on the hem of the skirt, but that's no great shame; I am secretly pleased to get the chance to try this out!  And although lightly stained, the petticoat looks lovely, the construction is amazing and there are no tears or holes.  It is a beautiful piece of sewing, I could almost be tempted to wear it as a skirt...

And no... I couldn't resist a can-can moment, but the legs seriously need a tan!!

Making the Fantail skirt... part two (technically three!)

I finished the waistband today, pressed, folded over with a 1/2 inch fold, hand sewn in place... and straight back into Miss G for a good look and some photographs!

I am so pleased!  Just now need to be patient and then I can hem and finish the waistband; instead of a hook and eye I think I will either use ribbon to tie it closed or find a vintage button.

Megs sews...

The Dobe decided to help me with my sewing today; "stupid dog!" was the least accurate thing I could have shouted as she had worked out that if my paw on the foot pedal made it work, then her paw would too!  I'm just not very good with runaway sewing machines, especially when finishing a seam.  Once we'd sorted whose paw was going to run the machine, Megs decided to first sit on my foot, before settling with her head on it instead.  It's lovely to have company when I'm sewing...!


I have been trying not to do any more work on my skirt until my undergarments have arrived so that I can check the fit and hem.  That said, today I really wanted to do some work on it, so I finished the last two seams and started the waistband.  I have sewn the first side of the waistband on, the gather at the back is very tight so I wanted to take my time and get it right.  I couldn't resist a quick fitting with my corset on and got a quick taste of what a Victorian woman would have felt like... I now know why they needed a ladies' maid; the corset was on quite loose, but between its restriction and the amount of fabric in the skirt, it was near impossible to get the skirt on, with petticoats and all the rest, you would need help!  I do love how different it feels though.

Making the Fantail skirt... an interlude

The boyf is sometimes fondly known as the "Appliance Whisperer" at home, for his uncanny knack of making the most temperamental of electronic devices behave!  As it was yesterday evening with the iron, which positively flirted with him and stubbornly refused to work for me...

Tonight the Appliance Whisperer, is with the 9 yr old and the Dobe, whispering them around an agility course and so I hoped to plough on with my skirt.  Sadly, the iron has obviously heard of my attempt to replace it this afternoon and I have got no further than sewing the front panels to the back.  I may be a lazy seamstress at times, but I have my principles; I will not sew an unpressed seam!   It is so tantalisingly close to being finished... I couldn't resist and have pinned it back onto Miss G.  What is evident is that it will need a petticoat and possibly a trim.  Perhaps a narrow black ribbon an inch or two from the hem.  I am also going to look at some horsehair braid; traditionally used to weight and form the hem.

I feel a little vintage shopping on... I always intended to buy some vintage bloomers, I may now add a petticoat to that too :)

Making the Fantail skirt... part one

A rather bleak and rain-filled Sunday afternoon seemed the perfect time to finally start the Fantail skirt.  I have chosen the full design, with a train.

Having cut the pieces, I pinned the each fantail to a back piece and sewed in place with a 1/2 inch seam.

Once sewn, I joined them together and sewed the full back seam, starting 8" down from the waistband (for the placket) and paying close attention at the point at which the top of the fantail was sewn in.

I am in many ways a lazy sewer - I don't mark notches, where a pin will do! - and could be accused of rushing, but this pattern is a dream to work with and in less than an hour after cutting out the pieces I was looking at the fantail of my skirt.  It came together so quickly, it was very tempting to just keep going...

but I want to be able to bore my grandchildren showing them this skirt! and so the placket and seams are folded and sewn in, I do love this finish.

In my aim to use as much as I can from my current stash, I chose a black satin bias binding for the ties which will be used to create the gathered point at the back of the dress.

and gold Christmas ribbon!  Not an entirely daft choice, it doesn't twist under the binding and has a slightly rough texture, which holds the gather well.  Once the skirt is finished, I don't plan to leave the ribbons adjustable; they will be trimmed and the bias sewn closed to prevent further fraying; no one but me (and you!) will know of my Christmas ribbons.  To pull the ribbon through the binding, I attached it to a wooden skewer, far easier to use than a needle.

And, I have a gather!  The illustration on the pattern shows a double gather, which I prefer...

and so I sewed a second layer of bias 3" above the first.

Moving to the front pieces, I sewed in the pleats; laziness again, I just pin, press and trust my straight-eye!

Pinned the two side panels to the front, and sewed them in place. 

I finished the seams and decided to call it a day; but couldn't resist quickly pinning it onto Miss G for a sneaky peak of what the final skirt will look like.

As a footnote: after a bit of thought, Miss G is permanently clad in corset and chemise and the rest of the costume made to follow those measurements.  The patterns, I presume, work from standard measurements, whereas with the corset and chemise on, my measurements are in places quite different.  I am, therefore, working to those measurements instead.

TV225... the start of a Fantail Skirt

I have my fabulous fabric, have thrifted together the other pieces I need (bias binding, ribbon for ties etc.) from my stash and having looked at everything for at least two weeks now, I am finally ready to make one Victorian Fantail skirt :)

One stumbling block was that my measurements fell exactly between too sizes; another was that the pattern would need to be lengthened.  Both minor, minor details, I know!; but when preparing to cut your New York bought material, with no hope of getting more should you make a mistake... well, my brain needed to procrastinate!

So, all sorted.  I did not want to cut the original patterns and have instead spent a happy evening sellotaping together some sheets of tracing paper (with the sellotape that the Dobe hadn't managed to chew through, she does so love to help!) and cutting out my new, longer pattern pieces...