Silver bullet

I've discovered something amazing.

Are you ready?

If I actually spend a little time - not necessarily every day, but perhaps every other day on average - working on some aspect of a project, it gets done pretty darn fast.

The bodice is crazy close to being finished. All that's left is to bind one raw edge (the left side of my lacing panel), attach the straps, and sew the eyelets. That last bit will be the most tedious part, so I'll probably post a photo after the straps are on and disappear for a while with my awl and needle and thread to create some colorful new words.

23 days left until Crown List ...

Lazy Sunday

I learned something today; sewing yourself into a garment is tedious. I got a little bored after doing the reinforcing/topstitching on the linen bodice, so I decided to grab the muslin mock-up and take a few dresser-mirror shots. Do your best to ignore the sloppy bedroom in the background.

Deadline's a month away

Good morning, garb hounds! I'm happy to report that all the pattern pieces for the brown linen bodice have been cut out, the linings are all attached, and the side seams are sewn together. Before I finish the seams and tack on an extra strip of fabric to the lacing edges, I'm going to run some top stitching along the lines (see the diagram from the previous post) from the points where the straps attach to the center-back line. This will add a touch of complexity and a little extra structure to the finished product. 4 1/2 weeks until the deadline.

I also picked up some bleached muslin to make a new smock, and there is some remnant black linen or linen/rayon in my stash that could be whipped into a partlet fairly quickly. I don't have to work both jobs today (oh, I got a new one and am finishing out my final week at the old one, by the way ... ), so it's possible I'll make progress on something tonight.

Pictures coming up soon!

A promise I can keep

Ta daaaaaaaaaaa! After several rounds of tweaking, erasing, recalculating, redrawing, and cheap mock-ups, this is my go-to pattern for straight, front-lacing bodices. At least until one or more of my above-hip measurements is significantly altered. Then I get to do it all over again.

Actual garb update: I cut out all the bodice lining and the back panel (split down the middle) of the outer fabric. I sewed those halves together and attached the lining from the lowest part of the underarm curve, up and across the shoulders, and down the other underarm curve. Snipped the seam allowance, turned things right-sides out, and top stitched around the edges along the same route described above. I'm pretty happy so far.

Skirt panel - success!

I'm back from my mini-vacation, and look! The stripey skirt panel is fully assembled! The next step is to lay out the pattern pieces for the bodice and lining. Six weeks out from my deadline ...

Grab your pointy shoes, we're going to the 14th century!

After the verbal prodding I received from one of my A&S judges yesterday, I've decided to begin perusing 14th century artwork for inspiration for my next formal project.  Depending on my level of costumer's ADD (and whatever real-life ridiculousness comes my way), it may be a single garment, a set of clothing accessories, or a full on-the-body clothing review.  Along the way I have a list of books and online resources that want reading.  This time I've got a bit of experience under my belt and I have a better understanding about the importance of thorough documentation as well as producing a high-quality item.

KAS Judges' Comments

Safely back from Kingdom A&S!   Of course I totally ignored the alarm I set to make sure I had plenty of time to wake up, get washed and dressed, then rendezvous with my ride, so I was pretty rushed getting out of the house.  Despite being slightly late getting on the road, we arrived at the event with enough time to get our submissions registered and set up.

'Twas the night before Kingdom A&S

I'm leaving for Kingdom Arts & Sciences very early in the morning.  I'll be entering my recently-finished Maciejowski cotte as a novice clothing submission.  I'll follow up on Sunday or Monday with the judges' notes and some of my own thoughts at the end of my first formal competitive experience in the SCA.

Leave little to the imagination

This is what I'm aiming for with my new brown-and-green front-lacing kirtle.  I'm done piecing together the stripes below knee level on the skirt - over 7 yards of flat-felled seams right there.  Once that's attached to the upper part of the skirt, I'll set that big rectangular piece of fabric aside until the bodice is completely finished.

I'm still fiddling with the smock design.  I'll try to knock out a muslin prototype before leaving for Kingdom A&S this weekend.

Double-teamed

One of my friends had her twins Friday afternoon, and so far everyone is doing well.  Since she doesn't have family living nearby, I've offered to lend a hand whenever I'm not at work.

Progress on the gigantic skirt panel is inching along, and I'd like to pick up some muslin next time I drive into town so I can take a whack at an Elizabethan smock with a higher neckline and maybe a ruffled collar.  The temperature is trying to drop, so it's best that I hit the project pile pretty hard and lay off the MMO for most of the week.