Hoarders...

Would somebody please stage an intervention for me? I have been CRAZY busy for the past couple of weeks, and it has led to some really scary mess taking over my house.  I need to clean, but instead I have been making new messes! 

Behold my office floor, at least that is what you should see in this picture.  I have another show coming up in a couple of weeks and I am super excited about the new pieces I am making, but this is just ridiculous!  I belong on "Hoarders," I think there is a dead cat under this pile (okay I don't have a cat, but it IS really messy).

Since I am publicly shaming myself into a cleaning spree I will also share this photo of one of the jackets I am working on so you can see I am not a total loser.  The show will be amazing.  We have a Mad Hatter's Tea theme.  There will be hats and all of my garments are going to have velvet or corduroy in them, they will feel fantastic!  I can't wait to see everything completed, so I guess I better get back to work.  If you live in the PNW come see us at the Anchor Pub in downtown Everett on Sunday March 10th.

Dropped Balls and Other Dilemmas...

When I decided to plan a fashion show for Valentine's Day with only one month to prepare I knew it was a little crazy.  But I figured, "what the hell?"  and I went for it.  Now that I am counting down the last 24+ hours to the show I am alternately excited and panic stricken.  I should be baking my second batch of brownies for the chocolate buffet right now, but somehow the morning has gotten away from me.  Does anybody else find they procrastinate worse at the last moment? 

Oh, well.  I know the event will happen, and it will be fun, and hopefully I can catch my breath long enough to enjoy it.  And, by the way I decided to debut my first ever burlesque clown act tomorrow night, because you know, I didn't have enough to worry about.  Wish me luck, especially with my juggling acts, you know the real one and the metaphorical one too.  Wink, wink.

If you're in the neighborhood, come see the show

3231 Presents: Sweet Nothings...

Tickets just went on sale for the spectacular fashion show I am organizing!  Do you live in the Seattle area?  Want to see some awesome performers, and sexy models?  Need to impress a date on Valentine's Day?  Go buy tickets now!!!

And, did I mention this version of me might be making a special appearance... just in case it helps you make up your mind.

Start to Finish

Have you ever thought about the term "start to finish"?  I know I can't be the only person out there  with trouble getting things done.  If you are like me you are probably AMAZING at starting things, but less than stellar when it comes to finishing them.  When I titled this entry I thought, hmmmmm start to finish, as in; I should start to finish this project.  No pressure, I am not saying it is time to get it done, just start to finish.  For some reason I like the sound of that. 

I am in the final stages of sewing on four "period" tunics for use in the SCA.  Three of them are for friends/clients and I should really get them done, the fourth one is for my son (I liked the pattern I used, and thought he should have one too.)  For some reason having these four tunics sitting here makes me think I should really get started on my own garb for Ursulmas.  I am considering a velvet houppelande, something along the lines of van der Weyden's Magdalen Reading...

Image borrowed from http://www.uvm.edu/~hag/sca/15th/ thank you kindly

I know what you are thinking!  I should, under no circumstances, begin this dress until I have completed the other pieces in the works... but, but...  I already have the fabric in my stash, and I really do need something warmer to wear to this cold winter event, and I have at least a dozen more crazy reasons I could give you why I NEED to do this.  Gah!  In the end I know I shouldn't start anything new, did I mention I'm supposed to be organizing and pricing my inventory to place in a boutique tomorrow too? 

Yeah, I guess it isn't the right time to start a new dress... but maybe I could find time to work in a little knitting today?  Hopeless!

Making Faces

Taking pictures of myself always seems like such a weird thing to do.  But it is fun, and I see that I am not alone here in the blogosphere, heh heh heh.  I suppose you could make an argument that we are all just a bunch of narcissists, but I would rather think of myself as a creative girl without a model.  So bear with this creative girl a moment...

I've noticed I find it hard to look at, or rather hard to like, pictures of myself that are not "pretty."  After a lifetime of hearing praise for your looks (which you don't really have any control over, thank you mom and dad) it is hard to let people see you looking "ugly."  I certainly don't look amazing all the time, in fact I wake up looking a wreck most days.  But I digress.  In preparation for Halloween I have been thinking about costumes and today I decided to play with some hair and accessories to get my costuming fix for the day.  I took a couple of really beautiful shots that made me feel sexy and glamorous, but then I decided to make some scary faces for a mummy costume idea.  I am so glad I did.  It is fun to see myself this way, I may not be pretty but I like the look of these anyway.  It feels good.  Go make faces, it feels good, that is all.

SCA (Soggy Camping Association)

This past weekend was our very first SCA camping event.  We had a few crazy logistical issues to deal with, but manged (with the help of some great friends) to get ourselves on site, set-up, and ready to rock Friday evening.  The site was gorgeous, the company was great, and we went to bed happy campers... Then around 5:45 am the rain started, and it just kept coming all weekend long.

At one point a staff member at the campground (who has worked this event for the past three years) told me she has renamed the Society for Creative Anachronism the "Soggy Campers Association."  But honestly a wonderful, wet, time was had by all.  I imagine we will have even more fun when we do this in good weather.

If nothing else we looked fabulous! 

Maybe today I will finish drying out and stowing the last of our wet gear...

1,000 Words

My Purple Princess Progress

bodice fitting

front detail

back detail

I have been working on some other projects for the past week, but I did manage to get the eyelets done in the back of this dress today.  I also braided the laces for the dress and the bodice straps.  I still need to make the bodice a front lace and get the sleeve gathers done, not to mention the other half of the bodice embroidery (at least I got the layout done, I hate that part), but I think there is time. 

I tried the bodice on with a spare corset lace I had lying around, it fits great.  I also tried the dress on today and it fits very well, something is a little crooked, but I can't decide if it is me or the dress, so I may have to make some minor adjustments after the final fitting.  I suppose cutlets are not period, tee hee hee.

If everything comes together right I will be ready to wear this outfit at Boar's Hunt in one week.  I am also making a nice ivory hood to wear because it will be cold, and I am adding a couple of gores of black fleece to my existing cape for added width and warmth, because it will be cold, and I am making a new wool tunic for my son because it will be cold...  Do you see the pattern here? I am worried about camping in the cold! 

I would also like to finish a cooler project, and a cot project, plus I am helping with the construction of eleven child sized tabards (although those will be done tomorrow)  I think it will be a busy week!  Maybe I will even get my house clean before we leave for the weekend, I hate coming home to a messy house! 

When Bad Garb Happens to Good People

It is amazing how a project can take on a life of it's own.  In a recent post I mentioned the initial idea for my embroidered bodice was basically a medieval bra.  I honestly had something like an Ace bandage in mind when I first started.  Well the bodice became something entirely different, and as I have already mentioned became an object that I am scorning as I make it.  I keep thinking, "this is sooooo much work for something I will be embarrassed to wear in public."  Well instead of finding a way to make this project better, I have actually found a way to make it even less period and more time consuming! What is wrong with me? 

Now don't get me wrong, this is a fabulous looking project, I am in love with the way it is turning out on some levels, however I am now at a point where I have literally thought to myself, "you might as well just be a LARPer!"  No offense to the LARPing community, I just don't have what it takes to play like that, I lack imagination.  But this "garb" is fit for a fairy princess.  I don't know what is happening but I don't seem to be able to stop the process at this point.

So anyway,  I found some nice neutral woven fabric the other day for $2.99 at a craft store.  I decided to dye it with some purple RIT I had lying around to see if it would work for the simple dress I imagined wearing under this embroidered bodice.  I also threw some of the fabric I used for the bodice into the dye bath because I knew I wouldn't have quite enough for a long sleeved dress without it.  The fabric took the dye beautifully and I ended up with a really nice light purple for the main garment and a lavender to trim it with.  Next I took a quick look at some kirtle patterns, including Mistress Cori's great tutorial.  I laid everything out, cut the pattern, screwed up, redid, and ended up with a nicely fitted, less than perfect purple kirtle.  I used the lavender to make a yoke and then used a combination of the two fabrics to make nice long sleeves.

I've been wanting to try an insertion stitch join so I did that on the sleeves and then I used some embroidery stitches to attach/decorate the yoke.  I have spent roughly 12 hours on this dress in the past two days.  It looks amazing, but the problem is the complete and utter lack of historical accuracy.  This outfit will be a mish-mash of centuries and cultures.  I am filled with costume shame, and yet it is so pretty I know I will have to wear it **sigh**  Who picked this hobby?  Ah well, I'll take some more pictures when it is all completed.  Then maybe we can LARP together.

Little By Little

I am working away on my embroidered bodice.  Here is a snapshot of my progress, hopefully nobody will ever look this close while I am wearing it, and I can get away with the sloppy stitches!

Idle Hands

I don't like to have idle hands, I like to be busy, it keeps me moving forward.  That being said, I started a little bodice project a couple of days ago.  When I tried on my red saya encordada for the first time it dawned on me that my bosom needed a little lift (you've all been there, don't judge).  Well there is really no proof of a medieval bra, so I thought maybe I could come up with something "medievally plausible" (and yes I made that term up, but I can't make everything historically accurate this early in my SCA life so I need to cheat sometimes).  Well I have plenty of corset patterns lying around, but I decided to draft something super simple, almost like the breast wraps used in ancient times, no boning, just tightly fitted...

That idea turned into something completely different within a day.  I have some really great embroidery patterns I've collected from the available internet resources (see the links provided over at Honor Before Victory, they are amazing).  There was one in particular that caught my eye, a pattern of peas on the vine complete with flowers and tendrils.  It reminded me of spring, and Mendelian genetics, and gardening, I just fell in love with it.  Well fast forward back to this little bodice, I thought it would be pretty with the embroidery on it.  And it will certainly keep my hands busy for the next week or two.

This embroidery is from a period pattern, but I am not using period material and the actual bodice isn't period either, so I guess this will have to be a fantasy item.  I will be worried about "peer fear" if I wear it in public at a SCA event, but I might just wear it anyway, who knows?  Would you point and whisper if you saw this coming your way?

please note the bodice is upside down in these pics

If you are interested in my process here is a little info for you.  The bodice is just made of cotton canvas I had lying around, it used to be a cheap slip cover for my couch.  The eyelets are all done in my cheater method of metal eyelet under hand sewn embroidery floss.  All the floss is modern cotton.  I adapted the design from Modelbuch aller art Nehewercks und Stickens, George Gilbers reprint of the 1527 book, page 41.  In these pictures I have not yet drawn on the second half of the design, it will be a mirror image of what I have already done, and I will add in tendrils on both sides where they look appropriate once I get going.  I just free handed the vines based on the source image, and created the border with a tailor's tape to keep the scale even.  The shoulder straps are not pictured, but they are made of the same canvas and will simply lace into the eyelets at the top.  I can see wearing this over a light purple or maybe green kirtle, it wouldn't be accurate, but it would be very pretty.

More 13th Century Spanish Garb

Well it took me an extra couple of days to snap some pictures (and they are not very good ones) of my new garb.  I wanted to wear these items at May Crown this weekend, but we are staying home, I am making a sad face right now... 

Oh well, that is life, perhaps I will get my husband and son into their new garb at some point between my husband's overtime shifts this weekend so I can get some pictures of them too.  I made each of them a spiffy new tunic, we are calling them "court garb" because they are fancy compared to the first simple tunics I made them last month.  But just in case I don't get a photo-op here are a couple of old pics of the pieces before they were completed.

My son's tunic WIP

My hubby's tunic WIP

My new outfit was intended to be fancy like theirs, but somewhere along the way it turned out sort of plain.  I think it was my choice of trim, I had some neutral colored felt in my stash and I was being cheap and lazy so I used it to do the edges.  I was fully intending to cut it down and cover it with woven trim, but I didn't get around to weaving any, maybe I still will, we shall see.  For now it is totally wearable as is. 

My outfit was inspired by the musicians fringed pellote pictured above (I found this image over at Jessamyn's Closet).  Clothing seemed pretty unisex during this period, so I figured I could get away with this for myself, and although it turned out a little shorter than I wanted, it is actually just like the one in this image.  The buttons are all hand sewn from scrap fabric, I embroidered the neckline of the fringed pellote, and I even hand sewed the 48 eyelets (well with my cheater method of setting metal eyelets first and then covering them with embroidery floss) at the back of the underdress.  I think my favorite part is actually the armpit gores, I made them in the red linen so they pop next to the "brocade."  The head covering in these pics is a black silk scarf I picked up for $2 at the Fremont Market, I think I like it better than a white head linen, but I may try out my veils just to be sure.

I have to admit I like this outfit, but I am not 100% happy with it, mostly because I couldn't get a large enough piece of linen.  I am tall, nearly 6' and I don't like the length of the saya on me, it was supposed to be a full 6" longer, it should pool at my feet and really show up under the fringed hem of the outer dress.  I bought what the fabric store had left of this linen and it was not even two full yards, I guess all things considered it turned out decent and I shouldn't complain, but I will anyway, 'cause that is how I roll!

Don't Panic

This afternoon I decided I had better get going on my new saya encordada for camping next weekend... What about last minute? No, that would be whatever I decide to do on Friday morning.  Anyway, I was zipping along, finished up the layout, cutting, gores, and neckline adjustments, and then, just as I was slipping out of the dress after fitting it one last time, I realized my shirt was pink! Gah! 

I bought a yummy deep scarlet linen blend to make the dress and it was bleeding all over my shirt when I put it on. Lame, so lame.  Well my camisa is beautiful white cotton, I will NOT be wearing it under this dress.  I decided to go back to the drawing board, at least mentally, and added long sleeves to the dress, turning it into a hodgepodge, something between a saya encordada with sleeves and a brial I guess.  Well whatever it is my little franken-dress will have to do.  I will snap some pictures tomorrow, but for now I need to go back to making the buttons for the sleeves.

I Am Useful

Earlier today, or possibly late last night, or both,  I was complaining to my husband about my complete, and utter lack of motivation.  I was waxing poetic about how I have no ambition and it troubles me, blah blah blah.  Then I proceeded to trace out the lovely pattern I wanted to embroider on my skirt (to go with the bodice I finished yesterday while recovering from the stomach flu).  And in the process of laying the first few stitches it dawned on me that I am VERY ambitious.  I may not have "goals" in the traditional sense, you know making money, saving the planet, being remembered for my amazing contributions to society, but I DO STUFF.  There, I said it, I validated my existence, I do stuff.  In fact I MAKE stuff, yeah, that's right I make all kinds of stuff, and I like it.  So, next time I get all, "woe is me, I'm a useless skin sack,"  I will try to remind myself that I'm a valid use of space, I make things, and that is something, dare I say, special...

So here is a quick pic of the bodice, please forgive the dummy, she isn't as voluptuous as me, and a close-up of the embroidery project.  By the way the embroidery pattern comes from Kathryn Goodwyn's amazing work Flowers of the Needle.  Go check that out, it is an amazing FREE resource.

Slightly Modified Butterick B4669

Medieval Garb Goodness!

Saturday I went to my first ever SCA event.  I love costuming and I was lucky enough to have the time and resources to make garb for myself, my husband and our son.  I thought it might be fun to share all the layers that went into my garb, so here is a description of the goodies and some pictures.  My drawers have an embroidered hem and hand woven belt, the camisa has embroidered sleeves and neckline, the saya encordada is made of bright sky blue linen in honor of my name (Celeste is a color), the pellote is teal linen with hand woven trim and hand sewn hems, the leather belt I made out of strips of very soft leather riveted together (it isn't very functional and will need a stiff backing if I want it to last), my veil, barbette, and band are hand hemmed and kept in place with seven beaded straight pins, my drawstring pouch is embroidered and beaded linen, the wool cloak is trimmed with rabbit fur, the red wool socks are from target, and my clogs are by Dansko.

 

And just for fun here are pics of my lords.  My hubby is wearing a green linen tunic with hand woven trim and hand sewn hems, a cotton chemise with laces, a thrifted pair of black leggings, a lovely hand woven cotton scarf given to me by a dear friend, a brown leather belt (previously used for a tool belt) and Doc Marten boots.  My son has a dark green tunic, cotton chemise, thrifted linen pants, brown leather boots, a gifted belt, and an amazing velvety cloak made by my friend Elizabeth Jennings (to see more of her goodies go here). 

Authenticity...

Okay, because this blog is where I process my life I must, on occasion, have a moment of brutal honesty with myself, and obviously with you.  I may not be mentally prepared for my new hobby.  There, I said it.  The SCA encourages some of my deepest crazy... historical accuracy and authentic detailing. 

I am working on my first complete set of garb, with the intention of wearing it to an event in less than two weeks time.  I am also making garb for my husband and my son.  You could say time is of the essence.  However I have chosen now to practice my hand sewn rolled hems!  Yesterday I hemmed most of the raw edges on my pellote, and it looks amazing!  I told myself I would only do that one piece as a practice before I hem my veil (which OBVIOUSLY requires hand sewn rolled hems, LOL).  Now I can't help thinking I could hem it all by hand and it would be SO much more authentic. 

Let's not forget that tomorrow my new loom arrives and I want to make "some" trim.  I will need at least 20 yards, but I figure I will only do the most important bits before Sir Edward's Memorial Tournament.  The rest can be added later, right?  Oh, and I will need a pouch to carry my goodies, something simple, well simple with fringe, and embroidery, and beads!  I'm in trouble, but it is so much fun!

Inspiration, or Crazy Instigation?