Terrible pictures as usual

I had hoped having someone else take the picture would mean we got a decent one.  No such luck.  Its proof I made some stuff though!

As a first attempt on the doublet with hook and eyes sewn in at the last minute and the lining not in place I'm actually really pleased.  The next one is going to be really nice I think.  Everyone who saw it had loads of complements on the shirt and its the one piece of the ensemble that I don't feel needs any tweaks or fixes.  Its a really nice shirt.   Gandhi loves the Venetians and they fit really well.  He told me he was pleasantly surprised, assuming they wouldn't be comfortable but he wants another pair so there's a seal of approval right there.  He liked the cape as well, but June might not be the time to really test it out.  It hung nicely and made another layer.  I joked with him if I made him a hat he'd have his own 4 layer challenge outfit.

My outfit at the wedding wasn't quite as successful.  It was pretty and I've certainly worked hard on all the pieces, but it was much less complete.  I was really happy with the fit of the bodice, but something strange happened and a couple of pieces of the boning moved around and escaped the interlining so I had to pull it apart and fix that this morning.  I also had to fix the camisia.  I had "gather smocked" the neckline and backstitched across the gathering strings, but sections in the sleeves broke and it loosened a lot.  I am in the process of fixing that.  The plan had always been to attach a band and add more lace to the top and hem so this just confirmed that I need to further secure it.  The petticoat was really comfortable, even in the heat.  I wore the apron since I didn't have the overskirt done and it was a fun piece.  I'm glad I made it and think it will add a lot of versatility to the finished dress.

I finished the veil and the necklace and am sending in my update to Bella so there'll be some fun stuff to talk about tomorrow.  Going to get back in the swing of things and get back to being better at the daily babbling.

Sending in my update

I didn't get what I wanted finished, but its the first, so I'm sending in an update anyway. The kids have taken off with my camera, so I just plugged past images into photobucket's collage maker dohickey. I think the image in the lower right says it all.

Trying to make myself feel better about what I actually have finished, I made myself a list.

1.) Fur lined muff with threadworked buttons.
2.) Zibellino with sculpted head and back feet, filigreed and jeweled muzzle and collar.
3.) Fully lined corded petticoat with felt padded cartridge pleats, hand bound eyelets and kumihimo braided lace with chape.
4.) Linen lined brocade pocket.
5.) 5 decade chaplet rosary of hand made rose petal beads with silver rose shaped gauds strung on red silk.
6.) Tassel trimmed flag fan.
7.) Wood handled feather fan.
8.) Lace trimmed handkerchief.
9.)Gold beaded hairpins
10.)Tasseled garters of wool and silk with a pattern of hearts
11.) Diamond patterned green linen stockings with gold lace trimmed welts. (Goldwork and embroidered clocks might still happen, but they are wearable if plainer than planned.)
12.) Pleated linen apron with lace insertions and trim.

I started to list the projects still to accomplish, but I'm going to walk away from that for a while. Instead, I'm going to rejoice in the fact that I have 2 layers technically complete of the 4 required.

A long due update.

I got behind and never did last week's update, so here's the official wrap-up.

I am making a gold underskirt lined in brown linen with felt padded cartridge pleats. I finally finished the pleats today after quite a number of false starts. I made the aigleted kumihimo lacing string for it on my muradai in red,black and gold to match the rest of the outfit. The plan is to let the skirt hang for awhile so I can hem it and add felt stiffening to the bottom. I plan to do cream guards with black and gold edging.

I finished my zibellino, just need to attach it to the girdle once that is complete. I made the face and back paws with Sculpey and then added filigree and beads. The little white enamel flowers remind me a lot of the ones on this extant zibellino head. The pearl drop on the forehead was a must so it at least bore some similarity in looks to the portrait. She has a collar of gold filigree and red stones, and there are jump rings on her muzzle under her head for attaching to the girdle. I actually forgot to glue the little rice pearl claws onto the feet before taking the picture, but they are attached now.

I did a flag fan from scrap from my petticoat and a scrap of tasseled trim I had at the bottom of a drawer Not sure which fan I like better, this one or the feather one I made first. Guess I'll have to wait until the dress is finished and make a decision.

Speaking of options, I made some hairpins based on the extant pin in the Met There are 14 of them, because that's how many beads I have and hairpins seem to disappear around here so more is probably better. I tried them out, wearing some in my hair a couple of times. I needed to harden them a bit more than I did originally, and might cut them down a little bit, but on the whole I like them a lot. They're super fun to wear.

I really need to finish up all the bits and pieces I have in progress and hope to have more to show when the 21st rolls around with the end of the first month (wow, time flies.) I have started a rosary, have chopines in the sanding stage, have patterned my stockings, need to make a decision on whether to finish the lace for my camicia or just use purchased lace, and have all kinds of other projects half started. Focus is not my forte, I'm afraid. Still, its coming

Better get a wiggle on it

I was going to do another weekly round-up sort of thing, but really don't have that much finished for this week. Lots of work done though and I'm hopeful that another day or two will give me some more completed items-- maybe even finishing the underskirt and having my first completed garment. As part of my Mother's Day gift, I get to sew today while my husband watches the kids, so I'm planning for some big progress.

I want to decide on the width of the camisia sleeves today and do a preliminary layout of the lace insertions to see if I'm getting anywhere close to finishing. Crossing my fingers on that. It would be nice to switch patterns and start working on the insertions between the gores just for a change of pace. The other big project for the day is putting the pieces of the zibellino together and finishing that up.

I also need to make some progress on the chopines. I have a splendiferous reason to bump them up the list of projects. The incredible Seraphino Basso got asked yesterday to think about joining the Order of the Laurel and would like a pair to be elevated at her elevation, so to speak. Hoping to learn enough making my chopines, so we can get her an awesome pair made. It also ups my timeline a bit, since I would like to have my dress ready to wear to her elevation since she patterned it.

Guess I better go get working!

I bought my fabric!

I didn't intend to buy my fabrics yesterday. Really. Not that my husband believes me. "If you went INTO the fabric store, you obviously intended to buy something."

I was just sort of vaguely looking. I didn't think I'd find anything. I assumed I'd have to order online. But then I got a deal. I had a 50% off one cut of fabric coupon. Home dec fabrics were 50% off, and red tagged clearance fabrics were an additional 50% off. I found silk in the red tags. In a pretty rosy gold. For $4.50 a yard. It was a sign. So, I started looking for the other fabrics.

I had originally intended to buy silk velvet. I hadn't found exactly the color I wanted though and was ordering swatches at a couple of online shops. Instead, I gave into impulse and bought red cotton velvet yesterday. Its not exactly what I wanted, but to be truthful, having the cleanability (is that a word?) of the cotton is probably a wise choice with my children. It's easier to work with, and since I got it for $6.50 a yard I really am not going to complain.

I found a nice cotton jacquard with scrolling pattern in the same rosy gold as the silk for $3 a yard. Its going to be the underskirt. I'm going to start working on that today I think. Cartridge pleating and more cartridge pleating. I'm actually rather pleased with the color I got. As I said before, I've been working on a never ending Elizabethan loose gown project. The colors for that are blue and gold. The gold cartridge pleated underskirt should be perfect for wearing under that as well. So, I'll be making twice the progress. Whoo-hoo!

Speaking of progress, I just emailed my second progress report in and did a recap of the last week. So there it is, a week in and I have purchased my fabrics for the dress, found a fur to make into a zibillino, put together a pocket, finished a fan, made a muff, and hand sewn a handkerchief. I also have about 8 yards of lace made for the camicia sleeves and have pretty much figured out the pattern for the lace I will make to go in between the body gores.

Not too shabby, even if the biggest projects are still to come.