Finished patchwork apron

So I finished the patchwork apron a little while ago and gave it to Better Half for his birthday. I think he'd forgotten about it by then so it still ended up being a surprise! Here is the handsome fellow modelling it:

He's going to put it to good use this evening to cook us a beer-can roast chicken! And while obtaining said beer-can this afternoon I spotted this ginger beer that I thought I'd try.

Don't like it. Far too bitter. It's hard to find a good alcoholic ginger beer, and I've only managed to come across two so far that I actually like - the one by The Sprig and Fern Brewery and a new beer called Ranga, the name of which some people got their knickers all in a twist about. Maybe I should just stick to what I know.

In other news fabric has been obtained for my next wedding dress project - don't actually know if it's supposed to be a secret or not, so I should probably ask my bride - but actual construction probably won't start on that until September. In the meantime though, I've started a party dress from the remaining maroon fabric from the Edwardian dress to wear to said wedding. 

More costumes for sale!

I've dug out two more costumes I'm not particularly attached to, so here's your chance of owning one! Pics of the finished Edwardian dress will come as soon as possible, I promise.

Womens' Elizabethan costume

 

 

Womens' Renaissance costume

 

 

 

Evening Edwardian progress

I'm really enjoying making this dress, and am already pretty much on to the finishing touches. Here is a photo taken the other day of how the bodice was coming along:

I was going to take some more photos after some delicate hand-stitching:

But then the cat decided that she thought the dress looked rather comfortable.

So that's that for the time being.

Brooch dress finished ft. I would really like a new bloody camera

I am yet to try it on, but I've finished the 1913 brown velvet day dress designed around the Belgian brooch! Here we are:

Rubbish photo of my brown velvet day dress from 1913

Next on the agenda is a 1909-1913 evening dress from the Laughing Moon Mercantile pattern I recently bought:

Laughing Moon Mercantile pattern #104

I'm going to use some of the fabric I bought in Samoa, and it's going to look vaguely something like this:

Rubbish photo of my plans for an Edwardian evening dress

If I don't have enough left over I may have to try and source some more...as I have another plan for this fabric, and I'm torn between the two. I'll make this first, and see how much I have left :)

Costumes for sale!

I've been through my back-catalogue, and have so far only managed to part with two old costumes in order to make room for others. If you're interested please see my TradeMe listings:

Ladies' Medieval costume

 

 

Ladies' Edwardian costume

 

 

 

The Brooch Dress Begins

I made one more simple dress, a pattern from 1931, before I started on something more meaty.

If you'll remember from a few posts ago I was trying to decide which bigger project to start with, and I've decided to start with a teens gown, for the gorgeous 100-year-old brooch from Bulgaria to go with.

It's going to be reminiscent of this gown of Cora's from Downton Abbey:

Here are the beginnings of it.

The guimpe (neckline insert) is made from some offcuts of lace from a wedding dress I made a couple of years ago (I throw NOTHING away), and the body of the dress is a deep chocolate brown stretch velvet. I am as yet unsure how I will embellish it, I just want to get the shape right first. Then, I'm sure there will be plenty of others following in its wake!

Also, as a final treat before I become a poor student, I bought myself a few more patterns. You can tell I'm Edwardian-mad at the moment, can't you?

Lady of Leisure

Sorry for the huge absence, folks! But I've now quit my job and have a few weeks off before my vet nursing course starts and I plan to make the most of it! To get back into the swing of things as I'm sure I've gotten a little rusty, I've started small...

...With this dress from 1958.

...This blouse a la Isobel Crawley from Downton Abbey.

...This dress from the late 40's.

...And this dress from 1922.

Apologies for the quality of the photos, my camera's a piece of shit!

I actually spent my first week off in Samoa, where cheap fabric is plentiful. I bought some beautiful maroon lace and embroidered satin intended for a yummy Edwardian gown at some stage, and a bunch of Pacifica-inspired prints (most are made in Thailand, but that's not the point). Also featuring in the photo below is Samoa's own beer Vailima, and it's bloody nice actually. The Export Lager was my favourite, and at 6.7% it's got quite a kick!

I may do one more little project before I start on something more epic, but I haven't yet decided what that will be. I keep changing my mind!