6 eras in 6 months

Yes, yes, I know, my efforts have been pretty rubbish lately. However, to try and spark things up a bit, I've decided to set myself a challenge - 6 eras in 6 months. Each month I will make an outfit from a different era, and that will take me to the end of the year. That's doable, isn't it? And I'll start with a project I didn't quite get round to last year - a not-quite late Regency/early Victorian pattern that I fell in love with. With 9 days into July already I better get a move-on.

Maybe by the end of the 6 months I'll do a more authentic Victorian get-up. One sort of like this: 

We'll see. Have to deliver the first month first! In the meantime, here's my cat in a hoodie: 

1930sness

I'm not a HUGE fan of these photos. We went all round the house looking for somewhere suitable to take them that had enough light suitable for portraits and didn't really find one. Nevertheless, I promised them, so here they are.

1935 day dress

1938 suit

1934 blouse

The conclusion I came to while making these was that women in the 1930s had ridiculously skinny arms. Or maybe I just need to go on a depression-era diet. 

A little morsel to tide you over

Right, so, okay, it's somehow May already and I promised that it wouldn't be three months before my next post but it's closer to four. What the Jesus, Mary and Joseph?? Man the transition into a new career is a bitch, isn't it? Some major hiccups in my course, plus a weekend job in the industry that turned out to be more stress and ridiculousness than it was worth, plus feeling guilty whenever I did any sewing has resulted in bugger all to show you.

However, I'm still in semi-1930s mode thanks to Upstairs Downstairs, and have finished a dress from a 1935 pattern, and have almost-finished a 1934 blouse. Pictures to come. In the meantime though, you'll have to manage with a small tidbit from my exploration into Cat Couture. It's something Better Half and I always thought would be hilarious to try, and since mentioning it to friends they've all agreed it's a great idea. The other day everything was all getting a bit too much, so Better Half suggested I sew to relax, as it's the best way I get my flow on. So I thought "Fuck it! Let's do this!" and I spent a solid three hours making this little gem for our five-month-old:

We could NOT stop laughing

Doesn't he look smart?! As usual, camera's rubbish, but you get the idea. It's made from a heavily altered version of Simplicity 2695. We got two other patterns as well to cover all sizes of cat and dog to cater for friend's needs. This is just the beginning, folks. Just wait and see what costume I've got in mind for our prim three-year-old feline. She's going to love hate it. 

The sewing black hole is over

Nearly three months?? THREE MONTHS?! Three months since my last post?? WTF! Granted, I moved house, went back to work for the summer (ew), and got a new kitten (I know, right?!) so between all that and the obligatory social engagements of the christmas/new year period, I had bugger all time for creativity.

However, since I was recently given a shout-out on Stuff.co.nz for their wedding of the week (thanks Becs xx) I thought I should brush off the cobwebs of this ol' thang.

First, ANOTHER non-white wedding dress, for two friends of mine who got married in November. We used Butterick 5419 in a red delustred satin and the brides have kindly provided some photos for me to show off.

Thanks Marika and Kelly!

And just for good measure, here is me with them. Man it was windy that evening. 

I'm wearing the maroon cocktail dress I made out of the rest of the embroidered fabric from Samoa. It was bloody uncomfortable and it didn't fit my shape well so I'm selling it. That will teach me to alter a neckline without checking it first, I made it way too deep. The straps kept falling down 'cause I 'ain't got much going on in the chestal area to push out the front of the bodice and hold them in place. So to Trademe it goes, if anybody wants it. 

In other news, I've been volunteering at the SPCA a lot in preparation for the second half of my course, and it transpired that they needed a whole bunch of new surgical drapes to take out with their desexing caravan. Naturally, I put up my hand. I only had time to make 8 plain drapes and 5 cat spey drapes (the ones with holes in them) before the deadline - they take a lot longer to make than you might think! I'll keep making more with the extra fabric I have and hand them in as and when they're done. Here's the pile I made: 

And here's one in use. (Puppies obviously require the smaller cat spey drapes). 

Penultimately for this post, I have yet another wedding to attend next month, for which I will be wearing the following almost-finished dress: 

And last but not least, here's the beer I've been drinking while working on it today. It does indeed taste like christmas, and reminds me of Monteith's Summer Ale and fruit mince tarts. 

I sincerely promise it won't be another three months before I post again. 

Sober October: Mission Complete + Downton spoilers

So it's the 31st of October and I haven't touched a single beer! I managed well enough to substitute it with non-alcoholic ginger beer, and only indulged a little in sugar and carbs on those goddam-I-need-a-beer-when-I-get-home days. $395 raised for the SPCA! Thanks to everyone who contributed :)

Even though the lack of beer sent my body into shock and I suffered a three-week long sinus infection-resulting cold, I have managed to finish that theatre costume, and am halfway through the wedding dress due in...two weeks and two days!

Here's the costume:

It's for a play called Anne Boleyn, done by amateur theatre company Stagecraft. You can find out more about it here. 

**SPOILERS** - Don't read more if you don't want to find out spoilers for Downton Abbey S4!

Now, I said in my last post that I was going to have a 'monster of an opinion piece', but I'm not quite ready yet. After that episode aired in the UK and sent shockwaves not only through the fan community but in New Zealand news, as it was the episode that featured Dame Kiri, I was disgusted and swore off my formerly-beloved Downton for good. After I calmed down though, I thought I would at least hear out how the storyline is treated in following episodes, and if there is actually a point to it at all. 

So, if you haven't already heard, Anna Bates is attacked and raped by a visiting valet. From the plot synopses that I've read, she refuses to report the matter to anyone but Mrs Hughes, and certainly doesn't confide in Mr Bates. This of course causes tension in the marriage and Mr Bates is hurt and confused by Anna's sudden change in behaviour. Not to mention the fact that a friend of the Crawleys has a monster as a valet and may visit the estate again... Now, the problem I have first of all, is why this plot has any place in this television series at all. You have to wonder at their motivations for including it. The audience has watched Anna and Bates struggle for three seasons with various troubles, and as soon as they find happiness, it's shattered. Why piss off your fans like that? What's the point? And with something as violent and horrid as THAT? But, as I said, I will wait and find out what they are doing with the storyline before I make a final opinion. If there is a point to it in the end, or a moral to teach or example to set, then I may reconsider. However I don't think an incident like that will at all warrant any moral or example the show could possibly offer in the end. 

I am very disappointed. I watch Downton Abbey for entertainment and aesthetics, and this storyline has neither. Not cool, Julian Fellowes, not cool. 

Sober October

You may have noticed that there hasn't been many hops on Hops and Frocks lately, and there especially haven't been this month, as I decided to do a Sober October for charity. My charity of choice is the Wellington SPCA, specifically for their Rehome Project. I have been doing some work experience there lately as part of my vet nursing course, and it's evident that those guys need better facilities! It's going well so far, although it's possible that I'm just eating more chocolate instead. (But that's beside the point).

Anyway, just thought I'd drop a line to let you know I hadn't completely disappeared. Here is (one of) my current projects - a stage costume for the Gryphon Theatre here in Wellington. Just look at those delicious beasty sleeves, will you? I felt like Homer Simpson around doughnuts when I first saw the fabric.

My next blog post is going to be a monster of an opinion piece. I just need to gather more information first. Watch this space. 

Edwardian Mad

I don't mean to cheat on my beloved Downton Abbey, but I've recently discovered Mr Selfridge, which has sent me even more Edwardian-crazy. I'm particularly a fan of Agnes' sailor-collar work dress: 

...And Mrs Selfridge's floaty lace get-ups. 

Not to mention all the gorgeous A-line and bell-shaped skirts. No doubt you'll see my own versions here in the future. In brief other news, I made a party frock to wear to a wedding in November out of the remainder of the fabric from the Edwardian evening dress I made recently. Didn't even need any extra! Think I made the neckline a tad too low but I'm sure my reputation will survive. 

Back to Edwardian-ness - I've been wanting an excuse to incorporate into some ensemble these yummy vintage French made gloves that were given to me by my rad pseudo-mum-in-law.

I was down the Sallies one day and found a huge gorgeous cream brocade curtain. That baby swiftly came home with me and got paired with said gloves, hat, buttons and of course pattern from the late-teens. 

And I've already got this far, because when I get into something I'm like a runaway train...

It just needs back fastenings and possibly some trimming. Notice the darling apron and headpiece with the maid's uniform? Pretty stoked how they turned out. (Ignore the beads, that's just where they live at the moment). Better Half and I joke that I should don the outfit to do our housework. 

The hat in the picture above was also a Sallies score, but it's a little too small. But as I never concede defeat with such things I decided to fix it. Token before photo: 

I picked off the satin ribbon as well as the crown-lining ribbon in hopes to stretch it out, as the weave of the hat is on the bias. So I stretched it over this bowl and gave it a good seeing-to with steam from my iron. 

This should give it more of a cloche shape. I'll see in the morning how well it holds it's bowl-shape, and maybe give it a go over with hairspray or something and see how that helps. Once I'm happy with it I'll return the satin ribbon. And one of these days I should actually take some photos of me IN a dress!