A Dedicated Follower of Fashion

Decided it would be more prudent of me to get miss_philomena  's bonnet frame out of the way, so I started work on that today. Narrowly avoided cutting out pieces for a new bonnet for me at the same time, but sternly told myself I really don't need a summery-colored bonnet when I have a straw hat that's perfectly fine. If anything, I'll want a hat to wear with the Rational Dress I probably won't have time to make for Gettysburg...but not a light pink bonnet!

Speaking of hats, I got one of my two '40s hat options delivered today (um, yes, two); it's a wide-brimmed straw and very cute! Also very faded on top. Some dye and a new ribbon are in order, I think.

I decided against the IKT today, for several reasons. Partly because I got up and did not feel in the mood for stays, partly because I really did think my time would be better spent sewing, and partly because I'm miffed they never actually responded to my proposal of a millinery demonstration set-up during open houses. Waah waaaah.

(I sat and ate my oatmeal while still wearing my bathrobe, thinking...I should get up and get dressed...now. Or in 5 minutes. Or...maybe I'll make Robin's bonnet and I won't go. I did do a bunch of prep for the open house so that was some wasted time...but it's not like a cut-out black hat is going to expire! I'm bad at adulting, what can I say. In my defense I never confirmed I was going to be there. Answer your damn emails, historic sites!)

So, bonnet! I've been working on sewloud's spoon bonnet this week in the mornings, but didn't want to get her hopes up in case I wasn't able to finish it. But I'm quite confident I can, so now I'll talk about it! It's purple sateen trimmed mainly in pink-orange shot ribbon, and will have (candy-stripe taffeta) plaid ties.

She gave me leave to make the most horrible bonnet I could, so I took full advantage of that! *evil cackle* It doesn't look that bright in my blurry laptop-camera shot, but oh, it is. The sateen isn't strictly correct in the first place so I gave myself leave to be a little silly with the trim and do something I can't document (have I mentioned several hundred times 1860s isn't really my playground?).

Probably won't quite finish it tonight, as only half a tie is hemmed and it's past midnight, and I still have to stick flowers in it and do a bonnet stay and the head liner. But it's at a Fun Point, and that is motivating!

Unlike that second cream poplin sleeve, which I shall have to do tomorrow afternoon, grumble grumble. I hate you, elbow puffs.

Too hot to be in the sewing room, so more hand sewing it is, probably through Weds. at least. I suffer for my art but I don't like to suffer that much! :P Finished sewing the spoon bonnet pieces together, cut out the mulling, and am sewing it onto Bonnet No.1 currently.

Home in one piece! And my things are unpacked from my car...and left all over the floor immediately inside the side door where I dropped them. Unpacking and cleaning up tonight seems to be a lot to ask.

We neglected to get a picture of all our group on Saturday, but here's one of us at the ball Friday night, from Kat:

( Remembrance day weekend! )

And Photobucket album of the rest of the pictures here

....which is both the reason for my lack of posting in the past few days (why does everything TAKE SO LONG to make?!) and the reason I'll have a much-less-impressive wardrobe for Gettysburg than hoped! Have decided to prioritize finishing the odds and ends on the pieces I already have, rather than attempting to make some more half-finished things.

Also, I'm glad I tried on the Dress of a Thousand Triangles today, because I'm going to have to put a placket in, which is, uh, putting it generously. To say "it almost doesn't fit any more" would be sadder yet more appropriate. Thank goodness I decided to have it lace shut rather than use hooks and eyes. Well, it has been a year and a half since I last wore it... If this trend continues, I may need to make a new ballgown for Remembrance Day weekend 2014!

Alice's bonnet is this close to done, I just need to put flowers and crap on it. I was going to bang out all the machine sewing on Robin's bonnet tonight, but have apparently hidden the wire from myself really well. I JUST used it, where the hell has it wandered off to?? So, gotta buy more wire after my shift at work tomorrow. (...floral wire. I've never bought real millinery wire in my life.)

So, don't expect too many posts in the next week, since not much fun sewing will be happening!

So, what have I been up to? Finally completed enough little things in the past couple days to post about them, and somehow I'm not too far behind in my ambitious schedule to Finish ALL the Gettysburg Things.

First - a bumpad, which I've needed since I first got my hoop! I find my hoop tends to push forward a bit under the weight of skirts and petticoats, so some kind of little pad was in order. It's way exciting. This is version 2, by the way - when your method is cut, sew, stuff, you rarely get things thr right size on the first try! Number 1 was too small.


Next - I finally trimmed my own bonnet! I only made it two years ago! ...Yeah, really. It's a bit simply trimmed, I think - I was wavering about putting some flowers on the outside as well, but I'm not very into the frou-frou, so I'll leave it for now.


And the progress on Alice's bonnet!
( Cut in case she doesn't want to see her bonnet before it's done... )

That's what it had BETTER be for the next three weeks; I haven't got the time to be wandering off into anything else!

Yesterday I did manage to tack down the facing (or tack up, really), pin the third stripe on, and cut out the buckram pieces for a bonnet. Bonnet? Yes. hiraimi, dragoneyes19, and I are doing an exchange of skills. I'm making 1860s bonnets for both of them for Gettysburg, and Robin's knitting me an 1860s sontag, while Alice makes me a fancypants Regency reticule (not for Gettysburg!).

What do you think the odds are that I still don't actually trim my own bonnet...

And back to the paletot; tonight I sewed on the third stripe, and am currently working on the fourth, which I am determined to finish before I go to bed!