New Year Plans

                So the new year has crept up on me, and I just realized I haven’t posted anything here since October.  I have indeed been sewing, I just haven’t had any time to take photographs and write up a post since, well, October.  I’m going to try do individual posts about my various completed projects over the next few days, but in the meantime HAPPY NEW YEAR!

                I thought it might be nice to kick off the new year with a list of sewing projects I hope to accomplish in 2015:

·    

A slightly modified version of Tarja Turunen’s gorgeous red coat, as seen in Nightwish’s Nemo music video and a couple songs of their End of an Era concert.  Seriously though,  I really want a nice, warm, winter version.  Maybe I’ll start on it soon and be able to wear it before things start warming up, or maybe I’ll save it for the fall, but either way I want it.

·    A robe de style, most likely in black.  My historical dance group is thinking about branching out into the 1920’s, and I would love to have something a little bit different than the usual 20’s flapper dress.

·       

A pair of high-waisted tapestry shorts.  I love the way the pair in this picture is styled. (link to picture source)

·     A nice set of 1860’s undergarments—corset, drawers, several petticoats, the whole thing.  Whether or not I make myself a post-Civil War elliptical hoop depends on what I’m doing over the summer, but it could happen.

·      A waistcoat; either something double-breasted and steampunky, or with black panels and chains, a la FloorJansen  (in a fine wool, though, not leather.)  I'd love to learn a bit of tailoring, and I’d like to have something to wear over my 18^th century shirt and make it a bit more modern.

I also have a few unfinished projects I would like to finish up:

·     Completely remake the hood of the mistcloak I made in 2011, and possibly line the upper portion of the cloak as well

·     Make a waistcoat, accurate breeches, and a bicorne hat to finish my 1795 Royal Navy uniform

·     Finish my Elwing costume from two years ago

I Forgot To Mention...

I made a new background!  I used this stock photo and edited it using a combination of Powerpoint and Pixlr.  I also tweaked the color palette of the entire blog a bit.  I am by no means a digital artist or a graphic designer at this point, but I'd love to keep dabbling, so one day I can start designing my own fabric.

Navy Pleated Skirt

I have been a terrible blogger.

Seriously, I pretty much disappeared all summer (my mental health was keeping me from sewing much) and then I got very busy with school and just haven't had time to post anything. 

Anyhow.

I started this skirt back in June (or possibly July) but I had the worst luck with it and didn't finish it until early September.  First I pressed open a seam and discovered that the fabric scorches easily, which required a trip to Joann's to replace the fabric.  I then proceded to run out of lining fabric, thread, and hooks & eyes, and then break my sewing machine, so time just got away from me.

Now not only is it finished, but I've also taken pictures of it.

Brief Update

So, I just graduated from high school so I should be having a lot more time to sew this  summer.  I've got ideas for various items of casual clothes, as well as miscellaneous bits of menswear.   There's also a few costumes I want to work on.  I wore my solo dress to the Little Rock Feis a few weeks ago, after making a few changes to the sleeves and collar:

Finished-- For Now...

I finally had some time to take pictures of my solo dress.  It's "finished" for the moment, but I already have ideas for new additions.

Here's the earlier version, for comparison purposes:

Solo Dress Update- I killed It

Actually I just laid it down to do some hand-basting.  I feel like I'm working in Frakenstein's monster.

Pre-St. Patrick's Day Solo Dress Renovation

St. Patrick's Day is almost upon us, which means a flurry of Irish dancing performances is almost upon me.  I've got one on Friday, as a matter of fact.  I'm taking this week to make some modifications to my solo dress- updating it to the latest trends, and fixing some problems I wasn't aware of when I made it.

A few "before" pictures before I get out my seam ripper: