A Christmas Spencer

All I want for Christmas is a Spencer.  Wait, that's not right...


I finally finished my Spencer!  I'm so happy with the way it turned out.  I spent many hours hand sewing the trim, but it was worth it.

It doesn't look like much from the front, especially on a mannequin that isn't the right shape.  I really love the deep V-neck.  It shows off the top of my gown quite nicely.  Eventually I'll add trim to the cuffs, but as usual I needed this for an event so something had to give. 

Don't you just love the love the points on the collar corners?  

It all started from this fashion plate.  Except I hate pink.  But the detail!  So delicious!  My apologies for not noting the source.  It was uploaded to Pinterest without any references.  If anyone knows the source please comment and let me know!  I assume Ackerman's.

I've never used soutache before.  I basically made it as I went along.  I started by marking out the pattern I wanted: 

Then I realized I didn't need quite so much chalk...

From there, I just hand stiched it down.  And voila!  A collar!

I think I want soutache on everything.

The back was a bit trickier.  Looking at the fashion plate I realized that they placed designs under the arm.  Knowing I was short on time I wasn't particularly interested in decorating my arm pits.  I stuck with the basics and really, no one noticed I didn't have fancy arm pits.  

The back seam pattern was easy.  I just had to remember to start at the stop and work my way down.  I wanted to make sure it was cross-crossed evenly.  I wasn't happy with the way I originally marked the centre piece.  I seemed to get lost in the seam decor.  I lengthened the design a bit and ended up with this: 

A little Regency punk, no?

For those who know me, "badass" isn't among my oft described characteristics.  At this point it looked a little biker chic.  I wasn't planning on adding the ruffle noted in the pattern, but I felt obligated now just to soften the line a bit.

Behold!  A Spencer!

The details:

Regency Spencer

Challenge #12: ReDo

Redoing challenge: #9 Brown

Fabric: Wool

Pattern: Laughing Moon #129

Year: 1799-1809

Notions: Burgundy soutache

Accuracy: 70%?  I did use poly lining because silk is so hard to get here I'll be damned if I waste it on lining!

Hours: 15

First Worn: Dec 13th for a Regency hymn service and tea

Cost: $45 CAD

Why you Should Get a Custom Gown

If you've never had clothing custom made for you the process can be a bit daunting.  Your sewist will ask for all kinds of crazy measurements you didn't even know existed and it can get a bit pricey.  So here's a quick guide to explain why it's one of the best decisions you'll make, especially when it comes to costumes and historical sewing.

1. Creative license - You get to completely customize your order.  Whether you are buying a complete outfit, or just a few accessories, it's all up to you and your sewist!  Working with a professional sewist is like working with any other type of designer.  You can show up with a random smattering of ideas and they can help you put it together into a cohesive look.  Seriously, they know what they are doing and pretty much anything is possible.

2. Value - Yeah, okay, it costs more than most clothing.  This is due to what my friend calls, "The Walmart Effect."  We are professional designers and often artists so expect to pay a fair wage.  I don't know any seamstress that charges an outrageous amount per hour, and most things are negotiable.  If you want a grand, 18th century court dress for $100... well, just keep walking there, skipper!  But if you want a certain look that can be achieved with pieces you already have that can be altered, and maybe you just need a certain piece custom made we can help you.  For reals, we like puzzles.  But be prepared to pay what it's worth or just be honest and tell them your budget.  Because you are having something tailor made for you it will wear better and last longer.  So really, it's a great value.  Plus, once you've found a great sewist you can go back and ask for more things and they already know your body.

3. Fit - Helping design a project may be out of your comfort zone, and it cost a bit more than you expected, but when you put on your finished custom made garment... oh man!  Nothing compares to how it feels to have something fit you perfectly without any of the discomfort of an ill-fitting garment.  You'll wear it SO MUCH!  Even if it's a costume or reenactment outfit, you'll be surprised at how many opportunities you'll find to wear it once you have the perfect garment.

I'm sure there are more reasons, but let's just stick with the 3.  I'm a stickler for #3!

As a sewist and tailoress, creating a garment that captures someone's personality is such a gift.  Fit is fairly easy if you've paid attention in sewing and drafting class, but the act of working with someone and actually making a garment that meets, and often, exceeds their expectations is THE BEST.

And it's gosh darn fun!

So, here's my promo for the day.  I make custom gowns and costumes.  For reals.  I really love making people Regency gowns as so many woman believe they can't wear them.  Oh yes you can!

And I can help you with that.

And wouldn't you know it, Regency Encounters is having another ball in February.  You think Lizzy Bennet went to Mr. Bingley's ball in an ill-fitting, hand-me-down dress?  Surely, not!  So why should you?

Check out my Etsy shop for more details.  Again, it's completely customizable.  I'll even make you a matching reticule!

You know you want a matching reticule...

~M

Costume College Here I Come!

YOU GUYS!  I got my tickets for Costume College 2016!

I'm so overwhelmed with all the emotions.  So many of my costume heroines will be there!  I might actually get to meet them.  Wee!

Now, to figure out what to wear...

Pool party: Romper?  New bathing suit?

Ice cream social: Sherbert Robe a l'Anglaise

Gala:  1770s court dress made of this beauty:

I got 9m of this silk fabric for $11.  Yeah, $11!  And some really love trims from the Fashion Under Siege fabric sale.

Sunday Tea: Regency something or other.  I'll probably be a zombie by this time so whatevs.

Monday fabric shopping: comfy shoes and a big purse.

What's even better about going to CoCo?  B wants to come too!  Not to the conference, but to LA!  Woo!

I'm just too excited!

1912 Mrs Banks: Butterick 6093

I could watch Mary Poppins every day.  All day.  So, for Halloween this year I decided to be Mrs. Banks.  The movie Suffragette just came out (in Canada, at least) so it was a perfect time to go for it.

I have no idea where there the umbrella came from...

I wanted a similar look and feel without being an exact replica of the dress.  For starters, I hate high-necked things.  Probably why I shy away from Edwardian all together.  I started with Butterick 6093.  I read a few reviews before starting and decided it would be a perfect starting point.

I had a piece of blue poly suiting I got in the discount bin for last year's Roman costume so decided to hack it up for this.  I purchased a little pale yellow taffeta and started ruffling.  I'm pretty happy with the result.

I made a few fitting adjustments at the bust, as usual.  I gathered things a little differently than the pattern called for.  But then, I rarely follow the pattern anyway...

I wanted a similar petticoat to the movie costume without spending an entire weekend making a separate petticoat.  I decided to simply add a ruffle to the bottom of the underskirt.  It was just a tad long...

Bathroom selfie for the win!

After a bit of fiddling, and some interesting advice from B regarding ribbon placement, I finished the whole thing in a weekend.  Less, because who works on one thing in a weekend?

I'm super proud of the hat.  I really love millinery and wish I had more opportunity for it.  If I could just make hats all day I'd probably die happy.  But, alas.

I have no idea if this is what an Edwardian hat should look like.  I wanted something particularly non-datable for future flexibility.

And there you have it!  An Edwardian-ish Mrs Banks.

Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
Challenge #11: Silver Screen
Onscreen Inspiration: Mrs Banks from the 1964 Mary Poppins
Fabric: the most horrid polyester I've ever felt.  But, it's out of the stash.  Poly taffeta.
Pattern: Butterick 6093
Year: 1912
Notions: straw hat, ribbon, button form, snaps, bit of interfacing for the sash.
Accuracy: Fabric is way off, but the colours are good so maybe 50%?
Hours:  Not many.  From inspiration on a Friday evening to completion on Monday night, including all pieces.
First worn: October 29th to Scottish Country dancing (skip change is not meant for Edwardian dresses!)
Total cost: Almost all stash except the yellow taffeta, which was $12 CAD.  Hat was $13 CAD, but I'll re-use it.


~M

Fall Photo Contest Entry

I finished it!  Well, mostly.

My entry for Emily's Vintage Visions Fall Photo Contest:

The timing of the contest was perfect!  I already had the blouse and trousers in the works.  While I didn't get the trousers I wanted to completed, I already had these ones.  The blouse is from the Smooth Sailing pattern.  The print has flowers and bees in perfect fall colours.  Maybe bees aren't autumnal...?

The jacket is a gift from my Dad.  I've always felt it has a little 1940s feel to it so it was a great addition to this outfit.  I panicked a little because it's been so darn cold the past week.  I though for sure I wouldn't be able to find a tree with any leaves left, but I did!  Huzzah!

The brooch is something near to my heart.  Not because it's heart, but because I got it from the first real costuming job I had.  I moved across the country to work at Fort Edmonton Park, and when I started working in costume one day a week I bought this beauty to wear with my 1884 bustle dress.

And now for the hat.  I had my outfit all planned out until I remembered I don't have an appropriate hat!  Ack!  But then Jill of Adeline's Attic posted this little number for sale.  Don't mind if I do!

I made the mistake of following the directions, which I sure won't do again.  The hat has a bit more personality than I anticipated.  Such is life.

All in all I'm quite happy with this adventure.  It's such a joy to participate in contests like these.  I love getting to see all the entries in the Facebook page.  I do hope this is a yearly thing!

Up next:
I have no idea.  Maybe I'll finish my winter coat before the snow?

Fall Photo Contest Outfit

Have you heard of Emily's Vintage Visions Fall Photo Contest?  Because you should really check it out:

Emily's Vintage Visions

Even if you don't enter do enjoy the vintage clothing descriptions.  Such detail!

I do plan to enter and I'm quite excited about it.  I'll save the final photos until I get my entry together next week, but here's a little teaser description to pique your interest:

- Blouse - lovely slate blue with a floral print.
- Trousers - grey-ish brown wool
- Velvet hat & matching purse - my Grandmother instilled the necessity that one's purse should always match one's hat and shoes.  How can I go against such sound advice?
- Jacket - a Christmas present from my Dad with a distinctly 1940s feel.  
- Shoes - purchased from ModCloth.  And yes, they match my hat and purse!

I'll be making everything but the jacket and shoes.  The blouse is done.  Victory!  Now to make the rest...

The blouse and trousers are part of the Smooth Sailing pattern set from Wearing History.  Since I already had the pattern and corresponding fabric it just seemed to fit with the project.  And ensure I get the damn things done this season!

The hat pattern I can you.

I snapped it up last weekend from Adeline's Attic.  If you haven't checked out her Etsy shop here you should!  She's based in Edmonton so I have the advantage of meeting her in person to shop her attic.  This little pattern was too cute to pass up!  I've wanted a beret style hat for awhile, but wanted something with a bit more structure.  I found it! I'll be making it up in a berry-red velveteen to match the little red flowers in my blouse.  And my shoes and bag (see above).

No idea how I'm doing the bag yet.  I know I want a shell shape, and I probably want some beading, but unless I have yet another sleepless week I should probably scale it back.

And now, back to the sewing machine!  I have a lot of work to get done in a week.  Eep!

~M

Winter Coat: Butterick 5824 - Prep

As I finally catch my breath after September's flurry of activity, I'm focusing just a little bit on sewing for me.

My new winter coat, which has been in the works for  two years (!), is finally cut and serged.  This is not a feat to go unacknowledged!  I've had my lovely turquoise wool for almost two years.  When my favourite fabric store was going out of business (RIP Estee's) I snapped it up at a rather reduced price.  The downside, of course, being there was only 4 meters of it.  At time I hadn't picked a pattern and thought surely it would be enough fabric.

Enter Butterick 5824:

A divine 1950's swing coat with an opulent shawl collar.  What else could I ask for?  

More fabric :( 

The pattern takes 5.2 meters.  Of course!  

I knew I would be short fabric, but thought with a tad bit of creative cutting and a contrast collar I could make it work.  As I laid out my patterns pieces Sunday afternoon it was clearly not going to happen.  After a panicked trip to Fabricland to discover there was no suitable alternative, I returned home to brainstorm.  Lovely B even offered to drive to Calgary next weekend to find an alternate fabric at my new favourite fabric spot.  Note: marry someone who will drive 3 hours each way to get you the right fabric!  

As we stood in line at Sunterra buying too much, as always, I realized I had two options.  Cut the length significantly (um, nope!) or use contrast for the hem band as well as the collar.  The more I thought about a black velvet hem band the more I liked it.  Done!

I hacked 8" of the bottom of each skirt pattern piece and tried my luck again.  When I laid out the pattern pieces this time I actually had extra fabric.  VICTORY!!!  

I laid out my wool, double-layered, then added my wind-breaker fabric on top.  Again, double-layered.  These are layers 1 and 2.

The layers are as follows:

1. Turquoise wool.

2. Wind breaker fabric.  I actually have no idea what it's really called, but that's what I call it.  Comment below if you know it's name.

3. Wool interlining.  YOU GUYS.  Do you know how hard it is to find lambswool interlining?!?  Ugh.  I'm using wool quilt batting.  Fingers crossed.

4. Silver Kasha back lining.  

I'm debating on lining the coat at layer 2, then making the kasha back and wool interlining a removable layer.  That will give me a more versatile coat plus give me the option to increase the interlining if it's not warm enough.  I'm pretty sure it will be though.

Why am I not using the thinsulate stuff they sell at Fabricland, you ask?  Because I hate that stuff.  It doesn't breath properly and it makes a crinkle noise.  I do not like to crinkle when I move.  

The lady at the quilt store gave me a disapproving look for wanting to add wool batting to a coat until I explained I plan to quilt it to the lining in a matching turquoise.  Then she was on board.  Related note, I LOVE Johnson's Sewing Centre and Quilter's Dream.  So nice and friendly.  And they saved me money!  

But I digress.  Moving on.

The collar, 8" of the skirt hem, and 4" of the sleeve hem will be black velvet.  It will be a lavish swing coat that will probably cause me to twirl all the way to work.  Meh, it's Jasper Ave.  Unlikely the weirdest thing to happen on my route.

~M