On Line Shop "up date"

Ok...the On line shop is now up and working...yay!!
I'm hoping to add more bonnets over the next couple of months. But as you may have read in earlier posts, I've got a few things on my list already.

You can go to my website www.costumesnthings.com.au

Cheers

Victorian "Cottage" Bonnets

I've made three lovely bonnets and will be shortly putting them in my new on-line shop connected to my website. www.costumesnthings.com.au

I have based the colours and decorations on photos of reproduced pieces or actual museum/auction items. They are the first few that I have made, and have mostly been hand stitched. Seeing how they go in the shop and will in future be adding more. I wont be making to order.

Also available will be satin gloves and fans.

I am currently sourcing parasols, steampunk items such as brass telecsopes, spectacles, maybe fob watches (we'll see about that one) tophats etc.

Lady penelope costume

Finally I've got the time to add the photo of my "Lady Penelope" costume which I made for and wore to our NSW ACG end of year picnic.
The theme was open genre' so I figured why not go as my ACG forum name sake.

I picked this outfit because I figured I can also use the outfit for a mod sixties girl.

I made the costume and matching handbag out of white square - sequinned lycra....eeegh! what a pain to sew. It was hard enough to sew as it was, but my machine at home just didnt want to have anything to do with it, so I ended up taking it in to work and sewing it there. As a result the stripe down the front of the dress (made from a leather look lycra...and also a pain to sew) is off centre...just letting you know that I know and that yes it is annoying but too bad so sad, it will have to stay as is.

I teamed it up with black gloves, the aforementioned handbag, white boots, gun in the handbag (and now a mod sixties looking hat that I have made since the picnic). I think also I will wear white tights (to hide my nobby knees).

Whats happening in 2010? heaps!!

Ok...January
..sewing #1 a Regency Day dress for a AGC regency picnic at Callan Park (not sure I like the first one I made) and #2#making Joan of Arc costume for Tarin's (god daughter) 21st. The theme is "French". John is going as Louis Pasteur, he can wear part of his Victorian outfit again, yay!

February
*Regency Picnic
*Tarin's 21st
.....Sewing Queen of Hearts (Tim Burton style), Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter, etc.
Cant wait to start these. I've already got some of the material - Queens over skirt, corset,. Trying to find the "just right" material for the Mad Hatters coat, I have ideas , but just got to find a fabric shop who matches my idea.. Thinking of doing decopage (is that how you spell it?)on a top hat to get the right effect. Will keep you posted on that one.

March
The new Alice in Wonderland movie......cant wait!!!!!!
......Sewing #1 regency ball dress for the Jane Austen Festival...I found a lovely white cotton with gold flower print.Thats all I've got so far...the fabric, I think I have found a picture on a fashion plate...that may work...I will keep you posted.
......Sewing #2 Victorian-ish/ steampunk jacket to add to my Victorian skirt for Ironfest in Lithgow. It was blistering cold last time so I want to be warm... Got the material for that already, I think...who knows I'll probably change my mind.
......Sewing #3 Cape for a friend for Iron fest, she wants to be warm next time as well.

April

Jane Austen Festival in ACT
Ironfest Lithgow.

Busy Busy Busy

Photos - Victorian Era Festival

Victorian Era Festival - October Long Weekend

What a fun time I had.

On Saturday we learnt how to make a bonnet for the period, which means I can now make some more to use with outifts I have in my shop. Bonus is that this task is quite easy to do. I'll put up a photo of the first finished project when its done, hopefully the end of this week?? Maybe??
Saturday was also taken up with learning some easy dances of the period. Well my head and heart were in it but they forgot to tell the feet what they were meant to be doing..... Having said that I did manage to actually learn and retain for the ball in the evening so maybe I didnt do too badly.

The Ball gave me a chance to show off weeks of hard work. I ran out of time to make my Ball bodice to go with my skirt so I wore the day outfit.
Evonne's outfit turned out nicely. I need to change the back of the over skirt...It was nice for the ball but needs to be pulled up at the back to make it more suited for the period. Now that I'm not rushed, I'll have time to make the adjustments.
Evonne also wore her own long black skirt (modern) so I'm going to make a period accurate skirt....and day bodice, for a complete choice. My first bonnet (from the workshop) will match the day dress and new skirt. (I'm being indulgent)













Titbit of info: I found out this weekend also that bonnets mostly were not made to match a particular outfit, because it was unaffordable to do so. So they would add something to their dress to match in with the hat. ie Flower decoration to match the ribbon tie ups.

On Sunday, dancing once again, I really enjoyed it. Its not something I've done before so was wonderful to do something new.

.)


Well, its been a while since I have updated this blog. Just been busy.

Four enthusiasts finally made it out for a Regency Lunch. Yay!! Organised by Wenz, we all met at the Lachlan Cafe at Old Gov't House in Parramatta. We had a lovely lunch and then did the tour.

I was able to wear my Regency dress that I made earlier on in the year. I've pictured two bonnets, One I wore on the day and the other I made for my daughter for another day. I was happy with the result, copied from Fashion plates around 1807 ish.

Next sewing project is my Victorian (1880's) Day Dress consisting of Skirt and Curaisse style jacket.
We (me, hubby and two friends) will going along to the Victorian Era Festival in Canberra on the October long weekend.
I want to attend a couple of workshops hopefully wearing my day dress, (friends will be sight seeing) then we will attend the ball on Saturday night.

I intend to make a Ball bodice, making double use of the same skirt. As I also intend to make a vest to create a steam punk look, I may run out of time to make the ball bodice, so I may just wear to the ball, a Pink 1800's ball dress made a few years ago....if it still fits....sigh.

The picture shows the striped fabric for my skirt and the purple Shantung for the day jacket (and maybe the ball bodice).