Insane, Clearly

This may turn into a sewing blog for a little while. I’ve got a few occasions coming up, and I’ve constructed a slightly scary schedule for completion.

Polonaise Muslin – This’ll be a test run made out of a coppery light upholstery fabric that will work for my Steampunk costume for Dragon*Con (Labor Day).  I’m altering the neckline to be more V-shaped, and adding more trim probably.  “Trim the trim!” is what the pattern told me to do.  Honestly.

It’s meant to be worn over a corset, but I’m going to try to get it to work without.  It does get a lining, and I may add another layer of lining/interfacing to get it to lie smoothly against my body.  Honestly, I don’t know exactly how wearing a corset underneath changes the fit other than the smaller amount of ease.

I also have some really cool broochesque jewelry findings that I can sew on, maybe do a mock pocketwatch fob.  I’m toying with the idea of sewing on a golden filigreed keyhole just for fun and mechanical mystery.

Underbust Corset Muslin – I found some wacky Japanese fabric.  Behold its awesomeness!  God I love unexpected details.

I am calling this a muslin because I haven’t successfully made a Victorian style corset before, and I think this plain cotton woven fabric will take out a whole pile of complexity that may have led me to failure before.

This isn’t the kind of corset meant to be worn under the polonaise, of COURSE.  Because I am that stubborn.  But I suppose if it’s finished before Dragon*Con it could help with the fit.  Or not.

I think I’ll just use simple black cotton for the inside.  I don’t think I can make it reversible since I’m using a busk closure in the front and those have sticky outy pegs, but my mind is working on it.

Final Polonaise – We’re attending a black-tie wedding in Canada in November, for a particularly creative and fabulous couple.  I am cold all the time, even when I lived in Florida, and still even in Hotlanta.  I’ve been eyeing the polonaise pattern ever since I sewed up one of Truly Victorian’s skirt patterns – very easy and gorgeous, by the way.  It was tragically wounded in a naively unexpected everyone-and-their-mother-steps-on-trains accident.

Ahem.  Back to the polonaise.  It’s a really fancy jacket, it’s got lots of couture details, and will probably keep me warm(er).  I managed to find a photo of a historical gown that matches what I see in my mind’s eye.  Please click on it to see the larger image.  See what they mean about trimming the trim?  I’m drooling the drool just looking at it.

I love the deep, dark shade of the color.  Purple or teal is what I’m hoping for, but it has been really hard to find colors I like, even on teh interwebs.  I’m tempted to dye my own silk taffeta, but the pressure of silk is way too much for me.  And I really want to sew with actual silk.  And I think I can handle the velvet trim.  Maybe.  It’s such a pain in the ass but so pretty.  Haven’t decided yet whether I’ll wear a dress underneath or go ahead and make a matching skirt.  Leaning towards the latter.  Insane, clearly.

Fascinator - Yeah.  I can’t resist an awesome hat.  And I’d like to give this one a try in my own colors and style.  I don’t know where it came from originally in order to give the artist credit, but I’ll link it back to where I found it on the craftster.org message boards.

I am particularly in love with the netting.  Love the quasi-birdcage veil look.  All that texture — the soft feathers, shiny beads, floaty netting — just makes me so happy.   If I can pull it off, yay.  But it might be really hard getting the colors right.  In which case I’ll probably fall back on one of my tiny top hats.  I should take some pictures of them!