Sempstress

I just couldn’t resist. Ok, I didn’t even try. I mean, really, I feel like someone had to, and I happened to have all the stuff, so…. Yeah. That totally  just happened.  Is this a shameless over-application of technology? Probably. Am I a great big nerd? Yep.  It’s cool. Sometimes a girl just has to get her geek on. Read the rest of this entry »

So here’s the sitch: I want this thing. This thing right up here at the top. Anybody know how I get it off the rest of the CRT? (For those with actual clues in the electronics department, panic ye not: indeed, it has been discharged and de-vacuumed.) Read the rest of this entry »

I was busy being gainfully employed packing up costume storage at the college a few weeks ago, and I found a marvelous old pair of paned slops. They were old enough that the satin behind the panshatter well past thread-bare (more just threads), which was awesome because it let me see what was underneath. This isn’tnecessarily the period way to construct slops, but it’s a beautiful way. Here’s what I saw… Read the rest of this entry »

I did a steampunk wedding dress earlier in the spring, and I didn’t blog about it because a) I was really really REALLY busy for a couple months and b) the bride asked that I refrain from posting pics until after the wedding. It’s a reasonable request, I suppose. ;) I can’t take credit for the design – Joe, my theater-boss (and half the happy couple) showed me a picture they found on the interwebs and asked if I could make it. So I said yes. That’s the kind of thing I do. So, maksies I did… Read the rest of this entry »

I’m a very lucky girl. You know why? Because I’ve had some absolutely amazing clients in my life. (Don’t get me wrong – I’ve had the other kind, too. I just try not to focus on those.) I’ve just had the most life-affirming September/October I can remember. I had not just one, but three fantastically amazing clients who were all surprisingly ok with the fact that they were all happening at once. One of these clients was Leah, who shall hereafter be known as the Calmest Bride Ever(tm). Seriously, brides are the reason I try to stay away from bridal work. ;) But I somehow got one who was sure she wanted me to do her dress, was able to articulate what she wanted perfectly, and then said, “You’re a pro; I completely trust you to do whatever you think is best.” Wow. Like I said: I’m a very lucky girl.

And now the wedding has actually happened, and I can finally post the pictures! Tee hee hee! :)  Read the rest of this entry »

Hi, there, ho, there, everybody… Gosh I love being out of bed before 7.30! It makes me feel like I can take on the world! In a championship napping contest, that is. But the interwebs was totally not cooperating last night, and I wanted to share finished pics of the regency corset before I head off to work!. :) Read the rest of this entry »

I’m a visual learner. I mean, I owned a copy of Patterns of Fashion for years before I ever looked at the words. (I’m not even kidding. Turns out the words are pretty useful too!) If you find yourself in the same boat, this might help. It’s a set of line drawings of the Pfalzgrafin and Effigy corsets, as well as my cheater curved front corset, lined up side by side for easy visual comparison. Read the rest of this entry »

Croquis are little pre-drawn bodies used by fashion designers to speed up the sketching and design process.  I made this one with Em and a basic 1500s silhouette. A lot of people have been coming to the site lately and being really great to me, and I wanted to do something as a thank-you. Read the rest of this entry »

I was scouring the web, looking for information on period boots, and I stumbled across Francis Classe’s excellent page. This is a picture that I have never seen anywhere else before.  It’s charming, but it’s quite odd.  I wish I had far more information on it, but Google doesn’t seem to know anything about it! Read the rest of this entry »

I just got round to pulling all the pictures off my camera – something I clearly need to do more often, because christmas was still on there….  One of my gifts for my sister was a pair of socks. Read the rest of this entry »