Let me preface this one by saying that the character name is
Not My Fault(tm). I can’t remember the long version that he rattles off so fast
that the words distort as they pass the sound barrier. Seriously. Brian
is one of my magician friends (a statement that leaves me wondering when my
life got to a point that I have “magician friends” — that doesn’t
seem quite normal. Then again, a woman who lives with three cats and has been
known to sew for thirty hours straight probably shouldn’t quibble about normalcy.)
He does shows and street performances out at the Maryland Ren Faire, which I
hear actually *pays* its employees and performers. Brian wanted a moorish costume,
and he was impressed with some work I did for another magician, so I got the
honor of making this a reality. Now, I knew about it last year. I had a design
last year. What I didn’t have was Brian available for a fitting, until about
two weeks before he needed the darn thing. (To complicate matters, the mathematical
genius over here managed to sneak an extra week in between the first week of
august, and the third — I thought I had three weeks, so I didn’t start immediately.
A friend eventually straightened me out on that one, and panic ensued.)
So, basically, the vest-thing was made in a week and a half,
and overnighted on a thursday with good faith that it would, in fact, arrive
overnight. It’s made from a wool crepe that’s been slightly felted. The trim
is made up on separate strips of crepe, then applied as an edge finishing and
trim all in one. The trim is two overlayed knotwork patterns, and yes, they’re
real knotwork — the trims are twisted together throughout the patterns. The
base pattern is made from green gimp, and the upper pattern is made from a gold
trim with silver tinsel in it, and continues around the entire thing. There’s
a green sash that’s supposed to go with it, but due to the insanity that is
distance fitting, it needs to be remade.
I’ve been promised better photos, she says, in her incredibly
subtle way…..