Hooray for Progress!

This was the beginning of my week, finally cutting into fabric for my sister in law to be's wedding dress.  I made a mess and was sore for about 3 days after from all the crouching on the floor, (I'll be getting a table when I have space for one).  I managed to get the gray fabric, lining and orange fabric all cut out a well as the interfacing in one afternoon.  Then work took over for the rest of the week.

The lining staying up off the floor and avoiding wrinkling.

So today I've surged all the edges, (even when the surger tried to come untreaded 4 times), half pinned the lining, fully pinned the sleeves and interfaced all the outer peices!  Hooray for progress!

The sleeves and front lining awaiting sewing.

 And the interfaced outer pieces!

Baring any unforeseen issues (like power failures)  this dress should be pretty much sewn together by tomorrow night!  WOO!

Getting closer!

Speaking of the Red Dress campaign:

I finished my Sketch and sent it off to the model and she likes it, so it is also a go!  Hurrah!

I was inspired by the amazing costume work of Eduardo Castro and Monique McRae on ABC's Once Upon a Time. Particularly by Belle's hunting outfit from episode 11 in season 2 : The outsider. 

The Ghost of cosplays yet to come

I am so sorry!  Life has been a little full the last couple months and I've been neglecting my blog, website and  Facebook group.  SORRY!

I've got a wedding dress and the red dress campaign to finish off first, but after that, if all goes well I'll be starting some cosplay costumes again!   I've had these since last month some time, but hadn't posted any pictures yet.  What are they you ask?  Masks, silly, silly masks that will eventually, with the help of paper clay and paint will become other characters masks.

First off, a child's Captain America mask, will become (I hope, molding is not my strong point, but a co-worker who also cosplays is a master of props and has offered to help me) The Batman Animated Batgirl's mask.

I had this idea months ago when I first saw the masks in stores around the time The Avengers first came out. I was sure it would work, and then while floating around on deviantart, I found a girl who did just that and I knew I had been thinking right!

And then if that all works out:

The white ninja dude's mask from G.I. JOE will become Cheshire from Young Justice's mask.

 It should be interesting!  I hope to at least have Batgirl done for Animartime at the end of June, but will be super excited and happy if I can have Cheshire done as well.  If not then, Halloween 2013.

Back for a second year!

I've been asked back as a judge for Animaritime(a local anime convention) and as a guest for Harbor Con-fusion  (general nerd convention in the next city over) YAY!

Christmas Loot

It's only near the end of January, that's not too late to show Christmas loot right?  Right? Ah who cares, its my blog and its all meant to further my powers of design and awesomeness.

First up: My very first, very own dressmakers Judy!  Now when I finish garments or I'm working on them, I wont always have to haul out my store manikins.  Which can give you quite a scare in the early hours of morning if you forget they are there,or in my case are half asleep and you think there is a 7 foot tall, freakishly skinny, pointy-chested prowler in your family room.  It's also going to make making tailored jackets much easier for me too.

"Pinellope" as she was dubbed by my soon-to-be-sister-in-law, is my size (so a small) but I do plan on eventually acquire medium and large ones as well.

I also got some books, but books are wonderful and I love them.

The Victorian Tailor is one I got over the boxing day sales. It includes 18 patterns for Victorian mens wear as well as tailoring and finishing techniques.

Patterns for theatrical costumes has patterns (like the cover says) from ancient Egypt up to just before the first world war as well as ideas on trims and patterns. It also has a section on making animal costumes, hats, masks and wigs 

 And the last one, is just a fantastic book with close ups on cuffs, collars, pockets and you name it as well as technical drawings of historical clothing.

It's actually the book that inspired my gradpiece.

Shoes for work

My manager at work, loved my Adventure Time shoes.  She liked them enough that when the company held a craft competition for customers (and one for staff) she said I should do shoes.

I wondered if it would work with fabric as well as paper so decided to give it a shot.  I thought since it was to be made from fabric, I'd make it look like a Crazy Quilt. Crazy quilting is something I did when I worked in a local living museum called Kings landing. It's the only kind of quilting I will do ( my mother and sister are both quilters and that is just too many for one family).

This is a quilt block I did over a summer of working at the museum. It going to be turned into a pillow.

Anyway, this competition took place just before Christmas, and  so many people were doing Christmas stuff that I decided I would find bright  spring-y fabrics and things to do my shoes.

Before:

 

After:

And the sides:

Sadly, Christmas was insanely busy around here, and then the flu ravaged my home, by the time I had these finished, it was too late to mail them in with the other employees pieces and then I could not find where to do the online entry.  So I missed the submission date :/

BUT

They will be on display for a few months at our store, so at least they wont go to waste!

Speaking of waste, get a size larger shoe if you do these with fabric.  Unlike the paper versions, the fabric actually shrank the shoes a bit and now they don't fit.  Whomp.

Lesson learned!