Rolling up my sleeves

Well, I've certainly been putting off a lot of costume work lately.  Which sucks, because I still have to do an awful lot for my concentration.  But... I DID do SOME work, don't think that I've been slacking off in my duties as a costumer.
I finally finished the black sheer for good until I can get some black buttons, but I might just have the upper layer pin closed.  Haven't decided yet.
And the reason for most of my problems - Cosette's wedding dress!... Which I got really bad pictures of.  I apologize - it looks much, much better on Cosette.  Our production was marvy, if I may say so myself, and I quite forgot to snap a few of it in action.  It didn't fall apart on stage, though, and that's all that matters. c:

Classily sidewards.

The front!  The back looks similar to this.

The sleeves!

My very first time pleating sans pattern.
So, this was my first experience draping.  It was... interesting.  I ended up using a pillow as a dress form in lieu of an actual one.  Somehow I don't think she'd be flattered by seeing that I compared her body type to that of a decorative throw cushion.  (I did give it tissue paper boobs, though, so.)

See maniacal grin.

I'm also starting my very second foray into millinery.  I'm making a bonnet for my dearie dear and long suffering C!  I'm using the same pattern I used for the pink one, but I'm making a plainer style.  And then, of course, comes the trimming.

The frame

The inner frame, with the wires.

I used fusable interfacing instead of crinoline to cover the frame so that I could fuse it to the buckram and make a smoother line.  I highly doubt that the bonnet will be otherwise exposed to iron heat.. I hope..
Also, when I made the first bonnet, I used wire that I found lying around, which was about coat hanger consistency, and it took me all night to bend the wires.  I actually used 20 gauge millinery wire this time, and it works like a dream.  I make things so hard for myself sometimes. /sigh/

 The fabric that I'm using is a pale gold-yellow silk taffeta that I got for Christmas.  It'll go wonderfully with my dark-haired friend.  Unfortunately it also shows marks well, and the art room isn't necessarily the cleanest place.  Gnar.

  

With the brim fabric put on - I'm going to line it at the very end.  Most bonnets weren't lined, but I prefer having a finished look.

And where I am now!

My mother, being the saint that she is, is letting us go down to VA on our spring break college trip.  William and Mary is my dream school, but I'm from out-of-state so my chances are fairly low despite my good academic standing.  But of course the main reason I'm excited is so that I can see W-burg again!  I went last summer with my marvelously farby 1770 polonaise.  Now, I have several excuses to make a real 1770 working class dress!  And I have fabric and a pattern!  /glee
That's my next project, anyways.  That, a black 1860 sporting hat, and an 1830's corded corset/sleeve plumper combo (you can see the pattern in a couple of the pics.)
Gnar, I have a lot of work to do. 

Gnar

So, I promised myself that I wouldn't make a new post until I actually had something finished to share.
Well... I'm breaking my own promise.  I have an excuse, though!  I'm making Cosette's wedding dress for our school production of Les Mis. So in a week or two, I'll have real, substantial progress to show to you, in finished form!  I'm excited not just to make it, but to not have to pay for the fabric.  *cackling*
So first up on the list of projects is my black sheer dress.  I used the TV pattern, with alterations, and.. um.. I don't think it's designed for ladies as endowed in the bust area as I am.  The lining is getting pulled to full capacity, and because I know so little about alterations, I don't know how to fix it.  GNAR.  Well, here it is, without closure.  It's entirely hand sewn except for the skirt seams, and yes, that means the pintucks too.  

Ignore the obvious pinning... and strange bodice pooching..

Lookin' like Russel Crowe.

You can almost see the half-lining here

Looking a bit miffed here.  Probably because I just impaled my hand on the pin holding the skirt closed.

I also hemmed a fichu I made from leftover Garibaldi blouse.  I do believe you can see my rolled hem improving in stages around its perimeter!  I also made a pair of batiste undersleeves from ballgown scraps, because honestly, you can never have too many pairs of undersleeves.

Note the classy presidential pez dispensers in the background.  Quincy, Jackson, Van Buren.. the whole gang.

I also got around to taking pictures of the finished Palm Sunday bodice.  I'm debating putting pleated velvet ribbon around the neckline.  Hm.

You can see, about 3/4 inch too big at the waist... Gnar.

Scri wants to help c:

 In getting fabric for Cosette's wedding dress, I also found the BEST FABRIC EVER, for $15 - that's 54" silk taffeta right there.

 And of course, reenactorfest.  I could only go for a couple of hours, but I had gobs of fun and bought a couple of necessities from a vendor who looked VERY much like Henry Clay, and I might have engaged in a bit of flirting tactics.

But really, who would be able to resist?