Ottoman Turk coat is done!

Made this coat for my man for Pennsic. Very pleased with the fit. I did use the pattern from Reconstructing History.

This is basically the look I was going for, except less fancy:

New corset: the time traveler

Made from a piece of linen with an interesting pattern of globes and clocks on it. I thought it looked "steampunky". This time, I did include the wooden busk that I purchased a couple Pennsics ago from ReconstructingHistory.com, and I also used reed/cane boning, which is so light and easy to work with, I might never go back to steel for this kind of corset. 

Still using this pattern from Simplicity:

So far, the best one I've used for this style of corset that is both historically accurate and easy to follow. 

I am working on an open-front gown that is more SCA-period to go over it. 

And so it begins...the pre-Pennsic sewing frenzy

When I can squeeze it into my busy schedule, that is. I sorted through a big bag of wool tartan scraps that a dear friend donated to me and picked out the biggest pieces to do something with. After a long contemplation over my historical pattern collection, I decided that I'm going to bodge together something late- period. I'm going for something a bit like this:

From Drea Leed's web site - http://www.elizabethancostume.net

I have some lightweight wool gabardine in a solid color to do the kirtle (underdress) and I'm hoping to piece together enough of the tartan to make the gown. Many years ago, I attended a class that Drea Leed gave at Pennsic on constructing a 16th c. Flemish womans garb, and then she published her notes from that class as a book, which I have: The Well-Dress'd Peasant: 16th Century Workingwoman's Dress - out of print. It provides detailed instructions on drafting the patterns. However, there are lots of other resources available on her web site here - http://www.elizabethancostume.net/lowerclass/makeflem.html.

ReconstructingHistory.com also sells a full-scale pattern that would work nicely.

I'm not too concerned about mashing up a tartan fabric with a Flemish design. Wool is wool. 

My wishlist

I must say I really like the Reconstructing History pattern line. So far I've gotten a lot of use out of the ones I have. I think they are particularly good if you are going for historical accuracy and authenticity. As soon as I saw these, I thought "must have":

Pennsic Sewing

Well, I did get some sewing done. Made a gomlek (top) and salvar (bottom) for Stef for Pennsic out of linen that he picked out at Pennsic last year. I used ReconstructingHistory.com pattern #405 - Ottoman Turkish Man.


I don't really need anything for myself, but I did already make some new harem pants. You can't have enough pants at Pennsic.

A friend of ours who wants to check out Pennsic this year (only for a day or two), is interested in the Greco-Roman look, so that should be easy to throw together. Otherwise, I would just point him toward Tigr's Toggs, which I highly recommend as comfortable and reasonably priced garb for Pennsic.

I have put aside the Star Wars Imperial Officer uniform for now, even though I have made some progress on it. I don't think we are going to DragonCon this year so I don't have an immediate place to wear it, anyway.

I'm getting a lot of requests for kilts made of camo fabric, and I might actually get paid, so I should put some effort into that.

All dressed up...

I've been making historical costumes for years now, and it's mostly been for SCA, but I did a lot of menswear for a black powder reenactor friend of mine, and I've drawn inspiration from other periods, such as Victorian, and early 20th c. for making my own goth and steampunk clothing...

So I made this wonderfully awesome c. 1730s gown from Reconstructing History #822 Open Robe Anglais with Polonaise Option.

And I've worked with other patterns from this period before, but this one worked out really well, and I'd call it one of the better, more user-friendly patterns out there. This particular pattern is definitely not for beginners, and requires some advanced skills like draping, fitting, and pleating, but an experienced sewer like myself, who never attempted a gown from this period before, should have no problems. The only problem I have is figuring out where to wear it. I might have to "crash" an 18th c. reenactment event or something.

I have also used RH #410 Heian Japanese Lady's Informal Robes to make some Japanese garb that I wore to Pennsic last year, and it was so comfortable and easy to wear that I want to make a lot more of it.

I haven't had a chance yet to use RH #407 yet, but I'm eager to try it. I am waiting for the right fabric to come along and "speak to me."

That's typically how I work, which might be backwards from what most pro designers do. They come up with a design and do a sketch or have some vision of what fabrics to use, and they look for a fabric that comes close to their vision. I, on the other hand, I find the yummy fabric first, and it "tells" me what it wants to be. When I found that piece of printed linen that I used for the open robe Anglais, I knew it had to be an 18th c. ladies gown of some sort. I often don't have a choice in the matter. If the fabric says, "you must make me into an 18th c. gown," even though what I really need to work on is a sci-fi costume for DragonCon or some other convention, I end up making the gown, doh!

Speaking of which, I'm strapped for ideas on costuming for upcoming sci-fi cons: GenCon and DragonCon, which fall close on the heels of Pennsic. I have all the gear to do the sci-fi military stuff that we typically do, but I wanted to do something different besides that. If I were a sci-fi or movie character, who would I be? Any thoughts?

Check out Reconstructing History: http://www.reconstructinghistory.com/