Speaking of bags...

...these look interesting. Bags made out of natural cork, which is a sustainable resource, and they look and feel like soft leather. From Corx.

Original post found on this blog - http://girlfromnorthcountry.com/2011/02/corx/

Pink Camo Cell Phone Pouch

You remember that camo bag that I made out of an old pair of BDUs? Well that was actually the second one that I made, for fall. The first one I made was actually this pink camo bag that I carried around all summer. I loved that pair of pants, but they didn't fit anymore so...anyhow, there was only a tiny bit of scrap left, plus the zipper, and I decided to turn it into a cellphone pouch, big enough to hold the massive EVO.

Upcycling BDUs

This is the story of a very sad pair of pants that no one loved anymore. The pants sat in a pile with other unwanted clothing for a very long time, wishing that it could become useful again, until one day...

I cut the pants apart into useful pieces...

...and sewed them back together. Clever huh? Actually I can't take all the credit. I used a pattern specifically designed for this purpose: Simplicity 2597 Accessories, Bags Go Green Collection

DarkThreads Designs: USN Camo Kilt

Finished. This is what some call an "American"-style kilt, because it's not made of Tartan, but rather of a more utilitarian fabric, in this case USN digital camo twill. It features two attached, hanging cargo pockets, extra-wide belt loops, and a d-ring key keeper. The pleats are sewn in, so it's wash and wear. I'm happy with how it turned out. I just hope it fits the client.

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.

Adventures at the Smithsonian this week

Looked at a lot of military uniforms in the military history section, and First Ladies gowns at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. I would have spent more time in there, but that exhibit is very popular and was very crowded, as you can imagine. My favorites were Martha Washington's 1780s gown, Dolly Madison's 1810s gown, Helen Taft's embroidered Chinese Robe and inaugural ball gown.

Also saw THE Star Spangled Banner - the original flag that inspired the words to the song. It's huge, kept in a dark room (for preservation purposes), and awe-inspiring. The flag-maker, Mary Pickersgill, was paid $405.90 - more than most people made in a year at the time - a good living for a seamstress. Good story on: How the Star-Spangled Banner was Made.