Is underway. My first pattern arrived and its a skirt. A gorgeous skirt with a scallop down the front right. 13 scallops=13 fabulous buttons!
I have never used the printing out a PDF pattern before, so I was equally exicted to learn a new trick and apprehensive since I dont have much time right now.
I struggled through, posted a freakout on FB, and finally figured it out. Himself came and helped me lay it out on the bed, and figured out the coloum/row system. Succes.
I am taping it now, and I plan to cut a muslin toile this weekend.
I am so super excited about this project. Its going to rock.
I also have the "Challange" pattern which is a princess slip. Really excited about that too.
Anyone who knows me, knows I just cant have enough pretty Vintage things to wear!
Off to keep taping...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Friday, December 30, 2011
Best intentions...too busy sewing!
Really slacking here.
I need to outline the many outfits I made this year. I will do so, but probably not today.
I am excited to announce that I will be helping Victorian Pattern Lending Library, test out patterns from the 1912 La Mode publications. This promises to be very exciting indeed. I expect to learn a great deal from this project.
I will be blogging as I go, with lots of photos.
Keep watching for this.
I need to also write entries for the following dresses:
*1915 Suit. Silver dupioni with black lace accents
*1890 Scarlet Ball Gown, Scarlet silk with black ribbon roses
*1890 Purple shot Reception gown.
*1910 Gibson Girl. Emerald Walking skirt and white silk shirt waist
*1860 "FrankenHoop" lol no explanation necessary!
*1870 Victorian Circus "bearded lady"
*1860 Queen Victoria
Wow...I was really really busy at my sewing machine this year. With the exception of the Scarlet ballgown, all of this was done in 2011
Watch me sew!
I need to outline the many outfits I made this year. I will do so, but probably not today.
I am excited to announce that I will be helping Victorian Pattern Lending Library, test out patterns from the 1912 La Mode publications. This promises to be very exciting indeed. I expect to learn a great deal from this project.
I will be blogging as I go, with lots of photos.
Keep watching for this.
I need to also write entries for the following dresses:
*1915 Suit. Silver dupioni with black lace accents
*1890 Scarlet Ball Gown, Scarlet silk with black ribbon roses
*1890 Purple shot Reception gown.
*1910 Gibson Girl. Emerald Walking skirt and white silk shirt waist
*1860 "FrankenHoop" lol no explanation necessary!
*1870 Victorian Circus "bearded lady"
*1860 Queen Victoria
Wow...I was really really busy at my sewing machine this year. With the exception of the Scarlet ballgown, all of this was done in 2011
Watch me sew!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
1900 Gibson Girl
Is on the machine.
My first ever "historical" dress is a navy blue walking skirt circa 1900 with a white blouse with the exagerated sleeve and an extra long cuff with lace insets. Lace on the band collar...I used some of my mothers antique buttons too, which was very very neat.
I learned how to do button holes by hand on that one. I dislike how my machine makes buttonholes. Honestly, its easier to do them by hand.
Anyway. It was my first ever costume...dress. But it was made out of a cheap one layer of broadcloth, with million yards of trim sewn in a geometic pattern. Cute, and it did the trick. Until I saw pictures...and the cheap fabric really proved itself.
Additionally, I now own some skills and knowledge in how clothing of that era is constructed.
So, I procured some 14 lbs of navy linen, this came out to about 7.5 yards, 60" wide very nice linen. Enough for a skirt and an Eaton style jacket.
I carefully undid the old skirt...figuring I would use it for lining. Kept as much of the trim intact as I could. Realized I actually did have to purchase more trim and cotton, since I wanted more fullness to the back of the skirt.
It worked. I re made the skirt, with more pleats in the back, it now has a small train. Lined with the origional cotton and it weighs a freeking ton...haha, the other one was like feather weight.
Now on to the jacket. I realize that I will have to make yet another blouse...the jacket will crush the sleeves. So perhaps I will modify this sleeve to be a more leg o mutton sleeve with out the giant poof at the top.
Either way, its gorgeous. I have a neat navy boater with vertical navy/white striped ribbons. THEN I found an antique straw boater...ooooh this makes me all excited. It still needs some trims. Thinking aobut the navy/white ribbon with some white flowers.
1900 daytime walking suit...almost ready to wear.
My first ever "historical" dress is a navy blue walking skirt circa 1900 with a white blouse with the exagerated sleeve and an extra long cuff with lace insets. Lace on the band collar...I used some of my mothers antique buttons too, which was very very neat.
I learned how to do button holes by hand on that one. I dislike how my machine makes buttonholes. Honestly, its easier to do them by hand.
Anyway. It was my first ever costume...dress. But it was made out of a cheap one layer of broadcloth, with million yards of trim sewn in a geometic pattern. Cute, and it did the trick. Until I saw pictures...and the cheap fabric really proved itself.
Additionally, I now own some skills and knowledge in how clothing of that era is constructed.
So, I procured some 14 lbs of navy linen, this came out to about 7.5 yards, 60" wide very nice linen. Enough for a skirt and an Eaton style jacket.
I carefully undid the old skirt...figuring I would use it for lining. Kept as much of the trim intact as I could. Realized I actually did have to purchase more trim and cotton, since I wanted more fullness to the back of the skirt.
It worked. I re made the skirt, with more pleats in the back, it now has a small train. Lined with the origional cotton and it weighs a freeking ton...haha, the other one was like feather weight.
Now on to the jacket. I realize that I will have to make yet another blouse...the jacket will crush the sleeves. So perhaps I will modify this sleeve to be a more leg o mutton sleeve with out the giant poof at the top.
Either way, its gorgeous. I have a neat navy boater with vertical navy/white striped ribbons. THEN I found an antique straw boater...ooooh this makes me all excited. It still needs some trims. Thinking aobut the navy/white ribbon with some white flowers.
1900 daytime walking suit...almost ready to wear.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The proper foundaton...Corsets!
Nothing is good without the right underwear.
Back in the day, I had a cheap Merry Widow. It was black and lacy and had hooks and garters and a few bones made of plastic. I wore it until it was ragged...imagining myself to be so modernly old fashioned. Really worldly. This was in the 80's when it was OK to wear your underwear on the outside, with lots and lots of accessories. Oh and high heels.
Then I had kids. Then I had the body of a woman who had kids. No more Merry Widows for me. Soon after I discovered 'GOTH' I viewed these lovely children I saw at Disneyland with much admiration and I generally coveted their wardrobes, somehow never picturing myself in those striped stockings.
Decades later, I found myself dressed exactly like that...stripped tights and all. But missing the important faction...the CORSET!
Looking around on Ebay and Goth Auctions I discovered that corsets are ridiculously outrageous in both designs and prices. So I found a 'gently used' Fredricks of Hollywood corset. Hooks and eyes and lacing and plastic bones. Oh the delight. Once again I wore it until it was ragged...on the outside, with boots this time.
Never being one to either have $300.00 to plunk down on a garment, nor being the type to do so...I of course decided to make one.
I poked around at it. Tried to solve the issue of not knowing anything about it by buying cheap materials and using the old faithful stand by skill...faking it. Using plastic bones I got at the local fabric store...using a hand held eyelet setter. Yeah my first corsets are laughable, but I wore them, with other undergarments to do the actual work.
Christmas was on swift approach and I needed to get a gift for Nigel's girlfriend Lauren. She is always my challenge for gifting. By then, I had found a place to
purchase a pattern, so off I went to find supplies: Busk, bones, fabrics, eyelets. I carefully cut each piece, assembled the thing and hammered in each golden eyelet. Its a nice corset...but it never really fit well,
it looks great on the hanger in her closet.
I spent the next 6 months or so, eating, drinking, reading about and sewing corsets. I learned that commercial patterns for the modern woman add inches, so your corset patterns need alteration. Eyelets are not suitable, grommets are the way to go and hammering the damm things in place SUCK! I learned the bones will eat all the needles in your sewing machine. Steel bones will also poke through most material and so on.
Boy did I learn.
I met with professionals, read books, found online posts/blogs/communities sewed corsets, wore them, ripped them apart, made and wore the new ones, ripped them apart then one day lo and behold I knew what I was doing. I drafted in wicked curves. Bones stopped poking through, lacing got straighter and held up. People began noticing my delightful waist!
PSB Creations was started in June of 08. I was recovering from a torn knee and grieving over the subsequent loss of my EMS profession. So I had time. I sold corsets dirt cheep to get a leg in. The first year I sold 18 corsets. I went international and sold to the UK, the Netherlands and Canada. I sold to a woman who is a professional musician. I sold one to a man. I marketed and learned.
My own little workhause has gotten a bit of attention, in it's short time. Once someone tried to pirate my design by taking it to another designer. I was delighted. I admit, its a bit of a rush to see pictures of an event and see someone in your design! Being invited to early movie previews and other private events isn't so bad either. I even have my own stalker. LOL
I wear my own corsets...until they are ragged...heh. Honestly, they are good. They fit, they take a LOT of waist off my waist. The man of the house loves to put me in them almost as much as he likes to take me out of them. They still hold me spellbound. I recently saw Gone With The Wind on the big screen I shouldn't have been so surprized when I leaned over to mutter "man what a gorgeous corset" Only to find The Man of the House leaning over to mutter the same thing to me. ;-)
Now, of course I am working on more historically correct pieces. Things to wear UNDER my clothes as they were intended.
But I still love me a good dress featuring a corset on the outside
with stripped tights and, of course boots.
Back in the day, I had a cheap Merry Widow. It was black and lacy and had hooks and garters and a few bones made of plastic. I wore it until it was ragged...imagining myself to be so modernly old fashioned. Really worldly. This was in the 80's when it was OK to wear your underwear on the outside, with lots and lots of accessories. Oh and high heels.
Then I had kids. Then I had the body of a woman who had kids. No more Merry Widows for me. Soon after I discovered 'GOTH' I viewed these lovely children I saw at Disneyland with much admiration and I generally coveted their wardrobes, somehow never picturing myself in those striped stockings.
Decades later, I found myself dressed exactly like that...stripped tights and all. But missing the important faction...the CORSET!
Looking around on Ebay and Goth Auctions I discovered that corsets are ridiculously outrageous in both designs and prices. So I found a 'gently used' Fredricks of Hollywood corset. Hooks and eyes and lacing and plastic bones. Oh the delight. Once again I wore it until it was ragged...on the outside, with boots this time.
Never being one to either have $300.00 to plunk down on a garment, nor being the type to do so...I of course decided to make one.
I poked around at it. Tried to solve the issue of not knowing anything about it by buying cheap materials and using the old faithful stand by skill...faking it. Using plastic bones I got at the local fabric store...using a hand held eyelet setter. Yeah my first corsets are laughable, but I wore them, with other undergarments to do the actual work.
Christmas was on swift approach and I needed to get a gift for Nigel's girlfriend Lauren. She is always my challenge for gifting. By then, I had found a place to
purchase a pattern, so off I went to find supplies: Busk, bones, fabrics, eyelets. I carefully cut each piece, assembled the thing and hammered in each golden eyelet. Its a nice corset...but it never really fit well,
it looks great on the hanger in her closet.I spent the next 6 months or so, eating, drinking, reading about and sewing corsets. I learned that commercial patterns for the modern woman add inches, so your corset patterns need alteration. Eyelets are not suitable, grommets are the way to go and hammering the damm things in place SUCK! I learned the bones will eat all the needles in your sewing machine. Steel bones will also poke through most material and so on.
Boy did I learn.
I met with professionals, read books, found online posts/blogs/communities sewed corsets, wore them, ripped them apart, made and wore the new ones, ripped them apart then one day lo and behold I knew what I was doing. I drafted in wicked curves. Bones stopped poking through, lacing got straighter and held up. People began noticing my delightful waist!
PSB Creations was started in June of 08. I was recovering from a torn knee and grieving over the subsequent loss of my EMS profession. So I had time. I sold corsets dirt cheep to get a leg in. The first year I sold 18 corsets. I went international and sold to the UK, the Netherlands and Canada. I sold to a woman who is a professional musician. I sold one to a man. I marketed and learned.
My own little workhause has gotten a bit of attention, in it's short time. Once someone tried to pirate my design by taking it to another designer. I was delighted. I admit, its a bit of a rush to see pictures of an event and see someone in your design! Being invited to early movie previews and other private events isn't so bad either. I even have my own stalker. LOL
I wear my own corsets...until they are ragged...heh. Honestly, they are good. They fit, they take a LOT of waist off my waist. The man of the house loves to put me in them almost as much as he likes to take me out of them. They still hold me spellbound. I recently saw Gone With The Wind on the big screen I shouldn't have been so surprized when I leaned over to mutter "man what a gorgeous corset" Only to find The Man of the House leaning over to mutter the same thing to me. ;-)
Now, of course I am working on more historically correct pieces. Things to wear UNDER my clothes as they were intended.
But I still love me a good dress featuring a corset on the outside
with stripped tights and, of course boots.
Upon waking...
I awoke this mourning with dresses and other ideas coursing through my head. This is not new. More often than not, my ideas are born out of my sleep. And driving, I dont know what it is about driving that inspires me to design new clothes.
So in order to keep track of what is and what shall be, I am opening this shiny new blog.
I will back track a bit and share details of my first adventures with my Victorian clothing operation, nothing much has changed since Victorian times, I still need a billion details, and a whole 'nother person to get dressed, much like my Victorian ancestresses...BUT since I am stuck here in this 21st century, I need to be dressed as such. Which means double wardrobes. gahhhhhh
Thus as how we begin...at the beginning.
My interest in fashion history began years and years ago. Maybe as a little girl? For sure I can pinpoint my first viewing of Gone With the Wind on the big screen at the Bay Theatre on Second St in Long Beach as a marker. The story goes, I had my allowance and I used to go see a movie on saturdays, this week it was GWtW. So I got my ticket, sat down and was absolutely mesmerized for several hours. THEN I sat through it again, until intermission then I realized I needed to get home where my mom promptly said "Oh honey, Im glad you are home, change your clothes, we are going to the movies. Gone With The Wind is playing!" heh....yeah I sat through it 2.5 times. ANYWAY, long story even longer. I was hooked. Hoop skirts, corsets, petticoats. I wanted them. But in 1970's Long Beach well you know. I was in 5th grade. No outlet.
Fast forward to 8th grade. I had to write a history paper for my final. Of course, I chose "Fashions Through History" I got an A! Thank you very much. So you see, its all there, all the puzzle pieces are on the table.
Cut to 2009. Tired of being a "Fire Widow" you know, the woman who loves a firefighter, who loves his job. Hes away so much. So in effort not to be such a 'sad sack' I began looking for outlets. We drove up to Pasadena for coffee one afternoon, and I looked at the place next to the freeway which has those neat victorian era houses, and a chruch. I had been looking at those places for years...since before Nigel was born actually.
This time was different. I looked up their website and found that they have volunteers. Ooooooooh VOLUNTEERS. So being mostly unemployed, I signed up. With pounding heart and hope that I too could lead tours whist wearing a hoop skirt.
Back up again, just a bit. Whewww this is getting long. I began to make corsets in 2008 Couldnt afford to buy a decent corset, so me being me I learned to make them. That is a whole 'nother blog in itself.
To my delight, the museum was super happy to have me. Of course I won them over with my overwhelming enthusiasm...hehe. So off to training classes I went. I went to 1. ONE and being the HAM I am, I gave a tour that day. Oh how hooked I was.
The rest is dress history, now I have an outlet to wear the delightful, frothy confections I design. All while being tightly laced into a corset with hoops, 5 layers of under wear and happier than a litttle clam.
So measure up a few yards of lace and come sit with me while I stitch it onto a skirt.
So in order to keep track of what is and what shall be, I am opening this shiny new blog.
I will back track a bit and share details of my first adventures with my Victorian clothing operation, nothing much has changed since Victorian times, I still need a billion details, and a whole 'nother person to get dressed, much like my Victorian ancestresses...BUT since I am stuck here in this 21st century, I need to be dressed as such. Which means double wardrobes. gahhhhhh
Thus as how we begin...at the beginning.
My interest in fashion history began years and years ago. Maybe as a little girl? For sure I can pinpoint my first viewing of Gone With the Wind on the big screen at the Bay Theatre on Second St in Long Beach as a marker. The story goes, I had my allowance and I used to go see a movie on saturdays, this week it was GWtW. So I got my ticket, sat down and was absolutely mesmerized for several hours. THEN I sat through it again, until intermission then I realized I needed to get home where my mom promptly said "Oh honey, Im glad you are home, change your clothes, we are going to the movies. Gone With The Wind is playing!" heh....yeah I sat through it 2.5 times. ANYWAY, long story even longer. I was hooked. Hoop skirts, corsets, petticoats. I wanted them. But in 1970's Long Beach well you know. I was in 5th grade. No outlet.
Fast forward to 8th grade. I had to write a history paper for my final. Of course, I chose "Fashions Through History" I got an A! Thank you very much. So you see, its all there, all the puzzle pieces are on the table.
Cut to 2009. Tired of being a "Fire Widow" you know, the woman who loves a firefighter, who loves his job. Hes away so much. So in effort not to be such a 'sad sack' I began looking for outlets. We drove up to Pasadena for coffee one afternoon, and I looked at the place next to the freeway which has those neat victorian era houses, and a chruch. I had been looking at those places for years...since before Nigel was born actually.
This time was different. I looked up their website and found that they have volunteers. Ooooooooh VOLUNTEERS. So being mostly unemployed, I signed up. With pounding heart and hope that I too could lead tours whist wearing a hoop skirt.
Back up again, just a bit. Whewww this is getting long. I began to make corsets in 2008 Couldnt afford to buy a decent corset, so me being me I learned to make them. That is a whole 'nother blog in itself.
To my delight, the museum was super happy to have me. Of course I won them over with my overwhelming enthusiasm...hehe. So off to training classes I went. I went to 1. ONE and being the HAM I am, I gave a tour that day. Oh how hooked I was.
The rest is dress history, now I have an outlet to wear the delightful, frothy confections I design. All while being tightly laced into a corset with hoops, 5 layers of under wear and happier than a litttle clam.
So measure up a few yards of lace and come sit with me while I stitch it onto a skirt.
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