The Year in Review

Rather than a written recap of my sewing and events over the last year, I'm just going to do pictures :) enjoy!

DONE!

I did it! Completely finished, hem and all, not even a last minute stitch needed :D 

And now the really hard part! . . . How to get the whole dress stuffed into my carry on suitcase WITH all my other normal clothes for the weekend ;)

Getting closer

To having this dress done on time!!

I was able to set and sew down all the braid on the front, complete with toggles and set and finished the collar :)

The braid and the whole dress in fact, is being stylized after a british military frock coat. Of which Michael has two of course ;) one for the Coldstream Guards the other for the 13th Hussars. This is a picture of his guards frock coat , up close for detail.

And this is of a Victorian officer wearing one.

It was a common practice in just about every era to incorporate military styling in women's fashion especially in hunt wear and overcoats.

My dress is really coming together, all that remains for this iteration of the dress is getting it hemmed which I will finish>tonight! In the future I intend to add to the sleeves, back and skirt, passementarie, like you see on the military frocks done in narrow black russia braid.

An Update

So the dress has been fitted and the front set. Even got my buttons on :)

This evening will be the collar and front braiding.

The Last Dress

So I have finally started to make progress on the last dress scheduled for Dickens fair. I had a big set back on my schedule due to an early season cold that had me down for a few weeks :( but I am much better now and really trying to get the dress done (or at least done enough to wear) for this weekend. 

The dress started months ago, when I made a mock up and fitted the top portion of the dress. Which then turned into the new black velvet jacket for this year :)http://cursewordsandcrinolines.blogspot.com/2012/11/black-velvet-jacket.html?
I had the whole dress cut out before the fair even started, but then things got put on hold during my cold. Now however the dress is assembled! And I am working on fitting and setting the front closure and hemming the dress. Here it is on the dress form, looking dark and plain. 

The dress is made out of a summer weight wool suiting in dark blue, and as it is all one piece it weighs a ton!! I like the look of it though, the princess cut is very flattering, and i think it will look great once it has it's military inspired decoration on the front (if I get that far this year ;)

Updates to follow shorty! As I am really determined and putting some long hours into it this week

Updates from the Dickens Fair

As you can probably tell from my lack of posting the fair is keeping me very busy! What with all the traveling and long days AND a normal 9-5 job I haven't had time for anything else including sewing. 

But I am having an absolute blast again!! :)

There's not a lot of pictures to show for all the fun I am having, as I am too busy to stop and remember to take photos, so any photos are coming from other people that Michael finds on Facebook :)

Here is one of my friend Laura and I. I'm wearing the new silver dress and she is wearing my new plaid skirt and the Spanish jacket and waistcoat from last year. It's fun having someone my size to raid my closet and help me wear all my stuff ;)