How I Got Bit By The Costuming Bug!

Vintage Inspired Glasses Haul!

Hitting An Uninspired Sewing Roadblock

   It's been about 3 weeks since I uploaded my last video, but it isn't as though I haven't been creating. But I feel as though I've hit a major creativity roadblock.   
   I've been creating, but it seems that whatever I've make, just hasn't turned out right, or at least not what I was expecting.

   Usually I can "go with the flow" and still make a decent product even if it has flaws. I'm pretty good at having the patience to figure out what I need to do to
"make it work". But recently, my last three projects, have been complete boat anchors! 

   Usually what I do to overcome a sewing fail is to barrel onward and start another. I have so many sewing projects that I want to do, so I immediately start another project to keep myself motivated in light of a recent sewing fail. But with three failed project in a row, I just can't seem to overcome my devastation and lack of motivation to get back into the sewing room. The three failed projects won't be thrown away, I'll toss them in the "needs work" pile, and come back to them later when I'm feeling more inspired.
   I'm also very discouraged with it comes to my videos. I'm producing the best videos that I know how, at the moment. With hours of  work put into filming, then editing, and updating all my social media, it's work! Work that doesn't seem to be worth it. YouTube is also very discouragingly slow to

grow subscribers, or views on my videos. I get very few or far between view to my other social media outlets or my blog. I seem to have the best luck with minute, shot-term results which is posting my makes no Facebook and post the link to my channel to direct people to subscribe. Basically politely as I can advertising myself. Which I don't know any other way to get myself noticed. Not that I want my channel to take off too well too fast, but some recognition for the work I've currently put in would be very encouraging.
   So for now, I plan to divert my attention on to some other hobbies until I can get my sewing creativity back.   

   

Retro Cocktail Birthday/Easter Dress

Embroidered edge.

The sketch.

  This year my birthday fell on Easter (April 21). So sometime last year I purchased a heavily embroidered, organza fabric, with the plans to make myself a fancy retro cocktail/Easter dress.
   It wasn't until late march that I actually started working out the design details of the actual dress. I knew I wanted to utilize the embroidered salvage edge as much as possible in the final design. I had intended on making the under dress out of a lavender cotton (purple is my favorite color!), but couldn't find any at an affordable price that was the correct shade of purple, so mint it was!

Corseted back.

   I started off by making the and boning the mint sweetheart bodice to the under dress, as well and cut the skirt panels. I then cut out the skirt panels for the embroidered organza. Setting them aside, I concentrated on the organza bodice. The ending result was very far from the original idea I had in mind for the dress. Partly due to my miscalculations, partly because of the deadline I was working under, I had to come up with a way to make it work. Taking a page out of some bridal gown books, sewed some fabric loops on either side of the open of the organza overlay opening, creating a corseted effect.
   The skirt panels for the under and over skirt, came together quickly, and without any hiccups.

My miscalculations. 

   In the nick of time, I finished by dress. I first debuted this dress at my brother's house on April 13th for an early Easter get together, which was the reason for the expedited deadline.
   I was able to enjoy the dress again on Easter for church services, of which I received many compliments on the dress. Afterwards, for my birthday, we went to a theme park for some BBQ. The weather was bright and sunny, with a tad bit of overcast, the perfect day for an Easter Egg Hunt and to celebrate my impending turning of 30 years old!
   Check out my progress video on my channel on all the challenges I encounter along the way. Please subscribe to my channel, it's free! A like, comment, or a share is encouraging and really helps me out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1pq2egr9jU&t=1s

Daisy Print Dress

Open back and button detail.

   This is the second version of this dress I've made, and I love this version just as much as the first. Even the open back isn't a problem.
   The fist time I made this dress, I was a bit unsure of the exposed back, thinking it wouldn't look flattering on me. By the time I got around this making this dress I knew it wasn't going to be a problem. I absolutely love the color contrast of the daises against the blue background. And the button detail in the back sets off the yellow centers of the daises.   
   There is a progress vlog on my channel describing in more detail the process of how I made this dress and some of the design hiccups I encountered along the way. Most likely the only thing I would change is the yoke. I choose to put a rather stiff interfacing in it, which I regret. I think either a lighter-weight or no interfacing at all would be better, considering the cotton fabric has a decent stiffness to it already.
   I also own this same fabric in pink. It also comes in several other shades, including purple! Purple is my favorite color! I may have to have a few more dresses in this print.

Gathered bodice.

How To Make A Taco Purse! (Edited)

   Who doesn't need a Taco Purse in their life? Life is too short not to enjoy a fun, festive, novelty taco purse! Made with common yet inexpensive materials, with a tad bit of patience, you can be just as stylish with your taco purse! Let's get stated!
  When filming this tutorial, I didn't have any definitive plan in place when making the actual purse. It was all trial and error, and it miraculously it turned out fine! I'm pretty excited about my new taco themed accessory, and it's a great conversation piece as well.   
 

The Great Kitten Rescue!

Chiffon Polka-Dot Dress

 
   My husband said that this dress was his favorite that I've ever made to date. I was completely floored when he made that statement one day. I always make conservative clothing for myself, and that's what I feel most comfortable in. I wasn't showing a bounty of cleavage or leg, so I'm not exactly sure, out of the many dress I've made over the years, what puts this one at the top.
   Perhaps because it's made of a slinky chiffon and the dress is tailored a bit more form-fitting than others, but still with a full skirt. The dress is entirely lined with a light weight muslin since the chiffon was too sheer, or perhaps on the day in question, it was a toasty summer day and I had decided not to wear my retro petticoat underneath for any added fullness.

Anyhow, the construction of this dress was certainly a test of my patience. The bodice panels are all ruched, which I had to mount on the muslin for support. When it came time to assemble the bodice, I had trouble with the edges of the chiffon fraying, I had to overlock the raw seams numerous times to ensure I had the wispy, tattered edges covered.
   For the shoulder strap, I knew I wanted them to be wide, so I could wear a supportive bra. I'm not entirely happy with the straps, I feel they are too wide, and feel as though they throw off the proportion ratio. I ended up tying lengths of ribbon over the shoulder straps, at the crest of the shoulders to gather in the width of the shoulder strap, which I like the appearance of much better.
   I adjusted the princess seaming sightly, and the rest of the dress went together peachy.
 
   Belt : Modern from Lane Bryant.
   Sweater: I've had in my collection for a long time, and altered it to a shorter length.
   Shoes: Mod Cloth.
   Purse: from my vintage collection.     

(EDITED) My Uncharted DIY Retro Fish Swim Suit

My retro fish printed swim dress was definitely a challenging, but fun to make, and a blast to wear.
   My goal was a conservative design, all too often I see women wearing suits that are far too revealing. You certainly don't have to dress like an aquatic nun, but I don't really want people viewing me practically naked as I enjoy the summer sun.
   I used a old bra for the bodice structure, another thing I don't appreciate aside from too-revealing swimwear, is an unsupported chest. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about women being liberated from having to conform to what society deems "flattering" for your body type. I'm all about confidence, and loving your body as it is, and everyone should be able have the option to choose to wear what they want. But I personally consider the built-in underwire structure in a bathing suit to be a sign of a well-made, well-designed article of swimwear. Also, I just prefer my chest to be as supported as possible, and between you and me, my geese have permanently flown south! ;)
   The swim dress is fully lined and made from cotton, fish print fabric, with a one-piece swim suit underneath, made form a four-way stretch scuba knit. The ruffle at the neckline of the bodice is of the same scuba knit fabric.
   The real trouble is when I got to the fish midriff back pieces, being made of cotton, they didn't stretch, yet the back bands of the bra, did. I needed the midriff back pieces to stretch with the bra, so I ended up creating tubes of fabric that I used to cover the elastic bands of the bra, something similar to bunched up socks, when worn the tubes would stretch to length, but sill covered the bra bands and looked cohesive. The only sections of the original bra that will remain visible, are the bra connectors at the center back, and the adjustable elastic shoulder straps with the sliders. Be sure to use a bra with a complimentary color to your fabric so it doesn't look too unsightly.     
   The skirt was the simplest to make, a circle skirt that I hemmed to length.
   The only foreseeable problems with this swim dress is that the chlorinated water may bleach out your fabric over time.     
   The full tutorial on how to make this same retro swim dress is on my channel.

My Uncharted DIY Retro Fish Swim Suit

New Orleans Trip 2018/We Spotted A Sunken Ship!

Renaissance Costume: Tavern Wench

The Tavern Wench costume is the simplest in construction. The gathered peasant top is modern made. The skirt is a simple 4 panel, gathered skirt, set on a waistband. The vest was the most complicated to make at the time. This was back in the day in which I never gave a second thought to making a mock up beforehand. I had had the forethought to try to enlarge the front, a very crude way of pattern grading. But I didn't, at the time know how to grade up the peplum, I ended up having to sewing in a piece into the back to make it fit correctly. The vest is boned with feather light plastic boning in all the seaming. This costume is something I could probably remake into something better. 

Renaissance Costume: Court Gown

    I can't remember exactly when I made this costume, I'd say it was 2013-2014ish. I made it to go to the Renaissance Festival.
   Back when I first made it, it was a garment that was at the top of my skill level. While from a far it looks great, and is richly detailed. But looking back on the construction, I basically got it done blind folded. I primarily worked from patterns but constructed it in the best when that I could understand, I didn't necessarily closely follow the directions. I did extensive research on Renaissance gowns, mainly taking inspiration from movie Everafter with Drew Barrymore. While I wasn't able to find fabrics to exactly match the costumes that Danielle De Barbarac or the other characters wore, I decided to go with my own design. I searched far and wide for the jacquard ribbon that I used on the V-front and down the split of the skirt. The other fabrics I sourced from the local fabric store.
   The inside of the dress is rough to say the least! No lining! No seam finishing! Raw, unraveling, bits of threads everywhere! I plan to embark on a whole video series on finishing the insides of my old costumes. I think I may take the gold outer skirt off of the bodice and rearrange the pleats at the back of the skirt to a more flattering configuration.   The stays I didn't make, but ended up recovering them with a white quilting cotton fashion fabric to give them an undated appearance. The stays are boned, but not fully with 1/2 inch flat steel bones. When taking these pictures, I decided to try out historically accurate spiral lacing, but because they were laced in such a way, I couldn't get my arms up my back well enough to tighten them as they needed to be. I've also decided I detest spiral lacing because of this. My husband wasn't home at the time to have him tighten them any further on me. I prefer the "rabbit ear" method of lacing of which I don't have to rely on anyone to help me. It had also been years since I had put on a corset or stays and didn't want to lace them super tight. Also being a one woman camera crew is difficult enough!
   The headdress is of my own invention, made up of 16 gauge wire, ribbons and beads. Its hair pined into by and then the edges of the headdress is covered with my natural hair. To further add detail to the hairstyle, weaving ribbons into the braids would further add to the complicated allure of the hairstyle. Or perhaps looking into some hair taping techniques would be fun! I purchased the tiara at the Ren Fest, not something I made.

   I ended up going to the Ren Fest with a few friends from work and had a blast!

If you want to see this costume in action, here's a link to my video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNtPoAHFwWg