Non-SCA sewing projects

[operafantomet]

Would it be OK to have a topic about costume and sewing projects that doesn't belong to the SCA period? I work a lot with various other costumes, and it seems like many of you do too.

My latest project is a quasi-Victorian wedding dress, meant to be a replica of one worn in "Phantom of the Opera". Although it looks fairly good in the picture underneath, the bodice needs a serious remodeling before I can be remotely happy with it. Right now it's too tight over the bust, the back is strained, the basque is a bit off, and the sleeves are wrong... But I love the materials I've used, so I will work on it until I'm happy. Will probably finish it in 2031...



More here: http://aneafiles.webs.com/weddingdress.html

[Lady Caroline]

Very pretty!

I think a permanent heading for non SCA would be a great idea! 

[GirlChris]

There is! It's in the "Mundane Topics" forum, and it's stickied.

[LadyStitch]

The only problem is that no one thinks to go there to see what non-SCA projects people are up to. 

[Lady_Glorianna]

I thought that the topic on mundane was for mundane clothing. A while ago on this section there was a non-ren clothing topic. Not to get on a debate and IMHO since not everyone here belongs to the SCA, a non ren sewing would be more appropriate as it could be interpreted that ren clothing not conforming to SCA rules would fall under this topic

[Genievea Brookstone]

Anea  that is breath taking!

[operafantomet]

I thought that the topic on mundane was for mundane clothing. A while ago on this section there was a non-ren clothing topic. Not to get on a debate and IMHO since not everyone here belongs to the SCA, a non ren sewing would be more appropriate as it could be interpreted that ren clothing not conforming to SCA rules would fall under this topic

Doesn't matter to me what the topic is called; my idea was to have a topic for periods that are earlier and later than the focus area of the SCA (Medieval through 17th century), as well as for fantasy costumes. You're free to choose a proper name. 

[DonaCatalina]

Maybe this would need to be 2 threads.

One for Ren Faire fantasy Sewing

and another for Historical Non Ren Faire Sewing.

[Valencia]

Maybe this would need to be 2 threads.

One for Ren Faire fantasy Sewing

and another for Historical Non Ren Faire Sewing.

Totally agree. I would love to see other historical but non-ren faire stuff. 

[gem]

Or maybe we could just relax and post individual threads as they come up... OR include *all* periods under the heading of "Garb" and continue to post them in the In Progress thread.  I don't think we need another sticky thread (witness the Craft forum, where it's almost impossible to find anything because every single topic is stickied).

I think most of the people who post here make all kinds of garb and costuming projects, and "SCA period"--or historically accurate of *any* period--is only such a small portion of what we all do. Think about all the steampunk garb, the fairy costumes, the wench wear, etc. I don't think we need another dedicated topic.  We should all feel free to post what we're working on, in the general realm of fair/fantasy/period costuming, and not feel so worried about posting in the "right" thread. I think we all remember what it was like before Carrie took over the moderator job--how tense and nervous and  UNFUN it was, because we weren't "allowed" to post anything that wasn't strictly Fair, and we were discouraged from discussing historical accuracy because it might hurt people's feelings?  Nobody wants to go back to that!

***
On a related topic, I would LOVE IT if we could move the Mundane Sewing thread to *this* forum (non-stickied, just like the In-Progress and Finished Projects and Portrait Gown threads). In all the time it's been around, I have remembered to go look for it ONCE. Could we do that, pretty please? I think Mundane Sewing has the emphasis on *sewing,* not on mundane, so it just makes more sense for it to be here. Are there people who post there who don't also make garb?

[DonaCatalina]

On a related topic, I would LOVE IT if we could move the Mundane Sewing thread to *this* forum (non-stickied, just like the In-Progress and Finished Projects and Portrait Gown threads). In all the time it's been around, I have remembered to go look for it ONCE. Could we do that, pretty please? I think Mundane Sewing has the emphasis on *sewing,* not on mundane, so it just makes more sense for it to be here. Are there people who post there who don't also make garb?

I don't know. For myself, everything I make is historical in some way, from the Iron Age up to 1600.

[Valencia]

I remember those days, Gem, it was a horrible environment.  I forgot we can actually post our own topics now without getting yelled at, lol : )

[gem]

On a related topic, I would LOVE IT if we could move the Mundane Sewing thread to *this* forum (non-stickied, just like the In-Progress and Finished Projects and Portrait Gown threads). In all the time it's been around, I have remembered to go look for it ONCE. Could we do that, pretty please? I think Mundane Sewing has the emphasis on *sewing,* not on mundane, so it just makes more sense for it to be here. Are there people who post there who don't also make garb?

I don't know. For myself, everything I make is historical in some way, from the Iron Age up to 1600.

No, me too, but I always appreciate hearing general sewing techniques/tips/information, and I'd enjoy reading about other's projects... but the ONLY place I come on this board are the Garb forums. What I meant was, are there any people on the Mundane thread who AREN'T also over here in Sewing? I'd assume any sewer frequenting a Renfair board is probably also making garb. But like I said, I never find my way to that thread, so maybe it's full of folks who don't do any costuming. I just assumed it was mostly folks from this forum posting over there.

***
Thanks, Jacqueline.

And, Anea: Can we have more pictures, please? I love the frothy white gown.

[Marietta Graziella]

There's a sewing thread in the Mundane topics...? 

[flidais]

Oh my is that your sewing room?  I am green with envy.  My sewing room looks like a fabric store and ren-faire collided.  It is not pretty.  What is pretty is your white dress.  I have to say, I am a huge fan of your work, so detail oriented!  I cannot manage to recreate anything.  I end up with alot of stuff that is "inspired by" something I wanted to recreate. 

[Elennare]

There's a sewing thread in the Mundane topics...? 

There is, but it's pretty dead.  I think it would be awesome if it were moved here.

[Aunty Lou]

For instance, I recently bought a few yards of a very fine, off-white silk.  Too fine to make a standard collared shirt w/placket & buttons, and I would like input into what sort of top to make...  Keeping in mind I am not a slender person, and the gathered tank styles fashionable right now look like sacks...  I can never get bias-cut thinds to lay correctly...

[PrincessSara]

I love the really ancient costumes, Mesopotamian and Egyptian and Greek and Roman and so on.  It's hard to find information on some of them though. 

One of these days I'm going to work my third incarnation of my Boudicca costume - in real wool this time!  Nyah!  I've made two so far, both in plaid, one with a red cape and one with a faux bearskin type cape.  I really need to find a good chequered wool.

DonaCatalina, do you have any research sources on Bronze Age Britain?  I've had a really hard time finding anything on Boudicca that isn't Victorian romanticized fantasy.

[operafantomet]

DonaCatalina, do you have any research sources on Bronze Age Britain?  I've had a really hard time finding anything on Boudicca that isn't Victorian romanticized fantasy.

Bronze age isn't my forte, but I know there's found several garbs and outfits from that period in Denmark. I would assume they correspond with the British one, although there are bound to be differences as well. The most famous find is "Egtvedpigen", the Egtved Girl. Although the cut of the garbs seems to be traditional, her rope skirt is rather interesting. Here's some Danish links, feel free to ask for translations if Google translation doesn't do the trick:

WOMEN:
http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/livet_i_oldtiden/hvordan_gik_de_klaedt/bronzealderens_dragter/kvindens_dragt_i_bronzealderen/language/dk/

MEN:
http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/livet_i_oldtiden/hvordan_gik_de_klaedt/bronzealderens_dragter/mandens_dragt_i_bronzealderen/

EGTVED GIRL:
http://oldtiden.natmus.dk/udstillingen/bronzealderen/egtvedpigen/snoreskoerter_og_ritualer/

Flidais, that is not my sewing room, but my entire studio apartment... hehe. I live in a shoe box! But a pretty shoe box. Genievea Brookstone, and Gem, thank you so much for your nice words! I still struggle with that bodice (should take pics that shows why), but I will conquer it. I will! There are more pics in the link I provided, here:
http://aneafiles.webs.com/weddingdress.html

[DonaCatalina]

DonaCatalina, do you have any research sources on Bronze Age Britain?  I've had a really hard time finding anything on Boudicca that isn't Victorian romanticized fantasy.

Its really heavy reading. Most of the available material is Irish, but there are some British finds. I am missing a book which dealt with excavations of Celtic Oppida in France (Gaul) where textile and jewelry workshops were found exactly as they were abandoned when their owners went to defend against Roman armies (probably Caesar).
Happy hunting-
'Life and Death of  Druid Prince' Dr. Anne Ross isbn 0-671-69536-3
'Everyday Life of the Pagan Celts' Dr. Anne Ross printed and bound in Great Britain by Jarrold & Sons lt. Norwich and London 1970
'The Testimony of the Spade' Geoffrey Bibby L.C. card catalog number 56-8916
'Prehistoric Textiles' Barber, E.J.W. 1992. Princeton University press, Oxford.
'Bronze Age Fashion' Broholm, H.C. & Hald, M. 1948. Gyldendal, Copenhagen.
'Northern European Textiles until 1000 AD' Jørgensen, E.B. 1992. Aarhus University Press.
'Pagan Celtic Britain' Dr. Anne Rossisbn 0-89733-435-3
'Celtic Heritage' Alwyn Rees & Brinley Rees  Published by Thames & Hudson 1961

[Hoowil]

There was quite a bit of drama around the non-ren sewing issue. It did end up resulting in a mundane sewing thread sticky in the mundane topics. It also ended up with rather heated parties, some of who left the forum because of it. Personally, I think that we use the same skill to do any sewing, be it period or nor, HA or not. The distinction seems (seams   ) a little odd to me. If we were to hold it to a vote, I would say, let the mundane be moved here. Also, why not sticky the project thread, including the mundane? This forum, especially this area, is about sharing ideas, basking in the glow of things accomplished, and asking and offering help.
It looks as if many, if not all, of us have already accepted non HA, fantasy, and steampunk as acceptable, so why not other areas?

[auntiegiggles]

Lovely idea Hoowil!

[gem]

I am bumping this thread up again to re-address the issue of relocating the Mundane Sewing thread to this forum. I think we all thought it was a good idea, yes? I asked earlier this week in Ask an Admin (and Lady Kett kindly seconded the post), but haven't had a response yet. Is everybody still interested in this move? Is there somebody we should Renmail directly? Or maybe a couple more posts in the thread over in Ask an Admin might help?

Gramercy!!

[Kate XXXXXX]

Oh, yes, get it moved here!  That way we won't keep forgetting it exists!

After all, there's hardly a non-historic project I do that doesn't involve techniques used in historic projects of all eras.

[Anna Iram]

As I recall there was a strong desire a few years back to attempt to keep not just the sewing threads but the majority of the forum relevant to Ren faires, so the Mundane area was created for threads that didn't fit in with that vision.

While I do agree with this for the most part, after all we are called RF.com. for a reason, my opinion is the forum has changed a great deal since those days and perhaps it is more relevant now to our community to include the mundane and other non faire sewing threads in the sewing forums.

Gem, I'd send a note to the moderator of the sewing forum and ask her to bring it up again to the board. I'd give it a thumbs up.