Gallery of Finished Projects

[gem]

Stitch, the prosthetic heads are real, from the original TV show (we bought them at an auction). We did the rest of the makeup ourselves, thanks to LOTS of help from the forum!  (I had latex in my hair for a week. Ow.)

[Alisoun]

Gem, you and your husband are awesome squared! Love, love, love your costumes!

[PhoenixRose]

All I have is a crappy cell phone pic (yey for dogs stepping on your camera and breaking it...) but here is the bodice I asked for so much advice on!

The binding is crap, but I did it in a hurry to be able to wear it last weekend. I'll prob pick it off and redo it at some point. I also made my skirt, chemise, and The Boy's hat.

[Toua Taru]

Phoenix - for it being done in a hurry it looks great on you. I love the color combination.

[gem]

Cough, cough...

IT'S FINISHED!!!  And, well, wearable! Hee!




It was in the 90s today, so no sleeves, my beaded caul has been delayed by Irene, my hat won't be done until October, and I didn't get around to girdle-fying the pearl necklace I bought... but the KIRTLE is done!  And it was so much fun to wear!

The recap: Kirtle from cotton damask tablecloths, using the Simplicity 2621 corset as a base. I moved the lacing from back to side-backs and added a basic 3-gore skirt pattern, cartridge pleated to the bodice. The hem is stiffened with 2" cotton belting, which moves *beautifully.* Very pleased with that choice. I've been working on this since--I'm embarrassed to say it--January. I did finish a couple of weeks ago, at least! There was a lot of hand-work--tacking down the piping, making 30 hand-bound eyelets, the whole lining was inserted by hand, etc. SO FUN!

Anyway, it was a major piece for me, because I've been intending to make a kirtle (which *should* be a pretty basic, fundamental piece!) for *years* now. At the beginning of 2011, I said that if I didn't manage to make a kirtle this year, I was hangin' up my sewing machine. I'm very happy to say that that is NOT going to happen! In fact, I'm about halfway through another dress, which I'm hoping to debut next weekend.

BIG THANKS to everyone for cheering me along with advice and encouragement this year!

[Alisoun]

Gem, that is beautiful! Both the color and the fit are lovely on you. You did a great job! Congratulations!

[Butch]

Michael said he saw you today, is that what you wore?  It looks beautiful!  Sorry I missed you!

[Lady Rebecca]

Beautiful! The fit on the bodice looks really perfect!

[Kate XXXXXX]

Lovely job.  Well done.

[Betty Munro]

PhoenixRose, I think your outfit is perfectly delightful.  Excellent faire wench wear.  That is what I make too.  It is so easy to pick apart our own work, but each garment we make gets better and better.  So for every mistake I think I find, I reward myself with another bodice / skirt / chemise.  LOL!

Gem, you have inspired me to try my hand at a kirtle!!!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

The Kirtle looks great on you, gem! Well done.

Do you plan an Overdress to go with it? Perhaps a Black Brocade for a Tudor look? Black would look awesome with your dark Lavender.

[operafantomet]

Gem, I am looooooving it! It fits like a glove, and the colour is phenomenal. Drool!

[gem]

Thanks, everyone!  Anea, I love the color, too. It has an unusual depth to it that was hard to photograph until we got outside, sometimes looking more plum or burgundy. But this "antique violet" shade is the "true" color.

Lady K, I actually made a set of reversible sleeves for it, so I can wear it as a gown... but I'm definitely hoping to add another layer to the ensemble. I've been wanting a fitted English gown for a while--just need to find some charcoal grey wool flannel! (For some reason, a harder task than you'd imagine.  )

[operafantomet]

Thanks, everyone!  Anea, I love the color, too. It has an unusual depth to it that was hard to photograph until we got outside, sometimes looking more plum or burgundy. But this "antique violet" shade is the "true" color.

I think that's partly why I love the colour. It appears to have a red ground colour with violet on top. Like, period dyers would dip fabrics first in one dye bath, and then in another, to achieve the desired colour. Mixing two dye baths into one shade was usually not done (a heritage from Mediaeval belief that by doing that you would tamper with the order of nature, I.E. God's creation). And your colour looks like it was first dipped into a red shade, then a blue one, so they in total forms a violet/plum shade, but with red being the ground colour.

I'm not saying that's how your fabric was actually dyed, but it gives the impression of it. And that's what I dig. But the fit is also gorgeous. You MUST enter than one for the Realm of Venus Showcase!

[Genievea Brookstone]

Gem!  That looks amazing!  I hope we get to see you in it when we come down to KC next month