Gallery of In Progress Projects

[Kate XXXXXX]

Need LIKE button... 

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

A  Fantasy wedding ensemble I have been working on for a late December wedding. The colors are Crème and Purple. The main Fabric is Dupioni Silk.


The inspiration for this project.

My take with subtle changes...

The unfinished corset. The flowers are pinned on in the places I will tack them down securely. There will be grommets down the back and front of the corset, laced with the purple ribbon.







The full length lined cloak will complete the ensemble. Things look crude now. But once laced, it will all fit together.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

The Shoe repair did a fantastic job in putting in the grommets for me through all the thicknesses. I have a few things on the skirts to do. Elizabeth  is working on the lined cloak.

[Irma]

I've started a gown based on portraits of Anne of Bohemia and Mary of Hungary.  These are photos of the bodice pieces before assembling.  I am so excited about how well I was able to use the pattern printed on this fabric.  The bodice is assembled, but needs a little fine tuning.  More photos will follow.
     

[isabelladangelo]

The first image is of Anne Boleyn (it says A. Boleyn at the bottom of the image).  It's from this full painting http://www.flickr.com/photos/33317700@N07/4637049545/# which dates to the 19th Century. 

The pattern looks like it will be very good.  I admit, I wouldn't use that fabric though - it looks 1830's to my eye and not 16th Century.  I know you already bought it, cut it, and probably will only wear it to the Renn Fest.  I'd save the pattern to use again - it really looks good!- and make a second dress out of something more like this: http://www.etsy.com/listing/67477365/red-damask-velvet-fabric-with-gold-print

[gem]

That Anne Boleyn portrait (from the polyptych of all the wives) is just weird, because it doesn't look anything like Anne Boleyn, and is obviously based on portraits of Anne of Bohemia and Hungary! Confusing. Here's her 1520 portrait by Hans Maler (I just ran across that the other day, and it caught my eye b/c of the elaborate trim on her hemd.)

Irma, that's going to be spectacular!! I think the fabric works; Anne was often painted in really rich, heavy fabrics with a lot of detail, and it's immediately going to peg your impression as Not English, Not Spanish, Not Italian, etc.

Can't wait to see the rest (especially the SLEEVES!)!

[Irma]

GEM:  Thank you for the vote of confidence.  Sorry, I neglected to add the detail about the A. Boleyn image as actually resembling Anne of Bohemia.  My understanding is that they were contemporaries.  This is my attempt at the hemd.  It's my first-ever use of smocking.  It's not as precise as I had hoped.  Maybe I will try again in the future.  The tank top was for modesty for the photo.

My taste does lean towards German.  Besides, I already have the hat. 

[Irma]

More progress photos.  Had to lay this out flat because Frau Schneider does not have any give.
   

[Rowan MacD]

 Irma-I'm seriously loving this gown.  The way you used the pattern in the fabric is wonderful. 
   The smocking on the shift is fine..They would have done it by hand in period, so any little 'mistakes' will only look natural.
   I can barely manage a basic chemise, but I want to try this later on.
I second Gem-I want to see this when it's done!
 

[DonaCatalina]

Each step you show us looks so impressive. I can't wait to see it done.

[Rani Zemirah]

(sigh)  Fantastic... everything! 

Irma, your gown is going to be lovely!  It already is!  I absolutely LOVE that pattern, with all of the tiny detail... and it is in my very favorite color combination!  I am also incredibly impressed with your patience with all of that smocking.  It looks wonderful, and so amazingly detailed.  It must have taken ages! 


And Lady K, the wedding dress is going to make your bride so happy!  It's elegant simplicity is highlighted by the dramatic splashes of color from the flowers... and I can't wait to see it with the cloak! 

[Crimson]

Hi there!  I'm new to this forum and relatively new to sewing garb.  Back in October I finished my first two projects; a knife pleat kilt for my son and a box pleat kilt for myself.  I am in that box pleat kilt in my profile picture.  Right now I'm trying to extend my garb wardrobe by sticking to the base colors of my pirate persona in black and red.  Kind of Geranimals style so that I can mix and match depending on my mood and the weather. 

I have two projects in the works.  I am almost done with an underbust bodice with light boning.  It's red brocade reversible with black twill on the reverse.  I'm going to finish the corset front with some black leather to put the eyelets through instead of putting them through the brocade with the possibility of the brocade pulling and turning out stringy.

The second project is a pirate coat made of black damask.  I used Simplicity 3677 for the base pattern.  I am lining it with a wine colored cordouroy.  I added muslin to the cordouroy layer to add weight.  The lining is only in the bodice and I french seamed the skirt part of the coat.  I'm going to add a cap sleeve to the coat and make the sleeves detachable by adding some buttons to the coat and small elastic loops to the sleeves.  The cap sleeves will hide the buttons and the attachment points, hopefully.

Many of my alterations to the coat pattern have come from ideas I've gotten from this forum.  You all are such a great resource!  Thank you so much!

This is my first time to post a pic so I hope this works.





Lady Crimson Cadena

[mollymishap]

Ah, very nice, Lady CC!  I like the colors you've chosen.  Welcome to the forum & keep us posted on your progress!

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

(sigh)  Fantastic... everything! 



And Lady K, the wedding dress is going to make your bride so happy!  It's elegant simplicity is highlighted by the dramatic splashes of color from the flowers... and I can't wait to see it with the cloak!

Rani! My Bride stiffed me. No calls from her on the progress. The numbers I had for her were no longer in service or belonged to other people. At least I collected a little more than half for the commission when I took it on. But the fact that this customer had moved numerous times told me I had to be careful. So I need to look for a buyer for this project just to break even. this is the first time in my career that this happened. I am so pissed. 

[Kate XXXXXX]

Ugh.  Lady K, we have a strict policy of 30-50% non-returnable deposit for labour, plus all monies for fabrics and findings up front.  That way, if the project falls apart, we do at least have the garment to sell on if they cancel or fail to collect.  We are about to write in a clause that says we will hold on to completed garments or fabrics and findings for six months, after which we deem them unsolicited gifts and will dispose of them as we see fit.

This stood us in good stead just before Christmas, when a mad Nigerian 'emperor' ordered a uniform from us, paid 50% deposite on labout plus several hundred for fabrics and findings, and then when his wife made it impossible to us to accept her contract, threw all his toys out of the pram and cancelled his, asking for all his money back.  Tough titty, mate!  We have your signature and a date on the paper, agreeing to our T&T's!  If he asks for his linen, epaulettes, buttons, etc. he cxan hav them, but he's not getting the non-refundable deposit back!  Luckily we'd only made his toile.