Our Triumphant Return To Blogging

Dear Friends,
      We are so nearly DONE! Sorry about the total lack of updates. My continued lack of a camera cord, and now a camera, have put a damper on us photographing our costuming process. And without pictures, I haven't felt inspired to write.
      As far as the sewing goes, my Rose costume is almost done. I'm now having fun playing with various accessories. In my last update I mentioned that I got the fabric for Rose's pink coat. Well the body of that is done and all it needs are the cuffs and the hem. I got crafty and used black interfacing to create the designs on the collar and cuffs. I paused the movie and free hand drew the designs and cut them out with the lovely rotary cutter Auntie Amy got me for my birthday, and then just ironed them on. The layer of fleece sandwiched between the body of the coat and it's lining makes it really nice and cozy. :)
The remainder of my dress came along pretty simply except for the back sashes. As dear old momma Ruth would say, "let me tell you what an Odyssey that has been". Eventually I got it to drape nicely and snap over the zipper to center it. The rosette at the top was an epic fail so I ended up buying a pre-made on that I think works pretty well. I also had to replace the zipper after having to cut myself out after one disastrous fitting...lol. It's all good now though. :)
Also, our lovely coworker from the Nurse House Don Perry came into work one day and lent me his daughter's Heart of the Ocean. So thanks again Don!

As for Kat, as Im typing this she is FINISHING everything. The last thing she had to do was make the "B" Boleyn necklace which she has just completed!!! YAY! We trimmed everything out last night and Kat had a great fabric find for some covered buttons that match the original painting pretty damn well. Last week we devoted an evening to hemming both the underskirt and the gown and put together the French Hood over three evenings.

I'm really really excited to post some pictures up on here but unfortunately that shall have to wait until Halloween! I plan on doing a really epic photo shoot with lots and lots of pictures sooo definitely check back. Also check back for updates of my cousin Georgia's "Janice" SNL costume!
Thats all for now! Off to FINISH my coat!
Cheers!
Thera

Shake It Like A Poleroid Picture!

Huzzah for photographs! I sadly, am still missing my camera cord, but I finally sat down at the family PC which has a drive for my memory card to upload the pictures. (I love pictures. I had 1008 pictures total on my memory card!) So here is the visual update finally to go with the last post!

Kat's dress so far!

Meanwhile, Kathryn has been hand stitching the black piping she acquired to the raw edge of her lower sleeves. Once that is done we'll move on to making the elastic casing on the the lowest sleeve and stitching the two sleeves together. Once that's done, apart from her hood and hems, Kat's dress is pretty much done! And then we can move on to trims! :)

All the skirts are complet

My costume is also on the brink of completion. I attached the skirts to the bodice the other night and began draping the pink sashes. I also threw in the invisible zipper last night. So far it looks amazing, but I've yet to get the zipper to go up when the dress is on my body. And even when it's not on me, it still is very difficult to zip because of all the sash layers being in one place. Hopefully it will work better when someone other then my father is trying to zip it though. And if not, I'm not 100% thrilled with how the pink sashes are sitting anyway so I may revisit that to solve both problems at once. And I may put two small side darts in the bodice depending on where this thing ends up sitting on me. Other then those tweaks, I just need to make the part if the dark pink sash that dangles down and the rosette for the back and hem up the lowest skirt and this thing in DONE. :)

As far as the coat goes, I decided that even with the new job I couldn't justify spending 80$ for the pink wool. However, I did find some perfectly colored heavy weave for 3.99 a yard that will behave like the wool would have. I'm just going to throw a fleece layer on the top body pieces in between the fabric and the lining to make it warm for Halloween. I'm really excited about this and am currently brainstorming the best way to get the black embroidery on the collar and cuffs so that it's still accurate without a machine that embroiders. (And I *do not* have the time to hand embroider it).

Bella jacket!

In other costume news, the Gods of Costuming blessed me with a very fruitful shopping trip the other day. I found at Salvation Army a shirt that's perfect for Jack's costume. So if anyone wants to run around and drown with me, the option is open. I just saw it on a rack and decided it was too perfect to pass up. :) Georgia wanted to hit up Nordstrom Rack as well where I bumped into the B.B. Dakota jacket the costume designers of Twilight used for Bella in the movie. It was about 50% cheaper then when I found it online last winter so I picked that up as well. Not that I ever really want to do a Twilight costume again, but on the off chance I do it's there. Plus it's rather warm and cozy on the inside so I've taken to wearing it in my everyday wardrobe.

That's all for today. I have to grab some lunch before work this afternoon.
Cheers,

Thera

Dress is almost done!!

With the hoop and bum roll

Kat's sleeve trim!

Undies!

"I wish I knew some sewing spells"

Textual Update

Hello friends!

I'm dreadfully sorry for the lack of recent posts on here. Kat and I have been quite busy but I seem to have misplaced my camera cord. I have lots of wonderful pictures of our progress that I have not been able to upload, and as a result I've been putting off updating here. What's the use of a costume blog after all if you can't see what we're doing! At any rate, this is the abbreviated version of our progress since my last post.

Kathryn's costume is still flying along! We gathered up the waist band of the underskirt and have begun toying with the idea of hoop skirts. I happen to already own one that I made for the aforementioned (last sewing update) Elizabethan costume I did. Kat's skirts are so beautiful and full and the hoop really accentuates them. We also started putting together the under sleeves. We discovered some beautiful little lace at Jo Ann's this afternoon that Kat hand stitched along the cuff of the undermost sleeve (the white bit). She also created the slits in in the middle sleeve and hand stitched down the facings that we fondly refer to as the vaginas (seriously they look very inappropriate...). She was also busy this afternoon cutting out all the layers that will become her French Hood! We went to Jo Anns to get the fleece for this and happened upon a 2 dollar simplicity pattern sale! Kat picked up a number of patterns for various future endeavors and I grabbed two that will serve as good guides for Roses' pink coat if I end up doing that. (Things on that are looking up! I just got a new job -huzzah!- and found some gorgeous salmon wool at Sew Low. Only trouble is I don't think they have the 6 yards I would need...so we'll see.)

As for Rose, I've finished the bodice for now. Kat and Mum helped me fit the over layer over my under layer and corset and I stitched them together by machine. I had intended to do it by hand but it came out very neat and a hell of a lot faster. Im very happy with how the two purple sashes came out. So now I've moved on to the 4 skirt layers. I cut out all the front pieces and then discovered I ran out of the pink and darker lavender. So I ran back to Sew Low to grab another yard of each to cut out the backs. This afternoon I finished all the raw edges, sewed the 4 sets of side seams and based all the skirts together at the top. Tomorrow I plan to attach them to the bodice and see what the hem situation will be. I feel like mine could be done very very soon. Oh and I also have to mess with the invisible zipper up the back.

Thats all for now because I'm falling asleep and this is boring without pictures.
Night folks!
Cheers,
Thera

Ohmygod Shoes!

When I got home from school today a present was waiting for me on my door step! The MOSTBEAUTIFULSHOESEVER:

I ordered these shoes from an online store called "Vintique" to go with my Titanic dress only last Sunday and they arrived today! They aren't like the shoes Roes actually wears with the dress I am making. Those shoes looked more like character shoes with a strap around the ankle. However she does wear these shoes (even though you never see them) in the last scene of the movie. You know when she dies as the "old lady warm in her bed" and goes to Titanic Heaven. And I really couldn't pass them up as they were only 25 dollars! Supposedly they were that cheap because there are "slight imperfections" however they're so slight I can't tell. So now I'm totally in love with them. If I ever get married (which is not likely at all) I'll use them for that as well. :)

Cheers!
A very happy Thera

Back to School Blogging

Hola amigos,

School is back in session as of this morning so I'm blogging today from the lovely Salem State University and I'm not updating in the wee hours of the morning for once!

stitching away into the night

Back in our sewing world, Kathryn and I have once again been making so not so slow or invisible headway. In fact things are ploughing right along so much that I hope to have the time (and funds) to make Rose's pink wool coat to go with my dress. Though no matter the time left over, funds will probably be the deterring factor if that doesn't happen. Last Monday we found ourselves once again at Sew Low in Cambridge where Kat picked up the fabric for the lower sleeves, under sleeves, and under skirt backing. The lower sleeves we have matching the front panel of the underskirt which is the pretty gold and beige stripe. For the under sleeves we found some lovely silky white fabric. It's soft and will drape beautifully. For mine, I got the two pink fabrics for my two outer sashes. So, for now, it looks like Kat and I have all the fabric we need to complete our costumes! (Minus a bit of fleece for Kat's french hood). This is very exciting. :)

Cartridge pleating on the skirt

We got Kat's underskirt cut out and she stitched all the panels together. It's rather wide but will look lovely once it's all gathered up into the waistband. She also ran a 1/2 inch wide running stitch through the gingham check on the balck over skirt (three rows 1/2 inch apart on each side of the center back seam) to create the cartridge pleats. And I have to say as a side note, especially sitting here in the cafeteria of Salem State, I am so greatful to my professors here and education is a beautiful thing. Summer of 2008 I made an Elizabethan costume that used the same technique for cartridge pleating. And it took me a million years to get them all stitched down onto the waist band. Last semester at school, we did a production of Great Expectations where all the women were costumed in 1840s clothing and I helped stitch down the cartridge pleats on some of the skirts. The other night, sitting down with Kat's skirt I was pretty sure I'd be settled down on the couch stitching for a while but low and behold it only took half an hour at most to do both sides, top and bottom of each pleat. I knew I was learning a lot in the costume shop but it's nice to see it out in practice in daily life. So thanks Jane, Linda, and Molly! :) So side note aside, Kathryn's black dress is done but for a hem, the center back seam, and tacking the sleeves up! I want to fit it on her with her stays and the back all laced up to make sure the center back seam overlaps correctly before we sew it however.

The purple sashes are cut and draped, the pink ones just held on for effect.

As for mine, I'm still working on the bodice. I got the under bodice cut and sewn in the pretty off white fabric. I happened to have some interfacing left over from my corset so I was able to get that done in an evening without having to run to Jo Ann's. Yay! I fit it over my corset and I think I'm going to add two darts in the front. I also, heart pounding, cut out one of the pale lavender skirt layers and with the left over fabric, began draping the lighter purple sash. So far Im pretty pleased with the results! I cut and draped the darker purple sash as well. With somene's help I'm going to fit the bodice once more and pin the sheer outer bodice to where it needs to be in the front. Then I can take out the basting stitches in the back where the zipper will eventually be and make both bodices one piece. Then I can really get cracking on the skirts (all 4 of them).

That's all for now! Have to run to class.
Cheers!
Thera

Trying to get the effect of what the layers of chiffon will look like

Skirt's on!

Kat's underskirt

Now really, what does this look like to you??

This is what happens when we sew until 3am

Making my bodice!

Pirates, Potter, and Pleats

Hello again it is 3am and I am blogging about costuming once more!

Kathryn and I have had quite a productive night! We did after all have to make up for a dastardly attempt at a sewing circle last Thursday evening where Kat fell asleep on my Couch of Living Death as soon as she sat down and I...have no idea what I was doing but it clearly was not sewing because neither one of us made a stitch in the whole evening.

muslin underbodice and actual over bodice!

Today though, after themostdeliciouspizzaever we picked up our projects once more. For my part, I finally solved my under-bodice issue. Using a dress from my closet who's shape I particularly enjoyed as a pattern, I was able to draft out the pattern pieces I will use to construct the under-bodice. I'm rather pleased with the results of my muslin although I did decide not to do the under straps. Worst case scenario I can always as them as an afterthought, but I think the dress will look more elegant this way. I'm very grateful to Kat and my cousin Georgia for their assistance in this step. It's rather difficult to drape on one's own body and my dress form is slightly too large to work for me on something so precise.

Earlier in the day I also put together the sheer lavender outer part of the bodice. I used a french seam for the underarm/ side seams and based the back where the zipper will be. While sewing the darts, I didn't realize I still had a leather needle in my sewing machine so unfortunately I created some unsightly pulls in the chiffon with the first stitches. With some coaxing and ironing though I got it looking good as new. I put on the outer bodice over my corset and it fits nearly perfectly. I just have to adjust one of the ends of the sleeve. I have no muscle whatsoever but the sleeve is still a little tight around my bicep.

Kat modeling her bodice!

Kathryn and I got her skirt all put together this evening as well. She sewed the three back skirt sections together and I pleated and attached the front two sections. We also attatched the gingham check to the top of the skirt which acts as a facing to finish the top edge, and as a guide for evenly sewn cartridge pleats. Those will be our next step which I'm oddly looking forward to. I fine hand sewing to be far more enjoyable then machine sewing.

Thats all until I pass out.
Cheers!
Thera

Kat sewing her skirt!

Pile-o-skirt with gingham check for pleating!

dress used as pattern

Cutting, Stitching, And Brokeback Mt. Doom

Hello again!

Since my last update at 3am, Kat and I have been very very busy working on our costumes. A few nights ago we settled in with season one of the Tudors and the massive project that was cutting out all of Kat's pieces.  We got all of the black gown fabric cut and found that we had a lot left over due to the fact that the bolt was 68'' wide... oops. I told her to make a nice cloak or bag or something with the extra. We also cut into the olive/ gold sleeve contrast fabric.

Kat discovered the rolls and rolls of black made for an excellent sleeping bag.

Laying out the fabric.

It took us the entire length of my living room to lay this stuff out to begin cutting.

Finished corset!

Meanwhile, I finished up my corset and cut into the sheer lavender fabric that makes up the bodice and sleeves of my dress. This under bodice project is still unsolidified in my mind. When I put my muslin of the straps under the bodice pieces, I decided it looked too awkward. My material is a little more see through the the original gown (either that or my strap fabric is a little more bright) but they look dreadfully obvious on mine. So for now I'm toying with the idea of scrapping them in favor of believable ascetics rather then accuracy. Which would of course mean redrafting again. Kat's and my adventures today took us back to Sew Low where I picked up some better fabric for the cream colored bits so maybe that will look less distracting anyway. I also got the purples for the two upper sashes. My plans for the rest of the week are to get this gosh darned bodice figured out!

Working on the sleeves

This evening Kathryn and I finished up the extended editions of the Lord of the Rings (Frodo and Sam are such an adorable couple!) while making leaps and bounds in the construction of Anne Boleyn's clothing. Our trip to Sew Low this afternoon was to get the lining and canvas fabric needed to begin construction of the bodice. Kat also picked up a lovely olive colored chiffon for the veil of her French hood which will pick up the color of the sleeves nicely. Anne's bodice actually came along quite quickly and painlessly. Kat put on her stays and we were able to do a few fittings as the bodice became more and more of a reality. We must have been quite a sight sewing away in out period underwear! We got the back finished as well and decided to modify the pattern's suggestion of doing grommets for the laces in favor of very tiny button holes. The fabric is so heavy and grommets so shiny, I think the button holes will just be better in the long run. They'll be a bitch and a half to get laces through at first however.  In addition to the bodice construction, we began work on the outer sleeves. They're all construed (with the contrast lining!) and ready to be put onto the bodice in the morning. 
I'm totally psyched at how swiftly things are moving. Especially since once school starts homework vs. sewing never ends in me producing a paper and this semester I'm striving to actually do well(ish).

That's all for tonight folks!
Cheers,
Thera

Bodice!

Gandalf!

Emily attempting to be helpful...Either that or trying to sabotage.

A Post By Thera

Hola!

 It's now 3am where I am and I've been sewing for a good 9 hours... holy crap! Thank goodness for the Lord of the Rings extended versions and good company. Still boggles my mind that Kat had never seen Lord of the Rings. Anywhoo.
I spent my morning glued to the T.V going frame by frame through the 2nd half of Titanic to get a better understanding of how the under part of my bodice needs to work. From what I gathered, underneath the lavender sheer body/sleeves, the off white beaded band is continued into a thick strap that follows the curve over the shoulder and is pulled together in the center back seam. It does not however morph into any sort of underbodice. Her body is covered mostly by the two lavender sashes that go under the sheer lavender pieces. The off white beaded bit seems to be just the strap, what we see on the front of the gown, and a little bit that extends under the lavender. A really great image of how this works in the back of the gown can be found just after Rose cuts apart Jack's handcuffs.
Since my pattern is assuming my fabric is not completely see-through (and it is) it is designed with just a center inset panel and one outer sash. So for the first part of my 9 sewing hours this afternoon/evening I was working on re-drafting the pattern to create the straps. I'm moderately pleased with how my muslin came out but it needs some tweaking. I'm interested to see how it will work with the chiffon.
The other thing I accomplished today is the near completion of my corset. I want to make sure I get Rose's look correct so I'm making period foundation garments. I ran out of boning with only two channels to go so as soon as I get some more I'll throw those puppies in and bind the edges. I have one half of the corset complete though. I'm loving the busk!

Tomorrow (or rather later today) Kat and I are cutting fabric. I have a feeling it is going to be another marathon day of stitching and scheming. Can't wait! And off to bed finally! :)

Cheers!
Thera

Modeling my muslin!

In Which We Begin Our Blog!

Hello!

Welcome to our blog! We are Kat and Thera and we are embarking on a Halloween costuming adventure of epic proportions! Well Kat is at least. We hit up a lovely discount fabric shop in Boston's garment district this afternoon where Kat walked away with 13.5 (!) yards of fabric. 
So what is this project you ask?

Well Kathryn has decided to make the dress of King Henry VIII's ill-fated 2nd wife, Anne Boleyn. And Thera is recreating the gown worn by Rose as the Titanic is sinking. Pleasant stuff right?! :)


We're very excited about it anyway. Clearly excited enough to begin this blog.

Here's what we're working off:

This is one of the paintings done of the actual Anne Boleyn. Kat decided against the fur...

And here is the pattern she will be using. :)

Thera has found the Costumer's Guide to be most helpful in the planning process of her costume. They research and collect images of really costume-y movie costumes. Here's the link! http://www.costumersguide.com/

This is the dress she's making. Off this pattern:

Their website is here: http://sensibility.com/patterns/1910s-tea-gown-pattern/

And thus we move from planning to creating! :)

Kat and her fabric!

OMG black fabric!

hehehe kinda what it will look like... sorta. In an not-sewn way. :)

Thera and her slightly more compact fabric. :) Loving the lavender!

colors.


That's all for now! We begin cutting and what not on Thursday. Wish us luck!

Cheers!
Kat and Thera