Kat and Thera's Costume Adventures!: 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