More miniature millinery

Mini tricorn

After making a few mini top hats, I wanted to try something different, so I decided to try mini tricorn hats instead! I had been thinking for a really long time about HOW a tricorn hat would be laid out, pattern-wise, and then I was in Dressew in Vancouver, and tried on a full-size costume tricorn (really low quality for Halloween).  Once I had it in my hands, the pattern became obvious, and I made a mental note so I could repeat it (in miniature!) at home.

I made two of these hats – the first one is a green shot with brown taffeta – the colour changes depending on the light, between a medium green, to a grey, to a copper colour.  It’s awesome fabric… (I had it left over from a corset I made and sold.)  This one is slightly bigger than the other one.  The hat is lined in gold dupionni silk (also leftover, this time from a one-shoulder dress and an overbust corset). The brim edge of the hat is wired, so that I could curve it properly to make the tricorn effect work.

The green hat is trimmed with mini black gimp braid (You can usually find the larger variety at general fabric stores, but I’ve had trouble finding the mini variation.) and then a cockade made from black grosgrain ribbon.  I attached the ribbon to a pin back so that the decoration would be removable, and to the pin also attached three copper-toned gears.  (These are from the scrapbooking section of my nearest craft store, and are the Tim Holtz sprocket gears you’ll see alllll over the place in steampunk crafts/accessories/jewellery.)  I then made a little decoration out of peacock feather strands and curled the edges with my thumbnail and tucked them into the pin as well.

Mini Tricorn

Here is my stuffed bear, wearing the green hat. The fishnet shirt he’s wearing is mine. Gotta love fishnet!

Pair of mini tricorns

Here’s a photo of the green hat, along with the second one I made, a silver hat. The drinking glasses should give you an idea of the size/proportion of these hats.

The silver one is made from white shot with black taffeta – so the result is a silver tone, that again changes colour (from very light grey to almost black) depending on the light.  (The fabric was leftover from my Victorian gown.) This one is slightly smaller, but is made in almost exactly the same way.  This hat is lined in beautiful black rayon bemberg lining (again, another project leftover), and the eecoration is a black grosgrain cockade with a silver cockade layered over it.  The silver is the same fabric, and I singed the edges to make it work as a “ribbon”.  The cockade is also pined on with a broach pin, and is embellished with a nickle-finish Tim Holtz keyhole, with matching brads.  Hanging from the keyhole are little tiny keys charms on incredibly fine chains.  (You could get similar charms from Suzie Q Beads, which I profiled earlier.)

Mini tricorn

Teddy gets to wear this one too….

Both of these hats have hand-sewn loops to attach a comb as well, though thus far I’ve found that the location of the comb isn’t working as well as I would have hoped, so I might need to revisit this at some point.

The Art of Making Miniature Millinery - click for the Amazon listing

Mum has this book – the Art of Making Miniature Millinery, by Timothy Alberts, M Dalton King, and Pat Henry, and I think that the next hat I’ll make will be from in here – a bonnet they have a pattern for.  Other than that, I think I’d like to try to make a full-sized tricorn, not unlike some of the gorgeously embellished tricorn hats by Topsy Turvey Design, or the elegant variations at the Ruby Raven.  How awesome would it be to find a miniature ship for that matter too?

Miniature millinery

Mini top hat

A number of years ago i picked up an adorable little mini-top hat from Torrid, down in the USA.  (Las Vegas if I remember correctly).  It came in black and white, and I only bought the black (but then later wished I’d bought the white as well.. it was white sinamay instead of ‘felt’, and would have been so summer-cute…).  Since at that time I didn’t find any mini-hats locally, I got thinking about how to make one of my own.  (Truthfully, I’d been thinking of making one of my own for ages, but getting one to use as an example only pushed me further to do my own.)

This one was the first one that I made.  It started with a pre-made fake felt base, and then I added on a tulle veil, and applied random black sequins and seed beads to that veil. (Yep, each one had to be stitched on and tied off individually to avoid the floating threads.)  I also did a little grouping of black silk flowers, and some black feathers.  I attached a comb using black elastic button loops.  (You can find that in the bridal section of good sewing stores.)  The comb helps the hat stay on – I don’t care for ones set on hair bands, since the hard ones always seem to pinch my head, and both the hard and soft ones limit how I can wear my hair.

Mini Wellington

The next one I made was a mini-wellington top hat.  Wellingtons are larger at the top of the hat (crown) than they are where the hat meets the brim – think of the Mad Hatter’s top hat.  This is actually a legitimate style, not just something out of costume & fantasy…

This one I made 100% from scratch – the hat base itself is heavy black cotton twill, the lining is recycled dress fabric from a bright red polyester jacquard dress, and I pleated the diamond-weave red ribbon and covered it with black sequins for the hat band.  The stiffening inside the hat is interfacing along with the base from rug-making supplies!

The brim is trimmed with black grosgrain ribbon, and the red diamond-weave ribbon creates the streamers at the back as well.  I added a few black silk flowers and leaves, and made a ribbon rosette from the same red diamond-weave ribbon and black grosgrain ribbon to decorate the back.  The centre of the rosette is a hand-made black velvet button, and a red velvet button along with some black jet (or faux jet) buttons (from my button stash) decorate the brim as well.  The final touch is a peacock feather, which references the whole Mad Hatter idea… and adds some additional colour from my ever-repeated black and red colour scheme.

This one is also worn with a comb, though it’s a bit heavier, so it has to be in the right spot or it will go off-kilter…

After this one, I also made a smaller mini-top hat… which I’m keeping to give someone as a gift – so no photos for now!

More miniature millinery to come!

Corset class – Don’t pop a busk!

Selecting a corset style

So you know WHY you want to make your own corset – but now what KIND of corset do you want to make?

I’ve seen a lot of people divide up corsets into several different categories, but I’m going to use a strategy that makes sense to ME.  Your mileage may vary, and you likely will see other opinions/classifications/names in other resource material.

Elizabethan Corset from blogger Jezebel Jane

Elizabethan – I choose this name for the corsets that aim to turn your torso into an ice-cream cone shape.  These corsets don’t have a lot of body shaping to them, and are reasonably simple to draft and construct.  You might find these at Renaissance Fairs, SCA events, or other ‘historical’ reenactment events.  You can find these with or without tabs (apparently the tabs help with comfort and support of those huge skirts, though they add an extra level of difficulty when it comes to construction), and with or without shoulder straps.  (Theoretically the corset should be self-supporting, and not need straps to keep it ‘up’, however the costumes that go with these are never sleeveless, and the additional support is probably highly desirable.)  These go over the bust, but those super-simple cinchers would be similar to an underbust variation on this design.

Victorian corset from lingerie la lenceria

Victorian – I choose this name for the corsets that aim to create an hourglass figure.  There were several different overall styles in the Victorian era, but just roll with me on this one, ok?  These support the bust, nip in the waist, and can either compress the hips slightly or just offer coverage.  This is the style that I think most people aim for when they wish to create their own corset, and the style that I’m going to focus on.  These are the styles you’ll most likely find in lingerie shops, fetish markets, or on the runway.  You can find these in long-line (corset dresses!), full coverage, just barely covering the nipple, and underbust.  There is significant shaping through the body.  Generally you won’t see straps on these, unless they are purely decorative.

Image from the wikipedia commons

Pigeon-front – I use this to describe the ‘straight-front’ corsets also popular during the Victorian era.  Instead of a horizontal waist, these created a  slanted waist, a pronounced chest and bottom, and a severely curved spine.  I haven’t actually seen any of these in person, only illustrations and a few rare photographs.  Apparently these are incredibly challenging to draft and construct, and since I find them unattractive, I’ve never attempted one myself.  Another style that I strongly dislike is the Pipestem style of corset – which lengthens the area of the waist drastically, in contrast to the Wasp-waist style which sharply nips in the waist (drastically) before releasing again. For great illustrations of these, check out the Romantasy website.

From a page entitled "Georgian/Rococo Review-18th Century"

Rococo – is the name I’ll use for corsets that kind of ‘split the difference’ – they have more shaping in the body than an Elizabethan corset, but not nearly as much as a Victorian corset.  I’ve only ever seen them with straps, as the back is very high, and the neckline is very wide.  I’ve only ever seen these with tabs, again to support the weight of the massive skirts.

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Regency corset from the Great Pattern Review

Regency – is the name I choose for the longer-line corsets with much less shaping than Victorian corsets.  These were used to achieve the waif-like figure desirable with Empire/Napoleonic fashions circa 1800

For more information on the corsets that I refer to as “Elizabethan”, look at corsets dated from the 16th century.

For more information on the corsets that I refer to as “Rococo”, look at corsets dated from the 17th and 18th centuries.

For more information on corsets that I refer to as “Victorian”, or “Regency”, look at corsets dated from the 19th century.

Feedback

Which of these styles would you be most interested in making?  Leave your feedback in the comments section below!  Then follow the `Corset Class` category to see more as I progress!

Building your first corset

A number of times I’ve been asked how to build a corset.  It’s not especially hard, but it is fussy and time-consuming.  I have taught classes, but most of the time people want help individually, which I just don’t have time to do, and they don’t have the resources to put together a class.  So, I figured I would start off with some online tutorials (which I will add to bit-by-bit) to help people get started.

Qualifications

Just a few of the corsets I made prior to 2007 when this photo was taken.

Ok, so who am I to tell you how to make a corset?  Well, although it’s been a while since I’ve made one, I consider myself a corsetiere, as I’ve made over 100 corsets for myself and others over the past few years.  I have a diploma in fashion design from the University of the Fraser Valley (although we never did anything approaching corsetry in the program!) and when I worked for a local designer I was generally referred to as the corset-maven (among my many other official and unofficial titles).

I’ve made corsets for costumes, for fetish wear, for evening wear, bridal wear, lingerie wear, and even for dolls!  I’ve made corsets from delicate sheer fabrics and sturdy twills, I’ve embroidered corsets and hand-beaded corsets too!  More importantly, I’ve WORN a lot of corsets – mostly my own designs, but also from other creators.

Classes

Unless you are especially good at following directions and have a fair amount of sewing experience (including pattern reading, tailoring, and alterations) you might find it difficult to learn without some hands-on guidance.  Take your time and review all the resources available to you for the best results!  Before I even start going ‘online’ though, I want to talk about ‘offline’.  I do offer corset classes – I have three classes that I have developed over the years:

1. Introduction to Corsetry – 1.5 hours – focused on buying corsets, wearing corsets, repairs, getting the most for your money, etc.
2. Corset Pattern Drafting – approx 3 hours – developing a corset pattern that will fit you, discussion and review of commercially available patterns
3. Corset Construction – full  day – building the first corset from easy-to-sew materials, as a first go before letting your imagination explode!

I am able to teach these classes still, as long as someone else sets up the venue, sells tickets, etc…  I just don’t have the energy or patience for this kind of thing at the moment.  I live in Calgary, and am totally willing to travel elsewhere to teach if expenses are covered. (And since some of my tools are very heavy, these would have to be supplied or substituted too…)  The first class can be any size – though would work best with 8-20 people.  The second and third classes are better with small groups for hands-on guidance.  I’ve taught theses as small as 5 people, and as large as 12.  If the students are largely experienced sewers, the class can be on the larger end, but if the class is mixed or has a high number of newer sewers, a smaller class size is better.

First step – inspiration & motivation!

Before you start making your first corset, think about WHY you want to MAKE a corset.  Do you have a hard-to-fit figure?  Are high-quality, well-made corsets not available in stores in your area?  Do you want to save money over the pricey corsets you’ve seen for sale?  Do you want a corset with special features that you just can’t find in ready-to-wear corsets? Do you want a corset to match another garment you’ve made?  Do you want a corset that is somehow ‘special’, and you just can’t find it available?

If you have a hard-to-fit figure, making your own corset is a great idea!  However just as making many other garments, you’ve probably experienced the need for significant alterations or modifications.  Be prepared for this during your corset-making experience too.  Be prepared to make a few “not so great” corsets before you make one you fall in love with and want to wear until the busk pops!  Many times “hard-to-fit figure” is code for “I’m a guy!” and unfortunately there are not a lot of ready-to-wear corsets out there for men.  There are some though, so keep looking, or plug in your sewing machine!

If you can’t find high-quality, well-made corsets in your area, you may have thought of looking online.  The problem I have seen is that corsets can be such a personal fit, and buying them off-the-rack (or off-the-internet!) can sometimes lead to an ill-fit.  With that in mind, you have other options.  There are stores that participate in traveling shows, there are your own travels, and there is also the option of ordering custom-made online as well.  Also, cast your net a bit wider… I was recently asked “where can I find a corset in Calgary?” to which I rang off a list of about 5-6 shops off the top of my head. Obviously not all of them are of the same quality as the others, but if the person asking had only looked in lingerie shops, it would explain the lack of options he or she was experiencing.

If you are looking to save money – sorry, you’re probably looking at the wrong avenue.  Consider the number of not-so-nice corsets you’ll make before you accomplish the perfect one you’ve imagined – now consider the cost of making all of those added up into the cost of your finished product.  Next consider the cost of any specialty tools or notions you’ll need, and shipping costs (since some of the materials you will need you probably can’t get locally).  Next, factor in the cost of your TIME.  Sure you might be looking to make your corset an hour at a time between work, school, shopping, cooking, going for coffee, playing with the kids or any other of the things you do in a day, but if you imagine this taking 20-30 hours – is your time worth it?  (Some will answer “YES!” while others will answer “no!”)  Finally, the cost of fabric.  There is this funny notion that sewing is a cost-saving hobby/craft, and it can be if you are thrifty.  Look for sales, recycle old clothing, swap fabric for your fantastic red velvet cupcakes, or anything else you can think of to save money – because when you are looking at meters of embroidered shantung silk at 60$/meter, sewing stops being a hobby for penny-pinchers!  (The only saving grace here is that an average corset will likely only take a meter or less depending on your size and if the fabric has an obvious direction or not.

That`s right.. hot pink fun fur!

Now, if you’re looking for something special, want to match something else you’ve made, or want special features, these are great reasons to make your own corset!  No longer will the desire for a hot-pink fun-fur corset with rainbow streamers elude you!

Next step

Please follow the `Corset Class`category  to keep reading as I add more posts to this topic!

Feedback please!

If you have photos of that hot pink fun fur corset… please share a URL with me in the comments below! Otherwise – share your ideas of why you might want to make your own corset!

Nuno Felting

I was inspired by my recent purchase of a hand-felted scarf, and decided to give felting another try.  (My first attempt was a horrible wet, soapy mess.)  I picked up some needle felting supplies a while back, and have been tediously working little by little on the hem of  a wool cloak – but this means I also had a batch of wool roving ready and waiting for use.  At the Calyx art show, there were also some Nuno felted scarves that were lovely, but I thought the colours didn’t really work for me (too high contrast for my monotone wardrobe..) So… all of this came together for me to try my hand at some nuno felting, using a monochromatic colour scheme.

Inspirational instructions

I had read a few posts on Nuno felting prior to this, and had even seen a video on YouTube, but when it came down to doing it myself, I was somewhat silly (and impatient) and just looked on my iPod Touch for instructions.  This likely wasn’t the smartest move, because it meant that I ended up skimming over things instead of really reading them.  Ahem.

Nonetheless, I found the visual instructions from textile artist Ray Reynolds and her blog post about Nuno felting to be very useful, and they’re what I used while I was making this.

Subsequently, I also found some instructions on a blog called Catherine et les fées  – don’t worry, the instructions are in English!

Supplies

My materials - three shades of wool, bubble wrap, and some crepe chiffon

Here are the colours I worked with:

• My silk crepe chiffon is just slightly off white.  I thought that the crepe texture would “hold” the wool fibers better than a smoother material.  (Though until I try another material, I won’t know!)
• Off white wool roving
• Chocolate brown wool roving
• Heather grey wool roving
• Plus you can see my bubble wrap on the bottom too.

The wool roving is from A Great Notion Sewing Supply in Abbotsford/Surrey, BC.  Unfortunately there are no indications on the package what kind of wool this is, so I’m not sure.  I found that it wasn’t as clean as I would have liked – there were small pieces of grass still in the wool, though that doesn’t really affect the felting, it just means I need to go in with a pair of tweezers to clean them out. Hahaha

When I was living out in BC going to school there was another supplier of wool roving, but she was working out of her house in Chilliwack, and these I bought when A Great Notion was in Calgary at a sewing show, and during a very brief visit to Abbotsford two springs ago.  I know that there is a local (just outside of Calgary) supplier of undyed wool roving, but that seems like a LOT of work (especially since I don’t drive…).  Thus, I think for the time being I’ll have to be satisfied with these materials!  the Felt Fashion blog suggests that Etsy is a good place to find wool roving though – I know I’ve seen a lot on there in the past… and it would certainly ship affordlably…. hmmm….   Finding silk chiffon in Calgary isn’t easy work either for that matter, the yardage I have here is leftover from projects when I was in school in BC too!

Step 1: Lay down the wool fibers, fabric, and more fibers

Laying the wool in fine layers beneath and above the chiffon

So the first step is to separate the wool roving into very fine layers.  On top of the bubble wrap I laid down first the bottom layer, from the outside in.  (I wanted the lightest colour on the outside, so I laid it down first.) I alternated the direction of the wool between colours, going from white to grey to chocolate.  Then I laid the chiffon down on top of the wool, and worked in opposite on the other side, laying down first the chocolate, then the grey, then the white, each time alternating the direction of the fibers.  (This is so that they will more easily barb together and felt.)

According to instructions I’ve read, it’s better to use natural fibers for this (silk, rayon, cotton) and using fine fabric keeps the finished fabric very light weight.  The goal is also to have the fibers go between the threads of the fabric, so something with a low thread count would probably work much better than a high thread count.

Step 2: Lay down a synthetic top layer

Polyester chiffon on top of the 'mountain' of wool

Since the next steps will involve rubbing the wool to full it (Fulling is the first step towards felting.) you need to put down a layer that will let you rub the wool without disturbing it, but that won’t get caught in the wool barbs and start being incorporated into the piece.  Thus, you need to use a synthetic fabric.  I suppose anything would work (though see-through would be better to know where you’re working), but the instructions I was reading said to use voile.  I used a polyester chiffon instead; leftovers from another project.

You can kind of see in the photo how the black chiffon is piled over the “mountain” of lofty wool.

Step 3: Water

Adding soapy water on top of the polyester chiffon

This next step is where it’s going to start getting messy…

Back when I was in school, trying felting for the first time, a classmate was sharing with us the basic instructions for how to make felt.  She used an analogy of Noah’s Ark, saying that felt was created when the sheep were in tight confines (and thus it was very hot), urinated on the wool they were shedding beneath their feet (thus changing the pH), and the boat was rocking back and forth so they were constantly trampling on the wool (agitation).  It’s these three things (heat, change in pH, and agitation) that create felt.

So, added on top of the black polyester chiffon is hot (or rather, as warm as I could handle on my hands), soapy water.  I just used dish soap (sunlight was what my former classmate recommended), and then dribbled it on my hand (other instructions have suggested using a spray bottle, pouring water through a strainer to disperse it, or using a small watering can with a spray nozzle.

Step 4: Rub

Agitating the wool

The goal with this next step is to start fulling the fibers, by pushing the warm soapy water into the wool fibers, and adding agitation.  All I did for this step was first pat down the black chiffon, making that mountain of wool compress, and then I  rubbed the top of the black chiffon with my hands (action photo!).  The instructions I was reading said to do this for about 5 minutes, which I did. (Give or take….)

This is messy, mainly because the water gets soaked up by the wool, but not all of it…. and the whole thing is sitting on the plastic bubble wrap, so water can easily pour back off your project.  If I’d been smarter I would have put a large beach towel beneath the whole thing, but instead I just constantly mopped up the side of the counter.

Step 5: Roll & drop/throw

Rolled up on the rolling pin

So at this point I needed to roll the fabric – basically just an intense rubbing with lots of pressure.

Some instructions I’ve read suggested using a pool noodle, but since I was working with quite a small sample, (scarf size) I used a rolling pin instead.

I removed the black chiffon, and rolled the wool and bubble wrap together around the rolling pin.  I think that you really do need something firm in the middle to get the momentum to roll this thing, just rolling it on itself might not be enough.  I covered the edges (where my white chiffon was sticking out) with a plastic bag, and then secured the whole thing with elastic bands.

The instructions said to roll it this way back and forth about 150 times.  This made me VERY thankful that this was a small project!  Then I unrolled the bundle, and turned the felt/chiffon scarf over, re-rolled it on the rolling pin, and rolled it back and forth another 150 times.

From there, it gets noisy, because  I unrolled the fabric  and bubble wrap from the rolling pin, removed the bubble wrap, and screwed the whole scarf into a ball and started tossing it back and forth between my hands, throwing it into a clean sink, and a few times throwing it up against the wall (which then got cleaned off from all the soapy water!)  The instructions I read said to keep throwing until the fabric begins to really crinkle.  I suspect I didn’t throw quite as long as I could have.

From there I rinsed the scarf in hot clean water, rubbing it some more, then rinsed it with cold water to get the soap out, and hung it to dry.

Results!

The finished product!

Ultimately, there are a number of things I’d do differently with this project (and still possibly could).

• The wool part is quite drastically different from the chiffon part in the weight/thickness of the fabric.  I think I could have used fewer layers of wool if I was only going to do a stripe.
• I liked the mottled look at first, but now I’m not so sure.  It might have been better to keep the colours a bit more distinct?
• If I wanted this very floaty and lightweight, I would have been better off leaving patches within the ‘stripe’ of wool that had no wool as well.
• The monochromatic colour scheme looks kind of…. blah.  The chocolate brown doesn’t look rich, it looks muddy.  The heather grey doesn’t show up at all, and the white wool doesn’t show up very well against the chiffon, only against the brown wool.  I might consider dying this whole scarf and see what happens.
• The wool seemed to felt fine, but I’m wondering if some additional needle felting (perhaps to add in some additional decoration) might help. I’ve also thought about tossing it in the washing machine to felt it even further.  (Or would that be overkill?)
• I went into the project thinking that I’d make a scarf, but I didn’t really think much more about it than that. As it is right now, I wouldn’t wear it as a scarf, so I think better planning would be a good idea for a future project.
• It would have been a good idea to finish all my edges (even just serge them temporarily) because while I was rolling, threads kept coming out… LOL
• Despite loving monochromatic, I think that the white (or rather, just slightly off-white) chiffon just bored me after a while.  I might need to come back to this to fall back in love with it again, or, in future, consider some interesting monochromatic gradient dying or something.  I know that I don’t want a blue scarf with red and orange wool or something like that – but perhaps I’ve gone too far the other way…
• Some instructions I’ve read have talked about incorporating silk fibers, lace, and other things into the felting process as well.  I have some beautiful silk fibers for the needle felted cloak I’ve been working on – I think that I’ll leave that for the time being though, but it’s an idea perhaps to liven this piece up a bit.

However, with that being said, I really like that I was able to do this, and think that I’ll try it again (but planned better!).

Next steps

So after all of that, I figure that more inspiration and ideas are necessary before I try this again.

Cape from Glamour Junkie

Etsy seller Glamour Junkie has this lovely grey silk chiffon with grey nuno felted ruffles cape for sale.  This might be an interesting non-scarf alternative to doing something, and it certainly has the monochromatic feel I was going for!  (The photography helps with that too!)  Check out the super-delicate wool nuno felted flower she offers as well!

Wooly Bliss has a section on Nuno Felting. While her scarves are very colourful, I’m more interested in some of the details she’s added in – there’s pattern, sculpture, designs, etc… all done in felted wool.

QaraQul has some beautiful examples of Nuno felted scarves – this one on this link leaves large sections of the silk fabric, and large felted motifs decorate the scarf. More scarves are here. I especially like the winter one – done with brown, blue, and white.

Nicola on the Clasheen blog talks about taking a gorgeous piece of wool, and transforming it with just a few stitches.  This reminds me a lot of the things we’d make when taking the weaving class in BC – wanting to keep as much of the (insanely time-consuming) fabric intact, so creating garments without cutting out much; just using basic shapes (squares, rectangles) to make unfitted or lightly fitted garments.  At the same time we wanted the fabric to be the “star” of the show, not the cut of the garment.  Hmm… I should revisit some of those designs…..

I adore the blues in JaneBoFelt’s Sea-blue ruffled nuno felted scarf.

Barbara Pool has a number of posts on nuno felting as well, along with some videos and lots of information!

Tiger C has a gorgeous hand-felted circle jacket – an awesome alternative to a scarf.. though I can only imagine all of the extra work doing something like this would take.  I’m definitely not ready for this yet!

Nuno Felting Class with Jennifer Packer

Instructor Jennifer Packer teaches a class on Nuno Felting with Knit One One  – how beautiful is this scarf?  It looks like dark red silk, with a black stripe (with very neat, clean edges!) down the middle, with then little bits of red wool to create texture and pattern.  Of course, Knit One One is in California… not so much here in Calgary.  If, however you happen to be near Berkley, CA, they offer a BUNCH of fiber arts classes.

Feedback!

If you’ve tried Nuno Felting, or could answer any of the questions I’ve posed in this post, please comment below with your thoughts!

Felt scarf

Felt scarf

Connie and I were at the Calyx art show a few weeks ago, and I picked up a gorgeous teal blue wool felted scarf.  The artist who made it is named Barb Harrison, (under the B.E.H Designs label) and it’s made of alpaca wool, which she felted, and did resist dying and shaping on.  We first saw this one and adored it, and then I found another which was grey/green and copper, with what looked like pennies growing out if it, and I was torn.  With Connie’s help, I decided on this one (though I still loved the other one too!) since my budget certainly couldn’t afford picking up both! (I did a quick search online, hoping to find a website with her work, but no luck so far – if you happen to know a URL for her, please share in the comments below!)

More accurate representation of the colour

While I was trying to decide between the two scarves, Barb was sharing with us a bit of information.  The alpaca wool doesn’t felt as readily as the merino (which is what the other one was made of) so the edges have this beautiful ‘hairy’ feeling, with soft rough edges.  She also shared with us how she made the scarf – first felting the basis of the scarf itself, and dying it the first, lightest colour of teal.  Then she added in different sizes of beads, tying them off, and doing the second dye.  Then she covered some of the beads with saran wrap as a further resist, and dyed the last, deepest colour.  Then all the ties and beads were removed, leaving the finished scarf!

The overall effect of the ‘bubbles’ is frothy, and reminded both Connie and I of the ocean.  It’s also given me the desire to give felting another go on my own!  (More to come on that one!)

Did you attend the Calyx art show?  What did you think?  Respond in the comments below!

Interesting edibles

So, Connie and I finally launched our much-discussed-but-never-done food blog (almost entirely about sushi and tea at this point…) called Happy Sushi  Belly.  Please go and take a look if you’re interested!

But, when I came across THESE, I didn’t know where to put them.. do they belong in the dress diary, with all of my steampunk goodness and other delights, or with food and tasty drinks?  Well, since I haven’t made them, haven’t devoured them, and would like to put them up with some of the other wedding-related posts I’ve made in the past… I’m putting them HERE!

Check out these incredibly cute steampunk-styled cupcakes!

Cupcakes from Bakingdom

The top hats, goggles, and gears are all made out of Tootsie rolls, with luster dust.  I’m no where near this culinarily creative, so I’ll leave this kind of inspiration to others – but … squeee! Too Cute!

With the trend towards cupcakes instead of cakes at weddings, couldn’t you totally see these being part of a Steampunk wedding?  I can imagine these on the “groom’s” side, while white cupcakes (perhaps red velvet cake cupcakes with white frosting) on the “bride’s” side – perhaps with a tiny corset or facinator or tussymussy instead of the top hat?

Military-inspired Steampunk (part II)

Inspiration

So, with all of that controversy behind me, let’s take a look at some inspirational images! First up, I was totally loving the uniform sketches and photos on the Dr. Steel Toy Soldier fan site. For reference only, here’s some of the images from the site:

Female Utility Soldier

The first is the female utility soldier costume; black skinny jeans, platform boots, brown button up dress shirt, black pvc necktie, cap, utility belt, and the piece that I think makes the outfit – the embellished corset with the stripes and super-large buttons. In other photos (that you can see on the website) you can see that the shirt has some military-esque patches on the biceps of both arms, the utility belt pouch has a patch as well (like the shirt and cap) and the jeans have black pvc stripes on the side. (Like RCMP yellow stripes or black grosgrain stripes on tuxedo pants). Of the different costumes, I really like this one the best.

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Military Nurse

Also super-cute (although a bit more revealing that I would wear personally!) – the Military Nurse costume. In this case it’s a brown pencil skirt with a high slit, a cropped brown dress shirt, the same black pvc tie, a cap, and a holster-style brown (leather?) waist cincher. (The cincher isn’t leather, but the straps look like they might be in this photo… I don’t think that I’d do leather personally…. but I really like the straps!) This costume doesn’t show any patches or decorations at all.

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Winter Nurse

Last up (of the ones that I really liked) is the Military Nurse winter costume, this one is just a concept sketch, and has the same cap, with a brown coat, darker brown cincher, and a hem treatment that makes it look like there’s a yellow-trimmed split skirt over top of a pair of brown pants. I don’t really like how this necessarily is sketched, but I like the way that the costume reflects a bit of Victorian fashion.

I think it’s super cool that someone documented the costumes, as well as interpretations, and then provided resources how a fan could put together some of the costumes using ready-made clothing as the starting point. I’ve provided the images just as inspiration, please go back to the website to see the originals along with all of the other details.

FreyaGushi's recycled corset, click for the Etsy listing

Next on my inspiration-list: Totusmel’s Wunderkammer pointed me in the direction of this awesome corset made from recycled army shirts from Etsy seller FreyaGushi. I love the entire look really – it’s cute and feminine. The shorts are a bit weird to me, but the hoop skirt frame over top is very goth and interesting. I really like the look from the waist up best though – the matching hat and collar are great, and I love how the maker has recreated the chevrons with lace inset to the corset panels. You can’t see it in this small photo, but there are also some snapped flaps on the corset as well that add a great detail.

Chrononaut Mercantile's Military Cape

So, this is from Chrononaut Mercantile on Etsy; a short cropped cape with a double-breasted front lined in brocade. The cool part about it, is that the double-breasted part can fold back entirely, for a very different look. I imagine that worn like this, a removable chain or something would be needed to keep it closed, but that can always be done… I’ve seen it in black and grey, and really prefer it in grey. I think it would make a great topper above a simple sheath dress or something perhaps?

Soldier-on from TotusMel's Wunderkammer

I adore the Etsy treasury blog TotusMel’s Wunderkammer – and it had a great foursome on military-inspired pieces from Etsy on October 2010. The dress is adorable just for starters, and brings in that whole steampunk/military vibe, rather than going directly ‘military’. Love it! Just for reference sake – here’s the full version of the dress, from Etsy seller Sky Creation. (There are a bunch of other Lolita/EGL designs in Sky Creation’s gallery too.)

Captain Jack's costume

Captain Jack has this neat military-inspired steampunk costume on Cosplay.com. This one is comprised of a khaki green shirtdress, with a “tail” back (cut up the centre back) like a Morning Coat, a waist cincher, and then a bustle that pokes out from the tails of the coat/dress. If you click the link you’ll see more photos of the individual elements of the costume, plus the costume being worn – with a cap, lots of medals/pins, boots, and a white shirt under the coat/dress. I actually saw a dress JUST like this while out shopping the other day (but it didn’t fit across the bust… and I’ve noticed that this colour is very popular right now… might be a great time to multi-purpose shop! I think that the colours work really well together to make this military-inspired, while the bustle and cincher are what ties this back together again with the steampunk vibe.

Dress/Jumper from Dracula Clothing

Here’s a super cute dress/jumper from Dracula Clothing - the belt doesn’t do much for me, but the apron-like straps are interesting, and I love the double-breasted effect. I think overall this wouldn’t look good on me though, because of my full chest. Still I like elements of this dress a lot. Click the link to see more including photos of the lace-up back.

Corset and Cloak has some heavily embellished military-style corsets – click the second and third thumbnails on their page to see them in a larger version.

Auxiliary Magazine's fashion spread using Retroscope Fashions' clothing

Auxiliary Magazine featured Retroscope Fashions’ clothing in a fashion spread about military-inspired fashion. For the women’s look, they’ve taken a plain black pencil skirt and added the chevron patch from a military surplus store. The top is black with a circuit board print and white piping (it looks like khaki green to me on my monitor – your vision may differ!), and the jacket is a gothic, military-style jacket with a corseted back. The look is finished off with Transmuter boots, and lots of pins, patches, and medals that the magazine suggests finding at army surplus stores, flea markets, and “your grandfather’s closet”. (I guess we know where they stand on the whole controversial issue…) To me, this look is more military-inspired goth, than steampunk though. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…but it’s likely not precisely the direction I want to head in.

So.. that’s the round-up for now. I think the next step is to sit and consider all of the options, and then get sketching!  … Well.. not anytime SOON though…

Military-inspired Steampunk

Miner's pin, not military at all!

So after going through some of the vintage military/RCMP pieces I have moved into my sewing room, I started thinking about a steampunk military costume.  What would it look like, how would it function, how would I wear it, and do I even want to go in that direction at all?  Does it make sense to base a costume off a desire to ‘use up’ some odds and ends sitting in my sewing room?

I figured that I’d look for inspiration first, and see if that could drive my thoughts or ideas in any specific direction.  Since I still need to finish cleaning up my sewing room, and take my machine in for servicing, I have the sneaking suspicion this will stay in the “inspiration and idea” file for a while to come….

Controversy abounds

First up – the notion of even using authentic paraphernalia in a fantasy costume to begin with.  I’ve thought about this a bit more, and even found a few interesting posts on the matter.  First up, there’s a rather passionate post on the Steampunk Empire where a current service person discourages steampunks wearing current service medals in the use of costume unless the person has earned those medals.  However, I would temper his comments against my own thoughts and plans with the notion that:

a) The American and Canadian perspectives tend to differ insofar as our military service men and women.

b) He is referring to medals (for bravery, heroism, injury or death), not to all paraphernalia in general.

c) The original poster says that using another country’s medals is fine, or those so old as to not be recognizable is fine as well.  To me this means that the intent of the argument is less about respect, and more about impersonation.

Unfortunately by the second page of the 16 page thread the posters were already veering heavily into flame-like politics and off the original topic, so I didn’t continue reading much further to see many alternate opinions on the ‘political correctness’ of this issue.

Next up, the Steampunk Tribune had a much less inflammatory perspective on the matter, and polled the readers about their thoughts.  One commenter suggested that history and alternate history should be kept separate (however having identified him/herself as a historian, I’d wager he/she is a bit biased on the matter), while another said that as long as it’s not modern (in current use), it’s fine.  The same poster suggested that authentic items were better well-used than left to gather dust in a forgotten drawer.  Again, the post was speaking specifically about medals of honour.

When it comes to the legalities that I pondered in an earlier post, it would appear that the major points revolve around medals and impersonation.  For instance, Veterans Affairs Canada states that it’s illegal to wear the medals that someone else has earned.  Further, in the forums on army.ca, a poster discussed the issue and outlined that uniforms “that is so similar to the uniform… that it is likely to be mistaken therefor” can not be worn.  Meaning again, this is an issue of impersonation.  Further, it says that wearing a “distinctive mark relating to wounds received…or  a military medal, ribbon, badge, chevron or any decoration… or any imitation thereof…that is likely to be mistaken for any such mark…” can not be worn.  Again here the issue seems to be wearing awards and medals that you didn’t earn, or imitating them in such a way that it could be considered impersonation.  The same part of the code says that you can’t possess a certificate of discharge/release, or ID card that doesn’t belong to you.  This seems to be more again, of an issue of impersonation, unless every veteran or former service member has to give up these papers upon his or her death, and never pass them on as memorabilia to their heirs.  (Which I can’t believe would be the intention of this code!)

In the same post though, posters brought up the existence of specialty and surplus stores.  Yes, some of these stores sell knock-offs, while others sell real SURPLUS items – things that the military no longer needs.  I’ve seen all sorts of items like name badges, embroidered crests, dog tags (American and Canadian versions) – all very similar to the kind of thing I am thinking of using.  If it’s fine for someone to sew a patch onto their backpack or duffel bag, this strikes me as the same kind of thing, legally speaking.

My final thoughts on the matter – I agree that it’s better to have something used and enjoyed than to have it go to the landfill or sitting in a dusty drawer.  I doubt that anyone would confuse my use of braid and wool, metal and embroidery as insulting to service men or women.  Likewise, although I know that there are people who collect military and RCMP things, I don’t believe that what I have is of any tremendous value that it should be ‘saved’ instead of enjoyed… should I ever get the opportunity to actually make up this costume!

However, if you disagree, then the Steampunk Tribune has some alternate options that I think are pretty cool, including a military medal teapot from Etsy seller Scrumptious, or a wooden medal from Miju.

Next up – Inspiration!

Sewing room makeover (pt II)

So, as a continuation from the sewing & laundry room makeover post, I have a few more links to share; hopefully things that will inspire us as we head towards another renovation.

Home Made Couture's cutting table

One of the things we’ll be needing is a good cutting table.  Right now I use the deep freeze, which we’ll be getting rid of, so an alternative is manditory.  From the Home Made Couture blog, this IKEA table was featured as a possible alternative.  The two side panels fold down, to make a table that is much, much smaller than the cutting surface it offers.  My only concern, is that it’s highly likely that once we set up a table, it WON’T get closed down/moved/etc whatsoever, or that anything that requires having to clear out space before I can set it up might just become more of a pain than having something permanently in place.  Still, this is a pretty cute solution for a small space!

Show and Tell's Laundry Room

Endless Crafting has a mini-file (much like these posts!) of great ideas from different places online, as the writer daydreams about a future dedicated sewing/crafting room.  From her posts, I was directed to Saucy Sprinkles’ laundry room, and then I found the blog Show and Tell – where the writer shows off her new laundry room – complete with under-the-washer and dryer storage.  What an awesome idea, and what a great way to lift up the dryer so that it’s less of a hassle to get into!  The writer has laundry baskets under the washer and dryer for whites, darks, and colours, but I could also see these being baskets of works-in-progress for a sewing project, bundles of yarn, or anything else lightweight and not-often used.  I also LOVE the under-the-shelf clothes hanger pole – while it doesn’t give enough room to hang dresses for instance, it would still be a great place to hang tops or unmentionables – since I usually hang to dry most of my clothing, and would really like to have a lot of hanging room in the new laundry/sewing room too!

I think that’s about it for now… hopefully we’ll figure out what we want and what we need, and be able to make some choices!