A Steampunk in Tokyo

When I started thinking about my “Mysterious Sub-continent Steampunk” costume, I couldn’t help also think about an Asian-inspired Steampunk costume as well.  I thought about doing a bit of research to start off to see a) if there are interesting things already being done b) if anything appeals to me, and c) if there’s anything I really want to do…

From Fragile Whispers - click for original

To start off – one of the images that first got me thinking about this was from Fragile Whispers on Deviant Art.  I agree – I think this would be a sweet costume to make – though if I were going to make something like this, I’d make some significant changes for myself and my own body-type.  I like the colours (for Steampunk that is) with the golds/browns/creams/etc contrasting with the small touches of blue.  I like the corset and the bodice top, along with the bustle-like overskirt.  The front panel really does make it more Asian, along with the closures on the bodice, however beyond those touches it really requires the styling for the “Asian” element to come through. Still, what a great inspirational image!

From Laui Lashire - click for original

Next up, another image from Deviant Art, this time from an artist Laui Lashire.  I don’t think the art in this piece is as successful, though I really do like some of the elements she’s captured.  I love the kimono sleeves (with the banded top), the harness, the bustled overskirt/apron, and the wrap-front top.  This definitely feels more ‘modern’ steampunk vs. Victorian steampunk though, and I think I’m leaning more to the Victorian side of things…

This next one I LOVE.  It’s very much comic/graphic novel/illustration style though – more about the ‘story’ than what she’s actually wearing (which means that it’s often hard to interpret). This is from Mongrel’s Sister on Deviant Art. I think it’s the details in the image below that really work for me – the extra-large brass grommets on her tall boots with the embellished heel – along with the little peacock knot covers… the neck collar with the bow and cameo, the smoking headpiece with cogs and clock hands…  and despite the intense colour (which the artist says is slightly different from the expected Steampunk colour scheme) I adore the colours as well – the red looks so lush and ornate…  (I don’t totally dig the mis-matched eyeshadow or the bow tied in the front for the obi, but I digress…)

From Mongrels Sister on Deviant Art - click for original

Also from Deviant Art I thought I’d share a photo of a costume – I think this one is a little more on the nose than I’d like to go for, but I can appreciate the thought behind it. This is the Steampunk Kimono from Tanya.  Another that I found, but didn’t love enough to post an image (but still wanted to include for reference sake) is by artist Pooling Waters, and his Steampunk Geisha.

From O.F.A - click for original

Another image like the one above – where it’s more cartoon-y and less realistic is from the “Opium Fashion Agency” which appears to be clothing for computer game characters.  I only understand this in theory, having never played these games nor had any interest in playing… but nonetheless – cool costume!  I can’t say that I love the British flag use – though I can see this becoming a beautiful contrasting fabric instead. (Click here for a super-large version.)  There are some really cool details in this costume too – the little tiny hat, the tiny ‘Chinese lantern’ hair sticks, the neck corset, the gears/chain/keys embellished corset, the bustle…  There are also some elements I don’t care for as much – the bustle doesn’t seem to go anywhere -there are red bows at the sides for all of the pleating – but it’s nowhere to be seen in the front, and I don’t like the tiers of ruffles on the sleeves.  Still I think it’s a really interesting interpretation of the theme.

From Nerf Gun Bobbins - click for original

Next up… now this is really interesting!  From Nerf Gun Bobbins, a geisha costume from a contest.  I think it’s the strapping that really makes this one work… using a traditional kimono shape, with kimono fabric, and then adding the strapping and buckles to connect pieces and transform the overall structure into something quite different.  On the downside, as a Steampunk costume I don’t love the colour combination, but like the overall effect.  This too is a bit more modern than I think I would want to do – though I can definitely see how this could be adapted by making the length longer (my heart dreams of floor length, but the part of me that hates having my dress stepped on will settle for ankle-length), adding a bustle, perhaps doing something in the neckline area.. etc…

On Craftster there’s a costume (top) taking a straight jacket, cut in Asian-inspired brocade, and with a small bustle added into the ‘tail’ of the jacket.  It’s not what I want to do, but I thought it was interesting enough to include as well.

DragonFly Designs - click for original version

I would be foolish to try to put together any inspiration post for Asian-inspired Steampunk without including a photo from DragonFly Design’s Steampunk Geisha.  I adore pretty much everything she’s done here from the colour scheme (although I can’t say I’d be able to wear that golden-green shot dupioni silk corset!) to the cut, to the accessories.  It seems like a beautiful fusion of Victorian Steampunk and Asian.  With this outfit, it really is the accessories that sell it – though the costume itself is wonderful too.  Click the link to see more photos in-progress as well as lots of up-close photos of the accessories and back views with a beautiful bustle.

Years ago I found a post and some photos by a woman who made a Victorian Polonaise out of sushi-print fabric, and although this isn’t what I actually want to make, it certainly has some of the flavor of what I have in mind.  I hunted and hunted over the web, thinking I remembered it from the Great Pattern Review Truly Victorian page, but after not finding it there, and being curious about the other patterns, I finally found it on the Past Patterns page instead. The #904 – 1880′s Polonaise and Walking Skirt is near the bottom of the page – click the link for a photo.

So – jumping off from there, I think that Truly Victorian TV410 – 1873 Polonaise would be a good start for a pattern, and I love 1880 Split Pannier Overskirt… though I don’t know how it would look on me.  Ah.. I think sketching needs to come before patterns!

So… do you have any other ideas – cool photos or interesting links to share?  Please send them via the comments at the bottom of this post!

Book review: Pattern Magic 2

Image from the publisher - sorry if the link breaks in future, click for original

In a previous post I looked at the first Pattern Magic book by Tomoko Nakamichi, and this time around I’m taking a look at the second Pattern Magic book.  Like the first, the book is terribly ambitious, and highly inspirational.  Again, it’s like origami for clothing, with some very wearable designs, and some designs that are pure fantasy (and likely best left to the pages of the book instead of being made up in full-size to wear!)

The book is organized in a similar way, and offers a half-scale bodice block to start playing (sized to fit a medium Japanese woman) and detailed illustrations how to take the pattern from the basic block to the design pattern.  Of course, there aren’t many instructions for actually constructing the garments, but I think that if you’re ready for the challenge of these drafts, you’re probably skilled enough to figure out the construction as well…

The designs themselves are grouped into three categories; playing with geometrics, decorative structures, and ‘it vanishes’.  The ambition of the designs really reminds me of a friend of mine – quirky, thoughtful, and sometimes a little TOO smart for her own good… haha

In my post about the first book, I commented on my favorite designs. This time around, I like:

Wearing a balloon – The collared version.  It’s just so clever – something that looks simple at first glance, and then when you start to look at it, it starts to unveil it’s funky secret…

Sprouting at the back - The end result looks very elvish and monk-ish at the same time. With that being said, I wonder if it would end up just looking like an unfinished hood?  This is something I’d love to see someone else make up…

Just like a stole - I’ve seen this before in 1950′s dresses I think – very cute and sweet.  I wonder though if the result is worth the extra pattern drafting and construction work?  The overall effect could be achieved with an additional piece of fabric…

A ball-shaped accordion – I’ve had this kind of thing in mind for a bag actually (or something vaguely like it), though the author shows it as a sleeve which is interesting as well.  I really like the shell-effect pulling the accordion diagonally, though I don’t know how this could be used…

Like a jungle – although it goes against my love of symmetry, I like the concept behind this design, and could see it looking very interesting if the pieces were strategically placed on the back of a dress.  I also wonder how it might work if the pieces were to lace across like a corset back?

Cowl neck & application of the cowl-neck design – I love cowl necks, but it’s not something too unique (since I’ve made up several over the years) but I love the application, turning the cowl into a vest front with lapels (this would look beautiful in a halter-neck I think…).  The straight-front Regency-style jacket is less interesting to me though.

Like the first book, you can get Pattern Magic 2 from the publisher or, if shopping in Canadian dollars, from Chapters/Indigo.

On my wish list is Pattern Magic for Stretch Fabrics, which hasn’t been published/distributed yet by the looks of things, but is available for pre-order from Chapters/Indigo for May 2012…  I’m fascinated by the idea of all of the structure from the designs in the first two books interpreted in knits!

Book Review: Pattern Magic

graphic from the publisher, sorry if the link breaks in future. Click for original

Most books I’ve seen I’ve filed under “inspiration” – however this one I’ll file under “ambitious” instead.  I first read about Pattern Magic  from the blogosphere (I don’t remember which one(s) and now that I go to look for my favorites, I can’t find the reference…) and finally found both #1 and #2 in the English (from Japanese) translations.

Pattern Magic is ambitious because it presumes that you understand how to draft your own basic blocks, and then that you know how to alter the patterns, and how to construct garments from those patterns.  For an average home sewer who relies on patterns by traditional pattern companies (Vogue, McCalls, etc) this is probably more ambitious than they could easily tackle.  I studied pattern drafting in college, and this is far beyond the scope of what I learned – however I can see how tackling one project at a time (with lots of patience!) could be very rewarding.

The designs in the book are like wearable origami; full of fascinating angles, confusing curves, and shapes emerging from areas where we’re unaccustomed to seeing these shapes.  Some of the designs are very adaptable for different garments (for instance translating an effect from a bodice to a skirt) while others are less so.  Some of the designs are wearable (at least by someone who doesn’t mind a little extra attention) while others I can’t imagine seeing on anyone off the couture runway.

The book includes half-scale bodice block patterns to start out with – these are graded for different (Japanese woman) sizes, but aren’t fitted – so just scaling them up likely won’t actually produce a wearable pattern (unless you happen to have ideal measurements by Japanese standards…)  Luckily, all of the designs show the actual development of the pattern rather than just the finished pattern – meaning you can take a block designed for your measurements and adapt the design from there.

My favorite designs?  

The gathered hole – pretty simple, but in an unexpected place.  I think it would be cute as shown on the hip of a cami, or on the shoulders of a jacket.  I like the look of it on the waist-side of a dress, but that’s totally not wearable for me!

The drop hole - not at all wearable as far as I can figure, but amazing. I can’t even think of a way to translate it into something wearable, but it’s gorgeous and noteworthy.

The bamboo shoot – lovely and pretty.  I can’t see wearing it on the front like in the example, but I think it would be lovely on the hips of a funky dress or on the back of a sundress.

In an ideal world (you know, that world where I have time to try these things) I’d love to try out some of the designs even in half-scale just for the challenge and the beauty.

So – have you made anything from Pattern Magic? Include a link of your creation in the comments below!  I searched the blogosphere, and found some of the following bloggers have made up their own versions…

• Very Prairie (Looks fantastic, but it seems like a lot of work for the result…)
• Goldfinch & Eagle (Made up in a small scale for a full size interpretation.)
• Handmade by Carolyn (the Gathered Hole dress looks cute on her, but it would look terrible on me!)

Order from the publisher, or find it in Canadian $ from Chapters/Indigo.

Book Review: Two from one jelly roll quilts

Image from Amazon.ca - click for original

I picked up a few books about Jelly Roll quilts recently – and a number of them are by Pam and Nicky Lintott.  I have recently started to want to work with the lovely combination of fabrics in Jelly Rolls – but thought that finding some patterns/designs especially meant for them would be ideal for making the best use of the fabric.

In this book the authors take one Jelly Roll, and make two quilts with it (with additional fabric of course).  Like the previous book I didn’t always care for their colour choices – I prefer more subdued colours rather than lots of brights, but there were more ideas in here that really worked for me for a possible Jelly Roll quilt.

Since they are using one roll to make two quilts – not all of the quilts are full-size, but all of the patterns can be adapted for larger quilts – even if it means you’ll need more than one jelly roll (or additional fabric for sashing/etc).

The quilt pattern that I really like from this book is called “Fairy Steps”… though I have a few other books to go through before I decide which pattern I want to use for the purples/pinks Jelly Roll I bought not too long ago!

Have I mentioned recently how much I love….

Google Books?

General history

Image from Google Books. Linked from source, click for reference.

Accessories of Dress: An Illustrated Encyclopedia By Katherine Morris Lester, Bess Viola Oerke, Helen Westermann

This book has a wide variety of accessories from early history until modern times – and as luck would have it, the first part of the book that Google Books offers is on hats – both men’s and women’s hats, from early history until 1930 (when the copyright laws prevent them from showing more).  Masks, wigs, collars, shawls and more are included in the book itself, though the Google Books reference only includes the hat section.  Very fortunate for me, since that’s what I’m specifically interested in right now!

There are some very clear illustrations, however not a ~lot~ on each style… still enough to give a good impression, and a good jumping off point for further research on historical costume.
Another book with a general historial theme, although this one specifically about hats is Hats: a history of fashion in headwear By Hilda Amphlett. Again, this one has sketches of millinery from the 11th century until the 20th century.

Victorian & Edwardian

Image from Google Books. Linked from source, click for resource

Victorian fashions and costumes from Harper’s bazar, 1867-1898 By Stella Blum

A really interesting look at fashion plates from old magazines.  There are also illustrations specifically of hats, jewelry, shawls, parasols and other items.  I would love to have (and have the ROOM to have) these sorts of resource books just for reference when costuming… but checking out the pages that Google Books has available for the time being is the next best thing!

A related reference book with fashion plates is Victorian and Edwardian fashions from “La Mode Illustrée By JoAnne Olian, also available in part on Google Books.

Next up, patterns – again taken (I imagine) from magazines from the Victorian era Authentic Victorian Fashion Patterns: A Complete Lady’s Wardrobe By Kristina Harris.  I’ve seen this sort of thing before, and there are a bunch of caveats when using these for actual pattern-making… 1) historic clothing fits differently than modern clothing 2) the patterns aren’t multi-sized, so you need some idea of grading for your size. 3) patterns are rarely included for facings, cuffs, etc.  With those caveats, seeing the more detailed patterns is a great way to see how different shapes were made, and then translate that into original drafts.  There is another book on Google Books that I found: Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques  By Kristina Harris however it mostly shows hand-sewing techniques, and although there might be more to the book…. I wasn’t nearly so excited as I was about the others.

Edwardian, Regency & the Teens

Again, from Google Books - click away!

Everyday fashions, 1909-1920, as pictured in Sears catalogs By JoAnne Olian

More actual historic illustrations – this time from 1909-1920.  I love seeing the actual catalogue illustrations of the hats from earlier in the period – how big those hats were!

For more fashion plates (with lots of descriptive information) this time from the Regency era, they also have Ackermann’s costume plates: women’s fashions in England, 1818-1828 By Stella Blum, Rudolph Ackermann

But alas…

There’s also a book listed, with no preview at all – that I’m really curious to see more of…. Practical millinery lessons by Julia Bottomley

Oh, but there’s also…

On the topic of Google Books – although Google Books specifically didn’t have the following books, they were available through the Hathi Trust Digital Library. Millinery, by Charlotte Rankin Aiken.

From the University of Wisconsin library, there is The art of millinery: a complete series of practical lessons for the artiste and the amateur by Anna Ben Yusuf, which, I will admit I didn’t look too much at – I found it difficult to scroll through all the pages quickly to scan it… so I’m noting it for another time!

There is also Your millinery by Winifred Reiser at the Wisconsin library as well, which I also didn’t actually go through.  :(

The Library of Congress has a full digital version of A complete course in millinery  by Julia Bottomley, & Emma Maxwell Burke, which looks really interesting as well. I skimmed through this one, but think it’s worth a read later on as well. There is also a copy of Home millinery course by National Millinery Company, which covers similar material, but is less extensive.

Book Review: Amy Butler’s In Stitches

Image from Chapters.ca - click for the original

When looking for books I picked up a book on bags from Amy Butler, however there weren’t any patterns in there that I was really excited about.  (See my review of Style Stitches  for more information) However I also picked up another Amy Butler book - In Stitches.

Like the previous book, this one has great photos and illustrations, use beautiful fabrics, and it uses the same project-friendly coil binding which makes it really easy to follow along with the directions. The patterns are printed full-size (hurrah, no more visits to the photocopy room!) on regular paper so they’ll stand up to repeated use.  (However I would likely trace them off instead).

Like the previous book, the directions seem really thourough; more so than I think I would use, but still really excellent for anyone who wants good instructions.  The projects themselves also really seem geared towards beginner sewers rather than those with more experience.  Projects like wide-leg lounge pants, sleep masks, and floor cushions aren’t really very challenging.   Covered boxes, decorated towels, aprons and laundry bags are equally beginner-level.  While I think this would be a very pretty book for someone who is just learning how to sew, more advanced sewers might get a little bored.

That being said, there is one project that I kind of liked in the book – the Patchwork Handbag with Zipper Charm.  Ok, I wouldn’t do it patchwork, and I wouldn’t make the zipper charm, but the overall shape of the bag is really modern and appealing. I don’t really love the construction however, so I might just use the idea to develop something of my own!

Photo of the page with the tote I kind of like...

Steampunk: Simplicity 2172

The other day (ok, a while ago actually,before Hallowe’en, this is a scheduled post!) I was in Fabricland and one of the garments on display was made from Simplicity 2172.  I have seen this pattern reviewed elsewhere, and while there are aspects of it that are neat, it’s never called out to me to purchase it.  Still, I was excited to see that someone had made it up, and thought I’d share some quick iPhone snapshots with you.

Brown jacket with purple bustier, brown and black striped skirt.

The garment is a brown underbust cut coat, with a brown skirt, and a purple bustier.  The maker also did a set of goggles, and a bunch of accessories to style the outfit.  Very ambitious!

Shot of the pattern, with the pocket trim for the coat.

Simplicity doesn’t have linkable photos, so here’s a photograph instead.  Sorry for the iPhone quality!

The 'coat' bodice front with fantastic 'gear' 'buttons. The coat is brown, the bustier under it is the bright blue -it's really more of a purple.

The feature that really caught my eye were the ‘buttons’ though on the coat. When I looked at them I thought that they were a slotted button with a brass-toned ring around the outside.  I knew they looked familiar, but I just couldn’t place them.  I started by looking at the buttons, but nothing looked correct.  Then I went back to the garment and looked again, and realized that the centers weren’t buttons, but extra large snaps.  I looked at the snaps – still no luck.  None of them were big enough, and they were all silver-tone or black.  When I worked at Fabricland years and years ago, we were supposed to use as much of their stock as possible for our display projects – so I wondered about these ‘buttons’ – and then finally while looking at the cloak clasps – I saw them!

Extra-large snaps - two shown with the internal (male and female) pieces, and one snapped to the card.

I was really impressed with this sewer’s creativity!  These really do look like cogs, and make big, impressive ‘buttons’.  Of course, there is no shank on them, so there’s likely snaps or something behind the fake buttons – but still really creative!

I bought some for the stash of ideas and parts.  If you have seen similar ideas (normal items seen in unique ways for Steampunk goodness), share them in the comments below!

Book Review: Amy Butler’s Style Stitches

Image from Chapters.ca - click for the original

When I started making a few little totes and purses, I noticed really great Amy Butler purse/bag patterns in some of the quilting shops.  I didn’t pick any up, but instead I looked for a book… and found Amy Butler’s Style Stitches.

The book has great photographs and illustrations, and all of the projects use the beautiful, floral, kind of funky fabrics that Amy Butler is so well-known for.  The directions all seem clear and well-written, though perhaps a little wordy. I confess, I wouldn’t really follow too many instructions in this book, but I rarely follow pattern instructions anymore unless there is an unusual feature that I’m less familiar with.

Generally speaking, the patterns seem quite simple, so I think that they would work for any sewing level.  Advanced sewers could probably whip one up quickly or add their own personal touches, while less experienced sewers might want to take the time to read all of the directions and work more carefully.  The patterns are printed full-size (hurray for not having to enlarge them!) on large format (I didn’t measure but I’m guessing about 20×24″) regular paper – so if I were making any up I’d still want to trace them out.  The book has a great project-friendly binding –  the book lays perfectly flat because of the coil binding.  This is a great feature when you really want to work along with a book project rather than just referring back once or twice throughout the project.   I do find that it’s a little less “sitting-on-the-couch-reading” friendly though because of this binding.  Unfortunately, none of the designs themselves (as nice as they are) really appeal to me today, so I won’t be making up any of the projects right away.

Land of eternal sundresses

To the sewers out there – do you have one pattern that you keep coming back to time and time again?

I used to buy patterns with the idea of using them once, perhaps twice.  I never really looked at the variations on the cover, because I knew that I only liked ONE of them, and that would be the one I would make (if I made it up at all….).  When I started drafting my own patterns, it was a similar fate.  The empire waist, ruffled front long dress was made in tone-on-tone black striped spandex stretch velvet.  It was never made up in a short version, never made with long sleeves instead of the cute cap/puff sleeves that I originally intended.  The crossover blouse was made up in soft grey knit, never extended to a dress length, never made up in alternating colour blocks.  With the exception of my super-simple dress pants (which I’ve made up in about ten different solid and pinstriped fabrics over the years), my ‘perfect’ t-shirt (which has never once been made up in anything that resembles an RTW store-bought t-shirt) and my corset patterns (which each have been made up multiple times) it’s pretty rare for me to use a pattern more than once or twice.  (Three times if we’re counting a muslin version too…)

McCalls 5659

But… then I found McCalls 5659.  It’s just a simple sundress.  Nothing all that special really.  It has a front and back yoke, with a pleated dress section that hangs in an a-line.  It’s short, but not too short, and even the variations on the pattern themselves are minimal.  It offers inseam pockets or patch pockets (which I’ve never added).  It shows an embellished yoke and a plain yoke (I’ve only ever done the plain version).  There is a hem border on one variation (which I’ve also never done).  Yet, I’ve made this dress up a number of times.

The first variation added an extra pleat to the back, and subsequently all of the following versions have adopted that pleat, but in the first variation I enlarged the hem, adding black godets to the hem.  I didn’t end up repeating that, though I do love this first dress – made up in a fabulous grey, white, black and pink print.  Every time I get a compliment on this dress, I point out that the print is girls with tattoos.

The second variation was a black, ivory, and two shades of grey geometric flower print.  I trimmed the hem in super-wide rick rack, and loved the weight the trim gave to the hem.  (Big wide hems like this do tend to get floaty on a windy summer day!)

The third was a bold red/pink/white/green poppy floral print.  I loved this fabric (and still do!).  The hem got more super-wide rick rack, but this time on the inside, so it looks like a little black scalloped edge.  One of those things that I’m sure only I can see.  The second and third dress variations have gone on vacation with me to a few warm places, and have regularly been far preferable than standard shorts-and-a-tank-top that make up the majority of my warm-weather travel wardrobe.  (Plus, being simple cotton, they wash up in a hotel sink nicely!)

At Dressew in Vancouver I picked up some ‘must touch me’ purple striped silk.  Shades of grey and mauve and purple and pink all muddle together in this fabric.  I also picked up some brighter solid purple silk – which became the lining for this dres and the accent piping and bias trim around the armsyce.  I’ll admit, I’ve only worn this one a few times – it’s so precious feeling, that I tend to reserve it for special occasions.

I’m almost finished the fifth and sixth variations as well – the fifth is another poppy print, this time bright red poppies on a red background.  It’s bold and bright and happy – just right for summer.  Since I liked the rick-rack hem so much, I repeated it here too. I couldn’t decide until the last moment if I wanted a contrast yoke or a yoke in the same fabric – so cut both.  This way, the black yoke is lined with the fashion fabric.

The sixth is a black and purple Hawaiian border print I brought back from my first trip to Hawaii.  I found the fabric among a few others in a very old and worn-out looking fabric shop on the side of a road in a small town.  There were rolls and rolls of fabric to choose from, but I stayed away from the bolder, more garish Hawaiian prints in favor of this one which has large leaves on one end (the hem) and small flowers on the other (the neckline).  I love the way the fabric pieces together to form almost a necklace of flowers in the yoke of the dress.  The hem on this one is more black rick-rack.  I think I’m really the only one that notices…

That’s not all though… I also have cut out a mauve embroidered silk (just waiting for the right lining) and a blue-on-blue Hawaiian print rayon (waiting for it’s solid yoke).  They’re both sitting, nicely labeled in the dining room right now – waiting for their respective parts to join, and move from their pile on a chair to under my needle, and then up into my closet.  They will be versions seven and then eight of this dress… more, I think, than any other pattern I’ve used before.

If you want to try this pattern too – I’ll give you a few hints:

• I found adding the extra pleat at the back gives nice fullness and still stays within the fabric width for me.  ‘Your mileage may vary’ based on your size and the width of your fabric.
• The pattern recommends self-bias for the under arms.  I don’t see the point of this generally, as it will rarely be seen, and since I’ve used cotton for most of these dresses, and solid yokes.  I’ve generally used purchased pre-made bias tape instead, except with the purple silk dress, where I used the lining fabric for the trim.
• Easing the dress onto the yoke almost always ends up with weird shapes.  Instead, I sew the dress to the yoke starting at each shoulder and moving into the center.  When I get to the pleat area I stop and go to the other side.  Then I manipulate the pleat into shape, and sew it down to the yoke as well.  Smooth!
• For the facing, I straight-stitch where the fold line will go – this makes it easier to gauge.  However, I don’t turn, press, and then hand-stitch the whole thing down – too fussy!  I turn the yoke right sides together, and sew from each shoulder as far towards the middle as I can. Then I turn back, and hand-stitch the small opening closed.
• To keep the yoke clean and crisp – a nice contrast for the puffy, floaty skirt portion – I top stitch the neckline, as well as the yoke line from the right side.

I haven’t started an embellished yoke yet – perhaps that will end up being variation nine?  I also have some gorgeous black batiste with ivory embroidery that I’d love to make up in this dress as well, and think that a white eyelet one would be super-cute as well.   Ahh.. so many dresses, so little time to sew!

I thought I’d share with you sewing on the rick-rack trim to the hem to create the little scallops:

Sewing down the trim to the fabric.

Step 1: Serge the raw edge of the hem. With a straight stitch, sew the trim down in the center of the trim, to the RIGHT side of the fabric, along the hem fold-line.  If you don’t have a serger you can zig-zag this edge, finish it with french binding, finish it with hem tape, cut it with pinking sheers, turn-and-stitch, or whatever other seam-finish you prefer.  Ideally I would be a bit closer to the serged edge than in this photo.

With the hem folded back but the trim NOT folded back. I did this on one of the dresses I made, but prefer it the other way.

Step 2: Fold in the hem

With the hem and trim both folded back

Step 3: Flip the bottom half of the trim to the back.  Press the hem.

Top stitching the trim while also securing the hem in place.

Step 4: Top-stitch the very top edge of the trim to the hem allowance and body fabric – catching the trim and the hem in one.

Elegant Steampunk – Victorian purse

While at a sewing trade show a few years ago, there was a vendor who specialized in Victorian arts & crafts. I’ve seen the same vendor there a few times now, though they weren’t at the last show I attended.    Looking online, I can’t find their website either.

Regardless, I thought I’d share with you one of the projects I did from a kit I purchased from them.

The finished purse

The kit starts off with a pattern that is vaguely teardrop shaped, though you could use any shape you wanted.  The most important thing about it is to measure the inside of the purse frame and mimic it’s shape for the top of the purse. The body of the purse also needs to be large enough for the scale of the embellishment.

Then cut out two fashion fabric pieces, and matching two lining fabric.  In the kit there was this lovely ivory-on-ivory floral brocade, with a plain white cotton lining.  The “front” of the fashion fabric purse piece gets embellished – first by stitching down a printed ‘portrait’, and then by adding in  hand-dyed rayon lace in lots of pastel colours.  Put the ‘fringe’ lace down first, and then add the floral appliques on top.  Due to the scale, you don’t need actual appliques, just cut them out of lace trim by the meter.  From there I added in some crystal beads as well, and a butterfly pendant from a vintage necklace I no longer wore.

Then carefully sew the fashion fabrics right sides together (being careful not to catch any of the trim in the seams) and sew the lining fabrics right sides together.  You can leave the top open for turning, that will be handled later anyways.  Turn and press the seams of the fashion fabric, and just press the lining.  Then tuck the lining into the purse (wrong sides together) and line everything up. I ran a running stitch to keep the edges together.

From here it depends if you have a sew-on, or a glue-in purse frame.  This one was a glue-in, though a subsequent one I used was a sew-on. Use glue that is suitable to attach metal to fabric (fabric won’t be the problem here, since it’s porous, but the metal might be) and VERY carefully (working a little bit at a time) glue the top edge of the purse into the frame.  Once the glue is dry, the kit included a small length of ivory mini gimp braid to trim the inside edge and hide the raw edges.  This is also glued on over top of the fabric, inside the purse.

Next, the strap – on this one I used a length of chain doubled (since the chain was a bit finer than normal purse chain) and attached it to the purse frame.

Ta-da!

My only complaint about this purse is that it’s VERY, very small.  It will hold my cell phone, but not my iPod Touch, a credit card, ID, and a lipgloss, and that’s about it.  I ended up making a slightly larger one, which I’ll post soon!

What do you think?  I’ve made one other – what do you think you would do differently?  Let me know in the comments below!

Close up of the purse frame