Sewing and Costume Rambles

[ladyofthethread]

Hmm… Several days ago, I was flipping through my historical costume books and photographing things since natalie526asked for ideas for her draping final project. I’ve gotten pretty good at dissecting outfits for cosplay but some of the asymmetrical Victorian designs were so complicated that I couldn’t even completely visualize how they would look in full. ._.; (For example, this and these) Reminded me I still have much to learn and try in sewing.

Also, while looking for ideas for Natalie, I stumbled on some exciting news about a favorite musical of mine, “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” ^_^ I found out the Takarazuka Revue is supposed to be giving the show its Japanese premiere this summer. Although I’ve seen some gorgeous cosplays from their shows (like HCC’s Rose of Versailles costumes), I haven’t really investigated Takarazuka so far. I’ll have to remember to check into this during the summer though since I’d love to see what they do with the costumes. ^_^ The site only has a few tiny pictures of the three leads so far.

And I finally got around to making a bag with a kimono fabric handkerchief that I had picked up at NYAF. Basically, it’s just a lined circle with a drawstring threaded through series of buttonholes near the edges. Really simple and only took a couple of hours to make. (Yay for the automatic buttonhole feature!) If I do another one though, I’ll put the buttonholes closer to the edges. I think this one came out looking a bit more like a giant flowery wonton rather than a bag since I left so much fabric at the top!

I also started on that new Count D costume I mentioned last time. (Yes, I am obsessed with his wardrobe. ^_^;; I love dressy clothes and he has so many nice outfits! He probably has the largest wardrobe of any male anime/manga character considering how he always gets at least 1 or 2 new outfits per chapter in addition to all the covers and artbook stuff!)

Went shopping for supplies last week and found a light green leaf-patterned Chinese brocade to use for the skirt. Of course, it had to be at the last store I checked, which is normally the first but I had the bright idea of starting on the other side of the street this time... -_-; (Fabric shopping is definitely not my favorite part of costume making. I feel like I often end up on a wild goose chase when trying to find certain patterns!) The shimmery cream brocade was left over from an evening gown I made years ago and will be used for the tailcoat. I would have liked to have a little more contrast with the trim and the green brocade but the next darker green was an olive which didn’t look as good with the cream. 



I worked on the skirt this weekend and it’s done now. ^_^ (no progress pics yet) Did the usual seam finishes and stuff inside but it’s just rectangular panels gathered into a wide waistband. I’m going to make the front of the coat a little lower since I didn’t really want to make a whole dress to go under it. >_>; I’m just trying to do this one relatively quickly to get it out of my system since I already have so many D costumes. Maybe, I can wear this for Sakura Matsuri if the coat doesn’t take too long…

Comments

[selphie84.livejournal.com]

the skirt brocade is pretty and so is the green trim, but im not sure about the cream brocade. what about a casa satin, or a silk charmeuse, dupioni or something else of that nature thats got the creaminess to it, but a subtle warm tone in it that will compliment the gold/yellows in the green brocade? the cream looks "too" evening gown to me, i duno.

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Well, I know I'm making this costume fancier than it's really supposed to be but that cream brocade is actually the main reason I'm doing this one. I wanted to finally use the rest of this fabric since I love it and it's just been sitting around my house for so many years. I thought the coat would look really elegant in this fabric and it's been a big motivating factor for wanting to do this costume; I wouldn't be nearly as interested if I had to use other fabric. :-/

My coat is actually going to be a little different from the reference I posted since the artwork was inconsistent for that outfit. I'm really going by another pic where the tails are rectangular instead of pointed and go down all the way to the skirt's hem. And I think the photo is giving the cream a cool tone that it doesn't actually have since I took the pic in my sewing room where the walls are purple. I fixed it a bit in Photoshop but the original looked even bluer.

[doorknocker-dog.livejournal.com]

Y-YOU LIKE THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL TOO? Holy crap, I didn't know there was anyone else on my f-list who even knew that it existed!

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow, I didn't know you were into Pimpernel, too! Yes, I was big Scarlet Pimpernel fan some years back. :-D I missed the show when it was actually on Broadway but saw it a few times when it was on tour, including in Washington and Boston. The first time I visited the Copley Place Mall was actually on that trip and not for AB! XD;

[spookloops.livejournal.com]

It's good to hear from you! I have to agree with Selphie84, that the cream is a bit too "eveningish", but I know you have a knack for making fabrics work together.

Thanks for posting the Victorian ladies; while on our trip I purchased a book about these fashions as well as needlepoints, patterns, and crochets. It's an amazing book, and look forward to working on some of these. It's more geared towards Civil War era designs though, which had more straight edges and played less with the elaborate draping, but I find both styles fascinating. (book link: http://www.amazon.com/Civil-War-Ladies-Fashions-Needle-Arts/dp/0914046098) Seeing the other books that pop up associated with this search, I may be buying a few more...

I like your kimono bag! After making Celes' evening bag, I want to make another - I may try your button-hole idea if I use a heavily textured cord again; the one I made has the openings for the cord on both sides, but my cording was so textured that it likes to catch. Thanks for the idea!

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Thanks. ^_^ Let me know if you want a more detailed explaination of what I did for the bag.

That sounds like an interesting book. It might be good to look more into the historical stuff sometime; I studied it a bit in my fashion history classes but haven't made many attempts to replicate it other than making a few things from Folkwear patterns. I've avoided doing any costumes that are purely historical so far because I wouldn't really have any place suitable to wear them and it's not nearly as fun to sew something and just have it sit in your closet. :-/ There are some cosplays I want to do based on period clothes though so I might get a bit more into the historical stuff soon.

And I know I'm making the costume fancier than it really should be but I really wanted to use that fabric. ^_^; It was one of my favorite fabrics I ever bought and I had about 3-4 yards left from an evening gown I made years ago. I wanted to use what I had left for a costume since it's been sitting around so long and I thought that coat would look really elegant in the brocade. That fabric is really the driving factor for me wanting to do that particular D outfit; I wouldn't be nearly as interested if I had to substitute something plainer. ^_^;;

I did have the thought it would have been lovely for Celes's opera dress but I don't have nearly the yardage needed for that and I wasn't that interested in making it. The gown I made with it actually makes me think of that costume a little since I had a bodice and split overskirt in the brocade with a beige satin skirt underneath it.

[luv-blindly.livejournal.com]

Hi there! This is Runi-chan/Rurouni_Ina_Box from cosplay.com (aka that weird T-Chan cosplayer, XD). Found you through blackmarth, and was wondering if it was alright if I friended you.

PS. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being obsessed with D's outfits, XP He's got a lovely assortment of clothes. Though I think CLAMP boys might beat him out for clothing changes.

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Oh, hi! ^_^ I haven't been on cosplay.com that much lately but I remember you. Had no idea you had LJ, too. ^_^; And, sure, you can add me. :-)

LOL Yep, D has quite the wardrobe! I was wondering how the Tsubasa guys compare but I kind of figured that D might still have more since he always gets at least 1-2 new outfits a chapter plus, he's in almost all of the covers and the illustrations at the beginning of the chapters. I know there's a good amount of artbook stuff for Tsubasa but I don't think the guys change as often in the actual chapters. Hmm... Not sure. Maybe, I'll try to count if I'm ever bored enough. XD;

[luv-blindly.livejournal.com]

Well, with Tsubasa/any CLAMP thing, everyone gets a ton of stuff to wear,so I think D still wins for single character with the biggest wardrobe.

One day I'll have to haul my T-Chan up to a con you go to. I've got a friend who's planning the Medusa (White) too, and I'm eventually going to make the Medusa (Black).

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Oh, forgot to mention yesterday, I love your icon. It's so cute and funny! XD I need to read more Tsubasa sometime; only read through volume 8 so far and seen the first season of the anime.

That would be cool. :-) Right now, it looks like I'll have a group for AnimeNext, with a few of the people who were in my Anime Boston group plus a Medusa and maybe a T-Chan. And I'm going to NYAF again this year.

I have a room for Otakon but I'm currently feeling blah about going since it's expensive and I didn't enjoy the con/location itself that much when I went in '06. :-/ And unfortunately, I think Katsucon is just never going to work out for me as long as it's in February. Last year, it was on Chinese New Year (big deal for my mother) and this year it was pretty soon afterwards. It falls in January next year but then I realized my grandmother's birthday would be right around Katsu. I just can't seem to win with this one!

I'd really like to go to Costume Con in Maryland next year though. I've been wanting to check it out for a few years but it's never been close enough to the northeast for me before.

[luv-blindly.livejournal.com]

Aw. Otakon's not a terrific con onthe whole-I just go because it's about 30 minutes from my house and because all my friends go, ^.^ Maybe if my job situation works out, I could get up to NYAF--it's in Sept this year, right?

OOOH, please to be coming to Costume Con, ^.^ That was what I was planning on making the black Medusa for, actually, as well as something from Sweeney Todd, and hauling along some Clamp things.

[ladyofthethread.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the highlight of Otakon was really just getting to see friends and meeting some people I wouldn't see at the cons around here.

My parents are very paranoid and my brother and I are generally not allowed to room with other people. So, we end up having to get our own room for cons, which gets pretty expensive and I have to be picky about which ones I'd consider attending. :-/

Yep, NYAF is at the end of September this year. Not a spectacular con since the dealer's room is the main focus but it's cheap to go to since it's local for me. ^_^

I'll certainly try to make it to Costume Con since I don't know if I'd get another good chance anytime soon. I saw the last time it was even in the northeast was Connecticut in 2000!

Hmm... Sweeney Todd is probably the biggest Sondheim show that I'm not familiar with. I've heard (and in a few cases, seen) most of the others but have just never looked into that one. My favorites have to be Follies and A Little Night Music. ^_^

[luv-blindly.livejournal.com]

Aw, ^.^

Yeah, I have a feeling the east coast locations for that con have always been few and far between. But I love that it travels.

The music for Sweeney Todd is pretty good, and the movie wasn't half bad. I'm surprised that it did so well, considering the cast was pretty much non-singers, and that it was a Sondheim musical, which I never thought would do well on screen. I guess I'm wrong, XD The movie is pretty bloody, but stage versions aren't as much.

Plus, sometimes Tim Burton movies just have good costume design, ^^ I don't know who he's working with, but they just dream up the neatest thing. That, and By the Sea is such a silly song,and Helena Bonham Carter sells it so well, ^.^