ladyofthethread (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ladyofthethread) wrote2008-04-07 10:44 pm
ladyofthethread) wrote2008-04-07 10:44 pm
Entry tags:
Sewing and Costume Rambles
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…
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…
no subject
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!
no subject
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.