MLS Designs

Here we go, let's see how long this takes!!

( The list of my year's adventures in costuming, complete with piccytures, is all under here!! )

I've decided I need to do less this year, this list took far too long! All afternoon!!! It's so much fun to see it all in one place though ;)

Boy do I have lots to post! But I'm too busy to edit and upload pics, and it's only going to get worse! I've been sewing like mad, in between coughing fits, Sunday we're doing a demo at a local hippy type dance festival, as long as it doesn't rain that is! Mummy will be wearing the early Victorian I fixed the sleeves on, and I'm wearing 18thC, probably my Indian print jacket with a cream taffeta petti and my new blue clocked stockings from Williamsburg, so hopefully there will be pics from that. And next Saturday we go to Wales for the Victorian festival! EEK!!!
It's this festival that has me sewing like a crazy person, for instance, today I finished Mummy's new 1860s cotton dress, it's dark blue with a yoked bodice and double puff sleeves (all I had left was the centre back cartridge pleats, moving the dog-leg buttons and hemming the cuffs). I also did the fastenings and decoration on a day bodice to go with my gold stripe ball gown skirt, trimmed the same way as the original I'm copying with velvet ribbon and fringe. I cut out, assembled and made the boning channels for Clare's new corset, but it's so tiny I'm worried it might actually be too small, even though she's a midget, so I'm waiting to finish it till she gets back. I also trimmed a straw bonnet form my best friend bought me for my birthday, using the vintage rose ikat print ribbon from the first bonnet I made, which I also re-trimmed a few days ago. And last, put in an extra hook and bar on the plaid skirt for Clare's new Bustle walking suit. Whew, just writing it makes me tired! Now, bear in mind that this is a completely abnormal day, making up for yesterday's almost total slacking, but it does give you an idea of the little sweat shop I've made for myself! A word to the wise, when you know you have a deadline coming up, however many months away it is, don't faff around doing nothing for days on end, it WILL come back to bite you in the arse!!!!
To top off the enjoyment, I've spent the last 24 hours obsessing about '20s dresses, thanks to certain people who will remain nameless ... you know who you are and should feel ashamed!!! I need to finish things for Llandod, not daydream, and WILF for pretty frocks and the House of Eliot DVD!!!!!

So, I'm still plodding along! My birthday weekend was packed! My favourite aunty came to stay fro a few days, so Saturday was taken up with going to collect her from a charming little town half way between our houses where we had a lovely lunch. Then Sunday was a relaxing morning, followed by a rehearsal at school all afternoon, finishing at 8pm, when my friends took me out to a delicious dinner. Monday morning I was at school, lunchtime I went out with friends again, and then home for Birthday cake and presents! In between I have managed to finish the doll's dress - just a sash left to make; and my ball gown skirt is finished too, and a new sleeveless chemise I needed because of the net under-sleeves, plus the bodice is all done except for eyelets, which I'll hopefully be able to do tomorrow at work in my breaks. I have to be there from 9 till after the performance so probably 8 ish (2 hours earlier than a usual performance because we're having a new examiner and she wants to get home early, so means I get an early night too!), if I don't have enough time tomorrow I'll be able to do it Friday - I have to be in early again, because of getting a lift in, and the play is much later, so I'll have loads of time to kill.
So, since my ball gown is nearly done I've been working on my red wool round gown. But before I could start it I had to make a new shift ( I hate making undies, takes time away from the pretties!!) I don't have one with long full sleeves gathered into cuffs, and several of my planned outfits need this kind of shift! It's done though, except for handsewing the cuffs on (I did the rest by machine, it doesn't show!!) And now the bodice is all cut out and pinned to its lining, with the neck and hem turned in for stitching, and I'm in the middle of stitching it together now.
I must remember Mummy's chocolate velvet sash though, before I get to sucked into 18th C sewing again!! And I have to do lots of cleaning, and we need to cook for the supper as well, so looks like I'll be pretty busy the next few days!

I've been millinering! We're going to a historical market/bazar on Sunday, I will be wearing my Indian print, but have no head-wear, so today I took apart and shaped a cheapy straw hat to make a tricorn; and wet and shaped a round, low crown, straw hat to be trimmed with ribbon. I did think I wouldn't have time to cover the tricorn, so did the round hat as well, but I decided tonight that maybe I would have time, so the brim is almost done, then I'll cover the crown, put it together and trim it! I'm at school till 4 tomorrow, so I'll have lots of time to sew during my breaks, (I'm also working on a little cap to wear with the round hat, in case the tricorn has issues)
The ball gown bodice is still in it's pitiful pinned state, but the skirt is now halfway hemmed. I'll get there eventually, but it may be rather less trimmed than I planned!

Today I cut out my ball gown skirt and bodice, sewed the long seams on the skirt and turned up the hem ready to sew at the pub after I finish work at school, (if I have time that is, I have to make chilli and soup and sticky toffee pudding). The fabric frays very badly so I zigzagged the silk to the cotton lining, and tomorrow when I get home I will hopefully have time to put the bodice together, and decide if I want a pointed or round bodice, (I think I want round this time, my other 2 ball gowns have points) before I have to go back to the pub for the evening shift.
Tomorrow is going to be one very busy day!! But at least Glee tonight has fortified me ready for the week to come :o)

Although, after the photo shoot I ripped out the sleeve heads to try and get a bit more ease over the front of my shoulder, they're stitched back in though, so, it's finished!!!!The proof is ( under here! ) When I got in from the pub, after my lunch, it was such a nice afternoon I mowed the lawn and played with the puppy. So, because of that and the slight sleeve mis-hap, I haven't got onto my ballgown, and I have to go to the pub tomorrow again, and I'm usually totally useless when it comes sewing at the weekends, so I don't think there will be much progress to report in the next few days! Oh, and I want to bake tomorrow too ;)

Every time I think I'll be finished soon something happens! This morning I didn't get time to mark the hem because I got a lift into Loughborough to go to the post office, so left the house at 10 instead of 11, when I got home from the pub I was so tired I had a nap, then a couple of hours sewing before supper, then an hour more and our friends from dancing came round! So I have managed to get the shoulder straps done, and the hem marked and I found some lace fro the cuffs. Who knows, maybe I'll get the cuffs hemmed and the lace sew in, and get the hem done tomorrow, but I'm not counting on it!
Anyway, I've decided to start on my 1860s ball gown tomorrow, and only work on the Gaulle while I'm at the pub. I got out all the fabric and trim and took pictures, but they're uploading so I think I'll post them, and my plans, tomorrow. I must get to bed! I was hoping to go earlier today, oh well...

(so I thought I'd use an icon from Bath!)
Bath was so much fun, the ball was so wonderful! and Sunday we spent dressed in Regency, wandering the town and then to Sally Lunn's for supper. The only down side was Mummy getting sick on Sunday night :( But she's all better now!
The upshot of such an AMAZING weekend, is that I'm too tired to upload all the photos to show you, but here's one to keep you going:

I striped to my undies as soon as we got back to the apartment ( on Great Pultney Street!) where we all had tea and cake after the ball, then once nearly everyone had gone back to their hotels Clare took some silly photos of me lounging in my unmentionables, I felt quite decadent :D
Tomorrow I start on my Indian print cotton jacket and petticoat, I'm giving myself until next Wednesday (when I go to London to get supplies for my gold stripe 1860s ball gown) to get it finished, I work best with a deadline, lets see if a self imposed one will work as well!