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 ;)

Well, I didn't wear my red wool after all, didn't get the buttons on the shift so decided to wear my Indian print instead. It was a rather glum looking morning, but by the time we set off at about 2 it had cheered up, and we had glorious sunshine all afternoon!
Clare decided not to dress up in the end, so she was our official photographer! There are quite a few pics, so they're all ( under here... )
Now I need to finish my bathing suit for Wednesday, and then I can get on with my long long list!!

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!

I've nearly finished the Indian print, I would have been more nearly finished but I'm helping my best friend out, her chef has left her in the lurch, so I'm covering making sandwiches in her pub for today and the next few days, either till she gets a new chef, or till I have to go back to work.
I have managed to make the peplum though, it's all pined on, and I had a fitting so it's ready to be sewn tomorrow. The centre fronts are right so I can do the hooks and eyes, and I made the sash, except I made it from 3 panels of silk, when I think I only needed 2, so I have to undo a seam and finish the ends - all those extra feet of hand sewn hem down the drain :'(
I was hoping to be able to post some photos for you, but it's being so slow, and it's way past my bed time, so I'm afraid you'll have to wait till tomorrow now :(
Even though I'm only helping Gemma at lunch time I have to go into school in the morning to borrow soe bits and bobs for my Mother, and she will drop me at Gemma's after, so it's lucky I have lots of sewing to do! Hopefully once I get back at about 3 I will be able to start my Gaule.

Well, I'm off to London tomorrow, I have my wheely shopping bag and my list (which is about as long as your arm!!) and I must remember my tube map and my street map when I go upstairs! I think the address for Barnet and Lawson is on there, so I'm ready to go!
I've got my jacket all packed ready to sew on the train - the sleeves are pinned in ready to sew, and I have the printed cotton shoulder straps ready to sew in over the sleeve seam allowance. I can also edge stitch the neckline ( the centre front is waiting for one more fitting to double check before I finish it and add hooks and eyes) but the peplum thingy isn't ready to do yet. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow the jacket will be done except the centre front and the peplum, and I think they should be relatively quick, maybe one day?
Then it's on to the next project, which I think will be the Gaule, not the 1860s ball gown, because I need the Gaule 1 week after term starts, and the ball isn't till May 15th. Once the Gaule is done I will work on the ball gown, then it will be sewing for UTR!! I must get to work on caps and fichus, as well as the pretty dresses and hats :D Eek, its fixing up for a busy few months round here!

I didn't manage to get onto mocking up the jacket, but the skirt is now finished! It was a struggle, but I wanted to get it done today, and I did. I wish I hadn't just made 2 fiddly dresses by hand, because now I seem to be incapable of machine sewing! I used to machine sew as much as possible, and a skirt would have taken no time at all! Oh well, maybe I'll be able to bring myself to machine 1860s stuff, they had been invented by then after all :D
Not a lot doing tomorrow I imagine, we're having our friends from dancing round for tea, so lots of baking to do!and Monday evening I'm going out with friends for a meal, so it looks like if I don't pull my finger out I won't make my deadline. Pooh, must work harder!!!

No rest for the wicked, so today I made 2 new 18th C petticoats to wear over my bum roll for UTR. A purple and white striped cotton one, which wound up being somewhat on the short side! And a white linen one, made from some linen I bought hoping I could make kerchiefs or a shift but turned out to be very course, it's still sheer, but not at all fine, still, works as a petticoat except under white muslin when the purple shows through!
Then I ripped panels for my Indian print outfit. Like many on my Flist I fell in love with the white floral cotton dress from The Duchess seen here: http://periodmovies.blogspot.com/2009/07/georgianas-floral-print-dress.html based on the dress from Williamsburg. My fabric is green and blue, and a much more condensed print, but I'm using the same style ideas.
Since I only have 5 yards to play with I'm not making a frill mounted on the skirt with the skirt hem showing, (I don't like it very much any way) my frill will be the hem of the skirt, and I think it may end up a little bit on the skimpy side, but never mind ;)
Only trouble is, while looking for references on the Duchess costume I kept being tempted by the green Gaule she wears! I was thinking, "I'd love a dress like that, shame I can't afford any fabric" but then I thought of the brown spotted silk I bought in LA that I used to line my brown velvet spencer, it would be lovely as a Gaule I think. Only thing is, when would I wear it?! Everyone says don't wear silk at UTR, except in the evening when I want to wear my sunflower, so when? I am going to a Playford Ball in a few weeks, but would long sleeves be suitable I wonder? Or there is another Playford Ball in October, long sleeves in winter is logical, hmmm... I want it NOW!!!
And the huge question of the night is, how do I do my HAIR!! It's nearly waist length again, so a hedgehog is presumably out!! Maybe I'll do something like Jenny-Rose's lovely do for her tea party - an early turban with tall ostrich feathers? And I can make a black taffeta sash from the stash, with maybe a paste buckle? Oh dear, looks like I'm adding another one to the list!