Linen Tunic

I thought I would share a very easy sewing project.

Linen tunic inspired by Italian Ren camicie and little girls' pillowcase dresses. To take on vacation and wear over bathing suit, tank top & leggings, or as a nightie. Raw edges are intentional.
Start with two rectangles the width of your fabric by 24-30" depending on whether you want a shorter top or a longer tunic. The "hardest" part is pleating the center of one long edge front and back. I left approximately 8" at each end unpleated. This could simply be gathered.

Pin front and back together at the top corners and sew about two inches at each end to create shoulder seams. Pull thread to gather down to about an inch. Then pin short selvage edges together. Leave approx. 10" open at the top to form arm holes. Sew down the side, leaving edge exposed on the outside of the tunic, to hip length leaving the bottom few inches unsewn. (The length of the unsewn vent will depend on the overall length.) Have fun belting and embellishing as you please. You could tie ribbons or lace around the shoulders, too. :)



I think I have some black crinkle cotton in my stash to make another tunic. :D

May 2010

In addition to celebrating my first Mother's Day as a Grandmother May also found me sending my baby girl off to her Senior Prom:


On the same day my cousin Ron married Connie:


May 21, 22, & 23 were spent at Death & Taxes in the Canton of Dun Traigh.
For Memorial Weekend Tom and I traveled to Dearborn to attend the first World Steam Expo! It was Tom's first steampunk event and my second. We had a good time but I didn't take many photos since I didn't feel like carrying my camera around (I just aquired a pocket camera so I can take more photos in 2011. :)

Update!

Wow. I just realized it's been about three weeks since my last post. Rather that post seperately for each topic you'll get one big conglomerate post. :D About the time of my last entry I started a flare up of aches, pains, and fatigue so many of the things I had started and was excited about didn't get done then I was in a rush preparing for a trip out of town.

On the SCA/sewing front I have made zero progress on the green wool Florentine gown. It's sitting just as I left it three weeks ago. My shoulders were aching too much to sit and sew. I ended up wearing the oldest gown I own to Fall Harvest and was only there for a couple of hours since I felt like crap. I hope to finish the gown before winter Revel but won't be beating myself up if it doesn't happen.

I also didn't get the Steampunk things that I wanted sewn for WindyCon done. At the last minute I cut and hemmed a pair of pinstripe pants to knicker length and and sewed a strip of bias over the collar seam of my Victorian cape to reinforce the worn lining to make it wearable since I didn't get around to relining it.
Let's just say that WindyCon (Nov. 13-15 in Chicago)was an experience. LOL I saw some wonderful Steampunk costuming and attended a couple of interesting panel discussions. I also saw many many unkempt middle-aged geeks (this is a sci-fi convention after all). My husband had been teasing me about going without him. Rest assured he had nothing to fear.
My message board friend and room mate for WindyCon, Flora, with Kaja and Phil Foglio the creators of the Girl Genius comic.

Flora in the gorgeous late Victorian walking suit she made.

Pics of more cool costumes (with more to be uploaded in the next few days) in my Flkr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea95lion/

While I wasn't feeling well I was spending waaaay too much time online browsing ebay. I bought lots of clothes and trinkets for my Blythe dolls. I also bought more dolls. My third doll, a lovely stock French Trench that I have named Greta, joined my dolly family a couple of weeks ago and a NRFB Casual Affair is on her way and should arrive today or tomorrow. And then, after telling myself no more purchases until after Christmas, I bought my first Petite Blythe, a pop up world pajama party girl, off ebay last night because the price was just too good to pass up!
Here are my three girls in some of their new clothes:
A little Steampunk-ish.

Sophia in vintage Skipper.

Steampunk Doll

I still need to work on the clothes but had a little fun this morning modding some swim goggles for Genevieve (a Blythe Prima Dolly Ashlette). I masked off the fronts of the clear goggles then sprayed with black primer, dry-brushed on some metallic glaze, and glued on some filigree accents. Then I remebered these little brass tools that have been around the house for years and realized they are the perfect size for her. :)

Add...

Make black with blue pinstripe trousers that I rarely wear into knickers for Steampunk garb to the sewing to-do list!

Sewing To-Do List

It seems my costuming is taking off in several different directions. In order to focus and priortize all of the projects I want to do I've decided to make a list. :)

Maintenence and repair to do asap:
Reposition the frog closures on my black zimarra so that it closes without a gap when they are fastened.
Repair and reinforce the front opening in the skirt of my purple Campi dress. It tore 3-4" below the original opening. :(
Shorten the bodice thereby raising the hem of my navy Campi dress.

Neo-Victorian Steampunk projects:
Make an "easy to wear" bustle found at Your Wardrobe Unlock'd.
Decide on a skirt pattern and find fabric for a late Victorian skirt and butterfly train. I'm thinking striped tafetta. Deadline: Windycon mid-November.
Find a pattern for and make a high-necked late-Victorian blouse. Deadline: Memorial Day 2010 World Steam Expo
Find a pattern for and make a jacket/bodice to match the striped skirt. Deadline: Memorial Day 2010

Italian Renaissance SCA projects:
Check my measurements to see if any adjustments need to be made to my corset and bodice patterns. My weight seems to have crept up a few pounds while my clothes seem to be looser. :shrug:
Make a new 16th century corset. Front closing? Detachable straps?
Finally cut the pieces for the green wool dress inspired by The Arrival of Leo X in Florence. I've had the fabric for two years now. Tentative deadline of mid-January so it can be worn for Winter Revel and Twelfth Fight.
Add couched gold cord trim to my cranberry red coat.
Make a dress of cranberry red Kauffman "embossed" velvet (actualy cut velvet!) to go with the red coat. Inspired by the portrait of Countess Livia though her gown appears to be smooth velvet. (The fabric is on my Christmas wish list.)
Make a Venetian gown of the twelve yards of burgundy and gold fabric Tom recently bought for me. Tentative deadline: Val Day.

Bustled Butterfly Train

It killed me to do it but I spent $20 ($15 for the pattern plus $5 for shipping)on a pattern from Truly Victorian for their 1880's butterfly train. The pieces are so simple but it was the pleating that I just couldn't figure out on my own. I still had to read through a couple of times before I "got" the pleating in the center that forms the butterfly effect. This practice version is done with inexpensive cotton broadcloth, black with brown lining, so it will be worn with my more casual steampunk clothes. I'm thinking of wearing it this weekend with the brown blouse shown, a black corset over the blouse, and black and brown striped pants. Or maybe black lace trimmed bloomers instead of the pants. :shrug: Now that I've figured out how to put it together I would like to make one in taffeta (perhaps striped) with a matching skirt before Windycon next month.



And a little fun with the granddaughter too young to protest. :D

Steampunk for MIRF

Steampunk is something that I first took notice of a year or so ago. I found the garb fascinating and had the idea in the back of my mind that I might give it a try at some point. The plan was gently simmering on the back burner until I saw the gorgeous leather tophats and goggles being sold by The Blonde Swan at Pennsic. Once Tom indulged my desire to own said hat and googles I figured I had better get off my ass and find something appropriate to wear them with. (I had sewn four dresses for myself and five outfits for Tom in preparation for Pennsic so to say that I was a little burned out on sewing and didn't have the patience or energy for more would be putting it lightly.) I rummaged through the ren faire garb I had on hand and added a few new and second hand purchases with the idea of wearing my outfit on Day of Wrong at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. I couldn't narrow down my choices so I wore steampunk garb for each of the three days of Labor Day weekend. I plan to replace the improvised skirts from the more formal outfit and continue to refine the accessories but overall I was pleased with how things turned out.
Saturday's outfit:

Sunday's outfit:


Monday's outfit with all of the accessories:

and at the end of the day:

Okay. I give up.

As much as I wanted an accurate 1880s bustled overskirt I have accepted the fact that it just isn't going to happen before Labor Day. :sigh: I purchased some blue satin with the idea that I could simply drape it on my dress form using old pattern illustrations as a guide. Yesterday I accepted the fact that I don't have the skills to do this without a pattern and that it was too late to order said pattern. So I moved on to Plan B: I found online instructions for a ruffled petticoat that looked like it could be pinned to simulate an apron front and bustled back. I cut my fabric this morning and prepared to hem 9 yards of ruffles. Among the nifty attachments that came along with the sewing machine I bought a couple of months ago was a 1/4" hemmer. I grabbed some fabric scraps to practice and got perfectly rolled and stitched hems. I proceeded with the hem on the actual skirt ruffles. I gave up after about 5 yards of crappy hemming. Plan C: I have a tiered "peasant skirt" that I have pinned into submission and, while it's black rather than the blue I wanted, I'm calling it good enough to wear this weekend. (I'll be ordering that Laughing Moon pattern to make a proper overskirt before WindyCon.)

What have I been up to?

Hmmm... Let's see... Since my last post I have been...

1. Planing a baby shower for my son's girlfriend who is expecting my first grandbaby mid-September.

2. Attended opening weekend at the Michigan Renaissance Festival while camping at Holly Rec.

3. Putting together bits and pieces of a Steampunk wardrobe.

4. Figuring out how to make an accurate 1880s bustled overskirt without paying for a $20 pattern.

5. Finishing up the "Keira's 1st Year" scrapbook album in time for the shower (which was held on Sunday).

6. Scrapping a few pages for the ScrapFreak August challenges.


7. Making some samples for Bree's September Card Class at the Freak.


8. Packing and planning for Labor Day weekend at tthe Michigan Renaissance Festival.

9. Planning for scrapping at the Wisconsin Freek Meet the week after Labor Day.

The Gold Waistcoat

I played around today with various combinations of the Steampunk garb pieces mentioned in my previous post and had to share a couple of shots of the gorgeous gold brocade vest. I think I'll wear it with a white tee and jeans for running errands tomorrow. :D

Slightly out of focus closeup of my great-grandmother's Victorian locket.

Full Steam Ahead!

I kind of overdosed on the Renaissance stuff the last couple of months while preparing for Pennsic. Now I am taking off in another direction. :)
I've had the idea in the back of my mind for a while that I would like to create a Steampunk costume. Some chatter on the R/F forums about Steampunk invasions of a few ren faires in other parts of the country got me thinking that doing Steampunk for the MIRF Labor Day "Day of Wrong" could be fun so I started playing around with some of the garb I already have to see if I could come up with something steamy but only made a half-hearted attempt. The Blonde Swan was at Pennsic and, caught up in the Midnight Madness excitement, I started trying things on and Tom ordered me a custom mini top hat and googles to be picked up at MIRF Labor Day weekend! So now I have to come up with a kick-ass costume to go with my kick-ass hat!
I went out shopping last Thursday and picked up a few pieces including a beautiful gold brocade waistcoat, a brown blouse with interesting detail on the short puff sleeves that begs to have the plastic buttons switched out for brass :D, and a pair of brown and black pinstrip twill trousers. I also purchased a vintage black velvet bolero jacket/shrug from etsy. I already have a vintage short black cape, a vintage umbrella, glasses with round blue lenses, various brass accessories old and new, and a brocade strapless corset. (The corset is Elisabethan but I'm using it anyway. If the bimbettes can get away with wearing Victorian corsets as Rennaisance garb it should work the other way around for me. :wink: )Looking over what I have I don't seem to have a complete outfit. I have part of a costume for an elegant neo-Victorian lady and I have part of a costume for a more tomboyish Steampunk. I am thinking that I need a late Victorian walking skirt, a Victorian looking white or ivory blouse, a wide leather waistcincer/belt, some black granny boots, and some brown work boots. Then I should be able to mix and match to create outfits for the elegant lady, the rough and tumble tomboy, or something in between.
And since I have/will have these clothes and Labor Day is only one day I've made the commitment to join an online friend at WindyCon in November!
While contemplating my clothing options I made myself a steamy accessory. It's a Nerf Maverick dart gun that was modified using the instructions here to give it a bit more firepower then given a new paint job first with a coat of black Krylon Fusion spray paint then, when I couldn't find the recommended rub & buff that I thought I had, I dry brushed on some Making Memories metallic glazes. And to make it into a girly gun I added some bling. Once I have finished embellishing it I'll give it a clearcoat.

What if the world ran on clockwork?

"Clockpunk is a genre of speculative fiction that explores the concept of technology based on clockwork and Renaissance-era science rather than on steam power, the internal combustion engine or digital computers. It can take the form of alternate history, fantasy or simply an aesthetic.

A clockpunker’s home period is the Renaissance. Thus, he or she must be a Renaissance man or woman, able to spend the day building a flying clockwork battleship, the evening dancing the pavane, and still have the dexterity of hand to slip arsenic into a neighbor’s wine. Creativity, genius, charisma and ambition are all essential qualities for success. Nothing is impossible to the talented and the determined, but beware: the road to greatness is treacherous."

Quoted from clockpunk.net

Clockpunk?

According to Da Vinci Automata- "Clockpunk is a genre of science fiction similar to Steampunk (some people even consider clockpunk to be a sub-genre of Steampunk). Clockpunk can be divided into historical and non-historical Clockpunk. Historical Clockpunk explores how the world would have turned out if certain technological developments that occurred later had happened in the Renaissance and or certain inventions in the time of the Renaissance were created on a mass scale in the time period.Non-historical Clockpunk is set in settings similar to the Renaissance but on alternative worlds, planets etc. The suffix punk is actually misleading but the name has stuck just as it has stuck in the case of other sub-genres of science fiction that were inspired from Steampunk. While there is sometimes overlap between Clockpunk and the fantasy genre, for the purpose of the current blog we shall try to keep these overlaps separate." (Apparently we were a little slow to jump on that bandwagon since the post quoted is from March 2007.)

It seems Clockpunk may be the "proper" name for what we are calling Renpunk. I had never heard of it until this thread on the Brass Goggles forum. I'm sorry that Mr. Sprocket feels that mixing ren and steam "cheapens both" but, as he said, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Now that I've seem the term I have more research to do! Google comes up with both a clockpunk.com and a clockpunk.net

RenPunk?

So I was thinking this afternoon about this whole Steampunk-Renpunk thing. Some of the conversations around the internet have been talking about taking elements of Steampunk fashion and combining it with things we already have in our renfaire wardrobes. Playing with the idea of what if DaVinci's inventions had all worked in his time? How would that have effected the renaissance? I find that a fascinating concept! I started thinking about how I could put together a Renpunk outfit. I wouldn't want to put too much money or work into it because I'd probably only get to wear it on Labor Day for "Day of Wrong" at MIRF. I could wear my reversible pirate corset on the cobalt and black side and pair it with the taffeta skirt from Moresca that I never wear anymore. I just have to figure out how to bustle the skirt. I know I've seen the info, I just have to find it again. I think my pirate boots would be fine. I already have some Restoration Hardware googles waiting to be modified and some really cool round glasses with cobalt lenses. I'm thinking a bolero/shrug in black lace, a tophat with some cobalt tulle, and lots of brass accessories could make this work! Time to go poke around at etsy! :D



eta: I completey forgot about my lace trimmed bloomers and my Chinese parasol!

Long Time, No Update

So I've neglected the blog (along with a lot of other things) the last couple of weeks. I haven't been feeling well- the "normal" aches, pains, and sleepless nights but moreso.
Anyway, I did wear the zimarra coat to my second SCA event, Dun Traigh's Fall Harvest, on 10/25 and had a great time. I spent time chatting with some of the people I had met previously and getting to know them better as well as meeting some new people. I particularly enjoyed meeting Maria who is the senechal of the Rimsholt group which is the group we belong to geographically. Maria did a class/demo on pewter casting which was very interesting and gives me an idea for yet another hobby to get involved in! LOL Tom and I sat next to Maria and her husband during the feast and she was very friendly and informative especially to Tom who knows even less about the Society for Creative Anachronism than I do. Unfortunately, I think being out in the cold and damp at this event for about 10 hours is what set off this recent flare up.
I had planned to wear the coat again the following weekend for a visit to the new Mid Michigan Renaissance Festival near Frankenmuth combined with some early Christmas shopping in Frankenmuth and Birch Run but that weekend trip was cancelled because I just wasn't feeling up to it.
I haven't had the energy for any scrapbooking, cardmaking, or sewing the last couple of weeks but what I have been doing is spending time online researching steampunk and neo-victorian costumes. It started with visiting Kat's Purple Pages to see if she had anything new in her Florentine Italian costuming section and seeing pics of steampunk getups she and her husband wore to an event. I had never heard of "steampunk" before but a little googling led to a lot of information. It seems to be based on Victorian science fiction of the Jules Verne/ H.G. Wells genre (of course that is simplifying it greatly, it goes much deeper than that). I'm not sure that I buy into the whole subculture "punk" part of it but it does inspire some interesting ideas for costuming and crafting!