Anomaly Con Report - Steamin' Good Time

It was another great year at Anomaly Con! I was lucky enough to be able to give a number of talks and demonstrations, and attended discussions of punkery, art, and social issues. I did two workshops making cuffs, one was with enthusiastic youth for Mini(on) Con. I also talked my brains out about textile history and industrialization. Turns out, I can yammer on about it, basically uninterrupted, for at least an hour...

I also has fun vending art instead of my usual cuffs and bustles! Much like my sewing I was able to work while folks watched, which means there was never really much "dead" time. (Is there ever dead time at cons? Are we ever not surrounded by fun folks? Maybe it's just because I carry a flask...)

And, I made enough money to get some goodies from other artists...

 Prints from Chaz Kemp, singer, drummer, fae extraordinaire, and dang good artist! I was sad to see Pandora Celtica put on their last performance, but it is always a joy to see those faries!

 Wee comics from local folks - A very creepy horror tale from Melanie Gilman (are you reading As the Crow Flies?) , and the first bits of an ongoing comic from Dylan Edwards (Read more, it's good!)

 A larger volume from some very nice local guys, it promises to be part of a much bigger series just as soon as pesky things like "life" stop getting in the way. I had spoken to them last year about the project, and it was inspiring for me moving forward on my comic.

And lastly, I was lucky enough to be next to David Malki, and I felt like it was time to replace the Wondermark strip which has been hanging on my fridge for 6+ years... I come from a book loving family, this is my life!

It was a wonderful weekend (as you can see from the two weeks I spent recovering before making this post!) I'm looking forward to next year, and already hatching ideas for more stitchery workshops. Steam on!

Steampunk How-to - Bustlin'

For most Victorian costuming, the top is the tricky bit. Getting a fit that is both true to your body, and true to the style can be daunting. For this project I did a mummy draft in corset to work from for making the pattern - see this post for more!

The bustle, however, while less technically difficult is still an important element! The most important factor, is to have enough of it... I had no shortage of fabric, and made generous cuts to ensure adequate yardage. 

The mannequin is a bit busty,
and does not respond to corseting.

First, if you are lining the skirt, cut and sew your lining to fit. That is, the lining should seem like just a large straight skirt. If you are not lining (or your lining fabric is a bit weak,) you will need some strips of sturdy fabric or ticking ribbon for holding up the folds.

Next, you will want to be sure that your fabric is plentiful. For example, I had 20" of waistband to be this part of the skirt, so the top of my skirt was 24". The lining (and distance from waist to just above floor) was 40", so my outer layer was 52" long.

Soooooo much sewing!

Thirdly, it is best to hang the skirt up while you create the pleats and ruffs. If you have a helper, wear it while they work. If you have a dress form or mannequin, be sure it is at the right height, and if you plan to have a cage or bustle pillow, put it on! (On the form, not on you.) If all else fails, clip it to a hanger and dangle it above the floor at the right height. You will have trouble getting good folds if you lay the skirt flat.

Then, start pinning. I start with the seams, pinning my folds through to the lining below. I try to place the folds at fairly steady intervals, working down. It may take some guesswork and re-pinning to get the right amount of lift. Don't forget to leave enough to fold over and hem! After pinning at seams, if you want more folds, mark a line straight down the fabric and pin along it.

After trying it on, hand stitch each fold. It only takes a few stitches with button or quilting cord to be reasonably sturdy. If you do, in fact, plan to be running from angry mobs of MRAs you may wish to sew a bit extra...

Votes for Women, Tools for All!

The finished skirt should have volume and swish! Note that stiffer fabrics will give the best results, particularly if Madam does not wish to wear bustle prosthetics. 

 The finished product, in front of the organ, at Anomaly Con 2016. I'll do another post in the future about some of the finishing details. E'ry day I'm Bustlin'!

Steampunk How-To - Mummy Drafting

I'm no stranger to pattern drafting, in fact most of my costumes have been a custom creation by necessity! Firstly, to create (or recreate) a specific idea. Secondly, because my measurements don't seem to neatly fit a single size category. However, I have had some struggles with my Victorian creations. I finally pinpointed the issue - the corset. 

Corsets do more than tuck in the waist, they completely change the silhouette of the body. I've always managed to make reasonable adjustments for the differing distances between measure points (bust, waist, etc.) but struggles with sleeve holes and collars. The answer to this, is to make the measurements with a corset on... (duh.)

Yep, I'm a genius, right?

So, for the first time, I decided on the cheatyface approach, and got mummified. (Full disclaimer, I was not in fact embalmed.) I got a helper at my job to wrap me up, first with layers of plastic wrap, then with broad masking tape. Lesson one  - let the plastic wrap cover far more than the tape, peeling it off the tops of my boobs hurt. A lot. 

I then cut it into pattern sized pieces, as straight as one can manage on layers of tape and cling film. These were measured and traced, then smoothed out for my pattern pieces. 

Next, I prepared the materials. Oh? You thought I just went and bought some fabric? Where's the fun in that!? Why would I buy fabric, when my parents just cleared out all the curtains from a large room? 

Well, I mean, there is all the work that goes into reclaiming the fabric... but that 70s Victorian revival cannot be beat!

I did the test sewing with some white satin, if it works it becomes the lining. If not, well back to the drawing board! It did need a minor tweak, minor enough to avoid remaking the entire thing. I then used the pieces (notice I'm adding a seam allowance to the fabric, instead of the pattern pieces, this allows me to use the pattern with very different fabrics that might require a different allowance.) to cut my finals. 

Voila! It fit on the first try! Now onto sleeves... and skirt... and bustle... oh my. My consensus on the Mummy method?  10/10 - Would wrap again! (Stay tuned for more post about the finished product...

D&D Character Portraits.

Recently, as practice for doing commissions, I've been doing character portraits for all of the players in our group. Here's the first batch.

 Darla Stonebottom (Perhaps not her given name?) is a roguish dwarf with a sassy disposition. There is not a pocket she has not picked. But, it's mostly curiosity, and she always leaves something behind in exchange... it may of may not be of equal value, though.

 Lyrile of the Woodland realms. Don't let the sickle scare you, she's just gathering herbs! Our kind hearted Druid will lend a helping hand to any and everyone who passes, no matter how small or large the matter. But if you harm her Dire Badger she will destroy you.

Clavius, the apprentice. His master is kind of like Trump, but less evil. He's just a worldly, well educated sorcerer, who has a strange affection for skulls. Nothing evil going on here, carry on...

Urk Durk, a mighty barbarian with Orcish blood. (In him, there's a lot of different bloods on him.) To understand him -

While I was talking to him about his character we go this little gem - 
“So he’s got pale skin, red eyes, long hair…”
“Long hair? Are you sure? I recall something…”
“Oh right! You guys held me down and shaved my head after I got covered in rotten exploded purple worm goo. Since I smelled so bad.”

Which is more or less his character in a nutshell. Orcs.

As I work through all our party I will share more of our PCs. Assuming we all survive long enough to get drawn...

Report - Anomaly Con

I just began recovering from the weekend at Anomaly Con. It was packed with fantastic, creative people, interesting and engaging panels, beautiful outfits, and mad science.

I was spotted with Teh Ebil Bunny the first two days... (Check out his page, and Tofu Snow for more great pictures of attendees.)

But managed to escape his notice on Sunday, and instead played the mad music of the Dyne on the

mighty pipe organ. (Disclaimer - I am not, in fact a Heterodyne Spark, nor a mad scientist, nor terribly skilled at the organ.)





And costumed Life Drawing! Which is far more exciting than nekkid people, trust me on this one. Naked bodies are basic anatomy, clothing adds expression and movement.

Particularly if one is drawing wild characters like this guy. Yes, that is a sock on his hand, I believe they were having a very deep interview...


I had a great time, and was able to send a few folks home with accessories from VonKlank's. I'm already plotting and planning, designing and drafting, and generally excited about next year!

Faire Sewing Adventures

 Last week I came into posession of several old family kilts. (To be clear, not in the family tartan, just bought by my grandmother many decades ago.) The man's kilt happened to fit Mr. Crafty just perfectly. The same cannot be said for the two ladies kilts fitting me, Grandma is the smallest women in the family! I'll be doing some alterations on those to make them work for me.

I convinced Mr. Crafty that he ought to embrace his Scottish roots for this year's Ren. Faire, which left me responsible for a proper top for him. I decided to go for a very old style Saxon tunic, all straight lines. (This is what happens when you're sewing the day before the Faire...) The armpit gussets are a square turned on it's side and sewn to the sleeves and sides.

Unfortunately, modern muslin is a rather more thin and fragile fabric than the flax homespun used in ye olden days. The upside - very light and cool. The downside - not a perfect sun blocker, and of course quite translucent.

 And for myself? I have an entire dresser drawer of costume pieces, so I didn't need to make anything new. Not that that has stopped me in the past of course...

I did, however, do some repairs and a nifty alteration. At Faire each year there is always the issue  of carrying capacity and adverse temperatures (sounds like D & D, no?).

I had a smart thought, I own a camelback with 72 oz. of water space. But, it came with a bright blue and yellow pack, not quite period unless your period is the 1980s. So I found the only part of my costume with space in it - the bustle. Badonka-donk ass + hydration = awesome.

 So a Victorian time-traveler and a 9th century Pict walk into a bar...

Ren Fest Season

Now that I have just about as much cosplay clothing as I can use, I've started attiring my boyfriend. Best way to get him into a dress... I mean *cough* a ROBE...

Viking Style

I recently became interested in making an old-world style linen dress. Why? An unusual style, very cool in the hot summers, good for ceremonies and trips to the Ren Fest... the list goes on! I'm also hoping to use it to show off some hand embroidery.

The mos compelling argument for using a viking style construction however, is efficiency. In the days where all threads were hand-spun, all fabrics hand woven, and all clothing hand sewn it was imperative to not create much waste. A well executed apron dress can be created without a single bit of waste! A man's tunic is made by similar concept and is equally careful with waste. This pattern comes from Dragonlore.
I did want something a little more modern, so I combined the sleeve design from a tunic and the gores from a dress. Still, every single cut except the neckline is perfectly straight. How easy is that! The small square will make an armpit gusset, the sleeves are perfectly straight.

After making all my straight cuts I added a bit of shaping for shoulders and a curved neck hole. As you can see from the rough drawings, one can lay out the "pieces" on your fabric for minimum waste. Even better, the small pieces I have left over are rectangles that can be easily used for another project (probably a matching belt bag).
Here's how the armpit piece works, remarkably simple, and surprisingly comfortable. I have a good range of movement, important in a culture where everyone was involved in labor or fighting...
Here's the piece so far. I intend to trim the hems with hand embroidered ribbon, so the completion may be several months out! I would love to have it for wearing to Beltane and Midsummer, a perfect light and airy summer garment. How Retro is that?

It Be-hooves One..

AKA How to Turn Your Boyfriend into a Goat.

Well, kinda... For a group costume with some friends of mine, we settled on A Midsummer's Night Dream. We had Titania and Oberon, Queen Mab, I chose to be a fairy (cobweb is best for the season!) and it was decided to make him Pan. (Decided without asking him of course!)

For hooves I started with a pair of his tall boots, covered the bottom with plastic and started layering paper maché. I put a small armature of cardboard underneath to make them less foot shaped, and of course a wicked goat needs cloven hooves...

For the maché mix I simply used flour and hot water. I put it in the fridge overnight while waiting for layers to dry. It's somewhat magical how sturdy paper fiber and flour can be!
I cut off the plastic above and below, and used tape to clean up the edges. There were several coats of black and brown spray paint to seal things and make them shiny, then I added some bone texture with acrylic paint.

Just add fake fur! Lots of fake fur, and ears and horns made from stage latex. Attach a fairy to him and enjoy an evening of Shakespearean cavorting! I hope everyone is enjoying the Halloween costume season, I've been sewing everyday for two weeks to get things ready...

Costume Season

Isn't it always costume season? It is for me, but I do use Halloween as a time to debut new cosplay pieces, and I often find myself proffering costume help to others.This year I gave this dress another try. Last Halloween I did this dress in turquoise and yellow, but the finished product was not quite as I envisioned it. In fact there was a lot of cursing involved with the sewing process.
So this year I started from scratch - totally new concept drawing, fresh measurements, and cotton broadcloth instead of fussy poly satins. There are two layers, the yellow being entirely structural and shaping the dress; the fuchsia is overlay to create the two-tone design.

There were a few little road blocks, but the finished product is pretty solid! 4-ish hours of cutting and sewing to produce, and I think it will get plenty of wear. One costume down, three to go!
What are you making for Halloween?

Saddle Bags

My leather-working kick has not worn off yet. The feel of supple skin and the challenge of the medium combine with the sweet smell of hide. Today I made a side bag that can be attached to a belt or similar costume piece. All the sewing was done by hand, with each hole punched by hand awl.
Some vintage strap stays from a bag of old notions grace the front. I left it otherwise unadorned so that it can be used equally with steampunk, fantasy and everyday garb. I may however devise a system of interchangeable accessories to give it more flair. I could make a pair and feel even more like a pack mule...
It's nice to have a small break from my usual sewing from time to time!

So I decided to start doing millinery ...

One day while at the fabric store I got a crazy idea, why look around for the perfect hat to match an outfit when I could make one? So I found an absurdly stiff interfacing and brought home a yard of it. I naturally had piled of black sateen and maroon lace just sitting around gathering dust... ( Doesn't everyone?)


I determined a head shape and made a paper mock up to try on, then cut out my interfacing. So far it looks like it might actually work. It also reminds you that these are sometimes called stovepipe hats.




I carefully layered the lace over the black to cover the pieces. I didn't end up fusing the interfacing, I simply held it in place with good top stitching. This is the first place I started to doubt that this was going to work.

More and more pieces coming together. Slight headache. My doubt increases. I take the project to my mother's house to make use of her machine. The Green Meany (my Bernina) is a flat plate machine, not good for cuff hemming, and hat sewing it would seem.

After fighting my mother's sewing machine for a bit, some cursing and some creative presser foot shenanigans, the hat is in one piece. I use the inside layer of black to make an inside hem and cover up all my madness.

Some shaping and accessories make for a serviceable hat. I don't imagine I'll be heading into the hat making business, but I am already plotting ways to better this design!

A Time Travel Adventure to the Renissance Festival

For the opening weekend of the Faire a large contingent of Victorian adventurers boarded time travel devices and ventured into the far past to explore.
Within the walls of this Medieval village a plethora of festival goers milled about in their finery.
Music included these fine gentlemen wearing fabulous kilts. I find this sort of attire quite fetching, and future time travel expeditions may include a trip to Celtic lands.
A large variety of entertainment abounds - animal acts, slight of hand, acrobatics, comedy and wandering minstrels.
The King of the realm called for a competition of some sort. This "jousting" seemed to be a mix of mock warfare and insult trading. It seems unclear if the purpose of this act is to injure the opponent, and the participants seemed equally confused.
The dashing "Knights in Shining Armor" did carry on an impressive display of horsemanship. They seem to have a system of address and cover their items in symbols with cryptic meanings.
Our day was filled with fruitful observation on the odd customs of the past era, the costumes were varied and colorful, the food was unusual. This historical research will be helpful in future expeditions, and in understanding the past.
The locals still however seem to regard us warily.