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...

Be Mine, Crafty Valentine

Happy half-priced candy day! I hope all my lovely readers enjoyed their day of flirtatious frivolity (Or grump, as you prefer.) With all my Valentine cards delivered I can now them share with you, so here's the highlights from this year's collection of very punny crafting cards.

Because we all know, a crafter's first love is the fiber! (Or string, or paper, or wood, or whatever we made things from...) Happy V-Day!

Woodland Skirt.

 Every now and again a fabric comes along that just screams at you from the shelf "WEAR ME!" It's hard to believe that this cute little dainty girl holding a soft fluffy bunny would scream like that, but she did. I have witnesses. So I bought a yard and brought her home... and stuck it on the shelf.

Then, as luck would have it, about a year later some other fabrics from the collection went on sale, so I snatched up the remnants and got down to business! This barefoot nature loving girl needed a skirt covered with barefoot nature loving girls!

Of course, one of the challenges of working with such a fabric, is the inhumanity of cutting of feet and heads. So I drafted a pattern to make the best use of each row of girls, and no body-chopping. I ended up with three long strips to be the hem of the skirt. The other two fabrics were then divided into tiers, six panels around, each layer larger at the bottom than at the top. Pockets were made (skirts can have pockets! It's magical, I know.)

 So, a very swishy, swingy skirt was sewn. Perfect for running barefoot in the woods! And how did I get it so swishy? How did I protect the wee feet of these girls?

A bias tape maker, and a trip to the hardware store. Four yards of fine ball chain is sewn into the bias wrapped hem, now it doesn't ride up when I walk or fly up in the wind. Hardward store notions are the best...

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!

No Waste Sewing (Almost!)

I made a thing! Not just anything, a Hangeroc inspired dress, with functional pockets and a fun swishy hem line. And this entire dress only took two yards of fabric. Yep, two yards.

Why is that number important? I mean, it's not that hard to make a dress with two yards... is it? Actually, it is. For a dress with an ample swingy shape that fits a medium sized frame two yards is almost a miracle. Two yards of fabric means saving lots of money (have you seen the price of fabric?) And also saving a lot of waste.

Let's talk scraps. Because I have lots of scraps. (Seriously, lots) And I LOVE scraps, cute little bits that are a memory of making a piece of clothing. I get bags of scraps from family, friends, estate sales, the local craft shop... sewing makes scraps. 

 This, this is all the scraps I have from making that dress. A few strip from squaring off the end of the fabric, the corners of my pockets, and those triangles are from straightening one section of hem. I think with some fiddling I could do away with that as well.

 How? Well, for inspiration I went back in history, waaaaay back! Consider this, if you have to hand wash, card and pick, handspin, dye, weave, and full every square inch of fabric in a garment, you ain't wasting it! Medieval reenactors have come up with a scheme for making an "Apron Dress" which has only straight line cuts and no waste.

The main shape of the dress is on the bottom of my drawing, the triangles above become the extra gores to make it ample and full, straps, facings, and pockets are all cut from the rest. The main difference from this and a reproduction piece is that I added some shaping for a modern silhouette. Thus, I needed a closure instead of having it loose enough to simply pull over my head.

 And here we are, a few hours of sewing, two yards of fabric - a cute, functional piece. And almost no scraps! Whatever will I use for decorating bags...

Five Great Upcycling Projects for Denim

Upcycling Denim is kind of my thing, I have literal piles of old pants, bins of denim scraps, and loads of cut up pieces. Whenever I think I'm making progress, BAM  - someone brings be another box of torn-kneed denim. Seriously, some friends just leave it on my porch. So, for anyone who doesn't want to start a factory style assembly line of upcycled Denim Bags, here's some other project ideas!

One can, of course, simple cannibalize old pants for the fabric and sew any project you can imagine that involves some small pieces. I could not hope to make something so cute as this Adorable Whale, so I'll send you to it's creator!



Use the sturdiness of the material to your advantage! A long lasting rug can be made from even small scraps.

For the more ambitious, be inspired by the Scrap Lab. This chair is made from industrial scraps and suggest a plethora of furniture options. Perhaps with old chair frames that have lost their fabric bits?

 A sleek and simple choice - potholders from the pockets of old pants. (Be sure your machine can handle sewing thru that many denim layers!) Also, how crafty are the Finns!

If you want to turn those pockets into more spaces for holding things (as pockets are wont to do), consider an organizer. You might think it looks like overkill, and you don't have all that much stuff... you do. Unless your house looks like an IKEA catalog, you can totally find enough random things laying around to warrant wall pockets.

Valentines for the Universe

 I took part in this year's Aunt Peaches Valentine Swap - the premise is simple, send a few strangers a handmade Valentine to spread a little bit of crafty love. What could be better? (Click that link, it's neat blog, and she has few enough fucks to give that she called out a reader who failed in their Valentine making. That's my kind of sass!)

I wanted to spread bright, bold, colorful, fun around the world. Not light, fru-fru business. I already had the watercolors out (see my previous post) so I made colorful backdrops for stitching. I cut out a pile of hearts from a scrap of bold geometric print.

 Each card got four hearts stitched on to them. It's remarkably easy to sew on paper, though it has no stretch so I got some bunched fabric. The best part is that the stitches form a nice image on the back of the paper as well.

 I used this "blank" side for my writing. The message - The Universe Loves You! - was surrounded by doodles and swirls. I knew all that scribbling in the margins of school papers would come in handy one day...

I happened to have a bundle of Astrobright oversized envelopes, good thing since I didn't consider my card size before I started. (Might be a lesson in there, I'll let you know if I figure it out.) I sent all that love out to the world!

 I love the idea of spreading positive thoughts, compassion, and excitement to the world! It's a good practice to remind us of our power, and the importance of caring for others. I might meet the woman who received one of these cards one day, and I would never know that I had already touched her life in a good way. I'd hate to mess that up, so I try to think of every person I see as someone potentially worthy of a Valentine from the Universe.

And of course, the Universe reciprocates! I got a mailbox full of happiness. And yes, that is a flip-flop. Did you know you can mail anything so long as you can glue a stamp to it and read the address? Use that knowledge only for good gentle readers...

Are you making and sending Valentines this year?

New Curtains!

 Do you have an hour? A Yard or more of cute fabric? Make yourself some curtains, they will change your life room.

Before - Old scratchy lace curtains. Once they were white, but a layer of dust and food particulates has made them more "off-white". These are so boring I often forget I have curtains, only noticing when it's cold out and I want to cover the windows.

After - Holy shit, look at how cute that fabric is. I could have made a dress from it and ended up looking like Ms. Frizzle teaching food preservation. But for simply displaying an awesome print in all its glory, housewares are a sure bet.

Beehives overlooking the mead stash? Yes please! These curtains also offer a bit of shielding, like actually blocking one's view and darkening the room. Thus waaaay more useful than the fruu-fruu lace business.

  Each one took well under an hour, a bit more than a yard of the fabric, and the same cut of muslin. I ripped all my fabrics for square pieces. The three windows were slightly different dimensions, but I used the width of the fabric (44") as the horizontal measure. A little extra makes for some bunching and curling, not to mention good coverage. I ripped both fabrics straight down the center to split them.
 I measured the existing curtains, and the thickness of the rods. The lace curtains have a trim above the rod, about the same width as the rod space, which gives them a nice ruffle.

I marked double the rod thickness, and sewed the sides and bottom.  Line up the selvedge edges, it's easy to see thru the muslin and stitch right at the end of the print.

The last 2.5" of each fabric are rolled and stitched, this will be the rod holes. (Insert sex joke here.) Then the top is stitched, right sides together. The whole shebang is turned through either of the holes, just like a pillow or stuffy.

After turning, I top stitched the sides and bottom, stopping and starting at my rod holes. Two rows of stitching made across the top sandwich the rod and leave a little ruffle on top.

Out with the ineffective, boring, old curtains; In with some cute, colorful, functional pieces! Even my kitchen fairy seems to approve...

Such a small change, but it's impacted the kitchen in a big way! Much faster than a new coat of paint, but it's almost as big of an impact. I may end up with some spares to switch out, I do have enough fabric stashed away after all...

Go make stuff that brightens your life!

Upcycling How-to : Felt Scraps into Festive Banner!

 After cutting out dozens of little felt shirts for my gnome project, I was left with lots of little felt triangles. Each one too small to be used for piecing or applique, but too large to simply stick in the stuffing bin.

But they were already all shaped like little pennants, perfect for getting your swag on!

I lined them all up and stitched along the top, there's a little gap between each flag where the machine wraps the two threads together. If you have an old ribbon or very skinny fabric strip (such as a selvedge) one could use that to hold it all together.

Bam! Cute as hell. Super easy. No waste. Decorate all your shit. Upcycle. Go make stuff.

Bike Bag

 My sad little bike bag finally died, after having the zipper split and spill my bike chain once too often. (Confession - I've been meaning to make a better one for a while. I'm not sad.)

So I set about making a new bag, this one will sit on the rear rack instead of attaching to the seat post.

 It's not enough for me to have sturdy denim, I wanted to keep water out too. I recycled some baggies that my CSA veggies are coming in, and ironed it to shrink and melt the bags together. It makes a nice thick layer to keep out rain.

 I pinned the plastic fabric to the denim pieces, and cut it a little bit bigger. The less holes one puts in the plastic to better it will repel water of course, so I tried to keep it simple. I added the fancy fabric first, so there wouldn't be lines of applique stitches in the plastic lining either.

And no, those are NOT my sewing scissors. People who cut plastic with sewing scissors deserve to be put in a bag full of ants.

 I also tucked some cords into the bottom seam to be my tie-ons. Can you believe that I don't have any velcro just laying around? The cords are working ok for now, but I will likely replace them with velcro in the long run.

 After sewing together the pieces I trimmed back all the excess plastic lining. If I lived somewhere that water was a big deal I would do flat-felled seams and seal them like a tent... but I don't.

Also, I'm lazy.

Here's the crazy vintage zipper added to the top. The bag opens on three sides for easy access of tools and such.

On the first test run of the bag, naturally, the zipper failed. After gathering up my chain and tools I vowed to never trust fancy vintage zippers again.

 Look at all that space! Mind you, I haven't had a flat tire for nearly a year *knocks on wood* so this is mostly cosmetic.

"I can fix my own bike! I never do, but I could..."

I do know that I will find more random items that need to be put in here 'just in case'. It's the big purse curse!

Here it is in it's natural habitat. A nice sturdy metal zipper that shows no sign of giving out replaced the broken one, but I kept the ribbon trim.

Ride on!

Have you ever made something for your bike?