Here are my photos from the GBACG's Surviving the Guillotine Picnic. I had such a wonderful time! A big thanks to demode for hosting the event and letting me borrow her 1780s robe à la polonaise! And I love what I did with my hair, it looked so fabulous!

It's been over a year since my last post. However, I have been reading everyone else's lately and I thought it was about time I started posting again.

What's been happening with me in the last year? I've been coping with the loss of my brother. I went to Egypt with my husband and father-in-law last November. Did Dicken's Fair. Went to several costume events throughout the year, borrowing many costumes along the way. Lost 20 pounds in the last few months! Recently started sewing again! Hosted the GBACG's Hogwarts End-of-Term Celebration with trystbat! And now I'm working hard on the GBACG website redesign!

Here's my pictures from the GBACG's Little Women Picnic (for which I was able to fit back into one of my old dresses! Yeah!) and from the GBACG's Hogwarts End-of-Term Celebration (for which I actually sewed!).

So, I'm sewing again! I made a fabulous McGonagall outfit for the Hogwarts Event.



Granted I did stay up all night to finish it, but I didn't have to borrow an outfit, so it's a step in the right direction!

My next project is an 1860s sheer gown that I never finished for the GBACG's Little Women Picnic, which I'd like to wear for the class I am teaching at Costume College. I also will be making an 1860's Ball Gown for the Gala. Hopefully at least one of these outfits will get done, but with my track record lately, I'll just cross my fingers!

I am actually starting a project and it has a deadline. Two actually. I would like to get this done by June 17th for a fitting party I am going to, but if I don't get it done by then, it must be done by June 24th for a draping a sack back gown class. So my plan is to get motivated and sew! I already have the pattern. I enlarged the corset pattern from Costume Close-up: Clothing Construction and Pattern 1750-1790. I made a mock up and adjusted as needed. Now I need to transfer those adjustments to the pattern and cut it out! I love the fabric I got. It is a cafe latte color, tone on tone damask. I'm going to bind the edges of the stays in brick red cotton to match the linen petticoat I am making. Starting tomorrow...wish me luck.

Here is a swatch of my fabric and a picture of the corset that inspired me. ( View pictures )

I thought I might want to do at least one post, since I have been reading everyone else's for a while now. I haven't done much in the way of costuming for a while, but that is soon to change. Plans are in the works for an eighteenth century corset, petticoat, jacket, and pet en l'air. I am also planning on redoing the sleeves on my LOTR dress and redoing the sleeves on my blue teens dress, so I can wear them to Costume College. I always seem to have a hard time with sleeves, so I am glad I got into the "Sleeves: Basic Block to Period Variations" class! I also am taking "Smocking Techniques for the Aesthetic Movement Gown." At Costume College, I am doing a repeat of the class I taught at Costume Academy, "One-Hour Frock: How to Make a Simple 1920's Dress." I am taking a draping class late in June and have plans to go to several costume events in the next couple months. I recently cleaned and organized my sewing room and I must say it is fabulous! Yeah! So, I have no more excuses, and plenty of reasons to sew.