Maleficent Article and Random News.

I came across this short article on the costuming in Maleficent. It’s not very in-depth but worth a quick read if you’re interested.

http://www.stylelist.com/read/maleficent-costumes/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing11%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk4%26pLid%3D477958

Also, I’ve finally worked up the courage to admit this. Our trip to Victorian Days Connecticut was unfortunately cancelled. My father just got out of the hospital after five weeks and multiple surgery. He’s facing a long recovery and we can’t leave him for two weeks. It is very disappointing as our itinerary included Salem and the Lizzie Borden house, among many other things. But my dad is out of the hospital and is going to be fine and that is the most important thing, we can always reschedule the trip.

     Does this mean I’m not making my Arsenic Bustle Gown? Absolutely not! It’s just getting bumped back a little bit as the HTTYD premiere date creeps closer and I rush to finish my Berkian Warrior outfit. And the silver lining here is that I no longer need to worry about fitting the dress on a train. That means I can make it as BIG and POOFY as I want.

*Sewing machine groans as it contemplates miles of trim*

Leather Jerkin

This one has been on my ‘Need to Make’ list for a very long time. The NTM list is vast, consisting of all those projects that you think of and say, “Wow! I need to make that!” and then usually never do. Therefore, it is very gratifying when, once in a while, those wishful ideas become reality.

     this one was scrapped together from the corners of my fabric bins. I had several pieces of leather (And by that I mean fake upholstery leather, but hey) cut in strange long strips, nothing that looked suitable for piecing together a jerkin.  Well, when one has their heart set on a badass leather jerkin one cannot be deterred by small set backs. I cobbled and pinned and hacked and maybe prayed a little.  Luckily, the picture in my mind was of a worn jerkin that’s been through plenty of fights. Plus, I also wanted something with a unique shape and cut. And I think I succeeded!

roguishly unbuckled.

 It’s actually only about 98% finished, I still need a matching brown leather to trim  the bottom. since I have none at the moment that will just have to wait. It fits Sue a little oddly, I think she changed her settings again, on me there are no gaps or pulls. 

Close up of front.

 I’ve ended up loving the way it was sewn together in weird sections.  And the best thing about this piece is how versatile it is. Pirate, archer, assassin, steampunk, (or all four in one, a steampunk pirate assassin whose main weapon is a longbow! Whoa, brain cool down, I’m neck-deep in enough half-written books, don’t start getting plot ideas) the possibilities of how to use this are endless. I love it to bits and I am anxiously on the lookout for an event to wear it to.

Main Characters

Every blasted time. Sometimes you have to kill a few characters off to keep the rest in line.  Neck deep in revisions here, bye!

Small Update

A little voice in my ear keeps hollering, ‘Go blog!’   Well, I’m here and I apoligize for falling behind on my blogging goals. 
     My father had open heart surgery on Saturday so I hope everyone understands that things have been crazy and hard and I really don’t have anything exciting to blog about.  On the writing front, I’m mostly going mad waiting to hear back on queries. Plus, I suddenly decided that about twenty pages in the middle of my manuscript desperately need rewriting. Sigh.

     As for sewing, the only thing I’m working on is a boring real dress for my cousins Bar Mitzvah. Since I lose all interest in fashion right before 1914 this isn’t particularly thrilling. Hopefully when this dress is done I can work on my bustle gown, but since my father is going to be up to six weeks recovering we don’t even know if the trip to Victorian Days in Willimantic is still on.  

In other news, I’m getting excited for Maleficent coming out at the end of this month and there are two new tv shows on the horizon that have potential. Crossbones, premiering on May 30th, and The Musketeers in June.  Pirates and Musketeers, three cheers for swashbucklers!