Dammit Janet

This was my very precise Janet Weiss outfit worn to see Rocky Horror in December. The pink dress was made from a 50's tennis dress pattern that I'd bought at a vintage fair a year or so ago. Cardigan is Primarni :)

The pattern was my first truly vintage pattern and didn't have any instructions or printed pattern pieces. Just pieces of tissue paper with variously sized holes punched in. It took me a while to figure it all out, not least because the previous owner had for some completely unknown reason chopped off the shoulder parts of the front pieces! There was some very creative cutting but it came out rather nicely.

I rounded the collar to match the shape of the dress in the film and added a belt. Both were made of pink gingham but sadly I couldn't get a 'Janet' necklace in the time I had.

I even had just enough time to knock together the white lace-trimmed split slip she wears underneath, which was lucky as I realised once I started walking around in it that I really could have gotten away with adding another button!

I even curled my hair and abandoned my signature red lipstick. I looked worryingly wholesome! Baby pink is not a colour I wear much, though I have got the perfect outfit should anyone wish to take me on a date to a milkshake bar...

Christmas burly clothes

The outfit for my xmas burlesque performance was pretty complicated and featured a heck of a lot of red satin! Obviously quick removal is fairly essential in these matters so almost everything was fastened with poppers or ribbon ties.

My choir girl outfit came together pretty well, though involves a hell of a lot of sheeting! With a combination of trims to make the neck ruffle.

Underneath that was a long red liquid satin crossed-halter-tie wrap around dress held closed by a popper over the bust and a wide ribbon belt (that was held shut with a chunky hook-and-eye). I made the pattern for this with just my bust, waits and hip measurements with which I made a basic undarted back panel and 2 identical front pieces with a few inches overlap and long ribbon shapes coming off the top. Originally it was going to be plain halter-style but the crossed-halter looked better and covered more of the outfit underneath. It falls open way too easily but then again it doesn't stay on very long anyway! I may well use some principles learned here for a formal dress in the future...


This is the final piece of the outfit I want to talk about. Red liquid satin side-tie french knickers with an elasticated waist. The white fluff at the side is the corset underneath. These knickers are tied either side by a thin white ribbon. I really liked the way these hung and will be making more, but without the side tie. I went for encased elastic at the waistband rather than stitched on. I might experiment with this. I may also try making them on the bias for a more floaty look.

All in all it went down a storm and I learned some good things making it.

Belated photos of my Halloween costume

It's taken me a while to get the pictures of my halloween costume uploaded. I was really pleased with the overskirt with built in bustle and underskirt with train. Both from Truly Victorian patterns. It's pictured with my black underbust cincher and a lovely hat made by a friend of mine.

Blue corset

It's all finished, and here is the lovely new corset. I hope she likes her xmas present frome her boyfriend :)

Choir boys and corsets...

I've nearly finished a lovely blue satin underbust corset with black bone coverings (designed by the customer) so pictures will follow very shortly :)

I've started knitting some lace to try and relieve the boredom of the skinny scarf but it's slow progress - it takes a lot of concentration away from my M*A*S*H watching! A plus note on the knitting front however, my mother is visiting tomorrow and will be bringing me wool and doll patterns- christmas is saved!

I've been trawling the net for a free choir robe pattern and would you believe it? No-one wants to give away that little secret! Ho hum, doesn't look complicated - I think I can work it out easily enough.

I bought yet another roll of mock up fabric yesterday so looking forward to getting stuck into that, though lord only knows when I'll find the time! I'm away for a long weekend and I'm getting upset and being away from my sewing machine that long! I really must get a life...

1950's Keyhole Blouse

I started last night, and finished this afternoon. I did take some progress photos but silly me forgot to put the SD card in the camera so they've been lost to the ether.

Quite chuffed with it as a first punt at the pattern. The fabric is fray-o-liscious and I should have done more overlocking but it will not exactly be hard to make myself another one. The pattern was a tiny bit small for me but some tweaking to the seam allowances and button placement have cleared that up. The collar was fiddly, but I'm yet to meet a collar that isn't. (And yes, the photo is taken in my bathroom - the lightbulb in the hallway has blown!)

Apparently my mum made a very similar blouse for a school project back in the late 50s/early 60s but without the diagonal front.

At first I thought the raglan sleeves were making it sit oddly baggy across the shoulders, but I've realised this allows a great range of movement which will get tested at lindy hop tonight :)

winter productivity

Apparently today is the least productive day of the year in the UK because it is the first Monday after the clocks going back. I was quite gratified that I was slaving over a hot sewing machine when that came on the news :)

Now I'm thinking, it's not that late, and maybe I would feel even more smug if I got started on this...
I've picked up a whole roll of suitable fabric and it would be nice to start sinking my teeth into the big pile of vintage patterns I recently bought.

However, I do also have the latest Pratchett to devour...

Decisons, decisions!

Drindl dress finished!

So I finished the dress, complete with apron this evening. Originally I was going to put lace trim on the apron too but it looked too busy. The skirt is double-layered, both lace trimmed, with the underskirt being slightly longer which gives a nice effect.

I like the off-the-shoulder puff sleeves: very wenchy :)

Dirndl dress in red gingham

Right now I'm making a commision for a halloween costume. I do love a good circle skirt, though was quite annoyed that I could only get gingham in 44" width but solved it with some creative pattern placement :)

I've drafted the pattern from a dress the customer already had with a couple of minor adjustments. There's a heck of a lot of lace involved, which I didn't realise when I quoted a price for her - luckily I found some absolute bargain lace that was just perfect! (Though it did involve spending nearly an hour searching on my hands and knees in the trimmings dept of Abakhan - good job they like me there!)

It's all looking very pretty - there'll be some pictures soon.

It's about time...

...I kept a log of some of the wonderful pieces I make. The plan is to catalogue some of the creative and technical processes behind each piece, hopefully with photos and maybe even the odd tutorial here and there.

I'm hoping this blog will be a way for people to see my work, contact me if they want me to make them something, or share ideas about current and future projects.