Stays, Now With Eyelets!

Yep, that’s right – all those pesky little hand-sewn eyelets are done and the straps are attached: Though they started off a little shaky: The bottom one that you can’t see very well was my first effort – it’s probably just as well it’s not very clear on the photo as it looks awful!!  I [...]

Read Full Post »

Deliveries

I’ve mentioned bits and pieces that I’ve ordered and a something special for the Lady Luck Outfit, and at last it’s time for show and tell, with some things less exciting than others: Fray-stop glue (wooo, exciiiiitiiiiing  ;P  ) and spray-on fabric stiffener – that’s a little more exciting as you can build up the [...]

Read Full Post »

Birthday Masquerade Costume: Inspiration Board

I may or may not have spent most of today messing around on a new toy: Scrapblog*. The other day I realised that the reason I couldn’t find a picture of the 1780s outfit I had seen in my dream because it didn’t exist!   My unconscious mind must have put together elements of different outfits [...]

Read Full Post »

Cockade – fini (mostly)

I’ve just finished my cockade (well the ribbon part, still need to sew on the backing and a brooch pin) – I do rather love it. It would have been even better (and even more nautical) if I’d been able to get hold of blue and white stripe, but I’m still pleased with how it [...]

Read Full Post »

Stays, Stitches and Spectacles

What a weekend! Friday – I got home from work to this yumminess: (They’re a bit creased as I’ve hand-washed them, but haven’t ironed yet.) The photos really don’t do these fabrics justice.  I’ll confess, I’ve been too busy to do a burn test, but from the feel of the fraying threads on the cut [...]

Read Full Post »

Bargain Antiquing – Part II

Here you are, dear reader, he promised pictures of yesterday’s pretties (or, to thieve The Dreamstress’s phrase, Pogey Bait!).  We set off early on the bus to get to Heanor and hit the Antiques Centre and plenty of charity shops. First off, some true sewing pogey bait – a few bags of mixed buttons: Vintage [...]

Read Full Post »

The Saturday Shoe – Vivienne Westwood

The Saturday shoe returns with a little homage to Vivienne Westwood and her crazy-awesome shoe designs.  And me being me, there’ll be little references to her historical influences. First, some lovely buckles from Ms Westwood:Are they shoes?  Are they boots?  Who knows! OK, so these are rather too extreme for everyday wear and they don’t [...]

Read Full Post »

18th Century – For Sale!

Window shopping on ebay is a dangerous thing, gentle reader! After all, what in the world is there that is better to go with one’s changing styles in the latter decades of the 18th Century than an oak desk from c. 1780? Rather charming, don’t you think?  And ample room for a polonaise to slide [...]

Read Full Post »

The Saturday Shoe – The Old Slapper!

Well, not a slapper in that sense, but a slap sole shoe. These are from the Northampton Museum, which has the world’s largest collection of footwear.  How handy, then, that my mum lives in Northampton!  When I have a new camera, I’ll be paying another visit to the museum, but back to the shoes… It [...]

Read Full Post »

The Saturday Shoe (or should that be stilts?) – Chopines

Today for your visual pleasure and curiosity, dear reader, allow me to present to you these most marvelous chopines from the Bata Shoe Museum: Yes, they look gorgeous and bizarre, but so what? you might say, but have another look – these bad boys were made around the turn of the 17th century.  And they [...]

Read Full Post »