Monday, January 1, 2018

2017 Costume Year in Review

Yeah, I got literally nothing done this year. In my defense, I was still suffering from my general costuming malaise and then I actually had a successful pregancy, so between changing sizes and being dead tired, I didn’t really do any sewing.

I started a waistcoat for Doug when Gloria and I had a sewing day, but it’s still sitting on my dress form.

I did got to a bunch of events, but I just rewore old stuff to them. Not a big deal since I have a closet full, but I would like to feel like making new things again at some point. We’ll see what 2018 brings!

I went to 12th Night at Riversdale in January. I made the dress in 2016 though. :-) I do love the 12th Night dinner they offer. Sometimes at these events people can be weirdly pushy (about dancing, or correcting one’s dancing) and we were trying to get a few pics, and someone was trying to boss me about going in to dance, and I ended up in tears because things had been really stressful. So that kind of sucked, and after that I felt like I needed a break from the Gadsbys and Riversdale events for a while. It’s going to be harder for us both to go to them in 2018 because we’ll need babysitters, but we’ll be back. I was glad to have a break though - going to events in old houses can be so magical. And I love being there with friends. But I need some of the stronger and weirder personalities need to leave me be!

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The Francaise dinner was small this year, but I enjoyed seeing everyone who went. I actually have reworn the francaise gowns I do have many times, so I once again decided to pull something else out of the closet that hasn’t gotten worn much. So I pulled this, the second 18th century gown I ever made, out. I had to take it in, but it fit fine, and I wore it with a green quilted petticoat I’d not worn before. And added sashes and jewelry.

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And yep, pregnant here - but not very.

In April I went to Jenny-Rose’s lovely Big Ass Hat tea. I rewore my fav yellow jacket, this time with the petticoat I’d intended to pair with it, though I ended up liking the francaise gown petticoat better with it (wore that to a different party in 2016 accidentally). At least I got a wearing out of this one!

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I did go to Fort Fred this year, but it was extremely warm (unseasonably so) and I didn’t wear a costume.

Gloria and I did go twinsies in our League of Their Own costumes to AwesomeCon - and it fit, yay! I’m like 5 months pregnant here.

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Carolyn had a Big Bustle Birthday Party at the Arboretum and back at her house. I don’t have a bustle and if I did it wouldn’t have fit since I was a month away from my due date at this point. Nor did I want to make one since I wouldn’t have known how to do it for maternity. Anyway, Carolyn very kindly let me wear a non-bustle and a francaise was something I knew I could get to fit and was sort of floofy. I was glad to be able to make the party, though since Merja came in from Finland and there were so many lovely friends attending.

The francaise worked great - I did wear stays, but I left the laces untightened (they are knotted so the lace won’t come fully out, so I could wear them without tighening them). And they actually gave me some nice support on my stomach. And the francaise is flexible size- wise. It worked out well, even if I was slightly off theme.

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For Halloween, I decided to wear an Episode III Padme costume I had made, never quite finished, and never wore anywhere. All I had to do was hem the undergown (I sewed!) and I pinned some fabric in the back since it wouldn’t zip up all the way. Padme is pregnant when she wears this, so it was nice to have the right natural shape for it! And that is all my own hair!

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The last costume event of the year for me, was the Candlelight Soiree/Pumpkin tea! I rewore my black sari drawstring gown:

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There were actually four of us pregnant this year at the tea, which is a record. This was 10 days from my due date. The hat is from Etsy - I didn’t feel like fussing with wigs.

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Last year I said I would attempt the following. Let’s see how I did, ha ha.

Finish Doug’s new jacket nope

Finish Doug’s new vest
nope

Mrs. Russell Green Gown
No, but I did some research on this at least, and determined that, well, it’s not really straighforward what she is wearing, and I’m not really sure where to start with it. http://costumersguide.blogspot.com/2017/02/robe-la-levantine.html

Windmill gown
nope!

Rey
nope, but I’ve saved links and photos for a bunch of her costumes. Maybe this year?

20s dress
nope, though I acquired a few vintage ones that fit, so I do have something new I can wear to the next 20s event.

20s coat
nope

A regency gown I have cut out of a cotton flowered sari
nope

A regency gown out of the cotton silk I bought at Fort Fred.
nope

Ok - what shall I attempt in 2018?

- a new francaise gown
- Rey (The Force Awakens)
- Windmill gown
- regency gown out of the cotton flowered sari

Let’s leave it at that and hope for the best!

2 comments:

  1. it seems as if you did a lot last year even if it wasn’t sewing. a baby is a big deal!
    And for whatever reasons, I think every seamstress goes through a sewing slump at some point. sometimes they can last a long time but it doesn't mean the wanting to sew will never come back. eventually it will probably sneak back up on you and will be back to loving it.

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind comment. It's hard to go through a slump and to feel like it'll never come back. I'm not sure if I'm burned out from years of this, or burned out from personal life stuff or what. The pregnancy made it hard to do much of anything energy-wise and I'm at least starting to feel more like myself. So hopefully wanting to sew will follow! :-) We do have lots of events here, and other than the hole in my wardrobe which is bustle/civil war, I have lots of stuff I can rewear, which is nice. :-)

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