Changes made to Blue/Green Gown

Needed more length in front, farthingale shows when I sit down. Took out Green front of forepart and found 1-2 inches of fabric folded in the seam. Yea!
Also, I needed a tutorial for sitting down whilst, and at the same time, wearing a hoop.
Most seats were fine, but when sitting between two other ladies wearing hoops, i needed to: LIFT THE HOOP CLOSEST TO MY FINGERTIPS ONE STEP BEFORE TAKING THE STEP BACK TO SIT. Got it? Somehow that made all the difference.

Need to make shoulder rolls, my partlet and camecia show too much. See photos of shoulder rolls on the 'partlet number 3' post. The pattern for a shoulder roll is an ELLIPSE! That surprised me. i found it on a PDF file somewhere with patterns for tunics.
Sleeves attachments were inefficient. Kept falling off or were too tight. Replaced stretchy hair ties with gold cord that unravels just looking at it. Used that for the 2 center loop2 and used green/gold ricrac from sleeve for the other 4. Total 6 loops.

Tomorrow is my debut in this dress as Sybille Frederick(of Cleves) at the MMRF.

Addtional changes: could put a GUARD of Blue along the bottom edge to protect it. I'm still not happy with the sleeve attachments. I re-did the shoulder rolls and they look better. But the sleeves still look saggy.

Partlet Number Three

These are three ways I can wear the partlet I made today. I won't go into the construction, because I used a man's Medium button down shirt pattern. With a few modifications and some lace....and 5 hours later....geez, I have a nice partlet. The fabric is light weight 100 % cotton. There is a wrinkle on the left side. I may put buttons or beads or trim on it later.

Underpants, Drawers, Bloomers!

I made some out of muslin I had laying around. I use a pants pattern from Nana's stash. I made them crotchless. Lady Gwendolyn gave me that idea. She said when you have a hand full of skirts and accessories, you don't have to pull your pants down to pee. AND the Drawers cover the dirty toilet seat a little and that's a plus. Now I have a pair for Saturday and for Sunday. Genius!

Chemise

I need a new chemise for the red/gold Venetian. The camecia sleeves are too bulky. I'm trying a SMOCK GENERATOR from Drea Leed, I presume. I found it here: http://www.elizabethancostume.net/index.html under 'underpinnings'. It says it will be a close fit. I had a big piece of linen from ??, 54" wide. I'm cutting it out directly, using the pattern and instructions.Okay, it's done and here are my comments.

I like the Generator. I enter my measurements and it gives me all the numbers I need. I cut it out with no problems. It sewed together just fine and fit like a cotehardie (my word for a fitted long sleeve gored dress). This will work well with the Venetian gown as the sleeves are tighter, not flared and the body is not bulky. I had to make the neckhole bigger to sit at the edge of my shoulder. This gown sits close to the edge.

One complaint is where the gores and gussets get sewn across each other. There is no way to cleanly finish that seam.

This smock is not suitable for the regular Ren Faire garb. It's not poofy at all.

A Hat for the Red/Gold Gown from 2008

I bought a sequined 1980's hat from a thrift store and covered it in the same gold as the kirtle. I made a bow out of the same curtain sheer fabric as the partlet and hotglued trim on the edge. I also made a caul of the same gold fabric.

A Hat for the Blue Gown from 2007

I'm not happy with the placement of these pictures, but don't know how to fix them. sorry if it's difficult to read.






































Construction links are included.
It starts with putting my shoulder length, thin hair in a bun at the back of my head, below the crown. Then I wrap a fake braid around it and pin in place.
Next, I tie on the FOREHEAD CLOTH. (see http://www.extremecostuming.com/articlesii/howtowearthecoif.html) I have left the ties hanging in these photos, but at faire, I would tuck them in.
Over the Forehead cloth, I lay on the CAUL, (see http://www.sempstress.org/patterns/hatmaking/simplecaul.shtml) and secure it with a corsage pin.
Next goes the 'flat cap', bonnet, whatever you want to call it. I put it forward enough as to be in front of the bun...bulk.. if you take my meaning. (see the same sempstress.org site, just click at the bottom of the page 'semptress'. or see one of these http://www.elizabethancostume.net/index.html under 'Hats and Headwear'.)
I bought the feather and metal cone at Michigan Ren Faire and I'm sorry I don't know the name of the vendor, but it's in the back, at the top of the hill and on your way to Owain Phyfe.

Dress Sleeves

I'm beginning work on the sleeves of the red gown. we are going to Derbyshire tomorrow. I probably won't wear the new dress, as it's a 3 hour car ride and I've never been to Derbyshire before AND i'm having husband trouble.
I'm going to keep it as simple as possible.

I found two pieces of scraps for the sleeves. After much fussing with length and seam allowances, I have settled on a design. It is a tube sleeve with buttons on the outside of the top edge that attach to black hair ties sewn under the straps. Also, I made some cording for the top/bottom edges. The seams were miss matched, so hand sewed two pieces of trim to cover them.

Note to self: when using a commercial sleeve pattern, one must be laid WRONG side up, thus giving me a right and left sleeve. As it is, I have two right sleeves. It isn't a tragedy, but next time, do it correctly.

I wore the dress to GLMF, Derbyshire and the State Theatre in Bay City to see Equinnox.

FINISHED(practically)Venetian 2008!!!

The finished dress. I suck at arranging these pictures. They may not turn out in the positions I have them here. BUT, one was taken at Great Lakes Medieval Faire last week, one is a close up of the trim on the front of the bodice. One is the center back and you can see where I resolved my pleating problem. I STACKED THE BOX PLEATS in a 5 -8 inch area in the center back. For the full frontal photo, I shoved a plastic sheet in the bodice to keep it flat, my dress form gave it a caved in look. As you can see, the gold underneath isn't as wide as the fashion fabric bodice. Oh well, That's another project for another day.
TRIM:
I had the gold trim in my stash. It's very modern looking, but the perfect length and color. I bought some beads from http://www.purple-sage.net/
The Purple Sage Bead Store on Center in Saginaw Township. The trim has holes and I filled the holes with alternates of red/clear/gold. Then I sewed a little red bead to the top of the trim braid on every second spot where it criss/crosses. If I do it again, I will not use flat beads, unless I learn how to sew them so they stay flat. I used a fairly short 'sharp' needle with a very small eye; and regular thread, single strand.

notes to me

The bodice post is done.
I have finished the skirt pleating and adjustments. I had it all pleated to the bodice and was looking at the home stretch. When I realized that there was going to be an extra foot of skirt leftover. no room to pleat it to the bodice. I posted a forum to Ren Forum and now I can't open it.
I need assistance in how to finish this skirt.
maybe I'll post something here and on the things I can open. But for now, the sewing sits there as I contemplate the meaning of this delay. Also, I may be getting a full time job soon and I am looking at my house and changing my priorities.
ONE month later:
Instead of erasing that first part, consider this:
The reason I couldn't get in, is that the Ren forum has some kind of melt down. They set up house somewhere else, I figured it out, the ladies chimed in with their usual excellent advice and I resolved the pleat issue. Stacking the box pleats that were left over.
The job hasn't materialized and I have since finished the dress. Pictures are in the May 30th Post titled, FINISHED (practically)Venetian 2008.

Bodice Construction

PHOTO A: Back pattern piece



Back pattern piece, flipped over, with a Red Bull drawn on it, just for shits and giggles.


PHOTO B: The front pattern piece. I only put straps on this pattern piece when i cut out the fashion fabric.

These are MY step by step instructions for making a ladder laced Venetian bodice in the style of 1570"s. I'm being as specific as I can for my own info later and anyone who, like me, loves to read these things and learn but needs a little more remedial sewing info.


STEP ONE: transfer the changes from the TOILE to the paper pattern. Add a half inch seam allowance all around each piece. Set both patterns on the straight grain. There should be: one back pattern that can be cut on the fold or open.
One front pattern. I folded the fabrics, right sides together and cut two (left and right)at once, but there is no fold.
You will be copying the pattern to Inner Layers and an Outer Layer, I used canvas and cotton, red lining and fashion fabric. This gave me a bunch of seams on top of each other. I'm wearing the bodice right now and I don't see or feel the side seams at all.
I'm not going to talk about straps much, since I'm still learning how to do them. I didn't have them on my Inner Layers pattern, then added them to the paper pattern for the lining and fashion fabric. I really just made it up as I went along and it;s not such a good plan.
FIRST THE INNER LAYERS. Lay the canvas on a flat surface. Play around with position and make sure you have enough to cut out two fronts and a back.
1. Open the back paper pattern and TAPE it to the canvas, draw around pattern with a pen or something. Remove paper pattern. With a ruler, take a half an inch(seam allowance) off ever edge, except the curved edge that will be sewn to the front. This will give you a piece the exact size of your bodice and won't add bulk to the final product. In the above photo of the front pattern piece PHOTO B, the silver scissors are next to the curved edge that you will sew to the curved edge on the back piece, right sides together, easing it in.
2. Do the same with the cotton. Press the seams toward the front. This may not be kosher, but it worked for me.
3. Lay the patterns, right side up on your lining fabric. I used a solid red cotton and I added straps (1 1/2")with seam allowances(1/2"). Copy the pattern to the fabric and this time use all the seam allowance. Sew the front and back together and press.You should now have a canvas and cotton bodice with no seam allowances on the outside edges. One inner lining bodice with a seam allowance all around the outside.
Marking the BONING CHANNELS. I set the cotton and lining bodices aside, using just the canvas to draw on the boning channel marks.
I used plastic cable ties, 1/4" wide, 15" long(for a pointy bodice like this, I could have used 20").
1. Take one and lay it in the very center of the back. It should be as long as the canvas/cotton. I will be wearing a corset under this dress and only used 9 bones. Three in each front and three in the back.
2. I laid the bones on the canvas and traced around them. I used my hubby's tin snips to cut the heads off the cable ties, cut them to length and round the edges. I didn't label them this time, there were only 9. I didn't sew them yet, I wanted to include my red lining.
3. Lay the red fabric wrong side up, lay the cotton either side up and finally the canvas, wrong side down. SafetyPin it to keep it steady and sew through all three pieces, along the boning channels, just outside the lines. Slide a bone into the first channel to check size, if it's okay, continue. It's easier to make changes now, with one, than with 20. Leave the bottom/ tops open, you may need to take them out and adjust length. When you're done, slide all the bones in to be sure of size. You may take them out till later, if you wish. If there are a lot of them, label with a marker.

LACING STRIPS. I'm using the double ribbon method of front ladder lacing seen Jen Thompson’s two-lacing-row technique (detailed at A Festive Attyre)
I measured in about half an inch from the raw edge on the red lining side and marked where the first ribbon would go. The I laid a bone next to that, then a ribbon and another bone. I left a little room between them. I used a black strap I found in my stash and cut into 2 long and 2 short pieces for the lacing strips. I'm not going to describe it here, except to say that I eyeballed the distant between ?? and used a straight edge to try to keep the left and right sides even. It looks okay. I sewed through all three pieces and used a 1/2" stitch with a little zig zag to make the ??? Below are two photos showing the canvas side. (Actually, these are photos of the fashion fabric pinned to the other bodice pieces.)


After the channels were sewn. After the lacing strips were attached, I used the paper patterns to cut out the fashion fabric. I have added straps to the front and back paper pattern pieces. I laid the fashion fabric on the living room floor and smoothed it carefully. I laid the open, back paper pattern piece on it right side up(even tho' it;'s symmetrical). I set it on different parts untill I found a good section. I taped and pinned it carefully, took a deep breath and cut it out, with all seam allowances. I folded the fabric in half being careful to create a left and right front that looked nice across from each other and cut out two fronts. Sewed them together, pressed and pinned it to the other bodice pieces with the right side on the red lining side. This way, when I turn it, the fashion fabric will be on the canvas side and the red lining will show.

Here it is before sewing and turning.
Here is is after sewing and turning, which I had to do, of course with the bones in it. I left the top , middle back open for turning. Also, the inside of the straps was open for extra turning room. Here you can see the lacing ribbons on the red side. I found a thick gold/sparkly rope to use instead of cord.
Laying it inside out, like the photo above, I used a hook to pull the rope loosely through the ???. I put the bodice on by myself, over the corset/kirtle. It fits divinely!!!(looking with a more critical eye several days later, it looks a little long.)

Kirtle_

The photos at right were taken by my hubby with my phone. He helped me into the corset and gown. (and out of it...oo la la).
EARLIER IN THE DAY:
It Fits.! tried it on over camecia/corset, all by me onsies. Here's how: I loosely spiral laced the back a 1/3. Dropped it over my head BACKWARDS. laced a few more rows and spun it around gingerly. I felt behind me and pulled it a little tighter still. Then I pulled the straps which were attached to the back, over my shoulder and pinned them to the front. Then adjusted the whole thing and checked it for fit. Seems fine. I looked it over to see what needs to be changed if I use this pattern somehow for the fashion fabric Bodice.
1. Move the straps over, closer to my shoulders in front and back to get that really wide Venetian look.
2. armpits could be a TINY bit higher.
I'm going to line it. It's very thin and I don't like how I can see the bones of the corset under it.
So now goes a lining/facing and underarm finishing. Straps and hem. Grommets and back finishing.
I added a 2" panel along each open side of the back center edge. It will strenthen the area where gromments will go. NEXT TIME: sew the facing first then add these panels.

Lining is done. I sewed in on while the dress was laying 'flat' on the floor. Sewed it right sides together and flipped it over. The details were excruciating and won't be spoken of here. Its midrif length and i tucked the sides in under the grommet panels.

Straps- two 12" straps are attached with safety pins to the 'nubs' I left after lining the top of dress. There are 1 1/2" wide finished, gold on both sides. The classic tube.

I'm wearing the kirtle right now. I hemmed it just about the ankle, so it doesn't show under the main gowns.
24 Grommets are in the back. There are a few little tweaks I want to make but not worth mentioning here.
ITS DONE AND READY TO WEAR.

Cutting out the kirtle- mistakes

Leaving the extra fabric around a cut out pattern piece and NOT marking where the pattern ends, proved to be a mistake. I'm typing it out in hopes of not glossing it over in an 'oh well'. Now I have two beautiful seams, 3 lovely pieces and the center bodice is an inch too low. Exactly WHY I altered the corset pattern- to make the kirtle high enough. Not only that but the bottoms don't match.
MAKE ALL MARKS ON ALL PATTERN PIECES AND STAY PRESENT.! no daydreaming. No scolding. Eat lunch, tear it out, start over. PERIOD. it isn't bad, it's just what is.

FACING, I am not going into how that transpired. Whew! Suffice to say that the facing is in, it goes about midrif length. It's made of one layer each-muslin, gold taffeta, white satin.

GROMMETS- This was my first time grommeting a real dress. There were two that I forgot to put the top piece on and hammered it down with it. DUH! I had a hell of a time pounding a hole in the fabric, I mostly cut it open one layer at at time with my little scissors.

Cutting out the kirtle

The gold taffeta was spread out on the living room floor, right sides together. It was pinned randomly to keep it from shifting. Paper Pattern pieces were TAPED to the wrong side of the fabric. Pencil marks were made 1/2" from pattern to mark the seam allowances. From the pattern on down, I had to free measure and mark a 42" skirt gore. There were pictures on the computer and I kept running back in to check, but Lordy! if I didn't make mine different.
The fabric cuts beautifully and hardly frays at all. left and right pieces were marked with their pattern letter A, B,C or D. The center piece was cut on the fold.
I saved a bit of uncut fabric above the front strap. I didn't completely cut that part out, as I haven't' decided what to do about straps. And I'm rethinking the need for sleeves. That would mean I'd be wearing my huge linen camecia AND big gold sleeves as well. Too Hot!

I found the proper lefts and rights and sewed the 7 pieces together. 1 front, 2 side fronts, 2 underarms, 2 center backs. I had to place the paper pattern on the fabric several times to see how it lined up with the previous piece. The bunch of fabric I was hoping to make straps out of proved to be a big hassle. I cut the extra off and from the front it looks like a strapless gown. The basic dress is done. I have not attached the facing or straps. I want to try it on ME first to fit it properly.
The photos below show the kirtle sewn with NO FACING OR STRAPS, yet. I used my LACING STRIPS (they are pinned to the outside of the dress) to figure placement of permanent grommets and back width.

Thoughts on altering KIRTLE

This is the TOILE.
If it's a gored kirtle, That means no bodice. Does it mean no boning? Does the gold fabric need lining?
I'll be wearing a corset under it and a boned bodice over it. There is no need for boning now. What about when I wear it this kirtle with something else?
I could let that time take care of itself. It can always be boned later. I can always make another corset that fits better later. It would save time to make it MM style for now. Then I can get on to making the fashion fabric bodice.

I see why people go to the trouble of making a duct tape bodyform. This dressform is not really me. I get confused when I have to make mental notes about 1/2" here and there between the form and me. Plus my measurements are always different, due to ?? taking them incorrectly? being too fussy? not fussy enough??

So, for today. I think I'll put the camecia/corset on, try on the kirtle before alterations and then make any really big changes. The little changes will be forgotten. I could baste on the lacing strips to the back and try to lace myself into it. We shall see.
This kirtle will be a bit looser and drape more like a modern dress. The things I wear under and over it, will make it period.
REMEMBER TO CUT WRIST LENGTH SLEEVES.

Kirtle TOILE

I decided to make the kirtle. I'll be using the gold taffeta Sarah D. found for $6. I found a pattern I liked. It will solve the problem of the waist seam.*

http://www.elizabethancostume.net/kirtlepat/gored.html
Followed these instructions:
1. Trace my corset out on paper.
2. Alter it on paper to create a bodice pattern.
3. Alter that paper to create a kirtle pattern.
4. Use that paper pattern to create a Toile. I used a heavy but loose weave of something my Nana made to cover a card table. There are piles of different fabrics here.
I sewed it together. The skirt part is in bits, since I didn't have enough fabric. I don't care about that. All I want is a bodice that fits.


*I want to be able to use this kirtle for other dresses, with various size bodice points and lacing locations. This seamless gored kirtle won't show a seam even in a deep Venetian front point. On a side note, this is the MM gored dress pattern. How cool is that?

more of same

never mind that joanns is having 50% off their fabric this week. dork, i bought some fabric for 16yd. pre-made curtains.

This post is just mulling over my options.

I am on some kind of weird over purchasing trip. This is the fabric I want, NO THIS is the fabric I want. Is there enough of this, THIS is a good price.
One panel on sale for 30$ is enough to make a skirt of 106" around the bottom. That's not enough for a matching bodice or sleeves. It's not even a full enough skirt. I don't want to go buy another panel. That would be 60$ for enough to do the entire gown. Is that a bargain? My other purchase was 5 yds for 6$ a yard=30$ of gold lightweight fabric. enough for a full skirt, bodice and probably sleeves too.
I have bodice size fabric in crimson/gold from last year, could I use the gold to make a skirt and sleeves? I'll look to see if there is evidence of not matching bodice/skirts portraits.*LATER*I found one portrait on Realm of Venus that showed bodice/skirt NOT matching.
Paul came home. I had the 30$ new piece and the gold laying on the floor. He loved them together and doesn't mind me buying the other panel. Of course it will come back to bite me later when i want to buy something and he says, 'remember you bought the extra fabric'. Grrr! I need my own money.
Did I mention that this panel of fabric that is too small and cost 30$ on sale is a premade curtain from the Drapery Department and Bloodbath and Beyond? Did I tell you that the pattern on it, when viewed closely, reminds me of a female body part. ....that rhymes with Regina! I'll post a picture and you be the judge. Ha, no one reads this. I'm going to boldly say that if I make this dress, it may become known as the 'Pussy Gown'.

Does anybody read this?

I don't really need to write this for MY reference and it doesn't pay to put a myspace blog about it since none of those girls sew. I didn't cut out the skirt yesterday, tho' I came THIS close. I consulted the Ren Forum of sewing helpers. I just don't feel convinced of this floral pattern is okay and I don't like the Florentine bodice. I WANT THE VENETIAN FRONT LACE LONG POINTY KIND. and if that means I have to find new fabric then so be it.
Here's an idea:
If I do get this job, I'll have money to buy new material. I can use the present material for a 1800's dress and start work now on the Venetian bodice using the other two fabrics I bought for sleeves and underskirt. Then when I have the money, I will buy a fabric that is solid or complimentary to the bodice.
I can hear you, haven't you ever bought a shirt before because you liked it and then never were able to find pants to match the color afterward? Yes, I have. and yet I'm willing to do this. I have to
DO something.
of course the other thought is:
When ever I have problem and feel the need to do. Be.
This moment is all I have. I am present in this moment and THIS is my inner purpose. To live THIS moment to the fullest. What does this mean?
It means there is NO URGENCY. No thing needs to be done. I am doing what needs to be done, right now. Breathe deep. Exhale.
My daughter is coming in two days. I can't begin a project at all right now. I will use this time to clean my sewing room where she will sleep. The solution will appear when I am ready.
No worries.
Maybe I did need to write this for myself. hahahahaa

Floral Pattern Problem Solved

I'll be from Florence, the City of Flowers-who's famous textile manufacturer's were making floral patterns on silk and wool!!!!
I didn't note where i read that. I have been up since 2:30am. At 3:30 I turned on computer and started reading about skirt construction. I still haven't cut the skirt.
Now it's 5:12 am on Wednesday. I have a coffee date at 10:30 and the daycare might call me today for the third interview. I fingerprinted yesterday. Looks like I'm in the running for this job. But back to sewing. FORGET VENICE. I'm going to be from Florence. Now to go cut the skirt.

Q: rectangles or gores(which I learned are trapizoids-smaller at the top and bigger at the bottom.)

Getting started to begin to become ready to make a gown

I have a crimson and gold floral fabric 55" wide from the curtain department at JoAnn's. I am cutting the skirt out tonight, come hell or high water. I have found a skirt pattern and instructions at
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~rowen/renbk/rendressbook.html#anchor1170845

I don't remember where I got skirt instructions last time. I have a pattern from Simplicity #4488.
I am going to use this skirt pattern as well. Tie the two together somehow. I lost the Simplicity directions. I probably got so fed up with the confusing steps that I burned them.

Sugar Easter Eggs

This is my first attempt at Sugar Easter Eggs. I have always wanted to try it. My supplies,

one small plastic egg mold(smaller than LeGGs, bigger than the kind you buy in dozens). Maybe duck sized.
4 teaspoons water, 2 cups white sugar
ribbon, beads, tiny figurines, grass
wood glue, Elmer's glue
assorted tools

I packed the sugar into each side of the egg, set it flat side down on newsprint, lifted off the mold, and let it air dry several hours, about 3. When the outside was hard, dry and the inside was still soft, I scrapped out the insides. I cut a hole in the small end for the viewing hole.
I glued stuff inside the large end close the outside edge. I glued the small/large ends together. I glued ribbon, beads around seams and made a stand from cardboard tube covered with fabric.
Things I will do differently next time:
-make sure I have enough ingredients to make frosting, they look awful without it.
-use white glue or hotglue, wood glue dries yellow.
-use paste food color, the liquid looks cheap. mix it well with the sugar before pressing in mold.
-buy a larger mold for this purpose. My was meant to be snapped together. They didn't fit well end to end.
_long handle tweezers would be helpful.

I had fun. They are very durable. I did crack one tho, handling it.

Meditation 101

Some people thing meditation is a private thing. I am not one of those people.
I went to church tonight for a class in meditation for beginners. I think I stated before that I used to do some yoga and meditation in the '70's and a few unsuccessful times since then, but last January was my first REAL lesson in meditation at the Amma Center in A2.
At church tonight Linda, our pastor, had us recite the Lord's Prayer in our heads while sitting in chairs in the dark , quiet sanctuary. She said it would keep our minds occupied. When we tired of reciting, we would sit in the silence of being until the mind again wandered in thought at which time we would begin reciting in our heads again. This continued for half an hour. I missed the first two lessons and tonight she was encouraging people to use a mantra instead of reciting a prayer. She said a mantra can be called upon during the day at need. It would become a symbol of bringing the attention away from thought into being. Away from ego, into presence.
I wasn't ready for a mantra, but asked her if Namaste was appropriate. She said it was.

I sat up straight, felt myself rest into the chair. Breathed in/out, relaxed hands and feet. Began reciting Lord's prayer. For a few times I said it straight. I use the Catholic 'tresspasses' instead of the Unity 'debts'. Then I said, 'suffer us not to be led into temptation, and deliver us from EGO.' Then I said the 12 STEPS, then 'I have made you Polestar of my life', chant. Then I visualized a shiny star at each Chackra Center.
Suddenly, my attention shifted. I felt my hands laying in my lap. I felt very alert. I panicked and my throat tightened. I had to cough, but not in this quiet stillnes. I could see a water fountain(or bubbler) not 10 steps away. I couldn't sit there and get over it. It just wasn't going to stop quietly. I got up, got the drink, took my necklace off and started over.
Was that my inner being? Who the hell knows.

Hand made eyelets/photos/my old sewing machine

I am sewing 6 eyelets down each side of the back of this tabbed english corset. I stopped at the waist and didn't put eyelets on the tabs.
i reinforced them by sewing washers on the outside of the corset. the binding is aready on and it's too difficult to underdo it to slip a washer on the inside. This will be fine.
So far I have no straps.
I had Paul help lace me into it, using one spiral lace. It's too short. I suppose it could be a little tighter. I'll leave it as is. When I make the bodice, I'll cut it taller, bone it a little and hope for the best.

My sewing machine is in the shop. She said the bobbin case is rusted. Almost $200 to fix it. I have decided to pick it up unfixed. PAUL will attempt to take it apart, sand the rust off and put it back together. I wonder if it will be useable when he's through. I need a clean smooth surface to sew fabric on.
It sat unused in the Kawkawlin basement for years. I have used it extensively since 1990. I've had it for 30 years. It was a wedding present from Paul.

I've oiled and cleaned it since 1990 and it's run very well until the belt broke. Paul 'made some modifications' and he also rewired the foot petal. It heats up quickly and hums loudly. I unplug the foot petal while sewing. I think I wrote aobut this before.
Here is a quick story of how WE fixed the machine.
Paul took the bobbin case downstairs to sand it. He took out a tiny screw and dropped it. His work area was filled with wood shavings and dirt/debris. We never found it. He took a screw out of his reading glasses, dropped it, found it, tryed it in the bobbin case. It didn't fit. We had a devil of a time putting the screw back in the glasses. It has a spring in the stems. We went to the grocery store in town and bought an eyeglass repair kit. He tried another screw, it fit, he filed off the excess. This was a tiny project and he didn't have magnifyer or any of the proper tools. STill, he did it. Then we set to work adjusting the tension. It's sewing a little better but the tension won't stay adjusted. I'm sure I'm going to be buying a new sewing machine before long.

MEDITATION AND OTHER SPIRITUAL MATTERS

These posts will be about mediation and other spiritual matters. I don't want to load myspace or facebook up with this as I think it will make me look self-righteous. I'm putting it here instead of my private blog because I think somebody,,,,just maybe....will read this and want to talk about the subject with me. I'd like to know how it goes with you?
I just finished a class on the book 'The Power of Now', E. Tolle. We enjoyed each others company and want to keep in touch for the Oprah.com book thing March third. We exchanged emails and will write the day after to discuss how it's going. I like that church. Paul and I were married there 30 years ago. We went there until our first born was needing to be christened. We had her christened at Unity, but my in-laws really preferred it was the Catholic church. We acquiesced and started attending Paul childhood church with his parents. I'm just now going back to Unity. It's something I can do MYSELF.
I'm doing the IAM integrated Amrita meditation technique. I learned it in Ann Arbor at an AMMA Center. I did the 21 days and continue to do it each morning with only a few skips. Here are some of my comments and questions about it.
I am looking forward to the refresher in April. I have a bunch of questions about position and breathing. I try not to let the fact that I may not be doing it perfectly distract me. That's just another trick of my ego to keep me out of the present.
Being silent: Man, that's hard. Even when I feel quiet and present, my mind is talking. Saying instructive words and reminding me to let go of thoughts and come back to center. I have practiced many techniques learned over a lifetime to stay present. Even if it's directing me to my purpose, it's interfering with it at the same time. I'd like to hear your comments.
The Shavasana, is it the same as the Corpse Pose? I feel lumpy in that position, like my back won't lay flat, my legs are too crooked, neck bent. I suppose as my muscles get stronger and I become more relaxed it will take care of itself.
That's about it for now. This is much more productive than whining about problems in my private blog.
Namaste!

Corset Page Three

The cover isn't sewing on very well. It's too big of course.
I folded the corset together, pinned the edges and cut it so both sides are the same and the lining is closer to the edge. Despite having shrunk a little from sewing boning channels in it, the lining seems to fit the pattern more closely.
If I can get the cover on it, it will be baggy. Nothing is holding it on to the corset, except the whip stitches in the back. It's two days later. I am ready to work on it again. I may baste the cover to the corset and THEN sew the binding on. Remember, the binding is already sewn to the cover. But when I lay i it on the corset and fold it under to the back, it's too big.

Corset Page Two as the photos

Above left: inner lining face up with temporary lacing strips basted on. Center: back of corset on dress form. Right: close up of lacing strip. Note how pattern curves out at the bottom and bone is straight. I laid the lacing strip just to the right of the bone, where the permanent eyelets will be sewn.







I ran out of cable ties. I am 4 short. I cut the Zip end off with my hubbies 'dykes', diagonal cutters. He's an electrician and builds things out of wood as a hobby. He has a basement full of stuff. The last gown I made has cable ties as bones, which I swiped from downstairs. This time I wanted to follow directions more closely and see if I could make a real corset.
I haven't cut the tabs yet.
It's the next day. I got up early and cut out the front cover from 3 pieces of white on white quilt fat quarters. 18 X 22" I think. I found enough white double fold bias tape and sewed it on. I cut the tabs one at a time, no Fray no More. This isn't exactly how it went, but let's never mind that. I don't do corners with binding well, in fact, I hate binding. So when the corners came up, I left them unsewn. I'll hand finish them later. Then I consulted the directions. It said to make a 'lacing strip' attach it to the corset and try it on before I sew on the cover/binding. So now I am at a stand still. It's 5pm. I started at 7:30 this morning. I have 2 clean bathrooms, a clean kitchen, a happy husband...twice, took dogs for long walk AND had a nap, plus 2 meals.
I am going to the hardware store to buy grommets. I"m looking for 1/2" tarp grommets. I saw a picture on a site of a corset that closed with hooks and eyes. My own modern corset closes that way, so does my waist cincher. MMMM?
I bought 5/16th's inch grommets. Paul cut the holes in them for me. I couldn't hit the cutter with the hammer hard enough to make a hole in the canvas. I made lacing strips and basted them to the corset. I didn't put the fold on the edge of the corset per directions as it would have put them right on top of the first bone. I placed them just on the inside of the first bone where the permanent eyelets will be sewn. Paul laced me up and I wore it around the house for about an hour. I don't know how to stand properly, it feels like it is sliding down and the back looks funny in the mirror. I can't see it clearly enough to know what's going on. I NEED A GIRLFRIEND. But that's another story. The corset turns out at the bottom and I laid the lacing strip straight, like the bone. When it's tied, the bottom two tabs cross each other. I looked for images and info but couldn't find any. I'm just going to finish this thing my own way from here on out. I can't understand the final instructions. I'll put this on the dummy and photograph it.