A Quick Pre-War Update

HOO BOY have I been nose-to-the-grindstone-sewing-machine lately.  Today I pulled ten hours straight!  I'm happy to say that I'm on schedule and moving right along.  I'm a bit apprehensive of this weekend; I'm taking the weekend off to attend a local event (after having spent last Saturday at regional war practice, and most of Sunday at a workshop day at a friend's house (at which I got many things done, actually)  - so I'll lose a day and a half of work time, but I definitely need the mental break!

So I have looooots of things to show you, mostly having to do with client sewing - but I forgot to take pictures of the two gowns I finished for said client last week before I delivered them, so I'll be getting with her soon to take some pics.

Some of the things going on lately: 

1.  A new LBGFD for me (Little Black [Gothic Fitted] Dress).  I'm happy to say that after upsizing and re-drafting the whole thing last year, last week I had to start sizing it down again, and adjusting some of the curves.  I made a second one from the new pattern today, and I'll have pics for you next week after the event coming up.

at war practice last weekend

2.  I finally got around to stripping down Violet and re-fitting her to look exactly like me.  At first I thought, "Wow, do I really look like a Russian Nesting Doll??"  but I'm actually pretty happy with my fitness progress of late. :) 

bewbs

3.  I've been dyeing a whole bunch of fabric: 

Forgot the gloves again. Typing this post with murder hands. 

4.  Painting lots of fabric, too: 

Rory likes to help. 

more heraldic flags for the campsite ropeline! 

Next Up

Tomorrow I'll be cleaning out the garage (because I can't even GET to my camping stuff as of right now, and I'll need it this weekend as well as for war, obviously). 

After that, I have some woodworking projects, which I'll show you; as well as a stack of client projects, and a couple of last things for me.  ONLY TWO WEEKS TO GO UNTIL WAR!  *breathes into a paper bag*  @_@

.

We Interrupt Your Regularly-Scheduled Costuming Blog To Bring You:

A FREAKING DRESS DUMMY!!    ** APPLAUSE**   I've always wanted one of those!  A friend of mine came over Saturday to work on a joint project, and she brought me this from someone she knows who was getting rid of it.  YAY!

Everyone, meet Violet:

Step 1:

This was originally a plus-size dummy, which my friend's friend had cut down in order to make it a non-plus-size dummy.  I had to expand it again, obviously, because I R plus-sized.  Anyway, that's why the huge gaps - lots of plastic is missing that would normally fill in around them.

Step 2:

Once I got the thing adjusted to my measurements*, I had to adjust the shoulders, because my shoulders are far wider than the ones on the dummy.

I cut some pieces of plastic Ikea placemats to extend the shoulders the right amount on each side, and taped them in place with painter's tape (for some reason, it stuck to the red cover fabric really, really well).

Step 3:

Then I padded the plastic bits very lightly with some thin blanket backing I had laying around not pulling its weight.

This was just so that the "cover" I was about to put on it wouldn't get poked and pulled by, and slide around on, the plastic shoulder bits.

Step 4:


And here's the "cover" - an old tshirt, which I ADORE, but which is too small to wear out in public anymore...but it makes a great, tight-yet-forgiving cover for this dress dummy.

...And last, but not least, she wears a collar I made for a costume and then never ended up wearing.


Say "hello", Violet!   (Yes, it needed a name. Violet was the name of my imaginary friend when I was a kid. The girl in the mirror was me; but the girl in the reflections of glass cabinets and such, that was Violet. She was my twin sister).


* A word about the measurements:   yes, this thing has my exact measurements.  And no, it looks NOTHING like my body shape, at all.  My waist comes in a LOT more if you look at me from the front; but I have a large, round belly, so it sticks out way more if you view me from the side. Also, while the bust measurement is the same as mine; my back is narrower and my breasts much larger than the dummy.

So, this thing is going to get some very serious customization in the very near future - certainly before I start using it for serious fitting.  But that can wait.  It still needs a stand, so I'll do the rest then. For the time being - new dummy, temporary fix, just because I just wanted to start playing with it.  :)


.