Is this thing on?

I'm still here. I still haven't sewn a thing. Unless you count repair work on Mr. T-Rex. While this little video was all over the internet recently, the actual costume was balled up in my sewing "nook" (not quite a room yet) needing an armpit and shoulder re-sewn. It seems those little T-Rex arms truly are not meant for Ninja-ing. But they're good for at least one more stint now.

For long-time readers, the human behind the T-Rex Ninja is the same young man (Tyler's friend Reko) for whom I made the Renaissance Faire costume a few years ago. If you watch American Ninja Warrior, he's also the fire-breathing, mohawked, caped Ninja seen here:

In quasi-sewing news, I'm nearing the end of the moving-in/unpacking phase (OMG finally!) and this is now on its way to me. Sewing will commence soon-ish. And regular blogging at some point after that. I'm really Jonesin' and I really, REALLY need new clothes!!

I'm loving my new place, and the pain and sheer crappiness of yet another move this past July is finally starting to fade in the rear view. But it was totally worth it. The new house is so bright and cheerful and my whole mood has been brighter and more cheerful to match. I totally get how a doomy/gloomy environment can wreak havoc with one's mental health.

Anyway, I just wanted to stop and say hey. Hey!

Simplicity 2187 Finished: Verdict is Yes and No

The dress is finished and I like it, so that gets a Yes. I also cut and finished a black Ottobre tee with 3/4 sleeves and I like it too, so another Yes. The problem is, I don't think I really like them together. Hence the No in the blog title.

The dress really needs something underneath due to the low neckline and low-cut armholes. I'm just not sure yet if black is the right color here.I was originally thinking black tee underneath with black tights but now I'm second-guessing that. My first choice would be a tee the same shade of teal as in the dress print, but the odds of finding that in either fabric or RTW are about zero. So maybe white? But I really don't want to make a white tee right now since I have other things on my list. Maybe I've got something shoved in a drawer that I've forgotten about. I think I'll have a look after dinner. (Are you sufficiently bored with my internal monologue yet?)

So, let's move on to some close-ups ...

Murphy's Law is that the tee turned out perfectly without really trying. Some of my best binding in a while. I did interface the binding strip before feeding it through the binder on my CS machine since the black fabric is a thinnish rayon knit which I know from experience needs a little help with extra body for the binding.

The sash is great and holds its shape, since I did my fusible interfacing jigsaw puzzle shown last post. Love. LOVE the pockets. The pocket edges got some Design Plus fusible lightweight bias strips in the facing seam. (I was obviously on a fusible interfacing bender during this construction.)

The shoulder gathers. If there's a next time for this pattern (and there very well may be since it's a nice pattern and goes together quickly, and only uses 2 yds), I will move those more to the center, but as-is, they'll do for a first make.

Rear view. The back bodice blouses over the sash, which looks nice in real life but kinda skimpy here in this pic.

Inside view. Fold-over facings for the crossover. Which I fused in place with Steam-a-Seam Lite (see bender comment above) to discourage floppage.

No real need to serge/finish the edges since it's a knit, but I just think it looks better.

The back neckline is finished with purchased wide bias binding, per the pattern. The pattern also instructs to finish the sleeve/armhole openings the same way but (1) I was short on binding and (2) a simple turn under and coverstitch was more than adequate. And easier. ;-)

The tee. Black photographs so horribly, so forgive the pixelation. As you can see, I stuck on a trim I found while searching out the bias tape. It was the perfect length for the front neckline. I didn't trim the length at all. Hopefully, it will wash OK.

See what I mean about the binding? Perfection, and on the first pass with no testing. I should've known I wouldn't like the tee with the dress just from that.

In other sewing news ...

Two weekends ago, I made my friend her Halloween costume. Easy sewing, so I didn't mind. Plus she paid me. :-) She went as "Sexy Pebbles" ... with her Bam-Bam, of course. Fun!

Ren Faire Costume - The Whole Shebang

I am officially done. I knocked out the hat in the afternoon and Reko came over after dinner as previously planned. Everything fit perfectly, no alterations required. The only adjustment was to make a pleat at the bottom of each doublet sleeve and add a button on top of the pleat, so the hem area would fit his wrists tighter and keep the shirt sleeve lace peeking out. That was not the most elegant fix, but it worked and looks OK, and there was really no way to take in the wrist without taking apart the whole sleeve.

Yes, this is his actual facial hair. Don't you just love that curly mustache?

The hat was super-fast to cut and sew. Now that I see it with the rest of the costume, I'm OK with using the brocade for it. I also like the black lining showing. It balances the black in the slops (breeches). Reko is wearing my collar pin. It's got black and red stones and coordinates perfectly. He also has a big gold cross he'll be wearing, plus a leather belt to hold  his flask and sword. The only thing still MIA is a feather for his hat. Reko will shop for that himself.

Reko got a big laugh out of the codpiece and has now tasked himself with coming up with witty replies for the comments he's sure to hear. The little eyelets were not working as anchor tie-ons, so I went for the big guns and used some grommets I had on hand for the bottom. The bottom of the codpiece hides them. For the top anchors, I sewed two more buttons onto the waistband on either side of the fly and fashioned "buttonholes" out of the leather ties with creative knots. I've now lost count of how many buttons I've sewed on for this costume. I think I'm close to or over 30.

Reko bought the perfect shoes from Etsy. They're hard to see here, but they are handmade black pleather pull-on booties and have a definite Olde World vibe.

He's wearing black tights. I had to give him a quick "How to Put On Pantyhose" lesson, which was hilarious.

I will take outside pics whenever we get to the actual Ren Faire. I'm looking forward to seeing him in character. BTW, his character is named Don Sancho Christo Perico De La Vincente De 5th, and he will speak with a Spanish accent. I can't wait!

I Hit a Wall

I should've been sewing a hat last night but instead I vegged in front of the tube. I needed a break from costume sewing. Reko is supposed to come over today for a fitting, but I'm hoping I can convince him that tomorrow will work better since he can leave with a hat if he waits until then. I've decided to use the extra fabric from the costume and line it with black. I can always buy a better solid red later and make another hat if this turns out to be more print than either of us wants.

Thank you everyone for all the really nice comments. They've made me smile. However, I will NOT be starting a costume sewing sideline any time soon. lol This project has been fun, but it's been very time-consuming and it would not be lucrative in the least. I have spent over $200 in supplies and patterns (Reko's wallet, not mine!) and far more time than I want to add up, but I think I'd have to sell this outfit for $1,000 to turn a profit. I don't think there are too many peeps out there willing to pay that kind of dough for a costume.

For those of you who think my sewing has been extraordinary, I shouldn't admit this, but I will. The sewing has been no more difficult than sewing most any other thing. It's the fancy shiny fabric and trim that makes it look impressive. There are a lot more pieces to this outfit than what we wear around town these days, but that only adds time, not difficulty. But if you want to continue to toss adoration and envy my way, please feel free. ;-)

Now I need to go cut out some hat pieces.

Ren Faire Costume - Doublet Sleeves

You're probably tired of all these costume posts. I promise, I'm almost done.

Last night I made the sleeves for the doublet. They are separate because they tie on, giving the wearer the option of sleeves or no sleeves. Kind of neat thing, although one's armpits are pretty much fully exposed.

Below is one of the completed sleeves. It's a two-piece fully lined shaped sleeve, but the front seam is left open and just caught in four evenly-spaced spots so that the shirt underneath can peek through. Each of those four spots has a button sewn on top (that's 24 buttons for the costume, in case anyone but me is counting.). These Renaissance folks were all about layers and having all of their finery showing through slots, panes and slashes. The more, the merrier, and the richer you appeared to be.

The pattern calls for sewing tabs at the top of the sleeve, but I vetoed that because it meant the ties would be separate. Instead, I sewed the ties (black real suede) into the top of the sleeve to align with the tabs under the doublet flanges. Less opportunity for Reko to lose the ties and more opportunity to get the sleeve tied higher into the armsyce area.

Here you can see the 3 black tabs sewn under the doublet flange.Joann's didn't have small grommets so for now the scratchy eyelets will have to do. I used black Ultrasuede for the tabs to avoid the extra bulk of turned seam allowances on a tiny rectangle. I'm thinking if I have to stay with the eyelets for the codpiece anchors, I will make little "flaps" from the Ultrasuede and attach them to the inside of the breeches to cover the rough spots of the eyelets. Reko is wearing tights under the breeches and even if the rough backs of the eyelets don't bother his skin, I think they would still snag the tights. Most men aren't used to dealing with runs in their hose so better to be safe with little cover flaps, I think.

Here is the top of the sleeve tied to the tabs. The flange is still folded upward. Once the flange is back in its correct position, the ties are mostly hidden.We'll probably trim the ties so they are more hidden, but I wanted to start with them too long vs. too short and get Reko's input on how much length he needs to tie them.

Here's the (mostly) completed costume, with both sleeves tied on. It will be 100% complete after the fitting. I still have to make a hat, but I've decided I don't like the color of the red fabric I initially purchased. It's not bright red enough. So, back to Joann's yet again later today. Or, maybe I'll just use the bright red from the costume. I do have enough left over. I just don't know if it will be too much. Although what exactly is too much on a shiny red and gold Renaissance costume?;-)

And the back view.You can sort of see the shirt fabric peeking out of the right-side armpit. The sleeves only tie at the top so the bottom of the armhole is completely free. Good for Florida ventilation, right?

I will definitely have photos of Reko dressed up, but I will probably have to wait for him to take them so that he's got all of his accessories on too. He's all about photos of himself in his various costumes, so I don't doubt there will be plenty. This red is so hard to photograph inside. I'm sure the outdoor photos he'll take will be much better. And besides, a little break from all of these costume shots will probably be welcome. ;-)

I'm really looking forward to some easy sewing - like a men's dress shirt. Hahaha! It's coming, I promise, Michael, I promise.

Ren Faire Costume - Coming Together

Here's the doublet, without the detachable sleeves. I'll be working on those today. I think they'll go fast since they are basically just lined tubes.

There are tabs under the sleeve flanges with brass eyelets in them to tie the sleeves onto. But the eyelets are rough on one side, so I'm going to head to Joann's later to find small grommets instead. I don't want the sleeve eyelets to rub a hole in the shirt and I don't think Reko will want codpiece eyelets to rub a hole in …whatever.

The doublet is a lot of work. Let me repeat. A. Lot. Of. Work. None of the work (did I mention there is a lot of it?) is particularly difficult. It's just that there are many, many separate pieces to cut and get ready before you put them all together. I started working on the doublet Friday evening and spent all of Saturday and all of Sunday (with few breaks) to get it to the stage you see in these photos.

Simplicity would have you hand-sew the entire bottom hem of the lining onto the fashion fabric by hand. BY HAND! Hahaha. Not me. Not to mention how much of a PITA it would've been to press a hem into the shifty lining fabric.

Instead, I sewed the lining as you usually would for a vest — armholes, neckline, and leaving the bottom hem open so you can turn each side of the doublet separately, then sew up the sideseams in one continuous seam. Which would be OK except the sideseams aren't really sideseams. They are princess seams that curve to the back. So, it wasn't one continuous go but two per side because everything didn't want to line up without some rearranging around the curves. But that was still OK, since I could do all of it by machine.

Where I went off on my own was to re-open a section of the center back seam of the lining. Through that hole, I turned the doublet sort of inside out ("burrito style" if you're familiar with that on yokes and collars, etc.) so I could sew the lining and doublet hems RS together by machine. The CB seam is still open in case I need to make any adjustments. I'll sew that 5 inches by hand instead of the complete hem of the whole doublet. I can handle that.

Here's a preview of the completed pieces. After the sleeves today, I'll work on the hat. Reko will be here Wednesday evening for a final fitting and will then wait while I make any adjustments or, hopefully, just sew up the open seams.

Ren Faire Costume - The Doublet Beginneth

The doublet should be called a centuplet. It has SO MANY pieces to cut out and interface. And if the envelope design wasn't enough for me, I divided the torso sections into two so I could use a second fabric and I added a collar stand. All of the torso pieces had to be cut single layer so I could fussy-cut the designs across the center front and center back. I cut and fused for HOURS yesterday. I stopped counting at 37 pieces.

Today, I've been adding trim to most of those 37+ pieces, adding eyelets to the sleeve tabs, and sewing on the button loops — which are really just black hair elastics.

I have FINALLY started sewing all the pieces together. I'm hoping to have a mostly finished doublet by the time I go to bed tonight.I think the rest is just simple construction and some hand-sewing of the lining and buttons.

I ended up fusing two layers of the interfacing to the torso fabric so it would have the same hand as the main, more red fabric. It's a beautiful fabric, but it was far more drapier than I was expecting so I had to "beef it up."

Update on the puffy shirt: I fixed the backwards buttonhole/button on the one cuff and then ran the shirt through the laundry to get rid of the sticky tape used to hold on the lace until it was stitched. Then I had to re-press it. And I was again thankful my iron came back to life. I hope Reko has an iron. ;-)

Ren Faire Costume - Puffy Shirt Trials Continue

It's almost finished. It looks finished, right? And it would be, except that I put one buttonhole and button on the wrong side of the cuff for one sleeve. THANKFULLY, I hadn't cut the buttonholes yet. So, one puffy shirt and one sleeve complete. One closure to be reworked tomorrow. Don't sew buttonholes in a hurry so you can take pics for your blog. ;-) But that's the only thing that gave me trouble today. The sleeves and cuffs themselves went together without a hitch.

And for some really good news? My iron is working again. I have no idea. In desperation earlier this afternoon, I decided to give it one last try and it turned on. I *know* it's not the outlet because it's plugged into it now and the backup was plugged into it earlier (before I stomped on it in a fit of frustration and tossed it out the window — just kidding. Maybe.). But I'm not going to question it and just enjoy having it back. Thanks for all the tips on where to buy another one, though. I do have a Tuesday Morning nearby that I've never been to. I think I'll swing by soon and see what's available for a better back-up in case my Rowenta wants another vacation.

Next up after the buttonhole is fixed will be the doublet. I'm looking forward to working with the fancy stuff again. This linen (cotton/linen blend really) is perfect for the role, but it has shredded all over my sewing room.

Oh and Blogger — I heart you for the new Preview option.

Ren Faire Costume - Easy Puffy Shirt? Hah!

So remember the other day when I said the shirt would go fast because it's easy? Yeah, about that. Well …

… it is simple but it's also fiddly and has stupid instructions, skinny ties to turn, and lots of gathering. Which means it's taking longer than I thought it would. (Don't you hate that?) Plus I had to redo the collar stand because using self-fabric as interfacing was useless and it just did not want to cooperate. Or maybe I was just too impatient the first time. I plead the Fifth. But look at the fabric shreds at the bottom of the pic to see what a PITA this fabric is.I suppose technically it's my fault for buying cheap Joann's linen.

After dinner tonight, I pulled out Ye Olde Fusibleth, recut the stand pieces, picked the lace out of the first version, and had another go at it. Much better. And that's where I quit for today.

The sleeves have yet more gathering top and bottom, lace, and a buttoned cuff.I will have to pay attention for those too, darn it.

ETA: I don't know how I forgot to complain about this during the first edit, but my freakin' iron died today. No warning signs. It just won't power up and get hot. Yes, I tried different outlets. It's the iron. So I've had to use a back-up iron and I hate it. It's brand new (bought for the Marine who promptly left it behind) and it leaks water like nobody's business. Right out of the hole you add water to. It actually splashes out when you stand it back upright. What a piece of crap. Which means it's actually a good thing my son left it here. Well, good for him. So, it's either Walmart or Target for a non-Rowenta or Joann's for another over-priced Rowenta. I don't want to have to deal with this right now, but I definitely miss the weight of my Rowenta compared to the back-up and I'm ready to throw the back-up out the window.

Ren Faire Costume - Is That a Codpiece on Your Breeches Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

So I've sewn and stuffed the codpiece. It's hysterical. And speaking of funny, I always find it amusing when I hear complaints about how revealing clothing is "these days." What days? Waaaay back during the Renaissance, men were showcasing their "packages" and women were pushing up and baring most of their bosom, even if they were wearing layer upon layer of clothing.

So, here's the pattern pieces for the codpiece. Not much to say about those. If you want a less-3D result, you would go down a "cup size" or two by reducing the "princess seam" curve on the front. I told Reko that it turned out more 3D than I realized. It didn't seem to bother him. But he's a guy. ;-)



Here's a semi-side shot. I haven't done anything to attach it yet, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the brass eyelets. A pair under the waistband on either side of the fly and one pair at the bottom of the fly. The leather ties will lace through them. I'm glad *I* won't have to pee while wearing this. Oh, and here's a tip. Make buttonholes BEFORE you stuff the legs if you want any maneuverability while sewing them.



I cut out the puffy shirt last night and will sew it later today. It's very simple so it should go together quickly. Ignore my iron-cleaning rag under the board. Ewww.



After the shirt, I'll be starting the doublet. My second fabric finally arrived yesterday. I'm thinking of using fusible horsehair canvas (which I have) on the torso pieces of the doublet to make them really sturdy. Back in the day, doublets were actually stuffed with real horse hair and other stuff. But I'm still thinking on this. It could be overkill. I'll test on a scrap first and think about it some more. Opinions?

* * * * *

Also in the mail, my order from the last BMV sale arrived. I didn't renew my Club BMV membership because I don't think I ordered enough patterns last year for the 10% additional savings to pay for the cost of the membership. But that won't stop me from continuing to order patterns during the $2.99/$3.99 sales. It's so much more convenient to order online, knowing that the patterns are in stock in my size, I won't be spending any gas or travel time, and I won't be tempted by impulse buys in the store. I'd rather pay $1 more per pattern to avoid all that and have them delivered right to me in a few days. I really wish Simplicity would have these sales on their website.

So, what did I buy?



Vogue 8689 - I love the seaming on this blouse, plus the multi cup sizes. I've had this on my wish list ever since Vogue released it, waiting for one of these BMV sales.

Butterick 5429 - it's a wardrobe pattern but I bought it for the top, which is a cute twisty neckline.

Butterick 5619 - another wardrobe pattern which I bought for one piece — the jacket. I'm not sure if I'll actually make it, although it's a good candidate for the Jacket-A-Month Sew-Along. This is one of those patterns I bought for bedtime reading. ;-)

Butterick 5436 - I could easily draft this, but why bother when it's only 3 bucks? This will be a good birthday present in July for my sister, who loves to cook. I'm sure I'll make another scrub top for her too, as she always begs for those. I also love this plus-sized model. I think I own every Butterick pattern she's modeled for.

Butterick 5616 - I already have a similar TNT jeans jacket pattern so I have no idea why I bought this except that the illustration drew (hah!) me in. The text description is "very loose fitting." Not a good sign. But the drawing *is* cute, isn't it?

Butterick 5610 - love this and will definitely make it soon. If soon means March, because I think I'm booked until then.

Ren Faire Costume - Slops Nearly Doneth

I'd say the slops are 98% done, if we don't count the codpiece. I still have to sew down the waistband facing and do the buttons/buttonholes. Since the codpiece is a separate thing, that will get its own posting. I'm still working out in my brain how to attach the thing. I'm thinking brass eyelets probably.

The legs are stuffed. I hope Reko can sit down. ;-) But it's soft bridal tulle, which isn't scratchy and weighs almost nothing, which is a good thing because these slops must weigh about 5 pounds before the stuffing.

Here's a close-up of the legband trim. I'll be using both of these trims on the doublet so I wanted to coordinate both pieces. Plus, I'm almost out of the trim used on the panes. I've set aside about 45" to use on the doublet.



I added a fly shield behind the front opening and will sew the buttons onto that. I have about 40 of these buttons in the stash so they're "free."



That's where I'm leaving things today. Now it's time to make some nachos and other snacks, and break open the Smirnoff Ice in time for the Superbowl. Can I say I'm already tired of seeing Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston on the pre-game shows? Sheesh. Let's see some tight ends instead, OK? (Did I just type that out loud?)

Ren Faire Costume - Thou Art Getting There

The breeches (paned slops) are about 75% complete. I still need to stuff them, add the waistband, add some sort of closure TBD, and add trim to the leg bands. Plus figure out that codpiece. I'm waiting on a double-check lower thigh measurement from Reko because the leg bands look kind of small and I'm now doubting my measurement. Then again, Reko has skinny legs so it's probably fine. But better safe than sorry and it is 2 AM after all. I like the black fabric in this photo because it shows the sheen that makes it look like silk even though it's just a high thread-count sheet.

To attach the leg bands, I pleated the black fabric behind the panes (strips) so the panes would lay flat. They are interfaced and lined, and far too bulky to gather or pleat. This is what it looks like from the reverse. I wasn't OCD about the pleating because it will be covered by the lining (breeches).



This is what it looks like from the right side. The leg band looks like a completely different color, but that's because the grain is laying in the opposite direction of the panes and the light hits it differently. On a moving body, everything will look the same. Or that's the plan. ;-)


I'm hoping to have these finished before the Superbowl starts, as the Smirnoff Ice will be coming out and I probably shouldn't be operating heavy machinery at that point. ;-) I like both teams so I'm hoping for an exciting game and will be happy with either as the winner, although I might be leaning toward the Steelers just a little bit. (Sorry Linda F.)

Ren Faire Costume - Ye Olde Sewing Continues

Tomorrow the paned slops should progress to the wearable stage. In case none of that made sense (and I don't blame you!), pane = the strips of fabric that hang over another visible layer (the slops) and breeches = the lining. All 3 layers attach to the same waistband and leg bands. Feel free to jump in with better information. Renaissance garb is still new to me. I've been calling the whole thing "breeches" because I think slops sounds weird.

Here's my progress so far. The panes have all been completed and attached top and bottom to the slops. What you see below is one half; the other half is slightly visible on the bottom of the pic. The slops are basically puffy no-sideseam shorts. The breeches/lining are not puffy, but still no-sideseam. They are also shorter than the slops so that when they are both sewn together, the slops layer puffs around the thighs and hangs over the leg band like the puffy hem skirts/dresses that are recently popular. There will be "stuffing" (bridal tulle) hand-tacked between the breeches and slops to help retain the puff. I really hope I don't forget that step and end up frog stitching.



Here you can sort of see that the panes hang free over the slops. It will be more apparent once everything is assembled.



The brocade is very ravelly and I think I'm going to thread the serger with black thread tomorrow and go around the edges of this layer before I put everything together. I know they didn't have sergers in the 1500s, but they didn't have sewing machines either. Too bad for them. ;-)

I did finally hear from the Ebay seller of the other fabric I'm waiting on. He apologized and promised that it's on the way via Priority Mail. I checked his feedback and he did have a couple of comments about slow shipping but nothing about missing items, so I'm going to stay optimistic. I've got plenty to keep me busy until it gets here, and I'm waiting on more trim to arrive too. Plus, I also need to squeeze in a men's shirt muslin in the next few days. (Hi Peter and Michael!)

Ren Faire Costume - Sewing Begins

I've started on the breeches because my second fabric for the doublet STILL isn't here. I'm starting to get worried and may have to come up with a Plan B. I've still got time, so I'm not in panic mode yet.

There are over 30 pieces to cut for the breeches, and I'm happy to say that that's done. Most of it is straight line rectangles (panes, waist and leg bands), so it wasn't difficult cutting. The black is an unused cotton sateen sheet that I just happened to have in the linen closet. It is being used for the breeches underlayer and the reverse sides of the panes and bands. Free fabric is a good thing with an expensive project like this.



I block-fused one yard of the brocade with Palmer/Pletsch Light and then cut all my strips and the cod pieces. (Thanks, Linda F, for the info in your comment!)



I completed one pane just to see how it would turn out with the trim attached. I'll assembly-line sew and press the others.

Here's a close-up:



That's all I have today. I hope to be productive this evening and make some good progress on the breeches. It's easy sewing. The fiddly bit will be fitting the breeches onto the bands by either gathering or pleating. I haven't decided which yet.