As
mentioned in my last post, even though I was hobbled by a foot problem, I was
still getting some sewing done as long as I could sit and do it. And my brain
also was not resting. Can we say CADD? That’s Costume Attention Deficit
Disorder, a familiar state of mind to many costumers. The designers/planners in
us get carried away.
Taking a look around my sewing room (& bedroom in the
corners) I currently have piles I’m working on that include some more Regency
reticules I cut out; an 1860s wrapper that since I worked on it some more, now
I only need to hem it; a partially cut 1912 dress that I still haven’t found
the lace fabric I want to do the neckline so it’s at a standstill. And new
things are added to the pile: I finally found a dress from 1885 that I could
use the 4 yds of Chinese black & gold brocade my neighbor had given me. But
I was out of black silk taffeta to start cutting it. Gahh!! I’m in the mood!! I
want to cut fabric!!
Fortunately, a couple days ago after taking mega-doses of
Advil + Tylenol and wearing my shoes with orthotics, the plantar faciitis
finally started going away. Enough that I was able to go fabric shopping for the
black silk taffeta, including enough to do another dress, an 1880s black &
pink princess dress. Both fabrics were
acquired, along with some black beaded lace for the front.
I’m not sure if I can use the Truly Victorian tea gown pattern and alter the neckline but the only other
option I have is to extend a bodice pattern to floor length. I notice each year as we come up on the Fall season that I start leaning towards a lot of black dresses. I haven’t had a chance to figure out just why yet.
You may remember an earlier princess dress I was playing around with and even had the fabric for that. Maybe if I had stayed with navy blue like the original dress instead of
jade green, it might have still been more desirable. It's still on the planning board though. But this time of year
black always wins over for me.
And as I usually do while shopping the Garment District in
LA, my eyes were grabbed by some pretties. One store was selling out its linen
fabrics, the real stuff that wrinkles not the blend, and this rose one came
home with me. Since it wasn’t on the planning list at the time, I’m still not
sure what it will be, possibly the new Truly Victorian 1912 dress?
Oh, and then this! I found a remnant roll of 13 yds of it in
the back room at Home Fabrics, and cheap cheap cheap! It’s 120” wide, curtain
fabric in a beautiful golden yellow with darker gold leafy vines going down it.
(The photo looks a lot lighter) It made me want to dance! Where have you been
all my life? Sadly, it is polyester, but I would never EVER find something like
this in expensive fabric. I bought all of it since you’re required to with
remnant rolls, thinking I may only need under 6 yards and could sell the rest.
Well,
guess what? While trying to fall asleep my brain thought otherwise. It can be
an 1810, and an 1820s dress (I haven’t done that time period yet & want a
bodice with the tab on the front and belted). Or this 1837 cream & gold
striped one. *Squirrely mind is in
control now*
Or maybe this? (1834) See what I have to put up with around
here? In fact I often see things I was all fired up to make on my memories on Facebook when they pop up each day. I've taken a second look at some of them and wonder what was I thinking? Or on the other hand, why haven't I made THAT yet?
So on my way home from L.A. with visions of sugar plums dancing in
my…… Oops wrong season. With visions of new dresses, we remembered a fabric
store near Disneyland that our friend Trudy had mentioned that had tons of
cotton fabric. So a quick side trip ensued. M&L Fabrics is at 3430 W.Ball
Rd, west of I-5, just a couple miles farther west of Disneyland. It’s open every
day of the week. OMG, it’s HUGE, like a warehouse!! Rows and rows of cotton
bolts, mostly $5.99-$7.00 yd but then the other half of the store is tables
upon tables of flat folded 100% cottons, flannels, white cottons, at $1.99 yd. We saw lots of pretty ones
that could be 1850s, 1860s, and later 1930s-60s. I would also say this is a
quilter’s heaven. There were some shelves with folds of satin too, and in the
back room, there was some cheaper stuff, upholstery fabrics, leathers, and
polyesters. I bought some nice soft
white cotton for some Edwardian combinations, $2.99 yd, but I didn’t need anything else
at this time.
I only remembered to take photos of one half of the store while we were in line,
and forgot to take some of the rest as we were leaving. We were a little bit excited.
So
now my sewing is going forward again with the black brocade dress, which I’ve
started with Truly Victorian #462 Tail Bodice pattern with the square neckline
(no tail). I’ll be using #263 Trained Skirt pattern for the skirt and put the
panel of brocade down the front of it. I’m going to cut out a pattern to do the
brocade trim on the front of the bodice and see if I can cut strips of it to do
the trim around the hem of the skirt. I’m hoping it’s not too heavy for the
taffeta.
I’m still considering how to do the sleeves; brocade or
black taffeta with brocade trim? The fabric used on the bodice trim almost looks like a sheer
lace. But I’ll go ahead with the brocade and hope it’s not too heavy.
Of
course the minute I get up from my chair to get fabric, my chair gets hijacked.
~~~Val~~~
