Jenny La Fleur

Here are a couple more pics of the Faire Garb - my favorites. :> The rest can be seen here. Note the link to the Faire page from there won't work - still working on that! I am so pleased with the way this outfit turned out. I was on the plain side, compared to my friends but this dress was great fun to wear. It really felt more like historic clothing than a costume. That made it even more fun! There is a lot to be said for being comfortable at the Faire. I foresee this being a favorite outfit/style. :>


The finished corded bodice - isn't it cute? I was so happy I managed to pull this off. I was really concerned I would not be able to fix the fitting problems and that it would be uncomfortable. Luckily that was not the case. In fact I was extremely comfortable all day at the Faire! There is also a few pics of the binding before it was sewn in the diary. I didn't see the point in adding a backdated entry here about it. Once I was finished sewing the binding Nefret decided she really cuddling on it. I think she likes the smell of hemp. *giggle*

Well I'm not going to be able to finish the Faire Garb tonight like I wanted to.*sigh* It's almost 1:30am already and I'm getting very sleepy. My hands are also starting to cramp. So close!

The corded bodice binding has taken MUCH longer than I thought/hoped it would. Those wretched tabs. I'm about ¾ of the way done with the bottom (tab) end. So I have just a bit of the bottom left and all the top. I also need to make a new eyelet hole in the corded bodice (so they are even again) and trim my hat.

I was sort of hoping I might be able to throw a quick fan together tomorrow. I wanted something similar to this, as the feather one I made last year is too much with this outfit. There is no way it will happen now with company to pick up, fake hair to curl/braid, errands to run, so much hand sewing left to do and an early rack time tomorrow night. Umm... I probably should vacuum before my company comes too. There are threads and snips of ribbon everywhere. :>

I'll just have to deal with a non-period folding fan. Oh well. Next year, right? :>

This week started out pretty good but quickly went downhill. Monday afternoon I begin working on the Faire Garb. I sewed on the hook & eyes where the skirts meet. Then I tried lacing it up with the new ribbon I’d bought. When I had tried the gown on for the first time, the lacing wouldn’t come out even for some reason. I didn’t really worry about it as it was a quick try-on to mark the sleeves and hem. When I went to lace the new, I discovered why the lacing was not even. One side has 9 holes and one side has 8. I have NO idea how I did that. I’m not even going to go into how that discovery made me feel. Somewhere around the size of a seed bead I think.

So I have lovely lacing holes that are un-even. This means that they are neither lined up for spiral nor cross-lacing. Great. I looked at the costume, with the hem to do, the corded bodice uncomfortable and not fitting well ect… and only 3 days to go. Yeah. I began to consider looking for some matches. That is always a bad sign. So I threw the garb in my closet, played some computer games and called elegant_musings. We talked for a couple of hours and she helped calm me down. Sometimes it just helps to talk with someone who understands. Merci Dearest!

Towards the end of our conversation I had a moment of brilliance. I could cover the holes with ribbon and then sew lacing rings on the inside. If that does not work, there is always the Rohan gown. I will probably faint from the heat but I could wear it.

I decided a few weeks ago not to attempt re-embroidering the Rohan. I couldn’t find a pattern I adored nor thread that was a good substitute for goldwork. My painting experiments however were successful and I now have a method to tone down that bright trim so it better matches the belt. I took some slightly watered down black fabric paint and brushed it on to the trim. I then rubbed it in with a rag until the color was even. Very easy. It shouldn’t take me too long to do and I think I will be much happier with the costume afterwards.

...from the land of procrastination... where I am queen
So how did I spend my day yesterday? I picked up, dusted and vacuumed my bed/sewing room. Then I rearranged my bookshelves, went through and reorganized my hope chest, reorganized the boxes under my bed, organized my stationary, went through and rearranged my dresser drawers, went through recipes, cooked dinner… In short nothing to do with sewing. Despite the time crunch I couldn’t deal with sewing yesterday.

I feel much better with my newly de-cluttered and organized room. I got rid of a whole box of stuff and threw away a full trash can – that always makes me feel good. I don’t really regret taking the day off though I am pretty skeptical about getting the Faire Garb done in time. I’ve decided not to worry about it. If I get it done great, if not I’ll wear the Rohan. Unless it rains and then I’m screwed. A big whopping oh well.

If I’m not enjoying the process and am just stressing myself out making these costumes, what is the point? This is a hobby that I supposedly do for fun. I just don’t need self-induced stress this week, I have enough to handle thank you. So today I’m off to Hancock’s for lacing rings and Jo-Ann’s for Regline. Then I’m planning to tackle the corded bodice. If I can’t work out those issues there is no point in bothering with the dress tomorrow.

I came across a new pic of me in my old Elizabeth the Beloved Ren costume. Today is packing day for Bridget as she is moving into her college apartment tomorrow. *puts hands over ears – “not listening, not listening!”* I’m not in denial about my best friend moving away. Whatever gave you that idea?

Anyway, she found the photo in a box of papers in the closet. I think this was the pic I used for my Christmas cards that year, which may explain why neither the parents nor I have a copy. I recall running short. Umm… maybe I should dig out those negatives and see if there are any other goodies I don’t have…

The scan isn’t too great. I’m still trying to figure out this new scanner. Uhm. I’ll play around with it add the pic to the site later.

Much later.

After I’ve recovered from VBS week at church, everyone of our cars breaking down, Bridget leaving and have gotten my Faire Garb squared away (haven't been able to touch it this week). Can you tell I have definitely had better weeks than this one? :

I haven't done much sewing this week. Okay, so make that haven’t done any sewing. Motivation issues mostly. I have been working on the Faire Garb eyelets tonight though. I'm proud of me. I've got almost half of the wretched things done already. I just finished watching FOTR (started at dinner and continued with eyelets). I thought I would take a little break, by hopping on the computer, before I popped The Two Towers in. I love those movies!

Instead of sewing this week, I've mostly been messing about with my site. Once a year or so, I get the urge to change something on every single page just for the heck of it. I really need help. This year’s totally un-necessary project is to change the text color (from cream to white and vice versa for the links), as well as re-organize some of the filing. Picture lots of new little .gif files and slight coding changes to every single page. So make that, I really need professional help. Anyway... the only thing of substance I'm doing is updating the links. I'm almost done with all that madness, just the dress diaries to go. I'll post here when it's actually uploaded.

In other news…
We have fake hair! I just thought you needed to know that. *smirk* Bridget and I finally made it to Sally’s and got the hair for her Elvish extensions and my Ren-do. We've only been trying to get to it for a month. *sigh* Simple things can be very hard when your sis works a night job.

Looks like we probably won't have an opportunity to do the trial run of her hair before the Faire. Mine will have to wait until the day of the Faire too. It makes me a little nervous but not much I can do. She doesn't have another day off before she quits for school and then we will be running around trying to shop and move her into the dorm. Ack! It will make that morning more exciting I guess. :>

That's all for now I think... yep. I’m ready to face more eyelets and TT. Or at least a few more eyelets and part of TT. :>

*trots off to carry on with eyelet fun* :>

Yummy pocket pics! It’s all blocked, pressed and ready to be made up into a real pocket. When will that actually happen? Who knows! :>

Overall I’m very happy with the embroidery. I certainly had a blast doing it. I’m not 100% happy with the center carnation but I was ultimately limited by my design and having only one shade of yellow. I did my best and it looks good, if I do say so myself. My favorite bit would be the red roses but the little fill-stitched mount and the baby bee are close seconds. I’m now scheming what to do with my left over thread. :> A second pocket would be fun but I’m leaning toward a throw pillow or framed picture. Something I can look at on a daily basis, instead of pack away in the costuming bins.


I also have sleeves for my Faire Garb. Finally got those sewn up yesterday. I just need to do something to attach them to the gown bodice. I think I’m going to just do some hand-bound eyelet holes, as the sleeves are supposed to be reversible. I’ll have to do lacing rings on the shoulder strap, though, to avoid interfering with the ribbon trim. I know the sleeves don’t look like much on Narcissa. Unfortunately I can’t really try them on until I can lace the bodice up, which I can't do until I make eyelets, which don’t want to do until I attach the skirt, which must be pleated first… oy.

( more Faire Garb rambling )

I sewed the front and back bodices to their respective linings this evening. I apparently made a mistake on the shoulder straps though, as they don’t match (the front is wider than the back). So before I can join the shoulders, I’ll have to redo the front, turning it inside-out again and trimming a little. No big. I also got the sleeves pinned so they are ready to be sewn.

I had to try the corded bodice on tonight to double check something on the bodice, so I took some pics. Mom was available to lace me up nice and tight but wasn’t available to take pics so I took them in the bathroom mirror again. :>

I have some of that blue cotton left over from the sleeves so I think I use it for binding of the CB. I’ve always like the combination of blue and yellow. :>

lj-raw> G Streets is one of those places where I have very little will-power, particularly when it comes to the bargain table. Today I had none at all. I knew I was in trouble when the section was piled high with fabric, more than I had ever seen there before. Very scary! I found some pretty rose linen, which in the store I loved with the rust of the Ren Garb. However, now that I am home doubts have begun to creep in. Do you think the two look okay together? I know it’s hard with different monitors and such but do they clash or maybe blend too much? Should I just go with the green cotton from the stash? I know I just asked for your opinion on the rust but I’m feeling very unsure of this rose and would really appreciate any advice. I also found some pretty peach organdy. It’s a poly I’m sure but it was the thickness I wanted for my partlet. Now I just have to figure out how to make one. I may use it for a hair caul too… at the moment I want to try hair taping so I may not need one. My big splurge of the day was the champagne colored satin. Isn’t it luscious! It’s a poly of some kind but it feels like butter and drapes out of this world. I could not pass it up, on the bargain table no less! I now have 5yds that I have no idea what I’ll do with. Well, I do have a few ideas… *evil grin* Tops on the list is an 18th century dress or a kimono. I’m rather tempted to chuck the red stripe aside and use this satin (with the green silk as a petticoat) instead. I’m even more tempted to make the red as a test-run and then move up to the satin as a full blown evening frock. The kimono is tempting too. I’ve wanted one like in the film Titanic for a long time. Of course my original plans were for a black one with gold beading... I’ve decided I want to throw a good old fashioned slumber party for my birthday (in October). A perfect occasion to wear the kimono. Recreating the wrapper Myra Loy wears in The Thin Man (when Nick punches her out of the line of fire) would be fun too. As would a overdress for an Empire gown. Oh, a 1912 dress would be pretty too. Not to mention… Ack! I can see this is going to take some pondering! I finished cutting the gown tonight and plan to start sewing tomorrow. I did angle the skirt panels a bit. I laid them out, measured 6” from one edge, angled it down to the bottom with a yard stick and cut away. I didn’t want anything too complicated (not being dedicated enough to do tons of seams like Jen :>) but I did want the bottom to flare a bit more than the last gown. While I worked I threw that linen in the wash. I’m thinking it may be a blend. Now that it’s wet it does feel totally natural, if you know what I mean. No big. I still love the color.

I tried on my corded bodice for the first time today. Overall I’m pleased. The gap in the back is a good 3.5 inches but I’m cool with that. Maybe I’ll get to wear this one more than once this time. :> Also I wasn’t able to get it laced as tight as I wanted. I’ll need assistance for that. I decided I wasn’t hip on the sleeves after all so I’m going to cut them off entirely. I didn’t have anyone around to take pics so I tried the old, take them with a mirror trick. Worked pretty well, although the back shot is a bit blurry.

I also sewed up the gown bodice toile and tried that over the corded bodice. It fits perfectly. For those of you that have made the side lacing gowns, should I have some gap there? If so I need to cut the pattern down a bit.

I does occur to me that I am a bit crazy to be making this gown on such short notice. At least I’m not crazy enough to try and make it perfect and accurate. I did want to try the side-lacing things though. It’s something I haven’t done yet.


On the whole, I’m trying not to do anything too wild and unfamiliar – that is where I get bogged down in projects and end up stressed and finishing the gown at 3am the day of. I think I can risk the side lacing though, it seems a simple enough alteration. :>

I want something with simple decoration, few accessories and small sleeves. I also wanted to use the same pattern I used for the purple wool. That narrowed me down to the earlier Italian Ren period, the late 15th century. I always end up there so I guess it is my favorite. :>

If I can be accused of modeling my gown after anything, it would be this yellow gown. It’s so simple and pretty. I hate the cap (I’ll have to come up with something else) but I like the little partet. I don’t know that I will have time to make one though.

Now that the bodice toile is ready to go I need to decide what fabric to use. Any votes between the rusty brown linen/rayon and the khaki rayon twill? I am having a hard time deciding and I really should so I can cut the gown out. The rust makes my hair turn a gorgeous red and it looks like a period fabric even if it’s a blend. The khaki is a lighter and therefore cooler color for summer and it would drape nicely.

Any votes?

I spent my morning at the dentist, and the rest of the day recovering. He had to give me lots of that numbing stuff and my jaw, where I was jabbed, really hurts. Crown preps - bah! Whatever that numbing stuff is, it always whacks me out for the rest of the day. I stay very loopy and just out of it for hours– worse than normal if you can imagine. (No comments from the peanut gallery!)

Luckily cording channels is very brainless and almost relaxing work. I kept to an uncomplicated pattern; no one ended diagonal channels. I’m trying to keep things simple with my deadline fast approaching.

Once the bodice was full of hemp, I ran a basting stitch through the bottom (so nothing gets pulled out of place) and trimmed the edges. I left the sleeves as I didn’t want to deal with them in my post dentist loopy state. Unfortunately the photos I took today as I worked have disappeared. It’s rather complicated, at least for my fuzzy brain, but I think they were deleted when I tried to transfer them from Dad’s computer. As in wiped off the face of the earth without a trace. This is one of those moments when I hate technology.

*sigh*

I worked on my pocket a little today too. Yesterday I did some testing and figured out how to do the carnation. Today I worked on it, mostly while waiting at the dentist’s office. I doing know why, but handwork makes the time go by faster than a book. It was nice to have a project small enough to be portable. My handwork lately has been on large, bulky garments, not good to take on office visits or babysitting jobs. :>