Front Page of Etsy

My Dreamy Blue Regency ballgown was featured on the front page of Etsy the other day. How exciting! Thanks Maraurite for the "button". :)

You can see this dress in my shop HERE.

Elizabeth Swann Corset Half Done!

I finished the last hand sewn eyelet on my corset the other day. I'm now officially half way!

There are 25 eyelets on the front alone. I haven't gotten tired of making them yet though. I think they're fun!

I need to get some more boning before I can get very far on the second half. But I'm excited to be half way. :)

Handmade Buttons for "Jane"

I made some buttons for "Jane's" half robe by making a yoyo and then sinching it up around this little bit of wood.
Voila'! Covered buttons. To sew them on I will just sew through the fabric scrunched up on the back.

I made cute little cuffs with piping as well but I haven't taken pictures of them yet. :)

2009 Academy Award Nominees Announced

Finally...the moment I've been waiting for for months...the nominees have been announced!
As excited as I am about the whole thing, I always hold my breath to see what films will get best costume design. Usually I'm voting for one...this year I was pleasantly surprised to see 4 of the 5 I'm rooting to win. Here are the nominees:

The Duchess

Australia

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button


Revolutionary Road

The fifth nomination is Milk, but I didn't think the costumes were that impressive, personally.

I'm pretty torn between the others though! I'm sort of leaning toward The Duchess. But we shall see!

Noteworthy Underpinnings

(above corset & shift from the film "The Patriot")

I can't explain why I have so much interest in underpinnings. I just love chemise/shifts, corsets, panniers, hoops, etc. It may have something to do with underpinnings being the core of the costume. They define your shape and give you that feeling of what the women from that era felt like. So often in films the costume designers make sure that every single person is dressed right down to the stockings in accurate clothing, even extras, because it gives each person a sense of who they are portraying.

Here are a few of my favorite finds over time.

18th Century

(above photo from the film "Marie Antionette")

I love this 18th century shift in this Simplicity pattern. It reminds me of one that Kirsten Dunst wore in Marie Antoinette

(above photo of the stays worn by Keira Knightley in the film "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl")

Butterick Patterns has a lovely 18th Century underpinnings pattern. This one has the option of laces up the front or not. I'm using this pattern right now for my Elizabeth Swann corset and I'm liking it so far! :)

(above photo from the film "Pride and Prejudice")

Past Patterns has a new pattern I can't wait to try. Check out these Transitional Stays.

19th Century

I love this beautiful embroidered corset from the film "Gangs of New York".

(above corset worn by Cameron Diaz in the film "Gangs of New York")

I've heard wonderful reviews of the Silverado Corset from Laughing Moon Mercantile. It's on my "To Buy" list. :) Katherine made a beautiful corset from this pattern HERE.

*sigh* Now I'm inspired. Maybe I shall work on my Elizabeth Swann corset! :)

A Romantic for the Rain

I watched Sense and Sensibility with my mum last night while working on some Regency projects (finally!) and I was swept away by this dress....again. :)

I think there's something so captivating about period costumes in the rain. There are moments I wish I could wear a gorgeous dress and cloak and then go out in a drenching rain and just get soaked. For some reason I've always thought the rain so romantic. Even if one does catch cold. ;)

Maybe it's because those tend to be the climatic moments in film. Anytime something important happens...it rains. ;)There's something about muddy skirts that I love as well. Makes it look and feel so real. Like the costumes are real clothing and not just a costume. Makes you believe in the story that's taking place.

I think if I'm ever a real designer and I do photo shoots of my work, it will be in the rain. ;)

Mansfield Park, A Second Chance...

I've been resting up this week as I've caught a nasty winter cold so I haven't been up to sewing. Which gives me all the more time to dream and plan more things to sew. Not always the best thing when I'm way behind on all my projects! Today I've been enjoying browsing costume ideas online and drinking some tea. I also sketched out some ideas for future business cards...I'm excited about that. :)

I've been looking at the lovely costumes in the 1999 film Mansfield Park lately and I'm suprised at how little attention I've paid to them before. They are beautiful! I think it's because I hated the movie when I watched it, but after looking over these beautiful gowns I'm tempted to give it a second chance. Maybe I was in a bad mood when I watched it before?

I was also suprised to see that the lovely Sophia Myles plays Susan Price. I love this bib front gown:

And here as well:

Look closely at the sweet little girl on the left and you may recognize a young Anna Popplewell! :) (Susan Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia) Isn't she darling?

I'm quite in love with Susan's pelisse here:

But I may love this one more: (could be the way it looks by the sea) ;)
Love Fanny's formal gown:
And this one is actually about the gentleman for me...I just love those Regency shirts and waistcoats. :D I can't wait to try my hand at some men's costumes as soon as I can afford some patterns.
*sigh* Quite inspiring. Now I may just have the ambition to finally finish my Regency Gown. And Jane's half robe, of course!

There are many more costumes...I mostly just posted Susan's for now. Maybe I'll post more another day. :)

Golden Globes 2009

The best speech of the evening:

One of my absolute favorite actresses, on and off screen, Kate Winslet won two golden globes last night for her performance in The Reader and Revolutionary Road.

I am so thrilled! :)

Jane Bennet Half Robe

This is one of my current projects I'm working on for a friend for Christmas. I didn't finish it before Christmas because I wanted to get the fitting just right, so we had a big sewing day the other day and I got it mostly done! :)

Here is my quick concept sketch:

And the progress so far:

It looks much better on her than it does on my dress form. When it's finished I'll get lovely pictures of her wearing it for you to see!

I just love the fabric and ruffle: