Elizabeth Swann Camisole Progress

I recently made a check list of all my unfinished projects, which is longer than I like to admit, and it has helped me see what exactly I have already started and need to finish, which leads me to working on projects I forgot about.

I started this replica of the camisole Elizabeth Swann wears under her corset quite a long time ago but I somehow made it too small so I lost motivation to finish it. But I decided to pick it up again despite it not fitting me and I will figure out something to do with it. Besides, it's good practice for making myself a proper fitting one someday.

Here are pictures of the original camisole worn in the film:
Here is my replica, made from what I was told is 100% linen (a friend gave it to me so I'm not sure) and all carefully hand stitched. I also made all the bias tape out of the same fabric the camisole is made out of.
All it needs is some hand sewn eyelets and some lacing and it's done!
It's so satisfying to nearly finish a project that has been sitting around so long! Now to decide which thread to use for the eyelets...

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

I wasn't a huge fan of the last Pirates movie...and I have a feeling the next one might not be any better...but I'm still excited for the 4th movie, coming out in May, because I just love seeing those awesome scruffy pirate costumes...and as long as Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush are involved...it has to have some element of entertainment to it, right? ;)
Here's a few pictures I've come across so far...

The day has come...

Can you believe it? After two years of aching wrists, Pirates of the Caribbean marathons, late nights and hot cups of strong tea, the infamous corset is DONE.

In-fa-mous: having a reputation of the worst kind : notoriously evil

A grand total of 79 hand sewn eyelets...40 pieces of boning...
Okay...so I do still need to find lacing...and have some proper pictures taken.
Keep a weather eye on the horizon...

Challenge

I've decided I'm going to try to focus on one costume for awhile and see if I can't complete it. I seem to get too many projects going and I rarely finish them in short time because I get distracted with something new.
This plan is exciting to me except for one thing....I'm already in the middle of a big project...making Elizabeth Swann's costume from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. I am looking forward to finishing this...I'm just a bit tired of the thing that's been hanging over my head for...how long has it been? Don't answer that.
Yes....the blasted corset....
This is about how I feel about it:

BUT...I am nearly done so I'm going to dig it out and give it a go and see if I can't finish it up in the next few weeks. I'm past the worst of it which is nice.
I could stop there but I already bought the fabric for the dress....so I think while I'm on a role I should keep going and make it too.

The other project that has been tempting me is Will Turner's costume from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I bought a leather coat from a thrift store ages ago that I'm planning on somehow transforming into his pirate coat.

I also have fabric that will work great for his waistcoat....

And then I can buy fabric for the shirt (or just use muslin) and breeches when I get done with those.

So tempting.....but ONE project at a time. That's my new motto. It's hard. But very much less stressful.

I'm going to try to keep updates and posts on my progress so I will be challenged to actually make progress. ;) Who knows....maybe with focusing on one thing I will actually finish something!

Elizabeth Swann Fabric

Once I finish my Elizabeth Swann stays and also make some panniers I wanted to one day make this dress. I always thought it would have to be way into the future when I had $100 or more to spend on fabric.

Well, this weekend I found some fabric! It's not a perfect match, not as gold as hers...it's more cream and buttery. But it's close enough for me and I got all of it for just $22.50!

So...now I just have to keep my eyes open for fabric for the underskirt.
Don't you just love it when you find things like that? :)

Elizabeth Swann Corset Progress

Alright...I've finally taken pictures of the progress of my corset...I'm almost there!
Here is the first half pinned on my dress form. The front:

Side and back:

For awhile I was joking that I should just tie the one half corset on myself and say it's for a Mad Hatter party. haha But I have prevailed and I'm almost done with the second half!

I finished the boning in the second half yesterday while watching Little Dorrit. Yay! But that sad part is I'm out of binding...so I'll have to wait to finish it until I can get to the fabric store.

I'm so excited to be so close to done!

Elizabeth Swann Underpinnings: Still in Progress

I just wanted to let you know I haven't given up on my Elizabeth Swann corset! I am about 2/3 of the way done with boning the second half and then just have to do binding and eyelets and then find the perfect lacing! I'll update with pictures soon, for now...you can just drool over a picture of her corset:

Once I finish that I'm hoping to tackle panniers. Which should be fun! Has anyone made some before?

Here is a picture of Elizabeth Swann's:

After that I think I'll start my Duchess gown. I need the underpinnings first anyway to give it the proper look. Then someday I'll make one of Elizabeth's dresses. There's just so much on my list of things to do. ;)

Ahoy!

Every summer when the weather warms up I get into such a pirate mood and want to go out and play with swords and ride in boats. Er...ships, rather. ;)
Here are a few pirate shirts I've been itching to make. Maybe I'll get around to one of them this summer.
I love Will Turner's musty Burgundy shirt from At World's End.
And how about a Dread Pirate Roberts shirt? Every good pirate needs one!

This isn't really a pirate but it's an awesome piratey shirt...I'm in love with Prince Caspian's shirt:

Look at that cartridge pleating! This would be one of those time consuming projects that will take awhile but I'm crazy enough to actually do. Weather I finish or not...well...;)

Or how about an awesome Crusoe shirt?

I love those billowing sleeves!

I love the color of this one:

And then there's the girlie dresses and such...Would love to make some more of Elizabeth Swann's costumes! Which reminds me...I'm in great need of a Pirates marathon to finish my Elizabeth Swann corset!

Don't forget...if you are just dying for a pirate shirt this summer I take custom orders in my SHOP. I'm happy to machine sew or hand sew a shirt for you!

I'm currently working on the last costume study for season 1 of Robin Hood, featuring the heroic outlaw himself! Sorry if it's taking awhile...this boy has a lot of clothes believe it or not! It's taking awhile to sort them all out...but they sure are cool! And I can't wait to start on season 2! There's some really awesome costumes in this series!

Alright...off to do some cleaning and hopefully work on my short stays later. I may just be altering an old dress for the Jane Austen tea as the holiday weekend has got me way behind on my sewing goals. But the short stays are a must!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Summer Sewing List

Here are a few things I'm planning out to work on this summer. But I may change my mind at any moment and add or take away from the list. This is just an idea of what I'm working on in my mind. :)

The beautiful pink and yellow dress from Marie Antoinette:

I've got the underskirt fabric but I still need to find the perfect fabric for the bodice. I also might need to find a better pattern. The one I have is too small for me so I'm not sure if I want to bother sizing it up or not.

The black and white dress from The Duchess:

I'm working on a dress inspired by this, it's not exactly like it, but still Duchess worthy! ;)

Titanic Jump dress:

This has been an ongoing project which may take me a long time to complete. I made a really rushed version of this once but it didn't work so I'm going to take it apart and start over. I also decided I think I want to be a crazy and go all out and completely bead the bodice because I just love that part of the original. I'm currently working on making the hand beaded trim. I'm thinking of starting all over from scratch and using the fabric from this dress to make my Moulin Rouge bodice.

Here is my rugged unfinished first attempt:

Elizabeth Swann Underpinnings:

I'm half way on my corset! I really need to get that out and finish it. Now that I'm done with some of my custom orders maybe I can. :) I'm also planning on making panniers and they will all work under my Marie and Duchess dresses as well.

Will Turner pirate costume:
Yay! I'm so excited about this one! I have almost everything I need to make it now except buttons for the coat and vest. But I have vest fabric and a second hand leather coat I'm remaking into a piratey coat. I still need to buy fabric for his pants though.

If only I could get some of those boots.....:)

Okay...that's all I'll list for now. These are my HOPES of what to work on. We'll see how far I get.

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. :)

Corset Update :)

I finished binding on almost my entire first half of my Elizabeth Swann corset! It finally looks like something resembling a corset now which makes work on it all the more enjoyable. But...the best part...I started doing the eyelets...I love them. :)
These are the front eyelets which are smaller than those in the back:

And these are the back eyelets:You can't really tell the difference in the photos I suppose. But I had to show them to you anyway. :)

I love hand sewing the eyelets, although I'm not a huge fan of hand sewing the whole corset. I think on my next corset I'll use the machine and then do the eyelets by hand. I just love the authentic feel they give to the garment!

But...I still have a whole half of a corset to go!