From Art to Garment

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

I recently did an interview with Jen Thompson of Festive Attyre. I first found out about her when my husband and I discovered her website and were impressed with the costumes she made — many of them inspired by paintings!

The costuming group I’m a part of, the Dallas-Fort Worth Costumers Guild (DFWCG), will be attending an art exhibit at the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth. They have Impressionist paintings on display, and many of us are looking forward to seeing them.

We’re also looking forward to being inspired by them!

Please check out the interview and see how Jen has been inspired by art, and how she works out the details for some of her costumes!

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One more photo entry with video

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

Sorry for another non-costume post! I thought I’d make another one since I added more photos to those nature galleries since last time!

My husband went out with me to a park yesterday evening before the sun set, and I took more photos (this time of ducks, and a few of a rabbit) along with a video of ducks. I have a link to the YouTube video from one of the photos in the Flickr set, but thought I’d put everything together here as well. This was my first video on the new camera (a Nikon Coolpix P7100), so I was curious to see how it was to use in that situation.

I mentioned in at least one caption that the ducks were running around a lot. It was hard to get photos of them at first. I had to make some shutter speed adjustments (thank goodness I’d tried reading up on the camera — we used to do more photography, but it’s been so long and those were manual… not as many options as this digital camera), but since I was trying to get close-ups it was still hard to get the ducks in frame. Ha!

You can see just how much they were moving around in this video… and this was after they started calming down, too!

 

It was actually quite amusing, and a fun time. Although I still like to use our Flip cameras for video, I have to admit it was pretty smooth and easy to get used to the Nikon. The shape and size, as well as the larger viewscreen made getting used to it easy enough.

Here are two photos from the set, the rest are of course located on my Flickr account (the ducks here, the rabbit and one turtle here, and two test shots of the moon here):

Thanks for humoring me with this little change of pace! Hopefully I’ll get back to costume-related posts more — I need to stay away from the camera and focus on sewing anyway! 😉

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Some photos

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

I’ve been busy sewing again, trying to catch up on other projects for events coming up.

This morning, I decided to take a break and go for a little walk. I took our new camera with me (a Nikon Coolpix P7100). I thought you’d like to see some of my photos!

First, I love birds, and mockingbirds are my favorite. I barely went very far before I saw this pair:

And how about this adorable fluff-ball of cuteness? “I’m hungry!”

Obviously I love taking photos of mockingbirds, and they’re a little braver with letting me get close enough to take their photograph. This one happened to slip on the lamp post, and flapped its wings just as I took the photo. What luck!

I also saw a lot of flowers and butterflies:

Here’s one from last weekend when I was visiting my mother-in-law and her brother. I think this is a young robin (not totally sure, because it just had a bath). It was perched about 12 feet from me, but I had to take the photograph through glass so the birds would visit the yard.

And finally, here is the first photograph I ever took on our new camera. Such pretty colors!

Thanks for looking, and if you’d like to see more, I have them at my Flickr account.

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New bustle gown and recent event

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

A photo of me in my new costume at a recent event. My friend Jen took this photo without me even realizing it. I love it! See below for links to more photos.

This will be a quick update, mainly to share links to photos and information!

I finished another costume — this time, a bustle gown. I have all the information and photos of the outfit on the costume page for it (see below).

I finished it in time for an event as well!

The costuming group I’m a part of rode a train to the Fort Worth Stockyards to attend a big festival there. We all dressed up and had a great time. I wrote a blog entry about the day here:

The DFWCG’s Frontier Forts Days and Train Ride.

Sorry I’m still a little slow to update. I have various projects in progress, have been sick off and on, and I also have some other things I need to take care of as well.

I’m just glad when I can mark another project off the To Do List!

 

To see the costume page for the Plaid Travel Gown, click the image below:

 

 

And to see more photos from the event, please click this image to see my Flickr gallery:

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Plaid Reticule for In-Progress Bustle Gown

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

I decided to make a quick reticule for a bustle gown I’m trying to have finished for an event in May.

I used a Simplicity pattern before, and decided to use it again with some changes. I’m pleased with the results, but I’m looking forward to seeing how I like using it. I tend to carry a few too many things still, but I’ve already simplified enough — I’m having fun testing out various reticule styles and sizes to see what I like best.

I also realized, my accessory drawer is filling up!

Check out the link below to see the photos and information. Now, off to do some sewing — I’m going to be very busy! Lots of events coming up, and lots of things to finish!

 

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No blog updates lately, but I’ve been sewing!

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

I haven’t been posting as much lately, but I’ve been very busy!

It actually started getting to me, feeling like I’ve not been productive. Being able to mark something off of my To Do List as well as post photos online and update my costume gallery helps make me feel as if I’m making progress.

Unfortunately, many of the projects I have been working on need other layers or accessories I want to finish before I post photos.

I’m on a tight deadline to finish some outfits for upcoming events. I’m also trying some new things which probably wasn’t wise to do on a deadline, but I can’t help it — it’s what I wanted to do with this project.

Sadly, I’m having a little bit of a nervous “oh no, did I pick the wrong fabric?” moment with the current project, but hopefully it will work out in the end. That’s the trouble with working from a black and white fashion plate for inspiration. My mind made associations and then stubbornly stuck to it.

Also, picking the bodice colors I did will help me be able to pair it with other skirts for a specific event in July. If I had picked the color I have a feeling it was supposed to be, I would have needed a whole new outfit for the July event.

The “new thing” I’m trying was going smoothly until the last step I worked on Friday. I’m sure some of it has to do with the fact that I probably didn’t do something I should have, but the fabric itself keeps messing with my mind.

Sometimes it feels like it’s got a lot of stretch to it, and other times it doesn’t. I need to decide if I’ll flatline it with sturdier fabric or not for the next garment I make with it.

And as much as I love the sewing machine for powering through thick layers quickly, I keep realizing I have more control with hand sewing. Ah well. I’ll just have to ignore the mistakes as best I can.

Don’t you just hate those rollercoaster emotions though? Nervous to try something, suddenly excited to see it working, then various “oh no” moments or slight disappointments creeping in?

I have to keep sewing, though! I guess I’ll see in a couple weeks when (if!) I finish in time for the next event.

And, on a good note, we have a new camera so I’m looking forward to not only having a better camera for event photos, but also in-progress and better detailed costume photos!

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Sewing for upcoming events

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

I am working on a travel gown for an event coming up in May. The Dallas Ft Worth Costumers Guild (DFWCG) will be riding a train to Ft Worth in Victorian costumes.

I decided to work on a new bustle gown based loosely on a fashion plate in a book. The skirt will be plaid, and the bodice will be gray, with bits of black and white. I’m hoping to try something new with the bodice, doing some layering on the front — we’ll see if I pull it off.

I was nervous I wouldn’t find the fabrics I wanted, but I lucked out and found almost exactly what I needed! The other lucky parts were that they were all good prices, wider fabrics, and I was able to get a little extra yardage than I needed. Although I like to have different outfits, I also like being able to make a few extra things so I can mix and match and make my costumes last a little longer before I get tired of wearing them.

One of the other outfits I will need this July, is a dark costume for a party at the Costumers’ Lost Weekend. The theme is mourning, so although I will not be wearing a full Victorian mourning outfit, it will at least fit in well enough.

I have a lot of sewing to do for upcoming events this year — both for my husband as well as my own needs — and I also want to keep the budget small. Saving time and money will make things less stressful for me, and although I wanted to make something specific for the mourning party, I can get behind keeping things stress-free.

I’m really looking forward to this July’s retreat/mini-con. Not only will I get to see my friends without the worries of rushing around (we’re spread out across the area, and lately we’ve even been having out of town visitors joining us at our events), but we’ll be able to talk, share ideas and tips at the panels, and socialize and celebrate our hard work! It should be a blast, and will be one of the biggest costuming events I’ve ever attended. So I am definitely excited!

If you are interested, please check out the event pages and join us! We would love to have you!

DFWCG Costumers’ Lost Weekend

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18th century hair accessory for my husband

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith
bagwig style bourse hair accessory

Click the link at the bottom of this entry for the costume page to see more information and photos.

I still need to finish making my husband’s 18th century garments.

One thing that’s been sitting around halfway finished was a hair accessory.

He won’t be wearing a wig (that is, unless he has to cut his hair), but I wanted him to have enough items to make him feel dressed up from head to toe. I decided to make him the bourse that would go with a bagwig.

Instead of just tying a ribbon around his ponytail, I added the pouch part as well.

His hair is very curly, and although it’s been getting longer, the length takes forever to look long, and the ends can poof out a bit. With the bourse, or hair pouch part, it will help smooth out and lengthen his hair and make him feel like he’s dressed up enough.

I’m hoping it will help him dress his look up enough without having to worry about styling too much, as well as protect the fabrics of his costumes from some of the products he uses to fix his hair.

Now let’s just hope he doesn’t have to cut his hair any time soon! At least this part is finished, if I do have to eventually get a wig for him.

Click the image below to go to the costume page for photos of the accessory:

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Sgian-Dubh Review

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Christopher Gronlund

A Joe Gondek Sgian-Dubh.

I’ve wanted a sgian-dubh for quite some time, now, and I wanted that sgian-dubh to be unique.

Enter Joe Gondek.

Joe Gondek makes nice things. Joe is a historical re-enactor who made a sporran I previously reviewed. This time around, I’m reviewing a Joe Gondek sgian-dubh.

Sgian What?

Unless you’re familiar with kilts and Highland attire, you may not know what a sgian-dubh is. Don’t feel bad — I didn’t know at first, either.

The quick version: a sgian-dubh is a knife worn in one’s kilt hose, with only the top of the hilt visible.

Top of hilt, meet top of kilt hose. You look good together.

Why a Gondek Sgian-Dubh?

There are plenty of sgian-dubhs available for sale in shops and online…so why did I choose one made by Joe Gondek? Because…I like supporting people who make handmade things.

The Gondek sporran I mentioned above is so nicely constructed that it makes me want to wear the kilt out and about more. Based on the effort that went into the sporran, I knew the sgian-dubh would be nice.

Yep, it's a mighty nice thing!

The Sgian-Dubh

When the sgian-dubh arrived, I couldn’t wait to tear into the package. I smelled the sgian-dubh before I saw it; it turns out Joe stained the sheath just days before, so there was a bit of a shoe polish smell to things. No worries, though, because inside two days the smell was gone. (And I have a good sense of smell.)

I was immediately happy with the purchase. When I was younger, I collected knives. When my father gave me a nicer knife than my best, I knew that in his eyes, I had reached another level of maturity. Some people’s progress of growth is chronicled in pencil marks on the wall; mine is in the quality of knives I received as the years went by.

The best thing I can say about the sgian-dubh Joe Gondek made is it made me wish my father were alive, because he would have really liked it.

The Sheath

Safe and sound in its sheath.

One of my concerns was that removing and returning the sgian-dubh from the sheath would be an issue. With the slight bend in the hilt, I wondered if it would take an effort to put the knife back, but the removal and return are smooth.

Drawing the blade.

Blade out -- sheath still snug in my kilt hose.

Having never owned a sgian-dubh, I wasn’t sure if I would notice the knife in my kilt hose. I use garter ties with my kilt hose, and everything rides snug enough without any shifting. I don’t notice it’s there it rides so well.

The top of the sheath at the top of the kilt hose.

Showing where the sheath rides.

Using the Sgian-Dubh

I didn’t want a sgian-dubh simply for decorative purposes. If I’m out hiking with Cynthia and I want to take a break and slice an apple, I want a tool I can actually use.

To put the sgian-dubh to the test, I used it to slice disks off a lemon while making martinis over the weekend.

Slicing a disk from a lemon skin with the sgian-dubh.

The knife feels good in my hand. I’m a big guy and sometimes smaller knives just don’t feel right, but the slight bend in the hilt makes me wish all my paring knives were constructed the same way!

The blade moved through the lemon skin with just enough catch to allow control, but not so much that it took an effort to cut what I wanted.

An effortless cut!

Cynthia gave it a try and found the sgian-dubh to react well for her, too; in fact, she went back for a more intricate, turning cut and the knife reacted perfecty.

It’s a Keeper!

I haven’t found a thing about the Gondek sgian-dubh that didn’t meet my expectations. If anything, it’s even cooler than I hoped. It’s practical and unique. That, coupled with supporting somebody who makes sporrans, knives, and other things out of love for history and craft, and I couldn’t be happier with the purchase!

Note: Joe doesn’t have a website, but if you want to contact him about a sgian-dubh or sporran, you can find him at XMarkstheScot.com.

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Changing focus

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Cynthia Griffith

I finished the main foundation of the chemise a la reine (CalR) yesterday.

I still have to sew the sash (not to mention, get the fabric for it), attach the arm ribbons, and also sew the new shift and two petticoats (again, I need fabric for those).

I’m hoping to go shopping for fabric this weekend, but most importantly, I need to look for fabric for a travel bustle gown. I have an event coming up in early May, and considering the fact that I don’t even have fabric for that gown yet, and I am hoping to try something new for the bodice I’ve never tried before, I really need to stop messing around with other projects and start sewing as soon as possible!

In the meantime, I have some other projects I can also work on that are coming up. I desperately need to get back to work on my husband’s 18th century garments, and there is another outfit for an event in July that I need to start planning for.

For some of my friends, these seem like decent deadlines, giving plenty of time to finish projects. For someone like me who is slow even when she’s working as fast as possible, I need to take advantage of every moment I can! I get easily distracted with other things popping up, and I take the time to research things if I’ve never tried them before or am deciding to try a more accurate technique or not.

Again, I apologize for not having photos of the CalR ready to share. I could post photos of the plain outer layer on a dressform, but I’d really rather wait until I get better photos of it on me with as many accessories as possible. I did include a little teaser photo at the top of this entry. I also took as many photos during the process as I could manage. There weren’t many, sadly, and I’m unsure how many I will post on the final costume page. I still need a better camera, and many times I was more interested in just sewing or walking away for a break instead of remembering to take a photo. I’m still getting better about remembering to take photos of not only events, but sewing projects.

I must admit, I’m looking forward to seeing fabric and thread colors other than white. I still have tons of things I need to sew that are white, but I have been going through white thread quickly enough to make me realize I need a change of scenery while sewing. Ha! (well that, and my poor eye sight is starting to go!)

Still, as happy as I am to work on something new, I must admit that I’ve been daydreaming about later 18th century garments a little more. Now, if I could also stop daydreaming about fun accessories and focus!

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