tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31891252870614464252024-02-07T16:31:35.846+00:00Kitty Power CostumeKittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-55597343514765037252018-03-20T19:08:00.000+00:002018-03-20T19:08:42.529+00:00Handmade 1780s Stays - The beginning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I recently attended a stay making class taught by Luca Costigliolo at the School of Historical Dress. I don't think I've properly mentioned them before on my blog, but I am a big fan of their work on researching (and educating students about) historical clothing, and I've attended a few of their classes before.<br />
If you're not already familiar with the School, they're the authors of these three books on 17th century clothing, written in association with the V&A.<br />
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When Janet Arnold died, she left her archive of unpublished patterns to the School. Patterns of Fashion 4 was published posthumously by them, with Jenny Tirimani providing additional material. The School's intention since then has been to continue publishing books in the Patterns of Fashion series, and a further three books are currently planned. Excitingly, Patterns of Fashion 5, which is going to concentrate on women's stays and padding from 1600 -1795, is due out this year. They were all hard at work on it while I was at the School for the course, and it was thrilling to get a sneak preview of a very much anticipated new book!<br />
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The course itself was an intensive five days, in which we examined extant stays from the School's collection, were shown primary information from Diderot and Garsault, from which we could extrapolate how the original stay makers might have drafted and constructed their stays at the time, and finally, we all had a go at drafting and starting a pair of stays ourselves.<br />
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The drafting system was the most fascinating part for me, as it involved using curved bust and waist lines in the draft in order to get that lovely front dip, rather than the usual straight grid we expect in modern pattern cutting. I actually found it much more intuitive this way, and am really keen to try my hand at it again before I get too rusty!<br />
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I've been enjoying the construction of the stays. I opted for making them entirely hand sewn, so even when choosing to make them half boned rather than fully, the channels are going to take some time to do. We actually sandwiched paper between the two layers of linen in our stays (wallpaper lining is a good approximation of the type used in period), and it gives great additional structure to each piece - very useful for half boned! At this point I've got all my sections cut and tacked, with all the channels marked out in pencil, and I've made a good start on stitching the channels. I also had a go at whipping one of the side back seams during the class, just so I have that to refer back to later when I get on to the rest of them.<br />
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I think this will be a good hand sewing project I can pick up in the evenings and potentially when I'm commuting too. School of Historical Dress classes always make me feel so enthusiastic for sewing and learning, so I cannot recommend them highly enough in case you're ever able to attend one of their classes yourself.</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-44111804462284510232018-03-01T18:30:00.000+00:002018-03-01T18:30:25.126+00:00Snow White: Part Four<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've got some amazing photos of our 2017 Panto back from the Mercury Theatre. I believe these were all taken by Robert Workman. Costumes and set designed by David Shields.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animal costumes for the Junior Chorus by me. Snow White's costume by Fran Gyll. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ25s6OadMWA8sBVGPV1Y21cFpX5_jX9nENL1oPQ9vYHagK3BeB79BD0th4PIj_4ho69q-VTO1x-z7SW7GuSoPc6m9l9i5ila9HI9Nm9E5H8ZAdF_wi_acBvj2U527JUpnaA4KhsDO4y4F/s1600/Dale-Superville-Antony-Stuart-Hicks-Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs-Photo-by-Robert-Workman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ25s6OadMWA8sBVGPV1Y21cFpX5_jX9nENL1oPQ9vYHagK3BeB79BD0th4PIj_4ho69q-VTO1x-z7SW7GuSoPc6m9l9i5ila9HI9Nm9E5H8ZAdF_wi_acBvj2U527JUpnaA4KhsDO4y4F/s640/Dale-Superville-Antony-Stuart-Hicks-Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs-Photo-by-Robert-Workman.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse Nellie costume by me. I didn't actually make any wigs this year, we revamped a few old ones for the other Nellie costumes, but this one was made by Ruth Metcalf. Muddles's costume is by Corinna Vincent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcYdUYgteKB5yoLcR_05wPpXW8jAEnFrxnhPWGyARpZr_GfHvTZFuYGIKqx3vDOYsD4P6iTBoAm9MP9spT4mcvyd1A5si6ucZMj-ibPneWhScGyOYs-eXFSOAEOJlMKTHBQKfUgViS80P/s1600/snow-white-mercury-266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcYdUYgteKB5yoLcR_05wPpXW8jAEnFrxnhPWGyARpZr_GfHvTZFuYGIKqx3vDOYsD4P6iTBoAm9MP9spT4mcvyd1A5si6ucZMj-ibPneWhScGyOYs-eXFSOAEOJlMKTHBQKfUgViS80P/s640/snow-white-mercury-266.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse Nellie costume by me. So happy with this one in particular! I made all that stripey trim myself out of gold braid stitched onto a black fabric backing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPk72ZKbsIE3z5RCCS-sl7XS-_M5RsF0TL3yQbPynIoLwLEuAp4ziqBNTE_G_tiFPpO5CA7vNGuJMFuwp-yphHEI3JA68iazVGgYOUPJ17_E4nNXqdxbTW2ZA3jEyvilRH5dKXCCzc7nmt/s1600/snow-white-mercury-330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPk72ZKbsIE3z5RCCS-sl7XS-_M5RsF0TL3yQbPynIoLwLEuAp4ziqBNTE_G_tiFPpO5CA7vNGuJMFuwp-yphHEI3JA68iazVGgYOUPJ17_E4nNXqdxbTW2ZA3jEyvilRH5dKXCCzc7nmt/s640/snow-white-mercury-330.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse Nellie's butterfly costume for the finale. Loved this one as well, especially the headdress, although there aren't any photos that really show it off. Unfortunately there aren't any production photos of the dressing gown and the mirror costume I made for the dame this year.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjls3wu_kuJmNl890t0pHxlSkluE7GqhNydJTQKGjVE-ZXDZWALOOzYMa-XoJf_s2IvO9RGAiOe_N0-cqHEt-k09mADNy6tr3SjboKA6gUBEadSGWHrTUYAsS1iSsJai9WV6Psf1JkTX16F/s1600/Carli-Norris-Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs-Photo-by-Robert-Workman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjls3wu_kuJmNl890t0pHxlSkluE7GqhNydJTQKGjVE-ZXDZWALOOzYMa-XoJf_s2IvO9RGAiOe_N0-cqHEt-k09mADNy6tr3SjboKA6gUBEadSGWHrTUYAsS1iSsJai9WV6Psf1JkTX16F/s640/Carli-Norris-Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs-Photo-by-Robert-Workman.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Enchantress's headdress. Her costumes were all made by Wendy Harrup. And Carli Norris was a brilliant Enchantress!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Enchantress's wedding headdress in action. The King's costume was made by Corinna Vincent.</td></tr>
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So, just to reiterate, I made the animal costumes, 5 costumes for Nurse Nellie, 2 headdresses for the Enchantress, 2 more horned headdresses for Nurse Nellie and Muddles (neither of which is shown here), as well as revamping a couple of older wigs for Nellie (adding butterflies to one for the finale, and a turban to another for the end of act one - not shown here.)</div>
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All in all, I had a lot on my plate, especially with the animal costumes, which took a lot of trial and error on my part! I'm very pleased with the final results though, and looking forward to taking on yet another panto at the Mercury in 2018.</div>
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In the meantime I will try to do a better job of recording the work I do that's NOT panto-related! I'm currently working on a pair of completely hand sewn 1780s stays that I started in a class at The School of Historical Dress the other week, so I will definitely blog about that soon.</div>
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I've also got this year's Victorian Ball fast approaching. I've got a client commission to complete for then, as well as a full set of undergarments and a gown for my mum, who will be joining me this year. Realistically I'm unlikely to have time to complete a new gown for myself, so I will probably wear last years again, and add the trim I didn't get around to doing this time last year. I never actually posted that dress on my blog, but you can see photos on my website, -<a href="http://www.kittypowercostume.co.uk/1880s-gold-evening-dress" target="_blank">here</a>-. Hopefully I'll actually remember to get pictures at the venue this time around!</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-16304552264363993922018-02-28T19:00:00.000+00:002018-02-28T19:00:06.922+00:00Snow White: Part Three<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For Snow White I made 8 animal costumes in total - 3 squirrels, 3 rabbits, and 2 mice. As with the rats in last year's Dick Whittington, these were worn by the Junior Chorus.<br />
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I made the heads in much the same way as I did last year. I sculpted a mould over a wig block in bubblewrap, then covered it in tin foil and heated varaform over the top with a hair dryer. I actually used the same mould for all three types of animal, just padded out the jawline a little more when doing the squirrels, and made the snout pointier for the mice. The ears were also made from varaform and added afterwards.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVL8yDGXPv_3ZLZYPXIj0mwA5YKSFnaJsEfYfLYNF-KvEG6AxhOjSC0CxR3UcQdQ2oKwdKzKR8-OC8YzHbnTIv4TXfl2QNbypohujZP4Nczp14Fy5NniPUlo5tNHGzE2v-1NU-nZvR2Igr/s1600/IMG_20171104_101445920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1149" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVL8yDGXPv_3ZLZYPXIj0mwA5YKSFnaJsEfYfLYNF-KvEG6AxhOjSC0CxR3UcQdQ2oKwdKzKR8-OC8YzHbnTIv4TXfl2QNbypohujZP4Nczp14Fy5NniPUlo5tNHGzE2v-1NU-nZvR2Igr/s640/IMG_20171104_101445920.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
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The effect we were going for with these was much more 'cutesy' than the evil rats from last year, so this time I gave them big, innocent eyes, which were made from half a plastic bauble each, painted black on the inside. The lights bouncing off the plastic give them a really lovely life-like effect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHJwWqzQ1s5zqFxO2inqK9JrFlfA0PvEob6YS1hyphenhyphenZinLW2675Mboo3_AFB7ljnIdQReZdLGE4SGtJwSNCB8Sf5eu13x6CZPyb7ceN55qyHvL_ORglT5TtEfRhMaiPK-MBz7q94iejdNhO/s1600/IMG_20171104_101407931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHJwWqzQ1s5zqFxO2inqK9JrFlfA0PvEob6YS1hyphenhyphenZinLW2675Mboo3_AFB7ljnIdQReZdLGE4SGtJwSNCB8Sf5eu13x6CZPyb7ceN55qyHvL_ORglT5TtEfRhMaiPK-MBz7q94iejdNhO/s640/IMG_20171104_101407931.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR2akCFm0J00LmTMpwwZoKz2LlWFW_F_VoGiJMVfOvlM8SsQlexdonpNabDZwCx_w5gr3x-ddn1xMaO5pGw2Z7WN0JxbjG3xfV5wWJ8vHCXpy_RMVI6SnwHucG69A1Csduw0N9mMZ0T6P/s1600/IMG_20171104_101203670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNR2akCFm0J00LmTMpwwZoKz2LlWFW_F_VoGiJMVfOvlM8SsQlexdonpNabDZwCx_w5gr3x-ddn1xMaO5pGw2Z7WN0JxbjG3xfV5wWJ8vHCXpy_RMVI6SnwHucG69A1Csduw0N9mMZ0T6P/s640/IMG_20171104_101203670.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Snouts and inner ears were done in felt, and the fur was attached with hot glue. Whiskers were made from fishing line and the nostrils drawn on with a sharpie.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqdvgOPGoBrltz4FXscMnJtmeUpl7VZMKMoav9PxQ1W_YY5yKPCVqsXiT1WYuWpvRfxZ3XpIZnhVqPGFBgrN0uEa5cCGn8UiJU7TB8U-NqQW6fKNmRyObhby-kdRk1lnnj6jqKhltgAnI/s1600/IMG_20171104_100941506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqdvgOPGoBrltz4FXscMnJtmeUpl7VZMKMoav9PxQ1W_YY5yKPCVqsXiT1WYuWpvRfxZ3XpIZnhVqPGFBgrN0uEa5cCGn8UiJU7TB8U-NqQW6fKNmRyObhby-kdRk1lnnj6jqKhltgAnI/s640/IMG_20171104_100941506.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I don't have any good behind the scenes photos of the bodies to share here, as the best I have are photos from the fittings with the junior chorus, and it wouldn't be right to upload these. I created the structure for each body out of fibre glass rods, and reinforced a lot of these with galvanised wire as I was ultra paranoid about them snapping during the run! I haven't heard otherwise though, so I assume they all survived it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCAlJy2UKsZbrMAd_qmaxSCJ5vqf1GcDo__OhXF8pQs9aVz7zjSQtJ0QY1KxtgFZnIapjCxgav5RE6dnf56v-eVUgh6lGoLqDk2MBskPhl5_vbCJIaSen3chcw_hu2Eq53IUGuzmodye5/s1600/IMG_20171103_131519504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCAlJy2UKsZbrMAd_qmaxSCJ5vqf1GcDo__OhXF8pQs9aVz7zjSQtJ0QY1KxtgFZnIapjCxgav5RE6dnf56v-eVUgh6lGoLqDk2MBskPhl5_vbCJIaSen3chcw_hu2Eq53IUGuzmodye5/s640/IMG_20171103_131519504.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excuse my thumb! </td></tr>
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I draped a pattern for the fur over the top, sewed the fur pieces together, then slotted them over the fibreglass "cage" and used cable ties to secure them in place. Each body closes at the back neck with a buckle.<br />
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I made the mice tails exactly the same way as the rat tails from the year before. The squirrel tails were a much more time consuming beast. I used a wired foam tube for the base of each one, then ruffled up many many yards of net and attached them in a spiral from the base to the tip. I didn't trust hot glue to hold them in place by itself, so this meant a lot of awkward hand sewing with a curved needle. Finally, the net was slashed and chopped into to rough up the look. This photo shows one prior to roughing up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT6eNhmplvXzSwQWGEzbvw6B97q99vfIMVwRGKY9QJbi6iNTO3r3ub9DbQx1McJPcXdw7ZBVlpK_vliwnfhd6iD2MZXUDb6VH-qS8ZpRa14r0WjNvOax_5Y7oErLGSPfnC5M0dakSuO_F/s1600/IMG_20171025_190607886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1094" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT6eNhmplvXzSwQWGEzbvw6B97q99vfIMVwRGKY9QJbi6iNTO3r3ub9DbQx1McJPcXdw7ZBVlpK_vliwnfhd6iD2MZXUDb6VH-qS8ZpRa14r0WjNvOax_5Y7oErLGSPfnC5M0dakSuO_F/s640/IMG_20171025_190607886.jpg" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me wearing a squirrel frame, surrounded by the bodies of woodland animals...</td></tr>
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Overall I was very happy with the heads, but in two minds about the bodies. The fibre glass framework had the advantage of making them very lightweight and minimised how hot the performers got in them - but their rigidity wasn't ideal. The choreography was fairly minimal but even so, I thought the performers did look a little awkward when trying to kneel down on stage.<br />
The other, more widely used option for full body suits is to pattern the base in plastazote foam, although this obviously makes them a lot warmer to wear. I'd like to give this a go in the future just so I can compare both styles, and in the meantime I'll continue to mull over other ways of creating the ideal animal suit that's both lightweight AND flexible. One day I'll crack it!<br />
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In other news, I may be making a cow for Jack and the Beanstalk this year, so stay tuned for that!</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-58046540115466224682018-02-26T23:07:00.001+00:002018-02-26T23:07:34.060+00:00Snow White: Part Two<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Snow White closed at least a month and a half ago, so it's probably about time I share some more photos on here. I've requested some promotional shots from the theatre, but in the mean time here are more of mine. You'll have to excuse my poor quality camera phone, as well as the fact that the dresses all made for a man with a 40" chest are being shown on a size 8 female mannequin.</div>
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I made 5 costumes for the dame this year. First up:</div>
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Nurse Nellie's "Basic" - or, the main costume she wears in Act 1</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLttobwjYvY9FOi2eqh56jbs2JgCG__gTIdnhyphenhyphencM7nIsrXAuO_GjELDwRvg9Qo6q5JZOe_nRWB6I1nOdU1sYVgIFOF7lnjJtU7i0_FdiGEvw7fPueUZir0zBClzTKrSX3-LfuQimIwzFa/s1600/IMG_20171112_151140579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLttobwjYvY9FOi2eqh56jbs2JgCG__gTIdnhyphenhyphencM7nIsrXAuO_GjELDwRvg9Qo6q5JZOe_nRWB6I1nOdU1sYVgIFOF7lnjJtU7i0_FdiGEvw7fPueUZir0zBClzTKrSX3-LfuQimIwzFa/s640/IMG_20171112_151140579.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'waterfall' back drapery is my favourite part.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEKdQvBQA3xAfIoAWPpk1mMkCf41ne66Rio7u0LnEWUDWrU9l0d2G1oF4Epp4YSCk3aYsbodXgB6CJ_WV_0QlssZukiG_imLz3VHUg8ZXRSnziWp7LbkkNEq-j2Ykaijoi9JatmIr8n_m/s1600/IMG_20171112_151037157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEKdQvBQA3xAfIoAWPpk1mMkCf41ne66Rio7u0LnEWUDWrU9l0d2G1oF4Epp4YSCk3aYsbodXgB6CJ_WV_0QlssZukiG_imLz3VHUg8ZXRSnziWp7LbkkNEq-j2Ykaijoi9JatmIr8n_m/s640/IMG_20171112_151037157.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's an all-in-one dress - even the crinoline is attached - with a CB zip for easy quick change.</td></tr>
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Nellie's "Mirror" dress</div>
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A classic scene, in which Nurse Nellie and Muddles both end up hiding behind the Enchantress's magic mirror, and hilarity ensues as they each pretend to be her reflection. Both wear an exaggerated version of the Enchantress's gown and headdress.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6WCMtP3o5K-6bKWJS6Bf7pUweLD694LvHoo80lfzXmCME7TDNb0EoxlLXYJXcqoP-F1mST36w3G5yHW_CLm7iRE-GRMXAJo59Le2j86HHiivyVPCoo0iov7Zmzd0H2HwPBygMP4rXtn9/s1600/IMG_20171113_133252146.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ6WCMtP3o5K-6bKWJS6Bf7pUweLD694LvHoo80lfzXmCME7TDNb0EoxlLXYJXcqoP-F1mST36w3G5yHW_CLm7iRE-GRMXAJo59Le2j86HHiivyVPCoo0iov7Zmzd0H2HwPBygMP4rXtn9/s640/IMG_20171113_133252146.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mmcvLtxz84HVz9PxiWO6XcdzW8HTK5xilTIj_qa2vozv2zT4WPo0gjbMQZca0jev4cKkK-lpeMtXj4bRfqCNhczc2GMkXzC0xpEsrdZUzKA9BioPg4GBrOoxEa6OqvgsKcFkCRvkNI50/s1600/IMG_20171113_132322332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mmcvLtxz84HVz9PxiWO6XcdzW8HTK5xilTIj_qa2vozv2zT4WPo0gjbMQZca0jev4cKkK-lpeMtXj4bRfqCNhczc2GMkXzC0xpEsrdZUzKA9BioPg4GBrOoxEa6OqvgsKcFkCRvkNI50/s640/IMG_20171113_132322332.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me testing out the pointy shoulders! They're made with a layer of eva foam underneath to support the shape.</td></tr>
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Nellie's End of Act 1 Dressing Gown.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2ReeFfPgiXZNAh4UNOlypcQhPfEERBIQFLr-Mz5EAOcDpbLLSVVu1xsh3XCBKFBMsu2c8TFMhL1esrBxWK1_o9l9xzNl16tmNei3pxKwfoAL4Y3weNMPXhQIuvMbez2KXjKRKnbKRKz7/s1600/IMG_20171117_061710892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2ReeFfPgiXZNAh4UNOlypcQhPfEERBIQFLr-Mz5EAOcDpbLLSVVu1xsh3XCBKFBMsu2c8TFMhL1esrBxWK1_o9l9xzNl16tmNei3pxKwfoAL4Y3weNMPXhQIuvMbez2KXjKRKnbKRKz7/s640/IMG_20171117_061710892.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A simple shape but sewing on all that feather boa took a lot longer than I care to admit!</td></tr>
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Nellie's "Hunting, or Riding" dress. </div>
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Very much inspired by 18th century redingotes, but with smatterings of Victorian in the hoop shape and upper sleeves. That's the fun thing about panto, it's all a big mash up! Worn when Nellie et al go to the forest to look for Snow White. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is probably the one I'm most proud of as it had the most fiddly details. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZftJpNkYw4Ts5Rf_EObK8Y84CEkzfYDZ8BiuipWpp6BkFclO-IZqOEw4WGccZaP89tp5s6mFm9a3oM4pg9AygzpCVmlotF2nVNnCnSIhnVLMDQPuYC-WxDrIKW9wHpfQ8b97QhhveH7d/s1600/IMG_20171117_074744197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk61NJTJOUj5l_p3XMHti5po85C3dIJXf700Dk62rgWk6CKethEdOl6lnNRlnZ4QyBPQMnRGo6GeispAXEUGLJ21XTYOacw_ejE1r3Nj6UP6atdCRJ_UYjDy-Drn3Equr_O0gAl0xRF-ex/s1600/IMG_20171117_074822062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk61NJTJOUj5l_p3XMHti5po85C3dIJXf700Dk62rgWk6CKethEdOl6lnNRlnZ4QyBPQMnRGo6GeispAXEUGLJ21XTYOacw_ejE1r3Nj6UP6atdCRJ_UYjDy-Drn3Equr_O0gAl0xRF-ex/s640/IMG_20171117_074822062.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was also pleased with all the pattern matching I managed on a quilted fabric.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SaJWhruz13-IduaZ_al-JPtlDE2-UMK_aUsLiY4HTiXJs1dyviiPtf2EazDVHfq_19TGLxIjVamhZhBn1kuKdv6ibLxSHXN4CQDcEm45p1mxJdM8MgeB0pJckTYPdh79wWBV9MrM4j9R/s1600/IMG_20171117_074856984_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SaJWhruz13-IduaZ_al-JPtlDE2-UMK_aUsLiY4HTiXJs1dyviiPtf2EazDVHfq_19TGLxIjVamhZhBn1kuKdv6ibLxSHXN4CQDcEm45p1mxJdM8MgeB0pJckTYPdh79wWBV9MrM4j9R/s640/IMG_20171117_074856984_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And finally, Nellie's "Walkdown" - the name given in panto to every character's finale costume as they "walk down" and take their bow.</div>
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And the wig. I didn't actually make the wig itself, but I did add the butterflies.</div>
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The other headdresses I made were the Enchantress's pale blue wedding henin, which you can see at the end of my previous post, and her main horned headdress, which she wears for most of the show. I also made two humourous versions of this for Nellie and Muddles to wear in the mirror scene.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklRmeLPuGgD1eiXxW6j61o7RXAle3lEZ7Q5aczRiY9pPjSDfHVvCSOjEjGRu6Tnt0SE_TkQAp_bSSnKriJDhsAHUK6i5JcbGe2vWi5CLH64Y81c0l-9PmJAwCZ3Q8Uux_6ARLD14WvpIe/s1600/IMG_20171104_095722540_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklRmeLPuGgD1eiXxW6j61o7RXAle3lEZ7Q5aczRiY9pPjSDfHVvCSOjEjGRu6Tnt0SE_TkQAp_bSSnKriJDhsAHUK6i5JcbGe2vWi5CLH64Y81c0l-9PmJAwCZ3Q8Uux_6ARLD14WvpIe/s640/IMG_20171104_095722540_HDR.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She wears interchangeable cowls with this; black and purple, depending on which dress she's wearing. I was responsible for the structure of the headdress but the decorative details on this one were mostly the designer's (David Shields) handiwork.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN438-GUTn-NUji67TqS76sqa3Fmia66_R5M_INBdwAYQWcSRqXvmkas-iVxp50eLD_0AXmjjllYP1UmUdg3BFf9jmoVZGeTDYlgbVrGmkf_Yg6AabbAn6Gl__FG5o5CfCn2EKPx0btOp0/s1600/IMG_20171104_095016913_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN438-GUTn-NUji67TqS76sqa3Fmia66_R5M_INBdwAYQWcSRqXvmkas-iVxp50eLD_0AXmjjllYP1UmUdg3BFf9jmoVZGeTDYlgbVrGmkf_Yg6AabbAn6Gl__FG5o5CfCn2EKPx0btOp0/s640/IMG_20171104_095016913_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse Nellie's version, not quite finished here (needs more bling!). The skeleton's pose was my idea...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpioYrQLne1LfuBeiyLqxrBNRcs9TXL2mo_xkvaLRu9xk5MhTuqOyFMgXjikVBaQrOuZgEI4LAHW1450_udFGnQQ6g3uqpQbQBWTgCJ8amCpQNPHl5x4Srj_YJhfBh2TxpLhPaasLLHm5/s1600/IMG_20171104_095903577_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpioYrQLne1LfuBeiyLqxrBNRcs9TXL2mo_xkvaLRu9xk5MhTuqOyFMgXjikVBaQrOuZgEI4LAHW1450_udFGnQQ6g3uqpQbQBWTgCJ8amCpQNPHl5x4Srj_YJhfBh2TxpLhPaasLLHm5/s640/IMG_20171104_095903577_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annoyingly this is the most complete photo I have of Muddle's version. I was going for a jester look with the horns in this one. You can still see the white of the fosshape base underneath. Each base was blocked on a wig block padded to the size of the actor's head.</td></tr>
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And I'll save the animals for another post as this one is getting a little unwieldy.<br />
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Also, excitingly, we've been nominated for best costume design in the Great British Panto Awards! Well done to David Shields for designing, and the whole costume team for being a crazy awesome bunch!</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-30441683713634763792017-11-06T17:29:00.002+00:002017-11-06T17:29:24.046+00:00Snow White: Part One<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm in the midst of the final rush for this year's panto at the Mercury Theatre; 'Snow White'. I realise that I only ever seem to blog about panto-related work on here, I promise I do make other costumes too! This year I was tasked with making 5 costumes for the dame (called Nurse Nellie in Snow White), as well as 8 animal costumes for the junior chorus (2x mice, 3x squirrels, and 3x rabbits), and a number of headdresses for several characters, including Nurse Nellie, the Enchantress, and Muddles.<br />
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I've been onsite for the past two weeks; doing fittings and putting the finishing touches into the animal costumes. I'm now back home and I've got two weeks left in which to finish all the dame costumes, and then I'm back onsite for tech week, so the pressure is on!<br />
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No pretty finished pictures to show you, but here's a sneak peek of some of the things I've been working on in the last few months.<br />
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-17302987719668705572017-09-21T21:58:00.002+01:002017-09-21T21:58:34.462+01:00Dick Whittington: Pantomime Rats - Varaform heads and foam tails<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I started this blog entry last year when working on Dick Whittington. This year I'm using almost identical techniques to create rabbits, squirrels and mice costumes for Snow White, so I thought it was about time I got around to finishing and publishing this!<br />
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Our King Rat broke the panto mould by <i>not </i>having any distinguishing ratty features; the closest to that is furry cuffs and lapels on his jacket. Instead he was the 'Ratty King', with a band of rat minions. The rat troupe consisted of 2 adult performers and 8 ensemble (played by children aged 8-16); meaning 10 costumes altogether.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Jh2aI4-u65XNg_Cvhb3VsEg5BOSTzbbIM0V-fcOkTxijNvRS5Bmop6Ojk8jRXyA6trsJWVUQffH8fCbzz1kkEceW0I4HvMX2-qelH18-D024vsJcSbjlmNB4jWCRNIkFmWqAqgATobiJ/s1600/IMG_20160725_173703400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Jh2aI4-u65XNg_Cvhb3VsEg5BOSTzbbIM0V-fcOkTxijNvRS5Bmop6Ojk8jRXyA6trsJWVUQffH8fCbzz1kkEceW0I4HvMX2-qelH18-D024vsJcSbjlmNB4jWCRNIkFmWqAqgATobiJ/s640/IMG_20160725_173703400.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Design by David Shields.</td></tr>
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I was given (after hinting broadly about how much I wanted to do it) the task of figuring out how to make their heads and tails.<br />
The heads sit fairly high on the head, so I came up with a scheme of mounting them on hard hat innards. To create the head shape I decided to have a go at using varaform for the first time. This is an open weave thermoplastic that becomes mouldable and sticky when heated. To create a mould I layered bubblewrap over a wig block; securing it in place with packaging tape.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8G5ZvDqlD4_ozhBN8QFWCpA87tg25hlk5VuVku7jqMyQVRxqMc7T5FbsbAelqX7USSzh_9yizjgU7FGdOQo-w17R7RyJTZzDEGglc7atAKD7eBUdkFbUFsHU1LSz66JQfxExbHBIjtjn/s1600/rat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8G5ZvDqlD4_ozhBN8QFWCpA87tg25hlk5VuVku7jqMyQVRxqMc7T5FbsbAelqX7USSzh_9yizjgU7FGdOQo-w17R7RyJTZzDEGglc7atAKD7eBUdkFbUFsHU1LSz66JQfxExbHBIjtjn/s640/rat1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here it is with cardboard ears temporarily attached to check the proportions.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad6owitgcf-Q1pThyP3R99Tmy9AIc4a9VbAMCMPFynwmd9WQVVE3IB_M6q2R8kDG0LL4_G9n493Tp2rCgO9tHGp3Qk2-aQPBUEJkYCv42_QxH2MVAaUKznffmCTDtzWlT1kVsLobCwAAn/s1600/IMG_20160823_112337971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad6owitgcf-Q1pThyP3R99Tmy9AIc4a9VbAMCMPFynwmd9WQVVE3IB_M6q2R8kDG0LL4_G9n493Tp2rCgO9tHGp3Qk2-aQPBUEJkYCv42_QxH2MVAaUKznffmCTDtzWlT1kVsLobCwAAn/s640/IMG_20160823_112337971.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moulding the varaform.</td></tr>
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The guides I found online suggested laying strips in a tray of just boiled water, then pressing them over the mould when they've softened. I found that, in practise, the strips stiffened again within seconds of leaving the water, thus not giving me enough moulding time, and it was annoying to have to constantly boil more water to replace it as it cooled. I quickly scrapped that method and turned on the steam iron.<br />
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A good industrial steam iron was more efficient, as you can direct the steam as you go; reheating areas where it needs it more, but I eventually found a third method even simpler; a hairdryer. Once again it was much easier to direct the heat, and to turn it on and off as I needed it, rather than waiting for a hot water tank to heat up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslpj39bgd7lP8KKKZQeEIcVikvzC8tq290XHRpOv7DwuJKXJ3PUKpcbdrIS3RlvlA6c0Zw2g6UI0yVS1lLLb5alUWJ0o4_pqmFXs1cYD3nZFawZ8bhj2DJdSb1P5LF_hyphenhyphenpz-bvD-Q9wAk/s1600/IMG_20160823_112330108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslpj39bgd7lP8KKKZQeEIcVikvzC8tq290XHRpOv7DwuJKXJ3PUKpcbdrIS3RlvlA6c0Zw2g6UI0yVS1lLLb5alUWJ0o4_pqmFXs1cYD3nZFawZ8bhj2DJdSb1P5LF_hyphenhyphenpz-bvD-Q9wAk/s640/IMG_20160823_112330108.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once the varaform was cooled I could take it off the mould. As there were undercuts in the mould this meant cutting a slit on the underside of the nose and partway up the CB before I was able to shift the cast off. I could then patch up those slits with more varaform, squashing the cut edges together with my fingers where they overlap to strengthen the bond.<br />
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The varaform attached to the hard hat innards with cable ties. These are threaded through the holes in the varaform mesh. Once secured, I could also trim the excess varaform away.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89gSIUFX8GWLwE2hZBg3l6lBN6qIe3tsZPe90bj8KUVNFp4LG3phfm9kN2XbAmv8AZtr4lhTKF1-ZLzmlw26ljYfu6q2ipBriZoMxHHBNNET3Lm3jLN3GnyCmkJMgm5urnEJ2l1ikMqls/s1600/IMG_20160916_162700555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="899" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg89gSIUFX8GWLwE2hZBg3l6lBN6qIe3tsZPe90bj8KUVNFp4LG3phfm9kN2XbAmv8AZtr4lhTKF1-ZLzmlw26ljYfu6q2ipBriZoMxHHBNNET3Lm3jLN3GnyCmkJMgm5urnEJ2l1ikMqls/s640/IMG_20160916_162700555.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pile of rat heads waiting to have their ears covered in pink felt.</td></tr>
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I attached all fabrics with hot glue. The teeth are made from two pieces of foam sandwiching a loop of wire that runs through the varaform mesh to secure them in place. Whiskers are lengths of fishing line.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1xshlpntsLaAgh5CobBv7nrHSutAYXGWV-MRUvzkzzZTurXmVMUY2Av0RwsnHfn1Od1JuI4kZaow-hvo1t2rxUzTFflhWeQo6zi8IwDW6r3cYXvUzYfLX0qRlkyajUgbc1fRUNjX4Ba-/s1600/IMG_20161111_125126364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1xshlpntsLaAgh5CobBv7nrHSutAYXGWV-MRUvzkzzZTurXmVMUY2Av0RwsnHfn1Od1JuI4kZaow-hvo1t2rxUzTFflhWeQo6zi8IwDW6r3cYXvUzYfLX0qRlkyajUgbc1fRUNjX4Ba-/s640/IMG_20161111_125126364.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completed rat heads.</td></tr>
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I made the tails from pipe insulating tubes. These are hollow in the middle, with a slit cut along the side. I started by tapering one end to a point to create the tip of the tail. I then fed a length of wire along the slit, and attached cotton tape over the top to hold it. I attached a second length of cotton tape along the other side, then made cuts 2" apart along both the top and the bottom of the tube and bent it into a suitably tail-like S shape. I covered each tail with a double layer of pink lycra and painted into them, emphasizing the segmentation with some watered down acrylic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLBER9iq98Akiq-e9-jBleXjdNSwIMY7u2mQlfj6kOQjTtetjcoyEcmW4oNz7Q4oKzO63oM_qIi1Kn_dBL_4wxC17ijsu5KuUHSCvdf-Gh_Mf3vTRrs2Oaa3OhgXR_qvbewJUQ1daglsD/s1600/IMG_20160826_105741075_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwLBER9iq98Akiq-e9-jBleXjdNSwIMY7u2mQlfj6kOQjTtetjcoyEcmW4oNz7Q4oKzO63oM_qIi1Kn_dBL_4wxC17ijsu5KuUHSCvdf-Gh_Mf3vTRrs2Oaa3OhgXR_qvbewJUQ1daglsD/s640/IMG_20160826_105741075_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prior to being covered.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXWRZH-kzIiKbGsvxu8dgRhe4dELYVsnUpgoRLiSZT-2q_qop0BBE2gxw3R9nZ-faZBquyllXOnXJyk3tAnaneWn89tS_q1q7ZZld8Qrr6YN73GiUOsuzLeDXIn8Ujlzo-F50tFoqEQti/s1600/DW-RattyKing%2526Rats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1581" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXWRZH-kzIiKbGsvxu8dgRhe4dELYVsnUpgoRLiSZT-2q_qop0BBE2gxw3R9nZ-faZBquyllXOnXJyk3tAnaneWn89tS_q1q7ZZld8Qrr6YN73GiUOsuzLeDXIn8Ujlzo-F50tFoqEQti/s640/DW-RattyKing%2526Rats.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onstage for a dance number! Furry trousers mostly Corinna & Abbie's handiwork I believe. Ratty King (centre) costume also made by me. All designed by David Shields.</td></tr>
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Stay tuned for more furry rodent costumes from this year's panto! Funny how one can sometimes stumble into a specialism...</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-43505237882706387782016-09-23T18:32:00.000+01:002016-09-23T18:32:32.111+01:00Jane Austen Festival 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been wanting to go to the Jane Austen Festival for a few years now, but have always either run out of time to make a costume, or had other things on that clashed, so I kept having to put it off. This year, as work was keeping me busy, I was once again in danger of waiting yet another year. Luckily this time I'd planned ahead, and already had a day dress I'd made for myself in June.<br />
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I decided to just go for the promenade on the Saturday, so I could at least get a feel for it this time round, and maybe go for a longer period some other year. I invited my mum along, who was excited to get her own costume, and my dad ended up coming too to take some photos.<br />
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I tried rag curls overnight, and they were semi successful. I just pinned up the ones that didn't work out so they were hidden by my bonnet. Unfortunately we were rained on for most of the promenade, so the successful curls didn't stay that way for very long.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgwQniC7hzLLabpaHwWp9grYNT8ZPJ00mzYk_0UVkv0xN-ntSoareTyxJH2Fjse-kIg_sL_KahtI3hIRDoZaoT48fwvKPoruAROi_bD5QTQzFPNYQ00isyKnPUPj3MbFBIIlhyphenhyphenOjiFnry/s1600/janeaustenpromenade2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqgwQniC7hzLLabpaHwWp9grYNT8ZPJ00mzYk_0UVkv0xN-ntSoareTyxJH2Fjse-kIg_sL_KahtI3hIRDoZaoT48fwvKPoruAROi_bD5QTQzFPNYQ00isyKnPUPj3MbFBIIlhyphenhyphenOjiFnry/s640/janeaustenpromenade2016.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting a brave face on for the rain.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpyrlBap2lcw2JB1grW-LZVksiCLTv7yn-tpfpzhpPdmV87FU_CoFcGp8YNAsXLTMYurEsknnB8BvMErkhYBJAlyoHN01PRKku7KBadw77ZQcXjr-Tj5XpQG4Wo3YuJioSVlc1-FLcJ1O/s1600/janeaustenpromenade2016_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpyrlBap2lcw2JB1grW-LZVksiCLTv7yn-tpfpzhpPdmV87FU_CoFcGp8YNAsXLTMYurEsknnB8BvMErkhYBJAlyoHN01PRKku7KBadw77ZQcXjr-Tj5XpQG4Wo3YuJioSVlc1-FLcJ1O/s640/janeaustenpromenade2016_2.jpg" width="524" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Lucky I was wearing cotton, it dried pretty quickly. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSxeaessTc9w7OCSvixlytkxCmubExFYOxJD_aD603zEgN_AH1j8yCxXJt_fZW0lF869iJqruT8mQmvjBwh120eCogyH8og00g8uMOsUPC78grerIfROrasroAiGTuM9gLvBwRigGKGWe/s1600/janeaustenpromenade2016_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSxeaessTc9w7OCSvixlytkxCmubExFYOxJD_aD603zEgN_AH1j8yCxXJt_fZW0lF869iJqruT8mQmvjBwh120eCogyH8og00g8uMOsUPC78grerIfROrasroAiGTuM9gLvBwRigGKGWe/s640/janeaustenpromenade2016_3.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From behind. Mum didn't want her face shown, which is why I've cropped her out of the other photos.</td></tr>
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After the promenade we had lunch in a nearby restaurant, then checked out the market stalls in the Assembly Rooms. To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed by the whole experience. Being rained on didn't bother me, but I feel like, not knowing any of the other promenaders beforehand, the experience wasn't really set up in a way that made it easy to meet people. We chatted a bit with the people around us before and as we walked, but that was about it. I think part of it was because there were SO many people, and I'm a naturally introverted type. I think if we'd gone to one of the events that involved milling around with a smaller group of the same people for a few hours, that would have helped a lot with the social aspect.<br />
I really enjoy the Prior Attire Victorian Ball - and the group dances and circular tables for eating at all contribute to creating a more intimate atmosphere where it's easy to relax and get to know the other dancers. So perhaps I should have tried going to the Regency Ball that evening as well... but alas, I had no gown for it!<br />
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Oh, and the other thing about being in a Regency Promenade is that it's rubbish for costume admiring! All I could see were the ones in our immediate vicinity. Oh well, you live and learn. I'm glad I went, and I won't rule out going another year, I'll just have to try out some of the other events besides the promenade.<br />
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In costume news I've decided that I do actually need some regency stays to wear with this. I thought that, being small busted, I could get away with just a bodiced petticoat, but because there's no lift whatsoever it just leaves the front of my bodice looking a bit sad and droopy. Not the best look. I also feel like the bonnet suited a later period than the dress, so that'll have to be rectified at some point too. I am happy with the fullness of the skirt in the back though, yay, cartridge pleating!<br />
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-672822733547278402016-09-18T15:05:00.000+01:002016-09-18T15:05:17.895+01:00Dick Whittington<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm hard at work on various costume pieces for Dick Whittington at the moment, which is preventing me from doing any historical sewing. I can't really complain though, as I've been given some wonderful designs and costume props to sink my teeth into. Alongside costumes for Idle Jack and costumes and wigs for both Sarah the Cook and Ratty King; I've also been asked to make all the rat heads and tails for the ensemble cast. I've been documenting as I go so will put up a few panto how-to posts once the show has opened.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUC0xSplklcdWjrobyzLdZqNab55k1T_cYayQTe47hX5-_E96awhOLKc5jS98Pp1pCkbfMT4ExxpdoFs4jHJp0Q6oBKCStGdTwCqGtpd9nE4vz0RUffdK57FpRtypi24dC1YhQkAWfcbFv/s1600/IMG_20160804_090518764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUC0xSplklcdWjrobyzLdZqNab55k1T_cYayQTe47hX5-_E96awhOLKc5jS98Pp1pCkbfMT4ExxpdoFs4jHJp0Q6oBKCStGdTwCqGtpd9nE4vz0RUffdK57FpRtypi24dC1YhQkAWfcbFv/s640/IMG_20160804_090518764.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sneak peak.</td></tr>
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I've also been asked to make some fairy wings, which I'm very excited to have a go at! I very nearly got the chance to for Sleeping Beauty a few years ago, but the job went to someone else so I've been hankering after an opportunity to give wing making a try.<br />
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I've got a Dame fitting on Tuesday that I need to finish a couple of toiles for, but I couldn't resist doing a bit of googling for fairy wing inspiration in my coffee break.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiDg1AK0MPrNp-kkxnwCKdJk8mofWKQKxOeEz0YsQ28Co2kpTE2jzdplOaw2dtKRMYLUfaEkwAeAupKE_bAodObykLFwt80ra0wAEMAlmhv4uyRZN2swvyJByR95ZcForhXlpM6oUKvwG/s1600/faeryazarelle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiDg1AK0MPrNp-kkxnwCKdJk8mofWKQKxOeEz0YsQ28Co2kpTE2jzdplOaw2dtKRMYLUfaEkwAeAupKE_bAodObykLFwt80ra0wAEMAlmhv4uyRZN2swvyJByR95ZcForhXlpM6oUKvwG/s640/faeryazarelle.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://faeryazarelle.deviantart.com/art/Giant-Luna-Triple-Paneled-Fairy-Wings-509895378" target="_blank">FaeryAzarelle</a></td></tr>
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FaeryAzarelle on Deviantart does beautiful wings made from iridescent film and an aluminium frame. I don't have access to a water jet machine for cutting aluminium, so I'd be tempted to use a thin cuttable plastic sheet for the veins. I've seen tutorials of other people using cardstock, but I'm not sure how durable that would be - and this does have to hold up for panto!<br />
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A couple of other options:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdj-6gd24tTrVqXgzaCsOxZxXYKmnHAUuWHPm_rffy9c9d9Rp2TxvlHAOb3nkNEh9nzs7jIcNTSGZNU6WdW2_Y-jtF18gFLk4RdXL8p62I5XBc8iNVOU_MrgOAd-8thXSgSVASqsdVfLgV/s1600/cinderellafairygodmother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdj-6gd24tTrVqXgzaCsOxZxXYKmnHAUuWHPm_rffy9c9d9Rp2TxvlHAOb3nkNEh9nzs7jIcNTSGZNU6WdW2_Y-jtF18gFLk4RdXL8p62I5XBc8iNVOU_MrgOAd-8thXSgSVASqsdVfLgV/s640/cinderellafairygodmother.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://radiodisneyclub.fr/cendrillon-costumes-exposes-melbourne/" target="_blank">Fairy Godmother Wings from the live action Cinderella film</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqEq6S0688-KOP-WGc3zDHulU7hCetCLQ62M5Wkr3uAFOt-nttV_CgIo9B7iSPqTP6sK7cw8zSXiyBHyBsc1rgU-GAZufMKAMSWb5gGSYJW_r_UTSXqhWFXhOIUq9PoJ5kmylv6X1XMgY/s1600/fairy-wings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqEq6S0688-KOP-WGc3zDHulU7hCetCLQ62M5Wkr3uAFOt-nttV_CgIo9B7iSPqTP6sK7cw8zSXiyBHyBsc1rgU-GAZufMKAMSWb5gGSYJW_r_UTSXqhWFXhOIUq9PoJ5kmylv6X1XMgY/s640/fairy-wings.jpg" width="630" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very sophisticated take on the old nylon stretch over wire technique, from <a href="http://www.fairy-wings.com/wings.htm" target="_blank">On Gossamer Wings</a></td></tr>
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Plenty of food for thought, but now I must get back to Sarah's oversized sleeve puffs...<br />
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-7031058522969128772016-08-24T23:02:00.000+01:002016-08-27T14:43:31.555+01:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Just whiling away my evening looking at 1870s inspiration for the Victorian Ball next year, and the background to this one caught my eye.</div>
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Girl: Mum, lets go fell walking in the Lake District this summer.</div>
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Mum: Sounds great, I have the perfect dress for that...</div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/af/44/8b/af448b50f44ca82b4664e965afe985f7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/af/44/8b/af448b50f44ca82b4664e965afe985f7.jpg" width="486" /></a></div>
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Ok yes, there is a horse and trap waiting for them in the background, but that shepherdess' crook means business, surely?</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-21763418312926352312016-07-26T23:48:00.001+01:002016-07-27T00:09:18.489+01:00Aladdin: Photos!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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And thus, 6 months after Panto finished, I'm finally rounding off my Aladdin series with some photos from the show. The Mercury ended up selling all the costumes on to Salisbury Playhouse, so if you fancy catching them in action you can do this Christmas as well!</div>
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I was really lucky with photos this time, unlike in the previous year when the Slosh wigs were the only ones that got photographed onstage. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKAP6d_0nXmPsgDsNb2vH2NZH0nPiPG1hahcClAv4lBI0OLNLjE-x3EJhEcX3ve9Qk6JKVAnKRLseCNafybJYuW-Mhl1thTLGPNiDZvoTYbw9L9HGVIYk6AI4KTLWuOBJ0AOgkYc082qz/s1600/317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKAP6d_0nXmPsgDsNb2vH2NZH0nPiPG1hahcClAv4lBI0OLNLjE-x3EJhEcX3ve9Qk6JKVAnKRLseCNafybJYuW-Mhl1thTLGPNiDZvoTYbw9L9HGVIYk6AI4KTLWuOBJ0AOgkYc082qz/s640/317.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Pagoda wig and costume in action. I really like this photo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAAtQM4eZekubNYHtXQ3dmO408QwOkvTLvu9R7MRW0i-BbcK9zFKMgluCruzMYJdyAnFM1w6Zg0zpqwKi99sGYzKL1RpxRgDtHwA-wXfQYTwLgRDGxW_SnJ7VQ5Fgn_pTz-3zpTR6nBe0/s1600/IMG_7651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAAtQM4eZekubNYHtXQ3dmO408QwOkvTLvu9R7MRW0i-BbcK9zFKMgluCruzMYJdyAnFM1w6Zg0zpqwKi99sGYzKL1RpxRgDtHwA-wXfQYTwLgRDGxW_SnJ7VQ5Fgn_pTz-3zpTR6nBe0/s640/IMG_7651.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Lampshade wig.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpfmsye2dyiD7W9CZK-qM6LkzQAm04oukJae3Rc7XHMnpwY8upWV18vULvfSv2jEN6FWSZNrXFgIiyLowhtaS9ZXVhEAV03a7wy2W2J9QGCyFGu9mmIb5b-VSaC58JEsYDcgoDKeZcAYG/s1600/249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpfmsye2dyiD7W9CZK-qM6LkzQAm04oukJae3Rc7XHMnpwY8upWV18vULvfSv2jEN6FWSZNrXFgIiyLowhtaS9ZXVhEAV03a7wy2W2J9QGCyFGu9mmIb5b-VSaC58JEsYDcgoDKeZcAYG/s640/249.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="text-align: left;">Carmen Miranda. Luckily there were no issues with fruit falling off during the run. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtdmtLBL1QX87cTPtxdvHmNcrfpcb1BSlW_fkWFUvaDtv8P3ECw5w2P_yDpV_XOSEoKSCplnVGF9SYfEKfJ8T1aCZ01dn47Z8HdwVWs98x7Dk8Zccsw-PA-98Kl8lVm8a8XdrqY0NoCDe/s1600/IMG_7825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtdmtLBL1QX87cTPtxdvHmNcrfpcb1BSlW_fkWFUvaDtv8P3ECw5w2P_yDpV_XOSEoKSCplnVGF9SYfEKfJ8T1aCZ01dn47Z8HdwVWs98x7Dk8Zccsw-PA-98Kl8lVm8a8XdrqY0NoCDe/s640/IMG_7825.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Imperial wig. One of my favourites.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWNX6WOX1vsAym6G4CiXiJst3rsqd_8JRfK_JSwlWaTNKGOeSMup9XwoI2K4EXeAYcnBp4qUjNLmJGy8hsC7GDmAS9T88_xI_6MRy0Vw3kax5_oc_lnSUkxYbjelW16yA7tRfyMUv7kWx/s1600/IMG_7692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsWNX6WOX1vsAym6G4CiXiJst3rsqd_8JRfK_JSwlWaTNKGOeSMup9XwoI2K4EXeAYcnBp4qUjNLmJGy8hsC7GDmAS9T88_xI_6MRy0Vw3kax5_oc_lnSUkxYbjelW16yA7tRfyMUv7kWx/s640/IMG_7692.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="text-align: left;">Slosh wig. I had to make two 'headscarves' as they need cleaning between shows. The headscarf slots onto the base and is secured in place with several large poppers. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwttBAV9fNmy-U6O0pF7_7bQ0jtV3oufE_af_9H5OhyZ_2gJ_kujzUOOPVLTqD5m7AlH9HavtAKygGsAnOiUaGkcdljLYkEAYU4cwg1mUSK2hgaT2Vf5UhkPv2PsNxDianybFLIxuPKm-A/s1600/IMG_7718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwttBAV9fNmy-U6O0pF7_7bQ0jtV3oufE_af_9H5OhyZ_2gJ_kujzUOOPVLTqD5m7AlH9HavtAKygGsAnOiUaGkcdljLYkEAYU4cwg1mUSK2hgaT2Vf5UhkPv2PsNxDianybFLIxuPKm-A/s640/IMG_7718.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mid- Slosh scene... this is why the Slosh wig needs cleaning...</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qoIayOxAgKQwlr0cEpvUqlBPql2mH0shI1G_Bjh9sW-yWfA7JQ8rXRc1-SVS6qeuIL1GmkOPR0EP9EBuHd6bJpaCqW3bbt9UOiuF0PwBWpL2tkoag0QbfTeIvU1Uc_sSM_qphPY0RpbG/s1600/302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qoIayOxAgKQwlr0cEpvUqlBPql2mH0shI1G_Bjh9sW-yWfA7JQ8rXRc1-SVS6qeuIL1GmkOPR0EP9EBuHd6bJpaCqW3bbt9UOiuF0PwBWpL2tkoag0QbfTeIvU1Uc_sSM_qphPY0RpbG/s640/302.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">I didn't actually get any making-of photos for the Juliet Bravo wig, but it was the simplest to do. The police hat was bought online, then I covered the crown in two layers of white lycra and added the trims and badge. You can see my previous post for how I do the hair.</td></tr>
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Our dame, Ash, was really lovely to work with, and I'm happy to say that he'll be returning for Dick Whittington this year, so no need to alter the padding on my wig block - score! I'm also especially pleased to have been asked to take over the making of all the Dame costumes in addition to the wigs for this year's show, so I'm really excited for that, especially as I've loved the costume designs I've seen so far.</div>
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I've actually already made a start on Panto this year. Whilst in previous years my wig making schedule was confined to Oct-Nov; this time I've been asked to do a lot more costume work. I'm currently working onsite until the end of August, and have already made good headway with the Ratty King and Idle Jack costumes. Next week I'll hopefully get on to figuring out how to make some rat headdresses/masks... I quite like the idea of giving varaform a go, as that's one thermoplastic I've yet to try.</div>
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September through to the end of November I'll be working on Dame (at home, rather than onsite) so I'm going to be busy busy busy for a while. Hopefully I'll squeeze in a few historical dresses when I can...</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-61516987974519079632016-07-24T13:58:00.000+01:002016-07-27T00:09:49.004+01:00Aladdin: Pagoda Costume & Wig<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The pagoda costume ended up being the mad-panic-job at the end (there's always one). Initially I was only making the wig, but about halfway through production I was asked if I'd like to make the structural elements of the costume as well, and I couldn't resist...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJV5PJ4yj6wiUPvLGpdEyqpD9bAFVFNOTNqyxQS-yYNrUNxzdFJ7_107d0wgN3Dpnjqu9fYJNph6yUCEPyG_WzjkKOKwlGa7W-mATDeMdgp3zH0TINSw_Jr08N9p5lOzN6TlzoBwzEYfX/s1600/DSCF4167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJV5PJ4yj6wiUPvLGpdEyqpD9bAFVFNOTNqyxQS-yYNrUNxzdFJ7_107d0wgN3Dpnjqu9fYJNph6yUCEPyG_WzjkKOKwlGa7W-mATDeMdgp3zH0TINSw_Jr08N9p5lOzN6TlzoBwzEYfX/s640/DSCF4167.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mocking up the collar and skirt in card. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgu9iUMRY9VN2_bChipU14AnKl9U4PIKkNHuimSRNEVeBV48GQET4w0z0mOR80XrceZ_E0MgPdxyX89mtbCT1Z1Td6uZKiVgEC_e9LPxsZE0W6SR40SQk6EkBF11CZL9xN4Z47Jj9DPPq/s1600/DSCF4169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgu9iUMRY9VN2_bChipU14AnKl9U4PIKkNHuimSRNEVeBV48GQET4w0z0mOR80XrceZ_E0MgPdxyX89mtbCT1Z1Td6uZKiVgEC_e9LPxsZE0W6SR40SQk6EkBF11CZL9xN4Z47Jj9DPPq/s640/DSCF4169.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished skirt patterns.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IE6-Rw8hsReOgteBkLGbbZESH9oduE4Mr23CZ6fvukaGb8BApe2GRYIXZyoCEbdQ7oIsH0LEDDOkuTCeBD3m8HaisSN-x-Uh470R5whZZ-eF55Z9fJXKBtFWbSpRVou1rbFEQneGmZH2/s1600/DSCF4163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IE6-Rw8hsReOgteBkLGbbZESH9oduE4Mr23CZ6fvukaGb8BApe2GRYIXZyoCEbdQ7oIsH0LEDDOkuTCeBD3m8HaisSN-x-Uh470R5whZZ-eF55Z9fJXKBtFWbSpRVou1rbFEQneGmZH2/s640/DSCF4163.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cassie checking out the fosshape. For the wig bases I always steam fosshape over a head block, but for the costume panels I stiffened the fosshape first with an iron, before cutting it into the skirt panels and collar.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNOcrxOPPc3QqKkOUKokelWdksnIiuY6RRGgHnBHpjP6tcgWDmpd5ZDR4yhIy8KGBkUg_TXTA8H-R32Uirf7RYaP_g4TBkMxNSEB1-QsbN2cwbN2X7d2-wWQ4OXNsh5K_JPzyTXzEWl_D/s1600/DSCF4185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNOcrxOPPc3QqKkOUKokelWdksnIiuY6RRGgHnBHpjP6tcgWDmpd5ZDR4yhIy8KGBkUg_TXTA8H-R32Uirf7RYaP_g4TBkMxNSEB1-QsbN2cwbN2X7d2-wWQ4OXNsh5K_JPzyTXzEWl_D/s640/DSCF4185.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd included an overlap seam allowance on one side of each panel, so they could be secured together with a zigzag stitch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3z9dDMHwqucWygcGMuKVNJdil752PjLsdl_Kirm68zWz0Q8_1BHfH9FdJTibUFcusnAB2mHR-Rrb2w_t4tNVKJldjzpt2oZeNLqRR3HyuafevYUrcGyvfoONCXNaNwHuACOCthcpQYcI/s1600/DSCF4209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3z9dDMHwqucWygcGMuKVNJdil752PjLsdl_Kirm68zWz0Q8_1BHfH9FdJTibUFcusnAB2mHR-Rrb2w_t4tNVKJldjzpt2oZeNLqRR3HyuafevYUrcGyvfoONCXNaNwHuACOCthcpQYcI/s640/DSCF4209.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pagoda headdress came together fairly similarly.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigs7Si6fHsCiluIYdAkNGNENqKXyLgrayxqOZdCNuAL0TwnSMIvBj8eGyOyLBD0ge1k0PX_xkHOg6jyYJS3RiIIPdQAZ46P9AsjvUb-oWJpi5unwzkjeWkLpVb-_vY449QiF7kWBPWngzy/s1600/DSCF4210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigs7Si6fHsCiluIYdAkNGNENqKXyLgrayxqOZdCNuAL0TwnSMIvBj8eGyOyLBD0ge1k0PX_xkHOg6jyYJS3RiIIPdQAZ46P9AsjvUb-oWJpi5unwzkjeWkLpVb-_vY449QiF7kWBPWngzy/s640/DSCF4210.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kpBACtF9PmHSs_-HHPiGsor2NDrDzdsbkO1ZKuoR7NeXb-pn-xS9Sc4_Mwn35TEbulBZHsLBCZ0QLvykFIcMoDyeTGotg_iCnImlakkXXcXMp1cIGW_GOpp0o683jN4VupRrBIjNeC-R/s1600/DSCF4211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kpBACtF9PmHSs_-HHPiGsor2NDrDzdsbkO1ZKuoR7NeXb-pn-xS9Sc4_Mwn35TEbulBZHsLBCZ0QLvykFIcMoDyeTGotg_iCnImlakkXXcXMp1cIGW_GOpp0o683jN4VupRrBIjNeC-R/s640/DSCF4211.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see that I glued in a square base on each tier, for the pillars to stand on and support. The pillars are the kind used in a tiered wedding cake; spray painted red to match the fabric.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5XXhWN4zYNEHYdzI-KrADwgHixBg_AmuDjwkq5Vf3drxeYAlB5rKyO3vp5PJsZNCpqqddHqqdapER8f8E1gZR1eQrlLdkOSLrsHyw0e4ErmPPRvVkgn6D1UXabDu8Ldfn_3X3w77HOY6/s1600/DSCF4215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5XXhWN4zYNEHYdzI-KrADwgHixBg_AmuDjwkq5Vf3drxeYAlB5rKyO3vp5PJsZNCpqqddHqqdapER8f8E1gZR1eQrlLdkOSLrsHyw0e4ErmPPRvVkgn6D1UXabDu8Ldfn_3X3w77HOY6/s640/DSCF4215.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All fabric attached. Most of this had to be pieced together from scraps, as I was very low on fabric by this point.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXj-qfrl-crLQaK0rwX7cn1qL51OyrAeymkVLN33T2xv-EQ5xSUF-3jlotxso5yDs09sVuzThZjSKD6OmIbrLscpZs7jbRi4t7tkGdERjVQu4UJFyMISLWi3tW5361OfqxVaCq_hmw5SSV/s1600/DSCF4247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXj-qfrl-crLQaK0rwX7cn1qL51OyrAeymkVLN33T2xv-EQ5xSUF-3jlotxso5yDs09sVuzThZjSKD6OmIbrLscpZs7jbRi4t7tkGdERjVQu4UJFyMISLWi3tW5361OfqxVaCq_hmw5SSV/s640/DSCF4247.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trimmed and ready to go!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCxV04L8UqF2np8Dd1nNN6yZZ6Ksn10I9cShk8ggNMHZRNGCrx53fu3QsDPyPdCponYesP_Gl_pMh4VHcubqoVYMUMuoAWxg_k2FxmaSikDMMpKMpS6iaJZeyemE_YeTiWJEwJspzJrFD/s1600/DSCF4241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCxV04L8UqF2np8Dd1nNN6yZZ6Ksn10I9cShk8ggNMHZRNGCrx53fu3QsDPyPdCponYesP_Gl_pMh4VHcubqoVYMUMuoAWxg_k2FxmaSikDMMpKMpS6iaJZeyemE_YeTiWJEwJspzJrFD/s640/DSCF4241.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed costume! Excuse the unpressed dress fabric, these photos were taken about 5 minutes before the courier was due to collect them</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJq_Hz6HcrJ1tpTrWl8qMpcUmvsLPGMgf44hLg1oikHJd2TiUCz6KPwlXjCj47Y1oVhzHjNR_T5pTISMoaa29ouq8-asyQ-EvBOOKDRDUjVIYQuDMe0totin3p8HR2orQ8jIySdj4435f/s1600/DSCF4242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJq_Hz6HcrJ1tpTrWl8qMpcUmvsLPGMgf44hLg1oikHJd2TiUCz6KPwlXjCj47Y1oVhzHjNR_T5pTISMoaa29ouq8-asyQ-EvBOOKDRDUjVIYQuDMe0totin3p8HR2orQ8jIySdj4435f/s640/DSCF4242.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The collar attaches to the dress with two poppers in the front, and one at the CB, as well as a hook and eye fastening at the neck.<br />
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The skirt has a hidden waistband with a side seam opening, also fastened with poppers.</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-79134236028196095462016-06-05T21:10:00.000+01:002016-07-27T00:10:20.839+01:00Aladdin Wigs: Headdresses<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Once the hair was done, it was time to move onto the individual designs for each costume.</div>
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The six wig designs for Widow Twanky were as follows:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Imperial China inspired semi-circular headdress</li>
<li>Juliet Bravo police hat</li>
<li>"Lampshade" hat, riffing off of Asian conical hats</li>
<li>Carmen Miranda fruit headdress</li>
<li>Slosh scene headscarf</li>
<li>"Pagoda" hat, with matching Pagoda themed structural costume.</li>
</ul>
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Of these, only the Slosh and Carmen Miranda designs didn't have a visible hairdo underneath.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCi1pxWSMtjyRz13hw1u7Id0yhQ5DZIU4yfTWLvdfqmm3XjjC2eLzl_3e6suxTLXxD-4yd-ZM16m0OWtyxgRZpFxegVZjJsaHB-4A-6kcxVQJRbb1TX5pW_bxWocV3Lkft6vQ2NdeH6Mu/s1600/DSCF4160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCi1pxWSMtjyRz13hw1u7Id0yhQ5DZIU4yfTWLvdfqmm3XjjC2eLzl_3e6suxTLXxD-4yd-ZM16m0OWtyxgRZpFxegVZjJsaHB-4A-6kcxVQJRbb1TX5pW_bxWocV3Lkft6vQ2NdeH6Mu/s640/DSCF4160.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I started by mocking up the Imperial headdress in card.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eduTDlW-ZVfdxfyUDCC7YVM3EEgGs9MOKMOxmVJq98QFrv4nkK-mQdolNbZMdco6cxSFawrRvmXlFQOfRy2Dy2I6Ep7JzPJM63x-0teJOUVnBjYkp2sWmeedM3jJcUh9CY5PI9drEdct/s1600/DSCF4207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eduTDlW-ZVfdxfyUDCC7YVM3EEgGs9MOKMOxmVJq98QFrv4nkK-mQdolNbZMdco6cxSFawrRvmXlFQOfRy2Dy2I6Ep7JzPJM63x-0teJOUVnBjYkp2sWmeedM3jJcUh9CY5PI9drEdct/s640/DSCF4207.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The headdress was made with two layers of buckram sandwiching a layer of plastazote. The gold fabric was glued on with copydex, and additional decorations added with uhu. I drilled a hole in the end of each hairstick, pulling the end of the tassel through, wrapping it round the stick, and fixing with uhu. Still, the headdress looked a bit bare for my liking...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyWT920gvfXxiaamKWGUEas2vUO68RjGP99GPIqnjUB07MxGe7KOAF3zTr1nuhnK2aLNtPnmRDTu_Rk2qR7vNvpN-tTAsLnA-Q6BlFXg4FoT4X09zbk4iYRjn8pHcbj0M9DC3xQ8P11Ve/s1600/DSCF4229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyWT920gvfXxiaamKWGUEas2vUO68RjGP99GPIqnjUB07MxGe7KOAF3zTr1nuhnK2aLNtPnmRDTu_Rk2qR7vNvpN-tTAsLnA-Q6BlFXg4FoT4X09zbk4iYRjn8pHcbj0M9DC3xQ8P11Ve/s640/DSCF4229.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much better!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhCxWT4p5O6qNzX64-YdygMLHiohmprFFo-Ba7w7AwznabcRb2G8XITtDrNE9PVfNq3nnldEbr2ydoDlkOA7ubkEKuncgqaUIen-4b8t0yuNPIL_fSABIDaw43x_mGyyJCDuXjeQi09I5/s1600/DSCF4194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhCxWT4p5O6qNzX64-YdygMLHiohmprFFo-Ba7w7AwznabcRb2G8XITtDrNE9PVfNq3nnldEbr2ydoDlkOA7ubkEKuncgqaUIen-4b8t0yuNPIL_fSABIDaw43x_mGyyJCDuXjeQi09I5/s640/DSCF4194.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lampshade hat ended up taking a lot longer than anticipated. The structure was made from millinery wire, and then the whole thing had to be covered by hand as it obviously wouldn't fit under a sewing machine. I used bias tape to hide the millinery wire. Chinese lantern baubles served as earrings, sewn onto the wig itself.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwEb3EPS2GUlD0ylbOqzGsZAhZa2hyphenhyphenG2P5oAs4YApJYY4LyY1bcAJEshyiTSQfEhHoVnlN5eoBoUvL_Grg5PRppVjll8Udtnam0QQTJJuvsowwCVMaSXtJCnuK4Wvkx3ua5ckdzxedXOU/s1600/DSCF4155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlwEb3EPS2GUlD0ylbOqzGsZAhZa2hyphenhyphenG2P5oAs4YApJYY4LyY1bcAJEshyiTSQfEhHoVnlN5eoBoUvL_Grg5PRppVjll8Udtnam0QQTJJuvsowwCVMaSXtJCnuK4Wvkx3ua5ckdzxedXOU/s640/DSCF4155.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carmen Miranda was also trickier than expected. I first built a base plate for the fruit to sit on, before covering this with a layer of wadding, and then the outer sequin fabric draped into a turban look.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyPL9KAthpgtOctV6iMTsnkd7q-Vh1lb18XNGYpxCcwukiutnYDDwcCGOxGRfBfNlgsqfKoBp_W4mTluEQ2XaBsXj2hUQhLhvdhXZBfjV36go6H5Mbp14cWXeMsiy9KFOLHrEl1E09Itj/s1600/DSCF4216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyPL9KAthpgtOctV6iMTsnkd7q-Vh1lb18XNGYpxCcwukiutnYDDwcCGOxGRfBfNlgsqfKoBp_W4mTluEQ2XaBsXj2hUQhLhvdhXZBfjV36go6H5Mbp14cWXeMsiy9KFOLHrEl1E09Itj/s640/DSCF4216.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The difficulty came with getting the fruit to stick. I used a hot glue gun, but initially had trouble with the glue peeling off. The central pineapple texture was especially bad at adhering to the rest of the fruit. To combat this I attached pins to the fruit that would be touching the pineapple, then drilled small holes in the pineapple, slotting the pins in place (pointed downwards so they wouldn't slip out) and secured it all with more glue. This seemed to fix it better, but I am going to keep mulling that one over for alternative methods in the future.</td></tr>
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The slosh scene required a particularly robust headdress. For those not familiar with Panto; the slosh scene is a traditionally messy part of the show, usually involving a food fight, or mud being chucked about, or in the case of Aladdin, an extended laundry scene in which the Dame goes head first through a clothes wringer, and is doused with soap suds. Obviously an actual head of hair wouldn't last one night, so I usually get given some kind of headscarf design.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm24wbvmxuqK0F5vtqE7MFrmQAZtycXV3e2tIBtnevwmu8snJb9pJmhA8lHTmuHDOIUP3cRe95XadJ2XAWGSAHx2k3TuE5_x_ouXA7hQvWpb61KLmhGVDKa6h_bsb5nKVerWGmtVnGjtr1/s1600/DSCF4183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm24wbvmxuqK0F5vtqE7MFrmQAZtycXV3e2tIBtnevwmu8snJb9pJmhA8lHTmuHDOIUP3cRe95XadJ2XAWGSAHx2k3TuE5_x_ouXA7hQvWpb61KLmhGVDKa6h_bsb5nKVerWGmtVnGjtr1/s640/DSCF4183.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I started with a millinery wire foundation, covered in waterproof fabric.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw-xHjgn-PoRQbSko4jJ2PBSC7KQ_zQmRaXAiCsQCb9dnkGnUHugfj-n9h3Qc-oFZEfCfV9g8i1cUzrkw4e4NR7asPhVS7ggSfusK1BiZohsWIe-4EmIizv6GG6e5Y_1D7YQxJXUaX7uw/s1600/DSCF4184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVw-xHjgn-PoRQbSko4jJ2PBSC7KQ_zQmRaXAiCsQCb9dnkGnUHugfj-n9h3Qc-oFZEfCfV9g8i1cUzrkw4e4NR7asPhVS7ggSfusK1BiZohsWIe-4EmIizv6GG6e5Y_1D7YQxJXUaX7uw/s640/DSCF4184.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For this costume, the mic pack needed to be inside the wig to protect it, so I left a window in the back for it to be slotted through.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPs33SeqnJPPx6rAfJymuOANCzZkSPGL1BFgkhW5heMPczOwdHxqmKZrY8Ps3chUKtGIlpD0Iv8uf-ZRiapB0NdsuesQNEhpdlP0LQJXG7xtIyvEYfcfDw9yebg4EnmdedyzzV0Mbvfgn/s1600/DSCF4196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPs33SeqnJPPx6rAfJymuOANCzZkSPGL1BFgkhW5heMPczOwdHxqmKZrY8Ps3chUKtGIlpD0Iv8uf-ZRiapB0NdsuesQNEhpdlP0LQJXG7xtIyvEYfcfDw9yebg4EnmdedyzzV0Mbvfgn/s640/DSCF4196.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The headscarf top fabric was lined with a layer of crin and another of waterproof fabric. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjf1uvk-Hes_FvfyGJirjtzgt9gSLpMRg2LdoQ6BDsAz6wBf6_xRzww-lA0CLd1zvk4DHFn_lSQq83w-nSLVMo8vtYhBAHG6Lo1q1Yy0n6XS4uMPRxP4VkBm-6vFS1ipX0qwLFpbwCC5-/s1600/DSCF4198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjf1uvk-Hes_FvfyGJirjtzgt9gSLpMRg2LdoQ6BDsAz6wBf6_xRzww-lA0CLd1zvk4DHFn_lSQq83w-nSLVMo8vtYhBAHG6Lo1q1Yy0n6XS4uMPRxP4VkBm-6vFS1ipX0qwLFpbwCC5-/s640/DSCF4198.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And one more layer of waterproof fabric for good luck!</td></tr>
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I don't have any more process photos, but the triangular headscarf was wrapped over the waterproof lining, and the two long ends knotted together at the front. When I was happy with the positioning, I sewed the headscarf to the fitted lining. The whole thing can be pulled off the wig base (it's secured with poppers so it won't slip during the performance) so that it can be cleaned between shows. I actually made two of these, so there's no need to worry about one drying in time for an evening show after a matinee. The front of the wig base also has a row of heavily pva-d curls along the forehead.<br />
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This post is getting rather picture heavy, so I'll conclude next time with the Pagoda wig and costume, and some photos of everything in action.</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-38323945977109638242016-06-03T18:34:00.001+01:002016-07-27T00:12:25.767+01:00Regency Drop Front Dress<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I recently joined the CoBloWriMo(Costume Blog Writing Month) group on facebook, which is encouraging costume bloggers to increase their blogging prolificacy with daily prompts throughout the month of June. Today's prompt is to write about a new technique you've recently learned or would like to learn.<br />
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Since writing my to do list a couple of weeks ago, I'm pleased to say that I've made some progress, and now have my very own Regency day dress! I certainly learned a few new things along the way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eI6DHQbTdv50XbeuKwSwQo87bLdZikYravyAb2pP1jyAdEXTgL9FF75qmxU26DqzLhqL2R33cI0UFEO3bDvY4mC5pKfDy-YVuNsx82eZ1-nv-WEgSogYqtP0t1SGo4D6czFqDh41_4yW/s1600/hungarianchickbibfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9eI6DHQbTdv50XbeuKwSwQo87bLdZikYravyAb2pP1jyAdEXTgL9FF75qmxU26DqzLhqL2R33cI0UFEO3bDvY4mC5pKfDy-YVuNsx82eZ1-nv-WEgSogYqtP0t1SGo4D6czFqDh41_4yW/s320/hungarianchickbibfront.jpg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungarian Chick Bib Front Gown</td></tr>
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I decided to make a bib front dress; as The Hungarian Chick's tutorial (<a href="http://hungarican.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/benefits-of-bib-front-and-happy-friday.html" target="_blank">here</a>) was very clear and easy to follow. I wanted to make it more historically accurate though, so I poured over the fantastic close up photos of (<a href="http://www.australiandressregister.org/garment/319/" target="_blank">this</a>) gown at the National Museum of Australia, before discovering Katherine's Drop Front dress construction photos on her blog (<a href="http://koshka-the-cat.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/a-regency-drop-front-dress-construction.html" target="_blank">here</a>). I ended up following her instructions almost to the letter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZRgrpjV9O-fXPUrfzlv3cA80xSgAc6F5iPeDOAHP6F-qIRDOF5222GhFnrO-FdV4Vr4LCsNnMAVvT_2qQPFpWZzVjAPUSY3pF2IeR4G6xB76KNhuzCP6ZJj6-XOZpNipQ19oefnCWi_z/s1600/Australian+Dress+Register+-+Silver+and+blue+shot+silk+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZRgrpjV9O-fXPUrfzlv3cA80xSgAc6F5iPeDOAHP6F-qIRDOF5222GhFnrO-FdV4Vr4LCsNnMAVvT_2qQPFpWZzVjAPUSY3pF2IeR4G6xB76KNhuzCP6ZJj6-XOZpNipQ19oefnCWi_z/s400/Australian+Dress+Register+-+Silver+and+blue+shot+silk+dress.jpg" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1810-13 Silver and Blue Shot Silk Dress - Australian Dress Register</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqYawwwWLRaLO8F7WnHwdeVq2zoibjFHX0L8_bwbqln_E0L2m772OhL6cdwyXKB9n_Va3Dc3t_G2LlAZ8HcALXq30fJxMGJ9cYkvJqKz8e92NAeM8uZm28FBzKGkFzfLBxM9ueJtJCHha/s1600/IMG_20160520_133341509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqYawwwWLRaLO8F7WnHwdeVq2zoibjFHX0L8_bwbqln_E0L2m772OhL6cdwyXKB9n_Va3Dc3t_G2LlAZ8HcALXq30fJxMGJ9cYkvJqKz8e92NAeM8uZm28FBzKGkFzfLBxM9ueJtJCHha/s640/IMG_20160520_133341509.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the bodice I used the pattern in Patterns of Fashion as a guide, and draped on the stand, before checking the fit on myself. This is the final pattern after alterations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNe56LVxFbHL1UYr4Y6X3IRFOd9a5geGN8ynMzllaf4oIj16XVVN-YJWsAElFCKXp8ok4wfm-N7txOeqGXGq4juNWQSmsnRhImhuO8O8LPJjSBAeQJcrLMFJbCsaRnbTXeMxBYjkvYBlAx/s1600/IMG_20160520_150553494_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNe56LVxFbHL1UYr4Y6X3IRFOd9a5geGN8ynMzllaf4oIj16XVVN-YJWsAElFCKXp8ok4wfm-N7txOeqGXGq4juNWQSmsnRhImhuO8O8LPJjSBAeQJcrLMFJbCsaRnbTXeMxBYjkvYBlAx/s640/IMG_20160520_150553494_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cassie guarding the dress fabric for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWoqUmXwaaOxwAa126KTTaI9f3lmnFwqgbaDYlDoMMrXEy2peI3GHk_ymOcr7g9VAjaT6GyoPVhbH5RpPzv-tdqM-Yj08l-S3o1Fm68ByAaEb-iusKXMZakPToZn559UL0xaA8ywMbR7u/s1600/IMG_20160520_150619259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxWoqUmXwaaOxwAa126KTTaI9f3lmnFwqgbaDYlDoMMrXEy2peI3GHk_ymOcr7g9VAjaT6GyoPVhbH5RpPzv-tdqM-Yj08l-S3o1Fm68ByAaEb-iusKXMZakPToZn559UL0xaA8ywMbR7u/s640/IMG_20160520_150619259.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The interesting thing about 18th and early 19th century bodice construction is that the lining is put together first, and the top fabric is then mounted on it in sections, and top stitched in place. This is the new technique I wanted to try out for myself, so first I cut the lining in linen and felled the side back and shoulder seams by hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PpjyZCgowajyLODr20FCz-sAQ757yz3JaCcZsb64nP86qY2igHQTV8cBI1js-fbcWKU81UBtOD6TH2JqVxd-dCUnOPiEo7zgmAkQ7AMD8Zpi7xf5Xy4al5YEh1sApXVkcT4fDFGr6Umh/s1600/IMG_20160520_202045862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PpjyZCgowajyLODr20FCz-sAQ757yz3JaCcZsb64nP86qY2igHQTV8cBI1js-fbcWKU81UBtOD6TH2JqVxd-dCUnOPiEo7zgmAkQ7AMD8Zpi7xf5Xy4al5YEh1sApXVkcT4fDFGr6Umh/s640/IMG_20160520_202045862.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I then placed the brown cotton back piece over the top, and secured it with a running stitch within the seam allowances. Next I smoothed one of the front pieces over the lining, and pinned it in place. I turned under the seam allowance at the side back, shoulder seam, and front edge, and topstitched each one with a half back stitch. I did the same for the other side, and secured the top and lining layers together with a running stitch along the neckline and hem.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZvUWohKlWTNDl0c_A2Cyjb-QC-i0chpCiHl_KwzV03IimssHSDwdlDraaNSJ6BCv6Oe8G4utOPc113r0J12-lDRfUVkzM6O-RlwiJW_QIMD0WTB4G4ycTOFZEs2h3XG5p0oeWL2k89kh/s1600/IMG_20160521_120051262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZvUWohKlWTNDl0c_A2Cyjb-QC-i0chpCiHl_KwzV03IimssHSDwdlDraaNSJ6BCv6Oe8G4utOPc113r0J12-lDRfUVkzM6O-RlwiJW_QIMD0WTB4G4ycTOFZEs2h3XG5p0oeWL2k89kh/s640/IMG_20160521_120051262.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'd given the bodice a 1cm seam allowance all the way round, so I turned this under and slipstitched it down. As you can see, the bodice top fabric doesn't extend as far as the linen flaps at the front. When this is worn, the flaps cross over at the front, and the bib is secured over the top, hiding them from view. Using only one layer for the flaps allow them to lay more smoothly over the bust.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStKNfbRArtX0YGMi23J9np-KSUf73-tG5TAb4XHxoBvnt5wQzbw-yjprUAQtXxzvHW_4qegdAAR6Ip_IWnyQNIMJryGpdcXvHWUw-6j1fTgWEgdMoPPdVIxBaSyvUnfz7s6yLft1sVabH/s1600/IMG_20160521_120113450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiStKNfbRArtX0YGMi23J9np-KSUf73-tG5TAb4XHxoBvnt5wQzbw-yjprUAQtXxzvHW_4qegdAAR6Ip_IWnyQNIMJryGpdcXvHWUw-6j1fTgWEgdMoPPdVIxBaSyvUnfz7s6yLft1sVabH/s640/IMG_20160521_120113450.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Back view prior to slipstitching.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEc5YGmhjJ8Ll4GZ5v_AQuwJQTC_TRQcuBbse46Ra_ep3w3CKLtpIPK-6YqoJGbCOwDfNl8x_9M1rhANYbA50l1PtOTmvHBLiR3b36Bx_SyFMZXBV7BDGKxXpo6n52HIyuGZz1JQdLCJR2/s1600/IMG_20160521_194655066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEc5YGmhjJ8Ll4GZ5v_AQuwJQTC_TRQcuBbse46Ra_ep3w3CKLtpIPK-6YqoJGbCOwDfNl8x_9M1rhANYbA50l1PtOTmvHBLiR3b36Bx_SyFMZXBV7BDGKxXpo6n52HIyuGZz1JQdLCJR2/s640/IMG_20160521_194655066.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cassie helping me cartridge pleat the skirt.<br />
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I don't have any more photos of the construction, or of the finished garment, as I've yet to wear it anywhere, and my dress stand is currently in use (next up, a chemise a la reine!), but as soon as I have some nice ones, I'll be sure to post them here.</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-81427052548952120492016-05-29T22:18:00.001+01:002016-07-27T00:10:41.468+01:00Aladdin Wigs: Hair!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Almost all the Widow Twanky wigs required quite a tall, rather severe hairdo underneath each headdress or hat design, and to create that kind of volume I needed a supportive structure. As previewed in my last post, I created this out of millinery wire, using a fine gauge wire to wrap the joins (much faster than wrapping with thread, which is what I used to do!). I covered each one in a layer of net, and then sewed them to the fosshape base with a heavy duty thread and a straw millinery needle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10CSVY3ABzeLETICJuxzwrM4klI9QBYCeMuIEFIjMH_ZH-wCH2b98KANBlR8zJHExOUEUdrt6IGMIjzMrSIlCAGjpIddkeoJGsAwpvm6aw7Qtby5BO1nfbJo89AvgcRLhklndoLqeSeaA/s1600/DSCF4180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10CSVY3ABzeLETICJuxzwrM4klI9QBYCeMuIEFIjMH_ZH-wCH2b98KANBlR8zJHExOUEUdrt6IGMIjzMrSIlCAGjpIddkeoJGsAwpvm6aw7Qtby5BO1nfbJo89AvgcRLhklndoLqeSeaA/s640/DSCF4180.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here you can see several wigs in different stages of hair addition. I started by padding out the sides and most of the the head with extensions teased into hair rats. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUG4JPek6sf5SvsgMcEXdk5n9yjkWikj3z0YSeYtdyYBeYBZnehr9itJnVmANiN4Qh4H-y_MKVSvEUPpL2wuNH31rsQ1toWHeLoUluURnoz3wSO5M0d03h5A1mJUmC5QrIp5tn5ahiNflw/s1600/DSCF4138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUG4JPek6sf5SvsgMcEXdk5n9yjkWikj3z0YSeYtdyYBeYBZnehr9itJnVmANiN4Qh4H-y_MKVSvEUPpL2wuNH31rsQ1toWHeLoUluURnoz3wSO5M0d03h5A1mJUmC5QrIp5tn5ahiNflw/s640/DSCF4138.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">To make a hair rat, I first took a section of hair, and wrapped it tightly around a piece of wire. I looped the wire back on itself as shown in the photo to stop it unraveling. This I sprayed liberally with hairspray, and then blow dried until completely dry.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDJSAneC4sPzTIu9qo3ssVCpSwXFHXO1_YUCraZUyRdgnm7w2_QvdAhozLFuTrufqdO0PbgcOfSGRWhRmHWDxWRSOOJLBua0oLMBh4ZUhAzQu4HK571XkXvQTY7iniM7TyADS5FdRtq8t/s1600/DSCF4147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDJSAneC4sPzTIu9qo3ssVCpSwXFHXO1_YUCraZUyRdgnm7w2_QvdAhozLFuTrufqdO0PbgcOfSGRWhRmHWDxWRSOOJLBua0oLMBh4ZUhAzQu4HK571XkXvQTY7iniM7TyADS5FdRtq8t/s640/DSCF4147.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When the hair came off the wire, it was tightly curled. I brushed out each one, and fashioned it into a hair rat, as shown above.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iYG7je_LYmQvSM1W_BG_rMhXm6IDWwWLkKAittoDSt6z1otZnmn_ex4puF8D1glSiyZzRkMe_TSNL8YXuxrOMIv9d4MJ_okHWlOH9UdU32NcqwuREb8moCABDz8Bqx3_0BrTziYdtyDW/s1600/DSCF4150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iYG7je_LYmQvSM1W_BG_rMhXm6IDWwWLkKAittoDSt6z1otZnmn_ex4puF8D1glSiyZzRkMe_TSNL8YXuxrOMIv9d4MJ_okHWlOH9UdU32NcqwuREb8moCABDz8Bqx3_0BrTziYdtyDW/s640/DSCF4150.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Then I tacked each one on in a matching thread with big stitches.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmMoVJaiec85jvNqGrjT42l9ypxBDNCBDk3t3F-c5CjDTxZ4WftMLE6A7ibp9un6N77o36PWoovw9RlKLzMkzrhZ54jTnkx4pyPFZIMWxriPKnnN7Jy3LSB7JvIRRx3zUjRKPpPdQgB4C/s1600/DSCF4151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmMoVJaiec85jvNqGrjT42l9ypxBDNCBDk3t3F-c5CjDTxZ4WftMLE6A7ibp9un6N77o36PWoovw9RlKLzMkzrhZ54jTnkx4pyPFZIMWxriPKnnN7Jy3LSB7JvIRRx3zUjRKPpPdQgB4C/s640/DSCF4151.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">Almost ready for the smooth top layers. This got tacked down a bit more first!</span></td></tr>
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The hair extensions I used came loose in the packet, so to create strips of hair that I could sew down in layers, I first cut strips of net, then attached hair evenly along each strip with a zigzag stitch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45vANaXlGMJb67W1-kxt9hikfkTmPpXFTzYGYQf7ZFIgVTB2ueWcbPoaI8S6439N3uM_mCqnDd78xJTDlZOs2VJzSdSUXMTTmy3BQazj1XM-ACZzusZL2116PSwSlvSUFlFUZEcl-iksg/s1600/DSCF4178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45vANaXlGMJb67W1-kxt9hikfkTmPpXFTzYGYQf7ZFIgVTB2ueWcbPoaI8S6439N3uM_mCqnDd78xJTDlZOs2VJzSdSUXMTTmy3BQazj1XM-ACZzusZL2116PSwSlvSUFlFUZEcl-iksg/s640/DSCF4178.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how my studio looked for most of this job.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWttbnLJE3LI_2P8mzQVbmB5pTQJI-pSSxaH5L6DqbboCQ7tu9K__4plcZgYZCA9s6APpCvXjwg3_Njf2YB6ByonkT_UOWts1yExSHnPIbMlgv_7JEdphNvcEN51NNLT49TJNhPsml4fDo/s1600/DSCF4182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWttbnLJE3LI_2P8mzQVbmB5pTQJI-pSSxaH5L6DqbboCQ7tu9K__4plcZgYZCA9s6APpCvXjwg3_Njf2YB6ByonkT_UOWts1yExSHnPIbMlgv_7JEdphNvcEN51NNLT49TJNhPsml4fDo/s640/DSCF4182.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Each layer of hair was attached with the net facing towards the inside of the hairstyle. I kept the hair in plaits whilst sewing it on, to avoid knotting.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeIAe6tNvVHFbEekq56nuXbHnk2skS4MnxGlR_2EdUmPztvqq8g3hvDFHU45XfMsqpCbQi2Ak8sLUvPncyi4s9pJy-qd0UL3egG2RalcHVcmDqXc3ZERMYCB0ALmrPZdXY3hziGRASXiL/s1600/DSCF4199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeIAe6tNvVHFbEekq56nuXbHnk2skS4MnxGlR_2EdUmPztvqq8g3hvDFHU45XfMsqpCbQi2Ak8sLUvPncyi4s9pJy-qd0UL3egG2RalcHVcmDqXc3ZERMYCB0ALmrPZdXY3hziGRASXiL/s640/DSCF4199.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then the hair was smoothed over the top of the head and secured with layer upon layer of small stitches in a matching thread. I used a curved needle and kept the stitches fairly loose, to avoid pulling at the hair too much.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhTypRdoi3NYWcQSGxkxv5Xq8XOmTSCickZddx8K80fX8YXiZ3RouU8DFFIgVEygoejJZOPkNyhNNhPMqzP-qdxC_g2efze7j00hzzS1rpanWzmsyKMdYvtSw2-vwFSNmSOnfCpp1ucW7/s1600/DSCF4176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhTypRdoi3NYWcQSGxkxv5Xq8XOmTSCickZddx8K80fX8YXiZ3RouU8DFFIgVEygoejJZOPkNyhNNhPMqzP-qdxC_g2efze7j00hzzS1rpanWzmsyKMdYvtSw2-vwFSNmSOnfCpp1ucW7/s640/DSCF4176.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The kiss curls were made by pinning short extensions into position then applying lots of pva glue to secure the shape. Once it was dry I could cut off the excess 'tail'. I don't recommend pinning to polystyrene, as I ended up having to pick off bits of styrofoam that had gotten stuck to the glue.</div>
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Finally, once all the hair was on, and sufficiently secured in place, I went over each wig with multiple fine layers of clear spray varnish. My favourite is Rustoleum Crystal Clear, as it doesn't leave a dusty residue, unlike another brand I could name... (Valspar)</div>
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Stay tuned for the final looks, as well as how to build a wig that'll withstand a slosh scene!</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-36565844102156286992016-05-24T19:19:00.000+01:002016-07-27T00:11:05.132+01:00Aladdin Wigs: Padding the wig block, and steaming the fosshape foundation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As I've mentioned before, my annual Oct/Nov job is making the wigs worn by the Dame for the Mercury Theatre's Christmas Pantomime. Last year was my third year on the job, and involved the wigs I'm most proud of. Luckily for me, each year as my skill level has increased, so have the complexities of the designs. So in the first year, thankfully, they were fairly simple whilst I was working out the methodology of creating the structure, and using fosshape and synthetic hair for the first time. In my third year however, I could afford to work on something a bit more involved.<br />
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For 2015, the theatre chose to put on Aladdin, and so I was tasked with the making of six wigs for Widow Twanky, as well as a 'pagoda' costume that was added to the mix partway through.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkDIeQ4d2FEnll0qmF8V1ZmXANNGzVXnwF-Bvkp_GCCcsx9BHTGHFWDpApYctVfIqII85ModsUUdSDfqA6PYxMOpW7v2uK_fHioKEzZKADZVMo0nOFkRyxkeJr62zkx_zZoMyUBHqLHly/s1600/DSCF4070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkDIeQ4d2FEnll0qmF8V1ZmXANNGzVXnwF-Bvkp_GCCcsx9BHTGHFWDpApYctVfIqII85ModsUUdSDfqA6PYxMOpW7v2uK_fHioKEzZKADZVMo0nOFkRyxkeJr62zkx_zZoMyUBHqLHly/s640/DSCF4070.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Designs and measurements on the back of my studio door, ready to get started.</td></tr>
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This year I chose to use a different method, and so far the best method, for transferring the actor's measurements to the wig block. To do so I first wrapped the top of his head, including all hairlines with cling film. I then used layers of scotch tape directly over this to hold the cling film to the head, and continued to tape until the entire hairline and head were covered. I then took a sharpie and traced his hairline, which still showed from underneath, onto the tape. I'd used scotch tape for this purpose as marker pens tend to rub off regular sellotape. I also marked out the top of the head, CF & CB, and ear to ear over the top. Once I had all my markings, I could ease the tracing off his head, and mount it on a wig block.<br />
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Once the hairline was taped onto the block, I padded out the rest of the head by cutting slits into the top of the tracing, and padding out the inside with strips of newspaper until the shape was completely padded out to match the tracing. I could then tape the slits shut. I also taped over all the sharpie markings so they wouldn't rub off during steaming. I then sharpied over the top of this so that the hairline markings would get transferred to the fosshape when steamed. I had to re-sharpie the hairline every couple of goes in order to keep getting a clear mark on the fosshape.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlFP781Yq3ON5t0nHS7MFVkcvVMo0LBKq0cEvsc3wBfwkhGTcf7czsBTcnRqA4ZVoRq_I3maVRaja5pkQ5MFZef01vbI9G_lV-p1rDaYW0eZVxx0zogWK8DtDpXjmD4NFS55zDsOXnelW/s1600/DSCF4060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlFP781Yq3ON5t0nHS7MFVkcvVMo0LBKq0cEvsc3wBfwkhGTcf7czsBTcnRqA4ZVoRq_I3maVRaja5pkQ5MFZef01vbI9G_lV-p1rDaYW0eZVxx0zogWK8DtDpXjmD4NFS55zDsOXnelW/s640/DSCF4060.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brown shows the original hairline, but I enlarged to the orange line to give a bit of wriggle room to stop stray hairs peeking out.</td></tr>
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This method allowed for a really accurate head measurement, and I will continue to use it for future wigs.<br />
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I then created the fosshape wig base much as I've always done. First I cut and sewed up a basic skullcap shape in the fosshape, and pinned it over the wig block, making sure it would cover all the hairline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohQAeWfHEqxI4sjSmY4-YnwhHPs-HRMl2I8KTUYiFL-9hc8yvKySKYDkbvMa-CPnB3cGpE4L_XVdlj19ucZ6J2E6a2wfTV2x33pz_hbyudthv9CwijS6m3TW5UDd8lMfia4TQKAJUwiNC/s1600/DSCF4064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjohQAeWfHEqxI4sjSmY4-YnwhHPs-HRMl2I8KTUYiFL-9hc8yvKySKYDkbvMa-CPnB3cGpE4L_XVdlj19ucZ6J2E6a2wfTV2x33pz_hbyudthv9CwijS6m3TW5UDd8lMfia4TQKAJUwiNC/s640/DSCF4064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then, using the hand held steamer in the photo, I thoroughly steamed the entire thing until it was completely snug around the head, and there were no soft patches left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s1JSm7q-xdxvzp5dVDaJxsm4NDUOs6ax_3vufMe8EdUgdxZiFz7LR1IVL1Baff-6NKTTky7j6jXJwDrufaMfElr1eqvy_aAwTYYcR5E2Ph1eySirP_b6wKK2q2hhlqGC9dugoZOZKZpa/s1600/DSCF4065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s1JSm7q-xdxvzp5dVDaJxsm4NDUOs6ax_3vufMe8EdUgdxZiFz7LR1IVL1Baff-6NKTTky7j6jXJwDrufaMfElr1eqvy_aAwTYYcR5E2Ph1eySirP_b6wKK2q2hhlqGC9dugoZOZKZpa/s640/DSCF4065.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I could then ease this off the block, and use the transferred sharpie line on the inside of the fosshape to trim it to the correct hairline.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2tD0-J5XI3jj3xwdgFutsDXzv2CufkCZJPXi7cVJTSv29aI0TlxAo-iCQsiRNRydyNFAZiKAFxeyfopskBYra3l_mTd9w2x9Tc58JLzNqD2IUo75rseCLSSxw3vyKqKzDJuQHFIEAIOE/s1600/DSCF4135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2tD0-J5XI3jj3xwdgFutsDXzv2CufkCZJPXi7cVJTSv29aI0TlxAo-iCQsiRNRydyNFAZiKAFxeyfopskBYra3l_mTd9w2x9Tc58JLzNqD2IUo75rseCLSSxw3vyKqKzDJuQHFIEAIOE/s640/DSCF4135.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Here you can see one trimmed, painted with acrylics, and with a wire frame to hold up the large hairstyle pinned in place.</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-10254279481610973242016-05-21T18:10:00.000+01:002016-07-27T00:15:36.916+01:00Tudor Hats: Part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This has been sitting in my drafts for a while, so time to let it out in the open. I made this about a year ago.<br />
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The second in my Tudor hat series is a french hood, based on the one worn by Anne Boleyn in this portrait. Whereas with Catherine of Aragon I did my own thing when it came to decoration, this one I kept very close to it's original inspiration image.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0w5wDYksxcPT7-wTFWaH8dMX5g7xxTGJf5jNcVk9XzR1VH5TZgyjF7_AeFP22jaR7mjX_M_s94jmNEBqVDs57w_vyKGF39gGKy-Vuv-8OzylXTfziIjyz-n4BOrFKqZbCbKahFsPghy67/s1600/Anne_boleyn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0w5wDYksxcPT7-wTFWaH8dMX5g7xxTGJf5jNcVk9XzR1VH5TZgyjF7_AeFP22jaR7mjX_M_s94jmNEBqVDs57w_vyKGF39gGKy-Vuv-8OzylXTfziIjyz-n4BOrFKqZbCbKahFsPghy67/s400/Anne_boleyn.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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The crescent came together very quickly. Again I used a layer of buckram, edged with millinery wire, and shaped it before moving on to fabric.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcT5a7j6dl5JqLxo4-yeS_MfkWJrA8MilWRb-1hAelktsud99rg74vwA47N7ypuIJX_htQxsx_1jKhau0XlWdacmc5fXPbYMeRNY0rn-p8X1p2M89atY5uVgcOWOLSSB6J73bu7izZboWx/s1600/IMG_20150514_113956813_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcT5a7j6dl5JqLxo4-yeS_MfkWJrA8MilWRb-1hAelktsud99rg74vwA47N7ypuIJX_htQxsx_1jKhau0XlWdacmc5fXPbYMeRNY0rn-p8X1p2M89atY5uVgcOWOLSSB6J73bu7izZboWx/s640/IMG_20150514_113956813_HDR.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can see from the photo that the pattern I used was one that Jane (Smith, my teacher) had originally made for Anne Boleyn at The Globe in 2010. Having googled it, here's what I assume is Jane's original:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftZPIDNP13hx0sYqUCuh4u18r2ob7bnYIPXQnKaYBVkIW5iR_7sMnpkvpfF-IFJ3SSCyJgjexMYGPtU-W42ZTtKmI1E18F7q3t7nWQrSjAae-dBS79K-_N1jKvWof6TawUlO6-0mDQqhc/s1600/AnneBoleynGlobe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjftZPIDNP13hx0sYqUCuh4u18r2ob7bnYIPXQnKaYBVkIW5iR_7sMnpkvpfF-IFJ3SSCyJgjexMYGPtU-W42ZTtKmI1E18F7q3t7nWQrSjAae-dBS79K-_N1jKvWof6TawUlO6-0mDQqhc/s320/AnneBoleynGlobe.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blue is lovely</td></tr>
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I used more of the same black stretch velvet from Catherine for the crescent, then stitched the pearls on in clear thread. The frill is gold organza, which I had pleated for me by Ciment Pleating. I had trouble initially attaching the pleating evenly, so ended up cutting a piece of vilene to the shape of the crescent edge, gluing the pleating to it with copydex, then attaching the vilene along the edge with large stitches; sandwiching the pleats in between.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUqV1ePXUuTEs5CVERvArDeg7KHDRLWK75r2X7VoBg8w7S5hDE7Yo0vRiiYwgl_gpnpDSfuR2CsoM4Z1u3LvzwpKI1dBCR4BDXgXym_UXVoad7BPQAr1JlsKAmBMVOVvlrBb0Hl7RTrwK/s1600/DSCF5087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUqV1ePXUuTEs5CVERvArDeg7KHDRLWK75r2X7VoBg8w7S5hDE7Yo0vRiiYwgl_gpnpDSfuR2CsoM4Z1u3LvzwpKI1dBCR4BDXgXym_UXVoad7BPQAr1JlsKAmBMVOVvlrBb0Hl7RTrwK/s640/DSCF5087.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudxg46PowDzBfRVac6Qvvzt7XqpSSxiB-AXJQVJO8cJvranab1nD4EpYtV1gLPvVSws55aNLW1sdAepecX4Usv0dm0lBpyAN5rJDLCH_nEUbF-UQI8T_nOrmxEc9LTE6GCI_BwSREg-GK/s1600/DSCF5086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudxg46PowDzBfRVac6Qvvzt7XqpSSxiB-AXJQVJO8cJvranab1nD4EpYtV1gLPvVSws55aNLW1sdAepecX4Usv0dm0lBpyAN5rJDLCH_nEUbF-UQI8T_nOrmxEc9LTE6GCI_BwSREg-GK/s640/DSCF5086.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The hood is made from a 'sock' of stretch velvet, again a pain to sew with. It's basically a tube with an arc cut out at the top to make way for the head. It attached to the crescent at the front inner edge. I then sewed a velvet lining to the back of the crescent, to hide the buckram and all the stitching peeking out. Bish bosh, done!</div>
Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-7431674118536169542016-05-15T15:09:00.000+01:002016-07-27T00:15:15.778+01:00Victorian Ball - Photos!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Warning, pic spam ahead!</div>
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The Ball was amazing. There's something about dressing up in a silly costume and dancing the night away that puts everyone in high spirits. I had a really great time, and met some wonderful people, as well as reacquainting myself with a few faces from last year.</div>
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The final week before the Ball was a mad rush to finish in time (one day I'll work out that time management thing!). I left London on Friday afternoon so I could spend the night at Becky's in Bristol. Pretty much everything was finished. The trimming and sleeves were only pinned onto Becky's bodice, but I could do that at hers. Of course, it was at this point that I decided that what the outfit really needed, was about 8m more of the bodice trim on the skirt, to bring the whole thing together. So with less than an hour to go before I needed to leave, I made a last minute dash for the haberdashery, and then was on my way to the coach station.</div>
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Luckily, all the hand sewing was done by about midday on Saturday, so all that was left was to do our hair and get dressed. As Becky lives so close to Bath, it seemed wasteful to book a hotel room, but that left us with nowhere to get changed, hence why we turned up to the 3pm dance class in costume, and stayed that way until after midnight, when we were safely back home. It just so happened that that weekend was the hottest weekend of the year so far, so lets just say those chemises definitely needed washing afterwards. But we both braved the heat, even poor Becky in her velvet bodice, and I don't think it affected our enjoyment at all - nor did it stop us from joining in with the vast majority of the dances.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRVI8oYfj3R5pQwu5gOLOubTOPzK4WwSi_iXNgAd7jt2FXSzqQXc2-bJV-KCoM57mK55yePVm_bDgN0LzKX6yQPn_MPWCXHRKLJpgRNqXPG-Xbq0DMq-mhFRNmHXfmKQiZOObI1phs3Sd/s1600/IMG_1398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRVI8oYfj3R5pQwu5gOLOubTOPzK4WwSi_iXNgAd7jt2FXSzqQXc2-bJV-KCoM57mK55yePVm_bDgN0LzKX6yQPn_MPWCXHRKLJpgRNqXPG-Xbq0DMq-mhFRNmHXfmKQiZOObI1phs3Sd/s400/IMG_1398.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My green silk 1890s dress. I tried to do the 1890s top knot thing with my hair, and was impressed that it stayed in the whole night, even if the "artfully messy" tendrils appeared within minutes. I don't do tidy hairstyles...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuwIA7Dk-RdDLEOzFRenMC2fomsiVhu4PAAjeqbYrKuQ-374ttOMUAE7q26ITvRKmM8jojLygqb4zCn1xCJIdtdE5VQ0hUOsWUE_AyOvUnAFoD8VgafGVkLM3tGfzuu6oYzLm0vs_jeh6/s1600/IMG_1402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuwIA7Dk-RdDLEOzFRenMC2fomsiVhu4PAAjeqbYrKuQ-374ttOMUAE7q26ITvRKmM8jojLygqb4zCn1xCJIdtdE5VQ0hUOsWUE_AyOvUnAFoD8VgafGVkLM3tGfzuu6oYzLm0vs_jeh6/s400/IMG_1402.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We both had a train this year. Mine was just about small enough to dance in and only trip up on a handful of times, but we quickly conceded that Becky's would need safety pinning up for unencumbered dancing. Luckily I'd brought a sewing kit.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNo3dF_HBxp4h4WLyJJBVOmBaRAT5JxAyyD-oR5KXh9gBPAP13MumxYmaY4c_Whf43yMmM1E9AIhPKvnUkxrPk8bgK8uyYHCr9zhrCUPZn74IKoq2EjXUkIvhrYAQ4AnL90GTM9_HNvXpS/s1600/IMG_1404.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNo3dF_HBxp4h4WLyJJBVOmBaRAT5JxAyyD-oR5KXh9gBPAP13MumxYmaY4c_Whf43yMmM1E9AIhPKvnUkxrPk8bgK8uyYHCr9zhrCUPZn74IKoq2EjXUkIvhrYAQ4AnL90GTM9_HNvXpS/s400/IMG_1404.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzCEv2ESlo7ZKB90UAjTXVEoP3AmXvGOmU5xxiVSFf1YtjU4Sejk_5EFhAuoVI-N_3eF8kxj2wu8tHQg6_Wf3l2ba8uP8K5t4Vm7dyIInMXWl_YNHHDtH59onwsYVV_ZBoH1FHhTKdQ11/s1600/IMG_1408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzCEv2ESlo7ZKB90UAjTXVEoP3AmXvGOmU5xxiVSFf1YtjU4Sejk_5EFhAuoVI-N_3eF8kxj2wu8tHQg6_Wf3l2ba8uP8K5t4Vm7dyIInMXWl_YNHHDtH59onwsYVV_ZBoH1FHhTKdQ11/s400/IMG_1408.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note Becky's skirt trim. I'm so glad I decided to add that last minute. It helps to break up all that copper colour, and add a bit more texture to it. The only thing I'm less than happy with is the sleeves, which look tacked on at the last minute... which to be fair, they were.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpb5ZH8cUJopl9FJOFufn13CIomsi2a-7EOTnlSIYPIvZ7k7DMI7JlatKtm-YneGIROfMxC92eHv2LZ6b8PfUW30XAsK-l7sAb5O_0TpC_s12tl3I5kQena7o4EbR7Znos8FXXnP7YuFp/s1600/IMG_1409-Pano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpb5ZH8cUJopl9FJOFufn13CIomsi2a-7EOTnlSIYPIvZ7k7DMI7JlatKtm-YneGIROfMxC92eHv2LZ6b8PfUW30XAsK-l7sAb5O_0TpC_s12tl3I5kQena7o4EbR7Znos8FXXnP7YuFp/s400/IMG_1409-Pano.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I kind of love how different our two gowns are. And I was really pleased that they both seemed to get an equal number of compliments from other ball-goers.</td></tr>
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And here are some of the other beautiful costumes and people from the night. Photography kindly shared by Lucas Pitcher, Izabela's other half and co-organiser:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tTrZtE8n5Q6GIjgnJsXdAx_pC50orRR2EBZzEVby_O-pruB1ecXB40801htyynFXWECB1v_nm-NW_gRQRX18ZQIgZnRftxegWHFnCV_-tmr75LGsCS3K5UHbY_W1j9b3OKbeP7fXjkx0/s1600/13131494_1043342642406806_3275396326832372670_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tTrZtE8n5Q6GIjgnJsXdAx_pC50orRR2EBZzEVby_O-pruB1ecXB40801htyynFXWECB1v_nm-NW_gRQRX18ZQIgZnRftxegWHFnCV_-tmr75LGsCS3K5UHbY_W1j9b3OKbeP7fXjkx0/s400/13131494_1043342642406806_3275396326832372670_o.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Izabela, our hostess, in he beautiful 1860s gown.</i> </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2ktvMyGTedaPWUyms99DI-qgLjUKGjoj1-kqzp2x9lLKuO8rqzljlaxlLnI11UkvBgfJMOlBITeaGSoE_gjBnCwazcJE_A63vvzy951ynQUAjFI_MkRb_vwtpQ4sql5N1Ovi92lWQobw/s1600/13064576_1043344602406610_5326576031117687042_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2ktvMyGTedaPWUyms99DI-qgLjUKGjoj1-kqzp2x9lLKuO8rqzljlaxlLnI11UkvBgfJMOlBITeaGSoE_gjBnCwazcJE_A63vvzy951ynQUAjFI_MkRb_vwtpQ4sql5N1Ovi92lWQobw/s400/13064576_1043344602406610_5326576031117687042_o.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4EXHbQRSfIrrmqZTeY3zgZbDktr95vN5tj-lL8aUN1EDYlTRTlla6GqzQJi5nQPNt2rH3YUsVpI8gDnxPPFuQqMGaWRMhAJF6E6_3LxhrxZCiI6PF0p-mtQVNL08Oz50Vnc9StfeVzon/s1600/13131156_1043343799073357_5482897107519073830_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4EXHbQRSfIrrmqZTeY3zgZbDktr95vN5tj-lL8aUN1EDYlTRTlla6GqzQJi5nQPNt2rH3YUsVpI8gDnxPPFuQqMGaWRMhAJF6E6_3LxhrxZCiI6PF0p-mtQVNL08Oz50Vnc9StfeVzon/s400/13131156_1043343799073357_5482897107519073830_o.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was Becky's favourite gown of the evening, it's gorgeous</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3r9LDS_6zElUI3_mcBI_ogvPcWljMXt2suzyRl9TUhIFLnfJGYPTyjecAVxY6eHBY_PSZ_NgSpRe8dChqnha1DwWei4EIbFdFavCQ5-RK_eOu9qT6XP3x9h5haTwHdZI6XAjVpn2ZRnV/s1600/13161723_1043344902406580_3324057900723522308_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3r9LDS_6zElUI3_mcBI_ogvPcWljMXt2suzyRl9TUhIFLnfJGYPTyjecAVxY6eHBY_PSZ_NgSpRe8dChqnha1DwWei4EIbFdFavCQ5-RK_eOu9qT6XP3x9h5haTwHdZI6XAjVpn2ZRnV/s400/13161723_1043344902406580_3324057900723522308_o.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the lovely Peryn in my favourite. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yumi and her husband (whose name escapes me) were both lovely, and eager to come back next year.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEgSVrE6TMZJxDqlO9i_XcPFDXeNlZwmbAbcs3f4jiN8Em2m0JM69YCqCosgZ6csrQJeZyv66ZkFDRINFWVH-6zEwUtALfQ4BzZMdm3zqqVckVm2_GQ0gHR2gvOurTvrRaCysTDsymlCL/s1600/13112886_1043346432406427_3225553976695037142_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEgSVrE6TMZJxDqlO9i_XcPFDXeNlZwmbAbcs3f4jiN8Em2m0JM69YCqCosgZ6csrQJeZyv66ZkFDRINFWVH-6zEwUtALfQ4BzZMdm3zqqVckVm2_GQ0gHR2gvOurTvrRaCysTDsymlCL/s400/13112886_1043346432406427_3225553976695037142_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These two looked so great together, and she kept her headdress on all evening - that takes commitment!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguusW3yaX47DANhHTkehyphenhyphenOAqtvQdJHNHvq4PFijWxwFvJ60QugPkQxAEimyARP2HcU8-aLlq5fEfnCb79pT5a8g_JkYPovktnE5RSpNMwLEM4ldfCK72KRc5N-XOSMNsf1muLGmil6cbMD/s1600/13227173_10154085250055406_4112938324401427299_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguusW3yaX47DANhHTkehyphenhyphenOAqtvQdJHNHvq4PFijWxwFvJ60QugPkQxAEimyARP2HcU8-aLlq5fEfnCb79pT5a8g_JkYPovktnE5RSpNMwLEM4ldfCK72KRc5N-XOSMNsf1muLGmil6cbMD/s400/13227173_10154085250055406_4112938324401427299_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pre-crinoline crowd.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1YrNeRqGCTo5pnMswQ9I8Tas0ZF48yNICYXwDni9GE3aRmrBNrgJ5-_9HMFBg7JufYyXr8dO9uJ9A-82e_fDi62lomj4phuhG96YDRMFzvhGqxnyP-vHxkUhenTwyJjywRfBWgcFuJyQ/s1600/13147726_1043347025739701_3489682055890760778_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1YrNeRqGCTo5pnMswQ9I8Tas0ZF48yNICYXwDni9GE3aRmrBNrgJ5-_9HMFBg7JufYyXr8dO9uJ9A-82e_fDi62lomj4phuhG96YDRMFzvhGqxnyP-vHxkUhenTwyJjywRfBWgcFuJyQ/s400/13147726_1043347025739701_3489682055890760778_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fabulous caller, Diana, and the wonderful musicians.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xOGidSgYxvOUi0UVNaiir1zlbkyG_QYpOD7f65F73P78xRzyMZqO6djLo3gvhbsdVOAvvrwH-5modPNQy1lFoddyBJXzmBBwgPr5Q34_HiXPc7DDIo73_sDGNEBmbU3dQHkhUbP6zKtG/s1600/13173198_923371917775637_4737603143300597412_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_xOGidSgYxvOUi0UVNaiir1zlbkyG_QYpOD7f65F73P78xRzyMZqO6djLo3gvhbsdVOAvvrwH-5modPNQy1lFoddyBJXzmBBwgPr5Q34_HiXPc7DDIo73_sDGNEBmbU3dQHkhUbP6zKtG/s640/13173198_923371917775637_4737603143300597412_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action shot! You can see me in green on the far right.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQpn0BDbl3R1KzyN3d6x6xNKJ_m0uxFaYnIHt5oLe3EdiSflMmibIo4RO7y7VfX6HHo-pqmFWI3l923YkvZBZz3EA6xttfBzYXJabDkuSCG29CTjKPpXGe5AytfCnQIeSnS6sWtwDp4Jm/s1600/13122920_10153653639656693_776798502278022185_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQpn0BDbl3R1KzyN3d6x6xNKJ_m0uxFaYnIHt5oLe3EdiSflMmibIo4RO7y7VfX6HHo-pqmFWI3l923YkvZBZz3EA6xttfBzYXJabDkuSCG29CTjKPpXGe5AytfCnQIeSnS6sWtwDp4Jm/s640/13122920_10153653639656693_776798502278022185_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole group. Becky's standing in the front row about 5th in from the right, you can just see my head bobbing up beside her.</td></tr>
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So yes, good times were had by all! I even had a couple of people express interest in getting their gowns commissioned for next year, which would be lovely.</div>
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And a final photo for good measure:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4M7DB_Mbiny9DSTY8U1fBNEKL1j1r_RRG6rCrk8FL0pQYGg0xsqFXx6bfW71_AR5nnEr6DhZh6swJN3mEBYaSwhx0aj7ZDYLlahsPxyoc-hVsMuwTmGIhwCiVaUhTltFRzqbd_U0SAwCK/s1600/DSCF5136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4M7DB_Mbiny9DSTY8U1fBNEKL1j1r_RRG6rCrk8FL0pQYGg0xsqFXx6bfW71_AR5nnEr6DhZh6swJN3mEBYaSwhx0aj7ZDYLlahsPxyoc-hVsMuwTmGIhwCiVaUhTltFRzqbd_U0SAwCK/s400/DSCF5136.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My underpinnings, taken at the end of the night (look at that hairdo still going strong!) while I was getting undressed. I love that petticoat, it definitely needs more flaunting.</td></tr>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-57076047312738312492016-05-14T20:18:00.000+01:002016-05-31T12:34:45.529+01:00To do list<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Do you ever come to the end of a big project and think, ok, what next? ... and then become completely overwhelmed by the abyss of possibilities before you. There's so much to learn; sometimes I just get anxiety ridden over the fact that I can never actually do it all. I get that way in bookshops too. How will I ever read them all??</span></div>
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Now that the Victorian Ball is over and done with I'm at that point where there are about 50 different things I want to start on, and somehow that's caused me to fritter away the past week in indecision. My pinterest boards have gotten bigger, but that's about as productive as I've managed to be.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">So to help me along my way, I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of all the things I most want to make right now.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Regency Outfit - I've been wanting to go to the Jane Austen Festival for years but have nothing to wear. I need a shift, bodiced petticoat and day dress (already have the fabric). I'm small busted enough to get away with no stays. An evening dress would be nice too, if I can find some good sari silk to use.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f9/ca/92/f9ca922a69d0ae926e9ea1d03e78b37f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/f9/ca/92/f9ca922a69d0ae926e9ea1d03e78b37f.jpg" height="320" width="189" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Regency bonnets. I really love the hat making I've done so far, and want to try out a few regency styles that are a bit more interesting than the bog standard straw visor and fabric back generally used in re-enactment</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/70/f2/84/70f284c3e2397c015605c52b9298bf01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/70/f2/84/70f284c3e2397c015605c52b9298bf01.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">18th c. - I want to make everything(!), but maybe I could start with an anglaise or a chemise a la reine? I have a pair of stays I made a while back, but they're not very comfortable as I used metal boning throughout. Ideally I want to make a historically accurate new pair, using the knowledge garnered from studying an original I helped replicate at the School of Historical Dress, but maybe for now I'll just replace the boning in the old.</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a6/10/ab/a610abb4e41a7078ff2795e157a24d08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a6/10/ab/a610abb4e41a7078ff2795e157a24d08.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">1490s Carlo Crivelli gown. I've made the camicia so far, but that one got put on hold for the Ball. Time to revisit.</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a8/dc/f2/a8dcf2ff278f2fc2ea0ecc0abe611d43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a8/dc/f2/a8dcf2ff278f2fc2ea0ecc0abe611d43.jpg" width="91" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Tudor - I've been coveting a black velvet Henrician gown since seeing one on Nerissa in The Merchant of Venice last year. Of course that'll also entail all the necessary underwear.</span></span></li>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/19/55/57/195557274b4035cc66db84063581cdc5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/19/55/57/195557274b4035cc66db84063581cdc5.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Victorian Ball 2017. The theme is bustles. I know I want to revisit Becky's blue waterfall dress, and improve the bodice. As for myself, I want to do something early 1870s with lots of froof. Will also need a bustle, petticoat, and potentially a new corset if I've got the time?</span></li>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/79/56/0d/79560de48bc92ac5260d2bbf7a9b4ae3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/79/56/0d/79560de48bc92ac5260d2bbf7a9b4ae3.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Hair pieces. I want to up my hair game for next years ball, so that means mucking about with synthetic hair and accessories. </span></li>
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Less pressing: </span><br />
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">17th c Mulberry gown. This was the subject of the Janet Arnold Study Day this year, and I really want to make one of my own. I can't find the right kind of velvet though, so may have to find some sort of compromise.</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">Cranach gown. I've barely researched this yet, but it definitely strikes my fancy!</span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">I think I'm starting to crack the block now, and I did it like this: last night I taught myself to crochet. Just the chain and single crochet stitches, and I'm sure I dropped a stitch or two somewhere in there, but it's fine. It's just comforting to be able to try something new (even if unrelated to my main interests, and have something solid to show for it so quickly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #191919; font-family: "libre baskerville" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.95px;">I've started putting a shift together now as well, so I'll get back to that now. Tomorrow I'll crack on with my bodiced petticoat.</span></span></div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-74812186383310820732016-05-10T14:34:00.000+01:002016-07-27T00:16:41.067+01:00Victorian Ball 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
At this point I'm fairly inured to the fact that I'm useless at taking progress photos. But never mind!<br />
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The 2nd Victorian Ball hosted by Prior Attire at the Assembly Rooms in Bath was this Saturday gone, and I think I enjoyed it even more than last year! Part of that was down to the fact that there were so many familiar faces this time around, as we recognised so many people from the year before, so it was easy (even for an unsociable costumier such as myself) to strike up conversations with people and compliment each other on our fabulous outfits - of which there were many!<br />
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Which of course leads me onto what I made. Once again it was both me and my sister Becky attending, so I needed dresses for both of us. The unofficial theme of the year was crinolines, but as I'd worn one the year before, I wasn't terribly inspired by that, and decided to ignore it. Next year's theme is bustles though, which I will probably go for, as I've yet to make a bustle dress for myself, and I also want to rework Becky's blue waterfall gown from last year with a new improved bodice to really compliment the skirt I was so pleased with.<br />
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I mentioned before that I have a tendency to lose interest in a project once the basic shape is done, so actually making an effort with trims and finishings is a bit of a challenge for me. Therefore I purposely tried to push myself this year by giving Becky an 1880s gown, which is from an era where lashings of trimmings were all the rage.<br />
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I reused her corset from last year, but decided to make a new flounced petticoat and 'horsehair' tournure (actually stuffed with net) from one of Jean Hunnisett's patterns. I used stiff organdy for the petticoat flounces and pleats, and found that it's an absolutely brilliant fabric for making really crisp pleats that keep their shape. The rest of the petticoat was cotton lawn, and the tournure was cotton and tarlatan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m40rSh9evetnGJTLWwMcGmrv_LHfqib-xtIt1ZIynt-brdl5VR2GF3muXM7W-nuP3BSr2A0CdtlN5T5HAX6pI8ZJ435USZxkCCI_rBJqH6xXFJaDmr3YsqECo0fu1oaSOFdRSodOth_5/s1600/DSCF5093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m40rSh9evetnGJTLWwMcGmrv_LHfqib-xtIt1ZIynt-brdl5VR2GF3muXM7W-nuP3BSr2A0CdtlN5T5HAX6pI8ZJ435USZxkCCI_rBJqH6xXFJaDmr3YsqECo0fu1oaSOFdRSodOth_5/s640/DSCF5093.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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We went shopping together in Shepherd's Bush for Becky's top fabrics. She picked out a faux taffeta in copper, and we also found a red velvet from the same shop that I thought would go with it really well. For the design I was inspired by the 'Velvet and Brocaded Gauze Evening Dress' in Frances Grimble's 'Fashions of the Gilded Age Part 2'. I lifted the pattern for the velvet drapery and panniers directly from the book, and used the bodice pattern as a reference whilst draping her bodice on a dressform myself.</div>
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Here you can see some of the alterations I made to the bust darts and back in our first fitting.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSPuemeohMzcY7SjHi758zjJRR54p7CBUBgP-TBsiYwRx1qsjWWYw95oWhTDh5hzzK-QBSVtAdzQCJk3RBHLuaFz7kBdETa6lx2T-ioUnpZ3XDJ4MDbIpXlN5GrNVHSRKun8XjB_sDBEi/s1600/DSCF5101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSPuemeohMzcY7SjHi758zjJRR54p7CBUBgP-TBsiYwRx1qsjWWYw95oWhTDh5hzzK-QBSVtAdzQCJk3RBHLuaFz7kBdETa6lx2T-ioUnpZ3XDJ4MDbIpXlN5GrNVHSRKun8XjB_sDBEi/s400/DSCF5101.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oFTQqpSkqeS07nldjp7znxXhg0mVLkkf5m0aIjEGTznOyayx-yrTpC-bI91JEXrnDwE7gMEcXgSoFNzip4ML5rBv5dhySJ0kJMWh2M5U-EnKkJK8HGv4C7Sd20ySxqMbuBRdtf7qOJUv/s1600/DSCF5107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oFTQqpSkqeS07nldjp7znxXhg0mVLkkf5m0aIjEGTznOyayx-yrTpC-bI91JEXrnDwE7gMEcXgSoFNzip4ML5rBv5dhySJ0kJMWh2M5U-EnKkJK8HGv4C7Sd20ySxqMbuBRdtf7qOJUv/s400/DSCF5107.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdX2vWoX47NWMtKYcRNytjx2cWDHVjO2bcc8Bs49JRCDUdVzi4HcWptMDyUhNoQ34l4WFcwVHbl2xAtR3ZuNTmXOYugNUYrX2M1KG4hFZqWIfKeJtuSgN1aQ1zF1w7PVqy5mFAjovzfOo/s1600/DSCF5116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBdX2vWoX47NWMtKYcRNytjx2cWDHVjO2bcc8Bs49JRCDUdVzi4HcWptMDyUhNoQ34l4WFcwVHbl2xAtR3ZuNTmXOYugNUYrX2M1KG4hFZqWIfKeJtuSgN1aQ1zF1w7PVqy5mFAjovzfOo/s400/DSCF5116.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had some trouble with the underskirt, as the Janet Arnold pattern I'd used seemed to have a lot of extra fabric in the front, as if the hip curve allowance had been placed too far forward, if that makes sense. I ended up taking it in quite a bit to get a smooth line.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUxPFB8dm3traGhx-xa-hc3wwynSG8Egb6TAYe9ML6pUYa6A1VGQoe4VCZmS7aHVKST_CIA8v5x7Q1rotuE2OY2WgKs-iPSMlH1UsejQ_birDqEoQ-dtH09ZeMZZmwBLpD3LDOYgq1ZQQ/s1600/DSCF5128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUxPFB8dm3traGhx-xa-hc3wwynSG8Egb6TAYe9ML6pUYa6A1VGQoe4VCZmS7aHVKST_CIA8v5x7Q1rotuE2OY2WgKs-iPSMlH1UsejQ_birDqEoQ-dtH09ZeMZZmwBLpD3LDOYgq1ZQQ/s400/DSCF5128.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lumpyness at front not a good look!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTtEEqPUyvqXZdCCN8mR52XoJK9DucJRk71wBEtLDfJgu9rmDz4Zf4MyVdX2zU0Mwreg_PaZEwE9IVEwobFKc_nBS6WjUCvta6QcwV85W06WKsvQoZUqSbw3IC-BqUdY_lif0msqrhKLZ/s1600/DSCF5131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTtEEqPUyvqXZdCCN8mR52XoJK9DucJRk71wBEtLDfJgu9rmDz4Zf4MyVdX2zU0Mwreg_PaZEwE9IVEwobFKc_nBS6WjUCvta6QcwV85W06WKsvQoZUqSbw3IC-BqUdY_lif0msqrhKLZ/s400/DSCF5131.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eR3iloY1QU9EB4SfOQaUaIuFOSwYjNa0wX1YgTDDdcVCpjR102cj5Zvex3knFK8OhdbuAXkQ4h0xaGwWpI03FD7Wmy5Y3otRsdE1wdLm9UlsChq3UT9zYZE86kTbVtZcbsW3Ek3GcDUt/s1600/DSCF5132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eR3iloY1QU9EB4SfOQaUaIuFOSwYjNa0wX1YgTDDdcVCpjR102cj5Zvex3knFK8OhdbuAXkQ4h0xaGwWpI03FD7Wmy5Y3otRsdE1wdLm9UlsChq3UT9zYZE86kTbVtZcbsW3Ek3GcDUt/s400/DSCF5132.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Spiral lacing before I'd bought a matching cord! This was my first go at hand bound eyelets, and I really liked working on them. Not only did they look miles better than metal, the hand sewing is also quite pleasant to do in an evening. I ended up doing hand sewn eyelets on my own bodice as well, even though they wouldn't be seen.</div>
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That errant chemise caused some problems on the day as well, and I ended up having to safety pin it down to stop in peeking out all the time. The underlying problem was that the bodice neckline was too large, so ultimately I'd like to get round to taking it in an inch or so at the CB to stop the gaping.</div>
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For my own costume there are even fewer ' Making Of' photos. I chose an 1890s look inspired mostly by <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/107006?rpp=20&pg=4&ft=*&deptids=8&who=House+of+Worth&pos=71" target="_blank">this </a>gown at the Met. The bodice is a basic foundation made in calico, with the lime green silk draped over the top and secured by hand along the side seams and hemlines. It is lightly boned for structure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ82ZEVuURQePkjGcVj5PLg164HoUTJKoQR2Q_hpu0bAZ5obIagvK6PzBzTlYVQovHF4hnoJti7VtIiEIq_P_7Y_JjfbFfF92CprzTE44dG5YKBUN9GjWI2AEnw0xAMC1MND6Z9zmADx8E/s1600/IMG_20160504_153204805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ82ZEVuURQePkjGcVj5PLg164HoUTJKoQR2Q_hpu0bAZ5obIagvK6PzBzTlYVQovHF4hnoJti7VtIiEIq_P_7Y_JjfbFfF92CprzTE44dG5YKBUN9GjWI2AEnw0xAMC1MND6Z9zmADx8E/s640/IMG_20160504_153204805.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAcFtJUcCM8kGEQ0tNnGNfeP55lZIk5mU2tta75th9_XGfTuGQnvHOMJoNfadLaBV8bFno4PmsAsI3N0xJFarC7eSbT0z_zQ1gL5ZxgmIxrhujcuPx_uPviOtKAd_-6tp_PayfckJJGEL/s1600/IMG_20160504_153503778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAcFtJUcCM8kGEQ0tNnGNfeP55lZIk5mU2tta75th9_XGfTuGQnvHOMJoNfadLaBV8bFno4PmsAsI3N0xJFarC7eSbT0z_zQ1gL5ZxgmIxrhujcuPx_uPviOtKAd_-6tp_PayfckJJGEL/s640/IMG_20160504_153503778.jpg" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see the spiral laced interior. The back panel is secured over the top with hook and loops at the side seam, and a popper at the shoulder.</td></tr>
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And that's it for now, stay tuned for photos from the Ball itself!</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-26614132960275310742016-03-08T23:17:00.000+00:002016-03-08T23:17:03.777+00:00Rainbow threads<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I bought a job lot of vintage thread on ebay recently, so adding them to my collection required a bit of rearranging. It's the little things in life!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQujOF7c2Lpuu0VYS5ionwZiUKLen1W-S_vQq8MS5BvrqjSpeldLNtnAD4Tlucgxun863cosWBZMFvo4f_sFj9IQuCnj4IQKyOqjaAXu-MIuvWiBIpAtsQF5ak6GegdLdr2W4oQtNrnse/s1600/IMG_20160211_120503855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLQujOF7c2Lpuu0VYS5ionwZiUKLen1W-S_vQq8MS5BvrqjSpeldLNtnAD4Tlucgxun863cosWBZMFvo4f_sFj9IQuCnj4IQKyOqjaAXu-MIuvWiBIpAtsQF5ak6GegdLdr2W4oQtNrnse/s640/IMG_20160211_120503855.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-67793135799828354262016-03-07T14:06:00.003+00:002016-07-27T00:18:58.269+01:00HSM - Tucks & Pleating - Victorian Straw Bonnet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Learning how to make hats from straw braid was a bit of a revelation for me, and it's a process I've come to really enjoy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahqXxnfdwpXoysQkcscZWDjDB2rS5xCYLh7Y2UmjthcnQ9mFqV7OE38TjexbCMjNxgWXKa1-SgDEDGIZPWWOVtpVz2zkSmAThoD8hXaCi4XHGHzso3-By8sqCq1236dG7CLfjyY2IIOMg/s1600/DSCF5056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahqXxnfdwpXoysQkcscZWDjDB2rS5xCYLh7Y2UmjthcnQ9mFqV7OE38TjexbCMjNxgWXKa1-SgDEDGIZPWWOVtpVz2zkSmAThoD8hXaCi4XHGHzso3-By8sqCq1236dG7CLfjyY2IIOMg/s640/DSCF5056.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC8VyJ8RiX7FUrmafOJ40DNYWd7B-IqqxX2Mw9yf4ApG8hDwEexZajlScyYqYutfpHciOG-vZULdgqXKFIuffn2HEPo-mNlplaTb4IHtx4KQwitvL8UlYyX4xv2RJJJ4oDwHk_Leoam81/s1600/DSCF5059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYC8VyJ8RiX7FUrmafOJ40DNYWd7B-IqqxX2Mw9yf4ApG8hDwEexZajlScyYqYutfpHciOG-vZULdgqXKFIuffn2HEPo-mNlplaTb4IHtx4KQwitvL8UlYyX4xv2RJJJ4oDwHk_Leoam81/s640/DSCF5059.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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For this late 1830s/1840s bonnet, I first cut out the shapes for the tip, side band and brim separately in buckram. The straw is mostly machine stitched directly onto the buckram, starting from the outer edge, and overlapping so that the stitches are hidden. For the tip I made sure the straw overlapped the outer edge slightly, so that when it came time to sew the tip to the side band, I could hand stitch down the overlapping straw to hide the join. I also finished the inner swirl by hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xlFIbYIT255DFJCq6gsvxmcTR8jA1TCnNmKfQ159dI-6o363_uK57sqjDMeHFzNUELSXJq8BuzvcjJoGkgE1s6-lk4Bhl0P-lhYK3lhXku0sLL_2ARj_h6FBouT1cXKJj85VGTRYGtrj/s1600/DSCF5063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xlFIbYIT255DFJCq6gsvxmcTR8jA1TCnNmKfQ159dI-6o363_uK57sqjDMeHFzNUELSXJq8BuzvcjJoGkgE1s6-lk4Bhl0P-lhYK3lhXku0sLL_2ARj_h6FBouT1cXKJj85VGTRYGtrj/s640/DSCF5063.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The buckram provides quite a sturdy base for the bonnet, but I also added millinery wire to the outer edge of the brim by ziggering it to a length of straw, then attaching the straw along the underside of the brim edge, sandwiching the wire in-between.<br />
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The bonnet is lined and trimmed with thin black silk.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdkqievR8s1vjOvLpLeW9zL6l3zxG2XbaO6B29-GPBn56w7I05zog5GUrb8qXk2D9TedO4PO-zjRCLwQPOzLS2zH74QQSIrM9uCZKcP8HrPbBoqNzARCKytidu-BVyUU7LIB9fkLZDTTI/s1600/DSCF5049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdkqievR8s1vjOvLpLeW9zL6l3zxG2XbaO6B29-GPBn56w7I05zog5GUrb8qXk2D9TedO4PO-zjRCLwQPOzLS2zH74QQSIrM9uCZKcP8HrPbBoqNzARCKytidu-BVyUU7LIB9fkLZDTTI/s640/DSCF5049.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prior to attaching the pleated trim along inner edge</td></tr>
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My initial hopes of getting my sister's Natural Form ballgown skirt done in time for this particular challenge didn't come to fruition, so this bonnet is my entry instead. It's difficult to see the black against black pleating, but it is there! To decorate the inner brim edge I cut a long length of black silk, box pleated it, then stitched down the middle and gathered it slightly to give it a bit of body.<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Challenge: </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> February - Tucks & Pleating</span></em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Material:</b> Buckram/Straw/Silk/Millinery Wire</em></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pattern:</em></span><em style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> </b>Based on one of my tutor's (Jane Smith) self-made patterns.</em></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Year:</b> Late 1830s/1840s</em></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Notions: </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Poly cotton thread</span></em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How historically accurate is it? </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Hmmm, not very. The shape is, but I used machine stitching to attach the straw & millinery wire. The silk was all hand sewn on though.</span></em></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hours to complete: </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Difficult to say. The initial construction was maybe a day's work, then it got neglected for a year. Adding the silk would probably have been another day's work if I'd done it all at once.</span></em></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>First worn: </b> In my house, I don't have anything to wear it with yet!</i></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Total cost: </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Approx £15-20 for millinery supplies, the silk was long term stash.</span></em></div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-5771022066703871862016-03-07T13:34:00.000+00:002016-07-27T00:18:20.987+01:00Tudor Hats: Part I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've just gotten round to photographing some of my hat projects, so expect a few more of these posts in the next couple of weeks.<br />
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Over the course of last year I got really interested in millinery. In the spring term at Morley College I took up the Victorian Straw Bonnets class, which is taught by Jane Smith, a well known theatrical hatter. Afterwards I was lucky enough to get a near-enough individual class with her (there was one other student) when the Tudor hat class for the summer term at Morley was cancelled, so Jane agreed to teach us in her studio instead.<br />
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I worked on three different styles; a gable, a french hood, and a dutch cap(?). I'm not sure of the proper name for the last one, but it's based on the one worn by Anne of Cleves in her famous portrait by Holbein. In fact all were inspired by wives of Henry VIII, as I used Catherine of Aragon & Anne Boleyns' most well known portraits for the other two, and tend to refer to them by the name of their wearer.</div>
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As is my wont, Catherine and Anne Boleyn had been on the verge of completion for a couple of months after the course ended, but got neglected when I hit a busy working period. Luckily I eventually got them both finished, so here's Catherine for your enjoyment.<br />
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I'm fairly chuffed with the finished result. I usually get bored of trimming, but with the Tudors it's a bit of a main feature so I couldn't shy away. 'Making of' photos were sporadic at best, but I've included what I have. The gable front is made from two layers of buckram, with millinery wire sandwiched in between. I attached all millinery wire with a zigzag stitch around the edge of the buckram. This was covered in stretch velvet and fake pearls and gemstones for decoration.</div>
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The main panel was also in wired buckram; bent into the correct shape, then covered in a layer of cotton domet (to hide the buckram texture) and stretch velvet. The light gold brocade was a lucky find in my scrap box that I think brings out the pearls really nicely.</div>
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The stripey fillets inside are attached to the main frame (historically, I imagine they are part of a separate head covering (correct me if I'm wrong), but this is a theatrical piece and not intended as a true replica - as my choice of materials has probably already made clear!). The fillets are made out of vilene, and the striped fabric is black crepe de chine with strips of gold braid sewn across.</div>
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The veil is a half circle of stretch velvet lined in cotton lawn. The stretch velvet was great for covering shaped pieces smoothly, but a bugger for attempting to sew through on the machine, but I persevered.</div>
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Stay tuned for Anne Boleyn!</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-57751669170241604772016-02-27T12:39:00.000+00:002016-07-27T00:19:51.587+01:00HSM Procrastination Challenge - 15th c. camicia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've joined the Historical Sew Monthly group on facebook this year, in the hopes that it'll encourage me to finish and photograph more of my personal projects. It's not a terribly good start then, although fitting, that I've managed to miss the deadline on January's Procrastination challenge by almost a month!<br />
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At the tail end of last year I got very interested in the Italian Renaissance, specifically womanswear from the late 1400s. While perusing pinterest I stumbled upon the altar paintings of Carlo Crivelli, and immediately fell in love. There doesn't seem to be any other documentation of this particular style of dress, so it's difficult to know whether it's entirely accurate, or whether he embellished the look, but I'm determined to recreate something inspired by these gowns.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWVPolgIrlF8gMdzAtlzP5FP7PAyvu0i85WgPIq8pgEI72R0ra-Z9AScw5uouiYaFH0cdQWJ2Q5gF9_Wh4Nmgb3kfjCn7eF3vxe6xtjM6HYZKUi-sK6wNARgY0hJ8CItkCACOZ5JScE6I/s1600/N-0907-02-000022-wpu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWVPolgIrlF8gMdzAtlzP5FP7PAyvu0i85WgPIq8pgEI72R0ra-Z9AScw5uouiYaFH0cdQWJ2Q5gF9_Wh4Nmgb3kfjCn7eF3vxe6xtjM6HYZKUi-sK6wNARgY0hJ8CItkCACOZ5JScE6I/s640/N-0907-02-000022-wpu.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">St Mary Magdalene, 1491-4, Carlo Crivelli, The National Gallery </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Catherine of Alexandria, 1491-4, Carlo Crivelli, The National Gallery</td></tr>
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One of the great things about living in London is that it just so happens that many of these paintings are just a tube ride away, in the National Gallery; so I went to have a look in December. It's difficult to choose a favourite, but I do love the detail on this one below.<br />
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I'm not an embroiderer though, so all that gold work will involve a bit of fudging if I want to recreate something similar.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Lucy, 1476, Carlo Crivelli, The National Gallery</td></tr>
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For now though, I've got the camicia (the shift worn underneath) finished. I started this in December, neglected it over Christmas, made a stab at finishing in January, and finally got the neckline trim sewn on in February. It doesn't look like much (and the matching background doesn't help, I know), but I think it's the first thing I've made that's completely handsewn, and I followed the instructions in Patterns of Fashion 4 in order to make the construction as historically accurate as possible so I'm quite pleased with it. I even used linen thread, and hunted out the finest linen fabric I could find (even if the weave is a bit open for my liking).</div>
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There are no patterns (that I can find) of pre 1500 camicias, as there's so little extant clothing from that time. My usual periods are the 18th/19th centuries, and there's a wealth of information available on construction, as there are so many existing garments to study. With this project, I basically just have a few paintings, and educated guesswork based on what still survives from the following century. I therefore made use of the 16th century patterns from Patterns of Fashion 4, adapting the neckline, and narrowing the sleeves.<br />
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<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Challenge:</strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> January Procrastination</span></em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Material: </b>Linen</em></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pattern:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Adapted from Patterns of Fashion 4.</em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Year: </b>1475-1500</em></span></div>
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<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Notions:</strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Linen thread</span></em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How historically accurate is it? </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As accurate as possible, given the lack of surviving camicias to study. Completely hand sewn using period techniques. Lets say 95%</span></em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hours to complete: </strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> If I'd done it all at once, probably 2-3 days.</span></em></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>First worn: </b> Just at home to check fit. It's a bit too transparent for modelling photos though.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #191919; font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', Georgia, serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.73; margin-bottom: 26px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Total cost:</strong><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> I can't remember what I paid for the linen. It'll be under £20 altogether.</span></em></div>
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Moving on to the dress itself will definitely be out of my comfort zone, but I'm excited to get started... just as soon as I've got this years' Victorian ball gowns out of the way - that deadline is fast approaching!</div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-4936316636535697022016-01-31T00:20:00.000+00:002016-07-27T00:21:08.282+01:00Victorian Ball 2015 - All Finished!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's taken a while to get round to finishing this series of posts, but hopefully I'll be a bit faster in getting photos up for the Ball this year. Oh yeah, I'm going again, in May 2016, and Becky is too, which of course means that we both need new gowns!<br />
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But more about that later, now back to May 2015. Unfortunately, as often happens, I stopped taking photos as the deadline approached, so I don't have any making of photos for either gown, aside from the waterfall drapery patterning already mentioned.<br />
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For my 1850s dress I found a lovely changeable magenta/blue poly taffeta (for £4p/m). Being synthetic wasn't ideal, but it had a nice hand, and I loved the colour (and the price!) so I went with it. Once again Jean Hunnisett was my go-to girl (for both of our dresses), and after umming and ahhing about trim for a while I kept it quite simple - just black lace along the waist and sleeve cuffs, and a little white lace peaking out at the top. It closes in the back with hooks and eyes, which in retrospect wasn't ideal. The lowered shoulders restricted my arm movement a lot, and I found that in trying to raise my arms to dance, the top couple of hooks came undone several times during the evening. In future I would remedy this by adding a little elasticated panel to the shoulders, and stick to a lace up back opening.<br />
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We arrived in Bath early afternoon for the dance practise session. There hadn't seemed much point in paying for a hotel room as our parents live so near by in Bristol, so we turned up in costume, and whiled away the rest of the afternoon before the ball by wandering around Bath getting some nice photos of each other.<br />
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Becky did a good job of being friendly to any good-natured passersby who asked if we were dressing up as Jane Austen characters, while I tried hard not to grumble at their distinct lack of costume history knowledge. <br />
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Becky's dress is also low on trimming. Partly this is due to running out of time, but it's also due to my tendency to lose motivation once the structure of a garment is done. It would have been nice to do something more with the bodice of this one, but at least her skirt is nice!<br />
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Her dress consists of an underskirt of silvery blue, with an overskirt consisting of a gold lace panel at the front, and the brighter blue at the back, with the drapery over it. It has a back opening, and the waterfall is sewn to just one side, hooking into place on the waistband once the back is done up.<br />
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As much as I loved Becky's skirt, it proved quite difficult to take a photo that would show off both the gold lace and the waterfall at the same time - and without the wind blowing the drapery out of place! Maybe I should have used a few swing tacks to keep it in position better while we were outside!<br />
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Inside at last! I'm no stranger to the Assembly Rooms in Bath, but this was the first time I'd ever been to a ball there, and they fit the bill splendidly! It was a wonderful evening, we met lots of lovely people, and danced the night away. Having had so little experience of dancing, I had been a little apprehensive about what might be in store for us, but I needn't have worried. With the afternoon practise session under our belts it was fairly easy to pick things up, and the variety of skill level within the group stopped anyone from feeling uneasy about forgetting a few steps.<br />
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Both of us in action! Photo borrowed from Izabela's blog, please go <a href="https://adamselindisdress.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/bath-victorian-ball-2015-and-what-a-ball-it-was/" target="_blank">here</a> to see her photos from the night.<br />
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And Becky at the end of the night. Many thanks to Prior Attire for hosting this wonderful event, we both look forward to the next one!<br />
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3189125287061446425.post-60294820577635005502016-01-26T22:03:00.000+00:002016-07-27T00:21:44.351+01:00Victorian Ball 2015 - 'Waterfall' Drapery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I think my favourite feature of the costumes for last year's Ball was Becky's skirt, which featured waterfall drapery down the back, and a gold lace overlay at the front. I was inspired by <a href="http://the-infamous-padfoot.deviantart.com/art/C19th-Ladies-Bustle-Gown-III-179787353" target="_blank">this</a> image for the back drapery, and managed to find some lovely (and very affordable) silk that was blue one side and silver on the other.<br />
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To figure out the pattern for the drapery I first did a small mock up in paper.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVKv4JMePqhZRRMAad_IhRjkhCHkP33ekwl_C3wAt12B0LiEnrlj3sKrYH97jXXPitQThH4Q2ETdkQxk4jIVI9XsIHNpEC_lXcNQSOIROA1GVdk6zOjMQn7TXOL81ybYcbIX8WaQX4bxU/s1600/DSCF3816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVKv4JMePqhZRRMAad_IhRjkhCHkP33ekwl_C3wAt12B0LiEnrlj3sKrYH97jXXPitQThH4Q2ETdkQxk4jIVI9XsIHNpEC_lXcNQSOIROA1GVdk6zOjMQn7TXOL81ybYcbIX8WaQX4bxU/s640/DSCF3816.JPG" width="480" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVKv4JMePqhZRRMAad_IhRjkhCHkP33ekwl_C3wAt12B0LiEnrlj3sKrYH97jXXPitQThH4Q2ETdkQxk4jIVI9XsIHNpEC_lXcNQSOIROA1GVdk6zOjMQn7TXOL81ybYcbIX8WaQX4bxU/s1600/DSCF3816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E-FglM-15pge7fQVBPMWCCiv5w4hYZ45GMlyKmCQPy91Zp0-6Zv4D6ad1wy_h3lPavLN5SwZVyWSFZFZxCnCFxp__Wn7Dfxf5ZMH0N5wMO8r_GAzosqtCzY_BtPrnwchVX5GueLSDeLY/s1600/DSCF3815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8E-FglM-15pge7fQVBPMWCCiv5w4hYZ45GMlyKmCQPy91Zp0-6Zv4D6ad1wy_h3lPavLN5SwZVyWSFZFZxCnCFxp__Wn7Dfxf5ZMH0N5wMO8r_GAzosqtCzY_BtPrnwchVX5GueLSDeLY/s640/DSCF3815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here's a sneak peak of the toile version in calico. Next post will be photos from the Ball itself!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbNOtGDp1NZvP88MHwJMSIMXmfZBX12cGOswowywoM6S2nF2wwpzAWXu_82kWZhGDXG0Up-JVhh82pkKzEFdG69_e6735rb4P2ontQn2XPJIgRWA0PbAptDJzYsEjuK03ywehhwvOmaZI/s1600/IMG_20150405_192612852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbNOtGDp1NZvP88MHwJMSIMXmfZBX12cGOswowywoM6S2nF2wwpzAWXu_82kWZhGDXG0Up-JVhh82pkKzEFdG69_e6735rb4P2ontQn2XPJIgRWA0PbAptDJzYsEjuK03ywehhwvOmaZI/s400/IMG_20150405_192612852.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
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Kittyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17973158622201694919noreply@blogger.com0