The New thread for talk of all things costumy - and related panicking.
POSTED BY: seryn
UPDATED: Friday, September 8, 2006 11:48
VIEWED: 21555
PAGE 20 of 26
Seryn: yeah, I've heard. What a mess. It's been all over the news here. On one hand, this is probably the safest time EVER to fly between the US and UK, but on the other hand, I can't imagine a 10hr flight without a book or something to do. Even if I plan to spend it all sleeping.
Don't bring pins to D*C, I'll bring pins, if you want me to pick up any special pins, let me know. Right now all I have are sewing pins, the ones with the big round colourful heads.
Update on the choli: haven't heard back from the India company yet. I'm thinking of emailing them again. I'm persistant.
Meanwhile, I ripped out the seams as much as I could (there were only two that ran from the underside of the sleeve down the side. Even with that extra inch or so it gave me, the sleeves are still too tight and I need another 5 or 6 inches to even think about being able to fasten the thing closed. I'm at a loss as to the best way to expand it. I'm fine following a pattern, but having to figure these things out for myself is above my skills. I'll bring it to D*C and you can have a hand at it. Even if we just figure out how to make it bigger and maybe do some cutting and pinning and I can take it back and sew it, that'd be fine. It's also VERY short, I was hoping it'd be a good 6 inches longer, so I'm wondering if it'd be possible to add a piece at the bottom. I do crunches EVERY SINGLE GORRAM DAY, but I still don't have a tummy I feel comfortable showing off. The thing is also lined with a coordinating cotton fabric, so I think I'll run to the store to pick up matching thread and a yard of something similar.
Also, I think I'll stop by the dance shop by my house soon. They just might possibly have something, though I won't hold my breath. Ugh! I have to admit this is more than a little bit frustrating.
Sarees to prom, eh? That's a possibility. But, they're so very hard to dance in. Better for standing around and looking cute in.
Oh, the website on how to wear it? I just googled "Sari, how to wear" and clicked on the first few websites that came up. One had pictures! They all said pretty much the same thing. I tried it on again last night (you know, to practice, not because I'm obesessed with how pretty it is or anything) and I'm getting better. It looks so nice with the shoes I bought at the Renn Faire, I'm so glad I bought those.
Eyelets! Well, normally I hate gold, but if the brass looked mucky, go with the gold. I trust your eye. I'm going to cover the eyelets eventually with thread to match the trim anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter so much.
Okay, blathering done. *sigh*
Tristan: you are a costuming god, truly you are!
Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8
http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/
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Disaster!
they eylets are just a wee bit too small for the tool i have, so i need to go out and get a slightly smaller tool, or slightly bigger eyelets. theres literally like .5 of a millimeter in it.
but it means i can have another look for non bright and shiny gold eyelets for you.
As for the choli, if there is taht much in it, it may be for the best if you get a meter of co-ordination fabric and we do our best to fashion you a new top at the con, using the trims from the old choli. It would all be hand sewn at D*C, but i could possibly take it home and sew it up properly for you intime for S3. But its entirely up to you.
http://www.myspace.com/seryndippyt
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Well, I finally feel worthy to accept a place with you amazing costumers. I feel I have earned it this weekend.
Read my LJ for the story, and to see pictures, but here's a summary:
I found a choli pattern and used it to reconfigure my existing, too small choli. I kept the back, but redid the sleeves and front using the end of my sari. I only had to cut off about a half a yard. Not much. It turned out quite well, I am very pleased with myself. Especially since I remembered to do clever things like sew the lining to the fabric on the front and on the sleeves to make a nice edge, so I didn't have to hem it or anything. And, I used the end of the old sleeves as a trim on the bottom of the front.
Choli crisis solved. I just have to tidy up and rehem my sari.
I also found a pattern for a nice jacket. Very straight and simple. Elegant. See, for some reason I have a couple yards left over of the material I used for my pirate skirt. I can't explain it as I ordered the same amount for the overskirt and the underskirt and I barely have any of the underskirt material. I figure the lady at the store counted wrong or something. But, I have all this extra fabric and I kept thinking I wanted to make something out of it since it is SO VERY PRETTY.
And I remembered this woman I saw once walking her dog. She was wearing these ridiculous but very chic orange stilleto boots and this amazing coat that was this very pretty kind of tapestry print. All embroidered with flowers. I loved that coat and thought 1)it must have been terribly expensive and 2) how much I'd love to have something like it one day.
So, I think I shall use the material to make myself a coat. After S3, though, I can't start any new projects until then.
Oh dear, I think I've caught the bug!
Serenity,
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8
http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/
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Oh it looks fantastic! Way better than starting again, and you get the pretty ness of the sari fabric as well.
I dieliberatly didn't get a bought choli as i knew they would be very short (and no one wants to see my lazy tummy, least of all me) but you've even found a way to lenghthen it.
And you were already in the ranks to begin with - Mai wasit coat, pirate outfit?
Well, the bones are in your corset, the top edge is bias bound - i'm going to have to get two more meters of the binding for the lower edge. I'm a little concerned at the colour - it matches your tapestry fabric exactly, but against the trims it seems a little coppery. When its sewn down properly, and the laces are on, it will look fine i'm sure. If not, i'll make it my lifes work to track down a bias binding the right shade and then sew it on for you.
I'm also having something of an epeic struggle with the eyelets. My tool was just that bit to big, they don't do slightly smaller eyelets, so i had to get one of the crappy hammer and bit tools, and i'm really not happy about that - it makes awful messes of the eyelets sometimes, and there seems to be no controlling it. But i've sent off for another pair of pliers, which come with eyelets, so i'm hoping to god that the eyeltes and pliers are the same size. You'd think they would be, but i'm right out of faith on that score. So it means that completion of your corset will be delayed a few days, i'm sorry!
But it has given me a chance to work on mine - i got all the channels in today, tomorrow i can do the bones and hopefully the top line of binding, and then again, i have to get more binding. the good news is that i can do mine with the little hammer and tool, as i don't mind mine looking like crap too much. yey!
i'd leap about and dance, but im too tired, an i need to go to bed - my hands have turned grey, i'm pretty sure thats a bad sign.
Well done sweetie, the choli looks grand and you'll look so good in it.
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aw, thanks! I am very proud of the choli.
About the binding: I was worried how the gold brown would look against the trim. If it looks bad, would it be better to do the trim in a blue to match the fabric? What do you think? I know you'll figure it all out, but I'm sorry it's causing you so very many problems! I've come to the conclusion that eyelets are evil. I have extras left over from Mai's corset and even though I gathered them all up in a baggie and put them away, I still keep finding them on the floor. I keep stepping on the blighters and I can't figure out for the life of me where they're coming from. My theory is that they sneak out of the ziplock bag at night to have raucous parties (that I can't hear because I wear ear plugs at night) and one or two always get so sloshed they can't make it back in the bag and I step on them.
Either that or they're breeding.
Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8
http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/
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aw, thanks! I am very proud of the choli.
About the binding: I was worried how the gold brown would look against the trim. If it looks bad, would it be better to do the trim in a blue to match the fabric? What do you think? I know you'll figure it all out, but I'm sorry it's causing you so very many problems! I've come to the conclusion that eyelets are evil. I have extras left over from Mai's corset and even though I gathered them all up in a baggie and put them away, I still keep finding them on the floor. I keep stepping on the blighters and I can't figure out for the life of me where they're coming from. My theory is that they sneak out of the ziplock bag at night to have raucous parties (that I can't hear because I wear ear plugs at night) and one or two always get so sloshed they can't make it back in the bag and I step on them.
Either that or they're breeding.
Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8
http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/
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I think it will be ok - once sewn down, and everything, the colours have a habit of blending in, especially once you get the skirt near it - it'll look good with the skirt. On the off chance that it doesn't, like i said, i'll make it my lifes work to find one that does. The way things are, changing the binding now will be very expensive and there isn't a blue that matches anyway. I'll carry on as is, if thats alright, cause looking at in daylight with the skirt swatch you sent me, i think it will work.
And i think you are right, they are having raucus parties, they can't be breeding, cause if they bred then i wouldn't keep running out of them half way through any given project.
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Well, if something doesn't turn out right, colourwise, it is of course completely my fault because I couldn't be bothered to just be happy with red and black. No, no, I had to get all fancy with crazy fabrics and trims and whatnot. So, it's my fault entirely.
Yay that your corset is coming along, anyway. And while I know you're a happy clam buying pliers and more fabrics and whatnot, I am concerned about all the extra fundage you're putting into this project! Not for my sake, because you're worth every penny, but for yours!
But, on the upside: I was at the grocery store the other day, and fruit roll ups were on sale, so I bought you a few boxes. My grandfather saw them and wanted to "sample" them but I told him to keep his grubby paws off. And then I gave him a muffin to make him feel better! 
Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8
http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/
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Oh! you are an absolute star! Wowee, a whole box. Tell your grandpa that i'm more than happy to let him sample one for me, just let me know how nice they are, but make sure that one doesn't turn into two turns in the entire box.
Ok, as if i could be more excited about september.
well, no worries about the expense - i was annoyed at having to get the plastic tool thing, cause i knew they were rubbish but didn't have any option, but things like that, and the pliers, and even the eyelets will get used up eventually, so don't worry yourself about that.
And it is not your fault at all - its this bloody stupid country and its toatal lack of choice when it comes to things like this - i mean i had to send to your country to get the bones! who doesn't stock a gold coloured bias fer chrissakes?
ah well, it will look fine, amd things are coming along - i've signed away half my evenings of one week, so i'm worried about trousers and shirts getting done. but the corsets will be glorious!
http://www.myspace.com/seryndippyt
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You're very generous with your fruit roll ups, but really, he can pay $2 for a box like everybody else! lol.
I hope you get all your stuff done before D*C. I've got quite a little list myself. I ruined my red chinese dress last year with an iron, so I want to take that apart and make it into a red chinese blouse. I can do it, but I might have to take out the zipper. And lots of little things. I may start panicking soon. The days are flying by! Oh, but I can't wait.
Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8
http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/
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