Attempting an Edwardian Summer Hat

Last summer, in my thrifting to find materials for my summer steampunk picnic ensemble, I stumbled across this attractive straw hat in Value Village.  And since all my existing hats were felted warm monstrosities, this looked perfect.

However, the straw brim edge was in rough shape, fraying and starting to fall apart in areas.  If I was going to do anything to this hat, I needed to reinforce that brim edge, or it would only last me a couple of wearings.

So off I trundled to find proper petersham ribbon, which is a tricky thing to find in these modern days of cheap imitation grosgrain.  Real petersham can be worked around a curve when steamed, because of how it is woven.  The fake stuff cannot.

I got my hands on some, beige rather than the cream I'd wanted, but it was all I could find.  I wasn't sure how to get petersham into a curve (I just knew it's what you're supposed to use).  So, I improvised.  Since the hat was so fragile, I couldn't work it into a curve directly onto the hat.  But I did have a large melamine plate.  So, I soaked the petersham briefly in very hot water, and then worked it around the diameter of the plate, folding it as evenly as I could over the two sides of the plate, so I would be able to envelop the edge of the hat in it.  As I went, I clipped it in place with bullclips, and overlapping it some, so I had enough to go all the way around the brim.

 I left it to dry thoroughly for a day.  Then I unclipped it, and voila, curved folded petersham.

And then it was a relatively simple matter of machine sewing it in place as evenly as I could.

I sewed it in a bit from the ribbon edge to secure it, then sewed another seam at the outermost edge of the petersham, so it wouldn't pop up. 

I removed the white cotton ribbon from around the crown (it was a bit stained in places) and voila ... a straw hat all ready to decorate!

So I pulled out all my potential hat-decorating stuff - and I do mean ALL - and started playing!

Here are an assortment of my ideas, as I mixed and matched:  

 I even grabbed a lace bridal hat I'd found in a thrift store, while looking for stuff for this outfit, and threw some stuff on that.  (it was a lot of fun just trying different stuff).

I decided against the lace hat for the time being, and opted for covering my straw hat in the gold gauzy stuff, so that it just dangled over the edge a bit, and pinned in the back with the pearl-circle brooch.  I added the tawny velvet roses, and voila.  An easy hat.  I'm not sure it will remain this way, but it worked for the entirety of Summer 2012.  Below is a photo of it, at the Steampunk Picnic in the Royal City of New Westminster in August 2012 (now the Gears on the Green Annual August Picnic).

Scorching Summertime Steampunk

Well ... more neo-Edwardian costuming than steampunk, but then, summertime heat & humidity is less conducive to lots of brass and sweaty goggles.

Last summer, with two summer steampunk picnics looming, I realized none of my usual clothes were remotely suitable to an outdoor picnic in July & August in Vancouver.  My stuff was more appropriate to air-conditioned hotel conventions, not for lounging on grass in the heat and sunshine.  You try to lounge in a corset - I challenge you!

I decided this was a great opportunity to make some neo-Edwardian picnic gear.  Sans pattern.  Despite my very basic sewing knowledge.

And today's post is to show you what I came up with.  It wasn't optimal (I'm neither young nor lissome, which this outfit would have suited better), but it was cheap, moderately easy, comfortable (although the day I wore it was scorching) and looked okay.  (More on where I went astray later!)

I didn't have a lot of money to spend on the endeavor, so I did some mad cost-effective thrifting.  Below are the finds I came up with.  Today I will deal with the skirt, and I will post about the hat separately.

Above is some eyelet lace found thrifting.  It and the other items in the wee baggie were $2.  Below is a net curtain (with an Ikea label!) and some cheap curtains I found in a thrift store.

When I bought the curtains above, I thought ... hey ... it's a ready made skirt - already with ruffle at the hem!  I just need to get rid of the ugly lace back panels, sew them up the side seams, and gather them!

Now, in reality, what happened was I had to unpick all the seams (ALL THE SEAMS) so I could make maximum use of the limited fabric width.  I also unpicked the top folding hem that would have gone on the rod, so I had room for the gathering, and to make the waistband.  Waste not, want not.  

The ruffle was on the plain side. 

So I added the pre-ruffled eyelet trim I'd bought at a thrift store - turned out there was just enough to do the job!

And, since that was looking a little plain, I added another shorter layer of lace on top.

Ruffles added, I then trimmed the skirt so it would be just above the floor (when waistband was added) and sewed the panels together all the way it up one side seam, then partway up the other side (leaving an opening to get in and out of).  Then I pinned it to my dress model, along with a 1970's neo-Edwardian blouse I'd scored in a vintage shop for $25, to see where I stood.  I only had enough width for a relatively loose, light gather.

 

Since Edwardian skirts tended to have gauzy layers for interest, I decided to add netting as an overlayer, so I cut it to size, short enough that it would show the ruffles at skirt hem.  I added yet more lace to the net hem, and then gathered it at the waist.

I wasn't 100% happy with the look, but I was committed to it at this point.  I started playing with ideas for the top / hip area, and the waistline.
I very much liked the look of the first option, to the left, with the sleek lace panel at the hips.  However, a bit of playing told me that arranging that flat panel of lace sleekly on a curve, so it would drape nicely over my hips when standing, and accommodate me when I sat, was easier said than done.  It looked great on the dummy, I couldn't figure out how to do it properly on me, with my limited sewing skills.  So irksome.  

So I opted for the right-hand version, though opting for a waistband rather than a sash.  It was easy to sew on top of all the gathered layers, and easy to close with sturdy hooks and eyes.  

And here is the final product, worn with another cotton blouse (courtesy Value Village), and the hat that will follow in a later post, at the First Annual Brass in the Grass picnic, in July 2012.  In future, I will not likely use this belt, but may design a sash for it.  I also may tear it down and remove the netting (which got a bit sapped in the tree-climbing).  

Picnic photo courtesy of Sam Quo Vadis: http://www.studiostar.ca 

(my cropping on the second photo)

Simple Steampunk Leather Stitchery

Greetings, good folks.  I realize it has been a long time since I've posted.  Manfred, do fetch our good readers some lemonade.  

This is a brief little summertime show-and-tell sort of post, to show you my solution upon finding myself finally in possession of some lovely little brass doodads (at long last!), with no way of attaching them to my belt.

And one evening, sitting at home, I found myself staring at these little items, a brass magnifying glass, a pocket sundial and compass, and a boxwood & brass folding rule, and decided to fix it.  Right then.

After all, I had a bit of lightweight scrap leather matching what I used to made a key fob a couple of years ago.  And I had a sewing machine.  Righty then!

So ... here's what I made:

For the magnifying glass, I took a narrow strip of leather, doubled it over lengthwise, stitched it closed, and made a loop, doubled and stitched a second much narrower band to make a restraining strap.  Details are shown below:  left is taken partway through the process through, and right is it completed.

There is a loop to attach it to the belt (shown above left as the reinforced top joined portion, which was folded back and attached to the suspension loop when the narrow restraining band was stitched on.

Next was to create a pouch for the little sundial / compass dooflicky.  (That's the technical term, don't bandy it about too much!)  I simply took a long piece of leather, folded it into two equal pieces, which I stitched together to form the pouch, and one shorter piece I cut in a curve as a top.  Turned it rightside out after stitching, handsewed on a button and a loop of cord to close it, and voila. 

Before stitching the sides together, I machine stitched a loop on the back so I could run a belt through it.

The pouch for the folding ruler was made of two pieces of leather, folded over to make a belt loop at the top, and with a pocket added onto the front (since it was long, and narrow, I wanted the double layer of leather to give it some body and support.

So, short, sweet, and simple.  And no need for professional leather-working skills, or awls, or punches, of any of that sort of thing.  Just scissors, a small piece of leather, some imagination, and my trusty 50+ year-old Singer sewing machine.

Spring is Near! Bring on the New!

Good heavens.  Once again I have not been nearly so assiduous in posting as I should.  

Running the local group really has pulled my spare time away from making things and posting.  I am working on remedying this.

However, I would like to share with everyone my latest accomplishment for our local group, Vancouverites for Steampunk - I have a shiny new website!  

In the interest of being able to update the group whenever need and whimsy strikes, and so that I could have more options at my fingertips, our Vancouver steampunk community's new website is (in addition, of course, to the existing Facebook group!):

http://vancouversteampunk.net/wordpress/

I'm very excited, I've been able to start adding photo galleries to the new site, and can post updates etcetera life.  The group calendar is still embedded live, in the new site.  

I've also been busy focusing on a big event I'm planning (more on that to follow).  

My New Spring Resolution?  To make more things (appropriate, since March is supposed to be National Craft Month) and to post more here!  

Wish me luck!  Here's to new things coming!

"Through Your Eyes at Christmas Eve" by Abney Park: An Album Review

Given it's that twinkly-light, holly-edged time of year, I figured I'd do a little Christmas-y review.  Pour yourself a little rum toddy, and settle in.

Since my cd of Abney Park's Christmas album, "Through Your Eyes on Christmas Eve", has arrived in the post, well, that's just handy!  (If you want to make your own decisions, it can be purchased here.)  I had listened to their sampler (found at the link above) and decided to order the album.

So I extracted the CD from it's beautiful package (Abney Park does know how to make lovely album covers!), and listened to it for the first time.  Twice, in fact. 

Unfortunately, I have to confess I'm a little underwhelmed by this album.  (Please don't hit or boo me!)  I have thoroughly enjoyed much of Abney Park over the years, and truly love a lot of their songs.  However, they don't really add anything to any of the Christmas songs they covered, to make them theirs.  Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan will remain the definitive version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" for me - Captain Robert's only addition to the song is the highly entertaining addition of the word "Rum" at a key moment - very funny, but not enough to save the song.  

On the good side, Abney Park does pull off some lovely and very different instrumentals in their pieces (with the exception of Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy, where the second half is marred by an annoying DJ-disc-spinning element).  However, their singers lack good clear voices for Christmas songs - they either come across as too monotone (sorry Captain) or too rough (particularly in the case of his female singer).

If, however, you can get your hands on one song, The title song, "Through Your Eyes on Christmas Eve", is an excellent piece, and an original, which suggests to me that Abney Park is far better off writing their own songs, where they clearly know their strengths and talents, versus doing covers.  The only cover they pull off decently is Winter Wonderland, where they add interesting instrumental elements, and Robert's low voice seems to blend better.

So on the whole, this album wasn't exactly a glowing success, but neverless I am happy to add it to my collection (the album art alone makes it a lovely addition to my shelf), and, by buying it, to have done my part to support a band whom I generally wholeheartedly enjoy.  

Maybe they should just steer clear of the treacherous skies of Christmas.

Cheers all!  

The Steam Wench

Best Intentions ... and a Photographic Interlude!

Well.  Here it is, months after my last post, despite my clear intention to post more frequently!

Alas, running the local steampunk group, planning an active summer of events,  on top of working full-time, has left me virtually no time to sew and work on crafty projects, let alone write about it!  Then there was my fabulous vacation to London in early October, and attendance at Steamcon IV, at the end of October.

And now I've gone and decided, with one month to prep, to not only once again have our group promotional table at Imaginarius Fantasticus, the local fantasy-genre-themed Christmas craft fair, but to actually be a vendor as well!

Did I mention that was with one month to prep?

So ... I'm stressed, and busy, and still have no time to post!

However, I have several things, at least, that I shall be posting about over after this weekend is over and done with ... so, as a brief interlude, I leave you with some select photos from our summer steampunk events.

Our invitation to Brass in the Grass, our July Picnic

Photos from our picnic in Queen's Park, The Royal City, New Westminster, BC (August):

 

 

 

Thank you all!  More posts will come!

Bustle Pad Creation

Hello all.  So, further to the bustle post previously, this is the promised post on making a small bustle pad.  My goal was a small, lightweight bustle pad, producing a small pouf.

My materials were some scrap black lining fabric, interfacing, some poly stuffing sheeting, and some black crinoline-weight netting I had lying around.

I started by measuring the distance across the top of my tuckus, where I wanted the pad to sit.  Based on this, I drew out the following pattern on paper, and cut it out of two pieces of the black lining, with seam allowance added.

Out of the same patter, without seam allowance, I cut a piece of the lining and a piece of the poly padding (which I'd bought for my tea cozy).  I pinned the interfacing on the lining, to provide a stiffened back, and placed the batting on top of that, to give a bit of body to the pad's structure.

Left - cut out pieces of fabric, interfacing & batting    Right - interfacing pinned to lining.

Left - batting pinned on top of interfacing.       Right - both now sewn onto fabric base.

The next step was to sew the other piece of fabric on and then flip it inside out and hand stitch closed, to produce the pad base.  I also sewed a line across the top, to leave a convenient point for the pad to bend forward.

Once that was done, I cut out three widths of netting, double the width I wanted the net pouf, and at least 3 times the length of the pad's maximum width.  I used the full width I had, since it was more than 3 times as long as the base.  Here they are, faintly showing up on my floor, cut out.  

Next step was to double over the pieces lengthwise, and run a gathering stitch along the side with both edges, to create a tube.

Once gathering stitching was done, I gathered all three tubes of netting.

Left - before I gathered the tubes of netting.   R - after gathering the netting to fit the base.

I attached the gathered tubes one at a time, starting with the widest one, at the bottom, and then adding the middle width, and then the narrowest at the top.

The end result still wasn't quite poufy enough, and I had lots of netting kicking around, so I used more netting to stuff into the large and medium tubes, to create more pouf.  (There wasn't room to tuck more into the narrowest tube, which was already pretty puffy on it's own.)

I decided to use a hook-and-eye system to attach the bustle to any particular skirt - so I have large hooks on the back of the bustlepad, and will attach matching large flat eyes to any skirt I want to use the bustlepad with.

This was a very simple, very easy bustlepad, which produces a prodigious amount of pouf for its light weight.  Contrary to what I've heard, the crinoline as done here (tubes and stuffed with more crinoline net) seems pretty resilient.