A serious case of want

I love stockings and have more than I need- I have a drawer full of stockings that’s still in their packages. But today I found Tattoo Socks and I’m completely sold. Don’t need, but definitely want!

By no means my favourites…

A proper sewing update

A while ago posted a picture and I fell in love. My waning inspiration got a kick-start after watching this:


I find both outfits very pretty, but it’s the one with a pink bodice and blue grey petticoat that made my heart flutter. My first impulse was to buy new fabric for the whole outfit, but then I managed to be wise and dive into my stash instead. And lo and behold, there were 2 metres of blue velvet that I’ve been hoarding since 1990.

As the hem of the bodice, or jacket, isn’t visible- nor is the front, I decided to make it a little jacket with a short basque at the back. I went to Janet Arnold for inspiration and the Regency riding habit there. The painting is dated to 1796, so I’m making it with the bodice as long as my 1797’s gown.

I’m making it in blue velvet and to continuing being thrifty; the lining is made of some leftover cotton. I’m currently sewing the lining to the jacket, but this is what it looked like- and what the jacket will look like as well, only in velvet.


I’ve been much undecided on how to do the closure. The lining will be laced and for now I will simply overlap the velvet and pin close. I think I want to button it, but I haven’t found any buttons I like yet.


I actually have blue grey taffeta in my stash, only a little bit darker than on the painting, so I will use that for the petticoat. And I’ve bought a bit rose-coloured taffeta for the sash, that is two-toned with green. I would very much want a pair of long gloves, but I will have to hope for Santa for those.

To my surprise I got quite a lot of velvet left after cutting the jacket, so I decided to make a reticule out of it. After some browsing I came across this little beauty:

It’s dated to 1790-1810 and measure approximately 19X25 centimetres, so it was easy to make a pattern for it. I wanted to try out ribbon embroidery and felt that this would be a very doable project. Here is a verybad pictures of my progress:

There will be a bigger rose in the middle and borders of silver spangles.

I’ve also been working on more mundane wool skirts, but they’re on hold. Not only because Spiff is on top of them…

“You weren’t planning of using this fabric, were you?”

A little meme

I AM sewing, but not prepared to show off, right now. So, instead:

• Leave me a comment saying "Analyze That"
• I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can satisfy my curiosity
• Update your journal with the answers to the questions
• Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions

These are the questions I got from spike

1. I know you're a cat person, but if you had to have a dog, what breed would you have?
I’m actually more 50/50. I’m a cat person by necessity- a dog wouldn’t fit into my life. But I grew up with dogs. So I would like to have a boxer, as we had one when I was wee.

2. If you could live in any century, which one would it be and why?
I wouldn’t really want to live in any other century- I think about medical care and baths and feel very strongly that I wouldn’t want to go without. But I would choose the 16th century, as I find that a very interesting time.

3. Pick a TV show to live inside of for all eternity, what is it and who do you play?
I wouldn’t mind being Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

4. Iced Coffee or hot coffee?
Hot. Unless it is a very warm day.

5. Professionally, if talent or brains did not matter, what would be your dream job?
Designing costumes, movies or theatre.

Playing with my hair

I’ve been feeling rather mopy recently, partly due to it being November. And I’m having my usual reaction to “ought to”, which is “don’t want to”. Ought to here, is sewing on the national gown so it will be ready to the 12th nigh party. So I think I’m going to scrap that idea. I do not want to sew like mad in December. But I still want to have a new gown. I have an idea here, but I think I will keep quiet about it for now.

So I’m sewing on a some woollen skirts for the winter and a modern underbust corset instead, while I mope and think. And I’ve been playing with the book I mentioned recently.



I put up my hair in wet pincurls that I slept on and after cobing it out I pinned it in and up, and the nape of my neck. It gave a reather good impression of short hair, especially as my hair reach halfway fdwn my back. However, in my eyes it looked more Twenties rather than the Thirties updo that the book described.







It would have looked neater if I had used pomade and hairspray- this is the result of plain water, but I still liked it.