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How to Create Screen Accurate Lady Tremaine Jewelry
The project to recreate Lady Tremaine’s ballgown scene jewelry from 2015’s live-action Cinderella is, frankly, not for the faint at heart. But it is for the intrepid. Let’s dive right into it, shall we? First, let’s take stock of all the items that comprise Lady Tremaine’s jewelry set: necklace, earrings, two bracelets, ring, and feather hairpiece. That’s seven total pieces. Gosh she’s oustentatious! A vital important point that is quite pointy: The starbursts on all the pieces have 12 points, including the disks stacked upon each other. I’m assuming this was not just an aesthetic choice, but also to symbolize a clock. I mean, it could be happenstance, but Madam…
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Making of Mother Gothel’s Cloak
Are you looking for clarification on the instructions for the HOOD to HOOD BAND connection? Scroll to the bottom! I made this cape to go with a fan art version of the villain from Disney’s Tangled: Mother Gothel. For those who haven’t seen the movie, she wears a red dress and is sometimes featured wearing a dark blue/purplish cloak with a hood. I used McCalls 7886 to create the look. Read on to find out how I made the fabric and my review of the pattern. Pattern Description:Lined cape is gathered to neck band with hook and eye closure and has side arm openings and train. Hood is lined and…
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Making of Belle’s 1860-Inspired Bodice
Belle was a passion project of mine. After seeing the Cinderella’s dress in the 2015 live-action movie, I instantly knew that cut was meant for Belle. From the Basque waist to the bertha, this was not Cinderella’s dress. I sat and I waited, not confident in my skills to create such a gown. Then, five years later, I got the gumption to attempt the “Beast.” First I needed a design that was my own that I could love for my lifetime as I will never make her again. Going to the drawing board, I took inspiration from Cinderella, but I wasn’t in love with the relatively plain organza bertha. I…
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Making a Renaissance Elsa: The Details
I had an idea for a Renaissance Faire Elsa that I could wear in high heat and still be comfortable. I did some research and with the knowledge of what people tend to wear to Renaissance Faires from my years of going, I came up with a style that I have not made or worn to Faire. Landing on this “milkmaid” design, I then gathered materials. Considering that it can be 90 degrees Fahrenheit or more with 100% humidity, I needed a fabric that would wick sweat, help stay cool, and aid in bug repelling. Linen is the only fabric that fits that bill. If you’re wondering, linen is a…
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Renaissance Elsa: Simplicity 1773 Pattern Review
When I decided to make a Renaissance Elsa, I knew I had to make her extravagantly simple. Which is no easy feat! Making sure this cosplay was balanced in color, cut, and styling was a great deal harder than I thought it would be. But check out my Making of Renaissance Elsa post for more information on that. This is the review of the pattern I used to create the look. Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once I was done sewing it?White dress: It did indeed, the shape was consistent with the envelope examples.Blue overdress: Heck to the no. After 6 muslins, I finally got…
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Linen Safari Skirt Sans Dinosaurs
I made a vintage style safari skirt (think Rachel Weiss in The Mummy) using the 7 panel skirt portion of McCalls 7718. I shortened the pattern piece by 10 inches and by the end of the hang time, I ended up taking off/hemming up 14″ to get it all even. The hem is exactly 16′ (4.88m) which is awesome because I’m going to hand embroider 16 dinosaurs spaced 12″ apart. I thought I was going to do 14 and zhuzh it, but I can’t pass up the exactness of it. And yes, I will include some popular ones, but also some really obscure ones like the Amargasaurus! Can you tell…
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Pattern Review: Butterick 6211
FULL DISCLOSURE: I made a peplum top (just shortened the skirt to 6.5 inches long) to look like a banana. No joke. A banana. Yes, I am okay, no I don’t have 6 other fruits lined up (okay I lied, I’ve already done peach and strawberry–blueberry, orange, and lemon are next). Pattern Description:Pullover, front wrap dress (fitted through bust) has bodice back extending to side-front, skirt cut on crosswise grain, no side seams on bodice or skirt, concealed elastic with hook & eye closure, front button and hook & eye closing, narrow hem, and self-belt. Topstitching. Note: No provisions provided for above waist adjustment. Circa 1953 Were the instructions easy…
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Pattern Review: Vogue 9285
Pattern Description:Loose fitting top has back hook and eye closure and sleeve variations. Pattern Sizing:6-14 or 14-22; I cut an 18. Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?I made a number of alterations, but the bones of the shirt matched that of the picture. Were the instructions easy to follow?The instructions for the bishop sleeve were easy. Reading through the flared sleeve instructions were slightly confusing. The shirt comes together quickly though. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?The sleeve cuffs are dreadful, they are supposed to be one piece (I made them two to insert the…
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Science of Sewing: Creating Custom Striped Fabric
I fell in love with this fashion plate and knew I had to make it into Captain America. But the problem was the striped skirt, I didn’t want the stripes falling into the seamlines and creating chevrons. Instead I decided to make my own stripes and sew them on to recreate the look. This was my process for getting crisp, clean, and even stripes all around the skirt. Step One: Tear taffeta into 2″ strips. Yes, tear. Silk taffeta tears evenly on grain, creating perfect strips of fabric that you didn’t have to cut meticulously. It takes near zero time to do in comparison to cutting. Step Two: Grab handy…
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Sharpen Your Skills: Guide to Sewing Scissors
Let’s talk about all the scissors you might want or actually need for sewing (and a few bonus types for you costumers out there)! There are quite a few, so I’ve broken them down here with their uses and place in the cutting world: Types of Shears and Scissors Dressmaking Shears Dressmaking Shears come in two distinct varieties: Knife-edge and Serrated-edge. Both styles coming in sharp tip and blunt tip. There are also spring loaded versions to take some of the work off your hands. These are the mainstay of your scissor collection. They are meant to cut through fabrics as light as chiffon and gauze, all the way to…
