Daniel Boone & G the Jedi

This post is quite late, but thought you'd like to see an odd couple anyway. Presenting...BrrrrrrrrrrrrUM...Daniel Boone and G the Jedi! (Okay, you didn't HAVE to do the drumroll in your head, but it was fun! =>.<= )...Daniel Boone is wearing deer leather pants and moccasins, found at a garage sale. A synthetic coon skin cap, and a loose tweedy shirt I modified from a button down thrift store shirt. I removed the pocket, sewed a seam down the front where the buttons used to be, added grommets and leather ties for the closure, and turned & stitched the cuffs inside. Then I ran more leather ties through the cuffs to tighten at the wrist.

Eons ago, I made G the Jedi a proper Jedi uniform. He finally outgrew it last year and required a new one. This time, he wanted sleeves on the cape. And, here we are...the new and improved Jedi suit.He was glad to show off his new digs at his karate dojo's annual Halloween party. The teacher is a huge star wars fan and does light saber demonstrations for the public, so he has special prized for the best Star Wars costumes. I think G was the runner up this year.

The Crew of the Airship, Uhr Drache

We donned our Steampunk attire to attend a cinematic presentation of Sherlock Holmes, A Game of Shadows last Friday. Dinner out, with many a stare from fellow patrons, and an engaging movie are just what the Doctor ordered after a long holiday season! We received many questions and compliments during the evening...including an artist who asked us to sit for a sketch!
Lord McCormick, Airship Captain...
Lady McCormick, Cache Curator...
Miss Juliette Bellafoxe McCormick, Engineer...
Sir Avery McCormick, First Officer and Bodyguard...We even managed to coax a smile out of him!

Lolita Bow Tutorial

PLEASE NOTE: You may use this entire tutorial on your personal noncommercial site if you credit me, link back to my blog, and leave a comment here that you're using it...Thanks!

This is a basic bow without any frills. You can add lace, pearls, charms, multiple fabrics, etc. to make it unique. To wear, slide it onto a headband, stitch on a barrette, hair clip, or pin back and you'll be the belle of the ball!

Sew Lolita Panel Notes

Sewing Lolita! The following are helpful hints I've learned on my own sewing Lolita adventures.

Steampunk 101 Links

Here are links from my Steampunk 101 convention panel...just for you! These are just the tip of the iceberg to whet your whistle and certainly not a definitive listing. I encourage you to peruse and poke around the aether. I know you'll find something wonderful that fits you perfectly!

Renaissance Faire Fairytale

Once upon a time, there was a merry clan who went in search of funneth and adventureth....

Temporal Displacement Indicator

This new Steampunk gadget, just off the elf's work table, is a Temporal Displacement Indicator. It's purpose?...detecting rifts in time. Useful for tracking rogue time travelers or predicting time storms. Wielded by Sir Avery McCormick, ninja, knight, and royal bodyguard.

Steampunk Watch/Compass

EZ Mod Collars, Gratitude, and Progress

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement from my last post, ladies. It means a lot to know I'm not alone in cyberspace. I was also uplifted by this lovely thread on The Steampunk Empire. Thought you'd enjoy it too.

I also found this easy, no sew tutorial on changing shirt collars for different looks....with lots of great pictures. I tend to want to make things more difficult than necessary and this is a great reminder that simple is great!

Currently, I'm working through my disappointment by providing technical guidance to my daughter, who is constructing a Sakura outfit for the upcoming con. It will look something like this....

And, I'm cleaning the pit of despair(my studio) in order to regain my sanity. It currently looks like a hurricane and a tornado went dancing together. I actually prefer to work at the kitchen table when painting or crafting, making it too easy to let the beast get out of hand.

Next, I'll be sewing a new Jedi outfit for Master G using
Simplicity 5840. He finally outgrew the last one, but didn't outgrow his love of "the force".

Disappointments

Warning...there are no happy creations, interesting tutorials, or fun links in this post. I'm rather melancholy today and need to get something off my chest. So, read on if you wish or come back another day for fun and adventure in my universe. :)

The Elf's Creations Unveiled Part 1

TaDa! Here they are...some of the new pieces I've been cobbling together for our SP family outing next weekend.

The Steampunk Elf

The Steampunk elf is hard at work getting ready for an event in two weeks. Here's a sneak peek at the work table. Lots of gears and glue and fun stuff happening.

Corset? Are You Crazy?

Ahhhh...the dilemma. Should I subject myself to the horrors of a corset for the sake of being period correct whilst sashaying about in my Steampunk attire or buck convention to be comfortable? Hmmm...lets delve a little further into the evolution of my thinking on this subject.

First, I must tell you that I rarely do anything just because somebody said so. I'm slightly stubborn that way. Now if said person were to give a sufficient explanation as to the benefits and/or consequences of said requirements, I'd be more than willing to comply. Most of the time I just jump in and learn by doing. So it has been with the corset decision.

I wasn't interested in learning to make a corset. I'd looked at several patterns but just didn't want to give it the time or energy required. I went ahead and made a Victorian style dress without a corset. Unfortunately, the bodice just doesn't sit quite right. Its a little slouchy where it shouldn't be and I just could not achieve the crisp, pulled in silhouette of a classic Victorian bodice. I thought about adding some boning to the bodice and began researching what kind to get.

After surfing the net for information, I learned that plastic boning isn't great for larger size ladies...of which I am one. Steel boning was going to be necessary. There's flat steel and spiral steel boning. Both of which are more expensive than plastic boning. I decided that boning in the bodice just wasn't going to get the job done. A corset was the only way to go. But the more I read the more I began to dread making one. Then I stumbled upon a conversation about corset companies and perused a few sites. I found a shop called Corset-Story based in the U.K.. After figuring out the cost and hassle of making one vs buying one, I gladly clicked the buy now button!

I found an under bust model on clearance for $40 with all spiral steel boning and a steel busk(which is the front fastening system). These were all good things according to what I had read. Well, it arrived today and I wore it for a while. I love it! I can't believe how comfortable it is and how much it helps my posture. I'll have to practice wearing it as it's tricky to move around in.

I'm pretty impressed with this corset. The fabric is good quality and there isn't a piece of plastic to be had. The sizing was right on. If you decide to buy one, definitely check the sizing chart. It even fit my daughter who's waist is almost 6 inches smaller than mine. I received it in about two weeks and the shipping was quite reasonable. I'll definitely be ordering another one from them soon.

I'm excited to start working on my new Neo-Victorian dress now!
Front....Back...Inside....

My Deer & The Bicycle Gear Hat

Here's our adopted baby....well actually, she adopted us....My daughter named her Daisy. She's been living in our back yard all summer. Sleeping under the stairs or trampoline and eating everything in sight. Her mother isn't around much, but we see her once in a while. We haven't fed her or tried to touch her, but she's happy to munch the grass when we're outside as long as we don't get within 10 yards of her. Its been fun to watch her grow.

I'm working frantically on new Steampunk attire for the family. There's an event coming up in September and I want a family picture for our Christmas cards. So...today's offering is the hat I finished for my daughter, Juliette Bellafoxe's Steampunk Lolita outfit.
I had some butterflies in my stash o' stuff which I threw on in various areas. There are also tiny watch gears scattered about on the petals. This is the front.
I wanted it to have the feel of a small Victorian lady's hat with some minor imperfections because she's an airship mechanic. The round shape was dictated by the cool gear I found at the thrift store for $1!
Here's a look at the inside.
This is one side. The red flowers are hydrangeas with cream roses interspersed.
Here's a look at the back.Her skirt is made of the same fabric as the hat. It features a brown taffeta ruffle with embroidered brown fleur de lis, which is also used in the newly added hat ties. The corset/bustle is made of red brocade and is reversible with a simple gold brocade on the other side. The shirt came from the thrift store and benefited from a little tailoring.

Steampunk Aesthetic and Design with Jake Von Slatt

If you're interested in the DIY side of Steampunk, you must see the work of Jake von Slatt at The Steampunk Workshop! He is, hands down, the master of SP modifications. His SP bus is amazing!

Here's the direct YouTube link to this video.

League of S.T.E.A.M.

Okay, I realized some of you hadn't been introduced to the League of S.T.E.A.M.. These guys are the Victorian age's ghost busters. They're a little irreverent and a lot hilarious! This is their "commercial"...

This is the direct link to this video on YouTube. Check out their YouTube channel for more old time shorts. Enjoy!

Steampunk Weapon Modification

First, a disclaimer for the faint of heart...these weapons are completely non functional and do not actually emit anything, including water, nerf darts, or laser beams. Their sole purpose is to accessorize our costumes and exercise our imaginations. So...on with the post...

Steampunk/Neo Victorian Easy Bustle Tutorial

Thought I'd share my method for creating a simple, no stress, yet elegant bustle. There is no exact right way to do it. There are some essential steps, but for the most part the finished project will be whatever looks good to you.

Sweet Gingham Doll Dress

I whipped up this doll dress for Miss H's American Girl doll to match her birthday dress from last year. I've had it done for a while, but the procrastinator in me....well, you get the idea. The bonnet was made from the leftover piece I cut off of a straw hat to make Miss H's bonnet.

6 Gore Skirt Tutorial (For Big People, Little People, And American Girl Dolls Too)

I would encourage you to check out this awesome website where I found the tutorial for the basic skirt www.patternsthatfityou.com. There are all kinds of great tailoring tips and online classes. I'll reiterate the instructions here (for myself as much as for you) just in case it disappears someday. (Go to their home page and click on the 6 Gore Skirt Pattern Class on the right side. It's free, but you need to add it to your cart and complete the process.)

I've added my own instructions for both a high pointed waistband and a high straight waistband to use with this skirt. The original uses a regular waistband and those instructions are also included here.