“I want to be a pine cone for Halloween!” isn’t something a 40-something year old woman would normally say, but here we are in the alternate universe of 2020 when you don’t ask “but why tho?” you just roll with things. But seriously, why? I was scrolling Pinterest for costume inspiration for me to wear […]
DIY
Making My Loblolly Witch Hat
Since last October when I posted my friend Sarah’s How to Make Your Very Own Fabulous Witch Hat, I’ve been wanting to make my own witch hat with fabric and craft remnants. This fall while working on my pine cone costume I did just that, and now Sarah and I have our own tiny craft […]
Costuming Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s
The iconic tuxedo shirt and Tiffany blue sleep mask is the perfect roll-out-of-bed pantsless costume for warm weather Halloweens, posh costume parties, and hot crowded cosplay conventions. I never cared to dress as Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s until I watched Big Little Lies…and then I had to! Here’s how I altered a shirt […]
Oktoberfest Dirndl, but Make It Witchy
How many dirndls are too many? What started with one dirndl to wear to a wedding reception in Germany became several to wear to Texas Renaissance Festival and Oktoberfest events here in Texas…so why not make one a little more witchy for a dirndl group at Costume College? Following yesterday’s post on my 1950’s McGonagall […]
Wizardbounding 1950’s McGonagall
After finishing my McGonagall costume last year, a mountain of a project, I had a lot of spare olive fabric, both striped and pintucked. When we made plans to run a half marathon in Orlando, we also made plans to visit Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I wasn’t sure wizardbounding was a thing, but I […]
Costuming McGonagall from Harry Potter
Professor Minerva McGonagall is my favorite Potterverse character. She’s the true hero, and anyone who says otherwise can fight me. She has many classic looks in the films, but the one that captivated me the most was her outfit at the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Stunning olive dress robes […]
My First Foray Into Steampunk
My first foray into steampunk started with boots and a corset. And as I worked my way through items and supplies I already had, patterns I could download and print at home, and playing dress-up on the mannequin, my Steampunk Seamstress was born. Here’s how the outfit came together, with links to previous posts on […]
Steampunk Seamstress: The Utility Belt, etc.
Following my last Steampunk Seamstress on my arm bracers, I’m sharing the so-quick-I-barely-took-any-pictures build for my undercorset utility belt and optional fan holder, parasol holder, and belt bag. I say optional because until I put everything on and head to an event, hopefully Dickens on the Strand in Galveston this December, I won’t really know […]
Steampunk Seamstress: Arm Bracers
More steampunk updates! Following yesterday’s post on my Steampunk Seamstress bowler hat, I’m sharing the build on the arm bracers. In my steampunk research, I found that all or most accessories are usually leather. I’m not particularly great at leatherworking, and I felt like fabric accessories would be more appropriate for a steampunk seamstress (and way more comfortable). […]
Steampunk Seamstress: The Bowler Hat
Following yesterday’s post on my Steampunk Seamstress thread spool bandolier, I’m sharing the build on the bowler hat. The hat presented three challenges: making a child size hat fit and look feminine, using only items from my surplus craft supplies, and honoring the principle that all steampunk accoutrements be functional. With an exception of the hat itself, […]