As I work my way through salvaging a dog damaged duvet cover, subsequently building a small 18th century wardrobe with it, I️ had enough scrappy pieces to make hat trim. In fact, the slim scraps I used for the hat trim was part of the discarded side trim where closure buttons were sewn in to […]
Outlander
Sewing 18th Century Stays
As I work my way through salvaging a dog damaged duvet cover, subsequently building a small 18th century wardrobe with it, I️ had enough scrappy pieces to make a set of 18th century stays. I just LOVE this Indienne pattern. I used to wear an underbust corset underneath the jacket of my Claire costume […]
Costuming Claire from Outlander: Season 3
I love costuming Claire from Outlander. But in Houston (and Atlanta) it’s way too hot to survive in all those layers of wool, knit, crochet, and multiple 18th century undergarments. So when the Entertainment Weekly promotional stills came out just before season 3 started, I jumped at the opportunity to duplicate the look for warmer […]
Sewing 18th Century Jackets
What do you do when your dogs chew through the center of your favorite Pottery Barn duvet cover that just so happens to be Indienne, a fabric pattern popular between 17th and 19th centuries? Cut it up and make it into 18th century clothing, duh! Determined to expand my 18th century wardrobe with available materials and my […]
Outlander Inspired Druid Lanterns (DIY)
Since that first mesmerizing episode of Outlander with the dancing druids performing their celestial ritual, I have wanted to duplicate this casual costume. I almost always costume Claire, but this is a nice alternative for hot weather. While the garment is basically an off-white nightgown or 18th century chemise (I used this lady’s guide to create […]
Sewing 18th Century Petticoats
My first 18th century skirt (note: not a proper petticoat) was made for my Claire costume from Outlander (Season 1). I didn’t have a pattern or much skill/knowledge, so I bought 9 yards of heavy upholstery fabric and manually box pleated the hell out of it. Wishing I had pocket slits, I went back about a […]
Sewing 18th Century Stomachers
I’m of the opinion that one can never have too many stomachers. They’re like the statement necklace of the 18th century; interchangeable, drawing the eye to the chest *giggle* and worn in the closure of women’s shirt jackets. And because they’re easy to make and need little fabric (yeah, scraps!), I currently have six…and counting! […]
Sewing an 18th Century Drawstring Bag
After my dogs attacked my prized Pottery Barn duvet cover in the dead center of it (rendering it completely useless as bed clothes), I cut the bottom lining off to use for other projects and saved the decorative top for…whatever may come up. Turns out I have super educated and talented friends who spotted the […]
Ghosts of Costumes Past: DragonCon 2016
Every year during Labor Day weekend, I attend DragonCon in Atlanta, one of the largest pop culture conventions in the United States. While it’s not the largest and the most widely known, it is my version of a costuming Super Bowl. So as DragonCon approaches and I take a teeny tiny break from the frantic […]
DragonCon 2017 Costumes: Preview & Works in Progress
For “normal” people, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer and Labor Day marks the end of summer. For those of us costume hobbyists, Memorial Day means there are less than 100 days until Labor Day weekend when we bring our favorite costumes to DragonCon in Atlanta, one of the largest pop culture conventions in […]