I am Writing a Sewing Book

Those of you who hurried up and followed my new instagram sewing account got first look at this announcement on Monday.

I'll be honest, these plans are still in the very early stages. So why announce now? Well, two reasons.

#1. This is a book for YOU. That means that I want to get feedback from my readers from the get go, so I needed to let you into the 'secret' right away!

#2. It's going to affect my future sewing queue (but this is not a bad thing). I have four garments left to finish, and then the 2015 queue will be complete. After this, I am hoping to focus solely on creating and testing projects for the book until early 2016.

I'm actually really excited about this. My health, particularly with the new addition of fibromyalgia joint pain, has made it increasingly difficult for me to meet client deadlines. I will be on track, ahead of schedule, and then sickness will knock me out for a week and suddenly I'm not just behind on work, I'm behind on cooking and laundry and cleaning and spending time with my family. It's become very stressful. So hopefully working on the book will release some of that deadline pressure, and also create a continual revenue source for future sick times.

As I said on instagram, my goal is to create a resource for beginning sewers to construct costumes on a budget. This isn't a "teach you how to sew" book, it is a "you can sew a straight line, now here's how to create your cosplay and not break the bank with it" book. (but don't worry, in chapter one I'll tell you where to go if you want to learn some basic machine+stitching stuff first!)

What I am hoping to teach you is how to get the best bang for your buck with materials, make deft (but easy!) alterations to thrift store finds to turn them into awesome costumes, and use your own measurements to make simple patterns for easy but stunning core pieces for various historical and fantasy/scifi scenarios. We'll also talk about props, and techniques for working with fussy materials like pleather, foam armor and knits.

This is how I learned to sew. I didn't use a commercial pattern until I was almost 13, and to this day I make my own patterns as much as I alter commercial ones. It isn't nearly as hard as it sounds, and I'm going to teach you how!

I'll also include tons of resources, which will all be hyperlinked in the ebook. (Yes, I'm planning to release it in as many digital reader formats as possible, and I'm planning right now to keep them under $5 each. Budget conscious is the byword of this project, after all!).

If you are going to prefer a paperback hard copy, do speak up! I'm doing research into how to do it economically - I don't want to charge more than $16 if possible. However doing that layout is significantly more work than just the ebook, so I would need to know if there was enough interest for it. I'll be running polls for that later on in the process, but appreciate feedback whenever.

This volume will be specifically created for beginning sewers. If it works well, I might do a second volume for intermediate seamstresses, but that's a LONG way off with a lot of 'ifs'.

Let me know if this is a project you are excited about, and what you hope I might include! You can leave a comment below, on my facebook page, my instagram, or send me an e-mail!

I'm SO excited and can't wait to get going!

Yes, you CAN alter a knit top!

I spent the majority of my life believing that in order to do anything with knit fabric, one needed a serger. Turns out, a regular sewing machine can actually work better for many knit projects!  While using a twin needle gives the best finished effect on hems, you can accomplish a simple side seam alteration on a knit top with just a zig-zag stitch and basic sewing skills! 

I was badly in need of a brown tank top, so I took a look around at Goodwill. To my delight, I found a liz clairborne tank in good condition for just $.99! (It's a little thin so it needs to be layered, not the most ideal for a tank top, but for $.99 it will more than do the job until I can get/make something better).

I am pretty curvy, so an off-the-rack top often doesn't fit me very well. This means that when I'm buying secondhand clothes, I deliberately look for something a size big, so I have plenty of room to work with for altering the side seams.

All I did was put the top on my dressform and pin the sides as I wanted. I was just careful to make sure they didn't wrinkle. That's all.

If you don't have a dressform, You can pin it using yourself as a model. Use safety pins instead of straight pins, and get someone to assist you in making sure it doesn't wrinkle.

Then what you are going to do is set your machine to a very small zig zag stitch. I had a width of 1.5 and a length of 2.5.

I also really advise using a ballpoint needle, as this helps prevent snags with knit fabric.

You can mark your stitching line if you'd like. I tend to just sew and pull out each pin slowly as I sew up to it, as you can see above.

Do NOT trim excess fabric yet. First you need to try it on and check the fit.

Don't freak out if it doesn't fit perfectly the first time you stitch it! I had to make an adjustment on this top, as there were these weird bulges right at the bustline.

Thankfully it was pretty simple to just sew a straighter curve and eliminate the bump.

And here we are, a well-fitting and good quality tank top.

Just what I needed to wear to an outdoor wedding in June!

Now it is your turn! I dare you to pick up something knit and tweak it to fit you better - I think you'll be surprised at how easy it is!

I am no longer taking CLOAK commissions.

As many of you know, "Red's Cloak" has been one of my more popular commissions. However, after making so many of them, I reached my burnout point and realized that I simply could not sew any more cloaks. Partially mental burnout, but also they are very physically demanding, which has been more and more difficult with my fibromyalgia, and my tiny apartment just does not have adequate floor space to cut out the huge panels required.

This was not an easy decision for me, as I felt I was letting my clients down. So my idea was to create a system of contractors that would complete different aspects of the cloaks. Late last year I set up a queue of 6 cloaks to be completed via this method, with three contractors.

While the clients that were a part of that queue ARE getting their cloaks, various problems with the contractors have resulted in a greatly delayed delivery schedule. The whole process has been so frustrating for me, that it has become very clear that this method is not going to work.

I am hoping to expand my masterpost with more notes and pattern suggestions, so that those who still want a version of Red's cloak from "Once Upon a Time" (or Belle's, same pattern) can see what I did and replicate my steps (or pass the instructions on to the seamstress of their choice). I don't feel there would be enough interest to warrant me creating a full pattern to sell, especially since cloaks are so large that selling them as a "print and tape" e-pattern would be more trouble than it's worth for both me and the customers.

Now... need some good news to balance out your day? Check out what I posted on my new sewing instagram account today - click the photo with the thimble and thread! (Full blog post on the subject coming Wednesday!)

More stuff coming soon!

I have been sick all week, and when not sick I've been using my energy to reorganize my fabric so that I have space to work again. Some photos of the new set-up coming soon!

The Wardrobe of Nyssa al Ghul

"Arrow" is not typically a show that I find myself wanting to write costume analysis posts about, despite the fact that I really love what they've done with costuming on the show (except maybe Laural's Black Canary). However, after the finale of Season 3, I just had to do a little post adoring Nyssa al Ghul's costumes. (If you haven't see the finale yet, be warned that there ARE spoilers below.)

Retrieved from Pinterest

First off, let's talk about her regular combat wear. It is by far my favorite female costume on the show, and if I were ever going to cosplay a female character from "Arrow," it would probably be Nyssa in this costume. (Sara is my favorite character, but I wouldn't be comfortable wearing her Black Canary costume).

Retrieved from Pinterest

Granted, it doesn't always seem the most practical of fighting outfits, but it's on par with everything else the League of Assasins choose for fashion, so, eh. I just really love the layers, the textures, the hint of burgundy, and all of the triangular lines. 

From sheknows.com

Elegant and feminine, but deadly... and more about function than showing off assets. *cough*

From primetime.unrealitytv.co.uk

So I already loved her 'work clothes', but then we got this teal treat! Gorgeous and embellished, with that lovely sheer overtunic... it's regal and soft and the exact opposite of how Nyssa actually feels in this scene. 

From ew.com

 
I'm not an expert on Eastern dress. I'm not sure what Nyssa's ethnic heritage is supposed to be, and whether black is a traditional wedding color in that culture. From a western view, it's the color of mourning, which certainly seems appropriate for this particular ceremony.

From bha-paradox.tumblr.com

Despite the horribleness of the situation, I took the time to admire the wedding dress because it really rocked. But you probably already know how much I love shiny embellishments by now...

What stinks is that Nyssa's awesome wardrobe probably has little to do with her, as most of it was probably picked or strongly overseen by her dad. Ra's al Ghul has good taste in women's clothes... maybe he should have gone into fashion design instead of assassination. 

OUAT Hordes New Costumes for Season 4 Finale

Thank you, oh patient friends! I spent last week finishing up a major writing deadline, and after that my fingers were DEAD. However I have a post chock full of all of those OUAT finale costumes for you to reward you for your patience! 

(all screencaps from springfield. Click for full-size.)

Also, these are screencaptures from the actual episode, so there WILL be spoilers. 

I can only imagine how excited everyone on the cast and crew must have been when the finale story was revealed to them. Certainly the costume department had a blast switching everyone up! Regina is clearly supposed to be wearing Snow's hunting costume, but I'm not sure if it is the same pieces or a new one made up to fit Lana. Thoughts?

Snow certainly loves being sparkly! I love the silver embellishment on this gown, but dread to think of the cost of replicating it! I also enjoy her sleeves, as Regina's tended to be fitted, not flared.

C'mon. We all burst out laughing when we saw Charming's guy-liner, right?

Lovely, lovely lace!

Charming has a nice 'stoner evil' costume.

Here is a good look at the textures in Snow's collar.

I am enjoying the fact that, even evil, they got Snow's trademark puffed sleeves in there.

More delicious collar detail!

This is the first time we've seen a fairy tale Snow with short hair. It certainly works with the character, but took some getting used to!

Zelena may drive me crazy, but I did enjoy her costumes in this episode.

Side look at Regina's costume.

Here's Belle as the wife of the Gold Knight - so of course she is wearing a yellow dress! This is not, however, a third incarnation of her gold ballgown, but rather a yellow version of the blue dress that has been so popular for OUAT cosplayers.

Here you can clearly see that the skirt is a much darker gold than the bodice and blouse.

It is weird, hilarious, and awesome to see Rumple in a full suit of armor.

He clearly stole Charming's role in this alternative universe, right down to the big fur collar on his cloak.

I couldn't find any good images of Emma's captive dress. It appeared to have long flowing sleeves, a pretty large skirt, and was embellished all over with black beadwork.

I really really hope that I get the chance to recreate Snow's evil red dress at some point!

Here is Evil Granny, bedecked with some jewels and a fascinator on her head! Lovely red shawl, though.

Seeing the evil dwarves was hilarious.

Another good look at Snow's sleeves.

A look at the detail around Emma's neckline! She's got a bit of feminine lace tucked away in there.

Here we can more clearly see the details on Belle's yellow dress.  The bodice fabric has a texture to it, and the blouse sleeves appear to be thickly gathered yellow lace.

There is also a bit of flowery trim around the bodice neckline.

More of Emma's adventuring costume. From the shine in her white tunic, I'm wondering if it is made from a raw silk.

The one appearance of Will Scarlet! Also, the back of Robin's wedding clothes. (No, there is no way a common thief would be able to afford such a rich outfit. The suit has to be possible only because he is part of Zelena's happy ending.)

I wanted a better look at Zelena's wedding dress, which seemed quite pretty, but this is the best I could find for details.

Full look at Emma's costume, where you can see the asymmetrical lines clearly.

Costumes in profile.

Rumple, trying to look heroic despite the physical realities of middle age.

A look at Zelena's necklace. She's just trying so hard to look innocent, isn't she?

A little look at the detailing and texture of Robin's costume.

Slightly blurred, but here we get our best look at Robin and Zelena's wedding clothes.

There you are, folks! Half of the costume budget for OUAT's spring 2015 run had to have been spent on these two episodes, and what fun it was to see the results!

Can't wait for the fall, and the potential that the Merlin plotline brings for costuming!