February 20, 2013
I’ve just completed the 49th design for my 365-day creative challenge. So far I’ve come up with 2 sets (5 each) that could be coordinating designs, or as I like to think of them, coordinating fabric designs. So far I’ve gotten some pretty cool designs, even one or two that might prove useful. Come take a look at all my designs at The Daily Pattern!
January 22, 2013
I’m having a lot of fun with my 365 day challenge to create a pattern each day. So far I’ve done steampunk gears, mystery fruit, repeating eyes and sorta Celtic-looking medallions and more with fabric design in mind. Go check it out at my Daily Pattern blog. Comments welcome!
August 20, 2011
A. came up with the original concept drawing. In it she decided that a pleated yoke should be added to define the chest area. It looked great. The implementation was a bit of a challenge. It required a lot of time, a ruler, chalk, an iron and many,many pins. Due to some related issues I decided to hand stitch the pleats down with a simple whip stitch. After som discussion we decided that would be the side we would use on the outside. After the stitching was completes I cut out the yoke pieces to attach to the torso pieces.
I decided to define the yoke further with a vine and leaf stitch from my sewing machine. I then used the vine and leaf on alternating pleats. For the top stitch I chose a brown thread that matched the linen of the pants. A found a wonderful source for the buttons and I fell in love with these made with brass.
July 24, 2011
It was someone’s bright idea to get married in Las Vegas in July. And then, to make it irresistible to the Rogues (as if we weren’t already excited), they made it themed – 40s/50s.
The ensuing costume is an original design based on a 1937 Butterick dress, floral patterns of the era and a 1990s Vogue skirt pattern, both altered with some ad-libbing in the middle. I ended up using a stretch pinstripe fabric for the body of the dress and a Kaufman fabric for the bodice and skirt flounce, with a coordinating fabric to line the inside of the large brimmed hat. I’m sorry I don’t have images of the original hat. It had a deeper crown and was completely floppy. I added wire to the brim, cut down the crown and pleated the lining fabric into it. I also made a coordinating clutch purse for me and a tie for my husband.
Despite the heat, the wedding was awesome! And yes, it was Elvis themed. Note the Elvis glasses. I even found out how to make hair setting solution like they would have used at the time. It worked well, but didn’t hold up to the heat.
All images by The Rogues of Thread (bythebodkin.wordpress.com) and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, unless specifically attributed elsewhere.
July 24, 2011
This costume was originally made for a Halloween Steampunk Mad Hatter Tea Party. The tailed vest is is a Rogues of Thread original design, made from a flat-folds find and is terribly synthetic and hot. It’s red and gold striped, lined and collared in black satin. This was my first attempt at a Mad Hatter’s hat. While visually successful, it wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world. Considering that it was more prop than head wear, I’d still consider it a success. I’ve learned much about hat making since then. This hat will need to be recreated at some point in a wearable style.
The rest of the costume is mostly made up of secondhand store finds: cotton velvet skirt, a silk blouse, red stockings and Swiss Army WWII goggles.
All images by The Rogues of Thread (bythebodkin.wordpress.com) and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, unless specifically attributed elsewhere.
July 22, 2011
In the past we’ve used the word peacocks to describe the men in our creations and this time is no exception. The Lord Mayor and Sheriff of the Central Coast Renaissance Faire, or SLO Faire (July 16 and 17, 2011), were preening, strutting and looking damn good, if I do say so myself, in their fyne new costumes.
The Lord Mayor of the Central Coast Renaissance Faire 2011
The Lord Mayor’s costume is a dark blue mid-weight linen doublet with yoke, sleeves and pants with a fine cotton flat-ruffed shirt. The sleeves and doublet front are slashed with green dupioni silk and trimmed with blue-gray hand embroidery and antique brass buttons. His tall hat is made from the same linen and the hat band is hand made blue cotton trim.
The Sheriff the Central Coast Renaissance Faire 2011
Our Sheriff’s costume is a green doublet of mid-weight linen, heavy weight brown linen pants and a cotton flat-ruffed shirt. The doublet is yoked, as the Lord Mayor’s, but that portion is pleated and embroidered subtly with a vine pattern in brown thread. The buttons are antique brass. His tall hat is made of the brown linen with a green linen hat band with the same embroidery as the doublet.
The hat and doublet patterns are Rogues of Thread originals.
A special thank you to M for finding the time I had lost to make the Lord Mayor’s shirt. You saved me!
Related posts: The Lord Mayor – A Costume Autopsy
All images by The Rogues of Thread (bythebodkin.wordpress.com) and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, unless specifically attributed elsewhere.
an Elizabethan corset in progress
By the Bodkin 