Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Brown wool bodice done!

February is a short month, and a busy one with so many fun events, that who has time to get to the sewing?!? I really should buckle down here soon though or I will have nothing to wear to our Spring adventures. The brown wool dress is coming along, and the bodice is completed.



The sleeves are bishop sleeves, cut on the bias, pleated and backstitched at the sleeve head. They are common enough for a work dress, but add a little interest. I'm a such a girly girl, I have a really hard time leaving *anything* plain.

A detail of the cuff. The pleats are actually piped at the rim of the cuff to finish them off.


On another note, my sewing has also suffered because I am completely loving the Winter Olympics! The opening ceremonies were so Pacific Northwestern and included so much of the Canadian & Metis history that we interpret at the Fort.

I also can't get enough of the events. We love to watch Alpine skiing and Short Track, and of course, the Half-Pipe. Snowboarding is special to me because my brother is an amazing snowboarder and actually almost went professional. He even set up one of the Olympic Trial courses. I'm glad he's not insane enough to attempt some of the stunts you see on the Olympics (because they are crazy dangerous) but I am reminded of how great he is when I watch the snowboarders compete.

Ice dancing in particular has created some interesting fodder for costume inspiration.

Some of the costumes have been just plain gimmicky, like this Russian Aboriginal routine, which even included foliage sticking out of the ice skates...

And others had beautiful ethnic detailing I would love to incorporate into my modern dress, like this Indian routine performed by one of the US pairs. One of the men's skaters even had an incredible medieval inspired vest trimmed with fur!

Watching figure skating makes me realize that I missed my calling and I should have become an ice skating costume designer! Really, they do have a lot of fun, flowy fabrics and interesting interpretations.

I'm hoping that tonight's Ladies Figure skating will motivate me to finish my own dress as the projects are piling up behind it, and Spring reenacting season will come whether I'm prepared for it or not! Have a lovely day!

4 comments:

Lauren said...

That looks great!!!

Sophia said...

Beautiful sleeves! I have the exact same fabric that I'm using for a shawl.

Rachel B. said...

Lissa, the bodice is beautiful! As always! It makes me so impatient to cut into my brown wool plaid!! But alas, I'll have to wait until AT LEAST August....The sacrifices of a mother ;) :D Good thing the stinkers are worth it!

Rachel said...

love love love the bodice - that is such a great color

and the girliness of it is great!