Grr

I *should* probably be getting ready to go to Love and Beauty but I don't think I'll make it today which is really getting annoying. One reason is that I really can't stand for more than a few minutes despite starting to feel better. Another reason is that I really, truly, have no winter SCA clothing that fits! It's all way too big anymore. (Anyone need a black velvet early 1520's Venetian gown?) Thanks to Pennsic, I have some summer clothing that fits well, but no winter.

So, given that, I need to make at least a couple of winter outfits. I'm thinking a red velvet dress and maybe a wool dress? One in the early 1500's Italian style and the other in the mid century style. I do want to still make my Elizabethan Snow Queen looking outfit that I've been muddling about doing for a while. I have uhh...maybe 30 or 40 yards? of blue jacquard I got at Pennsic for $20. :-) I also have this lovely white silk that is beaded and embroidered that I want to make sleeves and a forepart out of. Add that with a sheer partlet and the color combo really makes it look "Snow Queen". Now, just to cut the thing out!

Next week is the Middle East event that I'm going to come Hell or high water, darn it! I'm going with the Italian interpretation of Turkish dress again -but I need to make an almost entirely new outfit. So far, I'm thinking of going for the "garish" factor. I have some lovely linen in this light orangy pinkish color (it's called Melon but I'd called it baby tangerine) that I want to make the "undercoat" in. For the overcoat/dress, I'm using the same baby blue jacquard as for the Elizabethan. I'll probably line it in blue silk that I have left over from my 1780's gown. I have a few hundred silver buttons so that's not an issue. The turkish chemise and the blue pants still fit so those will work. I just need to cut this all out too! Hopefully I can start on it tomorrow....

Silk!

Realizing today was the last day to use my coupons for Joann's and it being a mile away from the house, I decided to take a trip down the road. I'm glad I did. Joann's has dupioni silk in COLORS now. Forever, they've only had cream, black, and sometime red. There just weren't any other colors. The cream was great since you can dye that but it was rather disappointing in terms of variety.

Today I went in and they had colors like blue! In two different shades! And green! and even a pink! I'm using the pink for the hirka (underjacket) for the Turkish outfit. :-) I bought some drop dead gorgeous aqua silk for a summer Italian dress. I want to add some pink velvet trim to it for a neckline. The color is just *gorgeous*.

Anyway, Joann's has *color* silks now. With all the coupons I have, it's cheaper to buy that at Joann's than to buy it online. That, and I don't have to wait for it to arrive for a week and worry that the mailman will put it on the porch and the package will get rain or snowed on.