Isabella's Project Diary

I might write up a really long Pennsic post tonight, assuming I get all the unpacking and emailing I need to get done, done. I also need to get to bed early and report to my TDY early tomorrow morning.

Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for their congratulations on my new position. It got a bit hairy there on Thursday but everything is okay now and I am getting the transfer, Thank God.

...Now, on to the reason behind this post....

I got fabric. :-)

Friday afternoon, I went down to merchants. Typically, everyone has some good deals because they just don't want to take it home. I had my eye on this gorgeous bolt of pale blue cotton brocade since the beginning of Pennsic. It didn't have a price on it but the surrounding brocades were all in the $8 ~ $10 a yard range. Given that I'd need at least 3 yards for anything decent, I was very wary of it. But, Friday, I asked about the pretty blue bolt.

The gentleman at the store told me that the brocade was only $2 a yard. My brain immediately went from maybe 3 yards for a surcote to 10 yards for a surcote and an Italian gown. So, I asked him for ten yards of it. He told me he'd give me the entire bolt for that price. ...yes, I took it.

I carried the bolt of fabric through merchants (getting a lot of rather humorous looks) and up to my campsite where I promptly showed off my find. I *think* there is about 30 yards on the bolt. There may be more. I need to measure it out tonight and take pictures of it.

It is a cotton brocade (it might be a blend but it's mostly cotton. I'll do a burn test tonight to make sure) and the color is light enough that I can dye it any color I want. Now, to make a surcote, an Italian Dress, and a cotehardie out of it.... and maybe a 'bethan? Hmmm...this fabric with the white wool I have....

So, Friday. I had a lot packed and basically threw it into the car, leaving around noon or so. basically, I kept forgetting stuff and had to make sure I really did pack everything I needed and wait until store opened to go get emergency supplies (like beading wire) so I left a couple of hours later than I wanted to. The traffic was pretty bad, but more for the terrible accident than for construction.
A tractor-trailer ran off the side of the road and down the embankment (which was more of a cliff given the depth and angle) and caught on fire. The driver was okay (or, at least, I think that was the driver sitting there by the side of the road looking down the embankment with the "Dear God!" look on his face) but it looked pretty bad. That caused everything to be back upped on I-70 for a few miles. The construction? Only took a half hour.

( go get something to eat and some tea. This will take a while...a long while )( Saturday )( Sunday )( Monday )
( Tuesday )( Wednesday )( Thursday )
( Friday )
( Saturday )
Overall, Pennsic was great and I'm sorry I didn't get to see everyone but I am happy that I got to see a lot of you. Feel free to comment with your favorite Pennsic pictures and/or whatever. :-)

I'll try to finish up the sleeves tomorrow. I forgot something and need it before I start the beading to the sleeves.

I'm almost finished with a corset I started tonight. I decided during the middle of House that I just needed a new corset. I would have finished it if it were for the bobbin running out of thread. I'll probably finish it in the morning.

I'm going to have a lot of simple handsewing projects I'll finish at Pennsic. Almost all of it is just eyelets which is why I'm holding off on those. Eyelets can be done at Pennsic. Resizing and adding various trims can't. Or at least not as easily as eyelets can be added.

I finished 7 or so more Atlantian Mullets tonight. Woohoo!

So I went through my gowns because I know there are a few that need to be repaired prior to Pennsic. A couple I can just repair at Pennsic, if necessary, like my Gothic Fitted Gown (I need to move the buttons since I lost a bit of weight since I made the thing). Most I need to do a repairs here. So, repair gowns!

Peacock Venetian - I'm working on that now. I want to wear it to Novice given the theme is "birds". What better than peacock feather brocade sleeves to match my changeable fabric that goes from blue to green to purple (ignore the fact it's poly taffeta. Yes, I'll be carefully about hydration) with my peacock fan? Hmm...I wonder if I can get a pair of blue Mary Janes and add a peacock feather to the tops of them....I have peacock feather earrings! ...Oh...and I bet I can finish up that beaded snood and use that....hmmm...

The Florentine gown - I need to replace the lining on it. The jacquard is fine but the lining has had it. Oh the fun of picking out eyelets....

Red/Gold Venetian- I still need to piece it back together. This means re-pleat the skirt.

Mom's Turkish - I'm not sure if I'll bother taking the gores out and moving them up or not quite yet. It depends on how much time I end up having a week or so before Pennsic.

Green Venetian - Not sure if I'll bother with this either given it's a "winter" gown and not meant for summer wear. However, I do need to take it apart and re do the straps and the pleats on the skirt.

I can probably get each of these done in an afternoon. However, I still need to finish the sleeves on the Eleanor gown, make Mom at least another outfit or two, make us both more chemises (6 for her, 1 or 2 for me), and do all this before the end of the month! Yeap, I'm busy. I so will be sewing all day at Novice. If I'm not sewing for more than 30 minutes and it's not feast? Yell at me, please.

The purple Scottish Italian dress is almost done. I finally figured out how to pleat the back without having to cut it up. It looks nice now.

I created a pattern for my Mom's kirtle. It *should* fit her perfectly but I'm making it out of the blue cotton first just to make sure (and so she'll have a nice cool blue Atlantian gown to wear on Sunday of War Week:-) ). She also loves the 12th c ish Green dress from the butterick pattern and really wants that so....padawansguide? That's what shall become of the green silk velvet. I promise to take out the princess seams and make it closer to the 12th c...because I just wouldn't be able to stand it otherwise.

Anyway, I cut out the canvas for the bodice of the kirtle. I'm still debating on whether or not to use the purple cotton for lining or just regular old muslin. Given that I think this would be best served as an Atlantian dress, I'm thinking the muslin (that, and it's lighter than the purple cotton for the summer).

I also worked on the pink Eleanor gown. 11 more of those rounded designs to go on the back and the dress is done! I decided to go ahead and make the back match the front and not do the back like the shoulders. Instead, I'll just do one panel for the sleeves that is "embroidered" since that's the way it looks in the painting anyway. I do have pink pearls for the sleeves and I know I have the three strands of black pearls I bought from fabricdragon last year in a basket, I think. I need to remember where I put them.

In non-sewing news: I did see Becoming Jane last night. I rather liked it. A couple of things (dresses) made my eyes go "huh?" but all and all it was pretty cute. Then again, I know next to nothing about Jane Austen's life.

Just in case anyone thought I had forgotten about making my house for Pennsic:
http://www.floorplanner.com/2z29xh/

:-) Now, it won't look exactly like that because the planner didn't have things like vertical ladders or raised area that serves as both a storage area and as a bed. :-) Or, trailer wheel coveres...that's what the nightstands plus the pillows are for.

It was so much fun! We got there early which was a very good thing. We ended up getting seats right up front that way in the green section. The green section is where the entrance for all the Knights is and right next to the balcony for the Royalty. Talk about up close and personal!

( long! )

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320240854612&ssPageName=STRK:MEBI:IT&ih=011

woohoo! It's a bit smaller in width than I wanted but I can easily expand the sides to make it 6' x 11'...which is the size I want. So, Pennsic trailer, here I come!!!!

I have come to the conclusion I need a trailer. No, not just to tug my wardrobe/tent/chairs around but an actual Pennsic trailer home. I know what I want to build. Yes, I came to this conclusion a while ago but I know now (thank to the tax refund) that I really might be able to build this thing. I have a plan (of sorts) and I have tools (yes, power tools even. I actually have a nice little tool set that isn't pink or turquoise. Okay, so the picture hammer does have a purple floral pattern but that's for pictures.).
( many random ideas )I've built stuff before just nothing this complex. I know what I need and I have some idea of what to do. My main reason for building this is because last year, the "ucky" Pennsic, the poles of my tent shifted. My tent looked like it was playing twister. I managed to fix it only to have it move again. Why? Because the ground was so saturated with water (you could see your reflection in the water between the grass blades) that the earth had turned into a spongy muddy mess that was slowly moving itself! A trailer is a bit heavier so if it starts to move like that, there is a lot more to worry about than some rain. Also, if it floods...well, we are all doomed. That, and I'm always looking for the next great weird thing to build for the sake of my "hobby". And what is cooler than one of those trailers?

In totally unrelated news, I had to call the Post Office tonight. I haven't had a lick of mail since I got back. I have at least two packages that should have gotten here by now, bills, and junk mail that I always get and nada. Not a thing since before Saint Kitts. I stopped my mail until the 16th but that was over a week ago! The lady I spoke to was very nice and promised to have it sorted out by tomorrow afternoon.

I've also been working on the Venetian. It's been slow going only because I really haven't been at the machine that much. The bodice is a perfect fit so far and looks like it will work well. If this outfit turns out okay, I'll probably use the pattern again (I was bright this time and marked the muslin and saved it with the rest of my patterns so I'd know where to look and what the heck I was looking at in the future) soonish. I want to work on Mom's gown next. I have some pale rose colored silk to line the sleeves of her green velvet gown with.