Last Saturday I attended the PEERS “River City Picnic” up in beautiful and much-missed Alameda. In preparing for this day, I realized I had absolutely no passable Edwardian costume, and I lacked…
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Scratch Hats: How To Make Structured Period Hats From Craft Store Goodies
No period costume is complete without a hat. The proper hat can make a costume really stand out, and the absence of one can break it (and sunburn your head.). Up until…
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Event: Egyptianesque Returns
Another appearance of the Egyptian-themed late 18th c. wrap-front voile dress, worn to Le Societe De Pique-Nique’s “Sphinx N’ Drinks” picnic, last Sunday. Egyptianesque accessories included a lovely gold and black African…
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1790s Jacket: A Bit O’ Progress
The bulk of the project mostly pinned together, to get an idea how it will all look when completed. I started putting together this jacket last night, using a flatlining technique new…
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1790s Striped Jacket – progress!
Oh hey, look what I found… I walked into my local Hancock Fabrics this past Saturday, pleased with the huge “50% OFF!” banner hung on the outside of the building, and there,…
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18th c. Wigs of Glory: Addition and Subtraction
It has taken me way too many days of experimentation, failing, purchasing, more experimenting, and attempting to film it all, to get this wig together and in a state of glory. Ladies…
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Measure Twice: Preparing For Costume Creation
One day you’re surfing the internet, enjoying your favorite dress diaries, when BAM! it hits you. There on your screen is an image of a dress, a jacket, a bodice, that makes…
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Depressionistas: Costume Incarnations
What is one way to save literally barrels full of cash on your out-of-control costuming habit? Remodel, revamp, reuse, recycle, and refurbish your old gowns into brand new ones! Remodeling gowns is…
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Festival of Feathers: Let the Madness Begin
Good thing I put that linen toile together for this robe, otherwise I’d be 100% lost. Instead, I’m only 60% lost! Every tiny thing is a challenge. I realized, once I started…
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The Directoire Depressionista: Costuming & the Economy
The Guilt of the FeathersSitting amidst my piles of rooster feathers, I come to realize that I feel guilty about the purchase of them. The desire to create the most fantastic over-the-top…
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Wolfie and Woffington Give a Nod to Lil’ Duchie
Finally I have returned from work-related duties in Atlanta, Georgia, and have been greeted by such a wonderful surprise! The Celebrated Mrs. Woffington, a wonderful 18th c. blog, has awarded me The…
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“Sewing Drought”
So happy was I to receive my feathers and fabrics this past weekend…until I remembered that I won’t be able to work on the costume at all for the next two weeks!…
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OhGawdFeathers: Enter the Schlappen
I get to have a goofy title for this entry because quite frankly, this is all nuts. I received my feathers this past weekend, a great big plastic bag full of them.…
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How To Bleach Feathers…
…or “Changing Birds in Mid-Stream.” As you all know by now, I have been amassing to me a legion of feathers for the Halloween barn owl costume. The rooster schlappen has been…
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Guts: 1790s Wrap-Front Gown Details
I was very bad throughout the construction of the voile roundgown, and didn’t take nearly enough photos nor update this blog on the gown’s construction. My excuse is that I was so…
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Using the Binding Presser Foot You Don’t Have…
…And Can’t Get For Your Machine. I was full of glee today when I discovered such a thing as a binding presser foot for home sewing machines. Visions of perfectly machine stitched…
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Wherin Lil’ Duchie Justifies the Purchase of All Those Feathers…
If you read last night’s tedious entry about feathers, you might have been shocked by how much money I just spent on feathers. I was a little shocked myself as I punched…
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1795 Owl Robe: The Perils of Plumage
Having survived the first half of the year’s costuming rushes and events, it’s time, at last, to start collecting materials for this year’s Costume of Insanity, the Barn Owl Halloween costume. Back…
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8 Drool-Worthy 18th c. Dresses From the Kyoto Costume Institute
For some time now I’ve had the Kyoto Costume Institute’s book…the miniature version. It was not until this afternoon that I finally received the KCI “big book,” quite literally a costume “bible,”…
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How To: Sizing Up Vintage Patterns For Modern Wear
Never fear, dear readers, for while this particular tutorial is showing a vintage 1950s pattern, these techniques can be used for any pattern that is not your size. Generally we find that…
