My super-woman blogging abilities have been lacking lately, no? So here’s a bit to let you know what’s been going on in the Wild World of Duchess… 1. I got another dog. …
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:Ubersexlich Breeches – James’ 18th c. Suit
Do you know how uninteresting and even weird pictures of pants are? You can’t put them on a dress form…they look odd on the hanger…the best I could do was to put…
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:Ubersexlich – James’ 18th c. Suit – Progress
Photos at last of progress on “The Suit.” I’ve been working on the waistcoat, which to be honest is not at all interesting to look at right now. It wants for buttons…
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Monster Head: Dealing With Problem Wigs
Once upon a time I cut my hair short. Really short. As a costumer, this presents certain challenges, which I decided could and would be solved by embarking on a journey into…
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1770s Hair Help From the Interwebs
The Dreamstress is seeking advice for big 1770s style hair. I haven’t done a wig in this style yet, but I did find this video tutorial not only extremely well-done, but very…
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Ubersexlich…Proof of Life
Proof of my exploits as a hired seamster. That’s a LOT of trim, and it’s not even a quarter of it. There will, of course be more…everywhere…down the front edges, up the…
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Trim-Laden Teaser
Oh Duchess, you’re SUCH a tease! The collar of James’ frock coat, trimmed out,ready to be stitched to the body of the coat. Whee!
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The Dark Side of Costuming…
Girl, what the heck have you been doing!? We want updates already! I’ve been doing the most mundane, neck-aching, back-breaking, horrific-yet-necessary part of the costuming job: cutting. This doesn’t seem like such…
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Early Christmas Gifts, Ubersexlich, All Manner of Update…
It’s been a crazy mid-month, and here’s hoping things calm down. Lots of happenings and announcements and other zaniness ahead… First Up – Pogey Bait! Nicole, herself a fantastic seamstress and wonderful…
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Apocalyptic Costuming and Life
Sometimes things just don’t work out. Sometimes NOTHING works out. This makes me very grumpy. Dickens Day Dress? No. New Car? No. Sick dog? Yes. Men’s Breeches Toile for James’ 18th c.…
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The Great 1840s Madness, and Some 18th c. Toile-ing
It feels fantastic to be sewing again, and to be sewing on a tight deadline. I believe in the power of tight deadlines to keep us excited about a project, make us…
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James’ :Ubersexlich 18th c. Men’s Suit: Sketches
The time has come to begin sketching and designing for James’ 18th c. suit. The nice thing about men’s fashion in the 18th c. is that while it was flamboyant, yes, the…
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James’ Fantastic 18th Century Suit – Starting Line
Red wool suit with gold trimming, Kyoto Costume Institute, 1740s It’s about time I posted something, yeah? I have a good excuse: this little Duchie has finally found herself a new home,…
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Ladies and Gentlemen, The 1795 Barn Owl Robe
The moment at least a handful of you have been waiting for! Last weekend I wore The Owl to Gaskells. I had been planning, crafting, stitching, and wrangling my way toward this…
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18th c Barn Owl Costume Madness : Progress at Last
Despite my unexpected interstate move from California to Nevada, I have managed to get a little work done on the barn owl costume that I am to wear in, oh, a week…
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1795 Barn Owl Costume: Feathers At Last!
The half-finished, un-feathered robe has been sitting on the dress form for months with so little love given to it…until TONIGHT. (ok, well technically last night, but y’know…) The base gown is…
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The KCI J&G Project: Reference and Mysterious Mysteries
The main question on my mind as of late has been “What does the jacket do in the back?” Obviously there is an extant, existing garment, yet no one except the lucky…
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1795 Barn Owl Costume: Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten
I’ll admit I’ve been distracted. The half-finished taffeta/broadcloth base of the robe has been sitting on my dress form for weeks, untouched, unloved, but not forgotten. It is the start of September,…
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Introducing The KCI Jacket & Gilet (J&G) Project
There is an ensemble it seems all lady costumers smitten with the 18th c truly covet. It is a work of art in textile, construction, and design, and also an enigma. It…
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1790s Jacket: Finished, Worn, Loved
That’s right, I actually managed to put off finishing my 1790s jacket until the very last possible day, and then completed it just in time, along with an all-purpose quilted petticoat for…