Kit update- the pickle dress

At Roses I had the pleasure of spending time with folks I respect and admire a lot. I also spent a bit of time admiring their properly constructed English garb. It seems that while you can find Elizabethan court garments fairly easily, finding good quality every day wear is not as simple to find. Either the corsets are too tight and create the wrong lines or the style is simply not right.

I've been sewing better and better garments... for everyone else. My new armor is nice and super comfy to wear, but I cannot wear that for 8 days at Pennsic. I realized that I should spend some of my sewing time on me and upgrade my kit. I have good garb, but mostly Tudor lines, which is just slightly out of the time period of my persona. It is also wool. Which while great winter, is going to be too hot for Pennsic. My Pennsic garb from last year was all sewn during a "I'm still loosing weight too fast so i have to sew everything 2 weeks before I go" marathon. I have a little more time to create things this time around. Last years clothes will be recycled into other garments for this year- it's good linen and I don't want to just throw it away or give it gold key (not sure how many 36G women are out there...).

I have also reconciled that I do not need to sew everything myself. I hate sewing corsets. I've sewn 5 in the last year, and I curse several blue streaks every time I sew one or think about sewing one. So... I have commissioned a new corset from At the Sign of the White Rose dot com. They are people I know, respect and they know what they are doing when it comes to proper garb. And Im ok with not having to do everything. Really.

I am trying to make 2 complete dresses by Pennsic. The first is almost completed. The base structure is done, but the details need to be completed, trim, rolled edges, cutting thread, blah, blah, blah... I've been trying to come up with the correct descriptor for the color of the linen. But it is probably closest to "kosher pickle" green, though Matt calls it "pea soup" green. It is really a lot of green, but the white trim cuts up the visual lines nicely and offers an eye break to the pickle color. The sleeves are detachable with diagonal stripes. The sleeve caps square tabs (like dental molding).
( Pics below... )

Busy Alysten was Busy...

1. Saw UP. OMG...Doug=Bailey.

2. 55 yards of linen arrived. I was actually almost a day behind on sewing as my linen should have arrived Friday afternoon but didn't arrive at the store until after 6. I had to wait until Saturday to wash and work on projects. Mew... I was able to make up some time.

3. Worked on garb- progress is happening.
Shirt: Malcolm- 90% needs Malcolm to try on
Pickle dress: Alesone- 75%
Waffenrok: HRM 90% needs HRM to try on, and trim
Waffenrok: Melchior- 40% all stripes cut
Fruit Pants: Melchior- 25% all stripes cut
Soldiers coat: Alethea- 75% needs sleeves and buttons, all fabric cut
Sleeves: Alethea- 75%
Shirt: Alesone- 80% needs cuffs
Fencing: Alesone- 75% needs lining, joining and ties
Barter stack: Patterns created, linen washed, ironed, and cut. 3 projects ready to sew.

4. Discovered that the zigzag stitch on my sewing machine has decided to behave again.

5. Washed 20 yards of linen and 3 loads of laundry.

6. Fought to keep cat from playing with the hot iron.

7. Nappage. Mmmm naps.

8. Practiced hand and footwork. I also discovered why I'm cocking before thrusting. It is happening when I reverse my stance and place dagger in the offensive position. I'm not changing the arm position... but the whole body position. Given how I keep my primary guard, it moves the body into a power position, so when I change back to the primary stance, i am moving my thrust forward at the same time. A lot of power, and has the same effect as if I just cocked my arm back and released. Though the actual arm position isn't cocking forward. Working on correcting the behavior. Also working on point control.

9. I really need to fence more than one day a week.

10.  Discovered Kingdom of Loathing... Thanks Donovan.