Dressmaking

[Podolyanka]

Angel, I am absolutely impressed with your masterfulness and thoughtfulness in sewing and your way of explaining things. You are the first person in my life who turns sewing into such an interesting subject! I could read your sewing stories forever, so much I like them, your speech included. Young people nowadays often use SMS style in posting, which irritates me terribly as sometimes it is like coded speech to a poor foreigner. You speak the English I like- correct, expressive, without all those LOL, and other stupid abbreviations. This is just to let you know you have a great fun of your sewing here.

People who can turn a piece of cotton, let alone velvet or silk into a nice dress are a wonder of nature to me. Well done you, Angel!

[Angel]

I love language! I'm the strange child that used to read the dictionary and thesaurus for fun...and definitely got made fun of for it! I don't get text speak at all. Even when I was a kid and my phone had that 250 character limit (do you remember those?) I'd have to send three messages because I couldn't text speak. My friend has a teen daughter who talks to me in it all the time and I really want to maintain this "cool" label she's given me, but I have no clue what she's saying! I do use LOL and BFF and BRB though...I think that's about the sum of my knowledge though I swear my grandmother knew more than I do... I'm also not sure that I should admit it...

Sewing, and clothing in general, can actually be a really fascinating subject if you look past the surface of it, and when you get the confidence to play a whole new world opens up and when you combine play with necessity, there's no stopping you! Jay used to take dance and we couldn't get a single leotard to fit her. The wide open backs on a width that already swallowed her just led to tears. So I learned to make leotards. We no longer do dance due to bullying, but my kid had the most amazing leotards for our dance classes...with detachable skirts and all sorts! She had the best fitting and most gorgeous outfits there. I was constantly being asked where I got them from.

[CavyMom]

Well done! I'm really impressed with your work. Your daughter is very lucky already--and when she gets older, she'll have the best dresses for school dances, and won't have to worry that anyone else is going to show up wearing the same thing! My grandmother was a whiz with the sewing machine, but I sure struggle.

I agree with you about the fabric and construction--if you have good fabric, and it's put together well--it usually does come out cheaper in the long run.

[Angel]

Generally speaking, English kids don't get dances like our US counterparts. There's occasionally a prom at the end of highschool, but it's not the norm and the majority of "dances" tend to be things like a Christmas Disco where most kids are in Jeans and a T-shirt. Sadly I think my formalwear days will end around her 8th birthday when she's too grown up for princess gowns

[Serinde]

Angel. Be reasonable. She's your daughter. She will never be too grown up for princess gowns.

[Podolyanka]

When she is grown up for a Princess' gown, you can always sew her a Queen's one, cant you? I am sure it will be equally beautiful.

[Angel]

... so not everyone dresses like this then?


Hmmm ok, you might have a point then! She's already outgrown tulle pettiskirts though. She used to demand all the tulle pettiskirts and I remember taking her to the zoo with no less than three tulle pettis on under her skirt, she needed more space than a double pram now she will only wear cotton or silk pettis >_< Makes huge gowns somewhat more expensive

[Podolyanka]

I have just read about your cloaks in your blog. So why "No more"? I am no dressmaker (all my grand- great and so on grandfathers on Dad's side were tailors, but I did not inherit their talents for the craft), but to me your cloaks look much better than those I saw in a special shop with costumes. Making them you were not saving money or time. And one can tell at once how much love and hard work you put into them.
Happy sewing, Angel!

[Serinde]

Angel, were you ever part of the reenactment scene? Seems like the sort of thing you might have been. Elder Son is involved up here, and some of the women in the group -- when not serving as pikemen, of course, or cavalry officers -- are involved in making (and repairing) suitable garments for the regiment. I've managed to find them some quality (real) silver passing and silver kid for a project to make the earl of Bothwell's sweet bag, and they are threatening to get me involved. I am, however, resisting!

[Angel]

My husband used to be a member on the medieval scene, but his troupe stole all his equipment and it's a small fortune to replace. Turns out the leader of his troupe was pretty well known in other groups for offering to look after equipment that mysteriously vanishes. So he never got involved again. I used to hang out with the 1940's lot, but never really involved. I've often thought I'd love to get involved but I don't have much time or money.

[Serinde]

Well, that's really poor. I'm sorry your DH had that trouble. (I have a pal who's a "viking" -- shall I send her on a raid...? She's actually small but very fierce, and I'd certainly not want to be on her wrong side!) Yeah, it's not cheap to be involved with these groups, but when it works out (as with Elder Son), it's a great gang of people. Mad, every single one of them, of course, but that's part of the charm.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Mad, every single one of them, of course, but that's part of the charm.

Sounds like the vintage car crowd

But what a shame that there was a rotten apple among them

[Angel]

Haha she could go on a raid, but it's long gone by now. It was stolen nearly ten years ago. It would be lovely to get involved but I'm not sure we could commit to much. I'd love to make the costumes though.

[Coffee-n-Cupcakes]

Oh what beautiful clothing! So talented! I can sew a pillow

[Angel]

Thank you ^_^

[Squirrel]

There is no doubt about it Angel, you are a very talented lady for sure. Love the outfit and how easily it could be changed as she grew older.