Costume ADD hits again

I pulled out everything to start on Harley Quinn this weekend and I really meant to start on it. But as I pulled the red silk out I saw there in the back looking all abandoned, my blue and yellow plaid I had bought for a polonaise project. I had bought the very last of the fabric and really did not know if I would have a enough for a polonaise or if I would end up being short, so it has sat on it's spool waiting for me to have the time and energy to take it out and lay the pattern to see if it would be workable. Well since I had a friend over doing sewing stuff anyway I figured what's a couple of moments to lay a pattern just to see. Well it fit perfectly, just enough plaid.

The steampunk group here in Sac is getting together with the GBCS which is ran by Lauren at http://www.americanduchess.blogspot.com/ for a train ride excursion to Virginia City in September and I am thinking the Polonaise may be the perfect train riding outfit.

Here is the basic pattern I will be working with, I have it drawn and cut in plastic and on my dummy now. So this week perhaps I will get the toille done and go from there. I still intend to work on Harley Quinn, I just seem to do better when I have more than one thing to focus on at a time. Hopefully more updates to follow.

Steampunk Harley Quinn

Ten years ago I had the idea of being Harley Quinn from Batman for Halloween. It was a joint adventure with my close friend at the time who really loved Poison Ivy. Instead we went to Gaskels that year as a fox and a peacock.

A couple of years later I actually went out and bought a nice Harley Quinn suit. I learned that dancing in full latex... not so fun and very hot! Alas I have no pictures of that event from over 5 years ago. But I have never fully gotten over my desire to go all out ballgown with the Harley Quinn character.

Now that I am involved with Steampunk I feel like she would fit perfectly.

Here is the comic Harley Quinn

Now, I am not a comic book geek. I think I read about 25 or so comic books as a preteen because I thought Wonder Woman was very cool and I enjoyed the references to the Greek mythology. My husband and the majority of our friends however are big comic book geeks. My husband loves the Joker and so it works out fairly well. So for my other non comic book readers: Harley Quinn is the girlfriend of the Joker. She was his psychiatrist in the asylum and fell for him and became a villain in her own right. She also had a friendship with Poison Ivy.

For Halloween we have a group together to go for Steampunk Batman Villains. So since I have not been feeling creative at all, I figure it is time to pull out the red and black silk and begin my Autumn event outfit. That way if I do get tired of it, I can move on and still have time for completion.

So my ideas for this ensemble is going to start with a corset type bodice half red half black. Probably going to use the Laughing Moon Pattern that I used for my other Steampunk corset.

Next I am thinking of a ringmaster styled coat with the tails.

I am going to use this pattern as a base only without the false vest front. Just black and red

A bustle over skirt.

Just the over skirt. This is from Truly Victorian and it is such a fun over skirt, I used it for my 1870's ball gown. I do love their patterns in general. I am thinking the over skirt will be red, lined and trimmed in black, then on the sashes and along the hem use the black diamonds.

And for finishing touches boots, one red one black and of course gloves. Have to think about what to use as a head piece and I need a nice black mask.

That's what I have so far, I have a feeling this one will change and grow as I go.

16th Century Irish

Once upon a time I played nobility at Renaissance Faires. I could not even imagine the very thought of not being a noble. I took several years off and now have been actively going to Ren faires again for 2 full years. In that time I met up with an old friend who is a member of Saint Patrick's Irish group and was invited to guest with them last Valhalla. I went ahead mostly because my hubby begged me because he is absolutely in love with Irish culture and plays an Irish Gleeman at faire. I fell in love with the group and made many good friends. So for this Valhalla I made myself an Irish style gown.

This is me in my Irish with Daniel who is wearing the Ionar I made for him a couple of months ago.

16th century Irish is an interesting time period to sew from because there is almost no information available.

So I took what little I could find and extrapolated a bit. You can not tell from the picture, but this is a split front gown. There will be a saffron colored petticoat and a new leine in the near future.

The gown was extremely comfortable and I loved being bright red.

Here are most of the St. Patrick girls with our hair braided, with Laurie from Daze of Laur and a couple of the guys.

Closer shot of my bodice and proof that Laurie and I are two different people. Aren't we cute both in red? We resemble each other enough that when I first started going to Faires again people often mistook me for her. If you ever need something completely amazing made then Laurie is the one to go to! Not only is she one of the most talented seamstresses I have ever been fortunate enough to meet, she is also one of the absolute sweetest people in the world.