Gambeson

Not a lot to say about this one really.  My own pattern, which I think is based off an old jumper originally!  The fabric is black drill cottom and the padding is 4 oz polyester wadding. 

I have plans to make a gorget pad and sleeves to go with it, but at a later date when I have more time.  For now the steampunk outfit is demanding what little free time and energy I have. 

Also - I'm going to move the update days to Tuesdays and Fridays.  Due to the slightly fluid nature of my work Mondays and Thursdays are now my busy days!  Always the way, isn't it?

A Busy Saturday

Do you ever have days where you get loads done, but without seeming to put any more effort than normal in?  I do!  As well as my housework and laundry on Saturday I managed to finish a shirt, make a pair of trousers and dig out and fix and finish a gambeson I started about eighteen months ago!  Admittedly I paid the price by over sleeping on Sunday, but it was totally worth it!

The shirt was for an NPC who came out to play on Sunday.  Captain Hawthorne has appeared on the scene!

Please excuse the wrinkles, by the time I remembered to take photo's I'd worn the outfit, changed and it had spent the rest of the day stuffed in my bag.  Bad me!

The fabric is linen and the pattern is simplicity.  I actually bought the pattern for my steampunk kit, but I liked it enough that I made this shirt as well.  It was a wonderful sew and I'm very much looking forward to getting round to make the steampunk one (which will be later this week if I'm lucky!).

The lace trim is a bundle I bought from my local trims stall ages ago and colour matched perfectly to the linen!  I'm only sorry I don't have a better picture to show you.

  The buttons were part of a present from my wonderful hubby last Easter and chosen more because they were the first pair of matching buttons I found that were the right size rather than being the 'perfect' buttons.  However I do very much like them!

The trousers were made in a hurry because I realised I couldn't wear my usual black trousers or I'd look too much like Katrin usually does (I plan to use the shirt for her as well).  So I turned to New Look 6005 and ran up another pair of trousers, but without the side pockets this time.

 Somehow I managed to make them way too big so I had to unpick and redo all the seams several times.  Still, lesson learnt for next time!  These aren't as good as the black pair, but they serve their purpose and I'm sure they'll make it into kit in the future.

I'm going to save the gambeson for Thursday, as currently speaking I'm unlikely to have anything new to show by then!

Leather Skirt

My living room is currently awash with half fnished projects in jewel coloured fabrics (why yes, I am working on a new steampunk outfit!), but nothing in a fit state to show.  So instead, have a quick pic of my last NPC  - Nikita.

Photo taken by the ever amazing Sam!

Nikita is no more (she died last week, mean Halamar did for her! :P), but I quite liked her look.  The red arm warmers were made by me and I made the leather skirt.  Plus you get a chance to see the shield cover in action.

Right, I'm off to the sewing machine to deal with my steampunk over skirt and some 'splotty' projects that will be revealed next week!

New Coat!

I made a new coat for the summer!  So now it will be horribly cold and miserable for the next 6 months.  Sorry!

The pattern is McCalls 6442.  I used a sea green fine corduroy for the outside and a pale mint green lining fabric.

The pattern calls for the coat to be held closed with a tie belt, but that's not really my style, so I used a button instead.














The hood is huge, as you can see, but as the weather helped me test today, it does a good job of keeping my head dry!

I quite like this coat, though I'm not hugely happy with the overall fit.  Still, lessons learnt for the future!

In case you are wondering, the photos were taken in the Tyntesfield grounds, as that's where my wonderful hubby and I went today!

















On Thursday, I hope to show some new bits and pieces, but it very much depends on whether I find the time to get them done.  If not, it'll be a picture of my now deceased NPC Nikita!

Continuing With The Letter S

Spats!  I've wanted spats for a long time now (don't ask why, I don't know!)  So the other day with a handy tutorial (Threadbanger) and some army blanket scraps off I went.  3 hours later and I had these!

I love them!  Though sadly I do have one slight problem.  As you can probably see from the photos, my beloved red boots are dying a death and soon will be completely unwearable.  So I'll have to buy new boots to fit the spats I think...

I also ran up a quick shield cover.  It's not hugely exciting, but it does now mean my shield can be used for other characters than Earldom ones!
































And the last thing I have to show is a scarf.  I am not good at knitting.  I lack both the patience to get to grips with things I don't immediately get and the motivation to keep slogging away at things that don't grow fast enough.  So although I want to be a knitter, I don't get very far with it.  However, I was asked by the small person to make her a scarf and I'm so thrilled she wants me to make her stuff I couldn't say no.  So a mere 18 months or so later here's her scarf (don't look too closely, there's loads of mistakes).

 So there we go!  A week of things beginning with 's'!  I've finished my new coat today and I'm hoping to get photo's at the weekend, so that should be what's here on Monday.  Have a lovely weekend!