Bride of Frankenpattern!

I'm all about the frankenpattern these days. Also I'm loving the pattern mixing. To that end I bring you Bride of Frankenpattern, the skirt!

Sure, it may look like an innocent dress, but it will be used for parts! And since today is the Autumnal Equinox, I made it in tweed. Because even though it's 98, it's still Autumn. The pattern had conveniently been pinned up for shortening in the envelope, thanks to an anonymous lady from the 1930's. These skirts tend to be very long. What with the 3 1/2" allowance for a hem.

Thanks anonymous lady, you saved me a step!

Let's all play find the seam allowance. Here's a hint, they make you work for it. 

Over-dyed for a better match

I like to over dye cotton tape zippers, or "slide fasteners" as they called them. I'm fastidious about some things but not others. I really hate a bulky waist band, they are for suckers. I prefer a nice flat grosgrain ribbon binding. Purist might want to look away now.

Nice and flat, like mama like.

This is the pattern mixing part

Big houndstooth jacket (I think he was a Blues musician) and a shorty sweater with vintage buttons and we are done. It practically makes itself! Look to see me wearing it sometime in December, because I can't even imagine cool weather, it's been so long.
Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine.

And You'll Find that You're in the Rotogravure

Road trip to the Gatsby Summer Afternoon, was as always, well worth the trip. We drove up to the Bay Area on Saturday, caught up with friends, had a little dinner, a drinky and were up early for the making of sandwiches and the packing of baskets. Here are the photos, you are warned.

Frankendress was a success, if a little slouchy.

Daniel (you elegant fowl) and the fabulous Autumn

Angela of "La Chatelaine Chocolat"

Just flippin' fab!

Sartorial splendor worthy of a stroll in the 'bois'

Caitlin with Chris, she made this bathing suit from a Target sweater, cut off the sleeves and used then for the trunks. Genius!

A fine example of the great costuming on display here.

"The Austrian Woman", Michael, Todi and Cynthia.

Baggy pants shenanigans!

Lounging on the beach, with lifeguards, ladies and beach pajamas.

Kendra giving that far-away look.

More shenanigans with Lifeguard Liam!

This year was a sell out, I think about 1000 people including vintage cars and bathtub gin. The weather was lovely after a few days of a hot spell and there was nothing to do but eat, drink, wander, dance and mooch treats from picnic pals. A roaring success!
On to the next!
Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine

The 500 Hats of Miss Brilliantine

I love hats.
Parasols, gloves, shoes, you get the idea. I was going to make this adorable free hat pattern from the blog Whatifound.

Then didn't. Riffle through the boxes, get out the lining, follow the pictures. Maybe later.

 Instead I dug deep and found a straw hat blank that had never been blocked and still had the tag. So I got out my 99c Store plastic place mat and set to work making a "block", I used the term loosely.

I cut the edge out and then a disc from the plastic and taped them together.

Just enough structure to give it shape after a quick immersion in hot water.

A little sunshine to set it.

Voila! Add ribbon until satisfied. Not sure about the daisies, they may get replaced with something more serious.

This is why we need a stash. It all came from there, the straw, the ribbon, the daisies. It will look very well with the frankendress. And my little round sunglasses and my parasol and my re-mix shoes. I think I'm done.
Every Your Thimble Etc.
Miss Brilliantine

Frankenpattern...............Good!

When last we left Summertime, I was going to frankenpattern a blouse from a dress. Instead I thought I'd make a dress from many dresses. Why do it the easy way. Actually, this is just as easy as using all the same pattern pieces and more fun. Have a look at

the finalists.

Vogue pattern at the bottom was used as the bodice with a little extension to make it waist length.

Bodice from one pattern, skirt from another and sleeve from the third. Don't let different seam allowances scare you. The truth is the openings need to match, so a 30" bodice opening needs a skirt that's 30'' at the top. No one will measure your seem allowances unless you are in home-EC. Believe me, I've been doing this since I learned to sew. I make a pattern as shown only half the the time, the rest I improvise. That's why we ALL need a lot of patterns. Yeah.

This bodice ends  mid-rib, I just extended it to make it waist length.

 

 

I wanted to take some of the fullness out of the sleeve top, not wanting it so puff-tastic. Probably not the way I was taught but it works.  This won't work if you need a sleeve with no ease at the top, but this fits with slight gathers, who's to know. They sold assorted sleeve patterns in the 30's so you could mix and match. Just as they sold patterns for collars, dickeys etc.

Skirt was pretty straight forward, it just has to match the bodice opening.

Presto!

It's alive!

And a bit of whimsy.

Now I need a hat, I have a few but also have a really cute 30's pattern, so we'll see. I'll be wearing this to the Gatsby Summer Afternoon at the Dunsmuir Estate in Oakland this September. I'm splitting the difference and calling it late 1930's, in case you wondered.
Hope to see you there!

Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine

More from the 99c Store

Well.
Summer is still lingering. Sometimes they are energetic fun filled, high-jink Summers, sometimes not. This Summer not so much. I did have a great time giving a class at Costume College, called the 99c Store Costumer, it was a lot of fun and people were very kind.  Afterward, I mostly lurked in the shadows admiring all the talent on display. My friend Chantal and I skirted the edges like Victorian crossing sweeps, all in awe.
I did want to post a couple more hacks that were well received.

Hack the first- place mat template

Cock-a-doodle-do it!

These are made from flexible plastic, easy to cut to shape. I cut it out as scallops for the bottom of an 1880's dress, they LOVED their scallops. This pliable material would work great for stencils too. Someone mentioned that they charge $15 at Michael's for a sheet of this plastic. I say it's definitely worth 99c 

Hack the second- hair donut chignon

Mmmmmm, donut

Cut it apart and re-shape it at will

Braid sewn onto the mesh with a comb added.

Sure, it's my own hair........

They are made of  mesh and once you cut them apart you can use them for all your fake hair needs. Roll two of them into a pompadour hair support, make them small for Victory rolls or flatten the mesh out and sew your chignon to it. If you you are lucky you can also find the fake hair switches there. This piece is from the 99c store, I've seen it in various blondes and once a gorgeous strawberry red. They are probably made from recycled water bottles, so you can't dye them.

Next time actual sewing content, I need a 1930's blouse pattern and will franken-pattern it from a dress.

Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine

Ladies, I Salute You!

Still working toward my sewing mojo.
In the mean time I have been pondering the women who have stepped out of their comfort to make amazing products available to the rest of us. I used to think how great it would be if SOMEONE made historical reproduction shoes that were affordable. I thought about it a lot. One can only scramble through the left-

My American Duchess Pompadors. How'd you like a house falling on you!

overs from the 1990's for so long, they fall apart, no matter how cute the curvy heel is. Enter American Duchess, she made the leap for all of us. I can attest to the quality and the personal customer support (I have 4 pairs). Brava!

Autumn Adamme the founder of Dark Garden Corsetry has been in the business of making hourglasses where hourglasses are needed since the late 1980's. Her shop in San Francisco is legendary and of course everything is available on line. http://www.darkgarden.com/

Most of us know Kendra Van Cleave, she had the watershed costuming blog and now has a fabulous 18th century hair styling book. Another leap of faith, and a marvelous endeavor.
http://www.amazon.com/18th-Century-Styling-Step-Step/dp/0692220437

From liquid rouge to hair pomatum Alicia Schult has it in her Etsy shop. These mostly organic products are from original recipes, 18th and 19th century. I have been using the Gypsy astringent and it leaves your face soft and smooth. It got rid of the little forehead bumps I was slowly amassing. I have given out her tiny rouge samples as favors and want to try the pomatum, it comes in different scents, mmmm rose scented hair.

Lauren of Wearing History has had her sewing patterns out for a few years and has a new line of ready to wear. If you can't sew or have time constraints (who doesn't) her line is a great way to go. Mostly vintage 30's and 40's reproductions in custom printed fabrics.
https://wearinghistory.clothing/shop/

Not just adorbs, but adorable, this deserves the whole word.

If you are looking for something smoldering to wear underneath it all  Gina of Maddy James has a line of vintage inspired lingerie. Why lounge in sweat pants when you can luxuriate in satin.
http://www.maddyjames.com/

This is just the tip of the iceberg and we all know the rest of the iceberg is ice cream. These ladies have all stepped out into the void and hoped to fill it and they have with yummy stuff we all need. I have thought of many a thing we could all use that never got out of the gate, I think we all have. My hats off to them (hey, I forgot about hats).

Please note, none of  these businesses have sponsored this post. I'm sharing my experiences of them because it's important to support these businesses. I want everyone to succeed and they can!

Ever Your Thimble etc.
Miss Brilliantine

I Tried to Sew a Thing

Is it a summer malaise? I don't know.
Have you ever gotten into such a turn of mind were even the thing you love to do is too much trouble? I've made a few forays into the sewing room and thought and thought about projects. I get out patterns and even bought some silk online. Meh, too much trouble, it's too hot, I don't wanna.
So many people are busily sewing for events and Costume College, I can barely fold up the unused pattern. Staring at UFOs won't get them finished.
What a rut. But you want pictures. I know how this works.
I have done a little dress-up so here's my pansy Fancy-dress that I wore to the Magic Castle in Hollywood on Sunday.

Is it influenza?
Is it a catarrh?
Should I remove her tonsils, and put them in a jar?
Is it mal-contentment, brought on by a wish?
Please remove your horoscope and put it in the dish.
Cast an oath on sticks and stones, meted out by churls,
Then take the word of better men, who know what's good for girls.
V.

Ever Your Thimble Servant,
Miss Brilliantine