Lady A

The first perfomance for the Tudor Burlesque costume

2012-05-31T21:24:00.000+08:00

So the other week the Tudor Gown I made had its premier,

at Devilles pad in the burlesque battle for the international burlesque festival in Perth.

Here are some images I pulled from a website,

I took some footage on my phone and this is on youtube, remember its a phone and I was not the closest.

Have a look, I hope to be able to get a decent set of photo's for this costume but it might take a few more months before I have time for this.

Lady A

Travel coming soon......

2012-05-30T19:46:00.004+08:00

I have been planning this trip to my homeland for a while now,

And the fact that my boyfriend of more than 2 years is coming to meet my family and see the place I grew up in, is also a bit exciting.

I am going to Switzerland, I am sure most know where it is. But for those interested it is in the middle of Europe, Sandwiched in between France, Germany, Austria and Italy.

The reason I am writing about this is just to give a bit of a heads up, my blog may turn into a bit of a travel diary/ blog.

I don't think I will take pictures like this but these are some of the places we plan to visit there is more naturally.

Zurich

Rheinfall

See Alp See (hiking)

Bern

Possibly one of my favorite cities Luzern

And where I come from St Gallen

There will be adventures, photo's and hopefully fun stories to tell.

So for the month of July this blog will be a bit more travel, a little less sewing. Don't worry the sewing will return, and I am sure there might be some sewing influence I do hope to visit friends in the industry as well. :D

Lady A

Waistcoats for Mr Jack, the beginning.

2012-05-21T20:10:00.001+08:00

A good friend of mine has asked me to make him some waistcoats

He has grown to like dressing a bit chic and a waistcoat will always be a welcome addition to a man wardrobe.

Since I don't mind making these things and I might eventually make a few to sell he was the perfect trial to see how long it takes and what funkiness I am capable of without going too nuts.

I have drafted a waistcoat pattern to his measurements and so far cut out the fronts, the backs will all pretty much look the same on all three.

But I am planning on doing something on the inside of them, maybe playing with colour in the pockets.

The first one is a simple single breasted waistcoat

The second is also a simple double breasted waistcoat, a bit more formal I guess.

And the third is a casual different looking waistcoat with coin buttons.

As I do more and when I do fittings I will update on Mr Jacks waistcoats.

So stay tuned for more interesting things and see how they come together.

Lady A

A bum on a balcony?!?!

2012-05-20T17:05:00.002+08:00

I have been looking for something to grow herds and spices in on .

As much as I could have just got a few pots from the local store, I didn't want to spend that money to have it fall down the roof later.

So I got a photo sent to me on Facebook via organic green roots.

And since our balcony faces the street I thought it would be a bit of a laugh having jeans bums lining our balcony with herbs growing out of them.

Here is my first go

And now I have two

You do have to line the jeans with a plastic bag so that the denim doesn't rot straight away, but the good thing is I can mold them to the slant of the roof and once I get some chain I can hook them to the balcony.

So far I have a chilli plant and a small mint plant, I am thinking we should have at least 4 more but I am not sure yet what they will be.

Lady A

Quick I need a Dress

2012-05-13T18:58:00.000+08:00

So I had a little high tea for my birthday today,

Work was very hectic with all the technical rehearsals and dress rehearsals so I literally had to make myself a dress the night before.

And here is what I could do with left over fabric and a random pattern in a box that has been in a cupboard for a while.

this is the pattern

here is me before we leave at home

It was a quick thing and I might do some changes at a later date but it did the job and looked great at the high tea.

there will be more in the future because I forgot how much fun it is to make things for myself.

Lady A

The Head piece

2012-05-06T11:08:00.002+08:00

I have been finishing this costume for a while, it has already been in my graduate exhibition last year. But now I have had a fitting with Cécile Mimieux and I can finish it.

This costume has a head piece, and it is called a french hood ( it has many other names I believe but that is what it is called in the book where I got the pattern)

Here is the base wired

Here I am testing the wear ability

And here is the starting of covering

Now I am up to decorating with pearls

But the pearls will be shown next time

until then

Lady A

Can Can on show

2012-05-04T18:39:00.005+08:00

So here we go I finally I have some photos

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and I must say it moves so nicely.

Here she is with her sparkly bra and the skirt down

and this is the underside

Hurrah its one ruffly beauty

until next time

Lady A

Where to with burlesque........?

2012-05-01T19:31:00.000+08:00

If you have been following me for a bit you would be able to tell that I make a few burlesque costumes. They have given me the chance to test my skills, try new things and made me think.

When the movie came out everyone jumped at the chance to dress like a burlesque star and decided it was a great idea to dress in a corset and a tiny skirt. I understand that it brings out your inner woman, and for most a corset can give you a lovely figure, but why didn't they rush out and decided to wear this?

We know why, the main reason being not everyone can or is comfortable enough to wear that and the other is that it is something that needs to be made for you usually.

This is where the performer and the audience should be easily separated I believe, the audience will purchase the off the shelf mass produced stuff. And the performer will go and have something created for his or her personal performance.

There will be the odd Audience member that can go and get things made or do such a thing them self.

I have seen a few shows and images of shows lately where the performer could have been a audience member from the look of their costume.

This has made me wonder, if the plan for me is to bring out performance Lingerie and corsets could it be a bit of a waist of time or is it just that people don't know where to go for these one off specially made things?

I also wonder if it is just because of my location in Australia that I have no luck or even interest. There is always the other alternative, my stuff could just be plain boring and there really is no interest.

Anyway it made me wonder, and since I have already drafted the lingerie and cut out some samples I think I should at least make some and see what people say to them.

If I have no luck put it down to experience and move on, you have to try things sometimes.

I will keep you posted on the happenings of this stuff

Lady A

Can Can finished

2012-04-25T10:08:00.002+08:00

I have finially finished the can can skirt,

And yes there are somethings that I would do differently.

1. I would box pleat the rows on

2. I would attach the top skirt at the hem before adding the rows

3. I would use a different top fabric

so here are some photos of the skirt but the show photo's are yet to come.

They have a rehearsal tomorrow and then the shows are Friday Saturday night.

the inside

the rows

the outside

Me having a go with it :D

I must say it is fun to wear and jump around in, but whether I will ever make another I am not sure.

Only time will tell.

well show photo's on the weekend

Lady A

Making unmentionables

2012-04-21T10:28:00.002+08:00

I have been playing around with making a small line of simple Burlesque undergarments for a while.

The idea is to make it easy to remove but still very sexy.

I also wanted to be able make it accessible for people starting or doing a course in burlesque.

I enjoy making corsets and there has to be a element of a corset in the line, but if I make it out of real corseting materials the price will never be accessible to someone starting up.

So I was hoping to make them "performance corsets", meaning they are made of simpler material and are easy to remove.

The down side is they will not be waist cinching, but I will be able to make them out of pretty and odd fabrics that corsets usually aren't made of.

I have many more designs and ideas, but this is just a snippet.

I don't know if this will have a market or if people will be interested, for me its just being able to draft and make these little things that is exciting.

I have made a few bras before and I really enjoyed it, the same goes for the corsets.

I will make a few trial ones and then see what people think.

It would be a cool thing to be able to do one weekends and evenings after work.

until next time

Lady A

New toys

2012-04-18T22:10:00.001+08:00

This is something I have been looking at for a while, it's a Go pro hero 2 camera.

I will have to practice a bit with it, also I will need to learn how to do some simple editing. Hopefully I can do some fun and odd videos maybe of something I have made or I am making.

Stay tuned ;)

We hope we can can.....

2012-04-09T10:00:00.002+08:00

I am currently working with a large amount of organza, to make a very big but hopefully light skirt to well Can Can with.

My machine was going great until the belt broke, I am now on my domestic working with half the speed and half the space. Not really ideal but until the service man can come out I will go forth like that.

I try to do it evenly and without pleats, but really if I wanted it to be perfect I should have box pleated it. That is how the ones at the moulin rouge are done.

its a pretty hot job too because you end up having all of that polyester organza on your lap

as you can see I pin it first

And then sew it on

I am in the middle of doing the 7th row now, and luckily they are getting smaller each row. but there is 10 rows all up and 4 colours (blue, white, red and black)

After this is done I have to finish the top layer add a placket and waistband, maybe some sparkles then I am done.

Sounds easy doesn't it, it is but it's just time consuming.

More when I get further....

cheerio

Lady A

Bar styled modelled

2012-04-01T21:13:00.000+08:00

So it finally got finished and I had the dress on the runway.

It was great to have my Friend Tamara model it,

She was amazing and people in the crowd cheered when she walked past.

Here it is sitting in the exhibition

And here it is on the catwalk, I am proud as punch :)

Look at the smile its awesome, she seemed like the only one smiling.

So glad I had a sexy curvy model, well there we are all done.

thank you for watching the making of bar styled,

and hopefully you have enjoyed seeing this come together.

until next time ;)

Lady A

Manly show

2012-03-26T19:42:00.002+08:00

So I went to see a show last Saturday

I had made some of the costumes for the performers

It was called The Immense Manly Extravaganza!

presented by Slanty - eyes unlimited

These two strapping lads put on a fun night

There was old fashioned feats of strength, and general acrobatic and manly exercises

And of course some boylesque thrown in

If this show hits your town, do yourself the favour and get a ticket.

thanks to Violet Verre Photography for the documentation.

making pattern magic clothing

2012-03-24T10:38:00.002+08:00

As I said I am going to start making stuff for myself,

I have a few simple commercial patterns that I can just whip up.

But then I decided I should draft some stuff too,

and since I have always wanted to use my Pattern Magic books I figure it is the perfect thing.

The books are probably well known Tomoko Nakamichi's Pattern Magic

I will start with something reasonably simple, the bamboo shoot bodice and try and make a dress out of it.

Hopefully this will be how it will end up looking, but only time will tell. ;)

I am going to go through some of my fabric boxes for this one, if it works out okay I may consider a play-suit with s similar design.

Samurai Power forward....

2012-03-20T19:58:00.000+08:00

So I have been slowly working on this Power ranger,

its been fun doing something simple, like a unitard with some applique.

Lets just say it is not perfect but hey I am getting there.

Even our female dance dummy at work is a bit too big for this one,

That is mainly because we don't have a child's dummy.

I haven't sewn the Centre back, inside leg and collar.

But I am determined to finish it this week so that I can wrap it and give it to the young man next week.

I will show more photos soon

Lets hope he likes it

Lady A

Is it for me?

2012-03-17T00:55:00.000+08:00

I have been a rather busy lady, working full time at the Ballet, making costumes for others and generally failing at keeping my place clean.

I had started making somethings that I have always wanted to make, but I always realise I don't actually make them for me.

I make them for some person, and I rarely get to wear what I make.

There is something really wrong with this, because my wardrobe is slowly disintegration and I am bored of my old clothing and what the op shops have at this point.

So I made a stand today, I got asked if I could make something else for someone and I said No. Not until I have clothing to wear and enjoy.

Lets just say that person wasn't too happy with the answer because I am usually the push over nice girl that will just do it and have no sleep because of it.

So I got started gathering patterns for things I may like, things that I could find interesting and can match with all the fabric that is cluttering up my sewing room.

I have traced a few, and wondered about some others.

My mother will laugh if she reads this but, I am considering jumpsuits.

Yes I used to tease her about her 80's jumpsuits when I was younger but they really are comfortable.

I usually just feel a bit exposed in them, don't ask me why but I am hoping to change that.

The Cape has taken my fancy too, I will need a new coat mine is stuffed but a cape could be a interesting addition to the closet.

I will need lots more than this but I have no doubt that some of this making and sewing will make it onto the blog.

So wait and see what ends up happening

and if I can pose as well as the models when things are done

(not likely) ;)

Lady A

trying an old pattern

2012-03-11T21:39:00.000+08:00

I had a chat with my lovely neighbour the other day and she gave me a box full of old sewing patterns she once used.

They are mainly from the 50's and very lovely.

Here is one that I thought I would give a go with some fabric I got given from work.

I am doing the full skirt with the shorter sleeve

and the fabric is pretty busy, but we will see how it goes

more as I get further

Making a power ranger

2012-03-10T21:10:00.003+08:00

So I will be making a Power Ranger for my Boyfriend son for his 7th birthday.

Here are the images of the costume to be made by me.

He is wanting to be the red one, the mask, belt and sword he already has so all I have to make is the unitard and gloves.

It will be a interesting task maybe I can find some red wellies to go with it. :)

finishing the heavy Dress

2012-03-05T11:54:00.001+08:00

I have been battling with this dress lately its so heavy and cumbersome.

Its been difficult to put under the sewing machine, there is so much bulk. (lucky my machine has no issues with bulky items)

So I added a hoop to the bottom, it looked really out there so I tried a few different things one of them making the hoop smaller but it wasn't to be.

I removed it and hope that the hem wont get stepped on.

then I added the boned bodice, it will help keep the strapless heavy part up.

then I had to try it on, as you do. It doesn't fit me my bum is too big ;)

I then got onto the lining I ran out of the green, but a bit of pink always freshens up a lining :)

I attached the bottom making it ready for the facing and lining

Now the facing and lining is in, I am at the point where I need to finish things.

A night on the sofa sewing is in order now and tomorrow I will deliver and seal the deal. I will try and take some photo's of it in the exhibition if I can.

Till next time :)

A Hem filled with metal?!

2012-02-27T18:14:00.000+08:00

I am now getting to the bottom part of the dress,

The hem and the decorations on the tulle.

The dress needs to be finished by next week so it will be all late night sewing action for me this week.

Here is where I am at.

I have created the bottom part but not attached it yet, and I have filled the hem with bottle tops but not secured them yet.

Now I have to add the colourful tops to this tulle piece, that requires me sandwiching them between two pieces of tulle basting around them and then sewing them onto the piece.

I am also waiting on the spring steel to go in the hem, it needs a hoop so it wont be stepped on it too fragile to just drape.

So I shall show you more as I keep getting closer to the deadline. :S

all the tops Basted

2012-02-21T18:25:00.000+08:00

I have made some progress over the weekend, and now all the bottle tops are basted on.

as you can see it was a big job

but I stuck at it and got there in the end

This is how it looks at the moment.

Now it is time to add the bottom part of the dress and also to actually sew on the bottle tops.

More news soon because the whole thing is due on the 6th of march. :S

Bar styled progress

2012-02-18T15:17:00.000+08:00

The dress decorated with bottle tops is coming along,

its slow moving work but hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

I have basted one side now and I am ready to replicate the other side.

As you can see it looks very different, but with any hope not too bad when I am done with it.

here goes another weekend of bottle top applying I will up date next week with more images.

with luck I will have the bottom part attached too. (fingers crossed)

;)

Saddle bag

2012-02-11T21:37:00.000+08:00

This is my fisrt thing that I have sewn on the machine, and it did very well.

It is a saddle bag for my boyfriends retro looking bicycle, it his birthday tomorrow and I will give it to him then. ( oh and don't worry he doesn't follow my blog ;))

Hopefully he will like it, it was fun working it out and working with the leather.

I should do it again.

until next time :D

Over water swimming ??

2012-01-27T22:18:00.000+08:00

Well this is the bathing suit that really isn't made for swimming

Its stretchy crushed velvet, (don't ask me why I have so much of it)

But its great for performing in, and my lovely friend will use it just for that,

and as soon as I have some photos I shall share them.