Anton Pieck Parade 2011

This years Anton Pieck Parade was really nice. We had some sleepless nights due to bad weather forecasts but the weather turned out to be really nice. Sunny and dry! The public and re-enactors where full of holiday spirit and all had a good time.
I managed to stay in my corset for over twelve hours. Which means that it worked well for me. My costume, especially the hat, got a lot of compliments. And even I am satisfied with it (although I do still have some ideas to make it a little bit more interesting ;-) ). So I am a happy costumer!

One of my girlfriends wearing my green crinoline dress. Doesn't she look amazing.

Check our website http://www.zwartezwaan.net/ (foto's-2011) for more pictures.

This years Anton Pieck Parade on you tube:
http://youtu.be/F-vswutc5HI
http://youtu.be/eHygglNEJIQ
http://youtu.be/Y20D8ZwWWjA
http://youtu.be/jzVuRH46o_E

Lucetted cord scarf

I thought the childeren I work with how to use a Lucet and really love to do it. The cords usually end up as bracelets, hairbands or even as necklaces. But other then that, we didn't know anything fun to do with the cords. Until I came across a website that made scarfs with them. It's called LSP Designs.
One of the childeren is the daughter of a girlfriend. And we decided that we would make a scarf for her mother, together.

8 lucetted cords

Started braiding

only halfway done

End result

I loved it as well...
But I will probably make one of the other scarfs on the website.

Edwardian Underbust Corset finished

My Edwardian Underbust Corset is finished. I think it looks really lovely, but as it it my first it has some flaws. The biggest being that it doesn't give the desired waist reduction.

The problem is probably that I am really short waisted with a square ribcage. So I have to alter the pattern next time that I want to make it. Althought it is a little bit dissapointing. I knew from the start that there was a big chance that this would be the case. Making the "perfect" corset for your figures takes practice and fine tuning. The corset even if it's not perfect,is functional. So I will be using it for the upcoming event.

Making a pillowcase

My (almost) ten year old son wanted to sew his own pillow. And I couldn't resist making a lot of pictures and sharing them with you. When I was about ten I sewed my first skirt. Funny how history repeats itself...

Cutting the fabric.

Ironing with a steam iron is a tricky business.

Pinning the fabric

Sewing!

Stuffing the pillow case.

Finished!

Do I really think he will follow in my costuming shoes? No, he is more a
technical kind a guy.

Figuring out how the sewingmachine works....

"Sigh"

Dear readers I hope you all can forgive me for acting like a proud mum ;-)
My Edwardian Underbust Corset pictures, I'll post the pictures later this week.

Coat alteration

A good friend found a company that sells victorian style workmens clothing. The clothing they sell is not intended for re-enactment. The coat he bought had zippers and plastic buttons. So my husband and I made some alterations.

Before

After

We removed the zippers and added leather pocket welts. The plastic buttons where replaced with blue (they look lighter in the picture) wooden buttons. The buttons are from 1910.

The coat he bought looks a lot like an original pattern from 1877, sold by Ageless Patterns.

Edwardian Underbust Corset part 2

Underbust corset laid out flat in a previous stage.

Current stage. Waiting for the spiral boning and eyelets that I ordered to come in... I finish the ends of the boing with nailpolish to prevent them for rusting.

Detail.

Nice blog, Corset fitting tips.

Edwardian Underbust Corset

I finally started to work on my Edwardian underbust corset. I am a little bit, or actually more than a little bit, nervous. Because it is the first real corset that I will be making. The first result look promising. I like the effect of the mock-up model so far. The pictures and description that come with the pattern are clear and easy to understand. And even the sizing doesn't look like it needs to much work.

The pattern is Laughing Moon #113 Underbust Corset, view B the Corset Girdle.

I am not sure that I will be able to finish it in time for the Anton Pieck Parade in Haarlem on the 10th of December. This time is always really busy with my son's birthday (10th) and Sinterklaas. But if it's not finished I can wear the corset that I already have. So I'll try not to stress too much over it.

If been doing a lot of small crafty things the last weeks. Mainly trying out things to do with the childeren in school.

This is the "workshop" I will be doing, in two weeks time. Making a heychain/pursehanger with ribbons and beads. Easy and fun to do with quick results. I like it and hope they will do too!

My son and I made pompoms together and he really like it! Not sure what to do with it. Something traditional like decorations for winterhats, scarfs etc... Or something a little bit out of the box like making christmas decorations for in the tree... Or something a little bit crafty like making necklaces with them.

This scarf I knitted in one evening. It's perfect for impatient knitters like me!

Happy Halloween

To those of you who wish to celebrate it; Happy Halloween.

Here in the Netherlands celebarating Halloween isn't widespread. We've been celebrating it for a few years now thanks to some American friends. For us it has become a tradition to spend the day with friends.

Morticia Addams was the inspiration for my costume and make-up. I finally ended up wearing the dress I had made for it. I couldn't come up with another plan. And after some ironing it didn't look so bad.

Paint it Black

I haven't blogged for a while but doesn't mean I haven't been doing anything. I've been working on several things, some more successful than others.

I've tried to sew a princess seam dress from a black stretch fabric. This was my second attempt ever to sew stretch fabric. And although I followed the instruction manual and asked other skilled seamstresses for advice. The seams still turned out slightly wrinkled. It was meant to be the base of my halloween costume but I won't use it. I'll use clothing items I have in my closet instead.

Testrun of my halloween make-up. Note to self don't try to make a picture while riding a broom ;-)


Another much easier job was making a wizards robe for my son. We didn't buy a pattern but my husband looked at some pictures and cut the fabric directly. I tried to buy a cheap fabric, because it is only a halloween costume. But came home with a black wool fabric. It turned out nice an warm. Which is important as we will be attending an outdoor Halloween event. Pictures will follow ofcourse.

During my autumn break we had a lot of friends coming to visit. One of them brougth me a gift I absolutely love, an black silk and lace victorian bodice/shirtwaist.

Thank you so very much, Mark! x


While browsing Ebay I stumbled upon a pair of black leather victorian reproduction ankleboots. Handmade at
Anello & Davide.

And ofcourse I couldn't resist.

Delightful little item

Sometimes a woman needs to treat herself with a little splendour. When I saw this necklace with cameo I just couldn't resist. Although I love the pendant, I really bought it for the necklace. The cameo and necklace where sold as Edwardian. But the haircut of the lady on the cameo suggests 1920's -1930's to me.

hairarchives.com


Sometimes the Edwardian era is expanded to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 years after King Edward's death in 1910. So I guess you could still call it Edwardian.

I intend to wear the necklace with my delicate white Edwardian blouse but with a camee that is a little bit older. The necklace is short so it should fit nicely around the high lace collar.

The original color of all these laces was 1970's brown. I was as bold to dye them black in order to make the more useful. On the far right an original colored pieces of lace. Which I did think was lovely but I couldn't use it as it was.

I am thinking about using the black lace for a black Edwardian (Tea?)Gown. Something along the lines of these dresses.

It would be a challange to remain authentic as possible and still make it fancy enough to wear to gothic/fantasy events like Castlefest and the Elf fantasy Fair.

Lace and flower

A friend gave me this whole stack of lace. Which belonged to the shop inventory of her aunt long ago. It had been stored in a damp attic for years. So I will be washing, drying and ironing all this lovely lace for the next couple of weeks...

I never was really statisfied with the decoration on my Edwardian hat. Untill I found this lovely burgundy colored flower. Now it's finally completly finished.

Although I love doing event, I also love the quiet time of the year. Now I have time to do the other things I love so much as well. Writing short stories and poems, doing costume research and ofcourse sewing!