Merry Christmas

Knitting

When life gives you lemons you make... a scarf.

There is a lot going in our personal lives so there is not much room in my head for a more complicated project. I started this scarf  because I needed something to do at the Anton Pieck Parade that was authentic and simple.  Now it's a good way to keep by hands and brain occupied. My husband really liked it, so he called first dibs. And as my son really would like to have one as well, I guess I'll have to knit one for him too.

Anton Pieck Parade video impression

For those who which to see us in action!

Anton Pieck Parade 2012

This was my costume of the Anton Pieck Parade, with temperatures below zero outside, this is the only picture of me without my coat!

Two friends of ours joined the fun this year. Don't they look awesome!

Artists at work

With coat and snow (yeaahhhh!!!)

Both friends are wearing one of my costumes.

Two days to go before the Anton Pieck Parade

Today is the day after St. Nicolasevening. Which means there is a lot of cleaning up to do. With only two days to go before the Anton Pieck Parade I am a little bit stressed. There are lot of things I still need to do and not a lot of time to do them.

My costume is very nearly finished.

This is a detail of the cuffs on my 3/4 length sleeve

And I have added some of the same trim to the hem of my skirt.

The biggest problem now is finding something to do. There are a lot of options but most of them need some preprations and I don't have a lot of time to do so. So i will have to keep it simple. But first I need to decorate my hat and finish the bodice completly.

My husband through away our old Christmas Stockings a couple of years ago because we had tehm for years and he was bored with them. Last year we tried buying new ones but couldn't find any.

So I made these Christmas Stockings a  St. Nicolas gift, for him a little while ago. He got them yesterday and he was very happy with them.

With this link http://www.simplynotable.com/2011/retro-style-christmas-stocking-sewing-pattern-tutorial/

I turned this fleece blanket and a white fleece scarf into Christmas Stocking.

Bustle Era Dinner Bodice

I am converting this Ball Gown Bodice into a Dinner Bodice with 3/4 sleeves. Hopefully it will be done in time for the Anton Pieck Parade on the 8th of December.

I have been trying to work on it for days now, but my personal life keeps getting in the ways. There are tons of things I have to do in order to prepare for his upcoming birthday this Friday and Sinterklaasavond (Sint Nicolas Evening)  next weekend. No to mentions my household chores.

The sleeve will become a little bit shorter than they are now, because the end up being in between 3/4 and full length and black lace will be added to them as well. The shoudlers had to be taken in so I had to take of the glass jet deocrations. I am thinking of replacing them with lace or ribbon.


Here are some images of dinner bodices with 3/4 sleeves from the bustle era, for your and my inspiration.

http://metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/80034340?img=0

Dinner Dress, c. 1883. Designer: Charles Frederick Worth.

http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/detail_92_e.html

http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/80035688?img=2

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/50737.html?mulR=8748%7C3

Victorian Bustle Overskirt

The inside of my bustle overskirt. With the pleats pinned to the waistband. The netting adds volume and stiffness. The pleats have to be sewn by hand first, before sewing the skirt to the waistband with the machine. My husband pinned the pleats for me because I didn't have the patience for it.

Honey does my bum look big in this outfit?

This is how far I got with overskirt untill now, I still need to sew on the ribbons on the inside of the skirt to create the poufs in the back. I started working on that last night, but was too tired and make mistakes  so I decided to quit. When the skirt is finished I am thinking of decorating it with red fabric roses. http://www.madamesmercantile.com/ has a nice article on how to make them.

I always fight with my hair , especially the morning of the Anton Pieck Parade, when I have to get up early and try to manage my unmanageable hair with my sleepy head. Sick and tired of this beauty stress I deciced to look for a solution and bought a braided bun.

It's a clip -on by Balmain from the Elegance Collection. It arrived yesterday and though I am happy with it's going to take some practice, and some more hairpins, to keep the thing in place.The clip it small and not very strong and hasn't got enough grip on my hair.