The home fabric deptarment IS very nice, esp for the heavier winter
fabrics. I bought a load of stuff this past weekend, some which I need
and some not now, but could definitely picture using for other projects
later. That's how fabric shopping works! Those who don't do it, just
don't get it and always wonder why we buy stuff we aren't using right
now.
Because! That's why!!
You will never find a great deal on the same thing twice, ever. Atleast
I've never had it happen. When you see something you love and you have
the means to acquire it TAKE IT or else leave it and forget about since
chances are it won't be there when you realize you should have gotten
it. Take for example, Joann fabrics. I love their selection but boy
does it hurt to use them as a main source of material for any project
cause the bill is way too high. Last spring I went there to buy really
elegant trims and just regular old cotton to make 1860's undies. A
project that is still in the bag, literally. All i bought were a few
yards of eyelet tape, lace beading, etc... my bill was $56! Now, most
of the stuff I went there for and even turned down because it was too
costly is now in the clearance bin for 97 cents a yard (I just learned
there is no symbol on a computer keyboard for cents lol) so I bought a
bunch of stuff, not needing it at this moment but well worth having.
So, I haven't touched my bustle project in a couple days because I
started back to class this morning and I was more or less occupied with
preparing for that and for gathering materials. I spent $57 Friday
night buying stuff, most of which is the aforesaid don't need right now
stuff, another $81 (with my student discount) first thing Sat morning
when i went back for the fabric I didn't know if there would be enough
of left on the roll to use for the project, and $37 at Joann's Sat
afternoon when i went back out to look for some other stuff. This is
why i don't use my fabric more often, because it always involves
spending so much more on notions and such.
Do any other bustlers out there, or any period costumers for that
matter, find that it REALLY costs alot to buy what is needed for doing
these projects? Maybe I am just too picky with my fabrics and trims and
spend more than i technically have to. Either way, this dress is not
going to be ANYTHING like the original colour scheme I initially
planned for it, and mainly because as usual there just wasn't any
fabirc like what I wanted available.
What complicated things, is that the dress calls for a plastron, bodice
back, and trimming all made from the dress fabric but embroidered, or a
really nice contrasting fabric. It won't work without having the strips
of material for trimming, because they are used to hold the back parts
of the polonaise together with buckles. I foresee in the near future,
spending alot of money to have them embroidered by my friend around the
corner with the much needed embroiderer. Pity I don't have that king of
all computerized home embroidering machines at a beautiful
...$6k...(oy) now.
When i went to Joann's my goal was to find some sort of contrasting but
harmonizing wide tape trim or ribbon to use instead. Had I found some,
that would have left me up the creek without a paddle for the plastron
and bodice back so i think embroidery like originally used, even real
fast sparse embroidered motifs, are best.
Ok that was more info than I probably needed to share with the list,
and in response to developing an eye for period correct fabrics, I
guess it depends also on the person and their goal, as the expectations
for period correctness vary alot. Some costumers are strictly by the
book, aiming to acheive the most authentic museum quality
reproductions, even if that means sacrificing overall attractiveness
for using instead of frilly inaccurate materials what's left of the
drab but period correct fabrics available today for the modern
costumer, and some use fabrics I don't even want to talk about. I',m
somewhere in between, I try to be correct to the point where my pieces
really capture the feel of that period in colour combos, textures,
weight, etc... and i worry much less about things like fabric content
because where I shop, that's not even really possible to find out. I
try to keep it within the realm of fibers used, if the print or weave
is special I dont worry about it because the pieces are for me to enjoy
only and foremost is how attractive they are without looking silly or
entirely out of context.
What are some good resources by the way, for researching period
fabrics/fiber contents, dyes, weaves, prints, etc? I know elastic was
available in the 1870s now, so i am going to use it as prescribed.
-Justine.
-----Original Message-----
From: Maggie <[email protected]>
To: Historical Costume <[email protected]>
Sent: Sun, Aug 30, 2009 11:56 am
Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
Get on M&J's mailing list. They frequently have very good sales. And
yes,
the home dec department at any fabric store is frequently the place to
find
the right fabric. Just be sure to train your eye for what period
brocade or
tapestry patterns look like for the period you're working in. I hate
seeing
Elizabethans done up in Edwardian cabbage roses, just for example.
MaggiRos
Maggie Secara
~A Compendium of Common Knowledge 1558-1603
Available at your favorite online bookseller
See our gallery at http://www.zazzle.com/popinjaypress
On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 10:15 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
Good afternoon! Here is an update, so far so good (holding breath)
using
the grid method is working well. I went with that initial idea to
translate
each of the 1/4 inch squares from the paper where I traced the 1/8
scale
pieces in the book onto and into a block of 4 of the 1" squares on my
drafting board instead of square by square as did with the 1/4 pieces.
They look good, they look like they are nearly my size, maybe a little
long... which is the easiest alteration to make! Now today once I
finished
redrawing the the back skirt piece (big) and the polonaise side piece
I can
get an idea of how much fabric I'll need, but will then be able to
first
make a mock up and really see how everything will fit.
I've been making absolute use of my library on this project so I know
what
will really work on this dress. We have a few places I like to hit for
fabric hunting but it's hit or miss and usually I only find great
that stuff
that I am not looking for, and never what I need. Where is a good
place to
find trimmings and fabrics for period costuming? MJ Trim (I think
that's
what it's called) out of NY has a lovely selection, if one can afford
their
prices. I could be wrong but it seems like some of the prettiest
fabrics for
period looking ensembles are decorator/home fabrics! They just have
that
oomph with colouring and pattern that most modern dress fabric lack.
In the future I might try using the photocopier technique however. I
already made the effort with the grid and have the roll of plain
paper. Take
care and happy Saturday! It's my last two days of freedom before
classes
start again :(
-Justine.
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 10:58 pm
Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
Also some copy places, Office Depot is one, have what are called
"blueprint printers" that can enlarge pieces up to 36 inches wide.?
The
trick is to know what percentage to tell the copy operator.? The
advantage
of this is that you are not taping many letter sized sheets of paper
together for a pattern.
Britta/Vasilisa
-----Original Message-----
From: Viv Watkins <[email protected]>
To: Historical Costume <[email protected]>
Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2009 2:34 am
Subject: Re: [h-cost] Help! Enlarging with a photocopier
"My other goal for today that didn't happen was to try just the
photocopying
method. Is there any particular number of times that anyone knows of
that I
should enlarge each scaled down peice? If the pieces are 1/4 scale,
would
that mean I'd enlarge them 75%? Oy, math definitely isn't my cup of
tea,
I'm
just wishing now the author was more clear on how to scale up. It
sort of
leaves no purpose to have patterns if one has to pretty much redraw
each
peice!?"?
?
I have used a photocopier to enlarge lettering for a banner but not
for
pattern pieces. Unfortunately you can't just enlarge, say one inch
to four
inches, by using 400% - the photocopier enlarges by area not length.
I
just
experimented until I got the right size - most photocopiers let you
set a
'custom' %. You will probably have to enlarge your first size and
then
enlarge your enlargements! You just need time and to be ready for
'millions' of sheets of paper. But once you have it worked out you
can get
your pieces and sellotape them together!?
?
Good luck?
Viv ?
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