What do you do with a beloved Tee Shirt

We all have them.  That favorite Tee Shirt that is so worn out that it isn't even decent to wear to bed, but you love it so much that you can't bear to cut it up for the rag bag.  Also, I'm enough of a Yankee that I have to use everything until it absolutely falls apart on me.  I have two.  They were the first gifts my beloved husband bought me.  They are also so soft and comfy that you just want to curl up in them.

Well, I struck on an idea that will solve this problem and another one I have.  See, when I vend at Renaissance Faires and SCA events I sometimes camp.  I either forget my pillow from home or I bring it and forget to bring a pillow case for it.  So here is my idea.  I'm making pillows out of these two tee shirts and keeping them in the car.  That way I save my tees from the rag bag and have the pillows already in the car when I need them for camping or long drives.

Here is the first one.  I think it makes a very pretty pillow and it is super comfy.

You can see why I wanted to keep this one.

I'll post a picture of the other one as soon as I finish it.

Over Skirt - Trimming

I got the beading done on the outside edges of the skirt.  It took about four hours total, but it was worth it.  It is going to look spectacular, plus it gives the edges some weight.  That way they will fall properly and not get blown around in the breeze.

I have to get more purple thread and then I can start on the bodice.  I started the design phase today.  I do have a few things to figure out, like how to cap the shoulders.  Do I use rolled shoulder style or epaulet style?  How do I want to attach the Stomacher?

These and more will be answered soon.

14th century noble garb - Over Skirt

The battle continues.  So far I have my Crinoline, my burnt orange Under Skirt and my Elizabethan Bodice done.  This leaves the Over Skirt, the Bodice, the Stomacher and the sleeves. 

This is about the Over Skirt.  I used the same gore pattern that I used for the Under Skirt, except I only used six instead of eight.  I sewed them together, hemmed them up and trimmed the bottom with this amazing trim I found at Birka.  Black, gold and burnt orange, just perfect.

Isn't that just luscious

I put the waist band on.  I will have to try it on with the corset, crinoline and under skirt to get an accurate measure for the overhang of the waist band.  I made it long so I could do adjustments as needed.

The last thing I have to do on this before trying it on and adjusting the waist band is to hand trim the edges with these amber colored beads I have.  That's a project for the evening while watching TV.

More to come.

Things have been crazy

So, Ice Weasels was a lot of fun.  Finally met, face to face, a friend I've made on Face Book.  Also, got a few new ideas for products. 

After that and up to now, things had been quiet.  Well this week my Beloved took a bad fall and ended up in the hospital all week with a concussion.  He is better and things are slowly getting back to normal.

I have been working on my Website...www.fairelywellmaid.com and on some garb for myself.  I'm working on a 14th century court garb in dark purple and spice orange.  I have the crinoline, the underskirt and the Elizabethan corset done.  I have the overskirt almost finished.  It needs a waistband and some kind of "bling" on the open sides.  The last part is the bodice of a dark purple brocade and a spice orange silk stomacher.  Then the sleeves.  Check out Elizabethan Corset, Crinoline and Gored skirt for more info and pictures. 

Next you can find me at the Novice Schola in the Barony of Bergental (Springfield, MA) http://www.eastkingdom.org/EventDetails.html?eid=2260.  This will be the first time I'm vending solo.  None of my friends will be there to help so this will be an interesting test of my abilities.  Come by and say HI.

Elizabethan Corset - it's DONE

Yes, I finished it.  The bias tape went on and I only broke one needle.  There was some hand sewing that needed to be done, especially where the busk went in.  I was going to make eyelets for lacing holes, but changed my mind when I remembered I had a bunch of small (size 00) grommets.  I used the eyelet tool I bought a while ago.  It is for scrapbooking, but it works well on the small grommets.

So, here is the finished product.  I bet you never thought you would be looking at these pictures.

I need to center the busk properly when I wear it.

This fit gives me a little room to more weight.

Ta Da

Elizabethan Corset - Almost finished

As promised, I resized the corset by folding over the excess fabric so it will reenforce the lacing holes.  I took the bias tape and ran it around the edges.

So, now I have to put in the lacing holes and touch it up with a bit of hand sewing.

...and we're back to the Elizabethan Corset

I bet you thought I forgot all about this project.  You were saying to yourself "She is never going to finish that corset".  Well, I can understand that.  It's been months since I've even looked at it.  "So", you ask, "what have you been doing".  Let me tell you.

In the fall a very dear friend of mine dropped 50 lbs of apples from her old apple trees on me.  That took an eminence amount of time but I got them all canned, except for the ones I used for apple pie.  Then, of course, Christmas was coming and the frenzy of getting all of those presents finished.  "OK", you say, "but what happened to January and February?".  January was consumed with getting stock ready for my first time vending, as Fairely Well Maid, at Birka.  February came and with it the Ice Weasels event and a commission from a good friend to make her a skirt for the "Pirates' Other Salty Ball".  That was this past weekend.  I vowed to myself that I would finish the bloody thing come do or die.

Well, it's a good thing I waited.  I am now about 85 pounds lighter that I was this time last year (happy dance).  So there was some resizing to do.  I have spent today basting on those ugly fitting strips on and lacing myself into the corset, not an easy task, to get an accurate fit.  I've finally found the right placement for the grommets.  Tomorrow will be the resewing and trimming of the corset.

As you can see there is quite a bit of difference in the size (again, happy dance).