My next costume - The coat - Updated

I wanted to break up my posts and show the coat separately. I have the basic coat together, I just need to sew in the sleeves and the lining. I am debating on whether or not to trim them out with a faux leather. I like the look on my tester, so I think I will. I am still debating on trimming out around the neck and down the front.
The brocade fabric I have had for several years. It is upholstery weight.

The cutting out stage.

Getting ready to sew in the pocket facing.

Pocket facing sewn in and turned.

Adding the pocket facing to the front of the coat.

It looks complicated, but I was suprised to find it quite easy.

Finished pocket.

It needs a good pressing. 

The back turned out so pretty.

Just needs the sleeves and lining.

Still needs that pressing. The sleeve caps are basted in and the sleeve is pinned in.

Close up of the pocket.

Just checking out the tester pinned to the sleeve to see if I like the faux leather trim. I think I do. I think I will sew it with a brown thread on the finished coat. 

I finally found a fur collar the other day. Love the color. I was hoping for one a little wider but now that I have it pinned on I think the width is good. Please excuse the safety pins, I have 3 buckles I am getting ready to sew on.

Let me know what you think. I will post more photos and I get it finished and I'll try for a photo shoot before Comic-Con.

Working on my next costume - The pants

I took advantage of the long holiday weekend to work on my next costume. I have had this floating around in my head since last October.  At the last Comic-Com my friend and I started brainstorming about what we wanted to look like for this years event. We thought a Harry Potter steampunk look would be the one. Maybe a steampunk auror. I would like to wear this to the premier of the Fantastic Beasts movie in November too.
Here are some photos on the process of assembly for the pants. Here are the pants all cut up and ready to sew. And the finished pair. Plus a close up of my tester showing piping for the pants. The fabric for the pants is stretchable so they fit nicely.

                                                                                                                                                               

A bit of a dry spell

Hi everyone,
I have had a bit of a dry spell here lately. I have had a death in my family and all inspiration came to a standstill. I hope to be sewing again soon. Comic-Con will be here again in October and I have a costume to construct. Until then I want to share some photos of my wizarding decor inspired by Harry Potter.

Pretty fabrics

I did a little shopping yesterday at my local Hancock Fabrics to see if there were good deals to be had since they are bankrupt and all. I found some really great fabric and the cost was pretty reasonable too.

I envision the purple fabric into a vest and hat. There was only a yard and a half. I hope it will be enough.

The green/gold striped fabric I got because it looked vintage. I don't have a clear idea what to do with it yet. 

 

This fabric is sheer enough to be made into curtains and my living room is in need of some new ones. This is just pinned on the rod to see if it would work. I like it.

Harry Potter Steampunk Jacket Mockup

I am using Simplicity 2172. The jacket element is great. However I don't care for the ruffle at the collar and sleeves. I am hoping to use some sort of fur at the collar instead. I nixed the skirt too.  I am going for a slim leg pant that will tuck into boots and make some sort of a wand holster at the thigh. I'm still debating on the corset too.

I like to make a mockup or a muslin of certain clothes that I make. Especially if there isn't a lot of ease and if I had any structural changes or add-ons. I did this for my Snape cosplay and it worked out well. I combed thru my stash to find a fabric that was of similar weight as my jacket fabric plus having enough yardage. The material is a decorator fabric probably used for drapes.

I like to trace my patterns, that way, I can keep the original unmarked and be able to make any changes to the pattern on the traced one.  Examination table paper from the doctor's office makes great tracing paper.

After cutting out my size and sewing up the jacket minus the sleeves. I decided to try it on. Now, I'm a bit thick around the middle and found it to be a bit tight. The back neck area is too high up. And something weird, the front and back shoulders didn't match up. I checked with the original pattern pieces to make sure I traced it right. I did. I am still trying to figure it out.

 I thought the pockets would be hard to put together but they were a breeze and they look awesome.

My next thing will be the sleeves and then the lining. After I figure out the shoulder area of course.

The jacket with and without sleeves. The blackish furry thing is a scarf. I am trying to simulate fur to see if I like it or not. I think I do. Now to finish it up.

UPDATE:
I have finished all but the buttonholes on my HP steampunk mockup. This turned out well. I had to make a few adjustments on it. I let out the seams around my middle. Dang it! I also took in the shoulder area. I shortened up the back neck area too. I already have made the alterations to the pattern pieces too. I like the way it turned out and I am looking forward to making the blue brocade.

A Steampunk Hat

Over the holidays, I seemed to be a bit restless. I figured that one way to curb that would be to sew something. I was unsure of what to make. I wanted something with a bit of challenge, but didn't take too long.
My cosplay for Fantastic Beasts has been in my thoughts for ages, so I decided to try something steampunk and (hopefully) wizardly.
I decided to make a hat. I have been toying with the idea of a tophat but I didn't have enough leather. I rummaged through my stash and came across a remnant of decorator fabric. I figured with the stiffness of it along with some interfacing it would be able to hold its shape.
I used McCall's pattern M6975. I didn't like the look of the hats on the girl, but the one on the guy had promise.

I like to trace my patterns so that I don't have to cut up the original and can make mutiple sizes. According to the measurements, I came in at a small. I positioned the pattern to make good use of the pattern on the material.
I wished I would have taken pictures of the process, but it was full steam ahead and pictures only got take when I was finished.
The finished hat looked pretty good, but I felt it could look better. I didn't have wire to insert around the outside of the brim, so it looked sightly floppy. Well, I couldn't have that, so I started to fold up different areas of the brim to see if I could achieve a different type of look. I found one that pleased me and I think it looks similar to an old fashioned pork pie hat that guys used to wear several decades ago.

I embellished it with a dark grey grosgrain ribbon, a neat old medal and some buttons. I lined it with a decorator satin.
This took me most of the afternoon and evening from start to finish. The restlessness has been tamed for a while.
Now I need to get busy making the rest of the ensemble and see if it looks good with it. If not, I will have to make something else. Oh darn ;)
Let me know what you think of it.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The Fantastic Beasts movie is still nearly a year away, but I have gotten costuming bug for this film. I eagerly await new photos to start pouring in. It is taking place in 1920's in America.

This morning I saw the first trailer and the movie looks very interesting. No beast sightings yet. I would imagine they would have to CGI them in. All in all, the costumes so far look to be a bit drab. But then I saw the woman with the fantastic headdress. I can't wait to see that costume from head to toe. The crowd in the photo looks to be of mixed ethinicities and unusual wardrobes. It might not be so drab after all.

I went shopping the other day and found some patterns that may work. My friends and I are thinking about several different looks to wear to the different days of our next Comic-Con.

We were thinking about this type of look for the last day of the Con. It would be our No-Maj look.

This one for another No-Maj look. I might need to make this for me for daily wear. It's so cute.

I hope Warner Brothers posts new photos and/or trailers on a regular basis. I'm sure more ideas will be showing up here soon.  I can't wait to get started.