Peg Herring's Blog - Posts Tagged "catherine-parr"
The Ins and Outs of Sewing
I used to love it, but that was when I was broke most of the time. My kids could have new clothes without a lot of expense if I made them, and I was pretty good at pleasing their tastes, although one still hasn't forgiven me for the plaid '70s pants.
Later I was drama director at the high school where I taught, and again, cheap was good. My weekends were spent whipping up unique outfits from Wal-mart bargain fabric, shower curtains, old formals, and, in one instance, place mats. It was fun, and the results were gratifying. A costume could look elaborate without being particularly well made (our theme song was "From a Distance"). Since they only had to last through a few shows, pins, ties, and, in an emergency, duct tape, were intergral parts of many costumes.
Now I'm at work on something more difficult: a period costume for my gig at the Romance Writers of America Con this summer. I'm to be Catherine Parr, and it has to be right. No fun here, just a lot of work. So far I have the shift, the bum roll, and the hoop skirt done. I'm at work on the corset, but it's so complicated that I've limited myself to one step per day to limit frustration. To assure quality on the outer layer, I hired the dress itself, which consists of 9 yards of heavy fabric. Pictures will follow.
What I'm learning is that I don't like sewing that much any more. Gratifying, yes. But I'd rather be writing!
Later I was drama director at the high school where I taught, and again, cheap was good. My weekends were spent whipping up unique outfits from Wal-mart bargain fabric, shower curtains, old formals, and, in one instance, place mats. It was fun, and the results were gratifying. A costume could look elaborate without being particularly well made (our theme song was "From a Distance"). Since they only had to last through a few shows, pins, ties, and, in an emergency, duct tape, were intergral parts of many costumes.
Now I'm at work on something more difficult: a period costume for my gig at the Romance Writers of America Con this summer. I'm to be Catherine Parr, and it has to be right. No fun here, just a lot of work. So far I have the shift, the bum roll, and the hoop skirt done. I'm at work on the corset, but it's so complicated that I've limited myself to one step per day to limit frustration. To assure quality on the outer layer, I hired the dress itself, which consists of 9 yards of heavy fabric. Pictures will follow.
What I'm learning is that I don't like sewing that much any more. Gratifying, yes. But I'd rather be writing!
Finally, the Fashion Show
Yesterday, a kind and industrious blogger, Gretchen Jones, put up pictures and a very complete run-down of my fashion show at RWA Nationals. I'm just going to point you to her today, since she did it so well.
http://www.gretchenjones.com
http://www.gretchenjones.com
