Remember that whole attention span thing?

[ktlovely]

I did actually buckle down and finish the other sleeve and add lace to the collar of the plaid outfit. So!


It seems that the new camera is doing slightly better at indoor pictures taken at night. These are less grainy than ones taken under similar conditions with my old one. Good!


Those little curls of wrapping paper insisted on getting stuck in my train no matter how far away I kicked them. I spent ten minutes wandering around with them following me like baby ducks. Except they made little skittering noises instead of little quacking noises.


Unfortunately, a new camera can't fix mediocre expressions in pictures. I look soooo thrilled!


Anyway, the sleeves and collar are cotton organdy from Field's. It has very impressive body to it; moreso than even that extremely malleable taffeta I used for the ballgown. It presses reaaaally nicely. The lace on the collar is just a random length of needlerun lace I got at a different Field's when I was sourcing stuff for the first version of the ballgown. The collar is finished without it; it's just whipstitched to the edge. More versatile that way!

Now I just get to sew on a crapload of fasteners. Yaaaay.

Comments

[reine-de-coudre.livejournal.com]

*dies*

okay... it's beautiful... and the skirt makes me melt. so elegant!

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've got to figure out a way to bustle it a little for walking around Gettysburg, but I really like the overall effect.

[operafantomet.livejournal.com]

Wow! You've worked out the stripes/squares so well, I especially like the little curve they take in the back of the skirt.

Excellent job!

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I love that line on the back of the skirt...and I didn't even mean for it to turn out that well. ;)

[jenthompson.livejournal.com]

That's niiiiice!

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thanks! dandytailor talked me into the fabric before I ever even dreamed of doing Civil War...and now I'm so glad he did!

[sarahnucci.livejournal.com]

Beautiful - I love plaid dresses!

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

I was iffy about the plaid, but it actually made it really easy to work with in terms of getting everything symmetrical. I'm really happy with how it's turning out!

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous!

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I didn't comment on your last couple posts, but you looked faboo at your Halloween party, too. I love how you did your hair--what's your secret? Mine never does 18th century that nice.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

For the hair, bauhausfrau had ordered us some hairpieces for 1830s use - they were the cheerleader tight curl pieces that you could use like a little ponytail? Anyway, they are kind of dense curls. And as it happens, if you pin that to the top of your head, it makes a great rat.

So I used that and then I combed the hair in the back up and over the top and pinned each lock of hair. Then I did the front and sides. The excess hair that then hangs over the back I made into a little bun and pinned. I kind of hid it with flowers. If your hair is shorter, it might actually work better, because you could just pin the ends of the hair rather than having excess length to deal with.

This method works surprisingly well, and isn't terribly hard to do on one's self, though a hair dresser is always nice. :-)

I really want to make this hairpiece for doing hedgehog late 18c hair:
http://www.vivcore.com/fancygirl/rococo_puff.html

[alleycatpegasus.livejournal.com]

You win my "Friend Most Likely to be Featured in an American Girl Catalogue" award. Except they wouldn't put you in there because you put their designs to shame.

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Aw, that might be one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to me. Thanks, Alex! <3

[hharris.livejournal.com]

Yay for xmas-y dresses! It's looking really nice.

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I was afraid it might be too Christmas-y, but I'm really liking the overall effect. :)

[raspberry383.livejournal.com]

It's pretty. I like the skirt. and you look really good in civil war era clothes.

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thank you! The Civil War era is definitely growing on me...can you believe I used to hate it? ;)

[darkangel422.livejournal.com]

*flail* GORGEOUS! Katie this dress looks so awesome! And it looks awesome on you. I SO AM PUTTING THIS DRESS IN MY NOVEL!!!!!

As for the facial expression thing, if it makes you feel better nobody looked thrilled in Civil War era photographs, because they had to keep perfectly still for several minutes at least, and the slightest movement would blur the image. So if you, like, photoshopped it sepia, you'd have a vintage-style photo.

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I think that might be one of the best compliments anyone's ever paid one of my costumes. :) You are absolutely more than welcome to put anything I make into a novel. Thats awesome!

We had a tintype taken when we were at Greenfield in May. Holy Lord that was unflattering! Something about the light and the shadows on our faces made us look oooooold. And of course cranky, 'cause like you said--no smiling! ;)

[darkangel422.livejournal.com]

I bet 90% of the old photographs of people we thought "looked" 40-ish were probably only 17 years old. Back then, the camera added 10 years, like how today it adds 10 pounds. :)

[darkangel422.livejournal.com]

Hence why you should just photoshop that picture. Then you'll only look less-than-thrilled, rather than less-than-thrilled and old.

[ktlovely.livejournal.com]

This whole thread just makes me smile. Like your smiley pudding icon, incidentally. ;)

[suededsilk.livejournal.com]

I don't think I ever commented on this. Bad me! Anyway, it looks fabulous! :)