Just a little side project

So I had this white long shirt that had a stain at the bottom of it. I decided to try and tea dye it to make it all as dark as the stain. however, what ever the stain was from it really took to the tea and the stain got darker than the shirt did. My next attempt to save my shirt was to make fabric flowers to cover the stain. I decided to add extras so it didn't look unintentional I also decided to change the buttons so that the buttons at the top could match the buttons that I wanted to use as the center of the flowers. 

 original with stains :(

 not quite sure what I'm going to do with the false buttons

and after all that I'm not really sure if I like the shirt and will probably either give it to a family member or give it to charity. Oh well, a good experiment none the less.

art deco head dress

Been working on my head dress as well, still waiting for some of the soldering material to show up (via snail mail) so that I can go further with it. But for now I've added wire to the rim, covered it with top fabric (a black velvet), and marked out were the primary beads/sequins will be.

Self Directed : New Direction

So I've been working on going in a different direction for my self directed. I've been looking at children's beauty pageants and today's ideals of beauty. I think that it's really interesting that all through out history we see children's costume as the miniature version of adults, and now in today's society it looks as though it's starting to revisit that ideal. It's also strange that today's ideas of beauty are focusing more and more on youth, we try to look younger, the models in most high end magazines have the body's of 12 year old boys, not to mention that they themselves (the models) are getting younger and younger

We have this obsession and love of the youthful look, and then only a fine line away we're all looking down upon pedophilia and talking about how disgusting it is (an opinion that I do agree with).










Yet in the pageant world there seems to be some sort of strange taboo, the children are getting tanned and made up to look like miniature adults but often put in little dresses that give the impression of them being dolls

                                                                   a natural picture of the same little girl (Eden Wood)

So that's what I'm researching for the most part and looking into and as the actual practical project I'm making a pageant dress.

Some of the flowers that I'm hand beading. I'm currently beading them on the same shear fabric that I've used over top of the bodice. I'll then cut the flowers out and hand sew them on to the bodice.

After cutting a bodice pattern on the stand I cleaned up the pattern pieces. I like to keep my patterns in muslin because they're easy to store and use and last far longer than paper patterns.

 Here's my first muslin of the dress base, I didn't make the pettie coat, it's actually an old tutu I had laying around. In the end I will be completely construction the entire skirt

back view

 Here are the fabrics I'm using with (above) and without (below) flash. the fabric in the middle is the main fabric that the bodice will be constructed out of, the fabric on the left will be layered over the top fabric to give it that extra sheen as well as keep it from being to 'party dress' and 'cheap' looking. Both fabrics will be in the skirt but the main skirt fabric will be that on the far right.

 Here is the bodice sewn together, without (above) and with (below) flash. Yes all those little stitches you see will be taken out, they are just there to keep the bodice fabric and the shear top fabric from moving about when I sew them together...pins can only do so much.

inside view of bodice

time so far in dress
45min
2.5 hrs
=3hrs 15min

time in beading so far
4hrs

Art Deco Head dress

I have now blocked my head dress and i'm working on putting it all together

visiting the V&A

Spent sometime in the v&a today mostly just puttering about looking at some of my favorite displays, here are some pictures of one's that I particularly liked

A Day in the V&A

Today was tons of fun I got to go around the V&A in a costume made by one of the third years Hannah Sutherland

Hannah did an amazing job and it was quite funny to walk around in full costume, we would get stopped by tourists for pictures and I've never had so many people move out of my way for me at the V&A. all in all glad I could help her with her project and I'm sure she'll score high with it.

Show at Buckingham Palace: Queens Gallery

We've now had our show at the queens gallery in Buckingham palace. It went really well, both for the second years and the third years. I not only got to show a costume that I've been making for the last 6 months or so but also got to model a costume for one of the third years.

This is the picture that I was given to replicate.

and here's my final piece being paraded in the Queen's Gallery
 Some facts about my costume...

About the sitter:

Lady Mary Guildford

Originally Mary Wooton, was Sir Guildfords second wife, they where married in 1525

Married to Sir Henry Guildford who was an English courtier during the reign of King Henry the VII, Master of the horse, and a controller of the royal household.

Painted in 1527 at the age of 27

After her husband death Lady Guildford though she was her husbands executrix (A woman who is appointed by a testator to execute the testator's will) she was able to obtain a release from all obligations to the king on March 1533.

She married for the second time to Sir Gawen Carey (or Carew) of Devonshire

About the Painter:

Hans Holbein the Younger (c. 1497- 1543) a German artist and Printmaker

He first came to work in England between 1526–1528, this is when he was commissioned by Sir Guildford.

After which he went back to Germany and did not return until 1532

About the Costume:

Some descriptions of the original costume,

“Under sleeves are made of cloth of gold...Rippling light glancing off the fabric of lady Guildford's stiff pleated sleeves...wears six gold chains across her bodice and shoulders...a gable headdress edged with pearls...around her neck is a gold chain with a jewelled pendent”

The dress that I got to model was designed and made by Allegra Deneroff. It was called 'A puritan's worst nightmare' 

Self directed

Researching bits and bobs

• The movie book touches on some interesting points but I feel it focuses on gangsters and other hollywood archetypes opposed to what I am specifically researching
• Tailoring books are great in relation to the practical work  
• Need to make schedule for self directed

Entry 15:Plaster and Modeling

Plaster and Modeling 
Materials needed:

• gray modeling clay
• tools
• scrim- soft hemp netting used for re-enforcement
• plaster
• water
• bowl(s)
• silicon -the tubes of clear silicon you get at a hardware store for caulking around you sink are perfect 

can use modeling and painting tools for clay shaping. suggested that gray modeling clay is used.
Always take into consideration
-material
-skill
-need
-and time

first be sure to cover object in cling film

press clay on and smooth out

Add whatever designs you want by etching into clay or building up with more clay

put water in bowl- add plaster till you see islands forming. Plaster should be just think enough to cover and your hand but still thin enough to drip off.

flick first layer on, be sure to blow on it a bi to eliminate air bubbles 

2nd coat it the re-enforcement, cover the 2nd coat with scrim. Dip scrim into the plaster and apply to clay. by doing this and giving it texture it will make the next layer hang on better

'rope' the edges of your clay, by making rope shapes with scrim and then putting around the edge.

the plaster shouldn't take to long to dry and you can then pry it off of the clay 

be sure to pick the clay out of any crevasses 

 then fill your mold with silicon. 

NOTE: paint can be added to clear silicon to give it colour, but it must be acrylic paint as water based paint will not mix with it. if wanted glitter could be added as well. 

The silicon will take longer to dry. if it is hard to get out of the mold put it in water to get it out.