My Costume Projects
I've always been facinated by costumes and Halloween was always a favorite holiday of mine. My mother was an excellent seamstress and taught me to sew (and got me in a lot of trouble in high school sewing class when I told the instructor my mother knew more than she did). When I moved to California from Seattle in the early 80's I happened upon an advertisement in a Vogue Sewing magazine offering and 'authenic' Victorian corset pattern. When I received it and read the supply list I was confounded by things such as a 'busk' and "spring steel bones." What the heck?! I found a place in over in Berkeley called Lacis and with a phone call found they carried everything I would need to make a corset. I met many interesting people and along the way found there was an entire sub-culture, if you will, of people who made costumes for the pure fun of it (as opposed to those who costumed professionally for the stage, etc.). Not only that there were events where you could wear your costumes and mingle with like-minded enthusiasts. I was in heaven.
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Making
an Elizabethan Headdress
I made a headdress for Queen Elizabeth costume to wear when I went to Costume Con 26. It includes the pattern pieces and instructions on how you can make one of your own.
Quickie
Corsets Hand-out from Costume Con 26 Class
Here is a PDF of the handout from the Quickie-Corsets class from Costume Con 26 since I ran out of copies the day of. Click here for the PDF. Send me an email at jkeeler415@costumepastimes.com if you have any questions or comments.
My
Grandaughter's Christening Gown
What grandmother who sews wouldn't want the chance to make a beautiful heirloom christening gown for her first granddaugher? And what better embellishment than ribbon embroidery. See the photos here.
A
Victorian Bonnet
I took a hat workshop from the very talented Lynne Taylor in April of 2006 and was so inspired I worked like a mad weasel to finish up my hat--even wore it to that year's Dickens Faire. See the step-by-step progress and finished result here.
Queen
Elizabeth I
The Greater Bay Area Costumer's Guild put on a great event called Queen Elizabeth and the Pirate in February of 2006. I played the Queen and had to make a gown to match the occasion. Update: Feb. 7, 2009. I wore my dress to the GBACG Annual Open House and made myself a new fan to go with my outfit--I've added updated photos.
See the photos from making the gown here. See the photos from the event here.
Corsets
See some photos of corsets I've made.