Edwardian Ball in San Francisco - Circus and Costumes

Saturday night, my hubby and I got dressed up and went to the Edwardian Ball in San Francisco.  I've heard about this event for years & years and I've never made it before.. it was absolutely delightful (if a bit too crowded).  If I do it again next year, I am getting there much earlier.

But Oh! the costumes!  And the circus acts!!  We managed to find all the people I knew for sure were going, plus bump into a couple more we didn't expect.  It was one of those places, though, where every single person you see looks almost exactly like someone you used to know, or should know, or met once at a party.  Everyone was eye-catching.  In my costume I fit in perfectly, but did not stand out.  I'll get more extreme and wacky next year.. I like to be on the line between fitting in and standing out.  :)

To that end, I spent a huge amount of time shopping in the vendor's hall, and acquired my first bustle.  It LIGHTS UP!!  It's red and gold and poofy and it lights up with little red lights.  It was made by Katherine the Great at Blue Moon Designs .. she had SO much gorgeous stuff.  Actually, everyone had so much gorgeous stuff! 

The whole experience got me ruminating.  Upstairs, amazing and inspiring circus performers.  Downstairs, amazing and inspiring fashionistas.  If I were going to participate in this event next year, would I rather be upstairs?  Or downstairs?

His hat has a hat!

Immediately I answered "upstairs!  on the stage!!"... but as I thought about it more, and truly explored my heart for the answer, the quieter voice inside me whispered, "downstairs.. with the costumers.. watching people try on things I made." 

This is significant.  Of course, I LOVE performing, love being on stage.. but this is the first time that I've presented myself with that kind of choice and felt like I was 51% on the "downstairs" side and just 49% on the "upstairs" side.  I really, REALLY love costumes.  Maybe I feel like after 10 years of being a full-time performer, I'm ready to start making a change? 

This gives me a little hope for the future.  Being a performer, well, has an early retirement age.  I've probably got another 10 years in me, if I'm careful and wear sunscreen and do a lot of yoga.. but not much more than that, at least, for the super active circus stuff.  But if my passion migrates over to costuming.. well, I can do that for the rest of my life.  Until this week it's always felt like an inevitable concession.. eventually I'd "have to give up" performing and "fall back" on sewing.  This week was the first time I've ever made the voluntary choice to choose sewing over performing.

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Inspiration: Firefly Path

I've been drooling over the clothing and costumes and images by Firefly Path for years and years now.  Such an inspiration!  If you've never seen Lillyxandra's stuff, then make sure you've got a good chunk of time and get ready for delights and lots of squeee-ing.. and check it out!

Now go get inspired...

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Sewing by the Seat of my Pants

Usually when I make a new hoodie, my process goes something like this:

1. Get inspired
2. Do some sketches
3. Create a paper pattern
4. Cut & create the hoodie
5. Fix all the flaws in the hoodie
6. Transfer the fixes to the pattern

I'd love to do a blog post about each one of these steps.. perhaps I'll do that.  But yesterday I threw the whole process away and just .. created.

I think I've leveled up.

I had a little leftover black fleece.  I did a quickie sketch and then threw it away.  Then I got out 3 different hoodie patterns, picked a few pieces out of each, and laid them all in a jumble on the sewing table.

After that, I ignored all the pattern pieces and started cutting out pieces I thought looked cute.  I ended up with a flame shape, so I embroidered a flame.  Why not?

From there, I chose different pieces from the different patterns I have, and cut out one of these, one of those, two of this one over here.. pretty much I just used up all the fabric.

I ended up with one of the classiest hoodies I've ever made.  It's got pockets.  It's got flames.  It's seams are on the inside, which is a departure from my usual style, and some of the edges are purposefully unfinished.  It doesn't even have a hood - instead it's got a flipped-over collar.  (to be honest I did *make* the hood but then decided I didn't need it - it'll probably end up on another hoodie)

So, today's task is to reverse-engineer this thing and see if I can replicate it.  I'll do the shoulders an collar a little different maybe.. but on the whole, the design seems *marvelous*.. I think it's a keeper.  :)   Better pictures later!
 

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Alienskin Fairy and Cyber Clothing in the UK

This place has been an inspiration for me since years ago when I first discovered them.  I wear the skirt I bought from them ALL THE TIME.  Love.  Check them out: Alienskin Clothing

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