Category: Costume College

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Costume College Picks

Yay! Costume College registration packet arrived in the mail yesterday. I’m teaching on Saturday afternoon, first thing Sunday morning (groan), and Sunday late afternoon.

Now, for class picks, I’m doing something different this year. I’ve found that I most enjoy classes where I learn a new technique but am not forced to do the whole thing in one go, and I’ve also found that I really enjoy having time to relax and socialize. Last year I signed up to take a make-something-in-class, which I could easily make at home with all my equipment and room and time, and I didn’t enjoy it at all. Plus lugging down the sewing machine etc. sucks.

So this year I am going easy on the limited classes! I’m asking for (in ranked order): Sleeves – Basic Block to Period Variations (because I’m always making my own sleeve patterns but usually am sort of faking it); Beginning Elizabethan Blackwork Embroidery (because I’ve been really enjoying embroidery and such handwork lately, and now have an opportunity to use blackwork via Bella Donna); and as a backup in case I don’t get into the sleeves class, Fairy Wings (because who doesn’t need a nice set of fairy wings?). Now I have to decide if I want to go down early on Thursday for the Sally Queen informal chat on 18th century costume.

Otherwise, I’m going to focus on teaching my classes, going to some of the unlimited classes (most excited about: Overview of 16th Century Gaelic Clothing [not because I have any plans, but it would be interesting to know what they really wore and not just what’s worn at faire], Ragtime Accessories for Ladies [yay accessories!], Dyeing Straw Hats [millinery!], Women’s Clothing Changes 1910-20 [just because I like the period]). There are some others that sound good but conflict with my teaching. I’m skipping most of the millinery classes because this Sunday I’m taking a buckram hat making class with GBACG, and skipping tambour because GBACG will be doing a workshop on this in November.

Phew!

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Costume College Classes (Mine)

Just got my list of what I’ll be teaching at Costume College. Three overviews of women’s costume: 1830s, late 16th c. venice, and 1750-1780. Yay! Should be fun. The 1830s one I’ve done twice before, so that’s easy. Just did the 18th c. one at Costume Academy; I’ll make some tweaks to that. And the Venice one should be fun as I’ve done way too much research on that, plus it hasn’t been done before at CC to my knowledge.

Now here’s a random question for you Costume College attendees: do you like it better when the instructor wears a costume from the period, so you can see what it looks like on and (hopefully) get inspired? Or would you prefer to have the costume on a hanger/mannequin, so you can look at the construction?

And I guess this helps me determine which costumes I’m hauling to Costume College this year! Although I still need something new and fabulous for the gala… Hmm. I was considering making this 1910 evening dress, but now I have the 18th c. bug! I could wear my caraco and petticoat but I don’t think that will be very showy, or my 1875 evening gown which is very showy, but I wore the day version last year (so maybe it won’t seem very exciting to sort-of wear again. Although it is really cute, imho). Hmm! What do you think?

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Costume College Class Ideas

So the (first) deadline for class ideas for Costume College is coming up in a few weeks, and I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to teach. I have a couple of ideas: overview of women’s fashions in Renaissance Venice, or of the 1780-90s, or of the 1910s. Also, I’m thinking of either reoffering my Victorian bodice draping workshop, or instead doing one for cone-shaped bodices (workable for either Elizabethan or 1770s-80s anglaise/polonaise styles).

But it’s always so hard to figure out what I know that others might not know! Does anyone have any suggestions beyond what I’ve come up with?

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I Suck, Don’t I?

The second I got back from Costume College we started moving, hence the total lack of exciting-ness around here. DSL should be coming on the 11th, so look for my Costume College pictures plus updates to my Venetian diary then.

In the meantime, I can report that I had a faaaabulous time at Costume College this year. I actually ended up taking few classes, just going to the ones that I really wanted, and skipping those of mild interest — and spent much more time socializing, which is always the best part. I had a great time talking shop with similar-minded people, and plotting evil froufy explosions for Costume Con 26 (2008, in San Jose).

Anyway, class-wise I went to (dredging up memory here): Bustle-Era Hairstyles (which I taught, and which seemed to go really well — lots of interest, plus many in the audience had practical suggestions); Corset Cover Construction (of which I was only able to attend about an hour, but which made me buy some white embroidered lace insertion in the dealer’s room, and which consequently got me way too excited about making fancy Edwardian undies and getting going on my Room with a View suit); Basic Bodice Draping (again which I taught, and which also went really well, except for me totally underestimating how long it would take everyone to finish draping; everyone got their front and back draped, and did really well, even the people who initially were nervous); German Renaissance Cranach Gown (where I discovered that the four yards of orange silk damask that I bought off ebay because it was too good of a deal has a fated purpose, but which I’m a little bit leery of as I don’t like the bust silhouette); Modifying Shoes (she builds the heel into the correct shape using FIMO, and then she BAKES THEM! Wow! Must experiment!).

Side note: moving has been good, as we have a bigger place now, which means while I still don’t have a whole sewing room, there is less in the bedroom — which means that any room not taken up by the bed is now MINE for sewing. Yay! No more sewing in the living room! Plus I was able to dredge out my bought-for-$40-at-a-garage-sale-and-it-WORKS treadle and actually put it out where it can be seen.