Battle Skirt

This was an interesting commission. The player had recently gotten custom armor, and he wanted a battle skirt to match it. The LARP he plays has a rule that all armor must be visible to count, so the skirt needed to be something that would show off the leg armor underneath. 

The design is based off of a video game (I don't know which). He wanted the skirt to be random as far as the circular designs and the width of the individual panels.

This is the sketch we settled on, though he wanted the black in front and back rather than the every other as shown here.

This was my first time using the reverse applique technique. All the gold pieces are done in the traditional manner where one cuts out a shape, glues it to the background and then stitches around the edge. In reverse applique, one draws the design, sews through both layers and then cuts the single top layer as close to the stitching as possible.

The back of the reverse applique ends up being very colorful. Since this will show while he fights, I worked to make the back as clean as the front.

This was a very interesting project. I may try reverse applique again, and I may try combining it with an applique lace technique where you cut both layers.

Z - Zig-zag

Yey, I made it through the challenge! Now to the post:

The zig-zag  stitch is a very useful tool (#3 on my sewing machine above). Most seamstresses will use it if they don't have an overlock stitch or overlock machine (a serger). It helps prevent fraying by stitching one set of threads to another set of threads on the cloth, thus making it harder for the edge threads to come loose.

When setting the zig-zag to have an extreamly short stitch length, you can create a satin stitch. The stitch is so named because the threads lay flat next to one another and close enough to resemble satin material. In the pictures above and below, a zig-zag satin stitch is used on the outside edge, and a triple regular stitch is used to resemble a hand-stitched back stitch for the details.

Another interesting technique is laying out a satin stitch then sewing another stitch over the satin stitch, as below with a black zig-zag and a purple straight stitch.  This was the first time I tried it, so next time, I will make the zig-zag a bit wider. The XXX stitch is another decorative stitch my machine has, but a person who is very patient could actually do it with a zig-zag, some practice and some time.

Happy A-Z to one and all. I'll be back to my normal posts until next year!

Y - Yoyos

Fabric yoyos are a fun little thing to try. The basic premise is that you take a circle of fabric and hand stitch along the outside, then pull tight. Here is a demo pic I found on the internet:

And another picture of a finished yoyo:

Last year, I attended a camping event for my role-playing group. One of the vendors there held a crafting contest where we had a gallon bag full of crafting supplies and had to make something using only those supplies and tools that you brought with you. I decided to make a belt favor (a decoration to hang off of a belt) by making as many different flowers as possible with the crafting materials.

Yoyos can also have shapes, so I did a flower shaped yoyo, and I pulled the back through the hole to give it more of a center of the flower look. Here is the final favor:

W - White Wolf Tunic

This tunic was an act of love. This is my brother's heraldry for SCA (almost... I goofed up and did purple rather than blue, but the picture I had really looked purple). He hasn't been to an event in a long time, and he is going to a large Alliance event next month.  He was stressing out about what to wear since he didn't have any garb, so I made him this tunic and wrap pants.

The wolf was done with machine applique, and the eye was hand embroidered.

I added some thinner details by triple stitching in some lines on the legs and paws.

I also added a bit of definition to the collar of the shirt.

Back view, mostly of the wrap pants.

I actually found 1" thick cotton twill tape for the pants. I was super happy because making 1" wide fabric ties generally sucks, and twill tape works so much better.

U - Unusual

I have a few unusual projects and patterns I have developed, so here are a few.

This set of fairy wings was a crafting challenge. I had a budget of less than $20 plus whatever is in your private stash. We had to make something appropriate for a fairy court. I used branches off of the tree that fell in my dad's house, and a bunch of different things from my stash. I used crocheting to make the dragon fly/dream catcher-like wings. I love how it turned out, but I can't figure out a way to make them to sell because they are so fragile.

This is a better picture of the over-all wings.

I made these for the same challenge. We were supposed to make something that is thrown in the game of Amtgard. I made spell balls using the Japanese technique of Temari balls. This launched my interest in making better and cooler balls.

This is a pattern I developed for a fairy skirt. I haven't seen this type of skirt/dress anywhere else. I have fabric to make three more, and I am looking forward to making more because they are so fun and different from the others out there.

This dress is also a skirt. It offers lots of costuming possibilities. Thanks for reading... Almost at the A-Z finish line!

P - Pink & Pins

I have a three-year-old buddy that I often baby sit. I told her I wanted to make her a dress, and this is the fabric she picked.

She also helped me a bit by handing me the stick pins as I was pinning the pattern to the fabric.

It was a Christmas gift that I never quite got around to posting on the blog. I haven't actually seen her in the dress, but mom says it fits great and she loves it.

L - Linen

Most of my tunics are in cotton because it is less expensive and has more color options without having to use the internet,  so I was super happy to make this one in linen.

It is viking inspired with a horn of Odin symbol appliqued on the front.

Sorry for the blurry back. The sun was at a strange angle when I took the photos.

K - Kilt

Last year I attended a kilt making workshop. When I went to find material, the local plaids bared no resemblance to any of the clan tartans that I wanted. Then I stumbled on this flannel and went for it.

The friend I was making this for has a sister who struggled with breast cancer. He also is one of my fiercest advocates and is always checking that I am healthy after my breast cancer as well.

I added a pink ribbon in case the hot pink kilt was misunderstood.

The pleats in the back. I love how it turned out. I don't have any pictures of him in the full garb, but if I get one, I'll add it in.

H- Heraldry

Heraldry, also known as Coat of Arms or Device is the historic way of telling people apart. Think of it like football teams in the Renaissance Era. They had to be distinctive enough from each other so that a person could tell if they were a friend or foe at fifty feet. When it comes to crafting, I use heraldry all the time in my designs. Here are some examples:

These are the ones I have done with my heraldry in Amtgard: