Sew...You Think *You're* Crazy?

[hsifeng]

I guarantee you got nothing on harmanhay .

First of all, she is the creator of Your Wardrobe Unlock’d and Foundations Reveled.**  

What? Never heard of them? You sew? Historical garb? Fascinating….

OK then, have you seen the Oak Leaf Dress? Three months of handsewing five hours a day. Just to get the leaves done.  

The. Leaves.

*gob-smacked*

If you were at Costume College in 2009 you may have seen it in person.



Original:

And honey…that was the warm up.

So what is this deranged woman up to now?

Just a little something ya’ll like to call the Peacock Dress.

For realsies.

What’s more? She’s doing it FOR CHARITY.

Those ‘feathers’? Hand beaded. All over. The whole dress.

And she is going to make a copy. In exacting detail. And let us all follow along.

*faints dead away*

Wanna see her go insane? Go forth and throw your sweaty dollar bills in her basket! That way you get to watch as the madness unfolds (the dress diary on this one is going to be set to private – so if you no donate, you no get to see).



**/insert due credit for mmcnealy as the inspirational editor on these sites! (Even harmanhay says so! - see comments below *grin*)

Comments

[mmcnealy.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the credit, but Cathy started YWU a couple of months before I came along. However, as editor, I will take credit for all the really cool articles over the last (almost) 3 years!

[peacockdress.livejournal.com]

Correction, I started YWU six gruelling months before Marion saved me and made the content waaay better than I could ever have done.

And another correction - it was Costume College 2009. I had to have long enough to forget how insane an insane project is, right? Rather like having children, I hear.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

I have noted your corrections and updated the text of this piece to reflect their content. We wouldn't want anyone thinking they had missed you in 2010!

BTW: Bring your spare liver to CoCo this year. There are a number of folks I know who will be insisting on G&T time with you if it can be arranged. Perhaps a fête is in order? *chuckle*

[peacockdress.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an open house :D I'll bring the steamer trunk and fill it with booze. If we drink it all in time there'll be room for the aforementioned Moosenapping. Hey, I deserve a reward, right? How much do you think I need to raise for the Overlord to consent to pull some strings?

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

Lordy, I am starting to think claughter713, kassrants, Kris and I may *really* have to plan on a party in our room.

Oh...the theme possibilities...

As for the Overload, I plan on pesting him again somewhere around $3000 - that will be tomorrow afternoon, yes? Did I mention that I sent this to Young Daddy Winchester as well? Twitter FINALLY comes in handy!

If they can't help up with the fundraising, maybe they will help us with the Samsquatch hunt... :D

[peacockdress.livejournal.com]

Fantastic, thank you! How interested boys will be in dresses remains to be seen, but I do plan to email the ladies at Random Act/Art Dept, I'm sure they'll be into it.

Yes, do pester repeatedly.... and thank you for contacting Daddy (as opposed to Sir) too!

You gave me an earworm - Goin' on a bear hunt... we're not scared...

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

Pesting the ladies at the Art Project = Brilliant! They clearly enjoy playing dress up, as indicated by their “tea party on an LA street meridian strip” a few months back (vid is here on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QX4wO-QYEU). Have I mentioned that I love them?

The bear hunt = you and Demi are hunters! HUNTERS! *chuckle* Sorry, but I know you get it. *wink*

You get the donations, I will get back to the Attractive Crying Man and Young Papa W once we hit the ‘pretty corset’ stage…

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

Items have been corrected madame, your 'fact check' services are welcome as always!

;)

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

I am fascinated by the differences little things make - while the first gown pictured is AMAZING, my brain still says "but, but, but, it's different here, and here, and here...." That said, I certainly wouldn't want to try and fit myself into the original! (My wedding gown was bad enough.) But things like the lettuce-edged trim and the drape in the train - it makes me want to be able to touch the fabrics rather than just see pics, so I had some clue what kind of material I need to replicate things...

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

You know, the *teeny tiny* waist in the original seems to have been a sticking point for harmanhay as well. But I think she has solved that particular problem with this little bit of genius:

http://harmanhay.livejournal.com/559276.html

I am actually eagerly anticipating her donations reaching a level wherein she will be making the corset for the Peacock Gown; I have a feeling her waist size is going to be a the ridiculously bitsy level now that she has figured out the trick!

And really, if you aren’t following her blog already, it is well worth your time. Even if this isn’t the period you regularly play in (I know I am a total newbie when it comes to anything other than 16th C. Germans); the work ethic and production tips alone are golden.

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

Absolutely - upper ribs and pelvic bones don't compress - you should always leave those unreduced. And in the big skirted styles, no one will see a slightly flared hipline on your corset. The only measurements I really altered when making my corset were those between ribs and hips.
http://home.earthlink.net/~jseip/wedding.htm
By the time I was done it was a 5" reduction, but I spent months training to it so I could spend all day in my gown for my wedding without fatigue/discomfort. I also naturally have something of an hourglass figure so it didn't feel drastically different to me, but egads, trying to find pants to wear in the office while I was corseted? BIZARRE how differently things fit when you take out that much from the waist...

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

OMG, your gown is lovely!

[stacymckenna.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[alysten.livejournal.com]

Awesome, with more awesome. Thanks for the link to donate! Where will the dress diary be? I'd love to follow this.

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

harmanhay is schlepping the dress diary for donations to the Hope to Haiti charity in the link here:

http://www.crowdrise.com/hopetohaiti1/fundraiser/CathyHay

Once you have donated, send her a note (indicate the name you donated under) and she will add you to her private LJ feed for this diary.

;)

[alysten.livejournal.com]

Donated! Sending note. Happy Dance of Supreme Joy commencing now!

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

You are AWESOME! *does the happy dance with you*

Be sure to spread the word - to get her committed to the entire, nutty work we need to get her funded!

[alysten.livejournal.com]

Signal boosted!

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

*see icon*

;)

[jukeboxhound.livejournal.com]

...Wow. O.O

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

*nudge nudge*

Remember the Samgirl I know in England who is into corsets (that I want to get you hooked up with for SPN and dress-up goodness)? This is her.

;)

[hsifeng.livejournal.com]

Damnitalltohell...sorry about the double post. Friggin internetz connectionz.

*head laptop*