I made SHOES!

I made SHOES!!!

Actually I made them more than a year ago, but never got around to tell you all about it. Which is strange, as I did made a ton of pictures with fully intending to do so. Now, when I would need to finish the Aidah gown on a deadline, I bombed my sewing room and the time while I am putting things back in order, is just as good as any to make up for that.

So shoemaking (as well as knitting and sewing, and flying) is in my blod. I already mentioned my maternal grandparents, who made shoetops, tops for gorgeously decorated clogs and wooden soled slippers in the seventies. I wanted to make shoes since... I think since highshcool or so, when I first fell in love with the ballerina, and maryjane type of shoes, but they were not available here.

 On the top of that, shoes are very sensitive points of reenactment, because good historical, or historical looking shoes are either not available and / or expensive, they can make or break an outfit. Now, I am not a "shoenaczi", I think often there are modern shoes that can give you an illusion, not breaking the style, and believable, and I also wear those too. 

However, shoemaking was something I was (and still am) itching to do, and the flat regency shoes are perfect to try out the first time. 

 

I have been following Franka Műhelye (the Workshop of Franka) for years on Facebook, with the intention of going there, but by the time I collected myself enough to do it, she left for maternity leave, and then the Plague came, and everything closed.

So when she opened her workshop again I was jumping on the opportunity real fast. 

I had some ideas, looked up regency (the age of napoleon) shoes online...

I had a few favorites, like these:

There are rounded and pointy toes, but from my collection of inspirational pictures, iit is very easy to see, that I prerreferd the pointy toes. Thankfully, the workshop had poitny toe lasts. Since I have one of those that tie around the ankle, I selected something less typical, these with ties on the instep.

After selecting the leather (blue, what else?) we started. The techniques we used are modern cemented techniques, for now, I will be satisfied to have shoes look the part, and use the technology that is readily available, and easier. 

We made the pattern. For that first we taped the last, and then I drew the lines, I wanted my shoes to have. 

Peeled off the shapes, stuck it on a paper and drew the final pattern, adding seam allowances.

Copied the patterns on the leather and cut it.

Also cut the lining of the shoe, from a thin, soft leather.

That was the point when Franka said "all right, I will sew up the leather for you". And then I was like "WHHHHAT? I can NOT SEW my shoes? What the hell am I doing here then?" It turned out that many are afraid of the leather sewing machine (or the sewing machine all together), and prefer doing everything else with their shoes, but the sewing... Oh well, that is not me, definetly NOT ME. I am NOT afraid of the sewing machine. I nagged Franka enough to tell me, "Okay, you can try the machine, and see, how well can you handle it, and we will see. "

I sewed that little trial piece, and turns out, yeah, I can handle an industrial sewing machine pretty well, thank you very much, and I was allowed to sew up my shoetops. 

I cannot tell you the feeling, when I hammered down the seam and turned the thing to the right side.

I think I already mentioned this also a few times, that by now, I should not be surprised, and I still am. Its like "WOW? these are REALY looking like..." and this time there was also the memory, the smell of the leather and the cement (the glue), the movement of the hammer, I saw my grandmother and grandfather movements in my hand. 

Put together the lining and the outer layer

Sticking and extra piece to strengthen the heel

The second day we lasted the shoes

First the lining, 

Then the outer layer.

The toe of the shoe got a layer for strengthening between the lining and the outer.

Shaping and reshaping. Pulling thight and pulling even thighter.

A few days later, when it properly dried, went back and added the sole.

The sole is so not historically accurate plastic, but it would work for todays asphalt walkways.

And then a few months later we even managed to shot some pictures too.

I love these shoes. I did wear them once to dancing, and they are lovely. I was sure that it was not my last adventure of shoemaking (and you can see,  already have the next pair - which we photograhed the same day, but I will write up a bit later).

Model photoes: Norbert Varga @ Bodeszphoto

Workshop pictures: my phone.

Decisions, decisions...

 I've been wanting to do a historically adequate, Outlander inspired set for about forever... or since the series first came out... no, I've seen it a couple of years later, so let's say, ever since I saw it. I knew there are some substantional knitwear, on which I also started, though only got to the cowl, and I did made the shoulder-piece, but not photographed it -yet. The shawl is next on my list, but will see, when I get around to it...

Anyhow, there are a few things, to note before getting into the project. I do NOT want a fully screen-accurate copy, I want something that is historically accurate, or rather historically adequate (as full historic accuracy is not attainable anyhow), and evokes the mood of Outlander.

Especially, considering the fact that most of my historical clothes (up to now) are blue, and even though there are other colors in my plans, I do want to keep the blue as a signature color. 

There is a reenactment event at the end of February, of which I am planning to attend... but February is still winter, and though, with proper undercothes I could do with the red dress (after all, I did went to skating in it), some thicker skirt and a jacket might be more appropriate... and since there is not many 18th century event around here, where could I wear that, than at an event, where the dresscode is "wear something historical"...

So, while I am waiting for the fabric I want to use for the Aidah gown drying, I am planning the next project... and doing a little digging in my fabric stash. 

First of all I have this braun / grayish blue/ black (rather very dark blue though) tartan-ish fabric for a skirt

and I meant to use this blue twill with it.

(it is the same navy blue fabric, just the lighting and the phone camera playing around). 

However, is it lue enough? I remembered that I did pick up some blue tartan-ish, plaid-ish fabric, that is more blue than the one above...

I climbed up on the ladder and loo and behold, there it was, exactly, where I thought. But while I was up there a rusty, orangey-reddish, brick- colored wool fell out...

Which looked suprisingly well with the blue plaid... So well, that made me thing...hmmm. 

I've seen an orange 18th century jacket on Katherine's instagram, which I loved (and there is a you-tube video about making it also...) so there is my dilemma, go for the look that is more Outlanderish, or go for the one that is more outlandish? 

And there is one more option, mix and match the two thing and go for the blue plaid with the blue jacket:

So there you, choices, choices, choices, 

What do you think? which one would you choose? 

(Claire photos from the internet, fabric photos from my phone).

Scissors!!!

 Because I got a new one! Yaaayyy!

Being a dressmaker means, that one has a special relationship to scissors, especially those we use to cut fabrics with, right? 

The first scissor I keep (no picture of it, because it is pact away) is the scissor my maternal grandfather used to cut the leather, as they were making shoe tops, or rather tops for those wood soled slippers and clogs that were such a height in fashion over here in the seventies. After their death, I asked my mom for it, but it was in shambles, and it is broken and only half of it exists now, but I keep it. 

The next one...

I got these, when, after graduating from highshcool, I went that special technical school to learn dressmaking. The forewoman of the shift I was doing my practice period gave it to me. It is smaller than the average scissor, and by now it isn't working well on fabrics, but I still use it on paper, I cut my patterns with these.

I bought these after I finsied the technical school, and dived into sewing properly, so I have a special, sentimental love for it. I took it with me when I lived in the US, I cut a number of crazy clothes with them... Unfortunately, I must have cut on a metal pin, or something, becase there is one small point on its blade that is dull... I can still cut with it, especially thinner fabrics, or one-2 layers, but for more serious stuff it isn't the best.

This next one I bought to replace the previous one, but it was a bad choice. 

While its blade is okay, its handle is uncomfortable. I don't like it. It is Fiskars, okay, but I bought it in a market in the US, and with a hindsight might be either not "fabric scissor", or it might by just a copy, or something. 

Anyhow, I made do with these three for many years, often thinking that once I will get a new one. In fact I did made a decision in the fall of 2020, when I made Eva's wedding dress, that once she paid, I will make part of that money and buy that scissor I am dreaming of, but somehow it did not happened. 

This time, I had no particular reason, other than doing the Aidah gown, but I had enough of struggling with the scissor, and while a friend asked me to go with her to the sewing machine store, I decided to get the biggest Fiscars scissors they had. 

(this how it looks like along with the old, thirtysome years old one). I love it, it cuts several layers of fabric nicely, without a hitch.

The orange scissors have a special pleace in this house... I mean, we all know, fabric scissors shouldn't be used for anything else (the least o fall paper cutting), and the rule is that noone else can touch the orange handled shears but me. There are a bunch of other ones, black, blue handled, flowery blad, even one with red and white polka dots, they are all fair game (until they get back to their places after use), but using my orange handled scissors carry a death penalty. Not a hard rule, and my darlings are safe this way. 

Testing, testing... Aidah gown

 Before you all think that once again, I abandoned the blog, here is a little uupdate...

The thing is, I want to sew EVERY possible 18th century project, even if we don't really have many events to wear them to, but I definetly need to add some pieces to my 18th C wardrobe. 

The red dress I made in the summer was supposed to be a practice piece to figure out what is what  and which way is to that way with 18th century sewing. I do love that red dress to pieces with all its faults. 

That is an 1780 dress, from cotton, which is really fine the aspiring, up and coming burgoise citizens, but if I want to go upward from that (like the court of Marie Teresa), I need something from a bit earlier, and from finer materials.

When Scroop Patterns came out with their Angelica gown, I applied for testing, but did not got into the pool, but I applied again, when they were looking for testers to its sister gown, the Aidah. Thus, at the moment I am working on that.

65 page without the sewing instructions,

A few hours and a whole roll of Scotch tape later. 

Trying the first mock up...

Modifying the front curve.

Back looks fine, but a little bit too thight.

Thats where I am now... 

To be continued.

Londondondon

 Any excuse to go to London, right?

I love London, I can't deny it.

With Christopher we always go to the movies on Christmas day. And then we usually watch "big movies" at least twice. Once in dubbed versions, just because that is what available readily / at the big theatres / in IMAX etc. And then with the original sound, just because... well, thats the original, right?

We went to the movies on Xmas day, and watched "THE" big movie, Avatar, but then, as it happens, no original sound screening in IMAX in my country. There might have been other option, but hey, it is Avatar. Made for IMAX.  We looked for the closest theatres which was Vienna. but for some reason train tickets and accomondations cost an arm and a leg in all January. 

Then we tested the theory "sometimes it is cheaper to go to London", and loo and behold, it was, and as I already stated, any excuse to go to London. We have a saying to abot "tieing together the useful and the pleasant", in this case wee did the pleasant and the pleasant, and so it turned out that this trip became my Christmas present from my boy. 

We have not been there for long, 3 days, 2 nights, didn't even managed to do "big things", museums, or big sights, but wondering around, see a friend who has a costume workshop, see a small exhibition, see "the" movie, eat at the place they filmed Sherlock, 

and I still take it as a great present from life (and my boy) that I could spent this couple of days with my son. he is 22, and who knows, how long wants to go anywhere with me, and not with someone else. (Don't get me wrong, he has friends, he travels without me, that is why it was extra special).

I am planning other posts with more pictures (that are more on topic of crafts and historical clothes, so bear with me)