Shakespeare week day 1

The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: It is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown; His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, the attribute to awe and majesty, wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings, It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's when mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, though justice be thy ple, consider this, that in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.
Portia in A Merchant Of Venice

Shakespeare Week

So I have joined the Shakespeare week over at The Erratic Muse. I have linked my cellphone to my blog and can now text posts to my blog. This means that for the next week I will be making many small Shakespeare related posts with quotes and commentaries on my favorite parts.
I hope you all enjoy.

And don't forget to check out the amazing Shakespeare giveaways that she has at the Erratic Muse

http://theerraticmuse.blogspot.com/

Shakespeare Week

I just found a wonderful blogger who is having a Shakespeare week on her blog this week.
 How exciting is that?!??!!

http://theerraticmuse.blogspot.com/

It is always thrilling to find other people who are just as enthused about the bard as oneself!!

I have been reading Shakespeare since I can first remember. By the time I was 16 I had read all of his plays. I am still savoring his sonnets. I constantly go back and reread his plays and watch as many of the movies as I can.

The part that I dislike the most about sewing is cutting out the pattern. Once the pattern is cut out and I have all the pieces then I can fly. But cutting it out is annoying.

Optimistic or just a hoarder?

I am an optimistic person.

As I mentioned yesterday I deep cleaned my room. That included sorting through all of my clothing and deciding what to keep and what needed to go because it was too big, too small, or just not worn. Now the problem is my desire to turn any garment that I do not wear or like into something I will wear and like. That is optimistic me coming out. I am positive that I can turn anything into something cute. Well, almost anything, I do throw out old t-shirts. Anyhow, now I have a small tub in my closet of skirts that are too small but still have cute material, and shirts that were too big or just not quite right. I shall dive into that tub every few months and sort through it trying to rationalize why I still have it all. Some of it goes, a few articles stay and every once and a while I actually do alter a garment into something I like.

Happy Valentines

Happy Valentines just a little bit late in the day.

I decided to rearrange my whole room today and was going through places that I had stored a bunch of stuff. In tidying up I found some cute white fabric with red hearts and polka dots. It was only half a yard, so not enough to do much with. So I decided to quickly whip it up into an apron to wear while serving supper. I started around 4pm and had it finished before 5pm. It took about 45 minutes to make.

Enjoy

Poodle Skirt

Last night we had an English Country Dance. Due to the fact that it was on February 12th it was a pink, red, black and white theme. So I had to wear my poodle skirt that I had just finished.

I made it out of two yards of light pink felt. I just cut a large circle out, then cut out a circle at the waist and added the waist band with a zipper. I added a poodle with a sequined leash and a few music notes spiraling up the side. Worn with a sequined belt, a sweater top and crinoline it made the perfect outfit. All that I was lacking was a pair of saddle shoes and catseye glasses.

Designer of the week: Jean Desses

Jean Dessès was born (Jean Dimitre Verginie), in Alexandria, Egypt in 1904. His parents were both Greek. Jean Dessès originally studied law, but soon left and went to work for Maison Jane, a Parisian couture. In 1937, Desses opened his own couture salon in Paris.

After World War II he did extensive travel around the world. His work was influenced by his travels, creating draped evening gowns in chiffon, embroidered dresses, sheath dresses with tight jackets and flowing skirts.

He was endlessly inspired by the long and flowing drapery of ancient Greece and Egypt, where he was born; channeling that inspiration into ingeniously constructed chiffon gowns in soft colors.

His designs were popular with European royalty such as the Queen and royal Princesses of Greece and the Duchess of Windsor.

Dessés designed a whole wardrobe for Queen Frederika of Greece for her visit to the U.S. in 1958.

On his first visit to the U.S. just over a year after the Queen’s visit, Dessés won Life magazine’s “Gown of the Year Award.”

In 1962, he designed the wedding gown worn by Princess Sophia of Greece for her marriage to future King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Evening gowns were Dessés’s forté. He designed beautiful draped chiffon gowns in soft colors that were meant to make the women who wore them look like classical goddesses.

In 1963, Dessés retired to Greece where he ran a small boutique. Jean Dessés passed away in Athens in 1970.

Jean Dessès's dresses are as popular today as they were when he first designed them.

In 2001 Renee Zellweger wore this Jean Desses yellow chiffon to the Oscars.

In 2006 Jennifer Lopaz wore this Jean Desses green chiffon gown to the Oscars

Kristin Davis wore this Jean Desses pink chiffon gown.

A more detailed view of the gown.

I love Jean Desses contribution to the world of haute couture.

Random fact of the day: poodle skirts are poofy when worn with a crinoline.

Time travel?

Do you ever feel as is you were born into the wrong century?

I know that I do. I would be content with just about any other century, just not the 21st.

Then I consider my station in life and realize that if I were in a different century I would probably be in the poor working class. But I think I would be okay with that. I mean that is where I am now. However, the working class several hundred years ago wouldn't have had the sewing options available today. Also, centuries ago you lived in the period you were in and wearing clothing from a hundred years before was just plain weird. Well, at least wearing it for daily wear, they did have costume balls. Now, daily dressing vintage can be cool and interesting. So I suppose living in the 21st century isn't so terrible.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't like to time-travel :-D

Once again I found myself at theatre

After my participation in April of 2010 with Snoopy! The Musical! I was free from costuming for a few months. In August I received a call from Amy, the costume designer I had always worked with in the past. She has been asked last minute to design and costume The Fantasticks, a show that was to run in roughly two weeks at the local community theatre.

Once again I found myself at the theatre assisting with costumes. It was a great experiance for me as I watched the process go from the drawing board to the stage in a couple of weeks. The 8 person cast with only a few costumes changes was a relatively small show.

It was still a lot of fun to learn new technics and perform actions that I had never done before. I got to distress my first garment! It was a wonderful learning experiance and helped to prepare me for my next theatrical adventure... costuming my first show by myself.

Buttons and rippers,
Bright rulers and zippers,
Meters of fabric all tied up with string,
These are a few of my favorite things.

My New Philosophy

"They say I'm old-fashioned, and live in the past, but sometimes I think progress progresses too fast!"
-Dr. Seuss

Sleeves

I like sleeves.

Sleeves are very useful.

Without sleeves we would all have bare arms. Yes, I know that we were given the right to "bare" arms in the second amendment. But, if we all had bare arms then we would be terribly cold.

Sleeves are also nice additions to most garments and give them a finished look.

I do understand that there are some styles that are sleeveless and if sleeves were added would look funny.

But I am a firm believer in sleeves and the benefits of them. Without sleeves I feel half dressed. Yes, I even had a swim suit with sleeves. With sleeves there is an unending possibility of different designs. Whether you want a long, three-quarters length, short, or small cap sleeve. Then there is all sorts of variation in cut.

There is the batwing sleeve,

bell sleeve,

bishop sleeve,

kimono sleeve,

tulip sleeve,

puff sleeve,

raglan sleeve,

leg-o-mutton sleeve,

lantern sleeve,

cap sleeve,

and so very many more.

Sleeves are very handy elements and can make a very simple bodice look amazing.

And as said by a well known redhead "Look at those sleeves! Oh, it seems to me this must be a happy dream." Anne Shirley