Talking about A Hundred And One Ways Not To Do It…!
As some of you have asked me about the Jane Austen Festival, and my efforts to make a costume, I thought that I would re-post this from last year, explaining how it all came about…my obsession, not the festival. So…now comes the BOREDOM ALERT!!!!
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A Hundred And One Ways Not To Do It…!
“Do what?!” I hear you cry?!
Well, it’s like this, you see…about three years ago I discovered a magazine…and in that
magazine were photos of an event. That was it, I was hooked…I subscribed to the magazine, then proceeded to buy all the back numbers…and from then onwards, my head was full of plans and ideas and designs…!
The magazine is Jane Austen’s Regency World, and the event is the annual Jane Austen Festival in Bath, held every September, and kicking off with the Grand Regency Promenade.
I wanted to go so much, especially in costume, but for all my efforts, had not succeeded to come up with a satisfactory design. I bought metres of cheap calico to make a toile with….and reduced most of it to scraps!!
In 2007 we finally got to attend the Promenade….but not in costume. It was amazing! The
atmosphere was wonderful, and even Robert and his mum enjoyed themselves! I’ve never had so much fun, talking to all those people who did attend in costume, and following them through the beautiful streets of Georgian Bath.
Anyway, back to my latest efforts to create a costume. This year, I HAVE to go in costume!! I want to be part of the attempt at the Guinness world record for the largest gathering of people in Regency costume, and have (finally) decided what I want to do!
I have already designed the spencer (short jacket), and based it on the one that was worn by Amanda Root as Ann Elliot in Persuasion. As was common at the time, I have decided to make a skirt, attached to a small half-bodice, rather than a complete dress….as was worn as part of Walking or Promenade dress and Riding Habits.
So, yesterday evening was spent, while watching Cranford, then Catherine Cookson’s The Rag Nymph on TV, attempting to copy a pattern from Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion 1…unsuccessfully, and trying a couple more ideas….and in the process turning more calico into
a bagful of scraps…! OK…so I have found plenty of ways not to do it. It’s only a matter of time before I find the correct way to do it!! And that time draws ever nearer…
I must succeed!! I WILL succeed!!!!
See you in Bath in September….!!!
Diary of a Madwoman! 
Couple of the pics are not showing up Sandi!
So I see…hmmm. They come up (individually) if you left click on the \’x\’…but the bottom one isn\’t really important…it\’d just the mess I made of the living-room in my costume-making endeavours…!
yep! that works.
Good. Dunno why that happens…it\’s annoying!
Twas about a year go I discovered Spaces and one of the first things I remember was a mad woman ranting about making a costume. As Simon would say, Hmmmmmmmm.
Warning from a friend to a friend……Sandi, clear that floor space, I think you may be receiving a rather large parcel from the States very soon. Just be out when it is delivered or you may have unpaid postage to pay!
RM… do not read that last comment with your eyes open, it is sent in secret.
Okay, I promise not to read it. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Just don\’t go getting anything down the back of it this time Sandi!!! Like dribble for example (pasta sauce indeed. We know the truth!)Yes, you will succeed where others would have given up or failed. xx
LOL!!! As usual I switch \’puter on and have a fit of laughing out loud…!!!Rachel, it was pasta sauce The lid came off the tub, so I put it back on, little realising that I had the damned sauce on my hand!!!RM…more ranting about costumes to come in the ensuing months…hehehe…!!
Don\’t s\’pose u have phot evid of that do u Sandi?!!?!
I\’ve got a very good photo actually 🙂
Ah, the loopy woman photo? LOL!!!
I did wonder who took that one…LOL!!
Oh and no spending excess time at the………… ;o) Otherwise you will be attending without your……….. ehem! Night Sandi. xx
Natalia, are you already keeping on top of Sandi\’s schedule for her dress making? We don\’t want a repeat of last year where she\’s still sewing right up to the moment she gets to Bath do we?
LOL! She\’s a slave driver, is that Natalia…!!! She told me off because I was on the computer, even though I was sitting there sewing…in front of it. I had to get that darned whip off of her, you know!! D\’you know, I half expected to see Natalia stride towards me, in Bath, in thigh-high boots and cracking a whip…!!! She\’s scary, man…!)Anyway, I am going to make another list of what I have got to do…Robert\’s shirt, waistcoat, pantaloons and tail-coat, and the alterations to my costume…as well as getting those short stays done this year! No going without…um…unmentionables for me…!! Ahem!
I thought Robert was doing his own! I\’m sure I remember him saying he was…. Natalia will have to get that whip back from Debs ;o)
(Robert here)When I\’m not working 14 hours a day I might have a chance to try making my outfit! Roll on qualifying…
Natalia changed into her normal clothes when we got back! Ere, there\’s frogs in our pond having a erm \’cuddle\’. Water must be freezing and they\’re sharing body heat :-)Whip crack away, whip crack away, whip crack away! Sing along now!Back to work for me.
Aw poor Robert! Frogs cuddling? didn\’t know they did such things!Busy bee here too…
Like he said .Hmmmmm
Rachel, do you mean the thigh-high boots, etc.? Hmmmmm!I thought that frogs were still in hibernation…well, they are here…I think…!!Put that ruddy whip away…!!!
Fascinating what you learn on Spaces…lol… Natalia\’s scary and cracks a whip while wearing thigh-high boots!!…Cornish sings about cracking whips!….and frogs cuddle!!! 😉 And Sandi? You are sewing frantically I trust? The costumes are lovely btw 😉
Wolfie, go to my albums \’I Made This – Costume, Crafty Stuff & WIP\’…and \’Regency Costume & Jane Austen Festival\’ for more pics on my effoert (not all of them successful, by the way!)
Wolfie, keep the "Instruments" of domination under your tail or you\’ll have Cherno paying a visit soon. ;o)
Oh, oh…behave you two. I\’m the one who said you were cracking the whip, Natalia…then Rachel said you changed into your \’normal clothes(LOL!) thenI mentioned the boots…ooh, I think I said you were scary, too…I\’d better scarper PDQ!!!!!! :-O
Someone misbehaving?? Whips and boots?? Singing about cuddly frog??? WOO-HOO!
Erm…no…what makes you think that? (Scary lady gone yet…?) There are no whips or boots here…honest…!!
Damn it! Guess I\’ll have to get Frankie all spun up. I love it when she gets down on her knees…..and screams "You better come out from under that bed, you big sissy!"
Gosh…that is some picture you paint of Frankie! No wonder you get whacka, whacka whacka upside of the headbone…!!! LOL!!
*Scoffs* Of Course Frogs Cuddle!!! We\’re RENOWNED 4 it!!!
LOL! That\’s nice to know, PF…lots of cuddles and hugs are very important…to all of us…yeah…!! (((HUGS)))