Evenstar Designs

I'm not dead!! I started college, so sewing has kinda taken a back seat to nursing school. But I got a nice long Christmas break, so I decided to whip up a new gown. It's inspired by the Sissi Movies like my pink one . I think I might decorate it more when I come home again in the summer, but I didn't have enough time to hem yards of ruffles and bows. Also, my mom got me a "Sissi Star" necklace from Vienna for Christmas. Empress Elizabeth was known for the star jewelry she wore in her hair. Jewelers in Austria make star hairclips, necklaces, brooches, and earrings to commemorate the Empress. I was hoping for snow to take pictures, and two days before I left, it did! Oh, and I finally cut my hair! I donated 14 inches on New Year's Eve.  New Year, new hair.

I'm so excited to have the amazing opportunity to be a part of a local theatre group's production of Oklahoma! Last week we had costume fittings. The group had a good collection of costumes from previous performances. My younger sister got this gorgeous lavender gown with a pink sash, a circle skirt, and lots of lace. The dress intended for me was... green. That's it. Plain green. No lace, no ribbons; nothing. But who am I to complain? After thinking about it for a while, I remembered that I sew. (yeah, I forgot for a minute there ;P ) I emailed our costume mistress that night, then made sketches on a napkin (all I had available at the time)  and a mockup of scrap fabric. yup. napkin sketches. I came back to dance practice the next day with the mockup, and got approval to go on with the project. We talked about color - I really wanted a pink calico. About half an hour later, I came back to the studio where the costumes are kept. God had done something amazing....

We arrived home from Williamsburg, and went back to our busy schedule. This last Friday it dawned on me that "Oh my! The Homeschool Ball is in one week, and my dress isn't nearly done!!" I reluctantly went to the sewing room. I say reluctantly because I haven't liked this dress from the beginning. But I need to have something to wear to the ball! Since fairy godmothers aren't the kind of things you can pull out of your closet whenever you need them, I decided to sew the dress whether I liked it or not. I sewed on the overskirt, hemmed the ruffle, put in the invisible zipper, then tried it on... To my surprise, I LOVED it!!  My younger sister was saying "told you so!" because she was  telling me all along that it would be great. I don't want to share pictures until after the ball, but here is a sneak peak :) (just back views :) )

This year's homeschool ball is a masquerade theme -  so I can make anything, and just add a mask, right? For the last year I have been thinking about wearing a Southern Belle gown. After watching the 1953 German movie Sissi multiple times (which is set in the 1850's)  I knew that was what I wanted to do. And of corse I had to go all out with historically accurate undergarments.  (Why do I do these things to myself?? :) ) Corset: Simplicity 9769 Pinned and ready to cut out on a canvas drape I found at goodwill ;) All ready to sew! One half done... ... and both halves done! After sewing some channels, and killing my hands  by pounding grommets into the back... Voilà! It doesn't have the boning in it yet - that's still in the mail :) I whipped up the chemise this morning. enter the hoop! I got a new hoop the other day. It was all twisted up into this little package when I got it. I started to unt...