(no subject)

[cupcake_goth]

As I was sitting here, hand-sewing venise lace onto the border of where I finished appliquéing fluttering scraps of fabric onto the hem of one of my frock coats, it occurred to me^*:

This is my frock coat for the Cirque des Rêves. It's a black frock coat (well, long waistcoat, really, because it doesn't have sleeves), and the lapels and hem have been embellished with hundreds of scraps of fabric in black, b&w stripe, white, silver, and red. There aren't any other colors. Black, white, and red, with accents of sparkle.

Well, we all knew I would eventually run away with a circus. It was just up in the air if it was going to be Coodger & Dark's or The Night Circus. And while I adore Something Wicked This Way Comes, I don't necessarily agree with Messrs. Coodger and Dark's approach to how to interact with the customers. No, I'd be much more at home at Cirque des Rêves.

. . . someone bring me a chocolate mousie and some spiced cider, please. If you need me, I'll be by the carousel.



^*Not that I'm crazy for doing this level of hand sewing alteration & decoration to a garment -- no. That's perfectly normal for me.

Comments

[staxxy.livejournal.com]

one of these days I need to show you some of the designs I have done for jackets and shawls.

[fufaraw]

I will fight with a sewing machine to a standstill, and most often the machine wins. I've never sewn a project that I didn't have to rip out and resew more than I was able to leave the original stitching.

But sewing by hand was the most calming, the most soothing, project I could undertake, completely absorbing my attention and interest, easing in these gathers, or catching that hem two delicate threads at a time, attaching that antique lace or flat-stitching a French or flat-fell seam. The eyes can't see well enough and the hands aren't nimble enough for fine work anymore, but there are scores of vintage and antique baby and doll clothes, women's shirtwaists and petticoats, and restored quilts that were all wonderful therapy, in their time. You enjoy your hand sewing--there's nothing like it.

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

I can use a sewing machine, and I'll make skirts, or do larger alterations to garments with it. But trim? Detail work? All of that gets hand-sewn, and it is incredibly soothing. The Infamous BlueJay thinks I'm crazy, but has learned to leave button-sewing to me.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

Hey, if it makes you happy and keeps you out of the police blotter reports, it's all good!