Accessories everywhere

The ostrich feathers have arrived

I had to test them!

Ring for the cardinal - what one can do with two large buttons!

Ribbons everywhere

Medal for D-Artagnan on becoming a musketeer

Applique for the saddle cover for the horse

Lace, frills and very large breeches

Jabots for the 10 mini musketeers

Extravagant frills for the adult musketeers

Very, very large breeches to allow the actor to hide one of his lower legs in them

Ribbons for the cardinal’s bible

Wired hat brims

It’s amazing what you learn when you say “Well, I’ve never done that, but I’ll have a go”.

 

She isn't blogging - oh yes she is!

Too much panto’  making going on to allow time for blogging. 16 costumes to make from scratch, 11 to adapt from existing wardrobe stores, numerous accessories to make - rapier frogs anyone?

New making experiences this year:

Dyeing swan’s feathers ( gathered legally in Hyde Park, at the Serpentine). Dyed using Dye-na-Flow dyes and a foam brush. Not sure how permanent this will be, but as long as the stage roof doesn’t leak, it should be fine.

Sewing leather - who knew this was so straightforward!

and a reason to get out my floral mini-hammer!

Stitching fun:

Bling for the directors to wear at the first Sunday rehearsal

Garters for the adult leads, male and female

Bling for shoes and hats

When the sewing gets busy, even my work computer is used as a surface

Chaos in the sewing room - I always start off saying to myself that I will work in an organised and tidy manner - it never happens.

A set of musketeers

For anyone with an interest in costume, there is a terrific exhibition by and about the costume department at the National Theatre, free and on until the middle of 2020.

Pantomime time - oh yes it's coming!

I am making toiles of pantomime costumes for musketeers, using two patterns, for children, and adults.  There are 5 different sizes of musketeers, from 8 ys old through to adult, so I am tracing and adapting the patterns as needed. 

The shoulder epaulettes were very soft and floppy, therefore I have tested reinforcing the right one with pelmet vilene.

I need to incorporate the musketeer symbol onto the costumes, probably with appliqué, but for these toiles, I am stencilling using freezer paper stencils and  fabric paint.

 

 

Thread painting on khadi paper

Not in the conventional sense, of densely stitched threads covering the whole surface of a cloth, done either by hand or by machine, but touches of thread, over watercolour paintings.

Stitched and wrapped, with two different weights and colours of variegated thread.

Wrapping vertically only with one weight of variegated thread

Wrapping horizontally with one weight of thread, coloured by drawing through the watercolour paints

Horizontal and vertical wrapping with one weight of thread coloured by drawing through the watercolour paints.

Lots to explore further here.

Colours of Pembrokeshire - inspired by rockpools

The blue and turquoise seas of Pembrokeshire inspired me to get this ongoing piece of hand embroidery out again. Stitched on to a piece of fine cotton dyed with Pebeo setasilk dyes which also seem to work on cotton. Stitched area is approximately 20cm square.

Colours of Pembrokeshire

Azure seas

Yarns for weaving at Melin Tregwynt

Have inspired some artistic activities with paint and thread.

Busy table - no paintbrush, so I had to improvise with found feathers and sheep’s wool.

“Thread painting” “ khadi paper, watercolour paint, variegated thread

Two terrific exhibitions in London, but be quick - both finish on14th September

Landlines, a free exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington is only on until 14th September. If you have any interest in man’s interactions with the land, and particularly the remaining wild land with which we live, this is a must. Fifteen artists - sculptors, painters, installation artists, drawings - who together form The Wilderness Art Collective.

The Royal Geographical Society also has one of those wonderful, almost hidden garden spaces in London. 

The hut is a recreation of the collapsible, portable accommodation used by Ginny Fiennes on her transpolar expedition.

In addition at The Menier Gallery, free, four artists respond to the River Thames.

The river Thames was glistening as I returned home.