McDowell Garment Drafting Machine

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Or Diary of Desire Part 4 – Learning never ends and I am finally getting to use the McDowell Drafting Machine that I won at the Victorian Tea two Conventions ago!

 

Squeals of delight or sheer terror, can't work out which is winning but think the squeals are taking over!

 

Looks about right. So far so good – measure, set, check measure, check set. Yep so far so good. Yes, the front bodice section is short, up to you to work out the 'skirt' part of it. Crikeys, thought it looked like something was missing. For machines numbered over 7,000 (and mine is 13,742) the skirt rule is 5″ below the waist line.

 

Check this out too. The patent markings, show various versions I assume, from 1879 – 1886.

 

Note the book says and I quote “…….It also simplifies the work that a fifteen-year-old child can easily learn to fit garments scientifically.” Haa Haa Haa better get back to it then.

Keep measuring and smiling 🙂

Kat xo

 

Next Batch

Posted on by kathousekelli70

As time draws near to packing up borrowed machines, the next batch has departed for new homes.

There's been tops, more skirts of varying styles and colours, more corsets, an 1890's Eton Jacket with a twist and a couple of men's vests thrown in for good measure. Well the latter takes care of the April challenge for Historical Sew Monthly – Gender Bender and I've finished them before the end of the month! Yippee!

I even managed to throw in a couple for myself while the black was on the machine.

 

Corsets to go!

 

One for Sweet Sherry.

 

Matching vest and corset for Kat Balloo and Yukon Mort.

 

Prescott vest in wool for Frank James.

 

A complete outfit for Ta Killa Sunrise in purple, cream and teal.

 

Saloon style skirts for Rea Coyle and her Eton jacket (altered sleeves and collar) trimmed with metallic silver thread decorative stitch.

 

Next!

Kat xo

 

Saturday…What More Can I Say?

Posted on by kathousekelli70

I don't think too many of us performed at any sort of fantastic shooting ability (except for Winchester who took out first place, cogratulations) today but did well at getting up to more cheek than necessary.

With only 3 women shooting today, we got up to more no good than usual and certainly enjoyed ourselves doing so. 😉

Mostly Pearl Starr and myself giggling on the sidelines or in the background!

 

A few cheeky comments thrown in for good measure with Prairie Joy.

 

Well maybe this group was up to no good too or telling lies!

 

Jack also managed to have a short play just with pistols to check his form. He wasn't particularly happy about speed but hello! He hit all the targets AND it's still early days buddy. All in good time, all in good time.

 

Great stages again by Mad Dog Tannen, no procedural for me today, so that was a plus but still a few too many misses for my liking and 8 stuck in the rifle……ouch!!


Everyone had fun and by 4.00pm we had finished 6 stages.

Dinner, drinks and more banter ensued. Gotta love any day out on the range!

Kat xo

 

Diary of Desire Pt 3

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Sometimes I astound myself and am feeling very pleased about the completion of the skirt for Texas Flowers gown.

Suffice to say it is looking very much like the original don't you think? Texas Flower will be very happy indeed.

 

So, only the lace to be done now.

The under gathering and pleating was done – I wasn't happy with the height of the pleating, so that got unpicked, moved and restitched. The back overskirt was hemmed, unpicked, rehemmed, pleated, undone and repeated at the sides. The ruching I could have done a bit more but left them and the origami pleats for a first time attempt turned out well.

 

The original gown and owner of said gown, Lonna Miller shared a picture of the stunning lace on Facebook for me. Lonna has used the original gold satin and lace from the dress, reworked in red.


In Texas Flower's and my look at this breathtaking gown at the 2014 Convention I neglected to see the beautiful detail in the lace which is actually beaded. Flower's lace will be full embroidery with just a hint of beading in the small flowers.

For now it's back to simpler tasks as I wait for my McDowell Drafting machine to come back from the US with a friend so I can start the next challenge of the bodice.

Stats: 51.5hrs, 18m/19.6yds hand stitching

 

Cheers

Kat xo

 

P.S. I think I have now finished the Historical Sew Monthly's February challenge of Tucks and Pleating, albeit a little late.

 

Practice, Practice, Practice

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Clearly that's what I need to do more of after today's effort, or at least pay attention to instructions!

Misses – 2, Procedurals – 1, Pistol Reloads – 2 very messy and uncoordinated, Shotgun inadvertently opening – 1 and probably a bit ragged on rifle on 2 stages.

Despite this, raw times were good but that makes not one iota of difference if you have all the other stuff going on, now does it?

 

Loads of fun as usual, plenty of laughs and good company, what more could you want really.

Congratulations to Mad Dog Tannen for taking out top honours at this weekends Gamblers club match and to Ex Sighted and Prairie Joy for clean matches!

Next club match in two weeks!

Cheers

Kat xo

 

Diary of Desire Pt 2

Posted on by kathousekelli70

It certainly has been a long time between journal entries for this one, however, it is moving forward.

The sourcing of fabric was eventually done and had to fall back on gorgeous faux silk taffeta from Bangkok Thai Silk. I have found the silks and other fabrics in the past to be of excellent quality and good pricing.

With samples having been sent off to Texas Flower the choice was made to go with a blue teal and creamy gold. The royal blue was a little too dark and I just couldn't find that elusive powdery blue that I really wanted.

 

Cool! Fabric ordered and arrived.

 

Now the February challenge for Historical Sew Monthly was pleating and the furthest I got with this during the upheaval of false surgery starts and eventual surgery for Jack was writing 3 pages of notes, working out depth, widths of pleats, where to join, how much fabric etc. so technically I somewhat completed that task.

Skip forward almost a month – clearing other 'simpler' work – and we have arrived at actual commencement of construction.

Step 1. Check all measurements and re-read pink ramblings in book. (Pink pen? Really Jo?)

 

Step 2. Clean table and commence cutting of fabric. Cutting main body of skirt and pieces for gathering and pleating.

 

Step 3. Just because it used to be done back in the 1800's and because now I would know it wasn't more authentic if I didn't do it properly, hand stitching hem facing to bottom of skirt front and sides.

 

Step 4. Toss up whether to do gather sections and pleats separate and then join………hmmmmm, nup, think I will join them all first. Pin ready for sewing.

Step 5. Brings us to today, Tuesday 29th, stitch all sections together, stitch hem facings to back gather section and pleat section and all 19 front panels.

 

Step 6. Hand stitch hem facings down. Back sections done (2.5metres) now to do the front – approx 6metres!! Yes I did say hand stitch.

Now I've mentioned a back gather section and pleating. A quick glance at the photo and you'd be forgiven for saying, 'what the hell are you talking about?' But on closer inspection I realised that there is indeed an under section, just in blue, of a gathering layer and a pleated layer. Of course I can't leave it out, it's there so it has to be done.

 

Anyway this is where I'm at with the lovely Texas Flower's dinner or reception gown. Still trying to find more information or museum critique to know exactly what it would have been worn as.

Time so far – 13 hours

Needle and thread are calling me!

Kat xo

P.S. If you click on 'journal entries' above it will take you to Pt1 in case you missed it. 😉

 

Taste The Rainbow!

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Well it might not be as tasty but the latest colour explosion would definitely rival any handful of Skittles!

It's been a few weeks of colourful and interesting patterns for Adelita skirts, corsets and tops.

 

Fulfilling others needs with bright and fun prints and plains, cotton and silks.

 

Gorgeous matching, small peacock feather detail for a couple. Noooo, not a new set for Jack and I, although I do have that fabric for me!

 

Enjoyed the “quicker” sewing, now on to “challenging” again.

Cheers

Kat xo

 

Shots on Saturday

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Yes, it was a down range kinda day yesterday with 15 Cowboys and Cowgirls turning out for The Gamblers club match.

With Jack sitting on the sidelines for now, he happily video'd (people say that but is it actually a word?… I digress) and kept score.

It felt good but had a few unnecessary misses, called 'must keep your eye on the front sight'. Never mind I'm on to that.

All times were decent however and had the Dog on the run! Nice shooting with all and thanks for the challenge 'Mad Dog Tannen'!

 

Click on this link to see Stage 1 Video (This link is mainly for Dad and Mums sake 🙂 )

Have a good week!

Kat xo

 

B-Western

Posted on by kathousekelli70

Miss 19 asked me one day, “Mum what is B-Western?” Well I could explain to her what it meant for Single Action shooters by way of category, dress, firearms etc but what did it really mean?

Now I also knew it related to the silver screen era, John Wayne, Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and the like. So a little research got me looking further at the term.

In short, (because we don't need the full explanation on here) film production in the late 1920's and into the 1930's and 40's saw the double billing or short inexpensive films added to fill a program. Mostly due to rental of space to show a film and therefore to make it worthwhile not only for theatre goers but for the management and staff.

Western movies were said to be the most predominant in the 30's and accounted for 25-30% of production. Therefore the term, B-Western!

However, costume wise, it is all about the smiley pockets, piping, fringing, different coloured cuffs and yokes, bright coloured fabrics, embroidery and a little bit of bling thrown in for good measure.

There are many fine examples of such with the most revered being those created by Nudie Cohn. In particular to the country music artists over many years.

I found these little gems on some Grand Old Opry dvd's borrowed from 'Emerald'. Priceless! I'm sure I recognised one outfit on a DVD that we saw at the Ryman Auditorium when we were there in 2014.

This one of Ernest Ashworth wearing his 'Talkback Trembling Lips' outfit that matched his song! What a classic! Blinged up bars of music, the writing and of course the lips across it.

 

I think it was this one of Porter Wagoner's we may have seen at the Ryman or at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

 

In the realm of costuming I have completed a few B-Western outfits now and think there will be more to come.

Here is 'Lil McGill' from Texas, in her Annie Oakley inspired outfit (as worn by Gail Davis in the tv series of Annie Oakley in the 1950's). We saw the original on display at the Oklahoma National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame and it just had to become an outfit for Lil! She won best dressed B-Western Lady at the 2015 US Nationals – Winter Range, 2015 World Championships – End Of Trail and then the trifecta, 2015 South West Regionals – Red Dirt Rampage.

(2nd Place, Sonora Blaze, 3rd Place, Paniola Annie)

 

Our Aussies can be partial to a bit of B-Western flair as well and when 'Katie Younger' and 'Robb and Co' hit the USA in 2015 they wanted an Australian themed get up. So National emblem and flower with kangaroo's, Southern Cross and the Australian flag were the order. They won 2nd Place Best Dressed Couple at the 2015 World Championships – End of Trail. Katie has the first B-Western outfit I ever made in a red and black combo.

 

'Sonora Blaze' from Colorado also required a show stopper and we got to doing this Dale Evans inspired number but in the turquoise instead of the original coral colour. Sonora won 2nd Place Best Dressed at the 2016 US Nationals – Winter Range.

 

'Flat Top Okie' from Oklahoma, required a shirt to match the boots he'd bought and after searching for the right colour fabric came up with the perfect match! Add in some custom styled design and a little bit of bling and there you have it.

 

And so we come to the latest creation in this genre. Another beautiful outfit for 'Lil McGill' with bits of a Patsy Cline outfit and inspiration from Annie Get Your Gun costumes for Betty Hutton, Lil will be the ultimate ray of sunshine getting around the range in this number! There are a couple of things left to do, like pearl snaps, embroidered triangles for pockets and careful trimming of embroidery threads but I can't wait to see this one decked out with Lil's final touches!

 

Bling it if you can!

Kat xo

P.S. Weirdly, I am looking forward to more smiley pocket experimentation, I think I nailed it on Lil's skirt. Have to do pockets on shirt now!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_movie

http://www.nudiesrodeotailor.com

 

Chance For Practice

Posted on by kathousekelli70

We found out that a cowboy club match was happening up at Belmont near Brisbane today. So with a chance to get in a practice and the last shoot for Jack for a while we decided to go up to the Metro.

Just a straight forward range, set up with a couple of stages, there were 9 of us turned up to shoot 5 stages with Carter Moss.

Here are the results from today, a good win for Jack! (aka Ricochet in Aus)

 

Good luck to all the Aussie's heading over to New Zealand for the Trans Tasman, Duel Down Under. Kick some butt and bring the trophy back home!

Kat xo