thetextilealchemist

[thetextilealchemist]

JFC, the spam follows from porn blogs are almost worse than the spam from gross men soliciting sex work. Why is there not a setting to block follows from empty blogs?

[thetextilealchemist]

I'm heading to Blue Dragon to teach embroidery, and since my ride is staying in Toronto for the weekend I plan to spend Sunday at the ROM like a Victorian cryptid.

#keystone fashion

[thetextilealchemist]

Local ice is pretty rough at the end of a warmish day, but these wool combinations kept me nice and toasty.

Now it's time to relax with tea and maybe do some stitching.

#keystone fashion #winter #skating

[thetextilealchemist]

It got really cold this week, which motivated me to finally make another pair of wool combinations to replace my poor moth-eaten ones. I picked up this fuschia wool jersey at a thrift store in Windsor a month ago, and it was just barely enough for long combinations (with a bit of piecing for the sleeves)

Here you can see how much effort I put into carefully tracing patterns, or rather how wonderfully malleable a set of interview patterns can be. Last time, I cut the front and back full length (plus crotch gussets, because they would have made the pattern too wide for the fabric), but this time I tried Izabela's princess combinations layout. I had originally planned to make this pair with a buttoned back flap, but I didn't love how my trial of that style turned out, so I decided to stick with split drawers.

I also had to fit the sleeve sideways, but it mostly makes the fabric behave more like a woven than a knit.

I had to try it on before adding buttons, obviously. My mum's room isn't as messy at mine, but you can tell where I get it from.

I also love the fit of these, since there's loads of room at the hips for movement. I'm also really glad I chose not to make a back flap closure, because the back waist sits remarkably low.

They're really cozy and I'm sort of delighted. I'm going to try them out for a walk or maybe skating tomorrow!

#keystone fashion #sewing #winter

[thetextilealchemist]

Happy Christmas, for those who celebrate!

I hope you all have a wonderful day with those you love. My annual traditions involve watching Muppet Christmas Carol and eating lots of good food with my parents, and also making something ridiculous. This year I made a St Lucia crown wreath, because someone was wearing one at Wassail and I loved it. I also realised that when I pair my tea gown with my riding cape, my colour preferences are kind of obvious. Oh, well. Sometimes more is more.

I also just finished making a new pair of wool long johns/combinations, so expect an update about that soon.

#keystone fashion #this pattern actually came from the Victorian dressmaker #christmas

[thetextilealchemist]

Snowy Sunday walk to do some shopping!

I didn't realise my flannel petticoat (covered in hockey players, because I am predictable) was a bit low in the front. Maybe I'll add some pin tucks later. Seriously, though, covering myself in wool and fur is the best way to stay toasty.

#keystone fashion #winter

[thetextilealchemist]

Ruby and I took our usual weekend walkies through a different park so we could stop at the grocery store. It's -2 with a windchill of -12 today, so today's layers include regular combinations, wool long johns, wool stockings, two cotton petticoats (one flannel, one broadcloth), wool blouse, qiviut collar and cravat, wool dress, wool cape, and wool with rabbit fur muff. I feel very cozy.

I'm pleased with this collar and cravat combo, which I designed using patterns from the Delineator/Butterick's The Art of Knitting (the file name for which is "the art of knitting butt", so you know what I call it). I first tried pinning the cravat front to the dickie style collar, but that stretched it out too much, so this year I added a simple garter stitch tie: it wraps back and front around my neck, then ties in the front under the lace cravat, and helps support the collar instead of pulling it down. The qiviut is beautifully light and very warm, hence why I wanted a lace pattern that could breathe a bit. I might need to invest in a longer pin to gather it.

We also had a peak Canadian moment, observing in the park a collection of construction dads building a wooden rink and benches, and getting ready to string it with lights. I'll have to find out when they plan to flood it, because I want to skate!

#keystone fashion #what is the collective noun for dads

[thetextilealchemist]

Ruby and I took our usual weekend walkies through a different park so we could stop at the grocery store. It's -2 with a windchill of -12 today, so today's layers include regular combinations, wool long johns, wool stockings, two cotton petticoats (one flannel, one broadcloth), wool blouse, qiviut collar and cravat, wool dress, wool cape, and wool with rabbit fur muff. I feel very cozy.

I'm pleased with this collar and cravat combo, which I designed using patterns from the Delineator/Butterick's The Art of Knitting (the file name for which is "the art of knitting butt", so you know what I call it). I first tried pinning the cravat front to the dickie style collar, but that stretched it out too much, so this year I added a simple garter stitch tie: it wraps back and front around my neck, then ties in the front under the lace cravat, and helps support the collar instead of pulling it down. The qiviut is beautifully light and very warm, hence why I wanted a lace pattern that could breathe a bit. I might need to invest in a longer pin to gather it.

We also had a peak Canadian moment, observing in the park a collection of construction dads building a wooden rink and benches, and getting ready to string it with lights. I'll have to find out when they plan to flood it, because I want to skate!

#keystone fashion #what is the collective noun for dads

[thetextilealchemist]

Remember how I embroidered a mask at the start of the pandemic, and then decided to make the matching coif? I finally finished it this summer.

The mask was done in cotton floss and DMC metallic on linen, with gold bobbin lace trim. The coif is the same pattern and same metallic and same linen fabric, but with lovely pastel silk floss I picked up at Pennsic back in 2016. At some point, when I find my old pillow or give up and set up the new one for gold silk nine pin, I'll add the same lace trim.

The really amazing thing is that I recently entered this coif into my local embroiderers guild 50th anniversary goldwork challenge, and won first place for it, which was wonderful and humbling. I'm so proud of this piece and am pleased any time I get to show it off.

#sca #embroidery

[thetextilealchemist]

I keep forgetting to actually post, but hello, friends! Yesterday I got to have friends over again for my first post covid* holiday cookie tea party, which seemed like an excellent occasion to wear my tea gown. I was quite warm until a few of us went out on the balcony to sing carols, and then I finally cooled down.

Walking in the snow today with wool long johns, wool dress, and wool cape, I was nice and warm, with one exception: because I made my long wool combinations in the same split drawers style as the rest, there's a certain amount of cool breeze at the centre back that makes a body feel distressingly naked. I need to figure out the best cut for a back flap before I make the next pair, since I have enough wool jersey for another set in light cream, one in gorgeous Canadian red, and one in a delightful fuschia that's going to make me smile every time I wear it. I'm going to be so warm this winter.

*post covid as in after the introduction of covid into our lives, rather than implying it's over. It's not - I finally got it about a month ago after two years of being super careful, and I was very fortunate to not have many lasting effects.

#keystone fashion #winter #do i love pink and red? yes i do

[thetextilealchemist]

We had really fluffy snow this morning, for the first two snow of the year! It was perfect for a walk, but very hard to take pictures.

#keystone fashion

[thetextilealchemist]

I'm still testing positive for Covid, so I waited until the streets were empty to go for a Halloween walk in my test tea gown. This doesn't do it justice, but for something made with plastic upholstery velvet, an old bedsheet, and absolutely zero fucks, I really love it. I definitely want to repeat the concept with the blue silk I bought a couple years ago, to eventually wear to the butterfly conservatory.

My lungs may not have appreciated the exercise and damp air, but it was a lovely night to be out.

#keystone fashion #covid is the new consumption

[thetextilealchemist]

Ruby and I went for a walk to see the leaves this weekend, before autumn remembered that it's made of rain. Obviously, we needed to get dressed up.

#keystone fashion

[thetextilealchemist]

Welcome back. I didn't really expect to take so much time off, but *gestures vaguely*

Today was Woolstock, though, and I met a really lovely person who encouraged me to get back on tumblr for art reasons (hi, Rachel!), as well as getting to touch all the soft things.

I'm going to have to figure out what I've worked on in the time I've been off, so I can catch up. What exciting things have you all been up to?

[thetextilealchemist]

Last month, I went up to Future House Spouse’s family cottage in the Muskokas, and did the entire trip in Victorian garb, and then forgot to post about it.

Because FHS and I are both Very Ravenclaw, we took in a lot of data and treated the whole thing as a series of experiments/proof of concept. After insisting I would not make a Victorian bating costume, I did precisely that (in weld-dyed cotton with way too many buttons, pattern from the Victorian Dressmaker), which was very comfy and helped keep me a bit warmer in the lake. I had made a flotation corset with half a pool noodle crammed into the hip spring as padding, since I Do Not Float, and it worked in practice! With a few tweaks to design, fit, and materials, I think I could make a much better version for next year. I also want to keep an eye out for a used life jacket, so I can make it look like a waistcoat to match my outfit and still be safe on a boat.

I also made a simple sports corset without the extra hip spring and padding, which definitely worked for canoeing and hiking. We had a tea picnic on the lake and then another one on the very top of the island, as one does, and we had so much fun that we have plans to make it A Thing, especially if we can rent a rowboat more locally.

I made the split skirt and matching petticoat right before we went to the cottage, and I absolutely love them. The length is perfect if I’m not carrying anything (there are stairs up to the cottage, and I only had to lift up my skirts if I was weighed down), and from the back and sides it looks like a walking skirt, but from the front it’s clearly trousers. I wear these all the time now, and they almost look fashionable. I also had doubts about my cute little heeled shoes for hiking, but they were remarkably comfortable.

The wig got a bit hot out in the August sun, but this is the price we pay for having a non-period undercut. Seriously, I got into big hats around the same time I got into small hair, which is quite the mismatch. But the wig is pretty simple and gives me something to pin my hats to, so I have no complaints. FHS even bought me some cute cheap hat pins to use so I wouldn’t be risking any of my antiques on the lake.

I didn’t get sunburned, I didn’t get eaten by mosquitoes, and my temperature was much easier to regulate between daytime sun and lying on the dock at night to watch the Perseids. I took a long time to get dressed/undressed, and I need to make some sort of tea gown to wear around inside, but I loved the experience and would totally do it again.

#Cottage Life #cottage victorian #keystone fashion

[thetextilealchemist]

New things this week: I have found my perfect magical girl hair, and I have acquired a new-to-me spinning wheel that I love. I maybe spent too much time spinning today (my knees may have Opinions), but I really wanted to finish this bag of wool I’m practicing with.

#the femme gaze #spinning

[thetextilealchemist]

So I’ve been thinking about how to manage the gross spam situation, and I’ve decided to lean hard into my desire to appeal to femmes, and the sorts of things I enjoy. Thus, I’m replacing my Saturday selfie with the tag “the femme gaze”, which I aim to keep up with at least weekly, where I take pictures of things I find lovely, and sometimes also selfies. I’m not a great photographer, so the deliberate practice can only be good for me.

Today’s focus is about the layers under my split skirt that I usually only get to see when I take my stockings off, but which always delight me. I really like that my split petticoat matches my combinations (I found matching fabric!), and that the very modern over the knee socks work pretty well as a cheap and easy alternate to needing to knit my own when I don’t feel like it. Also, I made a gin and soda with cucumber, lime, and a rose hibiscus gin that’s pretty tasty on a hot day. We’ll see how well my pincurls hold in the soup that is South Western Ontario.

I’m procrastinating with at least two knitting projects and the shirts I still haven’t sewn, but I also have Ideas about designing a 1890s outfit that might be worn by Ichihara Yuuko of xxxHolic, if she were Victorian. Why can’t I turn off my brain?! I guess I’ll just have to reread it again.

#the femme gaze #keystone fashion