XL men's cotton shirt and XL pants.  I removed the buttons and put 8 button holes on the button side of the placket to turn it into a women's garment.  Next time I hope to remember not to cut through the placket when I shorten the shirt to waist length. I fitted the shirt in the sides, shoulders, and with darts in front and back.  Shortened the sleeves to 3/4 length.  Ruffle is made from the cut off bottom portion of the shirt.

I hate wearing bras, but my aging boobies are a bit too floppy to exist in public without some kind of support.  Do any of you have links to examples or tutorials for dresses with built-in support?  I've found a couple links to how to add a shelf bra to a top, but wonder if there are other ideas out there...I'm also trying to reduce the number of layers of fabric I have to wear in our stupidly hot weather, and if I can put a bra (or something) in the dress, then it seems like that would be fewer layers...

I've had this fabric a long time, 3-4 yards of a very soft drapey synthetic with a silver pattern on black.  Velvety texture.  I'm not sure what to make - another historical gown, or a dress I can actually wear.   





Any suggestions?  I'm an older gal (pushing 50), 5'6", slightly pudgy figure.

I was saving this pretty sheet for something special and I finally got up the courage to cut it.  Here's my Regency dress c. 1805:











Detail of interior construction (pardon the unhistorically colored stays and lame chemise!):



Pattern coming soon. 

I'm going to need some wig hair for a costuming project - does anyone here have a favorite online wig supply house?

Thanks!

 

Here's the 300 gallon aquaponics system I'm setting up for Bluegill and Channel Catfish.  Two 150 gallon tanks and sump.  Growbeds will be at the back (not built yet):



More about aquaponics:

http://www.aquaponics.net.au/aqua1/
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/
http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/index.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV9CCxdkOng

As part of this  http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=384355.0  ongoing project, here is my second set of short stays, with some pattern changes.  Using fabric I already had, they are unhistorical in color.    Please pardon the cruddy test chemise :

For a long time I've been interested in the Regency costume period.  I used to think I couldn't have a Regency gown because they all had puffy sleeves but recently I've found several references to non-puffy sleeves, where the fullness is at the back of the shoulder.  I have very broad shoulders so I need to watch out for adding fullness there.  I found this pattern I like:  http://sensibility.com/patterns/the-elegant-ladys-closet/  and I'm tempted to "cheat" and buy it instead of drafting my own.  Of course before I make a Regency gown I need to make a set of underthings - chemise, short stays, and petticoat.  Again tempted to cheat and buy the Sense and Sensibility patterns.  Has anyone here used Sense and Sensibility patterns and do you think they are a good value?  Other costumers - what would you do - draft your own patterns, or "cheat"?  

I  rarely post my professional work on messageboards, but since some other professional costumers sometimes post their work,  here I go posting mine again. My husband and I work together in our home business making these things.   

Bear costume for Lumberjack Feud dinner show  http://www.lumberjackfeud.com/   

My husband in the suit:



Head is sculpted in clay and molded in latex rubber with a fiberglass skull.  Body is a foam pod and padded legs as discussed in this thread: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=324988.0  Fursuit is Black Fox from http://www.crscraft.com/  Taxidermy eyes.

I want to share with you a project which has been so successful for me and brought lots of enjoyment for little work or expense.

A friend gave me a small stock tank which she didnt' need, about 4 feet long by 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep.  I dug a hole in my garden deep enough to bury the tank about halfway, and then surrounded the protruding portion with stacked flat rocks.  I put some gravel and rocks in the bottom and filled it with water.  I added some oxygenating water plants - Anacharis aka Elodea and some duck potatoes Sagittaria in pots.  Very quickly a lot of leopard frogs moved in and laid eggs, now we have mature leopard frogs and tadpoles.  For a few days a water snake moved in and ate some of the frogs    But then the snake left and the frogs are back feeling comfortable.