Victorian headwear

Little sleep and nightmares do not lead to productive crafting. Even less so when you read the instructions 5 times and they still make no sense.

I'm working on making a couple of Victorian hats at the moment, using Lynn Mc Masters 1870-80's Bustle Hat Pattern. I'm following View C to make a red velvet coloured hat to match my pre-existing Victorian costume, and I've plans to follow this hat up with a second, steel grey coloured hat in View D to match the pinstriped fabric outfit I have planned, though it has't gotten past the planning stages yet. 
 

So far, I've been cutting and gluing, with a little sewing on the side, as per the instructions. I'm tempted too to make the next hat entirely hand sewn, presuming this to be a more period construction method, and also as a compare-and-contrast of the two styles of hat manufacture. 

If the lack of sleep continues, there's probably going to be another two weeks worth of sewing in this one hat alone. But that will, at least, give me plenty of time to decide on how I'm going to arrange and decorate the hat with all the trims I've bought. Bases on the fashion plates I've been browsing, the headwear embellishments were anything but subtle. 

Victorian Accessories

My time is not my own this week, so while I'm straining to get to sewing on my machine, I'm having to bide my time. Which means in lieu of anything more exciting like an actual project, I can only share with you my plans for the coming months.

 

The second of my upcoming costuming challenges is Trystan's Costume Closet Accessorizing Head-to-Toe Challenge, which I'm going to use to make a series of Victorian accessories. I've shared pictures recently of my completed Victorian evening dress, and I've plans to make a bustle era walking dress shortly. While I have purchased a fan and parasol, there's other pieces, like the very important head coverings, that the outfit just won't look right without. And I'm a sucker for a sew-along. Knowing there's other people doing the same as you, that you can ask for help or advise, or just share pictures, especially when maps don't matter, I just love it.