Shoe Things

First, we need a model foot. I used the same method I used years ago to make big doll mannequins, just wrapping my foot in first saran wrap, then clear tape. You then cut it off your foot (or your arm, or your whole body) and tape it back together, then stuff!

And you're left with a lovely model foot. Much easier then trying to draw on a mockup while it's still on your foot. Which is what I did for a solid evening until I realized making a dummy foot was a much smarter idea. You can also draw centerlines and things on a dummy, it's not quite so easy to do on your own body part. 

Anyway, I've been using it to play around with some shoe-shapes. I like to make mock-ups out of wool, it has some body to it and you can just butt it together to add pieces to your pattern. I think the final version will be partially wool, part leather. I'm thinking about quilting the two together, may work on some samples of that tonight. 

From the side, I'm going to have to see when I cut this stuff apart if I can cut that side piece as one with the bottom or not. Lots of trial and error right now. 

The basic form came from this strange little slipper I found a year or so ago. If there's one thing I love, it's unusual construction. I went on a little jag on my Tumblr on some great non-european pants constructions, definitely on the short list for new projects. 

And I don't normally post my WAYWT's here but I wore my jumpsuit to class on Monday to give the kids some jumpsuit-spiration. They're really working hard, getting things real fast, I'm proud of them. Can't wait to see their finished projects! Also pleased that the jumpsuit is super comfy and cool, might actually make it into my regular rotation. 

Mystery Shirt

So I buy a lot of things from thrift stores. Most of my wardrobe, and most of my raw materials. And sometimes I find some pretty strange things, and I can't help but buy them. But this time I'm really stumped as to where/when this blouse came from. I'm hoping someone clever and costume-history knowledgeable might be able to clue me in.

So I found this blouse, and I initially thought it was from a modern Japanese Lolita company (like Baby the Stars Shine Bright, which has a similar looking blouse here) I bought it because it was $3 and hey, I used to be into EGL long, long ago. I might wear it in a dandy-sort-of way. 

But when I got it home, I realized it wasn't a mass-produced shirt. You can see the wee monogram on the inside bottom hem, and the fact that the hem is hand-finished. The embroidery, you can see on the reverse here, is also hand done. 

Tatted lace around the collar edge

The buttonholes are strange. They are hand made, and horizontal rather than vertical. There's also only 3 of them, and they only go halfway down the shirt. 

Hand finishing on the collar stand. 

Hand embroidery on the ruffle up the front. 

My best guess is that it's maybe from that sort of Gunne Sax movement in the 1970's? I know it's not very old, there is a lot of machine sewing on it, but that's the only other time period I can think of where it would fit. Or maybe a modern lolita with some serious hand sewing skills? 

Also, shoe things are happening! More on this later.