CoCo25 Wrap-Up

At the beginning of the month, I attended Costume College!  I had a blast and managed nutritional things somewhat better than last year.  I am even thinking about resuming teaching next year, though it would probably be lectures not hands-on workshops.  OTOH, if I did workshops, I could lug supplies down and the space in my luggage would then be empty for whatever I acquired at college....  Gonna need to think about that, and about what I might want to teach.

Anyhow!  About two weeks before College, I got a bug in my ear to make something new to wear.  About one week before College, I'd gone through my patterns and stash and made a decision: Simplicity 9699.  Which I did have to size up.  But I made my alterations and sewed and sewed and sewed.  The result:

The shoes are Clementines by American Duchess, which I'd bought on pre-order.  The rest of the outfit was made to more-or-less match.  I admit to hand-sewing endless miles of the white daisy trim (added for a touch of that 1950s kitsch look) between the two navy stripes on the skirt in the airport, on the plane, and in the hotel lobby!  And also hand-sewing the buttons and buttonholes of the jacket at the hotel.  But it's very comfy and I'm quite pleased with the result.  I also rewore my two 1920s dresses from last year.  I think I'm losing weight?  Or at least inches?  My '20s corset wasn't as snug as I remember.

And as you may guess from the background of the photo, I did go to the American Girl store in LA.  On Sunday, after College was over, when I was having dinner out with my writing group friends.  We got there about an hour before closing, so the upstairs was closed and I did not get to browse the books section. :(  I did not break the bank, just got a small tiara for my dollies, an AGLA patch to sew onto something, and a packet of doll clothes hangers.  Good thing too, since my luggage was stuffed from the Marketplace, Trunk Show, and Bargain Basement!

At College, I took beginning workshops on tatting and fingerloop braiding.  I also attended a good variety of lectures - everything from eco-dying to mid-century hairstyling to a fascinating class on Scythians.  I'm not sure yet how a good portion of it will be useful, but that's the glory of the creative process: you never know when something will spark something else.

My roommate (Bunny) and I got along well, in a quiet way, despite having never met before, and we've agreed to room together again next year.  I got to talk with a nice array of fellow costumers while hanging out in the Lounge, and a niggling idea or two is fermenting in the back of my skull.  We'll see if anything comes of it.  I did not attend any of the "big" events but I never do.  There's always too much background noise for me to hear what anyone is saying, and my particular brand of social anxiety kills the rest of the enjoyment for me.  But I got my projects finished, and read the three books I'd brought with me, so it's not like I was staring at the walls in the meantime.

And then I got home and spent a day washing and ironing everything and putting it away!  Since then I've been slowly tackling my WIPs.  So many projects to finish, before I start new ones.  Plus blackberry season has just started....