The steampunk dress
Is officially done! I’m wearing it to church this morning. Which is a good thing, since we leave for China and the wedding (that this dress is for, at least in the short term – it’s impossible to buy a dress that allows breastfeeding access) in a week.
Without further ado. . .
And with the optional outer layer added on:
There were quite a few dramas along the way, as there always are due to my “spontaneous sewing” methods. The neckline of the outer top layer has been fixed now (you can’t see it clearly because I forgot to remove a piece from the next layer down), although there’s not much I can do about one of the eyelets in the standard layer being inside out. It was originally meant to have a zipper at the back (which it does have), but I can’t do it up myself. CJ described the zipping-up procedure as “not categorically impossible” when he assisted me. So I added lacing and a detachable modesty panel at the back (so when I lose a bunch of weight – likely in the nearish future – I can still remove the ribbon and zip it all the way up, and the eyelets become a decorative feature). The front modesty panel is also fully detachable – and easy to move aside if I’m feeding Louisette.
The main steampunk elements are the adjustability (the gathering at the front means it’ll fit me next pregnancy – and yes, I can now take it on and off by myself) and the different possible combinations (eg I can remove the modesty panels to highlight a contrasting undershirt). Hypothetically I will add more steampunk elements after the wedding – belt loops (on which to hang my keys, and perhaps a nice ladylike dagger or some such), more metal studs to attach different pieces together (or to be decorative when the pieces are apart) and so on. I’ll make a detachable waistband at some point, so as I lose weight I can cinch it in more.
Ultimately, it does the job it set out to do – give me breastfeeding access in a dress, hide my post-pregnancy belly, and have the flexibility to be a maternity dress or not, depending on circumstances.
Sewing with a hammer
This is part two of the steampunk dress – once again, it’s not finished (for one thing, it’ll have a zip in the back so I won’t need to hold it in place), and this is not the final ribbon. Also it still has chalk marks on it. But you get the idea.
The most steampunk thing about this is putting the eyelets in – with pliers and a hammer. And no major injury, yay!
“Burton & Swinburne: The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man” by Mark Hodder
It took a little while, but this book sucked me in. It was the foul-mouthed messenger parakeets that did it.
The rest of this review (including a sample) is at Comfy Chair, where I get paid for it.
Steampunk Dress: Part 1
Okay, I’m not ENTIRELY finished the outer top layer that I was hoping to have finished by now. Too bad.
This section is designed to go over the top of the dress, and attach on to it around the waist (which is as high as I can get it). I think it would also work as a top in its own right.
The pieces:
The material is classique suiting (whatever that means – all I care about is it doesn’t seem to crease), with interfacing sewn on. I pinned the pieces together at the shoulders and sides, and then made adjustments – and did the same thing again (more accurately) once I’d actually sewn those seams.
As you can see below, it’s designed to open in two panels at the front, like overlapping doors. There will be buttons down the middle seam (I cut it so it’s closer to the middle and looks better), and a waistband beneath all this. First I need to gather or pleat the front bottom seam. I have some nice steampunky buttons ready to go. I’ll post pictures when it’s fully done.
I learnt a fair bit as I went along, most importantly that it doesn’t matter HOW much you tell yourself, “Don’t cut the tablecloth, don’t cut the tablecloth” – you’re going to cut the tablecloth.
Coming soon: Other bits! Grommets! Press studs! More startling events due to my creative methods!
Steambrain Punkstorm
I’ve decided to make a steampunk dress. It will be adjustable for pregnancy and non-pregnancy, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding, hot weather and cold.
It will be dark blue, ankle length and sleeveless, made of medium-weight material that doesn’t wrinkle. Here’s the material, in fact: something called “classique suiting”, whatever that means.
It will have a high waist that gathers at the front just below the bust (that takes care of the pregnant/non part). It will probably have corset-style lacing between a deep V-neck at the front, which I hope will solve the problem caused by breasts that dramatically change in size (I’ll wear a singlet underneath in a contrasting colour). And there will be some kind of ingenious arrangement to assist with breastfeeding (a kind of sleeveless button-up jacket that can be attached to the dress to become one piece with it: I have the buttons). Having it sleeveless means I can wear warmer clothes underneath.
As much as possible, the mechanics of the dress will be visible and decorative – brass look press studs, for example.
So. . . ideas? I think an adjustable length at the front would be handy, but not necessary (pregnant belly lifts the hemline at the front). The breastfeeding arrangement will be the most complicated to design, I think. There will be layers.
Inspirational pictures of my kind of clothes. . .
PS I haven’t forgotten the promised map of steampunk literature – I have discovered a few more books I really need to read first. Yesterday I discovered Mark Hodder, thanks to the Steampunk Scholar I mentioned a few Steampunk Sundays ago.
Steampunk Forums
Like to talk to other steampunks? There are forums at Brass Goggles and Steampunk Debate. Thanks to Silver Goggles for the blogroll links.
I’m not super familiar with any of those three sites, so you’ll need to make up your own mind whether you like them or not. In the meantime, here’s Louisette Discovering Her First Device (she is too young to even realise her hands belong to her, so I placed the ring in her hand to see what happened):
The Steampunk Scholar
The Steampunk Scholar is a brilliant in-depth resource on all things steampunk fiction. He’s doing a PhD, so the “scholar” part is not just for the alliteration.
This is his post on the best of 2011, and this is the best part (I’ve unlinked things, so you’ll have to click through to the post to know what he’s referring to):
- Steampunk! – Candlewick anthology edited by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant – check out my review at Tor.comto see why.
- Heartless by Gail Carriger – I’ll be writing a series of posts leading up to the release of Timeless, the final book in the Parasol Protectorate series. In the meantime, I’ll simply say that anyone who has naysayed Carriger’s inclusion in the steampunk fold due to a lack of technofantasy should be reviewing their crow recipes. This is the best book of the series since Soulless, and was a delight to read.
- Curious Case of the Clockwork Man by Mark Hodder – read my reviewto find out why Hodder is one of the strongest voices in second wave steampunk fiction.
- Goliath by Scott Westerfeld – check out my retrospective on the Leviathan trilogyfor why this was such a satisfying ending to one of the best steampunk series, and why it shouldn’t be dismissed simply for being YA.
- Empire of Ruins by Arthur Slade – another YA novel you shouldn’t be avoiding, and the reasons why.
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I am a huge fan of Gail Carringer, Scott Westerfeld, and anyone who can see YA as a genre worthy of adult reading. As soon as I’ve posted this, I’ll be ordering every other book on this list from my local library. If they’re there, I’ll read and review them for you.
Lego + Steampunk
Welcome back to Steampunk Sundays.
I can’t put the pictures in here, because all rights are reserved, but for CJ if no-one else, I must must post you this link to ruined Victorian-era houses. . . made out of lego. It’s hauntingly beautiful AND fun for the whole family.
Hmm. . . no picture today. Whatever shall I do? I know!
“The Affinity Bridge” by George Mann
First things first: Louisette’s fart face (babies tend to smile when they have wind, and don’t learn to smile for pleasure for about six weeks).
And now, your weekly book review:
It’s clear Mann likes Sherlock Holmes, and has imitated Conan Doyle’s work – with certain deliberate differences.
This review has been moved to Comfy Chair, where I get paid for it.
This is the last steampunk book review I have prepped. I haven’t forgotten that I promised a map of the literary steampunk scene. It will have links back to a number of steampunk reviews, hence me posting them now rather than later. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
“Mothstorm” by Philip Reeve (book 3 of 3)
Here’s a baby pic to tide the baby lovers over until there’s another Louisette-centric entry tomorrow.
“Mothstorm” is the third book in Philip Reeve’s “Larklight” trilogy. Each book stands alone, although there are spoilers if you read them out of order.
Uh-oh. Here comes another mighty force of giant interstellar insects. How terribly vexing.
The rest of this review is now at Comfy Chair, where I get paid for it.
Felicity Banks 