The difference between Petersham & Grosgrain Ribbon: Both ribbons are ribbed & have a matte finish however; there is a very big difference: the edge finish. Grosgrain ribbon has a sealed edge (2), and Petersham (1) has a scalloped edge that is woven in one with the rest of the ribbon. 1. 2. That scalloped […]
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Sewing Hints & Tips #2
To make a hem on a chiffon garment: Sew a straight stitch about 0.5cm or 1/4″ to 1.5cm or 3/8″ away from the cut edge. Iron the hem up at the stitched line. The stitched line will help the iron naturally turn the fabric. Stitch the turned area down with a straight stitch, just above […]
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This crazy business.
So, my Etsy shop finally went live on Tuesday. It went live very quietly, no big bang, no fireworks, no crowd of adoring fans & critics (as my 14 year old self would have imagined it!), but with the furious clickity-clack of my laptop keys as I waded through the fairly laborious process of listing. […]
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Sewing Hints & Tips #1
When sewing bias binding to the top or bottom of a corset, match all seams & pin together as you would like them to be sewn. Zipzag close to the edge (so that when the binding is applied you do not see it) across the top. This will keep all of the pieces nicely together & […]
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Fragile Productions and an enormous hat!
My latest costume commission has been an interesting one, an Edwardian traveling costume- hat & coat- for a production at The Little Black Box Theater, here in Bristol. Set on the Titanic the night she sinks this is a rather moving piece of theater & I am making the leads costumes, starting with the aforementioned enormous hat. . […]
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A mini Midnight photo shoot!
Here at Laura After Midnight we take photography very seriously. . . well, Midnight’s long suffering Fella does! All of which meant that we were to be found, after returning from the local where we had consumed an excellent steak, staging a mini photo shoot for a series of Mini Top Hats, Paper Tea Rose […]
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Plastic or steel, Ladies?
Above shows two styles of Victorian corset, the black adapted slightly, & a costume I designed & built (the character was a time traveling Lady assassin!) for a short film in 2010, illustrating the great effects a corset can have when working with period clothing. I’ve just found the most useful link to […]
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The Foundling Fabrics.
I have just rediscovered one of the most fascinating spippets I happend upon a while back whilst reseraching hand painted 18th Century silks. The World of Interiors carried a story about Thomas Coram a while back who ‘Having made his fortune in trade with the colonies, in his retirement had noticed on early morning walks […]