the official newsletter of costumer’s guild west, inc...

The Official Newsletter of Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.

January 2014

You’re reading SQUEALS: The official newsletter of the Costumer’s Guild West, Inc.

January 2014. Volume 29, Number 4.

CGW website: www.costumersguild.org

E-mail discussions: http://groups,yahoo.com/group/CGWcostumers/

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Membership / Subscription info: CGW One-Year Individual Dues: US $30.00, Canada and Mexico US $31, International US $36. CGW Household Dues (optional, no newsletter): each additional member at any address, add $15 each to the primary household member's dues.

Please send Change of Address notices to: Costumer's Guild West, Inc. 1917 Crestshire Dr. Glendale, CA 91208

ABOUT OUR COVER:

This Month’s cover model is Karla Silva, a professional writer and avid costumer. Here Karla sports the very best of Steampunk finery.

Karla is wearing a ruffled black skirt with satin Victorian bustled overskirt; fitted black jacket with fox trim, brass buttons, and tails; sheer black blouse; and fitted corset.

Karla’s accessories include a bowler hat with brass goggles, feathers, and skull; metallic wide leather belt; steampunk themed necklace and earrings, and laser blaster.

Karla beautiful sewing is showcased in the fitted jacket and overskirt She not only sews her own costumes but also makes the accessories from scratch. For details on how to accessorize your own steampunk look, see Karla’s article on page 11!

Squeals, the Official Newsletter of CGW Inc. 3 | P a g e

CONTENTS

About Our Cover: ............................................................................................... 2

From The President ........................................................................................... 4

From Our Treasurer: Boof, Bam and Kapowing in a New Year .......................... 5

From the Costume College Dean ....................................................................... 6

Seeking Classes for Costume College 2014! ...................................................... 9

Creating Steampunk Accessories: Finding Your Inner Mad Scientist! ............. 11

Creating an Ostrich Egg Reticule: A Historical Journey (Part 3) ...................... 14

Review: Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs ............................. 18

Gibson Girl Golf................................................................................................ 19

Upcoming Events ............................................................................................. 20

Costuming and Jewelry Museum Exhibitions: ............................................. 21

Major Events 2014 ....................................................................................... 22

A Quick Word from the Editor ......................................................................... 22

Important Stuff & Colophon ............................................................................ 23

Deadline for February issue:

12 January 2013

Send your contributions to the editor at [email protected] or [email protected].

All e-mail messages received are assumed to be for publication unless specifically marked DNP or DNQ (do not print/do not quote).

We’re always looking for articles on costume-related subjects in the 100 to 400 word range. Longer articles are also desired for serialization – if it’s good enough for Have Spacesuit – Will Travel, it’s good enough for this editor.

Saw a costume that was

just out of this world?

Made one? Tell us about it.

We’d love to hear from you.


FROM THE PRESIDENT

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

With each new year comes the opportunity to create a fresh start or try something new. In that vein, I’d like to share with you one of my favorite things about reenactment costuming. Something that I feel is oft overlooked. I love personas and costumes that are… average. Yep. Run of the mill, commonplace, ordinary, average people. The world is made up of average people. Most of us are average, regardless of how special we feel we are. This was even truer of our ancestors. Modern people strive to make themselves unique in some way, while most of those we reenact not only didn’t have the means to be unique, but were used to being who they were and most often tried not to stand out.

So how do we become these average people? Lovingly, and with a great deal of research. Look at lots of pictures and model yourself after the most frequent styles of a period or culture. If you only see one or two examples of a particular fashion, don’t do that. Use easily attainable fabrics, natural fiber for periods pre-1900. Use fabrics with texture and body. Wear thoughtful accessories, rather than letting the accessories wear you.

Why should we want to portray such average people? Simply put, a well-constructed commoner is beautiful. Soft and rough, small and powerful. Common folk are the best teaching tool because they are relatable. They work, they make, they craft. They eat, sleep, laugh, and cry. They are the real window into our past.

So create your next character as a commoner. A working class person. Learn who they are and be true to what they can tell us about their lives. Find the extraordinary in the everyday, and you will truly understand the lives of the people we study.


FROM OUR TREASURER: BOOF, BAM AND KAPOWING

IN A NEW YEAR By Christine Kelsey We have all heard that “the accessories make the outfit”; well this is definitely true when it comes to Cosplay weaponry. What would the Doctor be without his sonic screwdriver, a member of Starfleet without their phaser, Batman and Robin without their utility belts, or a Jedi/Sith without their lightsaber? I personally think that the most exciting weaponry at this time comes from the Steampunk subculture. Where else can you turn on ordinary Nerf gun into a one-of-a-kind Steampunk gun as shown in these tutorials?

http://merusan.deviantart.com/art/Steampunk-Gun-Tutorial-176168293 http://steampunk.wonderhowto.com/how-to/easiest-way-paint-steampunk-nerf-gun-no-disassembly-required-0142546/

Or take those bits and bobs from the thrift store and turn them into a one of a kind raygun?

http://www.instructables.com/id/Raygun/ Here you are shown how to create an old pirate gun.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Steampunk-Pirate-Gun-Mod/ And if you just looking for ideas this story has plenty!

http://walyou.com/steampunk-weapons/ Maybe you’re not into making your weaponry but instead you’d like to support a small business. You can always visit a Steampunk convention such as HRM Steampunk which is being held at the Queen Mary January 10th through 12th.

http://hrmsteampunk.com/ Of course Steampunk is not the only arena that uses weaponry. Just look back at the October 2013 edition of Squeals and see the wonderful outfit and weaponry proudly worn by Julie Spehar! This brings me to a little story I would like to share about my son, Zachary. My son and I both enjoy Doctor Who and I think it is safe to say that the 10th Doctor is our favorite. Last year when my son came to visit me for his 26th birthday I took him to the Disneyland Resort. Zachary is very proud of his 10th Doctor suit and trench coat so he brought them with him to wear in the park. We were in Disney’s California Adventure grabbing a drink and a banana -- you know the Doctor loves bananas -- when three young ladies saw my son in his suit. The girls went crazy and started calling to one of their mothers that they had found the Doctor. Needless to say my son was eating this up. The girls begged for a


picture with him which he agreed to. As they were positioning themselves for the picture, one girl asked if he had his sonic screwdriver. When my son reached in his trench coat pocket and pulled out the screwdriver the girls started squealing and jumping up and down. You see the suit and trench coat were great but the accessory, sonic screwdriver, made the

outfit. As you can see by the smiles on their faces the outfit was a success!

FROM THE COSTUME COLLEGE DEAN By Mela Hoyt-Heydon Hope your holiday season was all that you wanted and more! (Now to take off those “cookie” pounds so I can get into my corset!) Did you gift someone with a Costume College Membership? What about a ticket to the Gala or the Tea? It is never too late to do so! While sales of Costume College memberships have been going great, there is still plenty of space available if you haven’t bought your ticket yet! Remember, you can do this in your pajamas with a cup of hot chocolate in front of your computer. (I am so excited that Costume College has finally made it into the 21st century!) So, what’s next? Programming has already started receiving teacher forms but it is not too late to add your name to that list -- even if you have never taught before, I am sure there is something you can share! It is exciting to look at the registration book and see new classes as well as ones we couldn’t fit in the year before and can offer this year.


(Do you put the Registration Book in your car so you can look at it in line at the Post Office, etc or is that just me? Can you tell I don’t have a smart phone to look at?) The Registration Books will be going out in mid-April. So, if you’re looking with an eye toward registering for Limited Attendance classes, don’t delay getting your College application in. There are certain circumstances in which your College registration number help determine whether you get into a limited class or not. The Market Place staff has been starting to line up the Dealers for this year. Their application is on the website also, so if you are a vendor who wants to apply for the Market Place, now is the time to do so. It is always fun to see new faces in the Market Place along with old favorites. Under the heading of addressing issues brought up in the feedback forms from College 2013, let me talk briefly about the Sunday Tea and limited attendance classes. The question was “Why do we have classes going during the Tea?” It’s impossible to do both. Well, the Tea can only accommodate 110 guests. That means that the other 300 students need something to do. With all the other variables involved in scheduling classes, adding the extra variable of not scheduling limited attendance classes during the Tea would probably be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Time is supposed to be nature’s way of keeping everything from happening at once but sometimes it fails and we have to make choices. At least in this instance they are both good choices. Till next month, looking forward to receiving applications from all of you. Mela Hoyt-Heydon Dean, Costume College 2014

Did you know? Thought CGW was only a “So Cal”

organization? While it’s true that the largest percentage of our members reside in California,

we have members in 29 states (plus Washington DC) and in five countries (US, Australia, Great Britain, Canada, Finland).


SEEKING CLASSES FOR COSTUME COLLEGE 2014! By Heather Pritchett As we clean up from New Year's Eve and start to remove holiday decorations, the Costume College Programming team for 2014 is hard at work getting ready! We are now accepting class proposals for 2014 and the deadline is only a month away, Feb 3!

This year, we are trying something a little different. As you are hopefully aware, the theme for Costume College 2014 is "Accessories". And it's also the bonus track! So we're going to be "All Accessories! All The Time!" and we want the programming to reflect that! We are encouraging teachers, old and new, to focus their classes on accessories. Instead of one small room of bonus track classes, we want most of the rooms to be "accessorized"!

Thankfully, accessories is such an all-encompassing topic, we don't think this will limit people.

What are we looking for?

Overview classes! Accessories through the ages! Think about purses, gloves, shoes, hats, parasols, belts, scarves, handkerchiefs, wigs, muffs, tiaras, hair pieces, fans, hosiery, glasses, corsets (Yes! We're considering undergarments accessories!) and many many more!

Period discussions! Medieval! Renaissance! Edwardian! Victorian! 20s! 50s! Take an era and think about what people wore with their clothes!

Specific accessories! Fichus! Hennins! Snoods! Ruffs! Fontanges! Pockets! If the accessory is immediately associated with the era, it's deserving of its own class! Maybe even a workshop!

Don't forget Sci-Fi and Fantasy costuming! Light sabers! Masks! Phasers! Wings! Horns! Ears!

Please start thinking about your class ideas! The form for submitting your classes will be available on the Costume College website starting January 6th! If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected].

Thank you!

mailto:[email protected]


Heather Pritchett Programming Teacher's Liaison Costume College 2014 [Ed: Not sure about all the terminology? We’ve added a glossary below!] Fichu: lightweight scarf: a woman's triangular scarf made of a lightweight material such as muslin or lace, worn around the neck and shoulders, especially in the 18th and early 19th centuries. [ed: Online definitions seem to disagree on whether the fichu is a triangle shaped scarf, or a square scarf folded in half into a triangle.] Fontange or frelange: a high headdress popular during the turn of the late 17th and early 18th centuries in Europe. Technically, fontanges are only part of the assembly, referring to the ribbon bows which support the frelange. The frelange was supported by a wire framework called a commode. Hennin: a headdress in the shape of a cone or "steeple", or truncated cone worn in the late Middle Ages by European women of the nobility Muff: a fashion accessory for outdoors usually made of a cylinder of fur or fabric with both ends open for keeping the hands warm. It was introduced to women's fashion in the 16th century and was popular with both men and women in the 17th and 18th centuries. Parasol: An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The word parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain. Often the difference is the material; some parasols do not protect from rain. Ruff: The ruff, which was worn by men, women and children, evolved from the small fabric ruffle at the drawstring neck of the shirt or chemise. They served as changeable pieces of cloth that could themselves be laundered separately while keeping the wearer's doublet from becoming soiled at the neckline. Snood: historically a type of European female headgear, or in modern times a tubular neck scarf. In the most common form the headgear resembles a close-fitting hood worn over the back of the head. A tighter-mesh band may cover the forehead or crown, then run behind the ears and under the nape of the neck.


CREATING STEAMPUNK ACCESSORIES: FINDING YOUR

INNER MAD SCIENTIST!

One of my favorite things when it comes to making a costume has always been working on the details. To be honest, I probably spend more time fantasizing about the accessories and details I am going to add to an outfit than on the actual construction of a garment. I've always felt that although construction is important, nothing makes you stand out like what you add to an outfit. I think that was one of the things that drew me to Steampunk in the first place.

When it comes to Steampunk the devil is in the

details. This probably comes from the fact that because Steampunk started as a literary genre, every outfit has to tell a story. That has been my goal with every Steampunk outfit that I've made over the years and I feel that, unlike historical costuming and cosplay, Steampunk gives a person the chance to create a character that is completely their own, completely built from scratch. Creating a Steampunk outfit for me starts with creating a story for yourself; some people may feel like they have limited options, but there are so many worlds out there waiting to be explored. However, if you're new, there is nothing wrong with choosing from the typical characters you've seen at cons and online, like a Steampunk pirate or mad scientist. When you've created the basic outfit, you need to look into accessories. Think about where your character is living currently: is he an airship captain who's part of Her Majesty's Royal Fleet or is he a rogue in search of treasure and adventure? Don't be afraid to get inspiration from books, movies, or even people you’ve met. There have been many people who have approached me for a picture and have told me they were trying to do the same thing. Be creative and adventurous -- that is what Steampunk is really all about!


Creating a Steampunk Gun: To me, the key elements to keep in mind when creating a Steampunk gun are the appearance of functionality, beauty, and creating a vintage worn look. Steampunk is supposed to be futuristic and at the same time there should be a vintage component to the things you create. Robert Brown, front man of the popular Steampunk band Abney Park, has discussed the idea of gluing and pasting cogs to everything, guns in particular, and he has justified the idea by saying that in the world he imagines, certain technologies are outlawed and they can only be hidden by doing something like disguising them with cogs and gears. So if you are not an expert welder, don't know how to work with resin, foam or epoxy, don't feel like you can't have that cool looking blaster you real want; all it takes is time, attention to detail and determination. To create a very simple Steampunk gun all you need are the following items: toy gun, sand paper, spray paint, and additional items to modify your gun like metal filigree, cogs, gears and anything you feel will help get you the look you want. Here are some steps to follow to create a base for your vision:

1. Choosing a Gun: As a base for your Steampunk blaster you can use a water gun or nerf gun. I've found my guns at a variety of places from Goodwill to the dollar store. Make sure, if you are planning on disassembling it, that it can be done easily and that it is sturdy enough to withstand being disassembled because some guns will break when you take them apart. Hard plastic guns are the best choice. If you are not good with electronic components, you can always buy a gun that already has these components and simply modify the exterior to your liking. Lastly, try choosing a gun that does not look modern, or everyday, but something that looks out of this world and unique.

2. Preparing Gun: Before you paint your gun you want to sand off, cut off, or get rid of anything on the gun that you do not like such as branding and imperfections. You can use a moist washcloth to clean it


off when you are done. The next step is to prime your gun with a black layer of spray paint. Most people recommend disassembling the gun before doing this, but I have done it both ways and it has worked out fine. This is okay especially if you are crunched for time. If there are elements you wish to keep the same, cover them with painters tape before priming it.

3. Giving the Metal Vintage Look: Most people, including myself, use brass, gold and brown colors when trying to get that vintage worn look, but if you'd like to experiment, go for it. People have different ways to go about painting. For me, when it comes to bigger guns (like longer rifles and shotguns longer than a foot) I use spray paint all the way. Usually, I use very light coats of metallic paint, and I will do this several times. I prefer more of a spotty look because I feel this gives it a more worn look. Remember to read the instructions on the paint and to let each side dry the proper amount of time. After the gun has an adequate metallic look, I will take my black paint and spray it very lightly again, to add to the used, vintage look. For smaller guns I prefer to use acrylic paint, brushes and sponges to try and get that old and worn look, although I have on occasion have also used this method to try and “age” a larger gun.

4. Details: The details should always be left for last because it can become difficult to tape over anything that you've added or glued. Personalize your gun with anything you want, I like to used mixed objects and random finds for both jewelry and guns. Have fun with it!


CREATING AN OSTRICH EGG RETICULE: A HISTORICAL

JOURNEY (PART 3) By Joyce Saunders [Ed: Our story so far involved finding the egg, cutting, lining and finishing. And now for the brilliant conclusion…]

With great pleasure I began to arrange the decorative rhinestone pieces. I bought the rhinestone chain and other appliqués at Bohemian Crystal on Maple (one block north of Michael Levine’s in LA’s fashion district). One star piece for the top and three long appliqués were bought on the first trip along with one yard of rhinestone chain. I returned to buy one more as I changed my original design to incorporate handle bases, a closure, and the hinge cover. I had taken the cut egg (before I had done any work on it) to the store to see what fit, and so had a good idea of what would work, but like all original creations things can change as the object comes to life. Because the appliqués are chained together like an actual chain (each piece is linked to

the next and connected to other chains by soldered metal), they move and can be difficult to keep in position. I used a small beanbag to hold each half of the egg at the proper angle for gluing, so the pieces would not slide down the egg before the glue dried.


Before any gluing began, I used tape rolled inside out to place each piece on the top of the egg. I used very tiny pencil marks on the egg to indicate where

the closure and hinge would be placed and bits of masking tape with pencil marks on the tape to show where to place each appliqué. I cut up two of the long pieces to use as the closure and handle decoration. Using metal snips and needle nose pliers, I carefully took the pieces apart. A few of the stones came out in this process but it did not take long to glue them back in. I made sure there were no metal bits sticking out, that might catch on fabric of an outfit I might be wearing when I used my new reticule. I tried to keep the blank space (where there was no decoration) even but I was not as successful as I had hoped. Since the egg is curved,

looking at the front and back while gluing is difficult. I think I would use a small mirror to keep things a little more even on both sides. For the closure, magnets seemed the best way to gently hold the egg top and bottom together. I used two different kinds of magnets. The one attached to the egg bottom was the stronger of the two and had the size and metal coloring to be appealing in an exposed position. The other magnet was a bit of refrigerator magnet that could be cut to size. It was black and so would show if glued to the open work on the rhinestone part. I sewed it into a bit of cream-colored silk (to match the coloring of the egg) and glued it on the back of unexposed side of the closure. This was done before actually gluing it to the egg. The silk decreased the strength of the magnet somewhat but too much magnetism, it would be very difficult to open the closure, too little magnetism, and the top would not remain closed.

I had trouble discovering how to attach the handles in a satisfactory way, so I posed the question to a group of experienced costumers. They helped me to find the solution. I used a bit of silver cord as the handle and measured it so that it went easily over


the entire egg and looked pleasing. Hiding the end of the cord is always a nasty problem especially without a seam to hide the end inside. I divided the threads of the cord into three equal parts and sewed them to the back of the rhinestone appliqué. Then I used a thin layer of glue to secure the stitching, and used a final layer of glue to secure the entire support to the egg using the rhinestone chain and ribbon edge on the bottom half of the egg to give additional strength to the whole affair. Now that I had the top decorated, the next step would be to construct the hinge and the closure. Metal hinges are available. They are generally screwed into the egg, as you would expect a box hinge might be. There are also hinges that are attached to circles that finish the edges of the egg (hinge rings). I did not like either option so I decided to spread the stress out on a leather hinge. The draw back with the leather hinge is that the hinge has more flexibility in movement in several directions. To mitigate this flaw I used a second leather hinge inside the egg. This arrangement gave me greater design control and the interior hinge covered the joint of the ribbon lining. I covered the exterior hinge with the rhinestone appliqué and then the smaller interior hinge with findings that I glued with left over rhinestones from another project. The leather was scrap from yet another project and was gold foil on one side and plain leather on the other. I used the foil side to glue the rhinestone and findings pieces to and the somewhat rougher side glued to the egg. I glued the outer hinge on first, securing it to first the top and then the bottom, always allowing the glue to completely dry between each step. The interior hinge was glued in last and the egg was positioned in the beanbag nest partly closed so there would be no stress on the hinge while it dried. I used slight hand pressure in both these steps for several minutes to be sure the hinges were securely glued and placed no strain for many days afterward on the hinges to be certain the glue was set.


So now, I had a completed egg in my hand, but it needed its stand and a handle to carry it. I used more of my suede to ring the base, again to cushion the egg as it was set down. Then I glued the egg to the suede. I was careful to orient the base with two of the three feet centered on the front and one to stabilize the back.

Gluing the training chains on was the last step in the process. I used two chains to ease the stress on the egg. I measured the chains to the length that would allow the lid to open for access but not fall back so far as to unbalance the egg. The chains are attached with thread to the ribbon that covers the suede cushion. Despite my plan, the egg is unbalanced without something inside, so I plan to hold the reticule while it is open, just to be safe. It is quite stable

with its heavy decorated lid closed. I enjoyed the learning and engineering process in making the egg reticule and it will make quite an entrance at the next event to which it is taken; it’s sure to be a conversation piece.


REVIEW: BEAD ROMANTIQUE: ELEGANT BEADWEAVING

DESIGNS A Book Review by Eileen Smolenski

If you are not lucky enough to have a very generous neighbor who collects vintage jewelry, and you need the perfect necklace to complete your look, check out Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs by Lisa Kan. (Published by Interweave Press). I chanced upon this gem at my local library but it is available on-line through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I will have to admit, this is the third time I have borrowed this particular volume so I should really purchase my own copy.

It doesn't really matter if you are looking the right accessory for a Renaissance, Victorian, or Art Deco outfit or even something a bit more modern -- this book is worth a look. There are seventeen different projects; each one includes supply lists, detailed instructions, and diagrams which will enable the reader to complete the chosen project. However, these are not projects for the faint-of-heart or novice beader. That being said, I am still tempted to order the requisite supplies and tackle a new project. Some of my favorites include the Quatrefoil Nouveau Festoon Necklace -- a blend of styles from the Renaissance, Gothic Revival, Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras -- and the Ndebele Twist Band bracelet done in amethyst, bronze, and periwinkle seed beads. Even if you aren't tempted, just reading through the directions of even some of the simpler pieces will certainly give you a new understanding of the complexity of the craft. If the pages of this book are not enough, Lisa Kahn also has a website: http://lisakan.com/LisaKanDesigns.htm which includes a gallery of some of her other work. It is certainly worth a look.


GIBSON GIRL GOLF by Diane Yoshitomi Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 15 as the day that Gibson girls and their guys meet for miniature golf at Camelot Golfland in Anaheim. A time is yet to be determined, but the date is still a few months ahead, so we’ll include that information in next month’s issue. The second feature of our day will be a meet-up at Ferrell’s Ice Cream Parlor in Brea. You can choose whether to attend both events, or just one of them. If you don’t already have a Gibson girl costume in your closet and could use a few pointers on patterns and fabrics, check out the list below. Patterns

Simplicity 9723 is out of print but can be

found on-line at e-bay, etsy, and

amazon.com.

Same for Butterick’s skirt 3418 and blouse 3417.

Folkwear’s Gibson Girl Blouse #205 and Walking Skirt #209 at

folkwear.com

Past Patterns simple Edwardian blouse #403, Edwardian tuck blouse

#404, tucked waist #405, and tucked & side closed waist at

pastpatterns.com

Butterick 3418 Butterick 3417


Truly Victorian 291/1898 walking skirt,

297/1898 flared skirt, 491/1893 blouse

waist, 493/1896 plain bodice, 495/1890s

sleeve variations, 496/1896 ripple jacket,

and 498 1898 Eton jacket at

trulyvictorian.com

All of the above also carry patterns for

ruffled petticoats, a must for the Gibson

Girl silhouette

Fabrics Skirts: light to medium weight cotton, plain

or twill weave; solid color, print, plaid, stripes (though the latter two

require extra care in matching six or more gores)

Blouse/waist: light weight cotton, lawn, batiste, challis; white, off-

white, small prints on white or colored background, narrow stripes,

polka dots

Construction techniques & add-ons for blouse/waist Pintucks

Insertion lace

Fagotting

Embroidery in pastels or white-on-white

Lace (perhaps antique?): jabot, collar & cuffs, bertha, shawl collar,

yoke

UPCOMING EVENTS For recurring monthly events, please see back side of calendar insert. Anime Los Angeles (Jan 10 – 13) Anime Los Angeles 10 is, once again, looking for help with the Costume Repair Station. This is a chance to sit in one place and see a marvelous panoply of costumers, many of them young and enthusiastic, as they stop in to have some minor repair made or just to say hello. If you can help, please write to Patrick Beckstead at [email protected]. The convention starts on Friday, 10 January 2014, and runs through Monday. See www.animelosangeles.org for more info on the convention. Commemoration of the Treaty of Chauenga (Jan 12)

Folkwear


Jane Austen Ball (Jan 18) CGW Workshop: Make a Gibson Girl Blouse (Feb 2), Fullerton College, Fullerton. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students will bring their favorite pattern, the undergarments to be worn under the finished blouse, and a fashion fabric of their choice, along with a cotton or cotton-blend for an inner lining. Mela will help fit an under-muslin for each student, demonstrate how to correct your pattern to fit, and how to assemble your blouse. In addition, she will demonstrate several ways to add period details, such as insertion lace, pintucks, appliqués, and inner ties. Included in the day’s package will be lunch, beverage, pattern paper, and muslin. Cost for this workshop is $20. 15 students max. Tickets available on the Costume College Website. Expect more info on Google Groups soon! Gallifrey One (Feb 14-16) Los Angeles, Marriott Los Angeles Airport Hotel The world’s largest and longest running Dr. Who convention. www.gallifreyone.com Sold out!

COSTUMING AND JEWELRY MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS:

Ongoing:

Television Out of the Box. Through 2015, (Wed-Sun) Los Angeles, Paley Center, Warner Bros. $10, $8 senior/student, $5 under 13. Props, costumes from 50+ yrs WB TV. www.paleycenter.org/tp-television-out-of-the-box

The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950-1990. Sep 21, 2013 – Feb 17, 2014. De Young Museum, San Francisco

A Quest for Beauty: The Art of Van Cleef & Arpels. Oct 27 2013 – Feb 15 2014. Bower Museum, Orange County.

Jewels by JAR. Nov 20, 2013 – Mar 9 2014. Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. More than 400 works of jewelry by Joel A. Rosenthal.

Dickens at the Dean. Dec 7 – Feb 22 (Thu-Sat, 10am – 5pm). Cherry Valley Edward-Dean Museum. 9401 Oak Glen Road, Cherry Valley. $5, under 12 free. www.edward-deanmuseum.org

http://www.gallifreyone.com/


Coming soon:

22nd Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibition. Feb 11 – April 26 FIDM Gallery Los Angeles

Costumes of Downton Abbey. Mar 1, 2014 – Jan, 4 2015. Winterthur Museum, Delaware. www.winterthur.org

Charles James: Beyond Fashion. May 8 – Aug 10 2014. Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York.

MAJOR EVENTS 2014 CGW Goes to: Gibson Girls and Guys Go (Mini) Golfing (March) Wondercon (March) The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire [Irwindale] (Apr 5 – May 18) Costume Con (Apr 25-28) Avalon Ball (May 17) Labyrinth of Jareth (July) San Diego Comicon (July 23-27) CGW Costume College (Jul 31 – Aug 4) Autumn Ball (Regency) (Oct) Comikaze (LA Convention Center, Nov) LOSCON (Nov., Thanksgiving Weekend

A QUICK WORD FROM THE EDITOR

by Dani Crum

One of the best things about having friends with an interest in costuming is the amazing events they “drag” you to. In the middle of November (waaaaay past the deadline for December Squeals), my friend Darlene invited me to go the Nottingham Festival with her. The Nottingham Festival is a new Renaissance Faire that’s popped up in Simi Valley. For those of you who have spent a lifetime attending “The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire” (arguably the first and considered by many to be

http://www.winterthur.org/


the best), the Nottingham Festival will be a pleasant surprise, but not a replacement. It’s still quite small (easily “done” in a couple of hours) which gives an attendee plenty of time to catch a few shows or spend some quality time watching historical characters tell their tales. My favorite thing at the Nottingham Festival was the well-written and well performed Queen’s play; it combined mild court intrigue, Renaissance theater (a short excerpt from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet), and “local color” of the town of Nottingham; best of all, it showcased some truly clever writing. Like most Renaissance Faires, the costuming was fabulous, with a suitable mix of royal court and commoner. All in all, a real gem of Renaissance faire.

IMPORTANT STUFF & COLOPHON Officers of the Costumer's Guild West, Inc. (When sending e-mail to CGW

officers, please put "CGW" or "Costume College" in the subject line.) President: Rebecca Howard, [email protected] OR [email protected] Vice President: Maryann Jones, [email protected] [email protected] Events: [email protected] Recording Secretary: Zoe Jones, [email protected] Treasurer: Christine Kelsey Corresponding Sec. Dani Crum, [email protected] OR [email protected] Director at Large: Mela Hoyt-Heydon, [email protected] Director at Large: Eileen Smolenski, [email protected] Director at Large: Andrea Molina, [email protected] Director at Large: Patti Buckley, [email protected] Appointed positions: Costume College 2014 Dean: Mela Hoyt-Heydon, [email protected] Parliamentarian: Lorri Gums, [email protected] Scholarship Committee Chair: Kerry Wolf, [email protected] Bookkeeper: Natalie Meyer, [email protected] Membership Development: Dani Crum, [email protected]


Accessories Make the Outfit: Attention to detail and expert

craftsmanship help Karla’s steampunker stand out from

the crowd: copper goggles with hand created rivets,

detailed thematic jewelry, and, of course, a ray gun (see inside

for more blaster details!)

the official newsletter of costumer’s guild west, inc...

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