When you mentioned having top surgery in the next two years i was like what? I just assumed you already had it done. Your binding skills are immaculate
fr I was like "does top surgery refer to addition too? I thought it was just removal, and I thought they didn't use femme pronouns-- wait, they said trans MASC, they haven't had it yet?" 😂 whole roller coaster right there hahaha
This video is so very on the nose for me rn. I just went from "oh this doesn't need to be historically accurate I just want to achieve vaguely an edwardian silhouette." To many hours of reading about lace inlay in combinations at an absolutely break neck pace😅
when you said “i’m one person with one singular perspective” i thought you were gonna say “one singular brain/braincell” but tbh perspective makes way more sense
@@HeyLizardLeighi watched the video and then completely forgot to recommend patterns: there’s quite a few drafting manuals online. there’s one that’s something along the lines of “sewing and home dressmaking” that has a bunch of undergarment patterns (including a pair of combinations) and the first and second patterns of fashion books are really good for the top layer clothing items
this interview was sOOOO much fun, thank you so much for having me! also i will never forget the purple-grey swap from here on out, i ALWAYS thought it was purple!
Finished the video now! This was amazing and beautiful-both in the wisdom and sense of community from your wonderful guests, to the way you told your story, I love how you are able to weave these narratives into your projects that are personal, relatable, and speak to the wider ecosystem of the costuming / cosplay community 💜
The 221B dress was you?? I had no idea! That's wild. Thanks for another absolute banger of a video, Lizard. Your storytelling is immaculate, and I'm so inspired to go make some historical cosplay
I laughed so much when @freshfrippery spoke about how they joined a costume group. I was at a University O-Day in 2011, where all the clubs and organisations set up recruitment stalls and displays. I saw a few people walk by in 16thC outfits (mostly kirtles). I looked at them, turned to the random person on my left, and I said "That's what I want I want to do!" I had no idea what they did as a club, I just knew I wanted to wear and make those pretty clothes. Without know, that moment changed by life forever. The Society for Creative Anachronism (the SCA, the local chapter of the global organisation I saw that day) gave me continuity, community, structure, something special that fed all my nerdy interests and desires to be continuously learning and creating. So I joined the SCA that day. Thirteen years later I am still walking round in a fab dress, made by my own hands. But that moment when I found the SCA didn't just allow me to "find my people". Remember how I told a random person next to me what I wanted to do what those people-in-pretty-clothes were doing? THEY BECAME MY WIFE! It would be another year or so before we would actually "meet" and start to date, but after we did get together we realised that there were at least two occasions when we were in company with each other but didn't notice one another, we didn't click. But we did remember the occasions, and in March 2012 we actually started dating. Four years later we were married.
My very first cosplay was Elizabeth from Bioshock and I didn't know what I was doing. I made a skirt of tulle to fill it out underneath and my corset was falling apart at the convention, the people I was meant to go with canceled so I was paying for the hotel alone, but I was determined to go and walk around in my mess because I put so much work into it. Now I do mostly fantasy/renn fairs and have made three more corsets since, each better than the one more. The last one in a faux leather I had to hand stitch through. It is so rewarding to fail and learn. Your corset is stunning and neat as a pin. Well-deserved praise.
Your talk about starch reminded me of doily bowls that my mom used to make. She would crochet doilies out of cotton then starch the shit out of them, and drape them over a bowl. She would put little lightweight trinkets in them when I was a little kid. By the time I hit high school her tastes had change drastically. But I remember seeing cans of spray starch around the house as a little kid. Just wanted to say thank you for that - an oddly heartwarming memory spurred by this delightfully insightful video. My mom has ALS and hasn't been able to craft in years. She let me raid her stash for fabric when I first got started sewing. I don't have the money to fully get into historical sewing. And honestly my carpal tunnel makes hand sewing really difficult. But I voraciously consume historical costuming content regardless. 😂 EDIT: Oh goodness, that corset is beautiful!
Tiger tidbit on sewing corsets to make sure your waist lines match: instead of sewing your pieces together in one go, sew from the waist to the top/bottom. So it will take 2 passes to sew each seam. This is especially important when sewing for instznce the bust curve where you have a straighter edge matched with a curvier edge. It's much more accurate and can even help eliminate wrinkle lines in the finished project. Another hint for nice crisp and flat seams: use a clapper! This can also ensure you don't get iron marks on more delicate fabrics like silk. You can buy a clapper. Or you can talk your favorite handyman/ woodworker buddy into saving you a piece of dried raw wood and use that.
My first semi-historical costume was also Jane Porter! I read a lot about 19th century dresses but I couldnt figure out the structure of the skirt, so in the end it looked fine but it almost fell apart at the con. I didn't cosplay since the pandemic started but I really got into Pen and Paper and history-inspired fantasy clothing, which is where I also discovered Dungeon Meshi so now I'm looking into medieval dresses to make Marcille my first cosplay in 5 years!
this iceberg is like CATNIP to me - as an also transmasc nonbinary person who loves *gestures hand* vaguely historically inspired femme cosplays. and you were not kidding when you said you got some truly incredible costumers to chat w you! i've loved visciousfrockery and freshfrippery for what feels like forever lol - def checking out the other two now!! ! great vid
Omg, transmasc nonbinary with an _intense_ interest in vaguely historical and often-fem style here, too! It's the spiderman meme with all three of us lol.
Three things: 1. You’ve mentioned that the video isn’t performing the way you’d like, maybe it’s the length. As a viewer, 90 minutes is a little intimidating. 2. I love the message in this video. At the end of the day we just need to do us and not worry about everyone else. If you’re into super accurate historic methods, go for it! If you’re not, don’t stress it! We have to start where we’re at, go at our own pace, and do what works for us. No apologies needed and anyone who’s up your tail about how you’re doing something needs to mind their business. 3. I’m sharing this with my kids who are dabbling in sewing and cosplay. It’s such a valuable piece of content! Thank you!
I definitely agree with the first thing. It's a lot easier to watch 3 30-mintue videos than 1 90-minute one. Plus, the 30 minute videos can be more easily broken up across watch sessions, which can make them more accessible to busy people.
I say this with all of the love in my heart and gremlin type cheek for a distant internet stranger. Cowardice on 90 minutes being intimidating. That's laundry plus dishes, plus folding plus shower and maybe some gaming/sketching of choice! And I don't have to scroll often to change videos and break momentum! Again, I'm not trying to put anyone down, just being playful.
@@MinatheRaichu I appreciate your candor and gremlin cheek. I just don’t have 90 minutes to invest in a RUclips video. If I have the option of watching a 15 or 30 minute video that came up in my search, I’m going to watch them over a 90 minute video, and I’m going to skim through them to find the part I actually need. Plus, Im old, I have a family, I live in a large house with my many children, dishes and laundry take HOURS. For real, I’ve got three kids with pink eye right now and have been washing bedding since 6:00 this morning. 14 hours later and I’m still not all the way done. And I’m not watching RUclips in the shower. But I will watch when I’m hand sewing.
I watch a lot of long form content on RUclips. And not saying everyone should do this. But, I honestly pause videos in the middle and pick it up the next day all the time. I often break them up into several viewings.😊
Yeah the length was intimidating for me initially. Part of it I would say is also because the way we view the numbers. It’s like saying 300 seconds as compared to 5 minutes. I see three 30 minute videos, “yeah I can do that”, but when I an hour and a half, and suddenly that’s a really huge number! And yes I love the message in this video, I actually especially needed to hear it because of the headspace I worked myself into with the projects I’ve been working on.
When you're starting a new craft you should remember that your first thing will be a mess, but your THIRD thing will look good enough to fool laypeople.
I LOVED hearing all the different takes on cosplay and historical sewing. I haven't tried cosplay yet, but my interests definitely lay perfectly between them. It was so cool to hear different perspectives on the two!
I’m on my third mockup of my first corset, an 1886 Victorian riding corset, and my biggest inspiration is all the fabric I’ve found to make walking suits, lingerie dresses (white lace), etc. But to make a single ensemble I need to start with the undergarments and corset. It’s both exciting and annoying lol. And yes the Renaissance Faire was an awakening for me.
Oh man I wish I could leave like. An annotated list of my many many thoughts throughout this video because it truly got my brain percolating. I just spent six months building a gown that ended up accidentally being 1890s-based, because the historical rabbit hole is so real. (It's also mostly velvet and you're right, it's an evil evil fabric!!) All your underpinnings are looking gorgeous and I can't wait to see more of this outfit!
My first cosplay i sewed myself was with stretch velvet 😂. My most significant prior sewing experience before that was making a few silk pillow cases for myself and a silk bonnet for my future mother in law.
Oh god to this day that's still my most hated fabric. To be fair, I wasn't much better. My second cosplay had a sensitive silk like fabric, and my third was a stretch velvet with glitter
this is such an amazing video!! i LOVE historical cosplay and want to eventually get into it as well as lolita. been staring longingly at lolita fashion and it's subtypes for well over a decade now and i always get so excited to see historical inspired cosplay. neither is really feasible for me right now, i need to focus on getting my shit together mentally for one, but watching this really was inspiring! i found you through your lavender town witch shorts here on yt and it genuinely makes me so emotional and excited to see your progress, a lavender town witch historical cosplay is honestly everything i could dream of. i sketched out a ghost type gym leader sona design a few years ago with similar vibes of a different era (too vaguely historical to pinpoint, was just brainstorming) and honestly i'm living vicariously through you lmao i can't wait to see more from you!
The way I was thinking "Vic looks familiar, why is that" and then the witch hat cosplays came up! Very iconic to me as someone who's also cosplayed for that series :D
when I realized I wanted to bring on other people for this topic, I pretty much just immediately thought of these four people and that was it. I’m SO glad they all jumped on board!!
This was FANTASTIC. I love that you brought in all of these makers that I know (and Shasta is also local to me and is so wonderful!), and the things they added to this were wonderful. As someone who designs and makes costumes that translates known characters into historical period design, this video felt so up my alley.
When you were talking about hating the black and pink, i was thinking how much i love it, but that has everything to do with me having black as my favorite color. Black with just about any color makes me happy.
I’m so SO GLAD this video is finally real omg I feel like we were talking about this for ages ❤ Also your editing is peak like usual and the storytelling in this video is chefs kiss 🎉 TIME TO PLAN OUR NEXT ROUND OF SHENANIGANS 👀
Can't believe this is flopping?? So I came back to comment and help that out. Thank you for sharing not only this project, but also the trials and tribulations you hit along the way. We all hit those and it's nice to hear about them from someone whose craftmanship you admire (not that I'm happy you had them, but you know)
my biggest thing I have learned with time about sewing: IT'S OKAY IF YOUR THINGS LOOK HANDMADE!!!! Don't bother stressing about making it look "professional". Be proud of the fact that YOU MADE SOMETHING!!!! I've learned this specifically when I started making my own every day clothes. Handmade is okay, don't be embarrassed about wonky seams, fabric puckering or things like that. You made something wearable. You will improve with every project you make, but heck, even the most skilled people STILL make mistakes, take shortcuts because they just don't feel like doing this specific thing right now, or mess up a garment so badly it's not really wearable for them. Mistakes are crucial to learn how to get better at what you do. Now BE PROUD of what you make, and if you make mistakes? Embrace them, and do better next time!!
I'm working on a biblically accurate aziraphale cosplay (think cherub-seraphim wearing 1830s fashion), right now I'm just working on the design but I'm already neck deep in historical costuming. You're absolutely insane and a major inspiration.
Started this vid early noon and finally got back to it late evening, after a long day of finishing an assignment for uni. I really love it (the video, the whole costume and the progress) as someone who's interested in costuming and historical fashion. Thank you for always making great videos, they are always so creative (in editing style & video concept).
I'm just so glad you have continued on with this project. I know the yt algorithm hasn't been nice to this long-form video, but I want you to know I've fully enjoyed every minute! That corset is so gorgeous and really makes me want to get my butt in gear and make one of my own!
This video shook me to my core. The way you talk about making things as if it’s something revolutionary that you should be proud of actually reset my brain. I’ve been putting off the process of learning to sew, and this is the first thing that has made me feel like I might actually do it. Thank you!
This was SUCH a perfect video for me right now! I'm working on a few historical-inspired cosplays (no eras particularly, just frills! everywhere!) and this video was super inspiring!
Watching your videos in semi random order as I work on my first ever cosplay. The foam for the helmet for Mandalorian Kyoshi is now all cut out! Love the "dressing as any gender is crossdressing, so I might as well have fun with it" immaculate vibes!
This video is so inspiring! I've been jumping between four different costume ideas that have lived rent free in my head for a long time and they're each inspired by completely different time periods (like from Renaissance to the 1950s). I've been unsure of where to start and if people would even get it. But after hearing from you and your amazing guests in this video, I'm excited to dive right in!
Your videos have encouraged me to get back in to cosplay since hitting Pandemmy Burnout (tm). Thank you so much for your hard work, your amazing work, and the honestly about how exhausting and time consuming cosplay can be.
You know, this makes me miss my cosplay era (I stopped round about 2017, life happened), and have gotten more heavily into historical fashion in the last few years, and has led to me applying to my local university for an anthropology program for the coming semester. And you know, seeing this kind of wholesome shenanigan makes me homesick for the cringey, silly, most happy times of my teenage years. I doubt this is an origin story for me, but maybe its a lighthouse to follow back to shore. But also, I really wish you could have seen my reaction when you said "growing up in the late aughts". I definitely died a little when I aspirated my soda 😂😂😂😂
u rly hit me with the stay hydrated at the end and i heckin picked up my water bottle in realization i was Parched also this was an amazing video and i deeply enjoyed every minute of it, all the pieces you made look SO high quality and nice, but Especially the corset, i literally gasped at how pretty it came out
Love the references to Brennan in the beginning (and that you included the clip, even though my brain immediately snapped to that quote from the jump lol) and Bernadette Banner (love her!), and it feels great seeing other trans masc people in the historical fashion sphere without their skills only going towards specifcally masc-coded garments. Giving me the hope that one day I'll have the time and attention span to make myself some great itens that are specific to my taste
Gosh I have the same feeling about femme cosplays ;-; I love certain characters but I know that sometimes certain accuracies require some form adjustments. I wear loose clothes all the time and so cosplays that hug my figure make me feel really dysphoric
This was so fascinating and it's given me so much motivation and inspiration to keep going with how I cosplay, and it's been great company while sewing the boning channels on the 1760s stays i'm making as the base for a high fantasy evening gown❤❤❤
10/10 top tier content. I've been looking at doing a historically inspired build and this has given me so much valuable insight for the potential undergarments ❤
I loved this video it was really entertaining to watch, I pretty much didn’t know anything about historical fashion but I do love cosplay so mixing those two subjects was really interesting. Having guests really gave it a nice rythme too. I hope that you have a nice day ✨💜
masc people wearing dresses is so epic!!! i hope this will help others being more comfortable with making all outfits more gender-neutral, dresses can be for men and suits can be for women! as one of the girlies i 100% support this :] im at 1:07:11 rn and ive loved watching this whole process im so glad i made sure to watch it :]!!!
I just started watching all of your videos. My goodness this is at gorgeous corset. My wife and I are delving into the world of more skill intense cosplays and I’m loving the interpretations you have of characters!
I watched this entire video before I realized that I always thought I was a bit strange to be into sci-fi and video games and fantasy and also historical costuming but here are 5 people plus a few others who are just like me and that’s kind of nice ❤
I'm currently in the process of making a 1890s Gender bent Baron from Whisper of the heart/Cat Returns and it has been on my to do list for years. Finally took the plunge and i was most frustrated by a) finding any decent drafting instructions for a bustle pad- I ended up finding another cosplayer who had an outline with some measurements b) what design am I actually doing from the 1890s cus there is so much choice. I'm there 75% of the way for final design but glad to know I'm not the only one who got hit with the fear of historical clothing making
I had to blink a few times when you said you hadn't had top surgery yet, way to go on the binding. I was on the waitlist with the VA and got mine several months early (with only a week's notice ) and I was just having a reduction, the va doesn't do complete removal, but i was bigger than a k AND STILL GROWING, so due to medical reasons, they brought me somewhere to a DD. I bring this up because i'm gender fluid and one of the things about MY boobs was even when i was a female, I hated my stupid fing boobs, needing to buy 3x shirts just to make sure my stomach was covered was a problem considering I do not have that much funds. Which leads to another comment I want to say, that's kinda two fold is how one of your guest pointed out that while she found dressing up as a guy wrong, her friend found it right, and then one of you makes the comment about how people who cosplay learn to get comfortable with their body and their idenity because they have this safe place to explore, and I'm watching you and your male friend wearing dresses me as a girl, i fing HATE dresses and looking girly, but you want to know what i found out about my masc side (that the VA has even given me a prostestic for when i'm having dysforia down there)? my masc side is a little fem boy, no qualms dressing up, no qualms doing dramatic female makeup, as long as i have my right parts, i'm happy to pretend to be a girl. and you make me so fucking happy, because you are a guy, or at least masc, and sometimes you wear dresses, because you want to cosplay as that, and you act like its the most normal thing EVER and f* thank you so d* much for helping me, if a little, come to terms with I'm okay, this is normal. ... i come from an area where its not okay (they will tell you to your face that its fine, but talk s* behind your back about how much of a freak you are) and thank you, for being you, and for sharing you, and i wish you all the happiness
Being nearly a year post top surgery, I'm so excited for all the trans mascs out there to get theirs done! Its literally one of the best things I've ever done AND all the cool vests fit me!
As someone who’s finally pushing into sewing more after putting it off since my teens (and had a first and messy attempt in 2021) I’m glad I came across this video. It’s very helpful as a new sewist and due to my interest in Lolita fashion (and just history in general💀), I have found myself down the historical cosplay rabbit hole quite fast. This also introduced me to Sakizo more (I actually recently watch your History of Katsucon video and how Sakizo sparked the ball gown boom. I went this year for the first time, and now that I think about it, there were DEFINITELY a lot of ball gowns 😮. Hopefully one day in the future I can be able to join that~)
Hi I repair sewing machines and don't really sew terrifically well, however, after I first started watching your videos I got into just making things, ended up making a bag for my niece out of some random unicorn print I think it was upholstery fabric XD but the bottom was a napkin from daiso cut to fit. Gurl likes unicorns and cats, and I knew the mission. IDK if it seems weird or parasocial to say thank you, but thank you.
The interviews were amazing! I felt the same way as Shasta when I started sewing after hopping across a few different crafting hobbies and realizing I could stick with this one for the rest of my life. Also I used the exact same Morgan Donner video and welt-seam assembly method when I made the late-Victorian corset for my first femme cosplay as Ash from DIE. I used an Aranea Black pattern and had an amazing experience with it, but after helping a friend struggle with putting on her busks for years, I decided to use a metal separating zipper for the center front closure instead. 10/10 recommend, no regrets at all, I can put it on with no help needed!
I love all the starting advice. It is so not how I started! 😂 I sewed a vintage pattern; there were no markings, no lines, at one point it said to ease 7" of fabric into like 3", we called my grandma liek did they really do this crap; with vintage fabric; beautiful lightly metallic blue plaid, gave my mom vertigo, she was shouting directions from the kitchen floor because she couldn't be in the same room as the fabric; for the high-school play, and it went together beautifully. And I would have done it again in a heartbeat.
Having the friend that can say "Come out, do the thing you love, and if someones mean to you Ill punch them in the face" is such an underrated friend archetype. We need these friends!
oh no... oh no no no. I plan to attend a pretty posh ball which is also a larp in november. For this I need to build a new character with a new outfit and right now inspiration hits me like a basebal bat, while I have to study for the most important exam in three days. Oh no.
It's taken me a bit to sit down and watch this due to travel, but I'm so glad I finally did so. I think this is one of your best structured videos: the way you intercut each guest section was fantastic, the pacing of everything along with your humor was spot on, and I learned a few new things too!
👋 I don’t usually comment genuine stuff, but I genuinely love the way you talk about creativity and crafting! They’re well-worth the wait, especially now you have a backlog of stuff to rewatch! 😊
Watching this while working on a sewing project; thank you for introducing me to so many cool folks in the community! This format is a really wonderful way to jump someone into historical costuming. The different experiences that each artist had coming into the community, the ways their prior knowledge informs their work, it’s just 💜💜💜!! Seriously, super super cool video.
this is such a well put together video with incredible information and wonderful guests!!! I don't know if I enjoyed the actual cosplay making or the interviews more!!
I am so glad you posted this video, I really needed to see this! I’m also working on a cosplay project that is taking an extremely long time, and I’m also trying to approach it from a (sorta) historical point. However sometimes limiting yourself to only using “proper” techniques can be very restrictive for cosplay, and this has reassured me that it’s still okay to veer away from that and just use what makes sense/be creative!💜
It took me a bit to actually sit down and watch this video (sorry about your algorithm hit!) but it was worth it! Historical sewing has always super intimidated me. This video helped me feel a little less intimidated and a bit inspired! I would really love to cosplay Mergo's Wet Nurse and a Hunter from Bloodborne someday. A good mix of historical and monster!
Seconding the other commenter who recommended Scroop Patterns! Leimomi is a lovely person who puts a huge amount of work into grading and testing, writes extremely thorough instructions, and she has TWO Edwardian corset patterns!
I'm a supervisor for a library makerspace, and I can confirm I fucking love when cosplayers come in. Let me teach you 3D printing! Let me show you our laser printer and electronic die-cutting machine. Show me your cosplays! I wanna help. ❤❤❤
DS9 REFERENCE TREKKIES ASSEMBLE!!! Jokes aside loved this video, thank you for being you and existing in this space. I had a minor fangirl moment seeing some of favourite creators, and thanks to them all for coming on!
this entire thing is catered to my interests to the point it's scary. trans masc but "idgaf this skirt needs to SWOOSH". lavender everywhere. gaming. sewing. historical fashion. cosplay. sakizo mention. shakespeare mention! starting a giant project and getting overwhelmed by what it entails. starting specifically a historical (inspired) project, thinking "it doesn't need to be accurate, it just needs to get the point across", and then immediately falling down a rabbit hole of historical accuracy. brennan lee mulligan mention. scary concept but with cute vibes. embroidery. DINO SHIRT. etc. Edit: Oh god a purple shirt of sex mention in our year of the lord 2024?
Thank you. I enjoy your videos because I not only get to see beautiful things, but I get to see the care and love that went into making them; the anger and frustration too. I also enjoy how through you are in describing everything to help me learn along the way. To me, you are an Icon in cosplay, historical fashion, and just overall craftwork in general; it's kind of bold but even though you might not call yourself a professional, you are learning; and that takes gut to throw yourself into. You are a true example of what it takes to learn new skills and jump into new things despite not being "fully prepared". So, I applaud you for that and I thank you for sharing. Also what a gorgeous Corset!! o(>^
When you mentioned having top surgery in the next two years i was like what? I just assumed you already had it done. Your binding skills are immaculate
oh this makes me so glad to read LOL thank you!!!
@@HeyLizardLeighHonestly same, even though you do cosplay projects tiddies rarely come to mind.
fr I was like "does top surgery refer to addition too? I thought it was just removal, and I thought they didn't use femme pronouns-- wait, they said trans MASC, they haven't had it yet?" 😂 whole roller coaster right there hahaha
@@blaireshoe8738it does btw. Top surgery is a general term used in all parts of the trans community just like bottom surgery.
Omg i totally see what you mean
This video is so very on the nose for me rn. I just went from "oh this doesn't need to be historically accurate I just want to achieve vaguely an edwardian silhouette." To many hours of reading about lace inlay in combinations at an absolutely break neck pace😅
boy howdy have I been there!!
I love historical undergarments and making combinations are my FAVORITE to make
when you said “i’m one person with one singular perspective” i thought you were gonna say “one singular brain/braincell” but tbh perspective makes way more sense
honestly both are completely accurate
@@HeyLizardLeighi watched the video and then completely forgot to recommend patterns: there’s quite a few drafting manuals online. there’s one that’s something along the lines of “sewing and home dressmaking” that has a bunch of undergarment patterns (including a pair of combinations) and the first and second patterns of fashion books are really good for the top layer clothing items
Vicious Frockery is a legendary tier username
"It's plant on plant. You want plant on plant. Plant on plastic: nothing happens. Science!" 😂 love it
this interview was sOOOO much fun, thank you so much for having me! also i will never forget the purple-grey swap from here on out, i ALWAYS thought it was purple!
an honor and a PRIVILEGE to have your wisdom, your soutache secrets, your bloodborne lore, etc 💜
The corset making here is so freaking good I was GLUED to my screen admiring the stitching and how everything looks so CRISP!
eeeee thank you SO MUCH for watching friend!!
Still watching, but had to let you know the Brennan monologue clip made me laugh out loud-We are all pod people!!
Finished the video now!
This was amazing and beautiful-both in the wisdom and sense of community from your wonderful guests, to the way you told your story,
I love how you are able to weave these narratives into your projects that are personal, relatable, and speak to the wider ecosystem of the costuming / cosplay community 💜
The 221B dress was you?? I had no idea! That's wild.
Thanks for another absolute banger of a video, Lizard. Your storytelling is immaculate, and I'm so inspired to go make some historical cosplay
truly the ancienct lore has been revealed- thank you!!
I laughed so much when @freshfrippery spoke about how they joined a costume group. I was at a University O-Day in 2011, where all the clubs and organisations set up recruitment stalls and displays. I saw a few people walk by in 16thC outfits (mostly kirtles). I looked at them, turned to the random person on my left, and I said "That's what I want I want to do!" I had no idea what they did as a club, I just knew I wanted to wear and make those pretty clothes. Without know, that moment changed by life forever.
The Society for Creative Anachronism (the SCA, the local chapter of the global organisation I saw that day) gave me continuity, community, structure, something special that fed all my nerdy interests and desires to be continuously learning and creating. So I joined the SCA that day. Thirteen years later I am still walking round in a fab dress, made by my own hands.
But that moment when I found the SCA didn't just allow me to "find my people". Remember how I told a random person next to me what I wanted to do what those people-in-pretty-clothes were doing?
THEY BECAME MY WIFE!
It would be another year or so before we would actually "meet" and start to date, but after we did get together we realised that there were at least two occasions when we were in company with each other but didn't notice one another, we didn't click. But we did remember the occasions, and in March 2012 we actually started dating. Four years later we were married.
that's amazing and i love that
"M'Lizard"??? I lov
stayed for more deep dark lizard secrets aka the 2013 Tumblr backstory reveal
we truly all made some choices in 2013
@@HeyLizardLeighi know i sure did!
Just got top surgery yesterday and am definitely appreciating having this to watch/listen to while recovering!
Congrats and have a good recovery with this cool vid
My very first cosplay was Elizabeth from Bioshock and I didn't know what I was doing. I made a skirt of tulle to fill it out underneath and my corset was falling apart at the convention, the people I was meant to go with canceled so I was paying for the hotel alone, but I was determined to go and walk around in my mess because I put so much work into it.
Now I do mostly fantasy/renn fairs and have made three more corsets since, each better than the one more. The last one in a faux leather I had to hand stitch through. It is so rewarding to fail and learn.
Your corset is stunning and neat as a pin. Well-deserved praise.
Your talk about starch reminded me of doily bowls that my mom used to make. She would crochet doilies out of cotton then starch the shit out of them, and drape them over a bowl. She would put little lightweight trinkets in them when I was a little kid.
By the time I hit high school her tastes had change drastically. But I remember seeing cans of spray starch around the house as a little kid.
Just wanted to say thank you for that - an oddly heartwarming memory spurred by this delightfully insightful video. My mom has ALS and hasn't been able to craft in years. She let me raid her stash for fabric when I first got started sewing.
I don't have the money to fully get into historical sewing. And honestly my carpal tunnel makes hand sewing really difficult. But I voraciously consume historical costuming content regardless. 😂
EDIT: Oh goodness, that corset is beautiful!
52:05 "I've done plenty of crimes with interfacing, use whatever fabric you want"😂 I'm adding this to my mottos!
Tiger tidbit on sewing corsets to make sure your waist lines match: instead of sewing your pieces together in one go, sew from the waist to the top/bottom. So it will take 2 passes to sew each seam. This is especially important when sewing for instznce the bust curve where you have a straighter edge matched with a curvier edge. It's much more accurate and can even help eliminate wrinkle lines in the finished project.
Another hint for nice crisp and flat seams: use a clapper! This can also ensure you don't get iron marks on more delicate fabrics like silk. You can buy a clapper. Or you can talk your favorite handyman/ woodworker buddy into saving you a piece of dried raw wood and use that.
My first semi-historical costume was also Jane Porter! I read a lot about 19th century dresses but I couldnt figure out the structure of the skirt, so in the end it looked fine but it almost fell apart at the con. I didn't cosplay since the pandemic started but I really got into Pen and Paper and history-inspired fantasy clothing, which is where I also discovered Dungeon Meshi so now I'm looking into medieval dresses to make Marcille my first cosplay in 5 years!
the jane porter design is SO weird like why does she have a bustle when everyone else looks edwardian 😭 and ahh yay that's wonderful!
43:36 oh, my God, I have the same corset pattern. This is the corset pattern that I used to make my very first corset!
this iceberg is like CATNIP to me - as an also transmasc nonbinary person who loves *gestures hand* vaguely historically inspired femme cosplays. and you were not kidding when you said you got some truly incredible costumers to chat w you! i've loved visciousfrockery and freshfrippery for what feels like forever lol - def checking out the other two now!! ! great vid
Omg, transmasc nonbinary with an _intense_ interest in vaguely historical and often-fem style here, too! It's the spiderman meme with all three of us lol.
I gotta join the spiderman huddle here, I love it
@@KelpieRider welcome, friendo!!
Three things:
1. You’ve mentioned that the video isn’t performing the way you’d like, maybe it’s the length. As a viewer, 90 minutes is a little intimidating.
2. I love the message in this video. At the end of the day we just need to do us and not worry about everyone else. If you’re into super accurate historic methods, go for it! If you’re not, don’t stress it! We have to start where we’re at, go at our own pace, and do what works for us. No apologies needed and anyone who’s up your tail about how you’re doing something needs to mind their business.
3. I’m sharing this with my kids who are dabbling in sewing and cosplay. It’s such a valuable piece of content!
Thank you!
I definitely agree with the first thing. It's a lot easier to watch 3 30-mintue videos than 1 90-minute one. Plus, the 30 minute videos can be more easily broken up across watch sessions, which can make them more accessible to busy people.
I say this with all of the love in my heart and gremlin type cheek for a distant internet stranger.
Cowardice on 90 minutes being intimidating. That's laundry plus dishes, plus folding plus shower and maybe some gaming/sketching of choice! And I don't have to scroll often to change videos and break momentum!
Again, I'm not trying to put anyone down, just being playful.
@@MinatheRaichu I appreciate your candor and gremlin cheek.
I just don’t have 90 minutes to invest in a RUclips video. If I have the option of watching a 15 or 30 minute video that came up in my search, I’m going to watch them over a 90 minute video, and I’m going to skim through them to find the part I actually need.
Plus, Im old, I have a family, I live in a large house with my many children, dishes and laundry take HOURS. For real, I’ve got three kids with pink eye right now and have been washing bedding since 6:00 this morning. 14 hours later and I’m still not all the way done. And I’m not watching RUclips in the shower. But I will watch when I’m hand sewing.
I watch a lot of long form content on RUclips. And not saying everyone should do this. But, I honestly pause videos in the middle and pick it up the next day all the time. I often break them up into several viewings.😊
Yeah the length was intimidating for me initially. Part of it I would say is also because the way we view the numbers. It’s like saying 300 seconds as compared to 5 minutes. I see three 30 minute videos, “yeah I can do that”, but when I an hour and a half, and suddenly that’s a really huge number!
And yes I love the message in this video, I actually especially needed to hear it because of the headspace I worked myself into with the projects I’ve been working on.
When you're starting a new craft you should remember that your first thing will be a mess, but your THIRD thing will look good enough to fool laypeople.
blugh i just gotta get to the third thing
I LOVED hearing all the different takes on cosplay and historical sewing. I haven't tried cosplay yet, but my interests definitely lay perfectly between them. It was so cool to hear different perspectives on the two!
I’m on my third mockup of my first corset, an 1886 Victorian riding corset, and my biggest inspiration is all the fabric I’ve found to make walking suits, lingerie dresses (white lace), etc. But to make a single ensemble I need to start with the undergarments and corset. It’s both exciting and annoying lol. And yes the Renaissance Faire was an awakening for me.
Oh man I wish I could leave like. An annotated list of my many many thoughts throughout this video because it truly got my brain percolating. I just spent six months building a gown that ended up accidentally being 1890s-based, because the historical rabbit hole is so real. (It's also mostly velvet and you're right, it's an evil evil fabric!!) All your underpinnings are looking gorgeous and I can't wait to see more of this outfit!
Thank you so much for having me in your video! I had so much fun chatting with you!
it was a DELIGHT to have you!!! thank you for taking the time and sharing your wonderful work!!
@@HeyLizardLeigh I'm always happy to talk about fabric and nerd stuff haha!
Also for your padding there's like the victorian version of cutlets that you can make to just shove in your corset.
Engineering Knit made one!❤
My first cosplay i sewed myself was with stretch velvet 😂. My most significant prior sewing experience before that was making a few silk pillow cases for myself and a silk bonnet for my future mother in law.
Oh god to this day that's still my most hated fabric. To be fair, I wasn't much better. My second cosplay had a sensitive silk like fabric, and my third was a stretch velvet with glitter
*grabs Knitting.* let’s do this.
this is such an amazing video!! i LOVE historical cosplay and want to eventually get into it as well as lolita. been staring longingly at lolita fashion and it's subtypes for well over a decade now and i always get so excited to see historical inspired cosplay. neither is really feasible for me right now, i need to focus on getting my shit together mentally for one, but watching this really was inspiring! i found you through your lavender town witch shorts here on yt and it genuinely makes me so emotional and excited to see your progress, a lavender town witch historical cosplay is honestly everything i could dream of. i sketched out a ghost type gym leader sona design a few years ago with similar vibes of a different era (too vaguely historical to pinpoint, was just brainstorming) and honestly i'm living vicariously through you lmao i can't wait to see more from you!
Bernadette Senpai inspires again.❤
That bustle pad is pure vibes.
P.s. I LOVE your top so much.
The way I was thinking "Vic looks familiar, why is that" and then the witch hat cosplays came up! Very iconic to me as someone who's also cosplayed for that series :D
"dual wield needle nose pliers"
i love these guests! truly top tier. i guess it's unsurprising you would have such cool friends lol
when I realized I wanted to bring on other people for this topic, I pretty much just immediately thought of these four people and that was it. I’m SO glad they all jumped on board!!
This was FANTASTIC. I love that you brought in all of these makers that I know (and Shasta is also local to me and is so wonderful!), and the things they added to this were wonderful. As someone who designs and makes costumes that translates known characters into historical period design, this video felt so up my alley.
When you were talking about hating the black and pink, i was thinking how much i love it, but that has everything to do with me having black as my favorite color. Black with just about any color makes me happy.
I’m so SO GLAD this video is finally real omg I feel like we were talking about this for ages ❤ Also your editing is peak like usual and the storytelling in this video is chefs kiss 🎉 TIME TO PLAN OUR NEXT ROUND OF SHENANIGANS 👀
A DELIGHT AND AN HONOR to have you on!!! so so glad the video is finally OUT and not just something we're talking about hehe
Can't believe this is flopping?? So I came back to comment and help that out.
Thank you for sharing not only this project, but also the trials and tribulations you hit along the way. We all hit those and it's nice to hear about them from someone whose craftmanship you admire (not that I'm happy you had them, but you know)
my biggest thing I have learned with time about sewing: IT'S OKAY IF YOUR THINGS LOOK HANDMADE!!!! Don't bother stressing about making it look "professional". Be proud of the fact that YOU MADE SOMETHING!!!!
I've learned this specifically when I started making my own every day clothes. Handmade is okay, don't be embarrassed about wonky seams, fabric puckering or things like that. You made something wearable. You will improve with every project you make, but heck, even the most skilled people STILL make mistakes, take shortcuts because they just don't feel like doing this specific thing right now, or mess up a garment so badly it's not really wearable for them.
Mistakes are crucial to learn how to get better at what you do.
Now BE PROUD of what you make, and if you make mistakes? Embrace them, and do better next time!!
I'm working on a biblically accurate aziraphale cosplay (think cherub-seraphim wearing 1830s fashion), right now I'm just working on the design but I'm already neck deep in historical costuming. You're absolutely insane and a major inspiration.
Started this vid early noon and finally got back to it late evening, after a long day of finishing an assignment for uni. I really love it (the video, the whole costume and the progress) as someone who's interested in costuming and historical fashion. Thank you for always making great videos, they are always so creative (in editing style & video concept).
I'm just so glad you have continued on with this project. I know the yt algorithm hasn't been nice to this long-form video, but I want you to know I've fully enjoyed every minute! That corset is so gorgeous and really makes me want to get my butt in gear and make one of my own!
This video shook me to my core. The way you talk about making things as if it’s something revolutionary that you should be proud of actually reset my brain. I’ve been putting off the process of learning to sew, and this is the first thing that has made me feel like I might actually do it. Thank you!
This was SUCH a perfect video for me right now! I'm working on a few historical-inspired cosplays (no eras particularly, just frills! everywhere!) and this video was super inspiring!
Watching your videos in semi random order as I work on my first ever cosplay. The foam for the helmet for Mandalorian Kyoshi is now all cut out!
Love the "dressing as any gender is crossdressing, so I might as well have fun with it" immaculate vibes!
This video is so inspiring! I've been jumping between four different costume ideas that have lived rent free in my head for a long time and they're each inspired by completely different time periods (like from Renaissance to the 1950s). I've been unsure of where to start and if people would even get it. But after hearing from you and your amazing guests in this video, I'm excited to dive right in!
Your videos have encouraged me to get back in to cosplay since hitting Pandemmy Burnout (tm). Thank you so much for your hard work, your amazing work, and the honestly about how exhausting and time consuming cosplay can be.
You know, this makes me miss my cosplay era (I stopped round about 2017, life happened), and have gotten more heavily into historical fashion in the last few years, and has led to me applying to my local university for an anthropology program for the coming semester.
And you know, seeing this kind of wholesome shenanigan makes me homesick for the cringey, silly, most happy times of my teenage years.
I doubt this is an origin story for me, but maybe its a lighthouse to follow back to shore.
But also, I really wish you could have seen my reaction when you said "growing up in the late aughts". I definitely died a little when I aspirated my soda 😂😂😂😂
11:03 oh this is so awesome the PA ren faire was how I got started in cosplay!!! (me and my friends dressed up as pirates lolll)
that corset is SO GORGEOUS, like legit looks really professional🫶🫶
u rly hit me with the stay hydrated at the end and i heckin picked up my water bottle in realization i was Parched
also this was an amazing video and i deeply enjoyed every minute of it, all the pieces you made look SO high quality and nice, but Especially the corset, i literally gasped at how pretty it came out
Love the references to Brennan in the beginning (and that you included the clip, even though my brain immediately snapped to that quote from the jump lol) and Bernadette Banner (love her!), and it feels great seeing other trans masc people in the historical fashion sphere without their skills only going towards specifcally masc-coded garments. Giving me the hope that one day I'll have the time and attention span to make myself some great itens that are specific to my taste
Gosh I have the same feeling about femme cosplays ;-; I love certain characters but I know that sometimes certain accuracies require some form adjustments. I wear loose clothes all the time and so cosplays that hug my figure make me feel really dysphoric
as a gaming nerd and history graduate, this content is basically tailor made for me
This was so fascinating and it's given me so much motivation and inspiration to keep going with how I cosplay, and it's been great company while sewing the boning channels on the 1760s stays i'm making as the base for a high fantasy evening gown❤❤❤
damn, the details and finish on that corset are breathtaking! Truely a show of how far you have come since you made the first one!
10/10 top tier content. I've been looking at doing a historically inspired build and this has given me so much valuable insight for the potential undergarments ❤
This video (and honestly the whole build) is such a vibe, I keep coming back to this one while I'm crafting. Thank you for all you do
I love this especially when you brought up the topic so age in cosplay. Seeing the similarities between historical and cosplay was super cool.
Scroop Patterns are great and have very thorough instructions with historical context info included!
I loved this video it was really entertaining to watch, I pretty much didn’t know anything about historical fashion but I do love cosplay so mixing those two subjects was really interesting. Having guests really gave it a nice rythme too. I hope that you have a nice day ✨💜
lizard i need to thank u for getting me into dimension 20 by accident and i completely forgot about it until u mentioned pod people
Watching this while getting my final year University costume project done, it’s given me the motivation to work on it. Love the video and thank you ❤❤
masc people wearing dresses is so epic!!! i hope this will help others being more comfortable with making all outfits more gender-neutral, dresses can be for men and suits can be for women! as one of the girlies i 100% support this :]
im at 1:07:11 rn and ive loved watching this whole process im so glad i made sure to watch it :]!!!
Bernadette-Senpai SENT me into a laughing fit😂
All of the interviews were so cool! Awesome to learn more about historical fashion and see all of the amazing projects everyone has made!
Isn't embroidery fun? I'm mostly a cross-stitcher and keep saying I'm going to learn traditional embroidery.
it was SOO much fun to learn
I just started watching all of your videos. My goodness this is at gorgeous corset. My wife and I are delving into the world of more skill intense cosplays and I’m loving the interpretations you have of characters!
I watched this entire video before I realized that I always thought I was a bit strange to be into sci-fi and video games and fantasy and also historical costuming but here are 5 people plus a few others who are just like me and that’s kind of nice ❤
I'm currently in the process of making a 1890s Gender bent Baron from Whisper of the heart/Cat Returns and it has been on my to do list for years. Finally took the plunge and i was most frustrated by a) finding any decent drafting instructions for a bustle pad- I ended up finding another cosplayer who had an outline with some measurements b) what design am I actually doing from the 1890s cus there is so much choice. I'm there 75% of the way for final design but glad to know I'm not the only one who got hit with the fear of historical clothing making
I had to blink a few times when you said you hadn't had top surgery yet, way to go on the binding. I was on the waitlist with the VA and got mine several months early (with only a week's notice ) and I was just having a reduction, the va doesn't do complete removal, but i was bigger than a k AND STILL GROWING, so due to medical reasons, they brought me somewhere to a DD.
I bring this up because i'm gender fluid and one of the things about MY boobs was even when i was a female, I hated my stupid fing boobs, needing to buy 3x shirts just to make sure my stomach was covered was a problem considering I do not have that much funds.
Which leads to another comment I want to say, that's kinda two fold is how one of your guest pointed out that while she found dressing up as a guy wrong, her friend found it right, and then one of you makes the comment about how people who cosplay learn to get comfortable with their body and their idenity because they have this safe place to explore, and I'm watching you and your male friend wearing dresses
me as a girl, i fing HATE dresses and looking girly, but you want to know what i found out about my masc side (that the VA has even given me a prostestic for when i'm having dysforia down there)? my masc side is a little fem boy, no qualms dressing up, no qualms doing dramatic female makeup, as long as i have my right parts, i'm happy to pretend to be a girl.
and you make me so fucking happy, because you are a guy, or at least masc, and sometimes you wear dresses, because you want to cosplay as that, and you act like its the most normal thing EVER and f* thank you so d* much for helping me, if a little, come to terms with I'm okay, this is normal.
... i come from an area where its not okay (they will tell you to your face that its fine, but talk s* behind your back about how much of a freak you are) and
thank you, for being you, and for sharing you, and i wish you all the happiness
Being nearly a year post top surgery, I'm so excited for all the trans mascs out there to get theirs done! Its literally one of the best things I've ever done AND all the cool vests fit me!
As someone who’s finally pushing into sewing more after putting it off since my teens (and had a first and messy attempt in 2021) I’m glad I came across this video. It’s very helpful as a new sewist and due to my interest in Lolita fashion (and just history in general💀), I have found myself down the historical cosplay rabbit hole quite fast.
This also introduced me to Sakizo more (I actually recently watch your History of Katsucon video and how Sakizo sparked the ball gown boom. I went this year for the first time, and now that I think about it, there were DEFINITELY a lot of ball gowns 😮. Hopefully one day in the future I can be able to join that~)
Love the video! Amazing guests and very impressive work
That final corset looks incredible 😮 Fits perfectly and the fashion layer is smooooooth.
this is such a cool video! Been a busy few weeks for me so I only got around to watching it now but I feel like I’ve learned so much lol
ok let me go through all my socials to follow four new people🏃🏻🏃🏻
Hi I repair sewing machines and don't really sew terrifically well, however, after I first started watching your videos I got into just making things, ended up making a bag for my niece out of some random unicorn print I think it was upholstery fabric XD but the bottom was a napkin from daiso cut to fit. Gurl likes unicorns and cats, and I knew the mission. IDK if it seems weird or parasocial to say thank you, but thank you.
The interviews were amazing! I felt the same way as Shasta when I started sewing after hopping across a few different crafting hobbies and realizing I could stick with this one for the rest of my life.
Also I used the exact same Morgan Donner video and welt-seam assembly method when I made the late-Victorian corset for my first femme cosplay as Ash from DIE. I used an Aranea Black pattern and had an amazing experience with it, but after helping a friend struggle with putting on her busks for years, I decided to use a metal separating zipper for the center front closure instead. 10/10 recommend, no regrets at all, I can put it on with no help needed!
You weren't entirely wrong about the starch-corn association - the most commonly used starch is corn starch, for cooking!!
I already spend way too much time playing stardew valley and these sound effects are only fueling my addiction
I love all the starting advice. It is so not how I started! 😂
I sewed a vintage pattern; there were no markings, no lines, at one point it said to ease 7" of fabric into like 3", we called my grandma liek did they really do this crap; with vintage fabric; beautiful lightly metallic blue plaid, gave my mom vertigo, she was shouting directions from the kitchen floor because she couldn't be in the same room as the fabric; for the high-school play, and it went together beautifully. And I would have done it again in a heartbeat.
Having the friend that can say "Come out, do the thing you love, and if someones mean to you Ill punch them in the face" is such an underrated friend archetype. We need these friends!
oh no... oh no no no. I plan to attend a pretty posh ball which is also a larp in november. For this I need to build a new character with a new outfit and right now inspiration hits me like a basebal bat, while I have to study for the most important exam in three days. Oh no.
It's taken me a bit to sit down and watch this due to travel, but I'm so glad I finally did so. I think this is one of your best structured videos: the way you intercut each guest section was fantastic, the pacing of everything along with your humor was spot on, and I learned a few new things too!
Heck yeah so here for this!!!! 🎉❤
not only are you an amazing cosplayer and crafter, but an amazing storyteller as well, this video was so fun and informative to watch
I really love these styles of videos! also its okay to not film everything! first and foremost should be what makes you happy!
👋 I don’t usually comment genuine stuff, but I genuinely love the way you talk about creativity and crafting! They’re well-worth the wait, especially now you have a backlog of stuff to rewatch! 😊
this really means a lot to me, since I've worked so hard on all my older videos so people can have a backlog to watch !
Watching this while working on a sewing project; thank you for introducing me to so many cool folks in the community! This format is a really wonderful way to jump someone into historical costuming. The different experiences that each artist had coming into the community, the ways their prior knowledge informs their work, it’s just 💜💜💜!! Seriously, super super cool video.
absolutely loved this videeo
this is such a well put together video with incredible information and wonderful guests!!! I don't know if I enjoyed the actual cosplay making or the interviews more!!
I am so glad you posted this video, I really needed to see this! I’m also working on a cosplay project that is taking an extremely long time, and I’m also trying to approach it from a (sorta) historical point. However sometimes limiting yourself to only using “proper” techniques can be very restrictive for cosplay, and this has reassured me that it’s still okay to veer away from that and just use what makes sense/be creative!💜
It took me a bit to actually sit down and watch this video (sorry about your algorithm hit!) but it was worth it! Historical sewing has always super intimidated me. This video helped me feel a little less intimidated and a bit inspired! I would really love to cosplay Mergo's Wet Nurse and a Hunter from Bloodborne someday. A good mix of historical and monster!
Seconding the other commenter who recommended Scroop Patterns! Leimomi is a lovely person who puts a huge amount of work into grading and testing, writes extremely thorough instructions, and she has TWO Edwardian corset patterns!
I'm a supervisor for a library makerspace, and I can confirm I fucking love when cosplayers come in. Let me teach you 3D printing! Let me show you our laser printer and electronic die-cutting machine. Show me your cosplays! I wanna help. ❤❤❤
DS9 REFERENCE TREKKIES ASSEMBLE!!!
Jokes aside loved this video, thank you for being you and existing in this space. I had a minor fangirl moment seeing some of favourite creators, and thanks to them all for coming on!
this entire thing is catered to my interests to the point it's scary.
trans masc but "idgaf this skirt needs to SWOOSH". lavender everywhere. gaming. sewing. historical fashion. cosplay. sakizo mention. shakespeare mention! starting a giant project and getting overwhelmed by what it entails. starting specifically a historical (inspired) project, thinking "it doesn't need to be accurate, it just needs to get the point across", and then immediately falling down a rabbit hole of historical accuracy. brennan lee mulligan mention. scary concept but with cute vibes. embroidery. DINO SHIRT. etc.
Edit: Oh god a purple shirt of sex mention in our year of the lord 2024?
OMG HI! I’M A BIG FAN OF HISTORICAL CLOTHING
Thank you.
I enjoy your videos because I not only get to see beautiful things, but I get to see the care and love that went into making them; the anger and frustration too. I also enjoy how through you are in describing everything to help me learn along the way. To me, you are an Icon in cosplay, historical fashion, and just overall craftwork in general; it's kind of bold but even though you might not call yourself a professional, you are learning; and that takes gut to throw yourself into. You are a true example of what it takes to learn new skills and jump into new things despite not being "fully prepared". So, I applaud you for that and I thank you for sharing.
Also what a gorgeous Corset!! o(>^