Solstice outfits for 2011

Some new additions to the Solstice 'sparkle' party outfits this year - I knitted myself a purple sparkly frilly scarf in one of those tape yarns and made a new shiny coat for Glyn (not quite finished - leather lapels need sorting out and topstitching), while he did a new version of the top hat he had when he was in Clerical Error Morris.

The coat is a cross between a bike jacket and a Victorian frock coat, based loosely on a frock coat pattern by Laughing Moon Mercantile - this is the pattern. Being a multi size pattern and having both single and double breasted versions on the same tissue sheets didn't make the pattern easy to follow,with much consulting between instruction sheet and pattern tissues, plus some of the info re details like the back pleats was quite tricky to do - partly this was because of the prequilted synthetic fabric, which is quite shiny, and the wadding didn't make it hang well at first. The pattern did note that the construction isn't 100% authentic Victorian tailoring which may be why I found it confusing. As we were using prequilted fabric, with quite high loft poly wadding, I cut it with the 42in pattern for 40in chest fitting, but needed to taper in the side waist seams and the sleeve seams by about an inch for a decent fit. This was sewn on the new Bernina 220, mainly with the walking foot.


Instead of buttons, the front and sleeves close with metal bike jacket zips, really nice chunky ones.


Glyn trimmed his top hat with pheasant and peacock tail feathers, and recycled a 1920s ermine collar as a hat band. There's very large paste brooch on the back, where the ends of the collar cross over. The tinsel is just for the sparkle party.


A few scenes from the mummer's play - Sir John of the Thumbs of Denbigh town slays the dragon -


- and is challenged by Bold Gareth -


- before Beelzebub threatens to drag them both down to the grave (good view of hat!) -



With our host, Denise -


I need to finish the leather lapels properly, removing some of the bulk of the quilted fabric from the inside seams and topstitching, but there wasn't time to make a good job of it on Saturday. A large silver skull and crossbones metal stamping will go on each lapel and the lining has a skull and crossbones pattern as well.

Happy Solstice everyone!