All Steam Ahead 2021 – Mad Hatter Preparations Part 3

 All Steam Ahead 2021 – Mad Hatter Preparations Part 3

This is a nice quick blog. Adding Cogs.

Add Cut out Cogs

 

I started to Glue the Cut out Cogs to the Hat. I had made quite a few of them now and of different Sizes. For some reason the Base Covering had left a lot of Glue Residue. I wanted to Cover as much of this as possible.

Add Cogs other Side

 

Once I had added a Bottom Layer of Cogs one Side I turned the Hat around and carried on adding.

Add Metal Centre

 

The Black Cog Shapes were only the Silhouette. To give them a proper Cog look I Glued a Metal Washer to the Centre of Each Cog Shape.

Front Right

 

After doing the Bottom Layer I started to fill in the Gaps with more Cogs. 

Front Left

 

When I was satisfied with one Side I moved on to the other. 

Top Cogs

I had used up all the Cogs I had made so I had to make some more before I could add to the Top. I also had to add a few more to the Back of the Hat.

Out of Zone Accessories 2020 Part 4

Out of Zone Accessories 2020 Part 4

I am on the last stretch of my Accessories. I am going to make a Bracelet.

Pocket Chain

 

I have one Pocket Chain left. I linked it together to form the basis of my Bracelet.

Dirty Washer

I wanted a good selection of items to put on my Bracelet as Charms. I happened upon this one in the street.

Clean Washer

After a spot of scrubbing the Washer came up much cleaner. This is going to be the Centre Piece of the Bracelet.

Looped through Washer

 

I took a length of Copper Wire and Folded it and placed the Loop through the Washer.

Pull through Washer

 

I pulled the Wire through the Loop until it was tight.

1^st Washer Tied

 

 

Once the Washer was secure I Threaded the two Wires through the Bracelet. I Trimmed the Length and Wound the Wire back on itself to secure it.

I placed this particular Washer near to the join of the Pocket Chain. This Washer is both the largest and the heaviest so would anchor it underneath the Wrist when worn.

Completed Charms

 

I continued adding different sized and coloured Washers at intervals on the lower half of the Bracelet. I didn’t want them all the way around because the Copper wire would make it stiff and therefore uncomfortable.

Steampunk Set

 

In the above Photograph I have my completed Steampunk Set.

Out of Zone Accessories 2020 Part 1

 Out of Zone Accessories 2020 Part 1

Continuing on from Out of Zone Mask 2020

I couldn’t just stop at the Mask. I had to Accessorise. I had tonnes of Copper Wire already Plaited so all I needed was the inspiration.

Copper and Cog

 

I hadn’t used all the Cogs up on the Mask as sometimes less is more. The little beauty in the above photograph was dying to be used.

I therefore made a Knot in one end of the Wire and slipped it through one of the Cogs holes.

First Washer 

The next part was slightly trickier. I Looped the Wire through the Washer and pulled firm. I had to undo and redo this several times to get the Distance that I wanted between the Cog and the Washer. I then ran the Wire under its back then Looped it again around the other side.

Second Washer

 

Now I had one Washer in Place I repeated the process with another Washer. I am not putting any more on since they are metal and I don’t want it to be too heavy.

Earring Hoop

 

Earring Hoops were the one thing I didn’t have so I ended up buying a job lot off eBay. I sorted out which colour looked best then slipped the Wire through the Hole. I then Cut the Wire and Wound it back upon itself.

I made the other one and tried them on. They weren’t only still pretty light but also looked Fabulous!

Out of Zone Mask 2020 Part 6

 Out of Zone Mask 2020 Part 6

Phew it is the final furlong of this Mask.

Add Elastic

 

In order to wear the Mask I had to add some Elastic. The Metal materials and Back Patch added to the Weight of the Mask. Therefore I decided to use a slightly Thicker piece of Elastic to compensate. I Folded over one End and Sewed it at the Bottom of the Mask where the Washers and Chains are.

10cm Elastic

 

The next part was real fun. Trying to Measure the Length of Elastic required wasn’t easy. I managed to scratch my Face when I tried to Pin it in place whilst having it wrapped around my Ear.

Eventually I got a Measurement of 10 centimetres. This includes the amount to be Folded back on itself prior to Sewing.

Sew Mask Bottom

 

After repeating the process on the opposite side I decided that this would be a good time to add the Backing. I therefore Sewed the Back along the Bottom.

Sew Top of Ear

 

After Sewing the Bottom I began to Sew up the Sides of the Mask leaving a good inch at the Top.

I added the Elastic that would go over the Top of my Ear then continued Sewing up the rest of the Side. This was then repeated with the other piece of Elastic.

Finished Mask

Here we have the Finished Mask. It has been washed and pressed even if it doesn’t look it. The Back Patch is causing a few wrinkles but I will definitely be able to iron those out in time.

N.B.

Many thanks to Laura of https://www.alyssa-rose.co.uk/ for her much need advice.

 

Out of Zone Mask 2020 Part 5

Out of Zone Mask 2020 Part 5

Now I had my design for the Chain I had to fix it in place.

Pin Chain

 

The first thing I did was to Pin the Chain In place. This was easier said that done. It kept moving whilst I was trying to set the Cogs so in the end I had to use several Pins on each bend.

 Sew Chain

 

I decided that I was going to have to Sew the Chain bit by bit. I was going to have to add the Cogs the same way. In the above photograph it shows the first part of the Chain and the first Cog Sewn in place.

I then continued to do this with the second part of the Chain and the second Cog. The third was slightly more awkward as I couldn’t designed whether to have the Chain hanging down on the inside of the Washer or the Outside. I eventually decided on the latter.

I then used the same process on the opposite side of the Mask. This worked out slightly different as there was a greater difference in size of the Cogs.

Mask Back

 

Next I turned my attention to the Back of the Mask. I had made the Hands of the Clock by Sewing Copper Wire. Unfortunately the Ends of this wire were very Sharp. I found whenever I tried the Mask on these Ends were digging in and scratching my Face.

Naturally I would be putting a Back on this Mask as I had the others. However since I use the Inner part as a pouch I had visions of hundreds of pieces of torn up tissue as the result of the Sharp Ends tearing the tissue.

Back Patch

 

I decided that in order to avoid this problem what was needed was an extra Piece of Material. For want of a better term I was going to add a Back Patch.

I found some scrap black material then Cut and Hemmed it. Since it was not going to be seen it didn’t need to be symmetrical just large enough to cover the Sharp Ends. I used Blanket Stitch to Sew the Top and Bottom. I couldn’t Sew the Sides as it would have Shown through.

 

Out of Zone Mask 2020

Out of Zone Mask 2020

Yes yet another Mask. However this one is slightly different as the Style is completely Out of my Comfort Zone.

Getting Size

 

I start as usual by getting the Size by using a different Mask as a Template and leaving room for Hemming.

Thick Hem

 

This time I have made a Thick Hem. This is because the Decorations are going to be Heavy.

Ear Chain

In a change from the Canvas Ties this time I am using two Old Chains and some Washers.

Centre Pin

 

I have Sew the Chains at the Top of the Mask. I then Sewed the two Washers at the Bottom. These were slightly Overhanging the Edge. This is because I wanted the Tail end of the Chain to go through and make a Loop. I then Folded the Mask in Half to find the Centre and marked with a Pin.

Odds and Sods

 

I am playing around with some Odds and Sods. It is a mixture of Broken Jewellery and assorted fixings including Washers.

Outer Edge 5cm

 

Now having some idea of what sort of Pattern that I want I have to measure from the Centre. It is precisely 5cm from the Pin to the Outer Edge of the Sewn Washer.

Equal Distance

 

I Sew the second Washer in place. These need to be Equal Distance as I am using them as a Marker for the next part.

Six Rings

 

I space out the selected items and Sew them in place. I now have two Washers in a line on each side. The Middle item is a bit of a mystery.

It consists of two Rings, a solid one and one underneath. I think possibly that they are some kind of Curtain Ring. They might have come off the Canvas.

Mirror Image

I next Sew two more Washers either side of the Ring. There is a Mirror Image on the opposite side.