B&S #38: New McCall's Patterns: Wayfaress and Thirst
Bodacious
It has been a busy week and a half. My son has an extended spring vacation, so we’ve been spending extra time together. I’m busy with my day job, and the blog has endured a sort of hiccough. That’s manifested as last week’s Weekly Steampunk Update missing, but no worries. Yes, we’re skipping one week, and I’ll have more for you this week.
Today, I have something else exciting to share, two new Cosplay by McCall’s patterns! If you enjoy steampunk cosplay, as I do, I think you’ll be excited about the possibilities these patterns offer.
Wayfaress
Pirates and steampunk! Sounds like a great combination to me. Wayfaress is pirate/seafarer costume for women. The pattern consists of britches, with three possible styles, and an overskirt. Suggested material includes gabardine, synthetic suede, twill, and lightweight will for the pants, and synthetic suede for the skirt.
As always, make it your own with your choice of configuration and fabric, and make it steampunk. You might add gadgets and a model nineteenth century pistol to the belt. How about a compass on a chain for a necklace, or a spyglass with swirly symbols along the sides. Octopuses and squids are often associated with steampunk, so perhaps add a squid ring, or add steampunk-related leatherwork to your boots.
This pattern is for intermediate level costume makers. It includes tips for trimming with various types of ribbons and on adding decorative topstitching. Wayfaress retails for $17.95 exclusively on the Cosplay by McCall’s site.
Thirst
For men, McCall’s latest offering is Thirst, a billowed shirt and vest combination excellent for eighteenth and nineteenth century classical vampires. Yes, I do think that a steampunk vampire costume is a bloody good idea.
For the vest, McCall’s recommends fabrics like brocade, cotton sateen, damask, and lightweight wool, with satin and silk for the lining. Suggested shirt materials include cotton and silk. The tips section covers creating a unique look using appliqués. Also, the pattern is listed as easy skill level, so if you’re new to sewing, you shouldn’t have much trouble with this one.
As for ideas to give this a steampunk twist, consider metallic-colored contact lenses, copper or gold colored fangs, or rings with gears. Sometimes such small details can shift a costume toward a steampunk aesthetic. The appliqué advice can help you create your own steampunk-inspired pattern for the vest as well.
Thirst sells on the Cosplay by McCall’s site for $14.95
Sundry
New Computer
I finally have a new computer! Yep, my tax refund came yesterday, at last, so I had the money to upgrade. You know that new-computer feeling, where you’re still used to your previous machine, and you’re in awe of how well everything runs on the replacement? That’s how I feel now. My previous computer (now running Linux Mint—I always wanted a Linux computer to use along with my Windows box) is four years, seven months old. I needed to replace it in order to start creating videos for YouTube again.
Subscribe to my channel, The Wild Steampunk, for the podcast, writing tips videos, and more, coming soon!
I’ve already tested XSplit on this new machine and it’s running well. My previous machine, while still going strong, just doesn’t have the processor power for that and other programs I need.
Bodacious Creed
Great news in the novel front. I’m half-way through the final draft of Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western! That will be out in the next few months. If you want to get the news when it’s available, just enter your email below. You’ll also get a Bodacious Creed prequel story free. Plus, I’m working on other Bodacious Creed bonus material.
What are you waiting for? Just scroll down and enter your email address. I never send spam and I consider my mailing address sacred. In other words, your email address stays private.
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