The dinner was set for Monday evening at seven, and I had been roasting bones and making stocks since Friday afternoon.  Both the veal and chicken stocks were cooked, and strained.  Now, on Sunday afternoon, I needed to reduce both, then move on to the aspics. I pulled both stocks out of the refrigerator, skimmed the fat off both, and was a little dismayed to notice they were both quite gelatiny.

Yay! The butterfly train is done. This is worn over a regular skirt (bustled or natural form) instead of an overskirt, and with any of the Victorian bodices. It is fully lined in black satin.

I have no idea what I was thinking. This is so far out of my normal set of sewing skills. Maybe that was part of the allure. I don't even know what would make a rational person say, hey, I'll make a tutu! I have nowhere to wear it to, and nowhere to even store it, but I need a tutu! NEED! It started the way most of my project ideas started... a glimpse of an image or word that catches my eye, and leads me on a path of research. Sometimes I end up where I started, sometimes I end up in a different century altogether.

Since I don't exactly have many places to wear my historical costumes to, I decided to fun up the Victorian mourning gown so I could wear it to a steampunk event.  The inspiration for the corset, which I call the Sweeney Scissorhands corset, came from Tim Burton's movies, Sweeney Todd, and Edward Scissorhands.  I love how he can make a dark, drab garment somehow whimsical and full of personality. I had leftover straps and buckles from a previous kilt-making streak, and so I wanted to incorporate those. I also wanted to add a chain somehow, and D rings.