New Tabistry Bodice/Vest Design - Experiments in Coloring Tabs

For this year of the Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF) I decided to test a design for a future Ghawazee-style coat.  I have started by making this shorter bodice/vest version for a close friend to get the fit right.  It is inspired by Moresca's Khadija Bodice.  I really liked the shoulders of their design.



This one is more complex and tailored than the previous more simple Turkish-style vest I wear.  However, it still has the laces on the front and sides.  I'm hoping to start on the coat version for myself at some point before fall of next year.  I will extend the length down to probably mid calf or slightly shorter.



For her bodice, we chose green, purple and black to match skirts she already had.  I used purple, navy blue and black fabric polar fleece, but the green is a satin ribbon.  The satin really shines with the tabs, but can snag easily which makes weaving go slower.



I did some experimenting with coloring tabs for this one.  (I believe I have mentioned trying oven cleaner to turn the tabs white.  This gives them a surface paint will adhere to better.)  I decided to color the white tabs with marker and seal with clear spray paint.  Though labor intensive, it worked really well.  The color is vibrant and stays on the tabs without scratching or chipping.  I also sprayed some of the tabs with gloss black.

 

Here's another closer look at the purple and black tabs.  The purple tabs are actually a mixture of pink and violet waterbase marker.  I scribbled it on and blended the color by spraying with water.  To fix the color, I covered the dry tabs with a clear coat spray paint.



I'm please with how it looks and fits on her.  It's nice to be able to have color on the tabs that won't scratch off with normal wear.



We had a blast at TRF this year.  We managed three trips down there.  It's so much fun each time in the faire as well as at the campground where these pics were taken. We seem to always have the best people camping around us.  Such a variety of creativity and talent!  This year we had ample good drummers, a flute/bagpipe player, a mead maker, a face/body painter and more.  The pics were taken while an extremely talented friend, Lauren, was doing some face painting.  She not only paints, but also makes some gorgeous jewelry using glass and other materials.  You can check out some of her work at FUZDcreations.

Probably won't hear much more from me before the end of the year.  Really wanting to have more time to make tabistry.  So many things I still would like to try, especially with corsets.  However, I think my New Year's resolution will be to get more tutorials finished.  Hopefully I will find a way to get them done faster.  Thank you for the patience with me.  Enjoy the Holidays!

Tabistry Tribal Headdress with Hairfalls

Have a couple new projects to share.  First, I started a new, more elaborate, tabistry headdress for my tribal outfit.



The headdress is made in three tabistry parts.  The main wide top part joined to the 2nd narrow strip of tabs that keeps it standing up.  Then, lastly is the one across the forehead.  This last one keeps the headdress from falling back, and a black tie in back keep it from falling forward.  It stays on really well.



Didn't actually need to buy any supplies for this project.  I used leftover fabric strips to weave the tabs with.  Also used yarn scraps and random beads from my broken jewelry stash.  I tried a variety of techniques for wrapping and braiding the yarn.  Most were just added to the fabric strip ends that I left hanging from the tabs.  I did add two of my pistachio hairfalls and a couple artificial flowers that are just hair pinned on to the tabs so that they can be changed out easily.  Also added a large silver flower brooch to the top center.



I want to add some more dangles.  Maybe put some more hairfalls in the back.  Not sure if they should be a completely separate piece, or attached to the headdress.



This was a fun project that didn't take too long and not many tabs.  And, I even found a use for my older headband!  :)



You may remember my old tribal headband I created over five years back.  Since making this one, I added the old one to my belt.  (It's the top band across the top and the round pieces on the sides.)

Up next I plan to share a vest/bodice I made for a close friend.  Then, hopefully I will have made some headway on the top hat tutorial.

Pop Tab Hair Falls

Got inspired the other day to finish a pop tab hair fall, that I started probably a year ago. I tried a few different ways to string the tabs. Most are bent in some way.



So far, they are still cumbersome to weave. Though, this could be due to my yarn choice, too. I'm still experimenting with it.



I'm working on another fall in yet another variation that is a little easier. It's just about completed. Just need to add some decor to spruce it up. I took some WIP pics of it, so a future tutorial may be available in my Etsy store soon. I'll post it when it's finished. In the meantime, my daughter and I also made some hair falls using pistachio shells.



We had dyed some with our left over Easter egg dye. It was a fun project. You can read more about that on my general craft blog, mieljolie.blogspot.com.

In other news, I'm still pounding away on the other tabistry tutorials. I just can't get the pics right to show what I'd like. It doesn't help that I have to practically create a new piece to get them. :) But, I will have something. Sorry it's taking so long. For me, it's much easier to create things than tell how it's done. Thanks for all your patience.

Tabistry Tribal Headband

I finally made time to finish a tribal-inspired headband! I've just adore the headbands tribal fusion dancers wear with the large round medallions on the sides. I was thinking one would be perfect to help hide my hair and make a better transition to my bun when wearing hair falls. Plus, I can hang all kinds of dangly bits from it! So, here it is with my black turkish vest outfit at Scarborough Renaissance Festival this past weekend. That's my "mundane" daughter with me above.



Finally got to wear my new tabistry armband and horseshoe nail necklace, too. The "tika" on my forehead is also new (to me). Made it from an anklet I picked up at the flea market. Only wish I had poofed up my bangs a bit in the front or pulled a section over to one side. I think it looks a wee too tightly pulled back.


Here another view of the armband while I was putting the last minute accessories on at the car. We had a great time at Scarby this year. Great company and couldn't ask for better weather.

I'll be putting a quick tutorial up at my crafting blog on how I made some really simple artificial hair flowers that I'm wearing with my garb with just buttons and hair pins. No messy hot glue.

As usual, have a can-TAB-ulous time!

Tribal-style Tabistry Armband

I've been experimenting with different weaves and came up with one that is perfect for jewelry. It's a bit tricky at first, but looks nice as a armband.





This was a revised version of what I posted that my daughter made for teacher a while back. I used the same brass brad fastener in the middle to change the direction of the tabs. Later I added a dangly tassel from the strings with some silver wash beads and bent tabs to resemble cowrie shells that you find on tribal armbands and hair falls. The pendant was just something I happened upon at a local dollar store.

I think it turned out surprising nice. However, it would be better if I made a second matching one for the other arm. I've got other tribal inspired items in my brain that need to be brought to life. I may work on some hair falls with the same bent tabs and beads and I'd like to design a headdress somehow for my Halloween costume.

If you don't hear from me before then, have a great St. Patty's Day!!

Turkish-Style Vest Pattern Now Available on Etsy

I know some of you probably thought this day would never come. But, I've finally listed the pattern/instructions for my Tabistry Turkish Vest on Etsy.com! For those of you who want to make one, the tutorial includes illustrations and pics as well as some details for alterations.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41019524







Hope it is helpful! Enjoy!

Turkish Vest Revisited

Not much new to show just yet. Except for the belt I finally got around to finishing up. I also took some pics of various stages while trying to accessorize my Turkish-style vest adding some more doodads here and there. I was experimenting with my makeup, as well. Not used to wearing so much. It felt really strange. I'm wearing just about every piece of silver-toned jewelry things I own in the first pic! :)





I had some chain I managed to put together from junk jewelry scraps. So, I added it around the belt, on the vest at the center back to replace the yarn ties, and on the front edges.

First Attempt:


Second Attempt:


Third Attempt:


I ended up wearing the red top in the first pic with the grayish skirt, black over skirt and red scarf from the last pic. My mom wore her pirate hat and waist cincher.

Guess my daughter decided to wear her clown face. ;)


I made an attempt to remove it. LOL


Grandma lookin' Piratey


I'm really close to finished on the underbust/cupped corset. Just the last 2 panels to weave and I should have something to show.

Turkish-style vest and belt

Thought I'd get around to posting my latest can tab creations. Yay!! I'm really pleased at how they turned out. (Not so pleased at my blinding white complexion or farmer-tanned arms. Yikes!) WARNING: You may need sunglasses to view these images.

I joined another Craftster swap (gallery) and my partner expressed a desire to own a turkish vest. Well, I pondered sewing one, but our machine is still acting up. So, instead I attempted (what else?) one out of tabs.

I made a prototype in black which I thought I'd better try out for comfort. I decided to make the whole thing adjustable just about anywhere I could since I couldn't measure my partner myself and she said she'd dropped a lot of weight recently. Anyway, I wore the prototype to TRF and (to my relief) it was very comfortable.





Here it is with a sleeved shirt:




Then, on to my partners vest/belt set:









She wanted a vest that would coordinate with some turkish outfits she already had in bright pink with green and gold accents. I originally started making some armbands for another outfit she had in copper/black, but decided I should make a matching belt, instead. I would have made both, but I ran out of time. October was a crazy month for me. As you can see in the pics, I changed the style of the back of the vest a bit. However, I think I like the original back better.

Well, I hope she likes it. She really hasn't said much about it. She said she would be posting pics of it in the swap gallery soon, but I haven't seen them, yet. Still waiting to see what I will receive as well. Hope it's cool whatever it is or I want my vest/belt back! Hehe Just kiddin' :) Actually, I'm indebted to her for asking for a vest in the first place. Otherwise, I would probably never have attempted one. That would be a shame because I really like it.

*************UPDATE****************

Well, my partner up and flaked on me. Can you believe it!! I spent hours on that thing!! How rude! She didn't even post pics of what she received. I'm really bummed. :( But, on a good note, the moderator has found me a swap angel. So, I should get something at least before Scarby. *crosses fingers*

*************UPDATE ****************

Finally received from my swap angel, spooky.kitty. Click here to see what I got. I also heard back from my original partner who ran into some personal problems that has caused her to dissappear for awhile.

Bellydance Costume Progress

As embarrassing as it is, here are some pics I promised to put up of the bellydance costume I'm working on getting finished. It has been raining here and while I was getting photographed I was experiencing a nice cold mist on my exposed parts. Brrrr...

I'm repurposing my empire waist bodice I wore to faire. Currently, I'm experimenting and adding all the dangly things to my belt. As you can tell in the pics, the sleeves are removable and I only have one on. I had to make the piece on my stomach wide enough to hide my beautiful appendectomy scars. (The surgeon was a butcher, but I'm still alive and kickin' so all is good.)

Anyway, there will be a round flower thing on both hips (maybe with a turquoise jewel in center) as well as many hanging strings of tabs all around similar to the front. I'm probably ditching the overskirt seen in the first few pics.

Beer-Bellydancing Belts

The first project I started which drew me into never-ending can tab hunt was not even made of can tabs. Instead, I used bottle caps.

My mom wanted a noisy belt to practice bellydancing in. She used to take lessons back in the early 70's. Her instructor at the time told her that if you couldn't hear your belt, you weren't doing it right. :) Anyway, we looked everywhere for those little coins/bells you see on bellydancer costumes. No luck near us. Then, while having a refreshing drink after dancing, we came up with using the bottle caps instead. The following pics are of these belt attempts. I must say, they are indeed noisy!



Need a close up?



The caps were folded in half with a vise. Then, hung with fishing lure attachments to rings made of coiled wire clothes hanger jump rings. The sound of this belt is much lower and different than the flat caps below and is my mom's favorite belt for shimmying.

Another belt made from caps smashed flat and attached with plain lanyard hooks, shows my first attempts at using the tabs for the actual belt. I was later able to find fairly inexpensive clapper bells on eBay from a native american supply store. Not sure why they are selling bells from India, but it was a great bargain. The belt is weaved together with fuzzy yarn.



Here is a close up showing a tag we added with our joke of a slogan and the most vulgar of all bellydance poses as a logo.



"Go Ahead, Shake Your Can!"