Another crazy October has passed...

...and I finally finished a tabistry project! Yay!

Meet the new corset addition. I finally finished an underbust corset and matching mini top hat just in time for Halloween. The corset still needs some minor adjustments around the front top edge. I was strapped for time and just had to go with it. I'm debating to remove or add some tabs where the lacing is. The gap where the lace holes begins is not suitable to me. I also plan to add a trim around the whole corset to finish it off better. That ought to help out a bit.



The hat was actually created on the 4+ hour drive on the way to faire. I was working on the brim the next morning as the others were still getting dressed. :) I want to play with the style of it a little bit more. Then, I will most likely adding it to the POP TOP hat tutorial available on Etsy.com



Remember back when I mentioned I'd share a new technique on giving tabs some color. Well, this was the project I'd been meaning to discuss it on. If you look closely at the pic below, you'll see that I wove the tabs upside down and that I hand painted each one with fingernail polish. I made a graduating pattern from gold to burgundy to dark purple to black and back down to gold. I think the paint really tones down the shiny silver tabs.



Since this was to be a steampunk piece, I wanted something a little different. As you might, or might not, have noticed, I tried something new on the seams. I wove them together using more tabs running across the seam. When it is pulled apart the tabs kinda peak through.



You can read about the whole steampunk outfit on my craft blog here. Ciao, until next time!!

Has it been that long?!

Wow. Just realized how long it's been since my last post here. Sorry 'bout that. I've been really busy with all kinds of things. Including a steampunk costume for Halloween that is far from finished. Not much else to show just, yet. But, I guess I can finally get around to posting this ring I made awhile back.



In my quest to adorn my tribal costume, I've been searching for ideas to make unusual jewelry out of tabs and other things.



This ring is very simple. Just a tab I found that happened to fit my finger. (It would be easy to make this adjustable by just cutting the ring.) Not sure what it came off of. I've had some gold ones very similar that were from Bumblebee Tuna Salad containers. I just drilled a small hole and hung a bead from where the rivet part was removed. I attached it with jewelry wire so that it wiggles freely in the center of the hole.



As you can see here, I really didn't even smooth out the broken rivet edge. I thought it was odd that the tab was gold on the back side. Though I've found many a random tab the same way.

More projects coming soon!

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!