This year I decided to embark on a journey of textiles. I started in January, attempting to teach myself how to crochet, and that turned into crocheting an entire skirt and buying a sewing machine in order to make the rest of a fall fairy costume for the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.
The pumpkin stitch skirt, pumpkin bag, bodysuit and matching shorts, and the green corset were all handmade by me, mostly self taught using videos on the internet and a lot of trial and error. The entire look was inspired by the black and orange flower crown I purchased at the Ren Faire in 2023. I used purchased patterns to create the bodysuit and the corset.
The pumpkin skirt was inspired by a video I saw on Youtube by a creator called MUSHYY and I used some scrap leather to add a phone pocket and waistband. This same leather was then used to create a cross-body strap for my pumpkin bag. The pumpkin handbag was designed and created entirely by me and my very limited knowledge of crochet. I used wire to build a frame and then crocheted around it using a variety of stitches until it started to take the shape I was looking for. I then added a fabric lining inside and a sturdy base made out of thick cardboard and scrap leather.
As my very first true foray into costuming/textiles, I am very pleased with the outcome of this project. It taught me many new skills and introduced me to new mediums. I look forward to wearing this costume again next year and potentially designing another one for 2025.
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