Bloomsday in Costume

Hi Anne-Marie of Handmade by Amor here. Just for fun, I thought I'd search Crafty Ireland Team shops for inspiration for an Edwardian-styled costume for Bloomsday , a Joycean festival held on and around June 16th every year.

Though far from a literary scholar, I've always loved this celebration of James Joyce's, Ulysses. The book was set in various locations all over Dublin on 16 June 1904. Festivities, fun, Edwardian-themed events and pub readings take place all over the city (though the festival is by no means limited to Dublin or even Ireland for that matter.) You don't have to be involved in the entertainment to dress in costume and for me, this has always been part of the attraction. Think Mary Poppins and My Fair Lady and you've got the look, though in reality, anything goes as long as you vaguely reference the book.

Print of original painting by Tanya Bond

I didn't find much for the guys but what you need is a waistcoat over a white shirt and something like a bowler hat, straw boater or failing that, a flat cap. A rummage in the charity shops can yield results.

Vintage cravats from artyFactz

A bow tie or cravate is good, the dandier the better. Add to that a pair of round wire rim glasses or monacle from a charity or vintage shop and away you go.


For the girls a high neck blouse is the staple for your Edwardian look. This vintage 198os shirt from Little Blue Cottage will do perfectly, though you could get your needle out and sew on a bit of lace.

Vintage or vintage-styled jewellery is a must. This art nouveau necklace by Nicobel is ideal.

Brooch Necklace by Amazing Beads
Peridot Crystal earrings by ViviBijoux

Skirts were worn long but not as wide as in the previous century. Well-to-do ladies would have worn a special corset to create an 'S' shaped figure (most uncomfortable I imagine.) A small bustle could simulate a similar shape - so why not let your creativity loose and make one!

A working class girl would have worn simpler lines. The closest I could find is this vintage 70s skirt from Dandelion Daydreamer. It would do nicely with a long petticoat underneath.

Feather fascinator by Little Miss Bling (Flickie Howe)

Pull your hair up into a loose bun. Oh and don't forget to stick a feather and/or some flowers in your hat ladies!
A crochet shawl or lacy wrap will complete your look. I made this one a few years back, by tea-staining my mum's old kitchen curtains.

To tea stain lace, make up a basin of strongish tea. Remove the teabags before adding in wet lace. Stir with a wooden spoon. Leave until the desired colour is achieved, though bear in mind the fabric will look darker when wet. (I would experiment first before attempting to stain a good piece of lace.) Rinse and then wash gently with a little washing up liquid to remove any acidic residue. Rinse again with water and hang to dry.

I stuck a few strategic stitches under the arms and sewed on a hook and eye with chain clasp that I bought for next to nothing. On my feet I wore an old pair of lace up 1980s boots I found in the attic, but a low shoe will do fine.

'It's Guinness Time' by Jane Packard

Now you're all set to go. If you are not close to any official festivities, find a good Irish pub and start your own Bloomsday party. Enjoy!

Supplies Tips for New Jewellery Crafters

Hi I'm Anne-Marie from byAMOR. Starting out in handmade jewellery can be expensive. If, like me, you’re hell bent on working things out for yourself, the road ahead is fraught with costly pitfalls. These learnings from my mishaps may help those of you branching into the craft.
There is a confusing plethora of helper tools to make your beading, knotting, coiling, and wrapping life easier. But you only need a few basics to start. The must-have pliers are a round nose and a chain nose or flat nose. These are an extension of my own fingers. Flat, nylon jaw pliers are handy for re-straightening bent wire. A side cutter will snip a neat edge on wire and string. If using memory wire though, get a stronger pliers designed for it.
If I’d invested in a course at the outset, I’d have saved myself a fortune in supplies, not to mention clumps of hair torn out with frustration! I managed basic wirework, but tying flush knots in beading string can be tricky. Ultra fine tweezers didn’t help much and I never did work out the magical bead knotter I’d splashed out on. I threw more dosh at crimpers for crushing crimps on tigertail. I felt more crushed than the crimps, and defeated, signed up for a class.
So I learned to crimp and cover using the boring old flat nose pliers, but also discovered I didn’t need the bent nose pliers, the super coiling pliers or other gizmos I’d squandered on. Master the basic tools and skills and you can go on to develop a wide range of techniques by yourself. The only other tools I now use regularly are a hammer and anvil for hardening wirework, a metal file and a ring mandrel. The ‘wonder’ tools lie sadly redundant.
Though I recommend attending a few basic workshops, you’ll find plenty of free tutorials on the internet. I learned to wrap briolettes via You-tube.


If experimenting with wire, start out with plated craft wire, popular for costume jewellery. Leave precious metals until you are confident. Silver filled or gold filled wire is a cost-effective step between craft and solid silver wire.
The lower the gauge number (ga), the stiffer the wire. 22ga and 24ga wire are pliable and good for learning. 28ga and 26ga are very fine for wrapping small briolettes with tiny holes. 20ga (aka .8mm) is ideal for wrapping cabochons, rings and a host of other goodies. Get used to these before moving onto the tougher, 18ga for stiff wrapping or findings. Square wire will lie flatter, but round is easier to manipulate. Keep all your cut-offs and scraps that are an inch or two long and use them for forming links and charms.
Stave off tarnish by storing metals in airtight plastic lunch boxes (new), sealable lunch baggies and recycled vitamin capsule containers.Overspending on delectable beads and stones is tempting. You can refashion old or broken jewellery or repurpose everyday items like buttons, nuts and bolts or whatever inspires you. I love Magpie and Button’s creations. http://www.etsy.com/shop/magpieandbutton.
If internet shopping, focus on bead sizes. 2mm beads may look huge in the macro photos but are really micro-sized. The most commonly used round beads are from 6mm to 10mm. Strands of teardrops and pendant discs are more economical than buying singly or in pairs. Some suppliers will willingly sell you half a strand if you can’t afford a full one. I also find it cheaper and more reliable, to buy chain by the foot and attach clasps securely myself.
Don’t be lured by too-good-to-be-true internet deals on gems and pearls unless you know what you are purchasing and its real worth. Read up on trade names and fake gemstones; http://jewelry.about.com/od/birthstonefactsandfolklore/a/fake_gems.htm. Both http://www.firemountaingems.com/ and http://www.rings-things.com/ give information on their natural, man-made and enhanced stones. They also have free tutorials, bead size guides and other useful information.
There are heaps of decent suppliers with reasonable prices on Etsy and many shops have a de-stash section. I am currently having fun wrapping sea glass collected by http://www.etsy.com/shop/irisoconnor. Having snipped all excess buttons off my clothes for custom-made rings, I’ve nabbed some colourful ones from http://www.etsy.com/shop/NicedaySupplies.
Now, anyone want to buy a magical, nearly-new bead knotter....??