Gallifrey One 2013

A few of my friends took a trip to Los Angeles for Gallifrey One (a Doctor Who convention) and also to shop the fabric district.

The fabric district is jaw-dropping AMAZING.  And over three days, we almost literally shopping until we dropped.  I came home with one suitcase completely packed with fabric and trim!  Really, it was so great that I could have come home directly after the shopping and been satisfied.  We stayed at the Hotel Figueroa which was the perfect choice.  It’s so gorgeous, just like staying in Morocco.

And it’s an easy walk to the fabric district (although the walk didn’t feel quite so easy when we were walking home with massive heavy bags of wonderful things!

The hotel also had gorgeous curtains, which we coveted….

One of my friends, Arte, was running just a little bit behind in her costuming, so we actually sewed an entire 18th century gown in the evening after we shopping.  I say ‘evenings’ but we were actually up until around 2am.

It was actually really fun, though, and I was able to learn from our draping expert, Laura, exactly how those francaise gowns are put together!  And the dress turned out beautifully.

In case you can’t tell, Arte is an 18th century version of River Song!

After we bought all the fabric we could stuff into our luggage, we left the Figueroa for the Marriot LAX, and joined our other friend Glynnis at Gallifrey One.  The first day we all wore different versions of River Song, and tormented our ‘mother’ Amy Pond (Grace).

We also visited the TARDIS.  I wore my Frost Fair Victorian River Song.

That evening, was the Masquerade, and we entered as a group: The Doctor Presents His Fall Collection.

The idea was that Doctor had created a fashion line was available ‘anywhere and anytime’.  From left to right, we had: Arte as an Elizabethan Dalek, me as a German Saxon TARDIS, Glynnis as an 18th century Fifth Doctor, Laura as a 1800s River Song, and Grace as a 1920s Weeping Angel.

I love the cape Laura made from a trench coat!

Much hijinks ensued in the green room.  Angel met angel…

Angel had a chat with angel…

And then Jack entered the room, and everything just went slightly insane…

Despite his many admirers, our Dalek queen soon captured him and brought him over to our corner.  Who said Daleks were evil?  Not me!

And a totally gratuitous shoe shot happened…

And we won two Master class awards in the Masquerade!  The Project Gallifrey Award for Workmanship, and Best Interpretation.

Afterward, Arte met a kindred soul in the hallway…

The daleks roaming the halls are almost my favorite part of Gally.  They are so cool.

The last day I wore my Steampunk River Song costume.

Grace wore her 18th century Reinette costume.

Laura wore her Fourth Doctor costume with the completely fabulous knitted bustle.

And Arte wore her awesomely tailored Victorian Eleventh Doctor.

Some other awesome costumes I saw:

I got close to two celebrities:

Freeman Agyeman

I finally met up with my Doctor! (I’d been wanting to get a shot of this costume with a Ten.)

And right at the end of the con, we met professional photographer Scott Sebring, who took the most lovely shots of us!  And without charge.

It was an absolutely delightful trip.

And then I came home, and all my purchases exploded from my luggage:

Shawls, and masks, and tiaras, and beads, and silk, and velvet, and taffeta, and sequined net, and….oh my.