Clockwork Watch

Clockwork Watch: A Penny Dreadful Review

            It is difficult to review an immersive multimedia experience. That is the challenge I face in this review. I have purchased two graphic novels and a comic that are but a piece of the world of the Clockwork Watch. I can only convey fragments of the fascinating world at which these works hint.

            I shall begin with The Arrival. Queen Victoria has invited an engineer by the name of Chan Ranbir to come live in England to work on a project. This project is clockwork automatons. The Arrival is told through the eyes of Mr. Ranbir’s young son. It is the beginning of a strange new world.

            The automatons, or Clockworks, multiply. They are servants in every home, workers in every factory. Advanced models think and feel. Some love them. Some hate them. Janav Ranbir, the estranged son of the man who invented this new race of clockwork people, hates them. He joins an agency called the Clockwork Watch, devoted to policing the activities of these Clockworks.

            Each graphic novel contains articles, and flyers, editorials and mini-stories about various denizens of this strange world. These are derived from the blog posts and live role-playing events on the website. YOU, the reader, the consumer, become the creator. This shared experience is kind of incredible. Five gears out of five, all around.

            The graphic novels are brilliant. I love the art of Jennie Gyllblad wherever I see it, and here she’s just brilliant. The story was dreamt up and begun by Yomi Ayeni, and now it is so much more. Visit www.clockworkwatch.com to see where it is now.

Your Correspondent From the Aethernet,

Penny J. Merriweather.

The Steampunk Workshop

The Steampunk Workshop: A Penny Dreadful Review

            Jake von Slatt can take a shard of metal and turn it into beauty with the aid of power tools. Here is the blog of a fascinating Steampunk maker who resides near Boston, Massachusetts. On his blog, The Steampunk Workshop, he explains how to create various objects of Steampunkery, such as etched tins and lightswitch plates.

            These projects are not for the dilettante or faint of heart. These instructions involve the use of caustic chemicals and electric current. Fortunately, the instructions are clear and helpful, so one should end up with a piece of art and one’s limbs intact. If you have better luck with sharp objects than I have, this blog (and some tools and bits of metal) should be all you need to create fantastic works.

            For those of you who learn better by watching a maker in motion, Mr. von Slatt also has a YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/vonslatt. Here, you can find live action tutorials and get a tour of his workshop.

            I give this blog four gears out of five. It is essential for the technically-minded Steampunk. Find it at http://steampunkworkshop.com/ and get ready to learn and create. Please follow all safety precautions when working with dangerous chemicals and electricity. This is how monstrous automatons and supervillains are created.

Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,

Penny J. Merriweather

Beyond Victoriana

Beyond Victoriana: A Penny Dreadful Review

            Steampunk is about exploration. As such, it is not limited to the narrow confines of place, race, or era. The Victorian Age in our historical timeline happened all over the world. I believe Steampunk should reflect that. Beyond Victoriana, a blog written by a woman you may know as Ay-Leen the Peacemaker, believes that as well.

            Beyond Victoriana explores multicultural aspects of Steampunk, showcasing concepts, people, and projects that might not be showcased in other places. At times it is political, speaking of things such as what it truly means to be multicultural and what privilege means. At times, it is a hub of the arts, posting calls for anthology submissions or book reviews. Beyond Victoriana has won awards for “Best Political Steampunk” and “Best Multicultural Steampunk.” I feel that we could use more blogs like this one.

            I give this blog five gears out of five.  It is smart and will open your eyes and/or blow your mind. If you are new to Steampunk or are looking for depth in your Steampunk, I strongly recommend this blog. You can find this multicultural perspective at beyondvictoriana.com.

Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,

Penny J. Merriweather

American Duchess

American Duchess: A Penny Dreadful Review

            I do love sharing blogs. I’ve found another one that is quite lovely. This one is called American Duchess. You can find it at americanduchess.blogspot.com.

            It has resources for those with sewing skills and resources for those with the means to purchase what they cannot make. If you wonder where to find those bits and bobs of historical detail, look no further. The American Duchess will know where to find what you need.

Here also is a resource for those of you (like me) quite interested in Clockpunk. “Clock what?” you ask. Clockpunk is Steampunk set before steam had quite taken over the world. Think Jane Austen or the Scarlet Pimpernel with intricate clockwork automatons. Most of the American Duchess tutorials focus on ladies’ costume of the late 18^th century and early 19^th, something that is rather difficult to locate on the Aethernet. There are, of course, tutorials belonging to other periods of costume, including one on the making of a proper bustle, which even one as sewing-challenged as I could be tempted to try out (please do not laugh at my results).

Best of all, this blog links to a store full of historical shoes. The blogger, Lauren, an avid costumer, became frustrated at her inability to find historical shoes (as I imagine you might be frustrated right this moment). Unwilling to simply shake her fist at the unfairness of it all, she decided to manufacture historical footwear and is doing quite well for herself.

            I give this blog five gears out of five. It is a quite comprehensive resource, and I believe it is one of a kind! Do investigate. And, should you require shoes, I cannot think of a more excellent place to find them.

Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,

Penny J. Merriweather

Steam Ingenious

Steam Ingenious: A Penny Dreadful Review

Many Steampunks seek out tutorials for the construction of various garments and items. I have located a blog which features many tutorials of a useful nature. The blog is entitled Steam Ingenious.
The writer is a talented female who enjoys bustle skirts on a budget. As a lady crafter, most of her tutorials cover the subject of female dress (though there are a couple of useful how-tos for gentlemen as well). Through plenty of pictures and step-by-step instructions, she explains how to recover a parasol/umbrella, how to create a bustle skirt from thrift store curtains, and how to repair a worn corset. Being sized a bit more realistically than many patterns allow for, she also has a helpful tutorial on how to upsize a pattern. For the especially adventurous, she also has written how-tos on building corsets from scratch. Each project she outlines is something she has done herself, so the reader benefits from her mistakes and learning experiences as she warns crafters about what can go… adventurously.
She also offers helpful tips about Steampunk fashion in general, with plenty of photos to illustrate her points. Recently, since she lives in a warm part of the northern hemisphere, she made a series of posts regarding summer Steampunk suggestions (such as cotton, pith helmets, and open-toed shoes).
I give Steam Ingenious five gears out of five. This is quite a useful blog, especially for folks who are able to sew without stabbing their fingers with every other stitch.


Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,
Penny J. Merriweather

Steam Wench's Salon

The Steam Wench’s Salon: A Penny Dreadful Review

Here is the blog of a Canadian Steampunk. She found herself running a Steampunk group in Vancouver, and has chronicled her adventures in crafting, costuming, and Steampunk on http://steamwenchsalon.blogspot.co.uk/.
Steam Wench has a fascinating collection of posts. She’s described everything from mudlarking to designing a brochure, from sewing projects to history. She has a clever, amusing tone with a sophisticated vocabulary. When she posts a how-to, it is clear and easy to follow, with plenty of pictures of both the work in progress and the finished product. I read her blog post about putting together a Steampunk tea cozy, and I thought I could have a go at it. Then I remembered that I sew like an inebriated simian with a missing thumb, so I wisely did not attempt it.
        If I had any skills in the sewing department, I might attempt the vendor’s apron that Steam Wench recently explained – it would be enormously useful. If any of my devoted readers feel like a bit of a sewing project and have sufficient scrap fabric lying around, I wear size medium.
I give this blog four gears out of five. Every post is brilliant, but there need to be more of them. Soldier on, Steam Wench! Good luck to you! I like the way you write, so you should write more!

Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,

Penny J. Merriweather

Dr. Brassy's Blog

Steampunk By Dr. Brassy: A Penny Dreadful Review

I found another lovely blog. This one is for jewelry makers. It contains the advice and experiences of Dr. Brassy Steamington, of whom you may have heard. It is entirely possible that you are wearing a necklace or art piece of her creation right now.
Dr. Brassy Steamington posts useful advice on all facets of the jewelry-making industry. She shares advice on the business and marketing side, advice on the creative side, and practical advice about the hands-on creating part. Her posts are long and informative, if infrequent. If you create jewelry or art pieces, or if you have ever thought of creating jewelry or art pieces, this is an excellent resource for you.
I give this blog four gears out of five. This is a great blog for makers, jewelers, and fans of Dr. Brassy Steamington. You can find her on facebook, on etsy, and of course, on her blog. Enjoy!


Your Correspondent From The Aethernet,
Penny J. Merriweather