what i've been up to

Hey All,

DD is in a play at school. I got volunteered to do costumes. lol Was a lot of fun. The kids did most of the design, I just refined what they laid out. Then I started in on the construction. This one was a butt kicker!!

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girls made their own masks. The one in the purple with the beaked maskand ruffles is DD. Her character is a male. So we had to do something to disguise her curves. Since the character's name is Pierrot, I went with the shape of a traditional pierrot costume. Then to add some further camouflage, I did the harlequin type checks on the vest. I strip pieced that. The flounces on her sleeves were all narrow hemmed then attached to the sleeves.

The pink character's name is Columbine. She's the only female character in the play. So we wanted to really accent her curves, which would help make it look like she's the only girl. I found a picture of a pink columbine bloom and went from there. My job was much easier on hers because we used a pink leotard as the base and I just added things to it. The tutu is a separate piece. So is the neck ruffle of pale pink petals. The dark pink petals (there are 3 across the back and two in the front) are attached to the leotard.

The wings were way too much fun. Because I knew just how much fun they would be, what with the spray glue and the white turkey feathers, I passed that part of the project mostly to DD. (see what happens when you volunteer Mom for a huge project like this??? LOL) She was great help tho. She went to all the neighbors and asked the for wire coat hangers. (which no one likes to use but the dry cleaners keep giving us anyway....) She came back with an impressive collection of them. We used those to make frames for the muslin wing shapes. Then once the muslin was tacked to the frames, out came the glue and the feathers. Kasey, the gal who gets to wear the wings, LOVED them!! She wanted to wear them all day long at school the day I took them in. ;) Her cloak was an easy thing to do. (she wears black knit pants and a long sleeve t-shirt under it during performances. The pix were taken at a dress rehearsal.) We used the preglued velcro to attach the wings to the back of her wheelchair. Also cut small holes in the wings for the handles of the chair to pass through. That really helps keep them stable. (and luckily they haven't molted much!!)

There were also two others. I will try to get pictures of them tonight when I go see the play. The others were simpler. (I ran out of battery on the camera the day I took the other pictures.) The other two are just floor length hooded cloaks similar to Kasey's. One is brick red the other is a blue gray.

Not too bad for only spending about $140 on materials. (school is paying for that of course.) Now I just have to get the rest of the poly satin lint out of my machines!!! You should see the inside of my serger. Poor thing. We'll not discuss the state of my nose, but I'm pretty sure it was full of that lint too. icky!!!

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays
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> The girls made their own masks. The one in the purple with the beaked mask> and ruffles is DD. >

Oh, those are FFUUUNNN! LOVE the winged chariot! ;)

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

Thank you very much. :) Now imagine if we put together what you've been not making and I've been making!!!! A jingly hat would go perfect with these. :) Good thing the play is over after this weekend, otherwise someone mighta heard me type that. LOL

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

And the high-top Converse sneakers! In size 12? A *real* boy-thing.

Reply to
Pogonip

What fun you must have had. But, on the other hand, we missed you. Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

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Wooo hooo!!! Sharon what fun, I love the costumes and having DD do part of it was brilliant.

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

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> The girls made their own masks. The one in the purple with the beaked > mask> and ruffles is DD.>

I am so impressed. I can imagine what the teacher is thinking ("Let's hold her child back so they never graduate out of this school"). Gotta be careful there! You did a great job. While I was in Texas, I helped out with costuming on 3 plays and it was a blast! I think I have a (not so) secret ambition to be a costumer. I my town here, you have to go to school for like 2 years and then 2 years apprenticeship to even be considered to make costumes. Keep up the good work and send more pictures. I had problems with that kodak site. The pics came up very small. Hard to see the details.

Kirsten

Reply to
Kirsty Wursty

Thanks, Emily. I missed everyone here too. The kids are both very busy right now. And, at the moment, Mom is the only one around to drive them here and there. (DH out of town for work 3 weeks in a row, Din-laws in Bahamas on a cruise. (oh darn for them huh?? lol))

But what I am not doing right now is sewing. I have the Viking sm in the shop along with the white serger. :( The Viking threw a gear. Needle won't disengage when winding a bobbin. Common problem in machines that see "high usage." lol Yep, that would be me. I managed to throw the serger out of time a while back. (don't try to serge the flat felled seam on blue jeans.......just don't even try!)

Then yesterday had to take my poor kitty to the vet. She is 15 and has developed hypothyroidism. She's lost 4 1/2 lbs. (which is a lot for a small kitty.) And she's not eating well or retaining what she eats. Who knew that all meant she has thyroid issues? She's much better today. She got medicine for her tummy(a shot) and more for her thyroid. (I get to shove a pill down her throat every day. Wont' that be fun?????????

*sigh*) But I was relieved it was something we could manage.

So....does anyone else need me to drive them anywhere today?? ;)

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

My DH is out of town for a couple of days, which means I have no car, so could you pop over and take to Ikea for the new shelving I need to get??

:-)

I hope your kitty stabilises on the meds and that your SM & serger are soon back with you.

Lizzy

Reply to
Lizzy Taylor

Oh Sharon, I feel bad about the kitty. I sincerely hope the meds help her. As for sewing, I am certain the machines will be back soon; and NO, I don't intend to sew jeans at all anymore.

I'll be sewing light-weight fabrics for a while now. DGD requested some Breyer horses, traditional style and doll clothes for her A G for her 10th birthday, on the first, I can't believe she is that old already. She'll get the horses on her birthday; but will have to wait till Christmas for the doll clothes. I didn't know she had an A G doll and have no idea what size clothes to make for it, but I'll find out. I bought white flannel with a brightly colored snowflakes design from Nancy's Notions, which was going to be receiving blankets, but the nursery's décor is ladybugs. I will embroider some of them on solid color flannel instead and use this flannel to make matching pajamas for her and the doll, plus for her new baby sister, which is due the 8th. Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

Emily, 18" doll patterns are close, but allow for a slightly larger neck and the arms and legs are ummm, "sturdier" than other brands of 18" dolls. If possible get you hands on the doll and make lots of measurements. And remember, AG dolls are young girls, NOT babies, so make age-appropriate clothes. If your DGD has one of the "named" AG dolls it would be really nice to make clothing of the correct era. I know nothing about this site but it might offer help:

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I bought white flannel with a brightly colored snowflakes> design from Nancy's Notions, which was going to be> receiving blankets, but the nursery's décor is ladybugs.> I will embroider some of them on solid color flannel> instead and use this flannel to make matching pajamas for> her and the doll, plus for her new baby sister, which is> due the 8th.

Oh, sounds very cute! I'm just in the process of digitizing some ladybugs for the new baby of older DD's best friend. The shower is in December.

Beverly, stalled on the velvet jacket due to lack of hair canvas locally

Reply to
BEI Design

They bought the crib linen set with the ladybug design from Burlington Coat Factory; the sheets are pink/white checked gingham. I found some ladybugs online at an embroidery site, and DS will embroidery them on several receiving blankets I made of solid-color flannel. I've made 3 solid-color sheets already.

The white flannel was purchased for receiving blankets before I found out about the ladybug design; that's why I decided pjs would be better.

Someone had told me the AG dolls were larger, as you said. All except one are patterns are McCall's for 18-inch dolls and the other is for an AG, meaning, I can use it to alter the others. Thanks for reminding me for the difference in sizes. Emily

Reply to
Emily Bengston

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