Pre-planning for sewing lesson

My 12-year-old DGD is coming to stay here for a couple of nights mid-August, so I'm in the midst of planning our sewing project for her next Highland dance costume. DGD wants it to look like this:

formatting link
want her jig outfit to be completely reversible, green on one side and red on the other. It's a nice look, because the skirt is swished around and the flashes of contrasting color are very, eeerrrruuum, flashy. ;-) I have wracked my brain trying to figure out how to make a reversible circle skirt with a closure which will not reveal the "other" color. I thought maybe a reversible zipper, but they are quite bulky, and besides the insertion would be too advanced for DGD to tackle at this stage and this is going to be *her* sewing project. I don't want to frustrate her. Last night I worked out some sketches for a 1/2" placket extension on both sides of the top CB seam, with largish snaps for closure, which should be easy to fasten in a quick costume change, and hooks-and-eyes on each end of the waistband extension. It works on paper, I'm going to do a mock-up to show DGD how it will work out. I drafted a circle skirt pattern using Pattern Master Celebrations with the waist measurement twice her waist size so it will be slightly gathered, and used their nifty layout tool to print the pattern layout for DGD to use.

For the waist-cincher I think rather than make it reversible in two colors , we'll just make two, one of each color. They will be boned with (faux) lacing up the front, and a separating zipper CB (also to facilitate quick changes).

I know I have a pattern somewhere for a gathered-neck peasant-style blouse, but I cannot lay my hands on it. I suspect I loaned it out and never got it back. McCalls has a nice dress pattern which will work, I'll just cut it off at blouse length:

formatting link
the added bonus of the "corselet" which I will make a little narrower. TSWLTH has McCalls for $1.99 right now.I bought the green fabric at Fabric Depot several weeks ago during the 40% off sale. Without having her along it was risky, but DGD loved the green cotton. And she also liked the color of the red cotton I had in the stash (intended for some long-forgotten Christmas project). I have lots of white cotton and eyelet lace for the blouse and apron, so we're good to go. Today I'm going to pre-wash and dry all the fabric, and make a run to TSWLTH for the pattern. I'll wait and let DGD cut the pattern pieces so she can learn about which pieces she needs and also how to alter them for her style.

DD loathes sewing, I'm soooooo glad DGD wants to learn. ;-)

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design
Loading thread data ...

I still may buy that McCalls pattern just to have a starting point for the corselet. I will put pictures of the camp shirt I'm finishing on the Kodak site later.

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

Beverly i have a great book with period patterns Patterns for Theatrical costumes , By Kathertine Strand Holkeboer , Prentice Hall Press , 1984 ... mirjam

Reply to
mirjam

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.