Halloween with Friends- 2017

I usually only make clothing for myself, but I was asked by two of my good friends to help them make their costumes as well. I agreed to help them as long as the learned to sew of help in some way.

I started with Ariel from the Little Mermaid:

The tail was fit exactly to Kelly and then I added fins. The shiny scale material was not from the Collection but the material from the fins was. I sewed them together and, we were done with the tail. Kelly continued to work on the top of the costume.

I also helped my friend Ashlynn make her costume of Ching Shih also known as Madame Ching, she commanded 300 ships and between 20,000 and 40,000 pirates. So I started to teach Ashlynn to sew, “right sides together”, her new favorite phrase.

She sewed together the bodice and the underskirt we used that was a men’s dress jacket we kept the pockets in. Green over skirt, waste band the costume was done, but I started working on the accessories

Everything was finished a week before and the night of the Halloween Party we got ready.

I think that all the costumes that night turned out very well! And almost 7 items removed from the Collection.

 

Halloween 2017

Once again it is Halloween!!! I LOVE this holiday, it is my favorite and this year’s costume was inspired by New Year’s Goal #1. In August I finally finished the “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon”. I then went on to read The Escapist also by Michael Chabon. After reading I found a character that I wanted to be for Halloween. These are all the clues I am going to give until the end product, any guesses?

As usual I am using items from the Collection to create this costume here is what I found that I can use:

The Stats:

• Teal Suit: 45% Cotton, 30% Polyester, 25% Rayon, $4
• Light Teal Fabric: 100% Polyester, $6 (Partial)
• Light Teal Skirt: 100% Polyester, $3 (Partial)
  • Total: $13

 

I start to disassemble the suite and get the pattern ready. I learned a lot about this patter but more on that later. I thought that Halloween night might be cold, so I chose  a more total body costume with thicker fabric feel so I could stay warm.

I laid out the pieces, both the exterior and the lining.

After sewing them all together I learned a very important thing about this pattern. I used the back panel of the pattern that determines which of the sizes to cut out. Once I sewed it all together I realized that it was one panel too wide.  I had to remove the last panel at the back to make it fit correctly. Lesson learned: not all the patterns are correct.

I then started to put pleats in the skirt and add it to the bodice.

I finished by putting the straps and wings on the bodice. The accessories I purchased or made and from the Collection I found gold ribbon which I turned in to a head band.

I finished almost a week before Halloween!! That is a first as I usually finish as I am walking out the door.

Luna Moth!

We had a great night! Check out the other costumes that I made in 2017.

September: National Sewing Month Check-In

There is month or day for everything, however this one was the best- National Sewing Month! I took total advantage of it! Bernina had a community post which I entered and you can find here, check out my sewing studio.

Goal 1: Harvard Top 100 Book List: I started reading “Dubliners” James Joyce, and “The Bell Jar”  by Sylvia Plath, I’ll let you know how it goes.

Goal 2: I have only purchased new notions for my Halloween costumes, but no new projects.

Goal 3:  49% or 82 projects.

This month was one where I did a lot of prep for October and a lot of cleaning out of the Collection. I had a lot of outfits in the Collection that were very nice peices that could have easily been worn by someone else without any alteration. Those items I have donated to a womens group. The other items I either cut up into scraps if they were small or donated them to a local organtization that upcycles crafting supplies called Up-Stitch.

• Used: 36.53% and 61
• Made: 32.34% and 54

Goal 4: September was a prep month for me. I am getting better again in the sewing department, thank goodness. If I keep up this pace I think I will finish Goal #3.

• Proposed Hours: 30
• Actual Hours: 50
• Daily Average: 1.6