Too bad I didn't get many pictures of the production, in spite of spending hours at the theater -- most of the time I was back stage helping repair zippers. A while back I read somewhere that zippers aren't a good idea for theater costumes, and I really saw why during this -- we had a constant stream of broken or ripped out zippers.
The final performance was cancelled because this happened on Sunday:
But it still felt like spring inside because I got started on Annabeth's Easter dress, which is Burda 9697 in some Lisette fabric from JoAnn.
Scarlet Pimpernel is opening in a couple of days, and as of last weekend they didn't have enough dresses for the wedding scene. Thalia suggested I make one for her. The director wanted lime green, but JoAnn didn't have any lime green satin when I went on Saturday night, and I was determined to do buy fabric there since I had all of my 50% off Coupon Commotion coupons in hand. So I went with celery.
I used the basic pattern from the Wicked Witch costume from 2011's Wizard of Oz. A quick skirt, which has some cream brocade that I found in the basement -- I think it originally came from the charity fabric place for use, perhaps, in a Shakespeare costume or some other theater production -- okay, really, I have no clue why this piece of fabric exists in our house. Anyway, it sort of works with the satin.
The top includes the same brocade. I cut the neckline lower. I purchased a yard of cheap lace, and used the ruffling foot of the serger to make lace for around the neckline. I just cut a long strip, doubled it over so there wasn't a raw edge along the length of it, and ruffled it; then zigzagged to the neckline.
The sleeves also have some of the same lace. In this case I used the selvedge to give a finished edge to the bottom of the lace.
And, there you have a dress. But it seems like it needs something more to look French Revolution era.
So, strips of the satin, narrow serging, and BOWS. In this shot they're pinned onto the front and sleeves. I think someone tacked them on during a dress rehearsal (another mom asked Thalia if I'd be offended if they tacked down the bows; Thalia told the mom that she'd need to try a lot harder if she wanted to offend me).
I also made a petticoat out of crinoline to wear under it. It was a truly hack job, but helps the skirt poof out.
In other news, I gave Katie Watson's pattern for Little Hats (Ravelry link) a whirl. I used size 7 needles, and Cascade 220 yarn. After one trip through the front loader it fits perfectly on a juice glass for blocking.
It also fits perfectly on a cat.
However, we were wanting something that could be fastened to a headband OR a hat for an American Girl doll. This is too big for the headband idea, and too small for the doll. So I'll try it again, but smaller. Or bigger.
So far this week, aside from our usual falderal, we've had our phone line go out, and had a rat get sick. We noticed both problems on the same day, as a matter of fact.
The phone seems to be working now; and the rat is on antibiotics, so we'll what comes of that (rats tend to get really sick really quickly, so who knows).
In the meantime, more sewing for Scarlet Pimpernel.
Two vests for who-knows-who. Really, I've no clue where these will end up -- I was just handed fabric, buttons, and elastic. I pondered it awhile, then asked if maybe this was McCall 8701. Yes! Woohoo -- I have a copy of that, so I could look up the instructions and see what these strangely shaped pieces meant!
The dickeys were left off. Elastic was used in lieu of the twill tape. Velcro will be added as they're fitted to the actors.
Also, the eternal quest for sleazy-yet-modest tops continues. I was given some embossed stretch velvet. I cut out a shorter version of Kwik Sew 2325 (last seen here), and added some black lace hem tape we had.
I think it looks different enough from the lavender one to be okay on stage (the idea is to have a variety of colors and styles ... all of them modest yet at the same time risque, and like they could possibly have been worn at the time of the French Revolution). I hope it fits someone.
Thalia is in a production of Scarlet Pimpernel. There's a scene that's sort of the equivalent of the Lovely Ladies of Les Mis; the director wanted them to wear camisoles that weren't too revealing. She's going for a sleazy-without-actually-being-sleazy look, I think. She also wanted multiple colors if possible.
Good luck finding THAT in a store, right?
So I used Kwik Sew 2325 and some satin from Hancock's and trim from JoAnn to come up with this:
I plan to serge around the hem in black. The pattern calls for more trim around the bottom, but the hardest part of this pattern is sewing on the trim.
That was pretty easy to crank out quickly, so I was ready to start something else right away. And, really, what's more fun that an Ottobre skirt pattern for girls (03-2010-34 California) out of fun quilting cotton?
Fabric is from the Robert Kaufman collection of Seuss prints, purchased from Fabric.com.
After I put all of the panels together I discovered that the skirt front and back were each 4 centimeters wider than the yoke front and back. I just cut off the difference. I also took a wider seam on the side seams because it felt like a LOT of fabric. Also, Annabeth didn't care for the paper bag waist, so I just used one inch elastic. I faced the elastic channel with the contrast fabric because, hey, why not. She ended up preferring to flip the elastic down over the yoke.
Just right for someone who's playing the Cat in Seussical the Musical, don't you think?
Everything we were supposed to do today got cancelled. As a matter of fact, most of it was cancelled last night before the snow even started. I was out this morning returning overdue library books before any precipitation began, and it was eery -- everything was still calm and dry, but very light traffic.
A few hours later the UPS truck almost got stuck on our street.
Annabeth is the only one of us who has ventured out in it. Thalia is sick with a cold. Other household members have strong opinions about how to spend a day like today:
A few days ago we got a DVD player that can connect directly to our Amazon Prime account so we can watch Star Trek reruns on free streaming. Add some knitting, and let it snow!
This is one of Marguerite's dresses in Scarlet Pimpernel. Although the pattern is supposed to be Renaissance, it gets used for Regency. It still needs trim, which hasn't been purchased yet, mostly because no one's found anything that matches and looks appropriate.
For ease of quick changing between scenes we ditched the back laces called for in the pattern, and used velcro in back.
I semi-lined the bodice. The pattern has a bagged bodice lining, but that would make alterations crazy. I sort of used the lining pieces as giant facing pieces -- I sewed them to the neck and back, then flipped them to the inside and serged them to the edges of the bodice pieces. I then made darts and sewed seams with the 2 pieces (lining plus fashion fabric) held together.
I had to lengthen the lower sleeve. I also took out some of the bust curve.
The solid blue is a stretch satin. It wrinkles easily. The brocade is surprisingly lightweight. The fabrics are from Hancock.
The whole thing has sort of a dumpy nightgown vibe. It looks okay when the actress puts it on, though.
When not working on their school work or attending various classes, the kids have been busy:
Babysitting. They have a weekly job at a church during a Bible study, and also babysit for the neighbors.
Singing in choirs.
Taking voice lessons. Thalia was in a recital her voice teacher had a couple of weeks ago. She started with the teacher back in September. Annabeth started lessons after the recital.
(I love the acoustics in this recital hall, by the way.)
Girl Scouts, shown here at the skating rink.
Taking ballet. They take 2 different places, by the way, one of which uses Vaganova, and the other seems to use more of a Cecchetti style. And, of course, they argue about why each has chosen the superior style.
Taking tap. They are with the same teacher in the same class, so theoretically fewer arguments.
Thalia is in rehearsals for Scarlet Pimpernell.
Annabeth will be the Cat in Seussical.
Thalia is production assistant for Seussical.
******
In the meantime, I've been crocheting a boatload of collars (19 total) for the Irish Dance studio:
A wad of 8 collars. Someone asked me if I was making basketball nets.
Eight MORE collars, but pressed and folded.
Three school collars.
Closeup of a school collar. These are highly annoying to make. At least one of the old collars disappeared when someone decided to clean it in straight bleach. DON'T DO THAT! Straight bleach will destroy the fibers, as they discovered when the entire thing sort of disintegrated. Use water with a little bleach added. Or use peroxide. Otherwise I will stab you in the hand with one of those pointy metal crochet hooks
I finished all of the crocheting last Thursday afternoon. It's Monday afternoon, and my hands are still sore.
And now it's time to start some serious sewing for Pimpernell. I'm so glad I have quality help for this:
