Take Joy!

Halloween Costumes—Finished!

(I know these are not very good photos; I was in a hurry, as usual, to get this in the mail so Eliza can wear it to the Renaissance Festival in Charlotte this weekend.) Anyway, this is Eliza's costume. The dress pattern is out-of-print Simplicity 2817, the authorized Disney Cinderella costume. I bought the fabric back in the summer, before I found the pattern, so I had more (ah . . . much more) than enough. Enough leftover to make a hooded cape (Butterick 4319) lined with silver metallic knit. Ties are grograin ribbon.

Here's a closeup of the dress itself. The skirt is very full, even though it doesn't seem to be, and I am trusting that the panniers will look better once she has it on. Once again, my nemesis the back zipper appears—but this one, while not perfect, is at least normal-looking.

The fabric are from Jo-Ann's—polyester, of course—and the dress fabric has a silver sparkle woven into it. The sheer has sparkly bits applied—sort of like mirror shards, and a pain to sew over.

I made a bag, too—the pattern is Fig Tree Threads Berry Sweet Bag (the original looks like a strawberry).

If we are fortunate, someone may send a photo of her wearing it. (But I'm not holding my breath; the only reason I know it got to Florida is that I sent it delivery confirmation. K didn't return my Saturday call, and Eliza didn't answer my email, so perhaps it wasn't as wonderful as I thought it was. Oh, well.)

I sent Riley a box of gingersnaps instead of making him a costume, since he's partial to authentic-looking superhero costumes that usually involve spandex, and one spiderman was enough for me. And Emma is dressing as Darth Maul this year; her parents are dealing with the face paint (or mask), so I simply sewed large swaths (10 yards!) of black cotton sateen: a hooded robe (same Butterick 4319 in another incarnation) and a karate-type pants and jacket (McCalls 6184). Authenticity would have been hakama-type pants, and I rounded up directions; but I was sick with a cold-or-something all of September and on into October, and I just wasn't up for all that measuring. Maybe another time—they look awfully comfortable, and I could make myself a pair this winter . . .

And that is pretty much the end of my Halloween sewing. There were several other things I wanted to make but I just didn't have the energy this year. I have the fabric and patterns sorted out; maybe for next year. (There is one other thing: I made an interesting apron of Halloween prints, but I sent it to someone as a gift, so more bad photos will have to wait a few days.)

Finished Fauna

I have actually finished some things, in spite of spending every possible hour outside in the sun . . . here is the finished Mr. Bun, who has gone happily to his new home in Georgia:

Margaret and her friend from Hendersonville picked him up before Easter, on a nasty rainy day. I swathed him in plastic bags for the trip, and he was fine. I have since received pictures of him reading a magazine, sitting in Margaret's porch rocker, and spending time in her recliner when the day was too wet to go out.

And also one of him with her grandson. He's been a big hit!

And here is Emma's birthday gift (along with a copy of Hootcat Hill by Lucy Coats; I read it first and passed it along)—Perry the Platypus in his innocent-pet guise. I think he looks suitably dumb and dorky.

Specs: knit of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride in Brown Bear, Turquoise Depths, and a variegated yellow I've had for a long time and lost the ball band off (I originally bought it to crochet a hat shaped like a squash, back before I learned to knit). Pattern from Kath Dalmeny's World of Knitted Toys. Eyes are vintage buttons.

Next project(s): a shark hat (and just try to find bulky shark-colored acrylic . . . ) and a flock of sheep, and a wizard's robe for Emma's bear Hermione. Plus the ski helmets for the Pine Ridge EMT and police, but those aren't needed until September or October. Plus the Sheep Heid, for which I have all the Shetland wool patiently waiting, but I'm enjoying the anticipation of actually knitting it so much that I haven't been in any hurry to begin. . .

(In other news, I finally have new glasses and I hate them. Oh, I can see better—my nearsightedness is worsening as I age—but they are SO annoying! The frames are larger than my old ones—not much, but just enough to make them heavier. They slide down my nose every time I look up, and often when I don't. Apparently the adhesive nose pads which will remedy this have disappeared from stores: I distinctly remember seeing them in drugstores and grocery stores when I didn't need any, but now? Nary a one to be found. I've taken to wearing my old ones when I'm on the computer or sewing, so I don't have to push them back up every other minute. Not good. Must ask John to fiddle with the angle of the nosepads. Again.)

 

Riley's Gargoyle

Made from an old pattern by Julie McCullough of Magic Threads, he is 18" tall (more or less). I used fleece instead of the robe velour she calls for (primarily because the local Hancock no longer carries robe velour, just as it no longer carries lots of other useful things); his eyes are buttons with a felt backing, and his wings and horns are some liquid-y metallic fabric that I had on hand. His arms are button jointed, but his legs are stationary. He sits, and that's it. I contemplated (briefly) adding toenails and things of that sort, but Riley is only three and a half, after all . . . maybe if I ever make another one.

I did have to do some adjusting, and I'm not sure whether it was due to the change in fabric, or my stuffing, or something else entirely—but his head was too heavy for his body and he tipped over drunkenly when I tried to sit him down, so I had to open him up, remove his tail, and insert a weight bag of plastic pellets. I also weighted his tail with pellets and sewed it back on a little ways up his back instead of into the botton seam, where it originally was. And I did some more stitching on his legs, to hold them in closer. So now all is well, and I think he'll do nicely.

Here's another picture, so you can see his arm joints.

The Costume Studio is in Operation

 . . . complete with help.

 

And look, one of them matches Emma's panda costume-to-be! Now I guess the cat hair won't show so much.

I am running several days behind, due to being stove up with the flu-or-something last week. However, everything will be in the mail on Tuesday, come hell or high water. I went out today to get Halloween goodies for their boxes (you know, the usual—candy skulls, wax lips, gummi snakes, candy corn, that sort of thing) and was mightily depressed at the state of the stores. Wal-Mart (which I hate, but I needed a bathmat and thought I could get Halloween stuff there too) had nothing. Zilch. Usually I get little holiday tchotchkes there—bendy scarecrows, stickers, Halloween Peeps, candy bracelets—the kind of junk I only indulge them in on Halloween and Easter, but there was nothing like that this year. Only sad-looking costumes, and giant bags of Snickers bars, and some plastic pumpkins. Not many shoppers, either. (And no bathmats. I want the ones that look like square towels, woven cotton without that rubber backing that shreds off in the washer. Doesn't anyone make them any more?) So, since I had to go and buy yet more elastic and Velcro (apparently there is something in my sewing corner that devours fasteners of all types, since I never seem to have any no matter how many I buy), and the fabric store is next door to it, I proceeded to AC Moore, which did have some interesting goodies at 50% off. Unfortunately, they also had only two cashiers working, with a 10-person line at each one, and after standing in line for 20 minutes (during which time one line moved not at all, and the other moved up by one person) to buy three packs of stickers, a couple of Pez dispensers and a glittery cats-eye mask, I opted to put everything back and go away muttering to myself. Then I tried CVS (across the street. I was trying to avoid a stop at Rite-Aid, which is closer to home but requires a weird left turn across traffic and just up the hill from a bad stoplight to get out of unless you're going down the hill to Ingles, which I wasn't. Not today, anyway.) and finally found some candy things—no Pez, though—but no little goodies. Maybe I'll stop at Rite-Aid tomorrow when I go to the post office to pick up the mail. Or maybe I won't. I'm sure they'll be very happy with whatever I send.

One thing's for sure—shopping isn't what it used to be, even last year. I've never enjoyed it (unless, of course, it's books or CDs or fabric/yarn/beads. It's the necessary shopping—for bathmats, clothes, food—that I abhor.), but now it's just depressing.  I think I'll just stay home; it's nicer here.

Back to the costumes . . .

In Progress

Here is what I'm working on today: Eliza's Easter Bunny. Naked, but soon to be clothed . . .

She's made from an old McCall's Crafts pattern (3760)—I used this same pattern to make a Christmas bunny for one of Karolyn's friends back when she was in the 7th grade, and she is 30 now. (No, I never throw anything away; why do you ask?)

Currently in the works are a pair of green bloomers, trimmed with eyelet that I've been carting around for at least fifteen years, and a flowered dress with a pink apron. Everything came from The Stash, except the eye buttons; I thought I had some, but apparently I used them for some other critter. Which necessitated a trip to the fabric store on Saturday afternoon . . . and while I was there I picked up a pair of thread clips that I've been coveting for some time, to complete my scissor collection . . .

Now I own all of these, plus my pinking shears, a big pair of dressmaker shears, and the scalloping shears that I bought last year's Christmas money. And several pairs of old scissors suitable for cutting paper, Jiffy Grip, guinea feathers . . . I am still coveting a pair of applique scissors, but since I rarely work applique, and they are $26.95, I will probably covet for a while yet.

I'm sure it says something not terribly flattering about me that I am pleased as punch to have all these scissors. (And a box of 100 sewing machine needles in the size I use most.) But I don't care. Much.

While I was over there, I decided that Riley probably wouldn't really appreciate an Easter bunny nearly as much as these:

Behold the Easter Rex! (Well, they did lay eggs . . . )

And on that note I believe I shall return to the sewing machine.

Halloween Apron

I finished this up yesterday—it's for a swap at Fabric in Altered Art. And here's a closeup of the pocket. I'm glad I got a chance to use this fabric—I bought it a few weeks ago just because I thought it was interesting. (And I still have some left, too!)

Another [Mostly] Finished Project

This is the tote bag I've been working for . . . well, far too long. The pattern is Crabapple Hill's Posy Pocket Purse. I like it well enough—other than having to sew with many layers: inside with pockets, quilting fleece, outside with pockets—but I don't like the pocket construction. She has you sew it on last, by hand, after everything else is finished. It looks nice, but I don't know how sturdy it will be. (I know myself, and I am prone to cram everything but the kitchen sink in a pocket, sometimes with no regard as to whether it will fit.) I'm thinking I may buttonhole around the outside edge for some added stability—or maybe a row of cross stitches, bracketed by backstitching. (Not my original idea; it came from someone on the Hand Embroidery list.)

And here's a closeup of the pocket. Stitching is done with DMC floss, and the little pockets are plant-dyed wool felt—I forget just where I bought it, but it was one of the sites that cater to Waldorf schoolers. The buttons came from The Stash.

Emma's Birthday Dresses, Finished!

Here's her sundress—it's a dotted swiss-type fabric, light and airy (and ravel-y!); the lace on the hem is from my stash (perhaps vintage? I don't remember where I got it . . . but it might be). It's hard to see in the picture, but the hem is wavy. It's a Farbenmix pattern, Sasha, one of those you  have to trace off a master sheet and add seam allowances (but it is in English). I bought it from Sewzanne's, and I highly recommend them—excellent service and quick shipping, which is good for those of us who value instant gratification . . .

And here's the smock: I loved working with this fabric! It's so smooth and silky, the way really nice cotton is . . . but I have no idea where I got it! I bought it last year sometime and stashed it away for the proper thing.

It doesn't show in the photo, but the neck is buttonhole stitched with orange pearl cotton, just because I wanted to. Here's a closeup of the pocket:

The pattern is from this book—

I bought it on eBay from someone in Japan (along with one of embroidery, over which I am still drooling); it's another of those with a master pattern sheet from which you must pick out the pieces of your particular thing, in your particular size, and trace them off. (I use a roll of soil separator, which is used in laying sewer pipe; at less than $20 for a 300 foot roll, it's a bargain. I'll probably never have to buy another roll.) It was an interesting experience, since all the pattern notations, etc. are in Japanese. So are the instructions, but it's an easy dress and I've been sewing since I was 13, so that wasn't a big deal.

Also in her birthday box (mailing tomorrow) are these books:

I'd intended to buy only one, but . . .

The Lion Queen

The lion costume is finished! And on its way, and all the tiny bits of fleece and thread and yarn are safely tucked away in the vacuum cleaner . . .

Here's the back. The front looks just the same, only with no tail . . .

And there are spats to cover her shoes, and mitts for her hands . . .

And a headpiece, complete with mane . . .

And a matching costume for Bella . . .

Whew! I'll tell you one things—I am so, so very tired of sewing on pieces of yarn . . . but I do think it came out pretty well.

Now, on to the next project—Emma's birthday is April 1, and I am planning to make her a couple of summer dresses as her gift (plus the requisite book, of course; all grandchildren—and pretty much everyone else too—get books at every possible opportunity), and I have four pretty pieces of material to choose from, as well as a couple of new patterns—one Farbenmix, a sundress with a tiered twirly skirt; and one Japanese one, a pretty little smock with shoulder ruffles and a square yoke.

And I'm going to make myself a wool felt folder to hold my needlebook, embroidery scissors, and so on (from this pattern, only I think I'm going to choose fall colors, since that's what I have on hand), so I shall cut out all the pieces and choose the floss this evening, and then I'll have something to work on in the evenings. I don't really see well enough to do a lot of machine sewing at night—unless, of course, it's something imperative (see above). . .

Another Order for Banana's Costume Shop

Eliza's school is having another circus—and, rather than be a clown again (because that would be too easy, right?), she's going to be a lion. And guess who is requested to make a lion costume? To be mailed, and soon, for the circus is on the 19th—apparently Eliza was worried that I wouldn't be able to make her costume.

So I spent most of yesterday morning at Hancock buying golden lion-colored fleece and a pattern (which was, of course, not one of the ones on sale. sigh . . . ) and various notions. (It wouldn't have taken me long ordinarily, since I knew what I wanted and where it was, but my visit happened to coincide with a bus trip by some school's home ec class, all of whom were making spring dresses.) Then to AC Moore next door to buy yarn for the mane, since Hancock is in the midst of restocking theirs and they had pretty much nothing. THEN to the grocery store and post office, and home!

I spent yesterday afternoon cutting the costume out (remembering, this time, to lengthen the body by 2" and the legs by 6"—she's still in a pattern size 4, but she's 4'2" tall. All her growth is going up, not out!); I bought extra fabric, so I had enough to cut a costume for Bella also, and a stuffed toy lion (Vogue 7760; I haven't made anything from it yet, but it was 75% off last time I was there. There's also a rabbit, pony, dog and cat, and they all look pretty easy.)

Now to clean off my working space so I can sew this weekend . . .