Officially, one of 4 costumes is now finished and a second is on it’s way! Last night was quite productive. First I attached the sleeves to the jacket so the Witch costume (dress and jacket) are officially done!
Jacket all finished!The back of the jacket showing the collarAnother view so you can see the grometts and lace up.
Then I moved on to Chloe’s Vampiress skirt. This is actually a two-parter. First there’s a pleated skirt, then there’s a bustle that you attach after the skirt is on, so it’s a separate piece entirely. I worked on just the skirt last night, cutting all the pieces, sewing and pleating (LOTS of pleats), finally adding the wasteband. It still needs trim, a hem (it’s about 5″ too long), and some method of securing it in the back because I think it’s too large to do the small lace up that it calls for on Chloe (I’m sewing a woman’s size 6 essentially). Maybe buttons (to make it adjustable) or extra gromets at different widths so it can be laced tighter or looser.
Here’s the half finished skirt…
The front panel is gathered and the side and back panels are pleated. I loved working with the solid fabric, it's very stiff but that makes pleating easier!A view of the back, I have it just pinned shut so it's not secured nicely.
I’m also leaving off the train entirely, no need for it, it would just get in the way. I really love this costume, mostly because of the fabrics themselves, the redish/black solid fabric cuts like a dream (also frays but what can you do). I’ll get a picture of the costume all together when it’s completed. I see an end in sight – so exciting!
Last night I spent a few hours working on the Witch costume for Georgia. Specifically the jacket since the dress is already done. It went together pretty quickly and all I have left to do is to attache the sleeves to the jacket and put in the grommets! All the rest is done! It’s a black jacket with a green lining and will have green ribbon to tie it together through the grommets. It doesn’t quite fit my manikin but you get a decent idea and I pinned the dress to the front of the manikin (also doesn’t fit on it) so you can see the two pieces together. About 30 more minutes and I’ll have one costume done!
The back of the jacket, the sleeves are just pinned in place, not actually attached but the rest is all done.A view of the front/side with a sleeve rolled up so you can see the green lining is in the sleeve flounce as well as inside the jacket which is supposed to flare out around the dress.
Actual costume is viewed here: http://www.simplicity.com/p-1755-costumes.aspx, top left is the witch version we made. One almost done, 3 more to finish up! Let’s hope tonight I’m motivated to do some more sewing 🙂
I never did write about last weekend, we went to my sister-in-laws so Ryan could help his Dad and brother-in-law work on the roof and add a new dormer.
This weekend we had planned to work on the window panels however the rain kept us inside all weekend instead. While I puttered and did various things Ryan worked on the built-ins! First he put the backs on, then he attached them permanently. Then he made a counter top and installed it, it came out great!
Built-ins installed with backsPoplar counter top Ryan made
During this time I did some various electrical (a few outlets in the built-ins had to be installed and I started installing the ceiling fan which did not go that well unfortunately so it’s still not finished) 🙂
At dinner time I met up with the cousins and they came over for the night to work on Halloween costumes! While we worked on costumes Ryan continued on built-ins by starting the bookcases that will go on top.
Start of the bookcases
In preparation for the girls coming over I spent Friday night getting the patterns ready for Georgia and Chloe. Then I put together the skirt of Maia’s costume so it was done enough that she could try it on (it still needs a lining and a zipper but it’s close).
So Saturday night while Maia worked on cutting yarn for her Rapunzel braid and Chloe cut out her pattern pieces, Georgia and I made the dress for her costume. She’s going to be a witch and it’s a 2 piece costume, a dress and then a lined jacket. Georgia did most of the cutting and sewing of the whole dress and just before bed I did the final hem on it so it’s completely done!
Witch dress for GeorgiaAnother view
After the girls went to bed I helped Ryan move the tv lower finally.
TV lowered
Sunday morning was Chloe’s turn, we started making just the top of her costume, it’s a victorian dress but it’s a 2 parter, skirt and top. She helped cut out all the pieces and sewed most of the straight seams. There were a lot of curved seams so I did have to take over for those trickier parts. At one point we took a break and braided the yarn/hair for Maia with some ribbons so she could take it home and attach it to a crown or something. (I forgot to take a picture unfortunately). I did however take a picture of Maia’s costume so far:
Tangled costume, skirt is finished but top needs to be lined and zipper added still.
When we got about a 2 hour extension of time together I decided to continue Chloe’s top and we managed to get it completed! Grommets and all! I think it came out great and Chloe learned how to do Grommets!
Front of Chloe's top with the fancy sleeves and the lacy detail added over the seams.Grommets and lacing up the back with a few pleats at the bottom.
All in all a VERY productive weekend! And I ended the weekend by baking up some blueberry muffins that Fitz will NOT get to eat this time!
I’ve started the first of 3 halloween costumes (last week actually, just little by little in the evenings). So I got the top cut out and started putting it together last night. I hit a spot in the directions where I was COMPLETELY lost and couldn’t figure out what they were trying to do – this is a first for me, sometimes I need to read it a few times but I was really lost this time.
Finally I just continued forward doing what I thought they might be saying but the ‘folding’ was throwing me off. It involves lots of eyelets so after I got them all put in I took a look and finally realized what the directions were saying – I needed to fold the front before putting the eyelets in so they went through 2 layers of the top fabric !!! UGG!
Not a big deal to cut out the front pieces again and redo it – but the eyelets were a huge pain with this satin material – not looking forward to doing that part again 🙁 lesson learned though! The directions are horrible, i’ll have to write some notes down in case I ever do something similar in the future!
Seems I dropped off the blogosphere after our closet finished huh? Well let me fill you in…
The last weekend of our vacation we went back to NY for my nephew’s welcome baby bbq. Then Irene decided she was attending and we had to cancel so we drove home Saturday night. That meant Sunday was actually an unexpected day at the house – did I get anything done – no. Why? Because Saturday night I didn’t feel well so I didn’t sleep well so I slept most of Sunday!
Monday brought work again and Ryan’s new job started up. This means that while I’m also busy due to a new program at work, Ryan is even busier and has a longer commute (mine is tough to beat too!). So I’m on full time dog duty as well as house everything duty. This leaves less time for much else BUT I have been getting a start on halloween costumes!
The black cat costume was put together and tried out, it needs a little adjusting and then it needs embelishment. That’s a quick one. I also started the top for Maia’s dress, go the pieces cut out. I’ll post pictures after I’ve done some actual sewing 🙂
Camping?! this weekend – depends how Knox is (is it a swamp after Irene) and how the weather is. Either way we’ll be seeing family this weekend and Irene is not coming!
Yesterday since the cousins were over we spent the day hanging out with them. We baked (fresh blueberry muffins!) and ate (said muffins for sure) and shopped!
Looking forward to this year, they picked out some great fabrics!
After taking the girls home and staying for a late dinner (and some guitar hero), we came home and I got the final coat on the closet trim! The closet is officially ready for sanding (walls) and the closet system install. We’re heading to home depot now!
On Monday I flew out to CA for work, I almost missed my flight, waking up at 5am instead of 3:30 as planned but somehow made my 5:45 flight thanks to being packed the night before and Ryan driving me to the airport.
I had planned on working on the flight but couldn’t VPN the night before and download the documents I wanted to read so that was a bust and I was up much later than planned trying (hence the over sleeping). However I can’t complain because I got the applique on my nephew’s quilt all finished! They look a little funny without faces (that’s next) and it’s all beads and embroidery. Most of the animals are from a pattern but I drew out the monkey based on the monkey in the fabric to match. Applique done!
I didn’t get any other sewing done this week, just worked every waking hour and then took a red-eye home (during which i attempted to sleep which was almost impossible). I’m finally home and ready to work some more but Ryan has plans tonight so if work goes well I hope to work on the quilt some more tonight!
Busy weekend with work (traveling monday) and my cousin’s graduation all day sunday. But we did manage to do some more siding on the front, we went as high as we could without putting the caps on the windows/door. (which we have to make still.
Siding progress!
Then I spent the evening saturday finishing up my nephew’s quilt! One of his quilts anyway, the other I got all the pieces for applique ready and i can bring it to CA for with me 🙂
Crib quilt finished!
Off to the graduation – and little Fitzy is going to his grandparent’s house for the week – quite an adventure!
Before heading home we hung up the new curtains in my sister’s nursery.
Aimee's nursery with new curtains
Now that the curtains are finished I’m focused on the wall hanging, crib quilt, crib skirt and matching bumpers. We’ll see what I can get done in the next 2 weeks before I see Aimee again.
