apron wings

A Mad World

This year I did not make Tony's costume which freed up time to make my own costume...and one for my sister. After checking out ideas online we settled on Alice in Wonderland. I was the Mad Hatter, she was Alice, and our lovely frined Amanda was the Queen of Hearts.

It was alot of fun working on both costumes, learning some new techniques, and trying new things. I chose Simplicity 4015 for Alice. My sis wanted something a little different so I altered it a bit and made it more fun. I used Kona Cotton in a royal blue. I draped the back to create the sort of bustle/exposed petticoat look with tiers of eyelet ruffles. I also greatly reduced the width of the skirt, added eyelet ruffle trim around the sleeves, neckline and hem, nixed the neckline bow and went with sweet heart shaped buttons instead.

 
 I also glued a bow onto a store bought headband along with 2 tags reading "eat me" and "drink me." She found some adorable stockings and we added 2 layers of crinoline petticoats for more fullness.

For my costume I used Simplicity 2525 to make the dress, vest, tailcoat and bowtie.

I made the dress from a fabulous feather print I found on the quilting wall at Jo-Anns, for the vest and jacket lining I used costume satin in gold. The bow tie is also costume satin in a vibrant purple. I used a teal cordorouy for the jacket and black Kona Cotton for the sleeve ruffle and collar. I added some crazy fringe to the hem and the sleeves, and the buttons on the back.
 

I tried making the tophat according to this pattern on fabric but found it to be a huge pain so I used a frozen pizza box. I hot glued it together and covered it in Martha Stewart glitter in Ebony. I added a feather and some purple ribbon.

I made a fun corsage using some glittery "foliage" from michaels. I just arranged them and added a purple ribbon.

I also made spats using the tutorial I found on The Indigo Phial. I made them a little less structured and a little more mad.

 
 
 

The costumes were a huge hit and after all that work/fun I think I might be the Mad Hatter every year.

(sorry for the bad flash photos!)
 

 

My Happy Place

I didn't mean to disappear for so long but it was a crazy busy summer. I graduated with my associates and then had to pack and prepare for the big move! We are all moved in and Tony and I have both started at our new schools. Our home really does feel like home now and we are getting used to our new town. This is huge for us and a little bit scary. It is the first time that him and I have lived alone just the two of us. We really only know each other so the living room gets a lot of use. It has seen a lot of games, play dough, movies, books, and cuddling so far. I love the living room, I challenge you to come visit and not be happy in this living room! No seriously come visit!

  

 

  

 

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Good Night Mush

 

 

I went to a baby shower this morning, I wanted to make another story book quilt. I wasn't sure what any of her childhood faves were so I went with Goodnight Moon--a classic staple in every childs collection. I embroidered some of my favorite illustrations and then made pinwheels out of green, yellow, and red--the predominate colors of the book. I put some nice soft red flannel on the back and did a rick-rack stich along the edges. The shower was loads of fun seeing most of the girls from high school and I hope mom and baby love the quilt.

Picture was taken at the last minute, in the parking lot, in the backseat of my car---that's just how I operate!

Caps for Sale

   

This is one of Tony's favorite night time reads, and rightfully so. This book is so good--you can't go wrong with the subtitle "A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business." I love everything about this book especially the illustrations and those colors--love it! So when we were at the Maxx awhile back and he spotted this hat he said he needed it because it was a caps for sale hat, I of course bought it for him --literature and costumes, 2 of my favorite things combined--well it doesn't get better than that. I found the sweet blazer at the thrift store and crafted him a mustache out of ribbon and felt.

 

 

He thinks I need a mustache too...

 

and why not after all I loved it first

The littlest birds sing the prettiest songs

 

Dress #4. I saved the best for last! This one is my absolute favorite. I used McCall's M5620 and the Alexander Henry Bird Seed fabric featured on the front of the pattern. I have to admit when I saw the pattern I thought "hmmm...this could be really ugly" but it is the best. I think all the crap they put on the front of the dresses is really distracting. I just stuck to one simple black button. I definately think the belt is necessary to keep it from looking like a house dress. I made the belt with cotton lined with fusible interfacing and the buckle was one of those bonuses you find in the bottom of a large tin of buttons from a church rummage sale. If I make the pattern again I will make it a few inches longer but other than that-looove it. Expect to see me wearing this dress all summer.

A nun, a church lady, and a princess...

 

Dress #3. This started out purely in my imagination. I didn't even sketch it out because I didn't want by poor drawing skills to tarnish the image in my head. I searched and searched for the right pattern to make the bodice and settled on the Simplicity 2724. I used men's oxford shirting for the top and I love the pleating on the neckline and sleeves and it was suprisingly very simple to whip up. For the skirt I used suiting, I cut the fabric triple my measurement and attached it to the bodice. I used cotton lined with fusible interfacing for the belt. Response to the dress is varied, it reminded my BFF of "Sound of Music", my sister thought it was a little "church lady", and my son thinks it looks like a princess dress. 

Redo

 

Dress #2. The top of this dress may look familiar, it was an okay shirt but it pulled up a little in the front and so quickly made it's way to the back of my closet. When I started sketching dresses I realized one of my sketches looked like the shirt so I dragged it out and got to work. At first it was gonna be a drop waist dress--yeah not a good look for me so the trusty, looks good on everyone, empire waist won out. I just cut the bottom of the shirt, cut the fabric for the skirt 1 1/2 times my measurement, gathered it and sewed it all together. I really like this dress, it is super comfy and the perfect length. I think it will stay in the front of the closet!

It was true that day I wore a vest

 

I was reading a magazine article recently where a girls new years resolution was to wear dresses everyday for a year, and I thought it was a great resolution. You just feel better when you are wearing a dress, and while I'm not gonna wear a dress everyday (I live in the midwest and I'm not into braving the winter with bare legs) but I am gonna make an effort to wear them more often. My BFF and I made this Spring Break officially a no-pants spring break. So I made 4 dresses for my trip out to see her, and this is dress number one.

I bought an amazing vintage square dancing skirt at the thrift store ages ago and it has sat in my sewing room begging to become something else. The waist of the skirt was a tiny tiny 26 inches so wearing it as is was not an option. I deconstructed the entire thing and made it into a simple dress. In my sketches the vest and skirt were attached but after much trial and error I decided on making a vest and a dress. I love the black and white swirls and those are roosters along the hem if you cant tell. There was so much yardage in the orignal skirt I probably could have made two dresses. I think I tore it apart more than anything else I've ever worked on but in the end I'm pleased (sort of)

you sure are looking good

 

 

This bag is everyhing that big bad wolf could want. The front of it was originally a pillowcase that I repurposed into a smock top and now it's a bag. I'm loving it combined with the giant polka-dots. I feel like this is gift destined for someone but I'm not sure who yet, for now it just hangs in my sewing room and makes me happy when I look at it!