Monthly Archives: October 2013

Day 304: Happy Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

 Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because, well quite frankly, I am a costuming addict.  However, there is no costume here today.  Our community pushed trick or treating back to tomorrow due to a storm that is blowing through today.  So, as odd as it feels, I will be dressing up tomorrow to hand out candy.

Musings of a Seamstress

Other than that I have been working on my coat today.  Slowly, but working on it none the less.  I have my underlining basted to my shell and my darts sewn in.  I am debating if I want to cut the excess of the front darts out. This is a pretty heavy weight fabric with added bulk of flannel.  Not sure what I want to do yet.  Any thoughts, Sewcialists?

I am hoping to have the shells for the bodice and skirt portions finished tonight, that way tomorrow I can attach them and the lining.  Based on the reviews I read on Pattern Review, I am not even bothering with the instructions.  I have put together enough coats that I should be fine without the McCall’s instructions.  If anyone is interested I will try to put together a quick tutorial on how I put mine together.

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Day 303: Sewing Red

Posted on October 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

Today I made the muslin for my new coat.  It fit pretty darn good straight from the pattern with no alterations.  That is so very rare.  I am excited that I won’t have to make any alterations to this pattern.  Oh,  by the way, I am using McCalls 6442, view B.  I am excited about this.  This will be my Red October project.  I know I know October ends tomorrow.  That’s me ever late to the game, but at least I am showing up. I should have something to share tomorrow for all my efforts.

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Day 302: Plans for the week

Posted on October 29, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

Today was my last 12 hour work day of the season which is a little bittersweet.  I am excited to go back to normal hours but it also means it is my last week with three days in a row off.  So over the course of the next three days I need to get my new winter coat started and finished.  Bring it on!

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Day 301: M6143 review

Posted on October 28, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

Yesterday I completely bypassed the fact that it was day 300. We are on a serious countdown mode now!

Musings of a Seamstress

Here is the costume I made Eric for the party.  He went as Lewis Carroll.  He did add a wig shortly after our mini photo session.  Believe it or not, I used McCall’s M6143.  The envelope photos and styling are utterly ridiculous.  The vest is a faux vest, which would not be my first choice but it works for a quick costume.

Musings of a Seamstress

For the jacket and vest I used just under 4 yards of a brown cotton twill bottom weight.  I think with a few modifications this could be a decent steampunk costume.

Let’s play a game!  It is called can you spot the belly button?  You would think that somewhere along the lines one or two people would have noticed that at the photoshoot.

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Days 299 & 300: Alice in Wonderland

Posted on October 27, 2013 | Leave a comment

Day 299

Queen of Hearts

Last night Eric and I had our annual Halloween party.  This years theme was Alice in Wonderland and, if you could not tell, I was the Queen of Hearts.  The skirt is from a few months ago, when I did another music themed sponsor day.  My good friend, Bri, was the sponsor for yesterdays outfit.  Her theme was Alice in Wonderland  because it is one of her favorites.  It may have also influenced which murder mystery we went with this year. I had a blast playing the Queen.  In fact we all had so much fun last night that I did not have a chance to update my blog like I should have.

 

Musings of a Seamstress

 I opted not to do a crown for the Queen because I found this awesome red glittery mini top hat.  I added the Queen of Hearts playing card, which has a red heart jewel, to the hat. I love a mini top hat!

Musings of a Seamstress

I made myself a waist cincher out of only hearts cards.  I bought two decks specifically for this.  I also added red heart jewels to this as well.  The rest of the cards were used as decoration.  I have quite a few more pictures to share as well.  I will try to share some tomorrow, including what I made for Eric.  But let’s be real for a moment,  I haven’t even posted reviews for the costume I made him for Gen Con in August or my ren faire costume from earlier this month.  I have been really terrible about posting my reviews of patterns and updating my stats for the year.  It always happens this time of year, where I just fall off the wagon.  Considering this is first and foremost a sewing blog I need to get back to that.

 

Day 300

Musings of a Seamstress

Then there is today.  I always feel like the day after a costume day is a little bit of a let down. I love costumes.  I think they are a fun way to express your creativity.  Plus, they add a little more excitement to my daily dress wardrobe.  But for today I went with an oatmeal colored cardigan over top a pinkish coral shirt.  I buttoned the top button only of the cardi and it makes me feel a little librarian-ish.  All I need is an awesome vintage sweater chain.

 

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Day 298: Pearls, pearls and more pearls

Posted on October 25, 2013 | 1 comment

Musings of a Seamstress

There is lots of sewing going on here today.  Prepare yourself for some awesome costuming tomorrow.  It’s a good thing I took today’s picture before I started all this sewing as I am now covered in threads and fabric scraps.

 

Musings of a Seamstress

Earlier today I posted this picture to Instagram.  It is 4,700 glass pearls.  Yes, you read that correctly, 4,700!  I have been buying up pearls like crazy from Jo-Ann’s for the last 6 months or so.  These are all for my next renaissance costume.  This is an idea that I have been working on for over a year now.  Knowing I was doing this Adoption Dress Project this year, I didn’t want to start this new costume for this years ren fair.  I am going to take my time with this one.  I just do not want to rush the construction.  There is going to be so much hand beading with all the pearls that I want the quality to be top notch.  I am hoping to get started on this sometime in December.  I have a few things I want to work on for everyday wear first and then there are Christmas presents to make, so I think mid-December sounds good.   Plus I still need to get more of the large pearls.  I will be using those to make  my girdle belt, so I am going to need quite a few.  To say I am excited about this costume is an understatement.  This should be spec-freaking-tacular when it is completed.

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Day 297:Waiting

Posted on October 24, 2013 | 1 comment

Musings of a Seamstress

It has been a slow going day.  I still do not have much to share on the costumes I am working on until Saturday.  I can, however, tell you that next weeks project will be my new winter coat.  Holy cats, it has been cold here for October.  It has snowed once already and sleeted for a good chunk of today.  I was really hoping to enjoy the fall season, but clearly Mother Nature has other ideas about that.

 

For some more interesting reading than what I have what to say today check out this article on the waiting in adoption.

 

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Day 296: Getting Ready

Posted on October 23, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

I did a little prep work for the party this weekend.  My costume is 99% done.  Now I have to work on Eric’s.  I got the fabric for it today.  I don’t want to spoil any of the details, so I am going to leave it at this.  I did also get some awesome decorations for the party that are actually Christmas ornaments.  They will work really well for this murder myster.

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Day 295: Comical Distractions

Posted on October 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

Another rainy, cold and dark night.  Ugh…so ready for some good daylight to take my picture in.

I would have posted much sooner this evening but I may have gotten a bit distracted with a new Facebook app.  Have you tried Bitstrips yet?

I am kind of addicted to it right now.

 Just in case you couldn’t tell.

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Day 294: Sleep Deprivation

Posted on October 21, 2013 | Leave a comment

Musings of a Seamstress

It was rainy, dark and cold outside when I got home. So I only got terrible indoor, poorly lit pictures.  Also,  I am just pure exhausted today.  I stayed up to watch the whole game last night, which ended at around 12:15am.  It was a great game and a well deserved win for the Colts.  The problem with this is that I had been up since 4:30am yesterday and had to get up at the same time today.  Tomorrow is my last 12 hour shift this week and I will get to completely focus on costumes and party prep for three days. These 12 hour shifts are rough but I really love having 3-4 days off a week.

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