It starts all over again.

[Catllar]

So I'm off again. I have made so far 7 dirndl-type skirts and little white aprons. 3 more to do but haven't got the waist measurements and I don't think elasticated gathered skirts suit ladies of a certain age - a fitted waistband is a lot more faff but gets a neater waistline.  Miracle of miracles - I also have enough fabric for all 10!

I've made a start on a set of three - hockeystick skirts with yoga waists  -all done, and  so yesterday I had a go at one of the tops. How old must I be before I remember that Big 4 patterns are enormous?  I had a McCalls princess seamed bustier shape top with a stretch netting yoke and long fitted raglan sleeves. This can be flmenco-ised I thought. Hmm, said I reading the envelope, this pattern isn't big enough in the boobage for me so I did a quick FBA and for good luck added 10 cms to the length and away I went quickly made it up.  We could actually fit all three of us in it. Huge. pinned it in removing 5cms from each side and 6 out the sleeve seam.  Tried it on again - - no way  will it do. The raglan sleeve doesn't move well enough to lift the arms - repinned to shorten the armhole, now it puckers - prototype now in bin and I'm looking for a new idea.  Perhaps an assymetric tunic - yes that might do. ( Again, for once I have many many metres of the stretchy plumetis)

I want to get the costumes  all done before we move in March. I work best to a deadline. I just won't think how many there are to do in total.

[Surest1tch]

  when you've finished please.

[Catllar]

Once I've got the tops done then I'll get some done together with the skirts.

[Catllar]

Second prototype top not quite right yet - the sleeves don't want to play nicely , kept me awake last night but now I think I have the solution. Will undo what I've done ( grrr - overlocked sleeves in already) and start sleeves again.

[Catllar]

SO, change of project.  There are 9 of these beauties to massacre. I shall be removing the bodice and turning them into skirts, there will be repositioning of zippers and addition of white frills somewhere to link to the tops .  Here is the before   [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

[Ohsewsimple]

Good luck @Catllar.  Rather you than me. 

[toileandtrouble]

You will have lots of arms and bodices left over.  you could make a couple of octopus costumes.

[grndkntrl]

SO, change of project.  There are 9 of these beauties to massacre. I shall be removing the bodice and turning them into skirts, there will be repositioning of zippers and addition of white frills somewhere to link to the tops.

I really like the style of the green/black sections; looks like black lace layered over a green base, but is it stitched/bonded together, or just loose?

Hopefully they are stitched/bonded in some way so the layers don't just fall apart when you dismember it!

[Catllar]

So the octopus idea is great - that's halloween sorted!

Here's the first one and the spotty one is a scrap left from the tops ( already done and delivered) to get an idea of the rendu.  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

[Catllar]

What is surprising me is just how high some girls wear their waists. They did their own measuring - I say no more!

[Ouryve]

I wear mine pretty high, @Catllar. Everything is so much more comfortable and sits so much better and even gives the illusion that I have really do have a waist (even if it is just under my armpits!)

[Catllar]

@grndkntrl  the lace is bonded but was still very thin so every lace panel is interlined to match the weight of the black panels, which are various black pontes, jerseys and even some drill! These dresses were really made with low budgets!

[Bill]

Massacre 
Probably teaching the chicken how to lay the egg here but a book I've bought recently mentions tying an elastic band around the body to find the natural waist.
Is that your gin and tonic I see lurking in the big bottle with a blue lid?

[Catllar]

Massacre 
Probably teaching the chicken how to lay the egg here but a book I've bought recently mentions tying an elastic band around the body to find the natural waist.
Is that your gin and tonic I see lurking in the big bottle with a blue lid?

That is a great idea @Bill and it does the job very well, however we are talking people here who in the main don't even possess a tape measure, let alone a length of elastic.  I suggested they must all be able to rustle up a bit of string to tie and then measure on a ruler of some sort.

Darn, I should have moved the emergency supply! Now you know my little secret , sigh.

[Catllar]

  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]   Another one bites the dust - only 3 sets of these - hockeystick skirts, stretchy mesh gathered neck tops with shirred wrists and applied frills to match the hem of the skirt. Eagle eyes will notice the seam on the waist band - this is because I put it on Dolly backwards and couldn't be a...d to turn it round!