The Sewing Place

The Emporia => The Show Must Go On => Topic started by: Catllar on March 29, 2018, 16:48:06 PM

Title: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on March 29, 2018, 16:48:06 PM: Wish I could say the same for my mojo. Lost it totally. Got all this fabric staring at me and I keep walking away and shutting the door. I'll just put it down to longterm jet lag I think. Must get a grip next week.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Lollipop on March 29, 2018, 20:43:55 PM: Ah, welcome back Catlar - long time no hear!!
Sorry to hear you've lost your mojo and hope you get it back soon. <3
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Lolli on March 29, 2018, 21:07:49 PM: Oh I hope you get your mojo back soon too! :flower:
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Marniesews on March 30, 2018, 01:00:37 AM: It won't take long I'm sure. I've never had a holiday break as long as yours (more's the pity) but I often find I come back home even after the loveliest holiday feeling I need a bit of a rest when I get back!

Just do some mental sewing for a few days and you'll soon want the real thing.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 04, 2018, 17:04:17 PM: Went to see my man in Spain yesterday and came home with 36 metres of fabric which is washed and ready to go. Still no mojo, but have a good reason now. Finally gave in and went to doctor this morning and I have chest infection for which she's given me 15 days of antibiotics and got a good telling-off for not going sooner. She sent me for an X-ray and it ain't pretty.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 11, 2018, 22:15:13 PM: Mojo back! Feel a lot better, started sewing today!
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Yellowfeather on April 12, 2018, 12:47:17 PM: Glad to have you back and feeling better C. Sewing mojo is very important when there is a show to costume.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 13, 2018, 13:03:39 PM: I think what has helped ( apart from feeling a lot better) is that the president asked for help on my behalf ( without asking me first) and selfish that I am I don't want it. I've had help before and the resulting hiatus in waiting for stuff to be done and come back to me is worse that ploughing on alone and the cutting out was bloody terrible.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: MitchOfTheNorth on April 14, 2018, 04:35:16 AM: After sewing for the local dance school for years, I don't miss it. I'm sure as DD1 is planning a professional contemporary dance career that I will get asked on occasion to costume a production - that's OK but I am absolutely over the crazy deadlines, 3 time a year, and year after year. I've offered my services to the 2 youth companies that she danced with but so far all has been quiet.

And I always felt the way that you do, Catllar. I never let other people cut out - it was just too stressful. With tight deadlines, if they messed up, I'd have been up the creek without a paddle.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 15, 2018, 14:20:25 PM: So I'm not on my own then MOTN about the cutting out help - thought I was being precious! :*
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Yellowfeather on April 16, 2018, 12:44:53 PM: I am the same C, I have tried using the 'help' before, but it never comes back the way I want it, or so badly cut it is unusable etc... I thought it was just me being too OCD about it.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 16, 2018, 20:47:59 PM: Here's a good one - was given 2.5 metres of fabric 100cm wide and asked if I could make 5 full circle skirts each almost 40cms deep out of it - errr no. :S
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Yellowfeather on April 17, 2018, 05:39:56 AM: I know you are a miracle worker, but Seriously!!!!! :angry: :angry:
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 17, 2018, 22:16:23 PM: They really have no idea. What I've done is to cut out what I could from the yardage and then on Thursday I'll take in my results together with the leftover bits and show them how the jigsaw puzzle works. I really think they don't believe me. -<
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 19, 2018, 22:44:16 PM: Something useful today - Someone gave me 5 brand new dresses today for turning into flamenco frocks! They will be perfect for our classical spanish - Brilliant - they just need some sleeves and a bit of trim and that's one group done!
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 20, 2018, 22:26:30 PM: Went to a concert on Wednesday evening and saw one of the girls from the dance group - Oh, said I, are you doing the end of year gala Sylvie, as I don't have your measurements yet" Answer: " Might do, depends if anything else comes up. Make it anyway and if I come I come and if I don't , well that's no problem." What, say I to myself - I am going to make her a costume and she might or might not deign to turn up???? I don't think so!" So I said. " No Sylvie, that's a problem - I'll have made a costume for nothing. I'll have wasted my time"

GUESS WHAT SHE SAID!!!!! " That's what you do." I was speechless - is that how she sees me? Jan's always there doing the sewing? Don't know whether to laugh or cry!
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: b15erk on April 21, 2018, 09:12:39 AM: Now that's just plain rude! :o

Did you give her a look? Or were you vocal?

Who does she think you are, the sewing dogsbody?

:fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish:

Jessie
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Lolli on April 21, 2018, 16:14:59 PM: Flippin eck, cheeky so and so! :angry:
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Lollipop on April 21, 2018, 19:41:43 PM: Oh my goodness, what an attitude!! Cocky young Mademoiselle!! ><
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 21, 2018, 22:59:16 PM: Not even a youngster - old enough to know better. I was vocal, very vocal. I'm going to leave hers till last and may find I don't have enough fabric. That would be bad of me wouldn't it :[ ?
I do ( as all we costumers do I'm sure) feel undervalued and repeatedly say why am I doing this. Must be some sort of devil for punishment. :devil:

Bring on the fish.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Bowerbird on April 21, 2018, 23:14:36 PM: No, that would not be bad of you. If she can't commit then why should you. I have never been able to understand the thinking of people who always wait to see if there's a better offer, such rudeness, they deserve to be left out in the cold.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Sewingsue on April 22, 2018, 07:40:45 AM: Quote from: Bowerbird on April 21, 2018, 23:14:36 PM
No, that would not be bad of you. If she can't commit then why should you. I have never been able to understand the thinking of people who always wait to see if there's a better offer, such rudeness, they deserve to be left out in the cold.
Well said. If nothing else she should definitely be last on the list.

Anyway, no measurements = no costume.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Yellowfeather on April 22, 2018, 21:21:51 PM: I am amazed you didn't explode!! I think I would have. :angry: It is definitely ok to leave hers until there is absolutely not enough spare fabric left to make another costume, so maybe she could drive down to your supplier and get more for hers, as you will be far to busy doing what you do, making the ****** things.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: MitchOfTheNorth on April 25, 2018, 19:57:01 PM: Oh Catllar, how incredibly rude of her! But there are always those who don't appreciate the time & effort required to sew that many costumes. I would absolutely leave her costume until last - I have to admit that when I was costuming I would sew the more difficult/less appreciative dancers' costumes first if I was using a new pattern - I would work out any technical issues on their costumes :devil: - the later ones were always better. Also, if you have need of larger heavier fish, I have whole, frozen Pacific salmon at your disposal.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on April 25, 2018, 23:11:46 PM: Bless you, MotN, would you mind putting it in the post? The weather is warming up nicely now. I've cut out all the tops and I do have enough for her, but I've put it all away.

Started on another group of 5 dresses - all red princess seam floor length jersey with 5 metre hems ,boat necks and a double sleeve - the inner sleeve is contrasting stretch lace and close fitting and the outer sleeve is red georgette pleated into the sleeve head and split down the top . The two sleeve layers are stitched into the under arm seam and then caught into a narrow cuff. This gives a lovely effect when the arm moves but as both sleeve layers are sewn into the under arm seam the layer stay put. Easy peasy :\ Some of them will have bobble fringe hems and some will have - err don't know but I'll think of something :)

So the modifications done and they look gorgeous ( if I do say so myself) However :angry: we chose to put a donut frill round the bottom in the same georgette fabric as the outer loose sleeve - red but hemmed and rolled in black and looks amazing but they've been on hangers for a few days and dropped. Got to shorten by a few inches. Sigh.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on May 02, 2018, 22:28:21 PM: Had to fit 18 children today. Pass the gin! :S :S :gin: :gin:
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Yellowfeather on May 03, 2018, 05:38:13 AM: :gin: :gin: :gin: is three enough???
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: b15erk on May 03, 2018, 08:52:46 AM: Hope the gin did its job Cat! 18 children to fit! I only have to fit one, now and again, and it's like wrestling a bowl of jelly!! :S

Look forward to seeing what come of the fittings. :)

Jessie
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on May 03, 2018, 22:29:46 PM: Yes, 3's fine, thanks.

So tonight I had to fit 3 x 11 year olds. Using recycled dresses from last year. Had already tried them on the kids a month or so back but just to be on the safe side I thought I'd see if they'd grown ( they WILL keep doing that) and one of them had indeed grown so much she burst the zipper on her dress :| - which I'd already let out to the max. Now I have to franken-dress - god knows how, but I've another dress the same so I can use the fabric I guess from that one to insert somewhere on the exploded one.

Tried on prototype 3 for our lovely teenage group (oh to be young and slender again) and finally got an OK from all involved. Just got to run them up now - more recycling - need to unpick frills from 8 old dresses and re-fit them to these new skirt bases.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on May 07, 2018, 21:21:15 PM: Oh bugger and double bugger. Got to replace the zipper in the franken-dress after all. Managed to add 10 cms to it by putting an insert into the back - of course this meant the skirt junction needed 10cms added to that too - from a distance it looks OK but close up, total crap. However.... moving on.

Today I went to fit a group of adults 13 of them. All delighted with their tops except one who said " I don't like the seam on the bust - it's puckered ( yes it was a teen teeny bit but shite, they're on stage and miles from the audience.) so I said " Can you sew?" She said she could so I said ' fix it yourself then - Next!" Blows my mind this attitude - after all they will wear these garment twice for 3 minutes - not asking them to wear them all summer, or even, god forbid, pay for them. I was cross.

Oh and the one who said she wasn't committing incase something better came up? Not coming - hooray. Got one really odd top though - measurements are correct for the lady but can we do it up? can we heck, so I'm going to have to redo it. Trouble is I'm not sure what or where to alter it. Hmm.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: MitchOfTheNorth on May 08, 2018, 23:13:45 PM: Good for you, Catllar! Honestly, just apply the 20 foot rule - if you can't notice it from 20 feet away while they're moving, it's all good. Or you could just tell her that fixing it would cost her 50 - that should take the wind from her sails! Glad to hear that your other problem has decided not to perform. Fortunately, most people are genuinely grateful - but still there are people who try your patience and goodwill. One of my favorite's was the boy who forgot to say that he had lice when I was fitting a vest that tied at the back of the neck. His vest went into my freezer for 2 weeks to kill the lice. Just yuck!!!
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: fajita on May 09, 2018, 07:56:53 AM: Why the freezer? Headlice don't live more than 24 hours away from their host person.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: MitchOfTheNorth on May 11, 2018, 00:03:15 AM: Fajita, the guidelines from the local health unit at the time were to put in a plastic bag and freeze for 2 weeks any soft item that couldn't be washed. I couldn't wash glittered spandex or I'd lose all the glitter. And I had dozens of other costumes to make. At the time, this community had a long time lice problem at the elementary schools - we're talking more than 10 years - I was not willing to risk passing it along to one other kid through my sewing room.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on May 16, 2018, 20:41:01 PM: Lice - yuck!!!
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on May 29, 2018, 19:57:34 PM: So I can deffo see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's not an oncoming train. Just 3 more skirts to make and about 4 small alteration/adjustments. So why am I not getting on to finish them.? Foot off accelerator big time - ho hum. Must talk strongly to myself - come on Jan tomorrow they will be done.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on June 02, 2018, 23:15:55 PM: Yay, all done!! Had a show this evening so they got a first wearing and they all fit and they all work. Hooray.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Twan on June 03, 2018, 08:30:30 AM: Congrats!!! I'm sure you're happy it's all done now :) Hope you got a good rest.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Yellowfeather on June 03, 2018, 11:20:57 AM: Well done C, hope you get to enjoy a few weeks of doing your own thing now!!
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on June 03, 2018, 23:53:27 PM: Feel a bit lost now, truth be told - so I dug out an old frock of mine and revamped it to update it a bit.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on June 24, 2018, 13:31:46 PM: Please miss, may I nail her to the floor???

I made a set of belts to finish the waistline of a set of 8 skirts. The fabrics were assorted but all in tones of navy, pale blue denim blue and white to tie in with the skirts. So I give them all out - Oo, they're great, thank you. Love the spotty one, can I have that one please? etc etc. On go the belts over the pale blue denim colour skirts - more appreciation from the group, most of them - can you guess what's coming?

Quote: The white ties bother me - they're upsetting my feet.

Huh? 1) ties are at the back. 2) ties are less than a cm wide and tie in a small bow.

What? How are they upsetting your feet, they're nowhere near your feet?

Yes but I know they're there and they're white.

Huh again?? What wrong with white, your blouse is white and there is white in your skirt.

Yes but not on my bottom.

Well take the bloody thing off then. :\ :fish:
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Sewingsue on June 24, 2018, 14:15:07 PM: No, Catllar, you may not ><

Nail her to the ceiling - she would be too comfortable lying on the floor :devil:
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: b15erk on June 25, 2018, 09:07:32 AM: Shakes head in disbelief.....

What is she on at all?

:fish: :fish: :fish:

Jessie
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: wrenkins on June 25, 2018, 09:16:37 AM: What age are these ~~brats~~ people?
Having costumed and choreographed and coaxed and persuaded hundreds of teens over twenty years, I've never come across the sort of behaviour you have to put up with.
I've compromised and tweaked but the final say was mine because I had the skills and the experience. If anyone had a better idea I was all for it but apart from that...
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: MitchOfTheNorth on June 25, 2018, 17:35:56 PM: Oh Catllar, what is wrong with some people? She's thrown off by a small white bow on the back of her skirt? I'm just contrary but next time I might be tempted to bring her a massive white bow to stick to her skirt. Then, she should be distracted by it. This problem requires more wine - and :fish:.
Title: Re: Yes, the show will go on
Post by: Catllar on June 25, 2018, 20:13:20 PM: Thanks for the support people! I had much red wine and the urge to nail her to the floor has passed. We got our own back in a minor way - shows how petty this has become: We will all be wearing shabby chic flowers in our hair - but what is this? We don't have enough for her, so she'll have to make do with plain bright white ones - just a shame we can't pin 'em on her arse! I'll keep the :fish: :fish: :fish: for Friday when we have dress rehearsal.