Costume & Crafting Help

[catinthefunnyhat]

incubus: Your work is stunning! I love the metallic mask with the flowers and those faerie wings over your bed... wow. Definitely inspiring to see them! Thanks for sharing!

[slvrnmph]

+1 or thumbs up on those faery wings. They are gorgeous.

[AntiM]

I do love those wings! I wouldn't subject them to the playa either.

Hey, I have the same purple rope lights on my canopy bed.....

[lazerfox]

Pretty wings...purple ropes. Oh my. Such lovely things.

I'm sad to report I did not get to finish my robe yesterday as I hoped. The el-wire sewing for a boat took much-MUCH longer than anticipated...so hopefully I'll get to finish it tonight...or tomorrow night. But that is all the time I have left...wish me luck guys!

[SquirrelHead]

I broke a needle on the sewing machine last night. Today on the way home I picked up a few heavy duty needles and now it is back to the grind.

[Ratty]

I'm leaving in a few hours so of course all the projects didn't get done. I can't believe I filled a van with just me and my stuff. I figure it will be half empty after gifting costumes. I'm too tired to be excited right now but after I rest...look out. Here I come. See you in the dust.

[EmilyD]

I broke a needle on the sewing machine last night. Today on the way home I picked up a few heavy duty needles and now it is back to the grind.

LOL yeah our poor tired sewing machines. Mine started making a weird squeaking sound and I realized it hasn't been oiled in years. So last night, gave it some.

Today...2nd to last shopping trip. Tomorrow I start loading up the van and trailer.

Lazerfox...HEARING YOU! - If I have time after packing this weekend, I'll get back to water costume #8 and finish it. I've given up on trying to do 10...it's more important to pack now.

SEE YA RATTY!

[slvrnmph]

The last two things I finished sewing before I began my packing. Just finished the coat last night. No new sewing this year for myself, I only made things for other people this year. I'll sew for myself when I get back. Packing is almost done, but I'm going to finish up the leather bracelets I'm making to hand out as swag. One of those I will keep for myself.

[EmilyD]

Hey, very nice work slvrnmph! When do you head out? I'm leaving tomorrow AM. We like to skip the rush.

[peyote2004]

Emily, You inspired me to the paint box. It's almost last call for spray painting and covering up logos. What I lack in talent I make up in enthusiasm.

I love them... They're so cute

[slvrnmph]

I head out Tuesday early am, should arrive Tuesday afternoon.

[wh..sh]

slvrnmph, your clothes are awesome!

[EmilyD]

I am happy to report that the water costumes were a HUGE success not only for the wonderful folks who wore them but for everyone we came into contact with. We took them out twice. We "flooded" the sunken ship, surrounded many a BRC citizen (especially if they needed refreshment) "rogue waved" the stage at the fashion show (my apologies to Dr. Hal and Spy for surprising them with that) and generally got silly with fluid-oriented puns. Thank you all for helping me get through a frustrating project that I almost gave up on!

[slvrnmph]

One of the best compliments I got all week was when one friend commented on seeing the pink utilikilt and how great it was and wondering where the wearer got it. Then I got to say "I made that for him." It was neat to know people were noticing my work.

[lazerfox]

I'm sorry I never got to see them EmilyD

[EmilyD]

I'm sorry I never got to see them EmilyD

Meeeee toooo! Wahhh! We'll just have to be more focused next time!

[Ratty]

Yea Emily, I missed em too. Any pictures?

[EmilyD]

Yea Emily, I missed em too. Any pictures?

Yes, not only did hubby take photos but Harrod Blank filmed us flooding the Playa. He missed when we stormed the fashion show though.

[Ratty]

I wanna see!! I looked for you every time I was out that way. It's so flattering to be filmed and photoed. I got a lot of that when I was in my 'See's Candy' mode. Someone even had me sign a release and hold up a sign explaining why I do what I do. I guess it's for next years photo array in Center Camp. When you see the pictures and film posted you have to tell us where to look. It's the most fun when you surprise people with your performance or gifting. Thank you for gifting your time and performance.

I'm working up some Playa Miracles for next year. In the heat of the day, a dozen cans of Bud packed in ice, delivered to the farthest bar on the playa was declared a Miracle.

Gifting a Camelbak, tent and sleeping bag, (through the Oracle in the info center), probably seemed like a miracle to the guy that needed it.

I'm thinking an ice cold pickle stand at the trash fence would be a nice touch.

[EmilyD]

Haha Ratty, that Sees lady costume is hilarious! Sorry we weren't able to connect on Playa bur we sumplmust do so here at home. Costumes for Decompression?

[EmilyD]

Here's one of many photos my friend Tim caught of the water costumes in action. This is at the beautiful Center Camp arch just after we'd "flooded" the fashion show:



More action photos here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yarncar/se ... 960910370/

My goal...over the years to make 100 of these and really "storm" the playa!

[Ratty]

Wow. That is beautiful. Sorry I missed it. I won't miss it next year!!!

[EmilyD]

Yeah we were lucky that woman in the beautiful green dress walked by. I asked her to join us and she was very shimmery. I hope to keep making these water costumes so that each time I come to the playa I'll have more.

[CarrieSnarf]

First.. I just have to say AAAAARRRRRRGGHHHHH. Okay, I feel better. I am an inexperienced sewer- I have my own machine (lower end brother model), but I"ve only made seven or so things... mostly costumes. My friend who used to work in a costume shop likes to laugh at me because I like to try things way outside of my skill level.

So I'm sewing (attempting) a tail coat. I'm completing it for an event in oooooh two hours (procrastination is the 11th principle of burning man), but it is a trial run for next years night costumes. My vision for next year is a far less forgiving pattern and I'm going to seam in some of that ribboned el wire. So I would like to nail this down here before I destroy 50 dollars worth of fabric later.

It's the sleeves that are killing me. I took the sleeves from this pattern (the red jacket on the right) and added tails. http://sewing.patternreview.com/Patterns/53504 The jacket itself came together fine. I added a collar too (like the one in the other jacket from the same pattern). But the stupid mother @#$%()* sleeves are driving me mad. The are the last step. Baste lining to fabric on jacket and sleeves. Fine. Ease stiches around top of sleeve... okay... then pin in place and try using some form of arcane wizardry to distribute the fabric around. I used a long straight machine stich for my ease. The sleeves look dumb. uneven and poofy. I've tried it three different times. Is there an easier way that this? Is this just a dumb pattern? help.
thx.

[theCryptofishist]

First.. I just have to say AAAAARRRRRRGGHHHHH. Okay, I feel better. I am an inexperienced sewer- I have my own machine (lower end brother model), but I"ve only made seven or so things... mostly costumes. My friend who used to work in a costume shop likes to laugh at me because I like to try things way outside of my skill level.

Well, there's no sin in being ambitious. You'll learn more by over reaching.

And I have nothing useful to say.

[slvrnmph]

Carriesnarf, definitely nothing wrong with being ambitious. I feel like I have learned a lot that way.

You are using two different patterns, if I'm reading your post correctly. What I suspect might be part of the problem is that the armhole and sleeve cap might be drafted differently. I would take the paper patterns and compare both the armholes and the sleeve caps for difference in shape. It might be easiest to change the sleeve cap for the pattern you took the sleeves from to match the pattern of the sleeve cap for the coat. I hope that makes sense.

[Drawingablank]

But the stupid mother @#$%()* sleeves are driving me mad. The are the last step. Baste lining to fabric on jacket and sleeves. Fine. Ease stiches around top of sleeve... okay... then pin in place and try using some form of arcane wizardry to distribute the fabric around. I used a long straight machine stich for my ease. The sleeves look dumb. uneven and poofy. I've tried it three different times. Is there an easier way that this? Is this just a dumb pattern? help.
thx.

I do this without the ease stitching and find it easier. A bit difficult to describe but I'll try.

1. Pin top and bottom sleeve centers in place.
Important Note: From this point onward any excess fabric on the sleeve is divided evenly on both sides of each pin.
2. Pin the side centers in place halfway between the top and bottom centers. Basically at this point the top, bottom, left, and right are pinned in place.
3. Find the halfway point between the pins and pin those centering between the adjacent pins.
4. Repeat step 3 until the space between pins is about 1 inch or less. The gathers should be fairly even at this point.

Hope this helps, but it is easier to do than to describe.

[EmilyD]

Oh CarrieSnarf I'm sure everyone on this thread can relate to your frustrations. Sometimes sewing is like Algebra...tears inducing! Also, I think jackets are one of the most difficult garments to sew, ESPECIALLY when they're lined so bravo to you for not being afraid to tackle one. WTF is wrong with your "expert" friend laughing at you instead of helping you?!?

All the advice already given is good and I'll toss my bit in as well. Among all of us, you should be able to figure out a solution (that is unless you're already at the event you were heading too).

I see from the pattern photo that there is no gathering on the sleeve top so my suggestions are based on making the sleeve have no gathers at all.

1) You didn't say what kind of fabric you're using so it's not clear how stretchy it is. Sleeve caps (tops) can easily stretch out even if you're using pretty stable woven fabric. So...it would be a good idea to "stay-stitch" (hold fabric from stretching out) along the top of the sleeve. You'd sew a straight stitch from the front notch to the back (double) notch along the sleeve cap. Make sure to back-track on both ends so it doesn't unravel. There shouldn't be any puckers.

2) Check the sleeve top (the entire curve from one seam corner to the other) against the armhole opening by "walking" the sleeve along the armhole. That is...match the bottom of the armhole corner to the corresponding sleeve corner (front sleeve to front bodice, back sleeve to back bodice). This will help you figure out how much larger the sleeve is than the armhole.

3) If your armhole is more than 1/2 inch smaller than the sleeve length (after you've "walked" it) you may want to enlarge the armhole to match the sleeve better. For example if the sleeve length is 23" and the armhole is only 21.5" you'd want to remove 1.5" along the length of the armhole. It's best to do this by spreading out the amount you need to cut down.
a) Remove a total of .75" from both front and back of armhole.
b) From that .75" remove .50" or less from the corner where the armhole meets the top of the side seam.
c) Remove the remaining .25" from the curvy part of the armhole by cutting away just a bit of fabric along the entire curve. Be cautious on this bit, and make sure to walk the sleeve each time you make any change so you don't make the armhole too large.

Not sure if you'll need any of this but here it it is if you wanna give it a try.

[CarrieSnarf]

Thanks for the help guys. The coat in the end was not perfect, but it did okay. I will get pictures and post them soon.

Slvrnmph: I am using three different patterns actually but the jacket back/front and sleeves are all from one pattern. It's a good guess though.

Drawingablank: That makes good sense. Same theory as the ease stitch but I don't have to fool with the stitching. I'm much better with pins. I will give this a go.

EmilyD: Ooooh why didn't I think of enlarging the armhole. Sometimes the simplest answers escape me in times of stress. Stay stitch noted. And in my friend's defense, she did show up at the end, laughed at me a bit, commiserated a bit, made me a bloody mary and then showed me how to do better next time.

[EmilyD]

Okay your friend is considered redeemed then! Yes photos please!