Well, I guess I'm switching this over to be my personal blog since my journalspace blog bit the dust along with their entire system. The fact that it's taken me this long to come to this conclusion ought to tell you about how regularly I blog. I have no aspirations to become the next blogging sensation, so I really only write when it suits me. Which ain't often evidently.
But I'm twittering my annual purim costume frenzy, and I figure that I might like to see progress photos somewhere down the pike. This is the stuff I would cover on my old blog - a blow by blow for my sewing and other projects... personal note-taking for next time. (You never know when you might need a pirate costume again in another size.)
On tap for this year is one totally over-the-top pirate costume and 3 poodle skirts (hopefully with crinolines). I'm knocking back me a ferocious pirate right now, and I'd say I'm about 1/2 way through the process if you count pattern/notion/fabric acquisitions. So I have some blogging catch-up to do.
I'm using McCall's out of print pattern 4626 for a Cap'n Hook style pirate. (While the Johnny Depp 3-days-of-stubble version of piratehood is unequivocally attractive, I get squeamish thinking of tapping that for my 3 yr. old son. Actually, at any age... Oedipus ain't all he's cracked up to be.)
I had the linings (black acetate and gold acetate) left over from another project. I bought a beautiful cream and metallic gold jacquard on eBay for the vest. I also had bought a red velvet - wasn't thinking. It's stretch. I did go ahead and cut it out, but decided it was too much hassle to interface all that. So I serged it up to check the size (huge) and let my 8 year old daughter have it. She's going to sew patches to it. She's so kewl.
So I went to Joanns to get some cotton velveteen as a replacement. Oy have they gone downhill. There was a hole in the fabric about 6 inches in from the end and the cutting table woman asked if I wanted her to measure after that. Um, yes... I don't want to come short, especially on napped fabric that's only 45" wide. She groaned. (Sorry lady - why should I accept a meaningful defect in full-price fabric?) So instead of starting the ruler after the hole, Miss Crankypants actually ripped off the 6" of fabric while implying that I was only saying I wanted her to start after so I could get the extra 6" for free. What a waste. And how offensive. Not sure why in this job market they need to hire the bottom of the barrel. I've been on the fence for years about Joann - another nail in the coffin that day.
I eBayed the trim (after exhausting all my known brick and mortar and internet storefronts) and traced off the pattern. The measurements indicated size XS, but just barely. I looked at the pattern and the size difference between the 2 children's sizes is enormous. I traced the XS off, but made the vest first, just in case (much less work than the jacket). It fits... barely. So I traced off the next size up for the jacket, which is fully 1.5" longer in the sleeve and easily 4" longer in the body of the coat. I took up both by 1.5" inches right off the bat, and needed to nearly double that for the sleeve length based on my mock-up. I'm hoping the jacket is a bit wide - due to the cuff/lace set-up I could get a few years' worth of wear out of this if it works out right.
At this point, I've cut it all out, interfaced everything but the back button band, applied as much trim as possible up to this point and assembled the exterior body of the coat and collar. I shot a quick photo on the model just to see if this is going to fly. So far, so good.
Note the pirate chest that must accompany the model on the photo shoot. And on Sesame Street watching benders. And to lunch. And to the bathroom... And... And...
Posts
