Fairy Queen: I can fly

Yesterday I went to my best friends house to work on our wings. We have tried some techniques with old pantyhose.

We used electrical wire and panty hose. We couldn't find any white ones, so used pale flesh coloured ones. We bought Flamingo Pink en Powder Pink Dylon textile dye to see if we can colour the panty. Dylon says: No, but fashionblogs say Yes. Guess we are going to find out.

Without further ado the basic shape of my wings.

Also I have sewn the basic skirt together. But when cutting the ruffles I found out I haven't got enough fabric so I need to buy more. Unfortunately I bought the fabric at a market that's only there on a monday morning, so I need to change my shift at work to buy some more. Luckily for the organza I can go to the local store.

Fairy Queen: Fabric pictures

Finally I'm posting some long overdue fabric pictures. I have been busy with work and the light was gone everyday so I couldn't make decent pictures. Today I had an early shift so there was still sunlight left for a few pictures.

From left to right:
Light pink with silver lace (layer)
Light pink organza (layer)
Dark pink with silver lace (layer)
Magenta Organza (layer)
Darkish pink Cotton (base of skirt)
Magenta taffeta kind of (bodice)

Not pictured:
Light cotton (Mock up bodice)
Magenta lining
The Shinies!!!

I have already sewn the base skirt parts together, but still need to cut the waist side of the skirt in the right shape.

Crinoline: Almost finished. (and a little Fairy Queen)

Yup, after a week off I almost finished the crinoline. It is more work than I anticipated and I had to alter the lengths of the hoops a little bit, but it's almost finished now.

 

Yup, that's ductape :P The twill bone casing tape I ordered with the hoops is too small. The hoops can get inside, but it's too tight to push the hoops through. So I just taped the hoops together to measure and finish it as best as I can until the newly ordered wider twill tape arrives and I can properly finish. 

At least it's finished enough so I can fit the Fairy Queen costume over it and see how that works out. It seems that I haven't bought enough fabric for the base of the skirt, so I have to get an additional 1,5 metre tomorrow. Now I just hope I did buy enough for the layers. Something which I'm also doubting, but can't verify just yet.

Wintercoat: Almost finished and almost gave up. Crinoline and Fairy Queen: teasers... Happy Fairy Queen

Wintercoat

hi Y'all,

The winter coat is almost finished. Sleeves are in. Seams are finished and I hemmed the coat. Some little mistakes that arise will still need to be fixed and pockets need to be added. But I wanted to do the buttons and stuff, so I can at least start wearing the coat before winter ends.

So on New Years Eve I sat down to do the button holes. A task which takes about an hour and with sewing the buttons on would take 2 at most. All my test button holes on a failed collar (so it had all the layers and stuff) turned perfect after a few adjustments. But when I put my coat under the machine it started acting up.
Breaking the top thread even after adjusting the tension. So I gave up on the button holes. I hate doing them with the intensity of a thousand suns.
So last Saturday I took the coat to a tailorshop and asked them to make the button holes. I can sew on the buttons by myself. I don't care that it will cost me, because it will save me a lot of frustration.

Crinoline: 

So I sewed the bag parts together. Still need to finish the seams before continuing it, but I started on it. With the tailor Dummy I can work on it.

Fairy Queen

I'm also very happy with my Fairy Queen costume. I haven't bought fabric yet, but I bought my first part of it. I intend to start on the Fairy Queen costume at the end of January. 

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Beverwijkse Bazaar to buy some pretty shiny fabrics. Unfortunately I couldn't find fabric I like for the price I liked. So I will go to Amsterdam on the 20th with a friend of mine. 

However I did see some nice embellishments there which would save me a lot of time with adding beads and shinies by hand and then I saw a bodice! It was so pretty I had to buy it. It was expensive but it will look gorgeous, fabulous and amazing while saving me lots of work. 

Is that a GIF? Hell no, that's a normal camera photo that literally sparkles of your screen! It's magic!

It's a glass beaded bodice that you sew over the top. Awesome! Woot!

Wintercoat: Let the sewing begin! Also Tailor's dummy

Wintercoat

I took a few days of to work on the Wintercoat. I made much more progress than I anticipated.
I didn't work a full day on it yesterday nor today and it's almost finished. Please forgive me for the quality of the pictures. I made them with my phone.

Yesterday I cut the fabric pieces and sewed it on the batting an lining. On the picture you see the 2 sleeve parts. Since my back was hurting from sitting on the floor cutting pieces before sitting hunched over behind the sewing machine and my dad came home I thought that was enough of the day. 

However after dinner my parents went to the neighbours and I decided to continue the coat. I ended up sewing all the bodice parts together but stopped when my parents came back. On the picture you can see the unfinished bodice. It looks like I lined up the print, but I didn't. Just a happy accident.

The first day I could see a lot of progress, but today was a finishing seams day.  On the picture below you can see the inside of the coat with 2 finished seams and 2 unfinished ones. I left the seams quite stiff so they work as a kind of flexible boning and will form on my body.

I also sewed and finished the sleeves, but I haven't got pictures of that.

Tomorrow I will go to the market to buy buttons for the coat. I also need to decide on the storm collar from the pattern or if I will make a hood for it. Since I have plenty of fabric for both I will make both. Perhaps I can make them interchangeable so I can alternate. At the very least I can pin them on the semi finished coat and see which one I prefer.

If all things go as planned I might be able to finish the Wintercoat tomorrow or at the latest this weekend.

Tailor's Dummy

I also bought a Tailor's Dummy for my sewing online. The store said they would deliver it the next day so hopefully I will have him tomorrow. It would be easier to finish the hem of the coat. It is also essential for the making of the crinoline. I also think it would help me a lot in my sewing. 

Crinoline and Fairy Queen: small update

Crinoline

Awhile ago I told you guys I was going to make a Crinoline in this post. Before I focussed on the Winter Coat.

I bought almost all the necessary fabric, hoop wire and ribbons for it. Still need to have a closing mechanisme for it, but those are easily obtained on the market (either local or Albert Cuyp) and the shop in my hometown.

I already cut the bags but still need to sew it before making the hoops and stuff. Kind of excited about it.

Fairy Costume

For the next Elf Fantasy Fair in April I'm going to make a Fairy Queen costume. I hope it will be awesome! 

For this I'm going to use above mentioned Crinoline. 

This top in white, silver and either pink or blue hues, perhaps with beading and shinies!: 

And this skirt in above mentioned colours. Off course with loads of organza and shiny fabrics in different colours, making a sort of gradient: 

I also intend to make a crown and wings. But I haven't figured those out yet so I will keep you updated about that. 

I'm still debating the main colour. I like the pink because it's fairy like and girly and OMG! COTTON CANDY IN YOU FACE!
But I like how blue looks on me. So tell  me your views! 

Wintercoat: Lining and stuff

So this weekend I didn't spend as much time as I thought I would on the coat. I cut the lining though.
I forgot that I really needed to re-cut the body pieces, since the sleeves are fine from before. So I cut the inner sleeves twice (or fourths (I have no idea. It's 4 pieces instead of 2 though. You know what I mean)). But this made me think...
Perhaps if there's enough fabric left I should cut all the pieces dubble (or 4x) so I can put the batting between 2 lining fabric layers. So it will be:

Fashion Fabric
Lining Fabric
Batting
Lining Fabric


Also I picked  up a sewing machine yesterday. It's a nice sturdy machine with lots of different stitches. I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon.

Also picked up thread and locking thread at the market. Still need to buy buttons, but haven't seen nice ones in the vicinity. Might have to go to Albert Cuyp to get those. Still not sure what kind of buttons I want too, so there's that.