2013 in Review… sort of

Despite neglecting this blog for the year, I did do stuff.

Showed a friend how to make this:  Fig Jam. Figs were the best kind –  free from a co-worker’s tree.

For Thanksgiving I had the turkey smoked – completely new thing for me and oh boy it was delicious!! This guy across the road had a smoker business that kicked in for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Should’ve talked to him about smoking meats much much sooner.

Sewing Stuff

2013 was the year of being introduced to the perils (and fun) of community theatre. Godspell was in April – I made a costume for me out of thrift store stuff – it looked like I’d run away from the circus. (Or maybe running away to the circus).  Also made 3 pharisee hats and a fringed hippy vest for Jesus.  I liked the hats, and if I find a photo, I’ll post it.

August to November – Jane Eyre the Musical. Much grander and more complicated than Godspell. Agreeing to be costume mistress, as well as being in the show, took me down this super busy path of rehearsals and sew, sew, sew for 3 months. A lot of costumes were fortunately sourced from other theatre groups. But it was still a lot of sewing even with help. Next time? Organize even earlier, get more people to help out and delegate more.

I had a couple of parts in the show – the crazy wife, Bertha –  who screams, laughs maniacally, is an arsonist, attacks and bites people, then jumps to her death. How could you not love doing that? Costume: Christian Dior nightgown from thrift store. (You read that right – Christian Dior!) Gauze curtain veil with comb stitched to it. Pantaloons underneath to preserve modesty during all the kicking and biting.

I was also the bitter spinster schoolmistress, Miss Scatcherd in early scenes at Lowood School.  Costume: black long skirt, black thrifted jacket reshaped to be a bodice and the most whitest starchiest collar possible.

Mostly though, the costumes were put together from what we had, and finishing touches sewn from scratch to make it look “period”.

 

Eg, the Housekeeper: Lappet cap from Butterick B5663.  Black long skirt and a black long sleeved top which had cuffs added to it – shirt sleeve cuffs and some broderie anglaise lace.  Added a large white apron, and scarf with pin, and voila – Mrs Fairfax came to life. (Review of B5663 here on Pattern Review.

Some outfits only needed more trim. One of the dresses for Adele, Rochester’s little French ward, this yellow crepe outfit, only needed extra trim to take it from plain to pretty.

Jane Eyre got me using a hot glue gun for the first time ever. Yes, by nature, crafty stuff doesn’t come naturally to me. I’ve never woken up and thought: What can I hot glue today?

But some flower accessories for the party ladies were needed – hair or brooches. I made more than was needed, but as I was enjoying the process, I kept on making them.

Making these period undergarments got me doing a little hand embroidery and crochet again. Funny how the brain/muscles remember how to do the stitches. Fabric was muslin. Review of camisole here, and pantaloons here.

I’m kinda proud of this cape, it’s made from a thrifted bias skirt I’d bought ages ago because I liked the fabric. So pleased to have used something from the stash box in my closet. I made it reversible, the skirt was already lined, so I added fake fur trim along the bottom. Two of my grandmother’s vintage buttons were used. I do need to move the buttons though, and I really should have sewn something to that edge to stop it wobbling – twill tape? Well we learn from our mistakes. I bound the edges with black velvet ribbon. The top edge (neckline) was some black wool saved from a skirt I’d altered. (See? It’s good to save scraps!) This cape was worn by Jane Eyre and I kept it for myself, but I won’t wear it until I fix those issues of the button placement and the wavy bound edge.  The photo doesn’t do the colour justice, it’s a defiantly red plaid.

Perhaps someone needs to know how to make a gentleman’s necktie – a stock and bow style necktie? Make a band to fit around the neck, velcro at the back. This band (the stock) was made from either white or black fabric. Then make 2 other bands, longer and narrower and stitch them at the front of the neck band, positioned to be on either side of the neck (but still fairly towards the  front).  This replicates the stock and bow  style nicely, I think.

 

Sometimes on costumes I added details that the audience would never see, but I knew they were there, and the wearer of the costume and others on stage knew they were there. I’m detail oriented, and can’t resist them, no matter that they take extra time.

This is the cuff of the coat worn by the footman. Had to have gold buttons.

Here’s the cast photo – it’s a major accomplishment for me to think that all these people – adults and children – are dressed the way they are because of me! I had so much fun planning what the outfits should look like, then it’s a challenge to match the reality with the vision in my head and accept that somethings won’t work. But sourcing/altering/coming up with the necessary bits and pieces. – wow, the end result turned out so much better than I had hoped. Miss Scatcherd (me) is on the end, far right. The walking stick was truly needed. About 2 weeks before the performances, I pulled a calf muscle. Never knew how painful that could be! The walking stick was a good prop for the schoolteacher, good for poking and pointing at those dreadful Lowood charity school children. (This Lowood was rather progressive – it included boys as well as girls). The condition of the facility and attitudes of the teachers, though, remained unchanged.

After Jane Eyre was finished and all the costumes sorted, cleaned and returned to their rightful owners, you’d think I would want to pack away the sewing machine for a rest. But no! I wanted to make something for me, that wasn’t a costume. Pattern Review was having it’s Vintage Pattern competition. I hoped to enter this 1973 dress, but had fitting issues and missed the November 30 deadline.

I’m still finishing it – but I have fixed (as well as I can) the fitting issues.  It was all about the princess seam at the front and the side seams and the back darts. Pushed myself a bit there – never dealt with princess seams before.  Two toiles of the bodice were a no go, tissue fitting helped fix a workable muslin. Oh then I go and read that you should make the skirt muslin as well so the bodice has that weight. Whoops.  Well it was only the 2nd time I’ve made a toile.

I had grand plans for Christmas gifts to be handmade. PatternReview had a sale of its Simplicity patterns, I bought a few, including this jacket pattern: I bought some Polartec fleece on sale online and intended them to be jackets/ vests, using this pattern. I’ll get there.  Starting handmade gifts at the beginning of December is not enough time. 2014 – will be more organized.

Also in the Simplicity bundle was this pattern (2745): intended to be a gift for a friend, for her little girl. Not quite finished, I’m getting there though. It will be the darndest cutiest coat ever seen by the time I’m done with it.

I won’t mention either 3776 or 1630 bought on a whim in the same sale. Or the super cheap “Sew Easy” patterns I found at Walmart.  (A cape? Why not!)

Knitting

Knitting in 2013 was only dishcloths. To use and to give as a gift. These were actually made in time for Christmas. During the year I also bought some really nice yarn and more needles from a shop that was closing down. Plus  a few pattern/pattern books. I even bought that famous classic “Knitting Without Tears” by Elizabeth Zimmerman.  As everything was discounted heavily I went crazy and presented an overflowing handbasket to the cash register then had to put most of it back because I’d gone way, way over budget.  This shop had a casual weekly Thursday evening knitting group and I never made it to a session. Too late now, alas.

I am though knitting my first ever pair of socks  on circular needles (that will work) as part of K-Line’s Sock-A-Long. Once upon a time I attempted socks on DPNs (double point needles). This mangled thing was the outcome.  Yes I managed to turn the heel, and even changed wool colours, but the leg part is way too tight – impossible to pull on.  Clearly wrong sort of casting on, and wrong size to begin with. But, with a bit of catnip in the toe, at least it has life as a cat toy:

Crochet

Returned to the crochet hook a little this year. A mediocre dishcloth and some eyelet trim for threading through ribbon to tie the leg cuffs of Jane Eyre’s pantaloons. The foible with crochet is that I remember how to do some stitches but have no idea what they’re called, so following a pattern means looking up the stitches.

Pets

2013 was also the year for Cats. This one got sick (ugh expensive vet bills) and finally came home but had a sore on his back resulting from a reaction to the injection site. In order for the sore to be left alone and not constantly scratched/licked, I made a little sweater, self-drafted. The armbands and neckband are the ribbed tops of old socks. Grey knit came from old pj pants. If I were to do this again, I’d make the armholes a little bigger.  Kitty didn’t mind, and it did allow the sore to heal – and much better than making him wear the cone of shame.

 

In 2013 I also took in this little fellow.  How cute is that kitten? He was rescued from a drain pipe in a piece of machinery at my workplace. He was extremely hungry and yelling about it, and covered in grease. One eye was closed, completely gummed up with grease.  Who knows how long he had been stuck down this pipe, but the co-worker who heard his mews, had to reach in as far as his elbow to pull this furry scrap  out by his ears.

Craft Fail

How pretty is a real Christmas tree. I attempted some home made Christmas ornaments to add to what I already had.  The results were mixed.

This was a fail. Slices of orange are dried out in the oven then strung on the tree – positioned in front of a light, they’re not only fragrant, but have a lovely orange glow from the light behind it

As you can see, drying them in the oven led to the majority burning. A few ended up on the tree. Not much smell either. Lesson learned. Just eat the oranges next time, ok? 

 

This star is made from cinnamon and applesauce. A dough is made, rolled out and shapes cut out. Don’t forget to poke a hole in them, and bake. I then glued glitter to them. Pretty! However, these didn’t smell much once they’d cooled down.

However I’d made a lot of dough and left it sitting out for a few days. I finally got around to using it up for more shapes, and these ones smell much more strongly. Huh? Maybe the fragrance had to “develop”.  No, they’re not edible.

Surprises

A co-worker who is cleaning out his garage, asked if I’d like to take an old sewing machine off his hands. Do I really want an old sewing machine? I gave him $25 and in return got a Singer 403A with pedal and case but missing spool pins. The rubber bobbin tire and feet are also perished. But apparently it does still go. The Kenmore is a good machine for me, but its plastic bits inside. Once in a while the Kenmore has the sewing machine equivalent of a brain-fart and I have to turn it off/on again to get it to work properly. I would like to try an old mechanical machine for comparison. Something with metal inside that will last. (Although when people say that, what are they thinking – the next 100 years?)

The “can’t resist a bargain” in me is saying “yes! take it!”. The sensible side of me is saying: “where are you going to put this? It’s heavy and takes up room. Most importantly the persistent chiding inner voice says: “You’ve already got a good sewing machine that will do everything for your sewing needs – you don’t sew every day or every week. Stop being foolish.”

But it can’t hurt to look at it and play around for a bit, can it? I’ll clean it up and see how it runs…I’ve never sewn on a Singer (unbelievable, but true) so I’m curious to try it out.

Oh… one last exciting piece of news. During the costume making binge, I was loaned the use of a dress form. It was old and couldn’t be adjusted much, but still proved to be quite useful – bodices could be put on it, and so much easier to see how new trims would look. etc. I started to want one quite badly. This was compounded by the 1973 dress and all the fitting issues – how awkward it is to try and tissue fit yourself – or put on a toile and then in the mirror try and pin the excess or mark it up. Oh if only I had a dressform!

I began to research….My Christmas present to myself was a Dritz My Double Delux and fitting form pads. It was a good buy – a returned item on Amazon.  I’m looking forward to using this – even though I have worked out the fitting for the 1973 dress.

I’m excited about using the dress form, but at the same time feel very guilty for indulging myself.  I think I’ll pin this note on the corkboard that’s on a wall in the sewing corner:

To my new owner; thanks for buying me but I cost you $112 ($134 with sales tax). So, how many times have you used me this month?

And that was 2013. I wonder what’s ahead for 2014?