Thread: What are you working on? February 2010

Because we all need to start our thread (and our morning) with a pic of me in a bathrobe (sorry...). I snapped a poor quality laptop camera shot of the bead embroidery progress to-date for the Green Monster Costume ..g.: It's been occupying my mandatory lunch break at work for the last few weeks. I've finally moved for what I hope to be the last time in a long time *crosses fingers* and have been unburying myself from boxes.


In the meantime I've got a wedding dress to sew straps on (definitely not mine), a bridesmaid dress to hem (have I mentioned how very much I hate hems) and then a bead embroidery workshop to finish planning ..l;, I'm hopeful that I can work in some Green Monster time asap but I may be dreaming ,r:;

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

Because we all need to start our thread (and our morning) with a pic of me in a bathrobe (sorry...). I snapped a poor quality laptop camera shot of the bead embroidery progress to-date for the Green Monster Costume ..g.: It's been occupying my mandatory lunch break at work for the last few weeks. I've finally moved for what I hope to be the last time in a long time *crosses fingers* and have been unburying myself from boxes.


In the meantime I've got a wedding dress to sew straps on (definitely not mine), a bridesmaid dress to hem (have I mentioned how very much I hate hems) and then a bead embroidery workshop to finish planning ..l;, I'm hopeful that I can work in some Green Monster time asap but I may be dreaming ,r:;

Magnifique! I loooove the color combo! ..g.:

Presently, I'm making 4 tiaras for our teenaged troupe (and Mr. hot glue gun is my new friend), don't have pics yet, but I'm using Dina Costume Goddess' pattern to craft them. (Example; Jilina and her troupe)



Qamar

Rio, your beadwork is wonderful! Closeups would be good. Hint, hint, hint ..g.:

You all are fabulous - these are gorgeous creations!

I did lose the ten pounds I put on over the last two years, so now I have to take all my costumes in.

Lame, I know, but a year ago I couldn't even alter my costumes!

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

Because we all need to start our thread (and our morning) with a pic of me in a bathrobe (sorry...). I snapped a poor quality laptop camera shot of the bead embroidery progress to-date for the Green Monster Costume ..g.: It's been occupying my mandatory lunch break at work for the last few weeks. I've finally moved for what I hope to be the last time in a long time *crosses fingers* and have been unburying myself from boxes.


In the meantime I've got a wedding dress to sew straps on (definitely not mine), a bridesmaid dress to hem (have I mentioned how very much I hate hems) and then a bead embroidery workshop to finish planning ..l;, I'm hopeful that I can work in some Green Monster time asap but I may be dreaming ,r:;

Very nice colours! Superbly done!

Originally Posted by Fotia

You all are fabulous - these are gorgeous creations!

I did lose the ten pounds I put on over the last two years, so now I have to take all my costumes in.

Lame, I know, but a year ago I couldn't even alter my costumes!

The journey of a thousand seams starts with a single stitch!

Originally Posted by LiesaB.

The journey of a thousand seams starts with a single stitch!

I'm hoping that that leads me to greatness in costuming!

Here's the link to January's thread: January

Thanks for the compliments ..g.: As soon as my real camera is unearthed I will be happy to oblige with detail pics ..l;, I'm really hoping to get to cut out the skirt this weekend but I'm probably being overly optimistic... I did finish that last leaf on lunch today ..g.: I think I need the skirt/bra base sewn up before I can decide how many more I need. This will just add to my incentive to unbury my living room floor from boxes so I can cut fabric again!

Fotia, I feel your pain sister. I just tried on the costume I'm supposed to wear for a wedding performance in mid-February and the skirt has become scandalous! I'm trying to figure out how I can cinch it in... Darn my crazy draped asymmetrical design... It dips down on the right hip to a beaded flower and boy does it dip now! Eep. I've lost probably 25lbs since I made it so I guess it's understandable... Here's a pic of when I first made it:


Qamar Those head pieces are out of this world! I've seen them in some of the vintage threads but never on a 'real live dancer' ..l;, Those girls are lucky they have you as their personal costumer!

I want a crown!!! Rio show me how pretty please!
I just finished my diamond dress. I lurv it!

That red costume has me in heat!

And RioDancer, I put on a costume that I thought was okay on me, maybe lower on the hips than before, but then I started dancing and whoops! Grabbed it before the butt cleavage showed! I hope people thought it was part of the routine but I doubt it.

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

I feel your pain sister. I just tried on the costume I'm supposed to wear for a wedding performance in mid-February and the skirt has become scandalous! I'm trying to figure out how I can cinch it in... Darn my crazy draped asymmetrical design... It dips down on the right hip to a beaded flower and boy does it dip now! Eep. I've lost probably 25lbs since I made it so I guess it's understandable... Here's a pic of when I first made it:

Rio, would taking a series of small, long, narrow darts through the back, the left side and the left front pull everthing together enough? In my head, that would keep the lovely shaping you have there...

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

Here's the link to January's thread: January

Thanks for the compliments ..g.: As soon as my real camera is unearthed I will be happy to oblige with detail pics ..l;, I'm really hoping to get to cut out the skirt this weekend but I'm probably being overly optimistic... I did finish that last leaf on lunch today ..g.: I think I need the skirt/bra base sewn up before I can decide how many more I need. This will just add to my incentive to unbury my living room floor from boxes so I can cut fabric again!

Fotia, I feel your pain sister. I just tried on the costume I'm supposed to wear for a wedding performance in mid-February and the skirt has become scandalous! I'm trying to figure out how I can cinch it in... Darn my crazy draped asymmetrical design... It dips down on the right hip to a beaded flower and boy does it dip now! Eep. I've lost probably 25lbs since I made it so I guess it's understandable... Here's a pic of when I first made it:


Qamar Those head pieces are out of this world! I've seen them in some of the vintage threads but never on a 'real live dancer' ..l;, Those girls are lucky they have you as their personal costumer!

AAAAAAHHH! No, no, no, as I wrote in my post, I don't have any pics of mine yet! I posted the Jilina troupe as an example, the, he, he, sorry for the mix up!

Qamar

Zeevah, I think I'm going to have to pull more of the fabric under the beaded flower and then add a woven facing or a powermesh band underneath. Just pulling more of the fabric under doesn't seem to do enough for security's sake. I'm enjoying the new skinnier me, but not all these alterations!! ..l;,

Qamar I know the crowns you posted were an example. They're still craaaazy We'll be anxiously awaiting pictures of your creations!

Eshta Qamar is the reigning crown expert (dang it's early for puns) but I can certainly tell you how I made one for a Roman/Greek costume. I used a plastic headband with teeth and glued a crescent shaped piece of (gold spray painted) leather to the front of it. It could have been sewn and then fabric covered instead. There is the risk of the plastic breaking but it stayed better in my hair than the metal version with twisted wire 'teeth'. I don't seem to have a digital picture available. I still have the crown and a regular picture somewhere. I'll see if I can find it and snap a pic for ya

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

... I still have the crown and a regular picture somewhere. I'll see if I can find it and snap a pic for ya

Would like to seeee!!! ..g.:

Qamar

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

I'm enjoying the new skinnier me, but not all these alterations!! ..l;,

Rio, I'm sure it must be frustrating to have to alter these beauties. Still, keep in mind just how fabulous you'll look in them once they are done!

I have to say, though, I thought you absolutely stunning in the before picture.

Qamar, I'll look doubly hard for it now It's nothing all that fancy but it worked quite well. The leather bonded strongly to the plastic. I think I used "Shoe goo" for it ..l;, I cut a crescent shape and then spread it open a bit to fit the head band. That made the top edge have a sort of rippled, scalloped effect.
Zeevah: Aww... *blushes* Thank you for the sweet comment. I wanted to lose a tiny bit but not as much as I have. Sometimes my body seems to want to hold on to weight and sometimes it just throws it away. Kinda unnerving actually, since I don't know when it will stabilize. In terms of costume alteration, I keep wondering if I need to be more drastic so it will still fit if I lose more or if I need to worry about all the weight returning! Lol, it will probably be my excuse (as if I needed one) to make all new costumes!

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

I want a crown!!! Rio show me how pretty please!
I just finished my diamond dress. I lurv it!

*wipes drool off of keyboard* Eshta... Dang it girl! You've got to stop tempting me! I am sooo tempted to place a custom order with you. This one or the lovely green one with diamonds (and swags on the bra) are my favorites! If only my restaurant gigs were reliable again. Business is so hit or miss that the boss has me on call. More often than not lately I don't get to dance at all. But I could play a very expensive game of dress up right?

So, as I said, nothing fancy but it could be a way to do a dance crown. I am having no luck finding the snap shot of me wearing said crown with my chiton. It doesn't get the slight scalloped edge until it's stretched to fit my head. I also found a fabulous crown intended for bridal wear that you ladies might find appealing: gold crystal and pearl tiara

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

So, as I said, nothing fancy but it could be a way to do a dance crown. I am having no luck finding the snap shot of me wearing said crown with my chiton. It doesn't get the slight scalloped edge until it's stretched to fit my head. I also found a fabulous crown intended for bridal wear that you ladies might find appealing: gold crystal and pearl tiara

Thank you sweety! I need something similar (headband with theet) to glue a big braid made from fake hair to hide the hem of my 3/4 wig fall, instead of a stretch fabric headband.

Hugs!

Qamar

where do you get the combs to start with?

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

... I used a plastic headband with teeth and glued a crescent shaped piece of (gold spray painted) leather to the front of it...

Originally Posted by eshtabellydance

where do you get the combs to start with?

I got mine from scunci brand, probably at a Walgreens. The link above takes you to the headband on the scunci website. ..g.:

oooo i need to make a crown for my Brazilian Samba costume soon. I hate to get my hopes up, but maybe I can order some feathers and have it done by my Samba workshop on Fat Tuesday!

Today I went to Jo Ann's and walked out with some cool black and silver fabric. So then I bought some sequins and some jewels, then some pearls because it seemed like a good idea..then I found some pretty beads that were metallic-y black.



Now, what do I do with it? I found all this cool stuff and now my canvas is blank. I know I will be making a bedlah from it, that's all I know.

Originally Posted by AllyisLuma

Today I went to Jo Ann's and walked out with some cool black and silver fabric. So then I bought some sequins and some jewels, then some pearls because it seemed like a good idea..then I found some pretty beads that were metallic-y black.



Now, what do I do with it? I found all this cool stuff and now my canvas is blank. I know I will be making a bedlah from it, that's all I know.

That fabric is beautiful! I love it... wonder if they have any near me??? not that I need another project .w.:

go for it! It will be so fun and you'll have a special one of a kind cossie!

Looks like it's woven (not stretch) and tissue lame. That means "structural" designs will work better than draped ones and that the fabric is kind delicate. It can snag easily and shouldn't have any weight bearing seams (use grosgrain ribbon covered in the fabric for straps and line with another non-stretch woven like basic cotton for stability). You might have to use two pieces of fabric to cover each bra cup- sort of a circle for the bottom half and a rectangle for the upper edge. It looks like it frays easily (if it's tissue lame, that goes with the territory) so clear nail polish or fray-check might be helpful. As for shape... Well, if it's not stretch then it'd be difficult to make it work in a fitted skirt so bra, belt and/or appliques are probably your best bet. From there it may be a question of what shapes look best on you, are there shapes you have 'too many' of and you'd like to try something new? Also, you might need to use a really sharp, fine hand sewing needle for beadwork because of the potential snagging issue ..g.: It could make a very cool vest with bead work along the 'lapels' and in the center back. Hope all this helps!

Originally Posted by RioDancerCO

It could make a very cool vest with bead work along the 'lapels' and in the center back. Hope all this helps!

I hope I have enough left over because you are definitely correct on that. It would make an awesome vest.

I am definitely going to do a bra and belt. It is tissue-y lame and not stretch. I have all those wonderful things like fray check and stuff. I just don't know what to do for a design for beading and the sequins and stuff. I don't want to be too complicated.

My original plan had been to make a gold bedlah out of brocade and then minimal swirly gold sequin pattern that I saw on a Joharah set my friend Inara owns. It had minimal fringe and gold palettes. But then I got to JoAnn's and realized that I already had silver fringe and silver beads, so to save moola I am going for silver...but then I fell in love with this awesome black and silver and now I don't know what to do for beadwork in terms of design. The pattern is so busy, yet awesome.

Oh, the woes of costume addiction. ,f::

Originally Posted by rscramer

That fabric is beautiful! I love it... wonder if they have any near me??? not that I need another project .w.:

I found it where they have the Sari fabrics.

Ahh, I see. So you were asking more for advice on bead motif than garment shape. Well... two options come to mind for me. Medallions that completely ignore what's happening in 'the background' or playing up the background by emphasizing it with beads. I kinda envision a very light scattering of beads up by the top of the belt with the beads getting more dense and larger as you get to the bottom edge. And following the stripes in the fabric. Like bead colors coordinate with stripe colors a little (with the pearls scattered throughout for cohesiveness). So it'd be extra sparkly stripes with visual weight at the bottom where it went from beaded fabric to fringe.

Here are pics of my fake sleeves. The whole ghawazee coat and sleeves attached, left, and a closeup of the fake sleeve inside the real sleeve, right.

I'm 1/4 of the way through attaching the hooks and eyes to attach the sleeves. Its a snow day anyway.

Edited to add, I DID get the hooks on the same night, ugh!