In With The Gold, Out With The Blue

I am 99% finished with the blue Easter Genie costume.  I just have to hand-sew a row of hooks and eyes to the back of the top to hold it closed.  Oh, and I forgot that I have to make a veil for each girl, so add 3 veils to my overflowing to-do list. 

So I'm moving on to costume #2 of 3.  This one is made of all gold fabrics.  These will now be shedding all over my clothes and house:

All three of my costumes are for the women of Herod's Harem in the Easter play, but the second and third costumes are made with a different pattern than the blue genie pattern.  This is the pattern I was given to work with:

Oh, how she stares at me.  Creepily.  Taunting me as I try to figure out how to recreate her weird outfit.

Unfortunately, this pattern was also not available in the sizes that I need.  Since it took me a full week to adjust the genie costume, and I just don't have that kind of time now, I decided to order patterns in the correct sizes and just try to make a finished product that somewhat resembles my "inspiration" pattern. 

So, I ordered these patterns:

I am using the skirt of one pattern, but I have to make it longer and a little wider so I don't have to make a back vent (opening so she can walk and move).  I'm also giving each skirt a drawstring waist so these can be used in future years for women who are different sizes. 

I chose one top from each pattern to use for the remaining two costumes.  The gold costume will have this top:

I will make the bodice (main torso section) out of the yellow gold satin fabric (it has tiny sparkles that you can't see in the photos), and the sleeves will be the sheer yellow-gold fabric.  I purchased some beaded trim to go along the hem of the shirt.  

Are you confused yet?  Well, I was.  So, while sitting amidst the multiple patterns, trims, and bolts of fabric, I made a sketch of each girl's outfit so I could remember what goes where.

And that's just a small sampling of my scribbles, measurements, notes, and adjustments.

I worked on the skirt first (since it's less complicated than the top!).  I made a skirt out of the darker gold fabric, and then I made an overlay out of the gold paisley fabric.  

I felt like the skirt needed some sort of embellishment, so I machine-sewed some brown braided trim along the edges of the skirt overlay.  Ohhh, it was slipping and sliding everywhere as I tried to sew it down.  I won though.  

I took these photos this afternoon, but I was able to do some more work on the costume this evening.  I added buttonholes on the center front up near the top of the skirt (the drawstring comes out of the buttonholes).  Then I turned down the waistband to the inside and sewed it in place, creating a casing for a drawstring.  I used fancy satiny cording for the drawstring.  I'll try to take pictures of that later. 

The gold fabrics have proved to be at least as challenging as the blues (I think I would even say the golds are worse).  As soon as I cut a fabric, it immediately starts to fray and unravel.  

I am so so so glad that I have a serger.  I just learned how to use it, and I had only previously used it for one project before these costumes (I made a Valentine's skirt for my daughter).  But it has proved to be invaluable for these projects.  It takes lots of extra time to serge everything, but if I didn't do it then these actresses would be leaving trails of threads everywhere they go!

All this stress and work has led me to an unshakable nagging urge to eat Easter candy.  {Oh, Cadbury, how I love/hate you.}  I have so far resisted the urge.  Even though I've dropped from exercising 6 days per week to about 3 days per week while I'm working crazy overtime on the costumes, I have still continued losing weight.  My total weight loss is up to 26 lbs. now, and I'm officially down another pants size.  See...blessings in the midst of chaos.

Well, this sure has been a nice break from my sewing machine.  I suppose I should get back to work now.  I hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Jessica