Mocee the cat above “helping” me sew.

Wow I can’t believe how fast time can go by. I haven’t been posting much the last two weeks because as you may well know it’s almost Halloween! And that means I have been frantically working on and sewing my Halloween costume. If you haven’t seen some of my costumes from years past, either look them up through the cloud keyword “Halloween” or you can do a search. I may just do a whole post on my costumes, that would be easier for sure but I need to get this party under my belt first.

So the costume party that I attend each year is this Saturday and I am not ready! I have pretty big ambitions when it comes to my costumes and so far they have always worked out. This year is a bit different. I always rely on my face painting to make me scary as hell but this year the costume itself is a big part of the whole thing. It’s coming together but I’m no great seamstress. My costumes are usually just patched together and somehow it always just magically works.

Funny how that is, I cannot follow the directions on a pattern to save my life, I’d just rather make it up as I go along. I can’t seem to read music, I play the piano by ear and I try to follow directions on painting but end up just doing my own thing. It all works out somehow. I’m one of those fly by the seat of your pants kinda girl.

So I don’t want to give away what I’m going to be this year but I will give you some teaser photos of what I’m currently working on. I would be remiss not to mention my new helper. Her name is Esmerelda and she is a fabulous vintage dress form given to me by my friend’s mother in law. I am in love. Isn’t she wonderful? I think she is from 1949 since that is what is stamped on her. How cool is that? I can see me dressing her all up for all the holidays so stay tuned for fun pictures because yep, I’m kinda nuts like that.

Here she is in her full frontal glory. She even has rollers! or casters actually. They don’t do a lot of good on carpet… but who cares! I’ve already put her to work…

Okay so here is all the sewing I have done so far, not much I know. Today is going to be extremely busy and a crunch day for me. My son has Field Day for Cub Scouts at 7 am on the day of the party (this Saturday) and I don’t know how I’ll survive and stay up late for the party but I will manage somehow! I’ll stop yammering on and let you see the pics.

Here I’m sewing a skirt on a blouse I already had. What do they call that? Oh yes repurposing isn’t it? I got this super cheap fabric at Walmart for $1.50 a yard I think. I think it is very pretty.

So the dress I’m trying to pull off (sorta) is kind of a Colonial style I guess so I ask you…

To bustle or…

…not to bustle? that is the question.

There will be another layer under here of the brocade fabric above that the cat is on. It would peek under the bustle part and show a lot in the front. It is half a dress really, just the back… open in the front. I added pretty black lace ruffle to accent and embellish and I think I’ll add more to the hem and if it’s bustled that will lay pretty I think. I’m also going to try to add some ruffles to hang down through the sleeve. Not sure how I’m going to do that just yet, but I’m guessing it will involve cutting out a circle or an oblong piece and sewing it on. I’ll add more lace to that. I’ve seen them but I don’t know what kind of sleeve that would be called do you?

I don’t know why I go to such lengths for these costumes, they really don’t get seen that much but I really love doing it. I have a lot more to do and I can’t wait to share. If I get far enough along, I’ll post more this evening if I’m not dog tired. If I am too tired, you can see it complete make up and all Sunday or so after the party.

Have a great weekend, I’m planning on it!!

UPDATE: Click here to see finished costume on me!

Another post about the costume here.

Learn more about me on the ‘About’ page under the additional links menu. I’m an artist – a painter mostly and an avid gardener. I paint a variety of subjects including birds, koi fish, my gardens, ponds and flowers as well as anything having to do with nature especially trees and tropical scenes. I also enjoy painting abstracts and have started created more and more of them. My most favorite thing to try to achieve in my painting is is mystery and telling mystical stories.

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