Beast Mode on Costumes

I haven't been doing much quilting this week.  I was tasked with making a costume for one of the characters in the school's production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast Jr play.  This is a huge ordeal for our school.  The kids are in 2nd-5th grade and they work HARD and put on an awesome show.

This is the first year my daughter was old enough to try out.  She got the part of an enchanted salt shaker.  Trust me when I say she is going to dazzle!   (Proud momma moment!)

So back to the costume...To be perfectly honest, I hadn't sewn anything requiring a pattern since my last home ec. class in high school.  We will just say that has been a while.

I was given a pattern for a pirate and this picture of what they really wanted it to look like.  (I hope the link works.  I am by no means claiming ownership.)  So I reluctantly took measurements of the boy playing the fish man and began cutting out the fabric.

I started with the shirt.  I didn't get any pictures because to me honest I was just focused on not messing everything up.  Then I went on to the hat.  This was actually the most fun.  I had a little confidence since I had done something similar for one of my daughter's Halloween costumes.

I started by cutting out as large a circle as the fabric would allow.  No I didn't measure because that is just how I roll.  I tied a piece of yarn to my chalk pen and moved my hand up and down the yarn until I found a radius that would work.  Then I marked off the half circle with the chalk while holding the yarn in the center.  It didn't have to be exact since I was gathering the edge to the size I needed.  I just needed a lot of bulk so that it would be nice and floppy.

Then I went around the outside of the circle with two basting seams; one at 1/2 inch and one at 3/4 inch.  

Once I had both seams in, I found the side of stitching that has a straight thread.  I am pretty sure that is the bobbin side of the stitch.  Any who, I  grabbed the two loose threads and started gathering the material.

Then I sewed it to the rim of the hat.  With that many pictures I bet you were expecting to see the final product.  I was too.  The whole turned out really well, but unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the finished hat before I turned it today.  Sad face.  I wanted to get a picture of the actor in it, but got caught up in the excitement and forgot.  I think it went over pretty well though because when he walked into the gym where the rest of the cast was everyone started clapping and cheering.  You think I am over selling this, but they did.  He came back in and said, "Everyone really liked it.  They clapped for me." Awe!  

And another indication that I didn't do too shabby is that they gave me another costume to make.  So I am off to make this one.

I have to take them in Thursday to do a final fitting, so I will make sure I get a picture this time.