Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Post by **Savannah** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 2:43 pm

Katiebaby25 wrote:I made this little top last night out of stuff I had lying around the house... old bathing suit top and some old fishnets plus a few embellishments from other projects!

Cute!

wh..sh · Post by **wh..sh** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:01 pm

Katiebaby25 wrote:I made this little top last night out of stuff I had lying around the house...

I cant imagine the fun, cute stuff thats lying around your house!
It's beautiful and lovely green!!

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:37 pm

Katie, THAT came out very nice. Irresistible. I want to touch it, (when you put it on).

tattoogoddess · Post by **tattoogoddess** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:10 pm

That is super cute!!!!

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 8:12 pm

Yeah, very nice, Katie!

Katiebaby25 · Post by **Katiebaby25** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:49 am

Thanks guys! I've been working on a few other things for my regional, Freezer Burn, coming up this weekend, I'll post come pics when I'm done (nothing like leaving it to the last minute, lol).

Ratty - I will come find you on the playa and you can most definitely touch it

As long as I can pet you in that adorable poodle costume!!!

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 9:59 am

I've never worn it to the playa but I'm bringing it this year for one of my 'Greeter' shifts. The dog catcher picked me up one time out there, (I was in a Chewbacca suit). They caged me, drove me all the hell over the city and dumped me miles from my camp. It was great fun and I did get a cool dog-tag. I wore it to 'The City' one Halloween and became a stationary photo op for kids.

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:34 am

My partner had a pair of lime-green boxer shorts that were just too ratty to wear with any dignity. So I confiscated them and covered them with curls of fabric from two bright green t-shirts I had kicking around. Now they're shimmy shorts!

Kinda this idea...

But in these colours...

He's at work, so I can't make him model them for me yet. I can't wait to see him shakin' his booty in those on the playa!

wh..sh · Post by **wh..sh** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:45 am

Damn! I cant wait for the pictures

When I told my husband about my great plans for his costume, he said "negatory".

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:00 am

wh..sh wrote:Damn! I cant wait for the pictures

Sadly, there's no way he'll let me photograph him in them and post those here. He's very tinfoil-hattish about internet privacy (even more than me). He'll be posing in those just for me.

wh..sh wrote:When I told my husband about my great plans for his costume, he said "negatory".

It took some serious "convincing" to get him to let me make these. And basically, he didn't.

I took the shorts and just started sewing without his permission (I did have to convince him to let me take them from him... but they really were nigh unwearable). I told him I was doing it as a sewing lesson/experiment and promised him I wouldn't be mad if he didn't like them/ever wear them. I got him to try them on partway through so I could see how they looked. Then.... he fell for the shimmy! He was unable to stand still even when asked. At the very least, he's planning to wear them around the house, and he has agreed to TAKE them to the playa. He first said he MIGHT wear them there; more recently, he said PROBABLY. The turnaround was pretty quick. I'm putting my money on those things getting REALLY dusty.

My new goal is to get him to wear them to the meet 'n' greet.

Post by **Savannah** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:10 am

That is the cutest story ever.

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:22 am

Those sound perfect. I want to try it on some old yoga pants. Maybe I'll just use the stretchy top part and cut them off above the crotch. Now...Which t-shirts will he not miss...

wh..sh · Post by **wh..sh** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:39 am

That's funny Cat!!
It took my husband 3 days on playa before he would even consider wearing an afro wig. He wore it with a robe and looked like Norman Bates' mother

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:46 am

haha... my partner refuses to wear wigs... ever.
Norman Bates' Mother!!

wandergirl · Post by **wandergirl** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:09 am

LOL. last year was my husband's first year (not mine), and I had to costume-coax him sooo much.
this year, he's in the middle of furiously sewing El wire into a faux fur/leather/shin-length woman's coat we found at goodwill for $25. and demanding I buy him more hot pink bandanas.

lazerfox · Post by **lazerfox** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:26 am

Katiebaby25 wrote:I made this little top last night out of stuff I had lying around the house... old bathing suit top and some old fishnets plus a few embellishments from other projects!

that is so banging...and it has given me an idea of what to do with a picture locket from a broken necklace. I didn't want to throw it out but had no real use for it.
Thank you!

Foxfur · Post by **Foxfur** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:42 pm

Ratty wrote:Those sound perfect. I want to try it on some old yoga pants. Maybe I'll just use the stretchy top part and cut them off above the crotch. Now...Which t-shirts will he not miss...

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 7:35 am

LOL, MyLarry will happily wear anything which doesn't squeeze his balls or get in his way. Miniskirts? Oh yeah.

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:11 am

For some of my nighttime outfits, I needed a white, sleeveless shirt with a high neck and ruffles at the throat. Basically like a pirate blouse without sleeves. Preferably fitted. I had been looking for one in the thriftshops... or for a similar one with sleeves that I could remove, to no avail.

Yesterday I discovered that one of my favourite white blouses had been ruined -- it was stained with something yellow on the cuffs. It was a long-sleeved blouse with a notched collar -- like a business shirt, only fitted. I took the sleeves off, then cut fabric out of them to make ruffles for the front of the shirt (I had to practice on another piece of fabric first, because I had no idea what I was doing). I had a small leftover piece of ruffled white lace which I added behind/beside the ruffles.

It was a few hours work, but all it cost was the price of the thread, and I now have the perfect shirt!

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:55 am

Picture of the shirt described above...

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:18 am

Nice work!

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:48 am

Thanks, AntiM!

I love this costume-sewing stuff!!!

I don't have to be all stressed about seams and hems being straight or invisible, just secure. If I make a mess of something, I can patch it up. If I completely ruin something, it's not a major expense, just a learning experience. I get to play with fabric -- something which I've always had a bit of a "thing" for -- and experiment with techniques. It's a bit like my approach to cooking -- I seldom use recipes, and when I do I like to mess with them. But this is better, because (a) the cleanup is minimal, and (b) if I screw up, I'm not forced to go without dinner.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:02 am

I do love sewing, and yes, when the results aren't supposed to be perfect, it is far less stressful. Mom made a lot of our clothes, and her mother was a professional dressmaker before good clothes came off the rack; I was too intimidated to sew for years and years. I still hesitate to cut the fabrics I inherited... beautiful nubby raw silk. Afraid to touch it.

Not sewing much this year, I put off making enough art for the Home, and now I'm badly behind. If I finish off a few projects, I still have more than enough to wear on the playa.

lazerfox · Post by **lazerfox** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:06 am

CITFH that shirt came out great. Well done!

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:42 am

CAT, Great job on the shirt. You're spot on about the costume sewing being fun. I don't even change the thread color. I made this little skirt on the top portion of some old sweat pants. I have tons of old packages of sewing notions. (Hemming and binding tapes). Once through the wash-n-dry and it will be raggedy and beautiful. I 'spot' sewed it on each ribbon so that the body of it would still stretch.

catinthefunnyhat · Post by **catinthefunnyhat** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:13 am

Thanks lazerfox and ratty!

And, ratty, I love love that skirt!

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:44 am

I'm working on this little tiny ladies 3/4 length coat. It's going to be a med/large man's vest when I'm done. I want to 'gift' 2 nice clothing pieces for the young teen boys that camp near me.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:50 am

If you ever disassemble something with leather sleeves, the sleeves can have a shoulder strap/harness added, and be fire protection for poi spinners.

lazerfox · Post by **lazerfox** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:08 am

could you sew the leather sleeves onto other fabric to make a glove part?
I have kevlar sleeves now but was first going to use old socks with holes for fingers and leather with sock fabric glove sounds so pretty.

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:54 am

This leather is thin and soft so I'm counting on being able to sew it. I love vests. BIG vests with large arm holes so they easily go over any costume. The sleeves would make great gauntlets. The leather could be sewn with elastic or laced up the arm.

Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.

Re: Start with what you have. It's easier and cheaper.