Curves!

Learning Curves!!!!! - It sounds easy doesn’t it – just four costumes to actually make for a summer show. How wrong can you be. The dresses are full length matt coloured in black, dark bue, light blue and brown. They all have white long, waist tied aprons to go with them, large white collars and white cuffs and are of an early American "colonial" style.

Girl came round last Saturday afternoon and having devoured hot rotisserie chicken rolls we proceeded to cut out the pattern parts for two complete dresses for her and Calm Woman together with aprons, collars and cuffs to the strains of Bon Jovi and Nickelback. Girl has good taste in music.That or I have an equally poor taste. This meant that we were then way ahead for the first Sunday setbuild.

On Sunday am Neat Woman, Girl and I set up the "Witches Sweat Shop" in R1 at the hall whilst the boys turned their attentions to the set. Neat and I measured ourselves to work out what size to cut the pattern for our own dresses and only then did it become apparent that the sizes were less than generous. At that point Neat made the decision to start sewing my dress and I to work on Girl's dress so that at least they could be fitted to us as we were working. While all this was going on, Girl was industriously cutting out the remaining collars, cuffs and aprons. For someone who’s never done any dressmaking in her life, she’s doing a sterling job, especially as a "leftie" battling with "normal" scissors.

By 5:30pm we are all exhausted – no wonder Lucia thought I looked bad – I felt it!!!! In the midst of this both Neat and I had decided that the instructions were less than adequate. We'd both also had sleeve issues. There’s a dart on the elbow, one one side only. Neat managed to sew hers on the shorter side so the seams didn’t match. I managed to sew both of mine on the same side for both sleeves and had two LHS sleeves instead of one left and one right.

Lucia (Asst. Director Demon) joined us in the afternoon. After making several cups of tea to keep us sane she came and cut out all the interfacing. This coming Sunday, Neat is away for the weekend so Lucia will be bringing her sewing machine and has been nominated (in her absence) to make a start on the aprons, collars and cuffs ready for us to complete the dresses. Mrs Director Witch has been asked to bring her ironing board down for the interfacing.

Neat has just emailed me this morning. We had both set aside last night to sew and get the dresses to a trying on stage and we both had the same "issues". Gathering threads on the skirts snapping whilst working, pinning the right side of fabric to the wrong side so the seams are on the inside on the top and the outside on the bottom etc etc

I’ve said before that the cast would probably be very worried if they realised just how inexperienced I am at sewing and how much I fly by the seat of my pants. Well guys; this time I’ve managed to learn how to do darts, set sleeves, use interfacing and gather something bigger than an apron. Tonight I’m getting a zip masterclass from Neat!!!!!

Unsurprisingly – There’s still a lot to do.

Surprisingly – No one has moaned about having their costume made out of sheets from Matalan.

Very surprisingly – Everyone still has complete faith in me (I think!!!)

Thank god for Neat Woman !!!

PS. For the boys benefit…. Unlike Forum, I would like to hearby announce officially that the girls will all be sporting matching collars and cuffs for this show!!!!!