The Costume

Last year at this time I was doing our local production of Les Miserables.  I made and worked on many costumes for that show. This is one of the posts from that time.  I have mentioned before that I like making costumes.  If you are interested you can read other posts about costumes by looking at the labels on the right.

My choice of fabric for costumes had been mainly cottons and cotton blends.  Even for fancier clothes. When my older kids were in Christian school in San Jose, they didn't have Halloween there.  They had Famous Americans Day which was celebrated the day before Thanksgiving.  The children wrote a report about a famous American and then dressed as that person.  There was a contest for the reports and for the costumes, per each class.  I thought it was great idea and the girls loved it.  Maybe not the report writing, though both won the essay contest at least once.

Alex, (L) was Helen Keller that year.

Elizabeth was Elizabeth Blackwell.

But once years before that, I made Elizabeth a clown costume using satin.  That was tricky.  Satin is slippery and it ravels terribly.

This is Alex wearing the hand-me-down clown costume.

After that experience I didn't sew shiny, slippery fabrics again until this year.

When Elizabeth got married, I made 2 of her 3 bridesmaid dresses.  It was May so we found lovely fine cotton floral fabric.  I'm sorry I don't have a photo of those dresses.  They turned out nice. Though not of silk or satin.

This Fall, a friend of mine asked me to make a costume for her granddaughter.  Helen had planned to make it herself but fire intervened and she asked me.  She had purchased nearly everything that was needed so all I had to do was get sewing.

Three fabrics (all slippery and shiny) thread, a zipper, braided trims and the pattern.  She even brought pins.

The sliver dotted fabric and the lovely heavy satin-type knit for the under dress.

The organza over cape attached, it still needs the sleeves.

A close-up of the braid at the waist.

All done. So happy.

I was going to take it over to Helen so I sent a text asking what day was best. There was still 10 days until Christmas.  She replied that she was already in Arizona with her family and could I mail it.  I did.

I hear the little one is loving her present from her Grandma.

And once more let me wish everyone a wonderful Christmas. A time to remember the greatest gift of all. God's gift to us, His Son, Jesus.

O Holy Night

Sung by the King's College Choir, Cambridge