Pillowcase Dresses

The neighbor wanted some pillowcase dresses for her adorable little girl, so, I dug out some unloved pllowcases and found tons of tutorials on-line. I ended up using this template to cut the armholes.  I tried one with elastic in the casing, the other with just a ribbon of fabric threaded through. I hope at least one of them works!

Nutcracker Dresses

I made quite a few dresses for The Nutcracker Ballet.  The Missoulian did a nice article about it.  I got pretty good at putting boning into bodices!

Feeling a little crabby

This is my darling great nephew in the crab costume I made him for Halloween.  I made it out of double fleece with a wind barrier, so he would be nice and warm,  The legs are all rigged with fishing line which is attached at the elbow of the costume, so that when he moves his arms, all the appendages move in concert.  His parents dressed as the crab fishermen.

Nutcracker Soldiers

The local ballet commissioned a new set of soldier costumes for the annual nutcracker production.  I had to devise my own patterns, for the most part.  The pants are heavy duty knit, and I made them from a pattern for a sleeveless leotard, combined with a pattern for stirrup cycling pants.  I loved putting all the trim and buttons on the jackets.  I got a great deal on the helmets from a uniform shop that went out of business, but I had to add the gold hat chain and sunburst emblems.  The first photo shows the mock-up that I made in miniature to show the board.  The next photo is from the local newspaper article- they took the picture before the pants and boots were finished, so the girls are in their tights!

  

Lion King Costumes

My niece needed some quickie costumes for an event at her school.  I made her a baboon, a warthog, and a Meerkat.  For the bodies, I just used a basic one-piece pajama pattern.  The heads are made from foam rubber.  The two lions aren't mine.