New year already!

Wow... I can't believe I started this post back the first week of February. The last few weeks have been a bit stressful, for a variety of reasons. So let me backtrack and talk about the start of my year. 

What I did in January & February:
Opened my first freelance show of 2014 with Will Eno's Flu Season at Single Carrot Theatre. This was extra special as it was the first show in their our new home. The weekend after New Years was spent moving into the new theater, and a mere three weeks later the show opened. It was a very minimal sewing show, but there were still a few last-minute costume piece crisis moments, but all is well, and I am overall pleased with the final look. Next step is to find out how we will be storing costumes for the new space, and then unpacking and organizing it.

And then there was Cabaret, of course! This one was was a doozy. I had a blast doing research and putting together a Pinterest board, plus shopping on etsy and ebay for vintage pieces and patterns (love this one from Mrs Depew). I had fun playing with vintage patterns for the Kit Kat girls' costumes. We grounded it pretty solidly in 1929-30, but not so stuck on period that I couldn't play with colors and shapes a bit. The girls outfits are inspired by vintage lingerie, but instead of pastels we used richer colors, bright and jewel tones, and trimmed them all in black lace, giving them a unified look while still reflecting different shapes and styles for each of them to have a unique identity. 

Most of the bra tops, the step-in, and some of the shorts were all made from scratch using vintage patterns, with the rest of the shorts and tops made from altering 1960s/70s vintage slips and tap pants. I am going to get some nice shots from the University, but here are a few quick shots I took during tech week. 

My new fabrics from Ghana!

And then there is more freelance work... Between shows I'm working on a couple of commissions. My SIL in New York needs a couple of simple dresses, and a friend of my roommate asked me to do something with her fabric purchased in Ghana on their trip. What fun (if slightly nerve wracking). I also have FOUR pieces of fabric from Ghana of my own, which were my Christmas present from my roommate. Looking at some spring skirts myself...

I also just picked up this lovely 1940s jacket pattern from Ebay. It's quite a bit smaller than me, so I will be testing my grading skills, but it might just move to the front of the line of my vintage wish list.

Speaking of vintage, I finally splurged and got a few beautiful things from Etsy this month, which I have been longing for for ages: a 1930s bracelet, a cute peasant blouse, and a laces cocktail dress. Sadly, the dress is a little smaller than I anticipated across the arms, so I may not quite fit it in it in time for the big opening I had been planning it for...but fingers crossed.

More to come! I have two more show in the works for March and April, and some more sewing inspiration--I'm just WAY behind!