Bonus Round: Another Halloween Costume –The Kitsch Witch

Hey y’all,

Here’s another Halloween Costume that I’m working on….

Who doesn’t love a classic kitschy witch?  The good & pretty kind that you see on Disney’s "made for TV" movies starring Debbie Reynolds??

This one is NOT not a princess, but it IS made from a re-purposed dress, petticoat, and every bit of orange and black trim I have on hand.   The only thing I had to buy was MORE orange thread!



An all-black version of the white dress I’m using for the Ozma costume…..purchased earlier this year at a cheapie, “Forever 21-type” store in Berkeley, CA.

I started by trimming the sleeves and bottom edges of the skirt/underskirt in bright neon orange and hologram thread.  Just a simple zig-zag stitch on the widest setting.  I went over each edge 2-3 times for extra brightness.

This is one of those slutty black petticoats in nylon tricot by Leg Avenue…the kind you find at every Halloween store.  It was purchased a few years ago and NEVER worn.

On the petticoat, I removed the elastic from the waist, and separated the 2 tiered layers.  *One layer I will save for a future project.  For the remaining layer, I carefully snipped off the ruffle trim, and edged the tiered skirt with thread, just like the dress. 

I repeated the same stitch treatment on the ruffle trim….9 yds of pre-gathered goodness!  And yes, that’s a Miller Lite tallboy in the background….DON’T JUDGE!

Part of the ruffle trim I stitched to the edge of the lace overskirt...

The rest of the trim I placed in a spiral formation going up the overskirt.  *The tiered ruffle portion of the petticoat was stitched to the underskirt ofthe dress for extra fullness.

This week, I will be finalizing trim placement on the sleeve and neckline:

More to come!!



Kathleen -In Oakland

Princess Ozma …A.K.A. “Mom”

Hey y’all,

So…I am re-purposing/re-cycling a dress and accessories to make a Princess Ozma Costume…

“Help me step through the glass, Dorothy.”

My 1^st attempt at making a Princess Ozma Costume was back in January.  I only had one week to make something, so all I had time to do was create some pieces:

January 2010:
Collar made from brocade gold scraps
and green ribbons, worn over a
simple muslin empire gown
I already had on-hand.



January 2010: Wire headdress inspired by the costume from “Return to Oz” and the various cover art images from the Frank Baum books.

  

White Lace knee-length dress I purchased earlier this year at a cheapie “Forever 21-type” store in Berkeley for like 20 bucks.  This will become the Princess Ozma Gown.

Sparkly bright green edgestitching I added to the bottom hem and tulle ruffle on the underskirt.

The dress, with my old Ozma collar thrown over it, and green ribbon laced up the front.  ***I am not happy with the optic white shade of the dress. 

Since the dress is made from 100% cheap poly and nylon, I decided to separate the bodice and skirts and sponge paint the pieces in various shades of ivory, gold and pearly green.

Stay tuned for more progress on the Ozma Costume once the pieces are dry!

It's gonna be fun, and invloves green hologram thread.....woot!!!!

Kathleen -In Oakland

She’s Crafty! Halloween: West Coast Entry

Hey y’all,

I just had a very productive weekend creating fabulous costumes for Halloween!!

As you can probably tell from Philip’s posts, this year’s Halloween them for Patterned History is “Repurposed Princess” 

While Philip is utilizing a previously made skirt for his Princess Toadstool ensemble, I will be re-using a dress and accessories to make a Princess outfit too….here’s a little hint:

Emma Ridley as Princess Ozma in Disney's "Return to Oz" circa 1985.  Hands down, one of the greatest Disney movies EVER made.  Costumes designed by Raymond Hughes.

I have always loved the Art Nouveau style in which Ozma is depicted 

And here’s a little magical awesomeness for your viewing pleasure:

Kathleen -In Oakland