My School's Fall Bazaar Theme: Pirates!!!

Got dragged into the whole pirate thing this year. I'm such a girly-girl that this idea is completely alien to me. I don't mind making stuff for other people - they look good in pirate stuff - but I feel weird in it. Probably doesn't help that I'm a 34G. I know that I just can't pass for a guy no matter how much I try.

Anyway, I decided between teaching and finishing up these costumes, I would *shudder* BUY a pirate shirt rather than make it. Big mistake. I ordered a "swordswoman's shirt" from By the Sword, Inc. Since I'm kinda big on top, I ordered a woman's XL. Another big mistake. Usually I HAVE to wear XL, but I'm swimming - no, DROWNING - in this shirt. The worst part is that they claim that the cuffs are designed with a woman in mind. Maybe a 600 lb woman??? The cuffs are 11" around! My wrists are like HALF that!

On the flip side, I only have to wear it twice, once for the bazaar and once for Halloween at school. Then, I can give it to my husband and he can wear it to TRF, since I would estimate it's more like a man's size L-XL rather than a woman's.

Planning on going to TRF on Halloween weekend. I'm hoping Christian will pick out a costume for himself, preferably a musketeer since he has the sword and shirt already and the good looks. Hehe!

Anyway, I'm using some black capris/pants (depending on weather) that I already had, plus a single necklace from Wal-Mart that has 7-in-one (about $7) and a set of different-sized hoops at Wal-mart ($5) as well as thin black and red scarves for $5 each at Wal-Mart. The socks I might wear if it's chilly - they are the same pair I got for Mrs. Lovett at Hot Topic.

Anything to keep the school going and impress the kiddos, I guess...

Victorian Girl's dresses c. 1860

I finished two out of the three dresses so far. I just need to put buttonholes on the other two.

The girls were able to try on the finished ones while the third had to try on a muslin mock-up of her bodice as I had to enlarge it and tailor it to her.

I was quite disappointed how long they turned out, as I thought the tulle would make the dress stick out more like the picture on the pattern. I guess the taffeta weighs it down. So much for engineering...

I'm not a big fan of the pattern - the skirt lengths run rediculously long for their size. I had to measure and cut where I planned to, which didn't correlate with their regular size AT ALL.

Overall though, they are very cute and the bodices really flatter their natural shape and the dark colors flatter their skin color.

Stangely enough, I hope they all grow an inch taller by December! (However, I suppose too long is better than too short, right? I've seen too short and it looks worse!!!)

Mrs. Lovett is ready to go!

Well, fall is in full swing and I'm trying to finish up projects so I can enjoy goings-on like Boo on the Boardwalk, TRF, Dickens, and of course my school's Fall Bazaar.

I finished a lot of stuff over the summer but just never felt like writing since my aunt died.

I decided to use red bias tape to accent the dark black ruffles, and I think it makes it much more striking and gothic. I'm actually surprised how well it turned out, how easy it was to make, and how it (surprisingly big time!) fits me. And one of my husband's friends said I couldn't pull it off....

Hoping to go to Boo on the Boardwalk in Kemah this weekend. Still not sure about the make-up idea though, and never found a plastic roach to accompany me either....Halloween really sucks here in Texas. No stores have any cool accessories this year.