Joining Elizabeth for the third installment of needle and thREAD. Thanks, Elizabeth, for hosting.
I am still very busy sewing scapulars, but several evenings this week I have been busy with another sewing project. Faith takes lyrical ballet lessons and the studio is preparing for the recital in a few weeks. The seamstress hired to make the costumes has had some delays with the lyrical dresses and the they barely made it in time for the photo session last week. In fact, they were missing the ruffled trim at the neck and the bows at the waste. Because the seamstress was having a family medical crisis, I volunteered to take the dresses home (12 out of 15) and hand sew the ruffle and the bow. They are hanging in my dining room and I took a picture yesterday when it was sunny. I am waiting for more trim, as I have only finished six of the dresses.
they look pink here but they are actually a very pretty shade of lilac; two other classes wear the same dress, one in blue and one in pink, and I am anxious to see them for the dance they do all together
a finished dress
Faith reluctantly tried hers on for a photo session this morning, but it's very grey and rainy out today so the photos are quite grainy. And she was quite reluctant. I assure you they are beautiful when worn by one with a better attitude. They have a sewn-in pair of tight short bottoms so they are very modest, a feature about this particular studio I really love. Faith's costume is one of those without trim and a bow as well.
She complained in the whole five minutes she had it on that it was itchy. This child has been wearing itchy dress-up dresses since she could walk, but she apparently only complains when the wearing is mandatory. Sigh. Any fixes for an itchy dance costume are appreciated. I plan to use a lot of cornstarch powder.
And speaking of itchy costumes, I have volunteered (somebody shoot me) to be stage mom for Faith's class which involves waiting backstage with all 15 girls in itchy costumes (Faith was not the only one to complain at the photo shoot) during the recital. Faith's class dances just before the finale, which means I have to keep 15 girls neat and tidy and occupied for several hours. Any experienced moms with back-stage activity suggestions? I imagine I could get The Exorcist on my kindle. Just kidding.
My book is not in the any of the photos, but I am just finishing The Kitchen House, and it's been a really good read. I highly recommend.
Faith's sweet attitude looks perfectly fine...as do those finished dresses. Just hearing the word costume makes me itch! Just tell those like my mother used to tell me..."Sometimes you have to suffer to be beautiful!" haha... just thinking about hearing that makes me cringe. Love you, Barbara :)
ReplyDeleteColoring books with crayons. It keeps kids occupied. Card games.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to deal with itchy costumes. If it's a seam issue, you can put something on the underside where it itches. Like a soft fabric to cover the seam.
Beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteLovely! Under-dressing is the best (and easiest) I ever found for itchy costumes, body stockings are wonderful. My mom used to be a dressing room mom when my brother and I were young - I think the TV/VCR and a Disney movie were pretty common. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty dance costume. And Faith gave a very sweet smile. Well done, mom, on helping finish up all those costumes. You sure do like to stay busy! ;)
ReplyDeleteCheryl, my mother said those same words. Having three sons before a daughter I have never said them -- yet. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, KC. We have a wide range of ages, so I'll bring both.
ReplyDeleteThank you, hannahw.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kate. Another mom at the lesson yesterday evening said the same thing. They are not cheap but probably worth it since she has to wear it for two days.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kelly. And yes I am!
ReplyDeleteWe're in the same boat here, Barbara. Sally just got her recital costume and it is terrifically itchy. Sally told me that her dance teacher told her, "costumes are always itchy. It's what ballerinas have to put up with." Ha! I told her the same thing and she gave me the stink eye, but she adores her dance teacher, so you know how that goes!
ReplyDeleteThose costumes are really lovely, though. Sally's is modest, but the material is awful. Plus, she has a wand and a crown. To me, 5 year old ballerinas should not have any "extras". They get broken, or around here they become weapons. ;-)
And God bless you for being a backstage mom. I have to admit, I am glad that I can't volunteer for that duty because of the other kids! Sally took crayons and coloring books backstage last year, and they watched movies. But she went on early in the first act and was allowed to come out and sit with us at intermission. That worked out well. Good luck!
I have sensitive skin and was a ballerina when I was very young - I think the costumes are what drove me to quit. It's the seams and the trim/bandings that were most itchy to me. Undergarments will help with the seams, but it won't help with that arm opening which would drive me nuts. If you have any silky seam binding you could use to line the bottom of the sleeve without it being seen, that might help.
ReplyDelete