Viski's Tuxedo Progress

Viski's Tuxedo

So for my first commission I was understandably ( I think) nervous about the fact that I would be working off measurements and not able to fit and refit the outfit to get it perfect. 

I took about half a million different measurements! Still managed to miss some key ones, but luckily the massive amount of different measurements allowed me to work out the missing ones.

 

I drew up some designs and these are the results.

The ones on the right hand side are working out the measurements, of the ones on the left I have decided to make the bottom right and the middle design.

I will be making 4 jackets, 3 out of cotton and one final design in satin.

The first one will just be a standard jacket so that Viski can try it on for size and get used to wearing a jacket.

The second and third will be cotton versions of the coat tails and jacket style tuxedo.

Once these are done, Viski's mum will pick her very favourite and I'll make it in beautiful satin so Viski will look like a total star on his mum's wedding day.

 

 



This is the basic cut out pattern of the measurements.  From this I cut a replica and shaped it to a more rounded, sleeker style.

This comparison shows the difference between the measurements and the final shape.

A big difference between this design and my regular outfits, apart from the huge size difference (Viski is a Fox Terrior x) is the uneven chest straps.  I have made the left side longer to accommodate chest detailing for the front of the tuxedo.

Once I had the basic shape I cut it out in the black cotton and sewed it together, leaving the end of the longer chest strap open to turn the jacket right side out.

The last thing to do was add some Velcro to the chest and tummy straps!

I managed to track down some awesome black Velcro which is almost invisible against the black cotton.

 

Beau and Honey gave the outfit a test run to show how TINY it is!!!

 

Once Viski has tried it on I'll either be modifying the pattern to fit properly and making another version of this in the correct size or I'll be making the cotton versions of the fancy designs.

 

:)

 

 

Distractions

Distractions!

A quick overview of some of the projects that have been distracting me from completing Honey O'Hara.

 

Stocks

I will write a full post on the progress of the stocks but this is the pattern I made.  It is a type of tie worn by dressage riders.  I wanted to make my own predominantly because I wanted more interesting colour combinations and also to get more practice creating patterns and sewing accurately.

During the patterning process I accidentally designed it with the neck piece upside down.  I need to unpick the neck bit and reattach it via the top seam.

Above is a picture of the pink stock I created alongside the one I used as reference - an old one that I've been using forever which is getting a bit ratty.

I edited it quite the design quite a bit in terms of dimensions although it is not obvious in this photo.

 

Mayan Goddess

 Got invited to a Mexican themed party and I didn't want to go as the generic senorita, matador or sombrero wearing ombre that are the first things that come to mind when you think Mexican costumes.  I decided to go a little further back through Mexico's history and draw inspiration from the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations. 

This is my original design sketch.  The top stayed fairly true to design but I decided to go with a longer flowy design for the skirt instead of the short wrap. 

Just some quick snaps on my iphone.  Will need to get some good quality photos at some point.  I did have an awesome necklace on the night to go with the costume that I borrowed but the drunkenly taken photos from the night didn't turn out.

Buddha Paintings

For my mum's birthday this year I painted her a large Buddha painting and four smaller paintings with stylized symbols of Buddhism.

 

I added inspirational quotes from special sources including one from my mum herself which I put on the Buddha painting.

 

Clock wise from top left -

 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  You're on your own.  And you know what you know.  And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go!" Doctor Seuss.

 

"All our dreams can come true if we only have the power to pursue them." Walt Disney

 

"Dare to live the life you dreamed for yourself.  Go forth and make your dreams come true." Ralph Waldo Emmerson

 

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought.  The mind is everything.  What we think we become." Buddha

 

"You can achieve anything you set your mind to." Mum

 

 

Hobby Horses

 Made three hobby horses.  One for practice, one for me to match my costume and for practice in the official material and one to match my best friend, Eileen's costume.

 

Here are the ponies waiting for their ears and sticks.

The theme was never growing up and you had to come as a cartoon character from your childhood. Eileen's costume was based on Lady Lady Lovelylocks so I made Lady Lovelylock's horse, Silkymane.(right)

 

I went with a costume based on Rainbow Brite so I made Starlite for my horse.

Posing with the finished ponies before presenting Silkymane to the birthday girl!

She LOVED them!!

 



Name Painting

Just a little painting I did for my husbands little cousin, Hannah.

 

**Future Projects**

 

Viski's Tuxedo

 Will be completing a little dog tuxedo for my friend's Jack Russell Viski. 

Elsa Costume

 Supanova is Australia's version of Comicon and 2014 will be my first year.  For my debut I want to dress up as Elsa from Frozen!  Look forward to details on this in future posts.

Complete Honey O'Hara

 Once I've got the first to major projects for the year, Elsa and Viski's Tuxedo, I'll be working to finish Honey O'Hara.

Complete Stocks

 Once I've fixed up the pink stock I'll be finishing off a whole batch of fresh colours!

 

Complete a new version of Beast's (Prince Adam from Beauty and the Beast) navy jacket.