Post-frenetic-weekend updates!

Ever have one of those weekends where you feel like you've not really stopped to breathe? Yep, had one of those this weekend. However, much was accomplished! So, here we go...

First off, the IO caps, otherwise known as my procrastination project. I'd left off at sewing the binding strips on the outside edge of the flaps. I'll say it again, this step is optional, and I only subject myself to it because I'm just that picky. :)

Here's how the binding goes on. You cut about a 1 1/4" wide strip out of your outer fabric, stitch it to the outside edge, fold it over ...

... pin it (or use those little clips - never been so happy with a sewing purchase in all my life!) ...












 ... and hand sew it down on the other side. Repeat with other flap. Binding done!

Note on binding: you'll want to cut this strip on the bias if you're not using twill.

Then you stitch it all together (no photos because there are excellent ones showing how to do this on the pattern I linked in the last post), and you get one Imperial Officer cap.

I think all told, it took me about 15 hours to do both caps. :)

My husband and I modelling our new caps!
With greeblies!

Project number two: the Enchantress. On the agenda for this weekend was, finally, working on the leggings - the last major component of this project. I can't tell you how many pairs of black tights I bought for this, searching for a pair of a large enough size that they would maintain their opacity when worn (I am both tall and have pudgy legs, which is a really bad combination). When neither of the last two pair worked, my good friend who's been in on this since the beginning had the brainstorm: "Why don't you wear two pairs?" Holy Smokes, Batman! Why didn't I think of that?!

So, with the decision made, we proceeded with the painting. This involved my sitting really still for several hours at a time over two days on Eg's dining room table while she painted away. I kinda felt like the central exhibit in some strange performance art show. :)

Here's an in-progress photo from the end of the first day. This picture doesn't really do them justice. They look pretty darn good in person! Eg did a great job just free-handing them. :)















The other part of the Enchantress project for this weekend was working out the wig. LOL! I so totally don't look good in wigs. My head's too big and I have too much hair. But just to show that I'm willing to share all the highs and lows of costuming, here's a wig pic...

Eg says I look like Nellie Oleson!

Feel free to chuckle. Lord knows I did, after I got over the /facepalm moment. We still need to work a little on tucking all my massive amounts of hair under the wig, but we'll get there. :) I'm living in hope that the hat will hide some of that too.








And now the third part of my weekend. The part we like to call "retail therapy". Saturday morning while I was going through a depressed-at-my-fat-legs phase, my husband and I stopped by the local fabric store. My husband's not a huge fabric person, so he decided to pop into the estate sale place next door, and eventually I followed him in. And there I found Nirvana, for in the middle of the store was a large collection of vintage hats. Whoever this lady was had lived very well, as she had hats from all over the world. My guess is 30s, 40s and 50s eras. I love hats, love hats, even though I don't look good in most of them (see previous posts), so I couldn't pass this up. I ended up taking several home...


Thank you godmother! :)

And finally, recommendations! The IO caps were accompanied by a very dry English cider (Crispin) and the painting was helped along by a lovely little Chardonnay (me) and rum & Coke (Eg).

Happy sewing!