...when all else fails...

build some costumes half my life is spent trying to find the perfect costume

when that doesn't happen i get discouraged & stressed out (i can be very particular!)

i've learned sometimes it's just easier and more efficient to start from scratch

and build away

these are two dresses i built for the last show i opened

i love them...they're pretty

most importantly---it took me about 10hrs to build both

AND they look great on stage

doesn't get much better than that
this is a crinkle metallic silk...yum!
i dyed the under dress--silk charmeuse(half kelly green/half dark green)...double yum!!
add some bead trim...vwalllla!

"wow, blue" (for you SHAG lovers)
silver/blue chiffon atop silk charmeuse (dyed country blue)

i bought this blouse with these fun rosettes...my inner bulb lit up

the technique was perfect for this "drippy" 20's dress

directions: cut 1" bias strips (this actually varies depending on what you want, the strips on the blouse were cut at 1/2" but i wanted my rosettes to be more 3dimensional)

i sewed mine on a scrap of fabric (not ready to commit to putting them directly on)

working in a circular motion, sew down center of strips

i'll be honest there was a lot of stopping (needle down) turning fabric, stopping, turning fabric, stopping...

***side note: one of the things i love most is that the edges of the strips are not finished

the rosettes look great when they fray a bit

once i sewed the edge of the strip down, i then cut the rosette out leaving about 1/4" edge

after placing them just right i hand stitched them to the chiffon layer of the dress

not bad for one day's work!!!