Costume makeover -from Grey to Teal!

 What to do if a costume, heavily invested in time and materials, ends up being....meh? 

My 100 hour, 1kg of rhinestones and 9m of boa, Meh costume.

 Back in 2018, I bought a pile of stock from a closing down shop. This included a big bag of grey turkey feather boa. This is important as I do not care to purchase it new, as the supply chain is far from kind.

Anyway, I used it on a costume made from a purchased City Chic dress, that had about a kg of rhinestones glued to it - 100 hours of work I reckon. the dress is black with grey flower and teal birds, and the grey boa looked lush and expensive and gorgeous. 

In my studio.

On stage, it looked like I had repurposed the fur of a deceased English Sheep Dog. I mean it looks fine in the photos but nothing like as good as it does in my studio! 

 I have worn it as is several times including at the Saskatoon International Burlesque Festival (seen above), but in the back of my mind I was preparing myself to unpick all 9m of it!

This costume spent a couple of years on the proverbial naughty step before I could face it, but my current dayjobless life means all kinds of projects are finally getting finished. 

So a few weeks ago, spurred on by my burly partner in crime Debbie's instructions, I unpicked all the grey feather boas from this costume. I wet them in the sink to get a sense of how many I could fit in my 8L pot. The answer was, four. I have six, so I did two in the first batch, four in the second.

The dye was Jacquard acid dye in colour Turquoise. It cost about $18. Apart from some tartaric acid, that was it! 

These are they drying gently in the breeze outside our door. They went from looking like Cookie Monster's fur to these fluffy floofs in a couple of hours.

 There is definitely colour variation in the batches, but it isn't really noticeable as I used the two on the sleeves and the rest on the bottom. My earlier made pink and green version of this costume has pink boa in three different shades due to replacing them from different sources.

And finally, I sewed them back on, which took ages with a "doll needle" and  some TV time. A doll needle is about 15cm long - I thread it up with an extra long, doubled thread, wax the thread, then it's a matter of sliding the needle inside the rolled hem for about 5cm at a time, coming up to do 2-3 overcasts that catch the centre rope of the boa. 

The final look, before and after! How did I do?

Photocredits: Left: LisaTrusler Photography Nelson, right Nicole Lorimer on her mobile from Saturday night, official pics to come! 

Small Projects completed, large ones to come...

I have been sewing so much! Having no day job has freed me up to focus on projects of all scales. I don't have photos yet of the big ones, but I can tell you that last night when my major costume commission hit the stage, the general incredulity and delight from people who didn't realise I had made it was very satisfying!

On a much smaller scale, it is my job to make the winners' sashes for DIY Burleskiwi held in Wellington on 6 June, and DIY Burleskoala held in September in Sydney.  As last year I completely forgot about 'koala until 2 weeks before, it was a scary rush to make and dispatch to Aus at an eye watering cost of $85.

I wanted to make the rosette, but there was so little time, Debbie made it and put 2026 on it by accident, so THIS year, I made the 2025 rosette. If that makes sense? but when I sent her a photo she said I should remake the 2026 one to match my new 2025 one...so anyway I made two. These rosettes are for the second place getters. And Debbie makes the 'kiwi one so no wonder she put 26 on the 'koala one! 

Two koala rosettes for 2025 and 2026!

I made both sashes back to back, kiwi first. A NZ company called Nutex does a wonderful range of Kiwiana and Australiana fabrics, and we've fallen into the practice of using these prints as the base. The Aus one has different animals in floral circlets tossed across it. The NZ one is ferns. My primary requirement having learned the hard way, is to find a fairly low constrast fabric so the lettering pops.

I then use wool mix felt and steamaseam to make and attach the lettering, going over them with free motion machine stitching to ensure they never come away. 

After that I dive into my enormous collection of rhinestones and bling them up. 

Two sashes for 2026, 'koala and 'kiwi respectively.

Below are short videos of each sash that capture the sparkle better. Please excuse the footage of my dinner that night, it was sweet and sour sausages on rice, for the curious, one of MrC's specialties. :)

I made a tutorial about making bunting and adding felt lettering back in October 2013, and the other little project I completed lately was a string of bunting with a baby's name on it. Except I bought the bunting from the "no longer my" shop, which I had made back in 2013!! That was fun! I made a big pile of baby bunting back then but rather overdid it. Nine apple green letters spelled out her name. I won't post a pic as I am big on baby anonymity. Result!! 

The only change is I can't work out how to flip the lettering so I traced through the printout with a sharpie to make the reverse templates.

Let me know if you give it a go?  

 

My January

 How is your year going so far?

I was meant to go back to work on 12th January, and spent the 11th finally tidying up my "show table" which is the dining table covered in makeup and jewellery, props, hair pieces, drawers upon drawers of it. 

It took 5 hours! But the resulting two big bags of stuff for the op shop and a lot of stuff that went into the skip, as well as finding homes for things, has resulted in a much tidier space. Phew, it was the last big job on my break to-do list.

But, it ended up taking 2.5 weeks to get back to work due to an IT issue with my login. So, in the stolen back time, I binge watched all of The Traitors UK as well as sewing and relaxing. I am obsessed with TTUK. It's SO GOOD. So, not all is lost.

Last Wednesday was my first day I could work and true to form I went into the office all three days. It is as I suspected, very nice being around people again. I only have part time hours left, barely 55 for Feb, and I intend to make the most of them!

For most of January we had a house guest, as we always do. Our friend Colin comes home from Australia to host the Gardens Magic concert series as his alter ego PollyFilla. We hardly saw each other but we did have a really great day of sewing together and it made me realise how different it is to sew with someone who is an expert and we were working on our separate projects and just talking. I often am sewing with somebody needing my assistance which is fine, it just isn't as productive for my own projects!

Balance in all things. That is what 2026 is going to be about for me. Already is. 

Anyone got resolutions, determinations or missions for 2026 lined up?

Old photo for funsies!

 

 

Wrap up

 We will hit NYE midnight before the rest of y'all so I thought I'd jump in fast!

In no particular time order:

Saskatoon! I've shared the flashy side already. Here's a photo of me and Jackie the producer of the festival  at the Berry Farm, which is dedicated to all things saskatoon berry. We had a lovely time and a lovely dinner there, and her partner Jason snapped these fun pics of us with the Bear. 

Nov 15 brought the annual Wellington Polish Christmas Market, with its all day stage of fab music, dancing and more music. And me MCing it all. Here's a pic by the "official photographer" who was also an old uni friend. My Christmas tree costume is a staple these days!

Orange on Cuba is my local cafe, it is very dedicated to kitschy orange things. Owner Ai asked me to make some banquette cushions and cover some chairs and so I did. These covers are like ironing board covers, zip free. I have a cover for a free standing bench all sewn up waiting for her to get back from holiday -I have joined up all the leftovers to make a fun patchwork.

I turned 60 in April, and we had an afternoon tea party at the Polish Association Hall over Easter. Hence the big eagle mural that I quite serendipitously stood in front of and became an angel!

This week I have been tidying my studio - thrown out so much stuff including heavily editing my scrap bags (sob) and the result is more space, less piles and it feels roomier. I love that! I've been making simple organza bags, not even draw string, out of the many rolls I have in stock, and using them to bag up fabric lengths that don't like to be put on a card, like chiffon. Double win using up what I already have to tidy what I am keeping :)

My 2026 aspirations include:

• patching and selling all of the denim jackets on my rack, then shutting that whole chapter down.
• working on the new gloves idea I have. 
• making more costumes for other performers - most costumiers are working in lycra and that is awesome because I have little interest! Somebody has to do the wovens!
• at least one more sundress.

Other new things will include:

• working in the office more often while I have a job. I've been feeling disconnected and this needs to happen. 
• hopefully making a start on the novel in my head
• a trip to the UK in their summer
• two podcast projects that are just for fun. 
• I've been asked to perform a wedding and will be looking into getting licenced, 

And that is me for 2025. See you next year <3

Me vs AI (I think I won)

 Hi Team! It's been a couple of very busy months since I posted. I've been to Canadia, had a fantastic time there, and came home to a job. But it is high time I did the Big Reveal!

My version is proper denim blue. The tutu is made of five different nets from palest grey to navy, with a delightfully denimy shot organza  top layer and sleeves.

The magic is in a stiff crinoline horsehair tape that has gravity defying properties. I am already planning to add it to a few hemlines for extra flooff.

I made this dress to be worn with a corset. However it was so hot, and I was not feeling that great so encouraged by another performer helping me to get changed into this at the interval,  I dropped my bra straps and wore it without. The result is a less defined bust line and waist but do I care? NOPE!

AND, denim is of course cotton and very comfortable in heat,  and having it against my skin was so comfortable I wore this to the after show party and only unzipped about 3am!

It was very much appreciated by the Canadian audience and attendees of the after show party. So many people bounced up to me to tell me that denim was Canadian formalwear! They were even more excited that I already knew that and made this in their honour.  They felt seen and understood. I love that.

The AI version is technically impossible to construct, in particular the sleeves, but it was a jumping off point for my idea and I am very happy!

Other looks for the Saskatoon International Burlesque Festival:

Thursday night drag show at Free Flow Dance Centre

 

 

 

 

Friday night first look - I snipped this from video while I am singing Royal. This costume looked so much better onstage than off! But the left sleeve keeps slipping, I will tighten the elastic.

 

 

 

 

Old faithful for the second half of the Friday show! Belting out Dr Longjohn

 

Opening look for Saturday show  - Welcome to Burlesque. I adore this costume but I have come to the conclusion that the grey feather looks drab AF. So at some point I'll be unpicking it all, and dyeing it some kind of teal blue. Eep, big job!

And finally! Double Denim! 

And that was it for frocks! Thanks for reading.

If you want to see any of these songs on Youtube, I made a playlist including a show reel for showing what I do xo

 

Denim formalwear update

 Team I think this project has fired up my sewing mojo again. I can only do about 4 hours at a time because the mental overload of trying to problem solve as I go is a lot. I am interspersing it with making panel skirts for people which is a repetitive and skilled task. I'd get bored doing that alone so all in all I think I've hit the perfect combo!

A reminder of the inspiration image. An AI generated denim tutu dress that went a lil bit viral because a seller was using it to generate sales then sending the fugliest piece of junk out to buyers. This practice is so reprehensible!

But the image got my brain fizzing. 

OG AI image, technically impossible as it isn't an actually constructed dress!

Progress! This bodice started life as a trucker jacket. I cut it up, turned the sleeves into panels to make it go around me, the bottom band into a neckline finish, and to shape it I cut along one side of the felled seams up to under the bust and folded the cut edge under, and hand stitched it. It is fully boned in 12 places. 

How am I doing? The skirt is well underway, it's to the knee at most but has absorbed 15m+ of net and organza. I've had to make two trips back to the shop to get more. Luckily it was cheap. 

 

My big discovery in all of this has been stiff crinoline tape. All of the crin I've bought over the years has been the same weight, but the stuff I got for this is amazing! Game changing.

More on all that later. This is just a sneakpeek for the sewing people, or the sewing curious ;-) 

The Costs and Payoffs of Free Time

 Free time - what about it is truly ever free? I finished work on 30 June and was -am, determined to use the free time it has given me in July and August at least, well and carefully.

So far I have discovered that my memory is a big reason why I feel like I never get anything done!  Part of my wrap up with last agency was tidying up my online Drive, and downloading work I wanted to have for future reference. Well, I was amazed at the gold I found - photos of whiteboard work I had forgotten about, operational models, articles, critiques, papers - the whole gambit. I felt a lot better knowing I had been that productive. And that smart too.

On my to do list is getting ready for Canada, a couple of shows before then, decluttering parts of the apartment and sewing. And possibly making a start on my book idea. 

Sewing

So, (sew?) I have gathered the materials needed to make two pretty epic costumes to take with me, it has been a process. Then THIS image appeared on a reel by the amazing Monde's Threads. WOW!!

It is most definitely AI generated, it makes no sense construction wise, and I don't like it as much as the idea of it. But come on, I'm hosting in Canada, where double denim is the official Tux, so I abandoned all my other plans and I'm now making a trucker jacket based tutu frock. More on that later.

Canada

The above is sewing for Canada but I am also proud to have got my tech in for the six numbers I will be doing while I am hosting! Two of them have dedicated existing costumes which helps for sure. These are being given a glow up for a much bigger theatre than the 100 seat bar venue I have worn then in so far.

And lyrics must be nailed. Argh. I can do it!

Decluttering

 I have taken two big bags of clothes to Aunty Dana's op shop, and have a few to sell. Shoes are in a holding pattern. I made the 1.5kg beef fillet in the freezer into Beef Wellington for a family mid winter Christmas last Sunday and we are munching our way through other things that need eating. There's even a list on the fridge door. As for my studio, hmm. Still needs work? I have a plan to go down to one desk only, not the one I currently favour, and get rid of the spare. The space has gotten away with me again and I need a fabric declutter. Maybe I'll just stick some on Marketplace. Or Facebook in general. Last time I had a big stash to sell, I posted pics on my profile and presold half of it! Next week's job. 

Work

 I had a job interview this morning. My cunning plan to take 8 months off has been stymied rather a lot by the need for a new roof on our building, and our share of this way exceeds our savings. Plus I can only do it by basically short changing future me when I retire, which is not sensible. Not a lot of work out there but I am pleasantly surprised to have been given such an enthusiastic welcome by my fave agencies. Which is a nice circle back to the beginning of this post. It may take a few gos and a few months to get something to stick, which is why I am starting now. I am cautiously optimistic.

Anyway that's me! And now I am off to see the movie The Count of Monte Cristo on a weekday afternoon because I can. Week day movie going is one of my guilty pleasures. Preferably alone, though in this case I am going with a friend which is fine occasionally too.