Sunday 26 February 2012

Tardis Dress

I used to make A LOT of dress ups when my kids were little. When they were really little I made them dinosaur costumes (hoodies with tails and spikes) they were the envy of all other children in the Kalgoorlie supermarket back in 1994!  Bantam Boy rarely wore ordinary clothing. His wardrobe consisted of a superman suit, a Hercules outfit, a pirate coat of red velvet and a magician's cape. Then both he and Chicky Babe joined a drama group and I made many costumes for their productions. Also school dress up days were a highlight and I was directed to make more and more challenging costumes, the kids never once believed I would be unable to create what they wanted. To tell the truth I think I actually thrived on the challenge and enjoyed perpetuating their belief that I could do anything. Ahhhh... the delight of being 'super mum' in the eyes of your little ones.


I actually thought I wouldn't be called upon so much now that they are all but grown up. But recently I have been required to make a Darlek dress and now I have to make a TARDIS dress for Chicky Babe's upcoming birthday party. I'm having a little break while I prepare dinner and create a quick blog post.


I started by tracing off a pattern and adjusting the neckline- a TARDIS needs a square neckline not a round one. I also drew off a pattern for a facing for the new neckline as a facing will be easier for a square neckline than the bias binding edge suggested in the pattern itself.


I've used felt to create the windows and hand stitched some ribbon around the edges, the door panels are suggested using the same hand stitched ribbon. I used a felt template to figure out the placement of the ribbon for the door panels on the front of the dress.


 I'm stitching these down before sewing the dress together as it is easier to do this flat without having to worry about the back of the dress.


Fortunately the dress is a "homage" to the TARDIS rather than a replica of one. I'm still trying to figure out what I might do to create the 'light' on the top as a little pillbox hat. 
I was supposed to have finished the dress this weekend as the party is next weekend, but I had a slow day yesterday and took a while to get started today so I'd best get back to it!

2 comments:

2paw said...

Tricky
And
Really
Demanding
Intricate
Skill.

How very cool, I love that it is inspired by, rather than a copy. You are a lovely mum!!

Red Hen (dette) said...

Thanks! I'm impressed with your acrostic!