So here’s a fun fact about facebook for you. I’ve been trying to “lessen” my facebook footprint for a while, deleting photos, removing anything personal, and the other day I decided to start removing pages I’ve liked, especially since I “liked” a ton of random cosplay pages back in the day when doing “like for like” things with people in various groups and they’re not actually people I know. And for people I do know I follow them on other platforms because I’m never on fb.
So the “fun fact” is that you can’t “unlike” a deactivated facebook page. Do you know how many deactivated facebook pages are now stuck showing in my likes? Around a hundred. I’ve googled. There’s no way to unlike them. They’re just stuck there. Arrrgh.
But in less-irritating news I think we are booking our 2022 disney trip soon so my brain has been filled with figuring out dining reservations. I’m trying to do as much as much new stuff as possible, ie, places we’ve never ate before, or places at least Kevin has never been before. This’ll be Kevin’s birthday trip! It’s a big birthday year for him next year and I’m so excited to show him all the new stuff, he hasn’t been since 2017, so he’s got all the new Avatar stuff, Remy’s in epcot, and of course galaxy’s edge! He’s going to love it.
Hey guess what after like 3 months of talking about it I finally started on Utena.
Did a duct tape dummy last week. I loved the fit of Wanda which was based on a duct tape dummy, so I wanted to do it again.
Fabric for the outer shell. I did end up going with a stretch velvet because I am not mr money bags and I’m not buying silk velvet. Stretch has the look I want for way cheaper.
Here’s my initial pattern pieces though they went through some editing. Specifically the lower jacket portions I got rid of unnecessary seams.
I did 2 mock-ups last week, one really rough one of out scrap lining fabric (that was actually already a mock-up for the sleeve of the black dress I made last month LOL):
Then made some edits to the pattern and did a more finished mock-up out of some cotton.
This is where I decided to get rid of those extra seams on the bottom half. That continuing seam from the top into the bottom looks weird.
I got out the 2 old Utenas. 2001 Utena is as I expected. She’s got some loose hook and eyes and velcro has come off.
2007 Utena is in TERRIBLE condition. The underskirt is just panels of fabric that were pinned together? Like what? I seem to remember that I didn’t like the first one I made in 2007 and maybe used it for something eles, and then when I wanted to shoot it on the white backdrop in 2012 or 2013 had to scramble something together? I think that’s why there’s just pinned together panels of fabric for the skirt. And pieces off the jacket are broken, it just looks so bad.
Over the weekend I got the actual fabric cut. I ironed on interfacing to the velvet pieces to stabilize them and keep them from stretching, and flat-lined them in cotton. The actual lining will be lining material for the upper section and taffeta for the lower.
I decided I need to stop here and get the underskirt made to make sure the interfacing I ironed onto the lower sections is enough. I think once I have the “fluff” of the underskirt the lower sections will lay the way I want, but i want to make sure while I can still change it if I need to.
BTW HERE is the super-80s-Sarah-Labyrinth-ballgown-holographic-organza fabric I’m using for the underskirt. Kinda getting away from the baroque look I’m going for with all the other fabric but I don’t care, I saw this when were in Atlanta and was like, that’s it, that’s what I want LOL.
So tonight I’m going to get the pieces for the cut out and gathered so I an at least pin it on and get an idea.
My zipper for the top arrives tomorrow, so that should be good timing to then continue on with the jacket. I’m hoping to have the basic jacket finished by this weekend and then it’s just accessories and trim and cuffs and shoes and all that. The fun stuff. I think I have a white fabric in my stash I can use for the cuffs and white pockets, but I’m still looking for a red for the trim and other jacket bits. I did find some shoes to mod though! I forgot I bought 2 pairs when i got the shoes for my green Belle back in 2019. They’ll be perfect.
In the world of everything else..
Chase surprised me with this last week! It’s so pretty! And so much bigger than I expected.
Saturday Ash and I went to the mall like it’s 1998 or something. We went to Box Lunch and there’s a Lush pop up store so I got a bath bomb.
ooooh pretty.
Speaking of the disney trip, Chase and I were talking about outfits and what to do for kevin and I basically said in the same breath “I’m not going to make anything new, just rewear what I have, but also my dapper Leia doesn’t match your Han and no one gets we are supposed to be Han and leia so maybe I make a new Leia.” LOL
So I dunno. I may or may not. I kinda wanted to keep next spring dedicated to Padme’s packing gown.
Anyway enjoy this pic of Chase wearing my old Crait robe. He’s so excited.