Tawny Bee's Bomb Girls Dress

Hi, I'm Tawny Bee and Ruth (our WEST captain) has asked me to repost my latest creation on this blog to share with you! I participate in a bi-weekly challenge put on by a crafty blog in the US called Iron Craft. This was a project I made to meet the newest challenge. I happen to love the dress I made (and the TV show it's based on), so I didn't argue with Ruth's suggestion of posting on here for you all to enjoy.

The following was originally posted on Tawny Bee's Blog: The LT Experience on February 26th, 2013:
___________

The challenge this week:

"The Emmys, SAGs, Golden Globes and, of course, the Oscars, it is awards season for the entertainment industry. So, let’s make something inspired by a movie or television show OR you can make something you would wear on the red carpet." (courtesy of Just Crafty Enough)
_______
For anyone who has followed this blog, or my Facebook knows that I'm currently obsessed with the Canadian TV show Bomb Girls.

A little bit about Bomb Girls for those who haven't watched it (I think it's available on some obscure American channel now though):

Set in the 1940s, Bomb Girls tells the remarkable stories of the women who risked their lives in a munitions factory building bombs for the Allied forces fighting on the European front. The series delves into the lives of these exceptional women from all walks of life – peers, friends and rivals – who find themselves thrust into new worlds and changed profoundly as they are liberated from their home and social restrictions. (courtesy of Global TV)

Before the second season started a few months back I showed you how to make your own 1940s turban head wrap.  So I couldn't do that again for Iron Craft.

So I decided to outfit myself in 1940s inspired garb and made a dress from Retro re-released Simplicity Pattern 1777.

I went all out and did a photo shoot at the Winnipeg Aviation Museum.

I even got my hair to stay put in 1940s victory rolls.  Phew!  That took A LOT of hairspray!!

But it kinda looks like the pattern cover.

Of course, it's Canada and it's cold outside, so the boots aren't exactly great for the photos, but whatever.  And it's 2013 and there isn't any rationing going on right now, so I was able to wear tights.  Yay!

The plane that I'm posed beside is a de Havilland Tiger Moth used by the Royal Canadian Airforce during the 1940s.

I found that even my coat went well with this Bomb Girls inspired look.

And I couldn't resist hanging with the flygirls for awhile. :)

Cast of Bomb Girls

I'm thinking that this is totally a Lorna dress (Meg Tilly's character in the centre).  I love her so much!
And because this was a challenge dealing with all the award shows coming up, I'll let you know that Bomb Girls has been nominated for a bunch as well. OK so maybe they are all Canadian award shows, but still.  I love this show so much!!!!

To follow all the Iron Crafters and snoop on their favourite TV and Movie inspired crafts, check out the Flickr Group.

(PS: My favourite movie happens to be It's A Wonderful Life, which incidentally takes place in the 1940s as well, so it's a double win with this dress).

WEST Treasury from Etsy, Back to School in Style!

A collection of a few of the wonderful things offered by WEST on Etsy, just in time to add some panache to your back to school attitude for the first week of September!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAzMDI4Njd8MjcyMDYxNTQ2NQ/back-to-school-in-style?index=0

Tutorial Tuesday: Cozy Upcycled Fabric Earmuffs

It's cold out there! And it will be for at least another 2 months here in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. So I might as well be warm and fashionable, and use up some of my upcycling pile while I'm at it.

These cozy fabric earmuffs are fun and fashionable! And they don't have any of those awful plastic pieces that bite into my head and pull out my hair when I try to take them off.

Wanna make a pair for yourself or perhaps gift a pair to a loved one?

Fit:
Adult size medium. They fit me and they stretch to fit a bigger head with bigger brains too!

Time Needed:
About a half hour.

Skill Needed:
A little tricky with the elastic and sewing the earpieces to the headband. I'd say about medium skill.

Supplies Needed:
- About 0.25 metre of fabric (I recommend fleece for cozy comfort - an old sweater also works wonderfully)
- Scrap of Quilt Batting
- 4 inches of elastic (I use scraps that I pull from various "to be upcycled" clothing)
- matching thread
- 2 safety pins
- free downloadable pattern - located here

Step One:
Download the pattern PDF and print. I apologize for the lightness of the ink. I couldn't find my marker and then I had a whole thing about getting my scanner to work with my new OS. Bleh. If I get in the mood to figure out how to darken it (or find my marker) I'll fix it.
Cut out 1 headband piece (on fold) from chosen fabric
Cut out 4 Ear Pieces from chosen fabric (you can use fleece for inside and decorative fabric on outside if you wish)
Cut out 2 earpieces from quilt batting
Cut out 1 (on fold) of bottom band from chosen fabric
Use the bottom band piece to measure how much elastic you need - this time, don't cut on fold. It should be close to 4 inches.


Step Two:
Fold both the headband piece and the bottom band piece in half lengthwise. Sew along the long edge. Use a safety pin (or your own desired method) to turn both pieces right side out. If you'd like a puffier look to your top headband piece, you can use a piece of quilt batting on the inside as well.


Step Three:
Layer the headband piece, the earpieces and the quilt batting in this order.
One earpiece (right side up) - this would be the piece you intend to be on the inside (touching your ear)
The headband piece with the seam in the middle facing down
One outside earpiece (right side down)
One piece of quilt batting

Repeat for the other side of the headband.

You'll get something similar to the picture below. Make sure everything lines up and that the earpieces are all placed together with the headband piece as shown.


Here's another picture from a different angle to give you a better idea of what you'll have when you pin it together


Step Four:
Starting close to where the headband piece and the earpieces match up (along the bottom of the earpieces) sew carefully around the earpieces, making sure to leave a hole where the headband piece is.

(Don't you just love my quick GIMP work? Hehe, not so good with the paintbrush tool, but you get the idea)


Turn the earpieces right side out using the hole you left in your stitching.


Step Five:
Carefully pin the elastic to one end of the bottom band with a safety pin. With another safety pin inserted at the other end of the elastic, carefully thread the elastic through the bottom band. The bottom band will be longer than the elastic, so be careful not to lose that elastic in there!
Without losing the end of the elastic, pin the bottom band to the bottom of the earpiece (where you left the sewing hole in the above step). Do the same with the other end onto the other other earpiece.
Stitch the hole closed making sure to capture the end of the elastic and the bottom band within the stitching. Do the same for the other ear.





Ta Da! If you can get through all that weird and funky sewing, you will have a cool pair of earmuffs!



And of course, if you don't want to try out all that weird and funky sewing, you can purchase a pair at Tawny Bee. The above purple fleece pair is available here.



I also have a sweet red checkered pair, with red fleece inner ears - available here.



You can also cut out a silly sweater, making sure to get something cool on the ears. This Bear Bottoms one is a little cheeky and super soft and warm - available here.

Corduroy also works as a great outer fabric with a soft velour on the inside of the ears. This pair is available here.

And because I believe is sharing, you can use my pattern in whatever way you see fit. You can make a pair for yourself, a friend, a gift, or make them to sell - of course I won't complain if you'd like to put "Tawny Bee Pattern" on the description of the earmuffs you sell ;) Whatever you like! Enjoy!

____

This tutorial was originally featured on my blog The LT Experience on January 13th, 2011

Green is the New Black...

...was a huge success!

Thank you to everyone who was able to participate! I hope that many of you were able to get your names out there and sell a few pieces in the process.

To check out some of the photos from the evening (they're still trickling in), join our facebook group "Green is the New Black". Also, join the group for the Costume Museum of Canada to find out about upcoming events. You can email me and Jen at jennifer@costumemuseum.com to be put on the list of contacts for our future craft sales and fashion events.