Presto! Chango!

I’m not a great seamstress, but I am talented at taking something and turning it different. I can handle a needle and threat, a glue gun, an iron and other matters of frippery.

So, when I needed an outfit to wear to the RWA National Golden Heart/RITA Awards Ceremony I was determined to pay homage to my pirate passions and a friend started with a link to a dress…a black dress with a turquoise trim…a pattern of octopus and anchors scattered here and there. Brilliant! I can build from that!

I took a chance…ordered the largest size they had and prayed it would fit. This was the starting point…

What you can’t see from this picture is how the area across ‘the girls’ is gaping open between the buttons. Also that the straps are not tied. The back of my neck? A knot? It would drive me nuts! So…take those off, sew the top together, not counting on the buttons at all… And use the bra I knew would do best, hidden behind brand new ribbon straps! Viola!

Now, what to do with those straps? I needed an accesory, so…first order a pirate perch hat from online…

Remove the red flourish, the white lace and replace with…the fabric from the straps! Needle and thread. Toss in some feathers and a nice albino cephalopod bit of flash and there it was, the perfect addition…

Now, ya see…my assignment from my good friend, Terri Osburn, who was a Golden Heart finalist, was to divert attention from her. She was nervous and my job was to…play the jester. With this dress, this hat and a glass of wine…it all worked out!

Terri didn’t win, but she looked wonderful and I had a blast with my pirate self! And all it took was a willingness to use the scissors, the iron, needle and thread and some glue…

2 Comments:

  1. You looked fabulous!! I could never do any of that. I can barely thread a needle never mind create something imaginative like this.

  2. Nah, you could do this! Just takes figuring it out first! 😉

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