1 December 2010

Endless Black--or surviving back stage as a stage hand

Last week was tech week on the play.  This means that I spent the week plus a day or two, at the theatre--evenings and weekends, while I teach full time.  The good part was the play--it rocks; the cast rocks; the costumes rock. The bad part--well, as crew I'm supposed to wear all black.  And, I usually can, except that I actually ran out of blacks on Saturday.  This is unheard of--how can I possibly run out of all black clothes?  Black is my base colour (or one of them at least).  But, by Sunday I was wearing dark brown pants and a burgundy shirt.  Yep--not black.  This means that my blacks wardrobe needs to be expanded.   I decided to make an all black 6 pack (well, in reality more like a 6 pack plus).   Note:  My husband says that I need to do laundry, but we all know that this really means that I need more clothes.

A 6 pack is normally a bottom, and two sets of layering tops, and a coat.  My six packs are more like two bottoms, and two to three sets of layering tops before the coat. 

This one will end up like this: 
I'm going to call it Backstage Baby.

Tops:
1.  Funnel neck top--black stretch velvet, made from the Travel Wear two pattern.  Quick, easy, fits really well.  Love it.---done
2.  Vogue wrap top with the huge shawl collar, from some black knit.
3.  Extra--black funnel neck top with white daisies (just because I needed a change, lol)--done.

Wrap layers
4.  Black zipper fleece jacket, in my tnt jacket, a PMB pattern I drafted at least two years ago
5.  Black knee length ruffled sweater with hood (the theatre is cold, and I need to replace the black sweater that is getting sad in its old age)

Bottoms:
1.  Silouettes Yoga pants--black texture knit--done.  Great pattern, perfect crotch curve.  I shortened the pattern 5" to fit my short legs, but otherwise this pattern fit out of the envelope. 
2.  RPL stretch crepe as Hollywood waist band bants.

Since I like to sew my wardrobes in outfits, my next outfit will be the Hollywood pants and the vogue wrap top.  Both are turning into tnt patterns.  Quick, easy and cute.  I need to do a little shopping:  I have to go buy more 1 1/4" elastic for the waist band of the pants, since I just finished the roll.  And, I want to make the sweater as a refashion from a polyester ruffle sofa throw, which I need to go purchase.

But, this is a wardrobe at its most basic--what I really wear, what looks good on me, and what is already a tnt pattern.   Not exactly exciting, but I will sure wear all these pieces again and again.  I'm backstage for another play in April.  Maybe, with a little bit of sewing, I won't run out of clothes next time. 

No comments: