Figure Skating outfit for Catherine

Sometimes it’s all about connections. 
Who you know, who knows you, who heard about you. 

A friend of my sister’s asked me if I would be interested in making her daughter a figure skating dress for an upcoming competition. Seeing as I do all of my own daughter’s dance leotards, a figure skating dress is simply a jeweled up version with a skirt attached to it. So, the answer was, of course I can make her a dress! I met with Catherine, the young lady I would be designing a dress for, and from her likes and dislikes, the way the music made me feel and doing a bit of shopping I came up with a one sleeve, no back, light grey dress with lace appliqués.

I used a few Jalie patterns together to come up with the final look.

I just love using Jalie patterns! You get all the sizes in one nice package. Most patterns can be used together ( the top of that one with the bottom of the other one ). If you like to sew go have a look at www.jalie.com Bonus: they are a Quebec company!

 
 The back is a modified keyhole from #2792 the front is #2792 unmodifed
 

 





The skirt is actually 2 layers, bottom one is made of the same stretch lace I used for the sleeve and the top layer is the same as the body, Jalie pattern # 2797













I then found this very beautiful lace and sewed it on the front of the skirt and on key points on her arm. I finished by adding all the pretty shiny stones needed for a proper figure skating dress.



The final dress is a one of a kind. I must say I am very pleased with my first Skating project. First time she wore it, she made her way to first place on the podium. Congrats again Catherine!

Couples

2015 will be filled with different project and the first one is right around the corner! Ballet Ouest de Montreal is presenting Couples and I have again been asked to be the Costume Manager. If you are in Montreal on February 13 you MUST come and see this production. Yes, it's Valentine weekend and what better way to celebrate than by going to see this piece about love in all it's different forms! The official press release from Ballet Ouest can be found here: Press Release Seriously, this piece is both funny and sad, touching and sassy. Presented in different little “segment” it is not your “traditional” ballet but formulated in a way that will satisfy both the dance lover and the occasional “ my wife dragged me to the theater and I hope it's not too long” watcher.

As a costume manager, this one is a little different. We premiered it last year and most of the costumes are actually modified street clothes. I had to make 1 or 2 leotards, figure out a way to have different layers of clothes act as 1 on the dancer and adjust some of the dresses so they could actually dance in them. Quick changes are not the fast pace quick changes that we know when doing the Nutcracker but are there none the less. From my perspective, this is a very enjoyable piece to do!






It is back for only 1 performance on the 13^th of February, Salle Pierre-Mercure au Centre Pierre Peladeau, 300 Boul de Maisonneuve, Montreal. Tickets on www.admission.com
Don't miss it!

Facebook Event : https://www.facebook.com/events/1600965883471298/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

A little about myself

New Year, First entry. I feel a lot of pressure with this first post, what should I say? Will anyone actually read me? This feels like it should be really important but, 6 months from now, what will be the importance of this post?

So let’s start with a little bit about myself.

I am a wife to an extremely comprehensive husband and the mom of 3 amazing teenagers. A young man of 19 and a couple of boy/girl twins of 15. I started sewing costumes 6 years ago when my daughter decided she wanted to audition for her school’s Nutcracker. She dances at Ballet Ouest de Montreal and every year they put together the Nutcracker and the children’s roles are open to their students and any who wish to audition. If your child is chosen, a parent is required to volunteer their time in one of the different committees, sewing/costume department is one of the choices. I wasn’t going to pick sewing that first year , as I hadn’t touched a sewing machine in at least 20 years but one of the mothers convinced me that if I could sew a button I could certainly help. The rest is history. I have been on the comity ever since and in 2014 I was asked to be the Costume Manager and go on tour with the company. I have met amazing people over the years and will for ever be grateful to Marie St-Amour who taught me how to make a professional tutu. I think of her often and will “hear” her sometimes when I am unsure of something saying” if it doesn’t show from 3rd row it's fine! “ 

 

Sewing has become more than a hobby for me, it has transformed into a passion! I make my daughter’s leotards and all her dance attire. I came up with my version of the warm up suit that I sell locally. Dancing at the level my girl is at is very costly. She is part of what we call Sport Etude where they go to school from 8 am to 12 and then head over to the dance school where they dance from 1 to 4 and sometimes until 9 pm. The cost of pointe shoes, competition and costume fees quickly adds up. Any money saved is a plus at this time.

I have, on top of all the sewing, a full time job at Sennheiser Canada, I like to keep busy! I love our pets and live in one of the

suburbs of Montreal. As this blog is brand new, I can't promise I will update it every week but I certainly will update it every time I have a new sewing or costuming project! Hope you'll stick around.