Finished - Leisl and Friedrich Von Trapp

This last Saturday night just gone found me sitting in an auditorium of 2000 people, dressed as one of the Von Trapps and singing along to the stupendously fabulous film The Sound of Music, karaoke style. It was truly joyful. 


Yes friends, this weekend was Melbourne's annual Singalong Sound of Music, and I WAS THERE! Not only was I there, I was there in a self made costume, made from a genuine vintage stinky bedspread, channelling Maria's marvellous 'Curtain Playclothes' Collection. For quite a few years now the husband has graciously declined my suggestion that we go together, but our friend Matt was THRILLED to be asked along as my date. He was planning to hire a nun costume and go as the Reverend Mother, but I had other plans altogether. We were going in matching outfits and I was to make them. And make them I did.

We weren't overexcited AT ALL.



Fabric - Horrendous synthethic single bedspread purchased for $10 at Savers Greensborough. This stuff was thick, frayed and the smell of it attracted my cat like a fly on a prawn in summer, but my good old Husky powered through with some denim needles and a very long stitch length. I ended up having to zigzag a lot of edges otherwise there would have been a significant risk that by the time Matt and I left the theatre our costumes would have evaporated. 


For my outfit I used the Colette Peony, the fit of which I perfected last year, just adding some extra fullness to the skirt. I finished the armholes in some cotton bias from the stash. The fabric was so thick, and I was in the midst of my recent man-flu - speed and ease were my buzz words so I couldn't be bothered with too much fancy finishing. I was extremely slatternly and just top stitched the binding down once without turning it under. It looks shocking from the inside, but pretty good from the outside. I did 3/8 inch seam allowances, to allow for some extra room to wear a blouse underneath and for turn of cloth but in the end needn't have worried. I smacked in an invisible zip for the first time ever without instructions (or pins! LAZY BUT AWESOME!). Worn with an op-shopped shirt and boots, with crazy milkmaid hair I think it was a pretty rocking combo.

Historial reenactment due to poor lighting on the night
Fortunately Matt's waist measurement is the same as my beloved's and so I was able to use the Thread Theory Jedediah shorts  pattern for his lederhosen. I'm certain thats what Morgan had in mind when she designed this pattern.... I left off the back patch pockets, and didn't worry about french seaming the front pockets, but otherwise followed the pattern. I'd forgotten how fantastic Morgan's zipper tutorial was - went in without a hitch. The straps (braces? whatever) I just pinned on in place, then stitched once I'd got the fit right. The shorts were a little big so the straps kept them on his body. He was so excited to be going that he ordered a genuine hat, shirt and socks combination from a Bavarian website....he looked awesome. 



We both looked awesome! First up was the fashion parade (children, nuns, edelweiss, brown paper packages tied up with string, whiskers on kittens, curtain dresses, marionettes, nazis.... you name it - if it was in the film there was someone dressed like it). We had our 5 seconds of fame on stage with everyone else (no prizes - GUTTED) then it was onto the film - singing along, hissing at the Baroness, barking at Rolf, booing the Nazis, popping party poppers at the kiss - it was a delight. 


We're already planning next year - Matt wants to go as the Baroness at the ball - it'll be a little bit Conchita Wurst, but he's determined. I'm not sure if I've got it in me to make a gold sparkly frock for a 6 foot 4 inch bearded man.....

(ps - you think I should enter the Pattern Hack contest in Sew Indie month with these Jedediahs?)

Comments

  1. I love this! Can I come too? My sisters and my mother use to watch the film every christmas and sing a long - as you can tell, this ritual is the final test for fiancées - do they mean it for real or are they running away screaming:) For years i've had a secret lust for Liesls dress - but who could be my Rolf?

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    1. Oh Mette that's hilarious! My personal fiancée test would be 'do they like cats?' But I think adding a sound of music clause is a fabulous idea! I must force my husband to watch it!

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  2. Wow, great event and great costumes! I would like to be there :)

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    1. Thankyou! It was such fun - it should be a worldwide event!

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  3. Agh so festive!! If the bedspread wasn't stinky, I would have suggested pulling this dress into normal rotation - it looks great!

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    1. Thanks Morgan! It's hard to know what will linger longer - the smell or the disintegrating seams! It was very warm and cozy I must say! My friend has threatened to put his outfit into clubbing rotation!

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  4. Wow! I'm impressed. I wish I had an event like that around here.

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    1. It was so fun, I can't tell you! I've already told everyone I know they have to come next year, including the husband!

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  5. Ok so you look good, but sorry, not sorry, your date looks amazing! How much did he get into the spirit of things???? You so have to enter the pattern hack comp. Gold, just gold.

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    1. Oh I know he outshone me completely! I was the proud creator admiring my masterpiece from a distance. He's a man who loves his dressing up. He wanted to go out clubbing afterwards!

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  6. You guys are so cute and this looks like such a fun event. Those costumes are da bomb!

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  7. I LOVE it!!! What a fantastic event - you both look brilliant! And stinky or not, that's a fabulous fabric find :) Is this a yearly thing?? I have to go at least once in my life...

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    1. I think it is yearly, I know last year I didn't go as we were saving for our wedding, and in previous years I just wasn't organised enough. It truly has been a lifelong ambition to do it - many of the people we spoke to there had been going for several years. I'm sure you could use your school production costumes!

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  8. Fabulous. You must enter this in the comp!

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  9. this is super awesome. and as I'm Bavarian it's especially fun for me to see the pics :) Great job!

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    1. Thanks Annika! We had such a fun night and matt really got into the spirit of it. He wants leather lederhosen now!

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  10. I'd love to know where your friend got his accessories ... Could there be more than one "Bavarian website"?
    You both look great!

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    1. Thanks! I'm pretty sure it was this one: http://www.bavaria-lederhosen.com/Bavarian-attire/Men/

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