We talked about when we started to sew, how we got into stash building, and what we LIKE to sew... But I know some of us have tackled some really peculiar things over the seasons. So, what did YOU sew that was way out in the deep and troubled waters of odd projects? Pix please, if you have them! I'll start us off...
Way back when I was a student first time round, back in the 70's, I bought a Singer hand crank sewing machine. I still have it. In addition to the usual round of altering straight leg jeans to hippy flares, making posh frocks for college balls, making fancy dress, and making costumes for uni productions, I also clocked up a tilt for a Land Rover, made from a tarp that flew off a lorry on the A1 and landed on the bonnet of my friends ancient LR. We laid that out on the car park and scrubbed the dirt and oil off it with deck scrubbers and washing-up liquid! Then I got to drape the LR and make a rough tilt for it...
I also made three spray deck for kayaks that did a circumnavigation or Ireland without land support. They completed the whole thing in good time and arrived back hairy, tanned, and VERY FIT! ;D I made a whole pile of water proof bags for this trip as well, and silk screen printed a pile of promotional T shirts. I do have the artwork for those, I think, stashed away in the loft... But no pix of the other stuff.
More recent oddities have been the Fairy Wings (I contemplated putting lights on them, but the technology was too heavy and too expensive at the time. It would be much easier now):
(http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk/KatePages/Sewing_Projects/Fairy-Wings/Titania.jpg)
Mini Hot Air balloons for a trade stand. These were filled with helium balloons on the day:
(http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk/KatePages/Sewing_Projects/Hot%20Air%20Ballon/MkIIbasket.JPG) (http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk/KatePages/Sewing_Projects/Hot%20Air%20Ballon/MkIIILargebasket.JPG)
Altered the hood of my friend's Gentry kit car:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2581/3888585973_c3408a3d47_o.jpg) (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3889379520_3b155904f5_o.jpg)
The Silver Spats that turned a pair of ankle boots into Thigh High's were fun!
(http://i887.photobucket.com/albums/ac78/KateXXXXXX/showfilesilverboots2aspx.jpg?t=1276944497)
Then there were the famous Pod Things!
(http://assets.burdastyle.com/project_images/assets/000/072/321/complete_top_large.JPG?1256376255) (http://assets.burdastyle.com/project_images/assets/000/072/324/me_large.JPG?1256376262)
So, what has been the oddest thing YOU have sewn so far?
No pictures (it was in high school for a science fair), but the six-foot-tall soft-sculpture model of DNA probably counts. ;D
Beypond costuming for "HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy? (Odd enough with it's various aliens - Three-armed, two headed Zaphod Beeblebrox... A fuzzy chair that turned into a monster - puppet for two guys... Vogons that looked a bit like green figs with sashes...)
I might not call it a sewing project, but I made (alas! no photos!) a HUGE camera bellows for a friend experimenting in large-format photography. Figuring out how to cut the cardstock so the thing would fold up into that crasing to allow the bellows to expand properly, AND be light-safe was a great challenge. Worked, too.
I got into sewing for making kites. Way back in 1982-83 I made a number of parachutes for my teddy bears. Found out there was a UK group called The Bearly Made It Sky Dive Squad. My bear Winston Dashiell Bear did a demo jump at the Maryland Kite Festival in 1983 at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore. The wind carried him into the harbor but he was rescued and given mouth to snout CPR. He was held up to the crowd to show he was ok. :D :D :D
I still have the lined bag I sewed in 7th grade that stores my 45's in. We're talking 45 years ago!!!
Yikes!! Am I getting that old???
Quote from: Lady Kathleen of Olmsted on June 19, 2010, 09:51:34 AM
I still have the lined bag I sewed in 7th grade that stores my 45's in. We're talking 45 years ago!!!
Yikes!! Am I getting that old???
I think the dinosaur has a place in this thread, too.
Pirate pasties as a gag for Patch of the Musical Blades during GSLRF this past season:
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w288/Amyjrenphotos/GSLRF%202010/DSCN6545.jpg)
Quote from: Amyj on June 19, 2010, 10:40:43 AM
Pirate pasties as a gag for Paatch of the Musical Blades during GSLRF this past season:
(http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w288/Amyjrenphotos/GSLRF%202010/DSCN6545.jpg)
And I was half-expecting the Pirate Pasties to be on a female pirate!!! ;D ;D
Considering where I work this is a tall order, hmm...
6 foot tall sock puppets as "Killer Mutant Leeches", 5 cave girls each in different pattern and dress style, 3 killer "klingy" warrior women in black shiny pleather.
but I think the most odd would be ......
Pricilla Vampire queen in her purple Edwardian dress. Then another girl who is supose to look like she is wearing cheap knock off. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31684515@N04/4273613963/in/set-72157623073391015/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/31684515@N04/4273613963/in/set-72157623073391015/)
Then she is mistaken for Pricilla, and is beheaded as the curtain comes down on Act 2. When the curtian goes up on Act3, the beheaded girl is sitting on the bench with her head in her lap.
A friend made the under carriage, I made the matching dress bodice. Now THAT pattern was WEIRD! But it worked. (http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/shanntarra/Fangs225.jpg)
Hmm...I know there's some strange things I've sewn, but there's only one thing I can think of right now.
A LONG time ago (I want to say I was around 10), my cousin and I bought and started to make stuffed cloth dolls. We never finished the project. Now, by itself, this is not that strange. Coming across the random, orphaned, doll arms in my stash, however, is very strange. :)
Also, not exactly sewing, but I have participated in making a severed head. I helped with the life-cast of the head of the actor playing McBeth for a highschool play. It looked VERY real on stage, and was both freaky and cool.
I don't have any pics, but many years ago I sewed a period style dog collar and leash out of ultra thin suede.
I used the ultra thin suede so I could sew trim and gold metal buttons on the collar and leash, so it would kina sorta resemble one from the middle ages.
(http://photos.igougo.com/images/p375379-Kent-Dog_Collar_Museum_Leeds_Castle.jpg)
oh I sooo have to find pictures of this. I did a collection for my schools fashion show that I made a tiffany lamp style wedding dress and wedding party, all together 4 dressed. I used the gallery glass paint, acrylic rods to form hoop skirts as lamp shades, clear table vinyl to paint on. They ended up being the finale collection and I actually made them light up underneath during the show. I'll have to dig out the pictures when I get home!
These are all fantastic! Well done all of you!
Keep 'em coming!
I haven't sewn anything overly weird...at least not that I remember...tho I'm sure I will...
Oddest so far have been some pokemon fleece hats and a few costumes
Omanyte:
(http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2009/348/1/3/Omanyte_Hat_by_cavy.jpg)
Glaceon:
(http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs50/i/2009/322/7/5/Glaceon_hat_by_cavy.jpg)
I've also made Nidoking and Wobbuffet and soon will be starting on Seaking
These are the 2 costumes I made/helped put together
(http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs50/f/2009/322/d/4/Charmander_and_Jolteon_by_cavy.jpg)
You can't see the charmander face on the hood or her tail...As for Jolteon I made the skirt, armwarmers and hat, which you can't really see in this pic
The weirdest thing I've sewn was for Welcome Week at university. Traditionally, members of the faculty associations wear elaborately painted coveralls during the first week of school and for faculty events so that we're easily recognizable. There's a big party where everyone gets together and paints the coveralls.
I was actually at faire for my original coverall painting party. I didn't want to be the only one wearing plain coveralls, so I cut the leg and crotch seams apart and re-sewed the coveralls into a trench coat.
pics GirlChris? That sounds awesome!