PART 2: What else can go wrong?

We’ve assisted with many shows in the past and by now, know that near the end, it always get’s a bit crazy as time is running out, but we minimise the damage by proper planning and supporting each other as a team. This particular show was really a challenging one on a personal level, because there was just so many unforeseen variables, that just almost made it impossible for us to finish on time.

Just to give a bit of background…in May of 2023, we found out that we were expecting our second baby and we were thrilled, the due date was in February 2024, still giving us two months to complete the costumes for the show that was in May 2024. Later that year in October 2023, we sold our house and was expected to move into our new house by the end of January 2024, just in time before the new baby arrives. The new house also had a big space for us to work on the costumes especially big pieces like the Marie-Antoinette costume, so this was perfect. I made sure to finish the pattern early before we moved, so that we can start cutting and sewing immediately once we’re settled into the new house with the new baby.

So one of the first challenges we faced, was a delay with the transfer of the new property and to make things worst, the previous owner did not want us to move before the transfer was complete, so we could only move in at the end of February, which meant that we had to find a temporary place to live for a month. Another challenge we faced, was that I was put on bed-rest from 35 weeks of pregnancy, so that was in the middle of January 2024. Needless to say, our “sewing” schedule for the costumes took a back seat and we just focused on finding a place to live, trying not to go into labour and trying to keep things as normal as possible for our toddler with all the changes.

Some other challenges we faced was that I couldn’t physically go out and purchase the fabric for the costume and as you all know, it’s much easier to visualise your design when you can physically see and touch the fabric. So I had to give instructions and rely on other’s to choose the fabric and just pray that it would be the right one, because we had a very tight costume budget and we still needed to add embellishments and accessories, like gloves, a wig and a crown.

Fast forward a bit…we found a temporary place to stay for the month of February and our baby boy was born a week before we moved into our new house. Once we settled in, we could finally start to have a look at our sewing schedule again…or that’s what we thought. We were a bit ignorant and soon realised that we couldn’t work at the same pace we’re used to with a toddler and a newborn. So we needed to get creative…to save time, we decided instead of making the panniers (side hoops), we ordered it online and just prayed that we would get the right item in time. Luckily it arrived 2 weeks later and we could take the necessary measurements in order to start with the skirt.

We did experience a few more hick-up’s here and there with some of the other costumes, but were able to sort it out in a timely manner.

Thanks for reading!

How many patterns do you need to make ONE dress? Watch out for our next blog post of the NEW Marie-Antoinette series where I’ll go through the steps of drafting the pattern and you can find out how many patterns I used in the end.

Blog posts in the Marie-Antoinette series:
PART 1: Versailles
PART 2: What else can go wrong?

Upcoming blog posts in the Marie-Antoinette series:
PART 3: How many patterns does it take to make one dress?
PART 4: Creating the drama element…the Skirt
PART 5: The most intricate and time consuming part…the Bodice
PART 6: Fitting…the most important step
PART 7: What is a Queen without a train?
PART 8: A gown fit for a Queen!
PART 9: The show must go on

If you are interested in learning how to sew or design your own patterns, sign up for one of our online courses to start in the comfort of your own home. Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced courses available to suit your skill level. Sign up now at https://online.craftchic.co.za/

Visit our online store at online store and get your digital pdf patterns for your favourite items. There is a variety of patterns available, including dresses, skirts, tops, pants, casual wear and everyday household items.