Crafts
Related: About this forumFabric for a costume
Hi! First time posting in this forum.
My Mom taught my sisters and me how to sew. It was considered essential, especially for making otherwise-expensive dresses of the sort you would only wear once, like a wedding gown or prom dress, or wouldn't wear often, like piano recital dresses. When we were kids, she also sewed us matching nightgowns, beautiful wool kilts and coats, dresses, and Halloween costumes.
When my daughter was little, I tried to continue the tradition. I sewed her "layette," and later a preschool wardrobe in all purple and pink, then a Halloween costume: the classic clown costume that seems to have been around since the 1950s! Size 2 turned out to be enormous on her. The next year, same costume - still big on her. I think she was 5 or 6 and still when Halloween came around she said, "Let's get out the clown costume!" not knowing she'd finally outgrown it.
This year, I have a granddaughter!! She'll be 6 months old in October. In a baby shower game, my daughter said the baby's first costume would surely be a bunny. So after not sewing for years (and knowing it might be the last thing I sew), I want to make her a bunny costume.
I bought Simplicity pattern #9331. It mentions cotton and 'satin types,' and something about pile. I'd love to buy the fabric online not only for selection and frugality, but also because I have broken my ankle and it's difficult to crutch around -- don't know if fabric stores have the motorized wheelchair carts.
The real 'rabbit fur' looking fabrics look too unwieldy to work with for sewing an infant's costume. I'd like something nicer than basic jersey fleece. Some online shops advertise a "minky" fabric. What is that?? Any suggestions would be appreciated!! Thanks!
Laffy Kat
(16,484 posts)But that's just me.
So, cotton flannel, of the kind you'd use for pajamas?
fierywoman
(7,991 posts)shocked at fabric prices.) My Joann's doesn't have any motorized wheelchair carts. I'm sure you'll remember how to sew like you'd just sewn yesterday -- and that it will please you to create something new!
Fortunately, baby wear only needs a couple of yards of 45" -- hope it won't be too much! Things just look super thick online, and not sure my machine would stitch through them.
fierywoman
(7,991 posts)that the seam line won't wreck the look of the fur?
My experience sewing fur is that it's not really as thick as it appears -- once you pin it, it all smooshes (technical term ! ) together, and the weave of it all isn't really dense.
Have fun! It sounds like such fun.
dem in texas
(2,681 posts)I am 85 years old and still sewing. I agree with the other writers - a cotton flannel would be best, and they have so many cute prints now. I still do a lot of sewing mostly making quilts using my old 1960's Singer 503. I purchase most of my fabrics online. Etsy is my favorite site to shop for fabric. Connecting Threads is also a good place to shop for fabric.
Sparkly
(24,253 posts)I'll check those out!