Poop! Poop!

  I have had a great time sewing play costumes this week. My school are doing "Wind in the Willows" [which celebrates its centenary this year!] and I have been working on an outfit for Mr Toad.

The script notes suggested a garish jacket, with plus fours, so I got some appropriate vulgar green/red/gold check from Dunelm and made a suit, with a waistcoat.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was particularly pleased with the waistcoat - which has not photographed well on the hanger! I used my machine to do fancy feather stitch round the edge instead of plain top-stitching. Also I used the automatic buttonhole feature on my machine for the first time. This is dead clever - you put the button in the slot at the back of the special presser foot - and it sews a buttonhole exactly the right size! These are cute vintage buttons from one of my tins.

CONSTRUCTION NOTES

I made the suit by adapting Simplicity Pyjama Pattern 6076 - which is a 1973 vintage one given to me by my friend Hilda. Alarmingly, it is for "Teen size 16" - although the measurements correspond to those of the 10 year old who is playing Mr Toad. Children are definitely getting larger! Here is a picture of the 1983 re-issue of the pattern [did 16 years olds play with yoyos back then?]

I used view 1, and omitted the pocket from the jacket. I added iron-on interfacing to the collar and front facing to stiffen. The trousers I shortened by 10" then cut bands 17" x 3" which I folded and hemmed, then gathered bottom of trousers into these, to make the plus-fours. I put elastic in the waist and sewed up the flies! I put hanging loops in the waistband. It took me about 4 hours to make jacket and trousers, and a further hour to do the waistcoat.

The waistcoat was from Style pattern 2424 [1978] I do not have a picture of that. I cut the pattern out twice in the same sheeting fabric, and then used one to line the other. Mr Toad should wear a white shirt, bow tie and dark hose. Haven't yet worked out his hat - probably a floppy butcher boy type hat with vintage driving goggles, like the picture at the top of this post.

I am amazed that people are selling Vintage Paper Patterns all over the internet. My pyjama pattern originally cost 40p and now can be purchased for £5. This means I have got hundreds of pounds worth of vintage patterns!  But then, as I am still using them, I do not plan on selling them.

Next week, I will have to give some thought to hedgehogs!