Happy Halloween Part Three

The grand finale of the Halloween merriment at Baisebeige Studios is the Bag Lady Bus Tour. This is the second oldest AIDS fundraising charity in the United States and has raised more than $1 Million dollars. This was the 30th anniversary of the event. Click on the link below to see Coby Palmer, creator of the Indy Pride Bag Ladies, recollect about the event.

COBY PALMER ON THE INDY PRIDE BAG LADIES

Coby Palmer is my esteemed client Miss Blossom

who is known on the bus and throughout the entire city as Queen Mother Blossom. You know she had to wear her crown with this year's gown. In honor of the Bag Ladies on the Half Shell 30th anniversary, she chose to wear a blend of creamy whites and plenty of pearls.

This gown was made from upcycling two dresses with additional fabrics added. One dress was a dress so old that it would be considered vintage. The only salvageable part was the section of the skirt covered in fringe and beaded corded lace. The center section of the vintage lace was in good condition and could be removed from the old dress bodice intact. A new dress bodice was spliced onto the reused skirt with overskirt attached.

The overskirt is two layers of identical shape but different volumes of glitter dotted tulle and chiffon. The tulle is gathered into the seam and the chiffon is pleated and gathered into the seam. The skirts were attached to the bodice with the consideration of the overall visual effect dictated by the vertical placement of the original lace. Luckily the lace was almost exactly long enough to extend up to the new neckline. We had some pretty vintage bead fringe on a satin ribbon that perfectly covered the gap. Judging from the overall appearance of the garment, assorted sizes of vintage pearl beads were added by hand to the bodice.

There was a little trickiness to the splice because the skirt was about six sizes smaller than the new bodice. The size difference was corrected by pleats and gathers on the bodice and enlarging the skirt with a gusset at the center back. The zipper already attached to the bodice was reused and extended down into the skirt. The overskirt system has an opening concealed by pleating at the center back. I was able to avoid putting a seam down the center back of the train.

Little bits of elastic helped finagle the dress splendidly together.

The first stop of the Indy Pride Bag Lady Bus Tour is Monument Circle, the heart of Indianapolis, for a photo opportun

ity on the steps of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. It was exciting to see three large tour coaches driving onto the Circle. I can remember the very old days when there was one chartered city bus with the destination sign reading BAG LADIES!

Just like the old days, the interior lights are on so the big hair and sparkling jewels can be seen by on-lookers. These girls like to make a spectacle of themselves!

Here's what $1 MILLION dollars of FUN raising looks like and the party has just begun. Queen Mother Blossom looks just stunning in her gown front and center where she likes it best. That's fine with me because there's nothing I love better than a great idea that makes tons of money and is tons of fun to do. It's also very cool to see Blossom style inspiring the younger Bag Ladies. They have all come a very long way from their shopping bags stuffed with thrift shop dresses. We all dream of a day when AIDS is curable and the Bag Ladies will retire from service but we praise and bless them for being here now.

Here is another view of the dress. I am just al

ways so relieved when the ones that have to fit properly do fit properly. It was also good to see that the actual three dimensional placement of everything was as good as it was in theory. While I was taking these photographs, someone in the crowd was just gushing positive comments about the dress. I couldn't resist and had to say, "I MADE that dress." I got an unexpected hug from a stranger and a sense that one of the attractions of the event IS the wild costumes. This supports my theory that when you know the contents of your psyche and express that through behaviors including dress, you become a more radiant and powerful version of whom you are completely!

THIS STORY HAS A POST SCRIPT!

Queen Mother Blossom was recently spotted at a high society party in Indianapolis and she was wearing this lovely dress! This picture was in the Indianapolis Star Talk of Our Town society news column on (Queen) Mother's Day 5/8/2011! Her loyal dressmaker is thrilled!

Happy Halloween Part Two

Getting my Etsy shop open and getting a clue about marketing an online retail store were the first tasks of the season. I chose to start with my decorated masks because they are familiar and because they connect with the season. I tested my system of connecting the merchandise with a blog post with additional information about the merchandise, created an online source of materials in an Amazon.com store for the convenience of blog readers wanting to try making decorated masks and actually transacted an Etsy sale! I learned how to promote both my product and my content. I even had the unexpected opportunities of being included in treasuries happen.

I feel confident to put my shop on autopilot for awhile and shift my attention back to the sewing room for the annual ritual of costume making. In 1985, Coby Palmer, Indianapolis floral designer, asked me to make his Halloween costume and I do remember saying, "yes" but do not recall saying "until death do we part!" In 1980, Coby founded the second oldest HIV/AIDS fundraising charity in America, Indy Pride Bag Ladies, which was all of the assistance in our state at the time. In the late 1980's the Damien Center opened to provide programs and services designed to empower persons to overcome the challenges encountered when living with HIV/AIDS, so they can remain independent and productive. The two organizations partner to raise funds in October and a new event called, The Grand Masquerade was launched. This image is from, 1988, the first year of this event. This is where you meet my client, Miss Blossom!


Miss Blossom is a true product of Coby's psyche. My client is a flashy, red-haired sassy Southern belle of a babe with definite ideas about dress. First and foremost, she HAS to have the biggest dress at the party! It's a big plus for me that she knows her way around a fabric store. The truly fascinating aspect of her wardrobe is these clothes are upcycled from vintage clothing. This dress was built out from a shift which became the lining of this costume.

The party theme this year was The Sorcerer's Spell and she wanted to be a pink witch. We upcycled a long black dress and maroon cape for the occasion. It looks like she and her girlfriend are having a grand time! But, the party's not over! Next weekend, the Bag Ladies have a very unique fundraising event and you'll get the "low down on that big gown" after that party's over. She has to make an entrance with the element of surprise and, well, I have sewing to do!

Happy Halloween Part One

Halloween is the ideal time of the year to express yourself through dress especially if you make elements of the costume yourself. I have always enjoyed designing and making crafts for this holiday. Grasping the opportunity for self-expression is both healthy and fun.

I have been making Halloween items to sell for more than 25 years. It is an ideal way for me to use my really awesome lifetime collection of quality junk. I have the habit of collecting unusual materials and objects for clothing and accessory design. Most of the oddities that end up in my studio are salvaged and discarded items. Because they appear in small and unreplentishable quantities, they are ideal for using in one-of-a-kind Halloween pieces. I have rescued these materials from the ultimate destination of the landfill so I certainly intend to upcycle them into something functional!

These decorated masks were some of my earliest creations sold during the 1980's. Usually, I cover the mask with lace or an interesting knit fabric. This reduces the "cheesiness" of a bare plastic mask. Unfortunately, most masks are made of plastic. If you can find a lame or satin mask backed with buckram, you are truly lucky and you can skip the lace layer. The top mask is one of the nicer vintage ones so I could sew decorations directly onto the mask. Remove the elastic or ribbons before decorating the mask.

Some tips to remember when covering the mask include:

• Cut the lace fabric a little bit larger than the mask and in approximately the same shape as the mask.
• Spread a line of glue around the entire mask. Use something like a contact cement which will adhere to plastic and most fabrics.
• Fold the lace over the mask, working back and forth alternating between opposite sides. Do not stretch the fabric too tightly.
• Do the eye openings last. Cut a slit the length of the eye opening, apply glue on the back of the mask and fold the fabric over to the wrong side of the mask.

When the mask has dried completely, you can decorate to surface with objects from your own collection of awesome junk. Any small, light weight object is good for this. I have used beads, sequins, glitter, ribbon and cord, seashells, buttons, feathers, plastic and metal trinkets and seeds. If the edges of the mask and the eye openings are less than perfect, camouflage those areas first. Glitter and sequins are good choices for this. When attaching items to a mask, I use a white glue that dries clear. You can be liberal with applying this kind of glue because it will be invisible when dry. Attach the elastic or ribbon and you're done.

KEEP IN MIND THAT IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS FOR THE MASK TO DRY!

ARE YOU LACKING SOME NEEDFUL MASK-MAKING SUPPLIES? For your convenience, I have created a mail order catalog of supplies available at amazon.com and by clicking BELOW on "buy supplies now" you will be connected directly to this source. The amazon.com logo on the catalog pages will connect you directly to everything amazon to continue your shopping.

BUY SUPPLIES NOW!

OVERWHELMED? Here is a link to my Etsy shop section with handmade masks! Click on Baisebeige on Etsy to shop now!

BAISEBEIGE ON ETSY