I'm still in the midst of costumes.  My challenge this year was to make  dog bone costumes for a production scene. I was very pleased with the outcome after several failed attempts.  My daughter told me my first attempt was a couture fashion reject.  Yikes!  Luckily the pattern improved and the final product looks great.  All 13 girls will look like fabulous dog bones on stage! All of my other alterations and adjustments were all done.  Then comes the dress rehearsals and here we go again. The costumes fit great insist the dancers until they actually dance in them and then they are not so great.  So I have another stack of stuff to do.  I am grateful that we have several dress rehearsals so it gives me time to fix everything.  Of course, I have a great sewing committee which is a big help. My daughter has been majorly caught up in rehearsals for La Sylphide so I have been doing most of the stuff myself.  I can't hold a sewing meeting if I can't be there!  Oh well, she is dancing Easter weekend and it will be all worth it to see her on stage in her solo.  Mom gets more work, isn't that how it usually goes.  Well it will all be worth it when I melt away when she is on the stage.

It's that time of year again.  Time for fittings of all the costumes for the Spring dance shows.  I have two down with several to go. I asked for no parents in the room this year and it went so much better.  Parents tend to want you to focus on their daughter and their daughter only.  Understandably, your daughter is always the best to you and should be. It just makes my job harder to focus on.  With a lot of great volunteers it's amazing how you can get so much done.  What a adorable bunch I had today.  They were ages 6-8 and as cute as can be.  Just a few minor adjustments, a few more costumes ordered and we are set.  It is such a fun time of year.  I get to see it all coming together, all the behind the scenes stuff.  Costumes may be challenging to make them all work for the stage and of course the dance.  It all needs to stay in the right place during those turns and high kicks.  In the end, it all works out and looks fabulous.  How exciting!

My latest design is a point shoe bag.  My daughters dance and when Anissa went on point she of course wanted a bag for her point shoes. (Celina will soon be on point.) Of course, none of the bags were good enough, no bling what so ever.  Now, no ordinary bag will do.  You see, point shoes are hand made.  When worn, the glue can soften with the warmth and sweat.  You need to let them dry for at least 24 hours before putting them into any kind of bag so they can be worn again.  If you don't dry them, they will not last as long and believe me, the longer the better. There are bags made specifically for point shoes so they can dry.  Usually they are made out of a mess fabric so they can dry while in it but be protected from other items.  So, the sewing mom that I am had to make something fit for my princess.  I used a lace with a sheer fabric to give it some bling.  I added a cotton drawstring top for easy access and quick closure.  There is also a pocket on the upper outside for scissors, toe tape etc.  She loved it and so do her friends.  I made some as gifts but thought it would be best to add their embroidered name so they can tell them apart.  Oops!  I didn't do that for her.  Well today I added her name on her point shoe bag as well.  It is now on my website in pink but also comes in blue and purple.  They are also great for shoes if you are traveling.  Keeps your shoes protected and the bottoms off your clean clothes.  View the point shoe bag at:  http://www.alexifashions.com/products.asp?cat=11

Sewing 101 is something I never gave much thought.  My three kids have always bugged me to teach them how to sew.  I'm always so busy with my sewing that I kept telling them someday.  I did teach my son how to make pillows. He was so thrilled that he made some for Christmas presents to relatives.  My girls feel left out.  I do teach them in many ways that they don't realize.  They both dance.  You are supposed to hand sew the ribbons and elastic on.  Yeah right!  I have a commercial sewing machine and I do it on that.  It's fast, much easier and it holds much better.  See, a lesson.  I work on costumes and when I'm in the crunch of a deadline, they are by my side helping me in many ways.  Get this, get that and oh, that box of pins that I keep knocking over onto the floor.  Do they learn, yes.  I get a ton of questions as to why I am doing things.  They help me with the little stuff and I answer all questions on sewing.  Lessons again.  So, a friend of theirs gets a sewing machine for Christmas.  We visit and they don't know what to do.  Sewing 101 suddenly takes place.  I taught a little here and there and a pillow and an ornament is made.  Oh, and the big smile that came with it. As to my girls, well that didn't sit right with them.  I had to promise to teach them in the new year and the new year is here.  My mom taught me in 4th grade so it's about time I teach them.  They are in 7th and 5th grade.  Sewing 101 has begun!

Just set up the new blog here.  I guess just like my new haircut, the new me.  Tired from all the Christmas celebrations and also running around for Nutcracker.  Nutcracker has been the dominating item in my life this month.  Both my girls are in the Carolina Ballet's Nutcracker.  It has been very exciting for them and also for me.  As a seamstress, it is also fun to be behind the scenes.  Always ready to learn something new and something new I have learned.  I work on costumes for my girls ballet and jazz company.  It is always a challenge to keep costumes clean without ruining them.  I found out the the professionals spray the costumes with a mixture of alcohol and vodka.  Yes, I said that right, vodka.  Another women told me and I didn't believe her.  I went right to the source, the costume mistress.  She confirmed that they indeed use vodka on the costumes.  It disinfects and gets rid of the smell.  Wow!  Yes, I learned something new today.

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