As You Wish

For Steve's 40th last year, I got us some tickets to a Brisbane Arts Theatre production called "The Cliff Notes of Insanity", which was a cabaret version of the Princess Bride. It had a three course meal (the Feast of Florin), songs, dances, trivia, costume competition and the Princess Bride movie - or the cliff notes version at least. What a fun night!

The idea of the costume competition really caught my attention. Obviously I wanted to make and wear costumes, and Steve was in, but for some reason, it was a real struggle. Firstly I felt bad buying new fabric, but I didn't have anything in my stash. Then when I finally gave in and went to look at the fabric, most of the offerings in the colour I wanted/needed were very polyester. Not only did it look like cheep costume fabric, I also didn't think I'd enjoy wearing it on a hot December night, especially when I was unsure if the venue would be air conditioned. 

I went back and forth for ages, trying to figure out what I was going to do. Got some fabric. Regretted it and couldn't bring myself to use it. Then I decided I'd just make Buttercup and Westley costumes from the very start of the movie when they are in their farm gear, since I had old bed sheets I could use for that. Tried to make mine; it came out too big. Ripped the whole thing apart and tried again; sewed the sleeves on wrong. At that point, with a week to go, I gave up and put all the fabric away in a cupboard. 

Two days before the show, I did a complete 180 and decided that I did in fact want to wear a costume and I would just have to make it happen. So the fabric came out again. Not wanting to be reminded of the previous failures, I opted to try making Buttercup's blue royal dress (which she wears when she realises Humperdinck has lied to her but resolves to remember that Westley will come for her never the less). 

I drafted a pattern on some old sheets and did a test run on the Tuesday night. Told the girls I would be spending the entire next day sewing. Did spend all of Wednesday sewing and had my dress 90% done by the 5pm (just had to hand sew the collar facing down). So then I drafted Steve's boot covers and whipped him up a Dread Pirate Roberts black pirate shirt following a few Bernadette Banner tutorials on YouTube. 

The next day I woke up early and hand sewed the collar of my dress down before I took the girls on a road trip to Maleny to visit friends for lunch. I dropped the girls to my parents for their sleepover and was home in time to finish the boot covers and lie down for twenty minutes before we had to go to the show.

I did not win any costume competition prizes (it was not really a well run/serious competition at all), but I did love being in costume at the event. Especially since (as I had predicted), every other Buttercup wore the red dress, and thus I was unique. Steve looked great as a Westley, though I do wish I'd made him the mask/bandana thing. Oh well. It was fun. 

I am glad to say that both girls have offered suggestions as to occasions they can wear the Buttercup dress (Book Week, Halloween etc), so I'm hopeful it will get worn again. The black pirate shirt won't have any problems being worn again in the future I think. As always, I'm bummed not to have better photos of this whole thing. Why is that part always so hard!?