(I’ve had posts piling up in my head, so you may notice some of the new ones showing up here are back dated to coincide with when the even actually took place.)
In addition to scrapping texture off the ceiling, any spare minutes are consumed making costumes for the school play. We are doing “A Christmas Carol” and I am pretty much the costume department. This is short turn around, so no, the costumes are not historically correct. This is down and dirty sewing!
This morning before taking off for school one of the things I worked on was Scrooge’s night cap. I didn’t have a pattern so I thought I’d show you what I did.
First I measured the circumference of Scrooge’s (aka Nolan’s) head. This became the base of an isosceles triangle (for those that slept through math class this is a triangle with two equal sides and two equal angles). I then marked the middle of that line and drew a line perpendicular to the line the length I wanted the hat. In my case it was about a yard. I connected the point of that line with each end of the base and added a half-inch seam allowance. This is what my paper pattern looked like.
I cut the pattern from one layer of fabric. In my case I used a single knit — a) because I had it on hand and b) because it was very forgiving for the hat. It could be made out of a woven, it would just be important to be sure the head measurement was accurate.
I pinned the long sides of the triangle together and because it was knit fabric I stitched the 1/2″ seam with a narrow zig zag.
Then I turned up the bottom edge 1/2″ and once again used a narrow zig zag to stitch it down. I did say this was down and dirty sewing — I’m not looking for pretty just fast.
Turn the hat right side out. You could stop right here, but the hat of course needed a tassel. I had some navy blue yarn on hand and again quick and easy. You could make a template to wrap the yarn around. I just wrapped it around my fingers until it was the density I wanted.
I removed the yarn from my fingers and then used a knot from macrame days at the top. I can’t remember the name of it. You start with a loop like this.
The loop will go at the top of the tassel and the tail will hang below the start of the bottom wrap. Leaving the tail hanging wrap the other end of the yarn around the tassel yarn keeping the wraps tight together, but not overlapping.
When you have gone as high as you want with the wraps cut the yarn leaving another tail. This tail goes through the loop you have at the top of the tassel.
Now pull the first tail to bring the loop and the second tail down under the wraps. Don’t pull it all the way through just far enough to bury the loop and the part of the second tail.
Once the loop is pulled down into the wraps the excess from both tails can be cut off close to the wraps. Then trim the ends of the tassel even and it is ready to stitch onto the tip of the cap.
The directions for the tassel are probably clear as mud. But I think that is the best I can do with just pictures.
Here is Scrooge/Nolan at practice wearing the cap.
His night-shirt is the robe I made for myself for VBS two summers ago. The Ghost of Christmas Present is wearing a cape I made from old upholstery remnants that were donated to the school many years ago. Almost all the costumes I made were from the remnants. I will hopefully have more pictures soon.
While the cap I made was meant to be a night cap it would make a cute elf cap. It was very quick to make.
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