I'm itching to get sewing again...

and it's all the boyfs fault, it was his great idea after all!  I have a self imposed rule, one big project a year from January to October and then two months off.  It is a chance to take a few deep breaths, enjoy Christmas (and eating dinner at the dining table without having to find it under a mound of sewing stuff first!) and think about what I will do next year.  Normally I enjoy tossing around a few ideas but I am seriously missing working on the Tudor dress and, now that I have the kernels of a fabulous idea already in place, I am just itching to get started.

Can I really start on next Halloween's costume less than a fortnight after I finished the last? Short answer?  No.  It breaks my rules which I made for good reason (and I have some jigsaw pieces to make), I haven't got it all figured out anyways and I've already hit my first big stumbling block.  It doesn't stop me plotting, planning and talking about it though ;o)

So, the inspiration:  

It's not very promising is it... remember, feel free to blame the lovely boyf, it is entirely his idea!  This was the night that we met.  He was a hired Jedi and I had thrown a random bunch of fabrics together, pretty much the night before, into an outfit that I optimistically thought of as an interpretation of Space - I was, and will always be known, in certain circles, as the Space Mermaid.  I blame it on the hair.  As to why it would be inspirational... at Halloween the lovely Mesdames B & S and I thought that the theme for next year could be your fantasy fancy dress.  "If you could be whatever you wanted to be, what would it be" kinda thing.  I mentioned it to the boyf and his near instant response was to say that we should recreate the above.  I laughed, I scoffed, I poo-pooed... I went to bed, closed my eyes and, damnit!, was suddenly plotting and planning and getting excited.  

Why?  Because, if you step back from the shoddy workmanship, the garish fabrics and the heinous wig, you have a long dress with a corseted bodice, designed to resemble the glories of the night sky.  What's not to get excited by?  My mind has been swimming with corset patterns, garment canvas (my big stumbling block as Kreinek no longer make it), alternatives to garment canvas (I'm thinking silk?), Van Gogh, variegated and metallic threads.  Ever since I saw the Dolce & Gabbana Autumn/Winter collections with their stunning tapestry pieces, I have wanted to do something similar and I think that this could be my opportunity; once I figure out how!  I'm starting to pull ideas and a mood board together; I'll post it when it's ready.

In the meantime, back to the boyf briefly, and there is a pattern by Simplicity that would do the job.  Out of stock, rare and hard to get, but who doesn't love a challenge!  I'm watching one on ebay now.  If that fails, I am certain I will find some good sites with diy instructions....