Saturday, October 11, 2014

Kristoff Tunic

A few weeks ago, my daughter's teacher approached me after school and asked if I would do her a favour. She used to work with a boy named Tommy.  He has Autism and is an athlete and a runner. He also has a huge love for all things Disney, so much so that his parents take him to Disney World every year.  This year they timed their trip to coincide with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party and he wants to go as Kristoff from Frozen.

Sewing for other people makes me nervous but I figured a tunic couldn't be too hard.  Plus I was already making one for my husband so I said yes. I'm happy it's done and I'm hoping Tommy and his mom are happy with it but oh my goodness I was cursing this thing while I was making it!  I redid the collar about a million times (well, six (!!) times but it felt like a million).

And the fur!!  The bound fur trim was $26/metre and the yardage was $19/metre so guess which one I bought, lol?  So not only did I have to try to cut through this stuff, I had to give each piece a hair cut along the seam allowance after I cut it out.  There was fur everywhere!  It took me a good couple of hours to vacuum my sewing room when I finished.  And I'm still finding clumps that I missed (and clumps that I carried through the house on my clothes. Some even ended up in our dinner. oops!).  I will never willingly make anything with fake fur again.  Or I will be smart and track down some that's on a ribbon like this stuff.  Jeez, I wish I'd done a bit of research first!

The main fabric is from my stash - Brussels Washer Linen blend in charcoal.  Good thing I had it because I couldn't find anything locally that would be suitable for Florida weather!

Anyway, I started with Thread Theory's Finlayson sweater then extended the shoulders, made the neckline more a v-shape, lengthened it and added the shaping.  Then drafted (and re-drafted and re-drafted) a new collar.  So really, it's not much of a Finlayson anymore!

edited to add:  Wow.  I'm completely floored and devastated.  The woman who asked me to make this for her son feels it's not close enough to the original for his needs.  According to her it would okay for a casual party or trick or treating but not for someone who would be making YouTube videos at the "actual Disney World".  She offered to pay for it if I needed her to but said she'd sell it on kijiji!!

I'm not a professional but agreed to do this as favour.  She didn't give me any criteria and even asked me to source all the fabric and materials without her input.  I agonized over every detail and it didn't turn out exactly as I pictured it but I thought it was pretty good.  I am honestly hurt.





12 comments:

  1. It came out awesome!! It is well worth all the time and aggravation I would say!! I made fake fur Hiccup (how to train your dragon) vest a few years back and it had looked like I skinned a bear in the house, lol. But three years later my son still wears the vest (really the whole costume) and treasures it so I am very sure he will love it dearly!

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  2. thanks! I'm glad someone likes it. Apparently it wasn't worth the time and aggravation. The woman who asked me to make it says it doesn't meet her needs. Wow, there's a reason I don't sew for money. Oh well, on to something that will be appreciated -- Olaf is next!

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  3. Oh Mel, I feel so bad for you.
    You did a stellar job on this tunic and did it out of the kindness of your heart. That woman has no class, no social skills and in short, a complete b-word. The nerve of her!

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    1. I've been trying to look at it objectively but can only come to the same conclusion that you did, Deb! I appreciate the moral support.

      I'm hoping she doesn't insist on coming to pick it up because the thought of her selling it on kijiji doesn't sit well with me, I'd rather donate it and be done with it.

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  4. Woah. that is JUST NOT ON.
    I don't know the character reference but if you don't share your idea of what you want then you have to be happy with what you get. Perhaps it takes another sewer to appreciate the effort involved in making something like this (I've managed to avoid fake fur so far, sounds awful!) but manners dictate that you gratefully receive the item, make payment as agreed and keep your disappointment to yourself.
    I hope she doesn't come to pick it up as then you would be obliged to be polite to her. Deb said it all.
    Take heart. You make beautiful things and perhaps the seemingly effortless way you do so fooled her into thinking it was "nothing" for you to make this for her.

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    1. you are too kind Shelley! She thought it was important that she be completely honest with me. My view is that some (most) situations call more for kindness than honesty! But I will get over it.

      I haven't met her yet and I'm hoping I don't have to. She strikes me as being very self-absorbed and I suspect she's trying to live vicariously through her child -- I don't have much of a poker face and I'm not sure I could be polite in person, it was hard enough via email!

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  5. I certainly hope that you have not given this hard-sewn item to this woman! If she insists on picking it up only to sell it then you should charge her accordingly. If you get to keep it, take the fur off of it and burn it in a wonderful bonfire in your back yard. Keep the rest for a set of pillow cases if there is that much material. Bless your heart for being a good sport otherwise.

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    1. thanks for taking the time to comment! I haven't heard from her. I asked to be compensated for my time and the materials so we'll see if does that. If she doesn't, oh well, I'll keep sewing for people who will appreciate what I make :)

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    2. Well, if you don't hear something soon, write her off for sure! I can't believe that she wouldn't have let her child wear what you put your time and money into just to wear around the house instead of telling you out loud that she might sell it somewhere. The nerve of some people!

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    3. I guess she was worried I would watch the videos from his trip and be hurt that he wasn't wearing the tunic that I made. So in her view it was better to be up front. Her motivation is all about his online presence -- she said he would be photographed and filmed while visiting with the Disney characters and because his YouTube videos have viral potential, she was hoping for something far more close to the original. That's a whole different world that I've never been interested in being a part of!

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    4. Bonkers, absolutely bonkers.
      I am so sorry!

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    5. thanks for your sympathy :). I've got to admit I was pretty surprised. If I ever do something similar in the future, I will make sure we are on the same page before starting!

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