I saw this post on Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/id/Chimney-Sweeper-Prop-Like-in-Mary-Poppins/

So off I went to my local Joann Fabrics, to see what I could find that would work. The key find was chenille stems in black (think long pipe-cleaners). No need for paint. The second find was in the garage — black cardboard from a wine carrier. Maybe some touch up paint or even just a sharpie on the edges. The third key piece was a replacement shovel handle at Home Depot.

The wine carrier box had convenient pre-cut rounds (I guess for a tall bottle to stick out), which just popped out to use as the centers. They are about 1.5″ in diameter, so not too big. I colored the edges with a sharpie.

Then I glued down a total of 16 stems to each of the two rounds. Once the glue was set, I then glued them together.

Since the circles were just slightly larger than the end of the shovel handle, I opted to screw the assembly into the handle. This not only makes it easier to keep together, it makes it easy to undo for packing.

The final prop:

I started making Stephen’s costume before Halloween and the first of November partners meeting, which was themed “SuperHeroes” (I wore the General Organa costume from last year).  Well, it wasn’t really ready for prime time at that event, and got put on the shelf for a bit.  Fast forward to February and needing to get it done.  I wove an inkle band for the neckline trim on the blue tunic.  I figured out a better way to create the Cloak of Levitation (both overall shape and the collar).  I broke down and just bought the jacket/vest for Jyn Erso, because I just didn’t have time to do the pleated sleeve insets or fit a jacket from scratch.

Stephen worked on upping our game for the video.  We totally rearranged the setup during a test run in the fall, and it made for far better traffic flow as folks were coming in.

And then my mom fell and ended up in the hospital.  So I stayed home and Stephen went to the party.  I was able to record my interview remotely and Stephen added it to the video feed at the end.  It was the most eventful Oscars ever, with the wrong movie being announced at the end.  Here’s the CNN article about what happened.  And a follow-on article about Why Typography Matters.

For me, I needed a flight suit – but what color?  khaki?  grey?  blue-grey?  I decided on the khaki, which is most versatile, from Tru-Spec (same company we got the BlueBox 42 clothing pieces from).  And then a burgundy/mahogany cotton to make the vest she wears.  And then figuring out how to make the belt buckles.  

Stephen was pretty easy — his suit, plus a grey fedora and a plaid scarf.

2011 was an unusual year for the Oscars party.

My mother-in-law had been ill and wasn’t allowed to travel to altitude.  So we got to host the party.  We thought that doing characters from Toy Story 3 would be fun and easy, and most importantly for us as hosts, comfortable to run around in.

I found the cow-print fabric on-line.  It has a bit of a nap like a real hide might, although it’s washable.  I used the Tandy Leather chaps pattern, and lined them with denim.  The typical last minute costume work was actually cutting the fringe while the caterers were setting up.  I cut up an old shirt of Stephen’s to make the vest pattern.

I used some yellow fabric to create the contrasting yoke which I just sewed on top of the shirt, and then some red ribbon to make the pattern.  I never did make cuffs.  Both shirts were purchased from a western-wear e-store.

Even more important than the cow-print fabric was the red hat for Jessie.  Once I found that, at a local western store, I knew the costume set was a go.

We also had Mr & Mrs Potatohead as guests at the party. We were all bummed that Toy Story 3 didn’t win anything.

I found some inexpensive white fabric and basically made a dress by cutting a neck hole, adding a loose mock-turtle style collar and a hood (ala Princess Leia’s), and sewing some side seams. I got a motorcycle helmet for $5 because it had a broken face plate, which I spray painted white and then used some window black-out plastic for a new face shield.  I never did figure out how to use some el-wire to make her blue eyes.  It’s still (in 2015) on the “to do” list so that I can learn how it works.

Stephen was supposed to have a full “box” for Wall-E, but both of us kept getting distracted and I just couldn’t figure out how to make it work.  I later saw how to do it at a Halloween party, where someone was dressed as a wrapped present!

I made Stephen’s frock coat based on the men’s frock coat pattern from Laughing Moon Mercantile, although I made it with a stand collar instead of lapels.  It’s a nice weight corduroy with shaped sleeves and lots of self-covered buttons.  As usual, I was finishing things off the day of the party (buttons, but not button holes).  I made a snap-in collar extension for one of his faire shirts and made an ascot from the lining material.  Stephen is wearing an inexpensive wig, along with a pair of regular black pants and shoes.

I used a Vogue pattern by Marcy Tilton (V8582) for the tunic top, and just made a straight skirt.  The fabric is a heavy knit (think heavy t-shirt), so it’s very comfortable.  It has some asymmetry at the hem.  I just sort of winged the hat.  I made the cone and then cut a 4″ wide brim of the plastic needlepoint backing once I figured out the size of the center so it would fit on my head.  I put a couple of layers of muslin on the plastic before using some black fabric for the actual hat.  The one mistake was not putting some millinery wire on the brim.

Both of us had wands from The Noble Collection appropriate to our characters.  And I had a watch fob pendant that worked well.