#sew along video

[danihost-blog]

DIY Satin Scrunchie - tintofmintPATTERNS

DIY Satin Scrunchie – tintofmintPATTERNS

Hi there, Hi and welcome to yet another tutorial. My name is Karolina and today I’ll show you how to make a satin scrunchie, using a FREE pattern that you’ll find and the end of the booklet when you purchase any of my patterns. A few of you asked for this tutorial for a while so I’m glad to finally make it. See all available patterns at Things I used in this video: – Sewing machine: Brother…

[teplejtrouba]

i have managed to actually do a hobby for the first time in months. yippee

[policyoftruth]

Wassup peeps i'm suffering from a bad case of autism induced fomo today (friends made plans to do shit but my brain said "no <3") this neuto-spicy thing sucks where can i return my brain

[wolfies-toys]

I've been sitting on this pattern and tutorial for a while now! so time to finally share it with you! I was lamenting that the jellycat pip and sugar mice were long retired and difficult to get your hands on unless you are willing to pay much more than they retailed for each mouse, so i decided to try and eyeball a pattern and make some myself! they're not exact as i only used constructed visual references but they're close! please note that this pattern set is intended for personal use only. Rough tutorial under the cut!

This pattern is for printing onto A4 but you can check your scale with the measurements I've provided or just play around with how big or small you want to try and make them! i didn't really get any wip photos of pip mouse but it's method is largely the same with the nose being the major change, which i will detail in text in the instructions below.

for sugar mouse i would recommend using polar fleece as it will act the right way for the ears to do their squishy marshmallow looking thing. but minky should also work or other similar fabrics! for pip mouse if you can find a similar curly looking fabric with a thin backing that'll be ideal but fleece will also work well, you just wont get the furry texture, you want a fabric with a little bit of stretch to it. i however would not recommend fabrics like felt or non stretch cotton for these guys as it's likely to not take shape the same as there's no give to the fabric.

once you have printed out the pattern and cut the pieces in your fabric, you'll want to sew the ears up and turn them inside out, then put them aside for later. just leave them as is for now but here you can see i was playing around with pinching the turned through ear into shape.

Then moving on, sew the back pieces together along the spine and front of face. you then want pull the bottom open ends apart gently and place the open sides flat up against the base piece so that they're aligned, it can be good to pin this in place so it doesn't shift.

then, get your tail rope, and tie a knot at either end, placing the base of it inbetween the seam at the butt so that it'll sit in the right place, then sew the seam up directly with the tail in place, make sure you sew through the rope to secure it and make sure it doesnt shift. Sew around the bases seam leaving a hole in one side so that you can then turn your mouse through.

once turned through you will want to stuff your mouse with polyfill quite a bit so it takes shape! i like to put weighted beans in mine for extra effect, you can use dried rice or wheat too, just sew a little circle pouch a bit smaller that the mouses base with scrap fabric and fill and seal! then insert into the turning hole while you stuff. once stuffing is done you can sew the hole up with a ladder stitch. the weight from the beads will allow your mouse to sit up quite well.

next you will want to get those ears you put aside, take each corner and bring the ends together in the middle. then sew them gently together at the ends with one or two stitches in about the same spot. you want them to look 3d so dont sew the ends to the back of the ear, just end to end so they meet in the center.

Then pin the ears in place on the head

then you need to ladder stitch the ears in place while they're pinned so they dont shift around, go all the way around the outside edge of each.

now you're almost done! next they just need a face! sugar mouse only needs embroidery by way of a french knot for both the eyes and nose (you can find good video tutorials on how to sew a french knot online), pip mouse will also need a french knot for the eyes but has a separate process for it's nose. (for the pip mouses nose you will need to leave the marked nose hole open and then stitch the nose fabric to the square nose backing in line with the dotted direction on the pattern, (it should look kind of baggy when it's unstuffed) sew it up completley with no hole, then cut a tiny slit in the backing and add polyfill there before closing with a basic stitch, then you ladder stitch the nose directly to the marked nose hole)

in order to hide the embroidery anchor knots i find the best way is to start by going down through the middle of the ears and then coming back up where you want the eye to be, and then going back down and up through the ear for the finishing knot, as it creates a very easy cover for them and looks nice and clean!

then you have yourself a little buddy!

haha they're great to squish! if you use this pattern i'd love to see your results!

[kuromi-hoemie]

wtf i wish i could model for/with other creatives, this motivated me to Get Up and finish what i was working on earlier 😤 good morning (10:47pm)

[realprissygirl]

a few things i’ve been obsessed with lately

1. body glitter. literally i can’t leave the house lately without making sure my chest, legs and hands shimmer. my fav choice will be my in the stars and into the night glowtions along with my diamond shimmer mists from b&bw. also love that new shimmer pure seduction shimmer body mist from vs.

2. mixed metals. stacking my sterling silver and gold charm bracelets and layering different colored necklaces feels so luxurious to me.

3. champagne gold. refer back to #2. i have a skin tone that looks good with gold and sterling silver. so when recently shopping and trying on tops i fell in love with the shade “gilver”.

4. black satin. buying new sheets and i bought some new black satin pillow cases to compliment my bedroom scheme and it’s such a classy and minimal touch.

5. hyper feminine music videos by black artists. been loving watching mariah carey and toni braxton videos. not to mention lyssithadoll’s check on it by beyonce costume #devoured

6. girly youtube. been binging youtube lately. not just for fun but for inspo. i have a list posted of my fav youtube girlies. been loving maintenance day vlogs and can’t wait to record some.

7. scripting. affirming and listening to subs while writing out my manifestations has been so fun and i’m an actual master manifestor sooo

8. my natural curly hair. sometimes i don’t feel like doing my hair to run out and check off errands. my hair has been in such a beautiful healthy state i literally don’t need any styling products, conditioner, nothing. just edge control and water and i’m out the door.

9. stylist videos. been watching a lot of hair stylists do hair on youtube (about to get a vixen sew in) the art of cosmetology is so prissy and will always be a worthwhile career choice.

10. gratitude and thought reframing. in the past i spent a lot of time complaining and being sad about everything that wasn’t going right for me when i’m literally so fucking blessed. like i have so much to be happy for. also affirming negative thoughts does nothing but make them more valid. i’m glad ive stopped

[haxkattpress]

Our Objective Remains Unchanged by @citrusses

"Harry Potter, returning member of the Oxford University Boat Club, has two goals for the spring of 2005: beat Cambridge, and beat Draco Malfoy. Perhaps not in that order."

This has to be one of the most creative and meticulously researched fics I have ever had the pleasure of reading. If you haven't read it yet, don't walk— run! Citrusses is an absolute genius, and kindly gave me permission to bind her masterpiece.

The cover of this bind is made out four different shades of Allure bookcloth cut by my Cameo 4, and the centerpiece is printed and hand foiled. The banners were machine foiled in gold and black with hand foiled rose gold shading. The endbands were hand sewn with Gutermann silk thread.

You can find more pictures and information about my process under the cut.

The amount of inspiration this fic gave me was overwhelming, and Citrusses' writing fully immersed me in the world of competitive rowing. While designing this bind, I was struck by the sheer wealth of Oxford rowing memorabilia available to me. I settled on this 1929 illustration from an official publication on the Oxford and Cambridge Centenary Boat Race for the cover.

"How hard could it possibly be?" I thought, foolishly. The answer was HARD, but I'll get into that later.

Due to the wealth of design options, I believe that this may be the best typeset I have created to date. Thanks to the help of my friend @tsurashi-bindery, I was able to learn the basics of InDesign (kicking and screaming all the way). There will be spoilers in the text of these photos, so try not to read them if you haven't finished the fic!

For the title page, I modified To See the Crews in Training by Charles Pears (1930). I believe that this was part of a series of advertisements for the race in the London Underground.

For the chapter headers, I redrew the crest from an Oxford Oars, Flags, and Arms postcard, presumably pre 1914. I also had some fun creating a mock email using La_Temperanza's How to Mimic Email Windows on Ao3. Cormac's email makes me laugh every time I read it, and Citrusses provided an appropriately pompous subject.

I also had lots of fun editing the oars from the official OUBC logo to serve as dividers and decorations for the page numbers.

Additionally, I got to edit a full newspaper page for the fic! I was very excited find an opportunity to slip Leyendecker's The Finish (1908) in.

The fic ended beautifully, so I wanted to include one last element at the end to capture the atmosphere. I settled on L'aviron (1932) by Milivoj Uzelac. It makes me feel as though Harry and Draco will continue rowing together long after I've closed the book.

I of course had lots of fun sewing the headbands, and got to do it with not one but TWO copies!

Things got tricky when I had to recreate the cover. I had a poor understanding of how vector images worked, and ended up having to redraw it three times. Once I finally cracked and taught myself how to use Illustrator, the program crashed...and I had to redraw it a fourth time!

I set the vector to cut on my Cameo 4, and I assembled the pieces together like a puzzle on my Silhouette mat. I used Allure's indigo, skylight, white, and black bookcloth in the process. I will be making a tutorial video on this method, so I will keep it brief here.

I also cut a piece of bookcloth to 8.5"x 11" and fed it through my inktank printer to print the center design. I then cut it out using the print and cut feature on my Cameo 4. Both of these methods were a first for me, and they were very scary!!

To be perfectly frank, the foiling was a nightmare and I don't want to get into it. I machine foiled the gold, and then foiled black lettering on top of it. I foiled the rose gold shading by hand, and then foiled a thin black outline along the edge of the banners to make them stand out more.

I hand foiled the spines (because I'm scared of measuring), painted the exposed board (to hide any gaps in the inlays), and used transfer tape to lift my design from the Silhouette mat and onto the cover.

One more fun detail— my copy and the author's copy are sisters! The dark blue and the light blue are inverted on the author's copy, making it distinguishable from mine. This is the first time I have made an author's copy for a fic, and I was admittedly incredibly nervous. I always worry about what authors will think of my work, but Citrusses gave me an incredible amount of encouragement and support throughout the process! Thank you for trusting me with your precious fic!

This story is a work of fanfiction and can be read on Ao3 for free. My bind and typeset are for personal use only and not for sale or profit. Keep fandom free!

[vincentbriggs]

@once-a-polecat replied to your post “My uncle's friend asked if I wanted this machine...”:

So do Whites have the same parts availability as Singers? I see them around for a fraction of the price, I’ve just been holding out for a Singer because the parts are relatively easy to source. I’ve seen some really lovely White machines tho! I bet yours is going to look stunning when it’s cleaned up. That cabinet is {chefs kiss}

​I don't know, I haven't looked into it because mine's not missing any pieces and still has all 6 bobbins.

I think that as long as you can verify that it has all the parts, and at least one or two bobbins, it probably won't need any new ones.. ever? The little rubber ring on the bobbin winder and the treadle drive belt degrade after a few decades and need replacing, but you can easily buy those, and everything else is highly unlikely to break from regular use.

The one thing I was worried about was accidentally stripping the screws while taking it apart for cleaning, and there was one screw that I didn't quite have the right size of screwdriver for and it started to look a bit ehhhh so I just didn't take that part off. It wasn't one of the really gunky ones anyways, and I did my best to clean around it, and may try again someday if I get more sizes of screwdriver. So I'd advise making sure you have all the right tools before starting and slathering all the stuck bits well in kroil (what the guy in a video I watched yesterday used) or wd-40 (what I used) or some such loosening thing.

It seems like it's very hard to find new bobbins, especially since there are different styles of shuttle and the bobbins are not interchangeable. Mine's a boat style and my bobbins wouldn't work in a bullet style from a couple years later.

While cleaning this thing it hasn't even crossed my mind to wonder where I'd find replacement parts because, well, what could possibly break? Nearly every single piece is cast iron or steel, and it's already been used SO much that the decals on the bottom are almost completely gone just from the amount of fabric that's run over it.

As mentioned in the previous post it's about 140 years old, was owned by a woman who made her living sewing on it for many decades, and it still works just fine! I haven't got the bobbin winder cleaned up yet and it's still off the cabinet, but I couldn't resist trying it out with just the hand wheel (using one of the bobbins that was wound long before I was born) once I got all the bits back on and yeah! Perfect stitches right away!

As long as it's kept well oiled it's just gonna keep on chugging along indefinitely.

Are you seeing these White machines in person at secondhand stores and such? If you can check to make sure they have bobbins and that no pieces are missing, I'd say grab one! Maybe keep some reference pics of working ones so you can look and see, or even better see if you can make a stitch with it before buying it, and presumably if it can do that even slowly and gunkily then it'll just need cleaning like this one did.

By all accounts they're REALLY good machines! I'm super excited to try mine out properly, and to post more about all the features. It has a lip around the bottom of the needle bar so that if some oil drips down it won't get on your needle! Genius!! Why doesn't every machine ever have that?! It's also fairly quiet AND you can adjust the bobbin tension right in the middle of a seam without disturbing the sewing or taking the shuttle out. Incredible.

The manual for mine says "The Best in the World" on it, and while that's just a normal Victorian thing to say about a product, I'm not about to argue with them. There are a few little things that I like better on Singers, such as the quality of the hinges that hold the machine to the cabinet, and the way the presser foot attaches, but all in all this White VSII is extremely goddamn good so far and I have no doubt that once I get the bobbin winder cleaned up it'll also work perfectly!

So yeah, GET ONE!

[waiitiridge]

I made some cute sunflower pillows out of scrap fabrics I had been saving from the dump. I couldn't find the right buttons so I made some out of polymer clay I had in my stash 🌻

Here's some instructions if you also want to make some 😊

I still need to draw up a sized petal template but I've also made a youtube video (my first one, it's horrible 😂) if you are more of a visual learner.

1. Cut 1 brown corduroy circle 1 wool batting circle and 2 green 2/3 circles (for the back)

2. Cut 12 pairs of petals (24 pieces total)

3. Sew petal pieces right sides together 1cm away from edges. Turn right sides out and top stitch along the edge. Stitch centre petal seam. Repeat for all petals

4. Quilt your brown centre to the wool. I made lines about 1.5cm apart making a grid.

5 Pin 6 of your petals centre first evenly spaced around the edge. Pin the last 6 over the gaps. Sew 1 cm from the edge

6 Roll hem the straight edge of the 2/3 circle pieces (a rol hem to folding and then folding again)

7 make 3 button holes evenly spaced on one back piece

8 secure the pieces to eachother both having right sides up, creating a pocket

9 fold on your petals and pin your back piece right sides together to your flower front. Sew 1.5cm around the edge and turn out through the pocket.

10 stuff your pillow then add buttons to fit the holes you made earlier. I do the buttons last to make sure they fit nicely when fully puffed.

11 yayyyy pillow!

[cy-lindric]

hello juliette! may i ask, how did you get into sewing? your work is so precise and meticulous (not just the dress but the previous outfits, especially the landsknecht one), it’s hard to imagine what it must take to arrive at this point of mastery.

wishing you all the best and excited to be following your work, kat 💛

Hi Kat !

Thanks a lot for your kind words ! I started sewing kind of out of the blue two years ago. I'd never had any sewing education, formal or otherwise, and I'd always found sewing too tantalizing to get into, but eventually my friend @surikane and I decided to give it a try together because we really wanted to make costumes to wear at our local big medieval festival. I got a Reconstructing History doublet pattern, youtube tutorials, and off I went.

I'm far from mastery and to be honest I just pick a project I really want to do and learn what I need to learn as I go along. It's maybe not the cleanest way to go but as a casual hobbyist driven by pure brainworms and impatience it works great for me. When it comes to historical costuming of course it does take some passion because usually looking at one source won't be enough and you'll need to peruse around. At first, my best combo was to get a printable pattern as a base, and then check out more precise books and videos/lectures on the side to help make sense of it and adapt what needed changing.

I really think anyone can get into sewing at any stage of their lives and make something wearable pretty much rightaway. With the ressources we have today, it's way more doable than it looks. And it really doesn't have to be perfect to spark a lot of joy ! I'm really proud of how far I got in just two years of sewing and I really encourage everyone to give it a try !

[s1llydr3amscape]

Maybe it was the friends we made along the way!

My security breach cast re-imagined when we first got the posters and merch leaks!!! I changed them into ocs because after seeing their in game designs I fell in love <33333

Another reason why Vanny is my fave is because I don't have to design her clothes /j

Extras and ramblings under the cut :

Zoomed in because I drew them on the same canvas like a goober :

Many reasons why I chose to make the way it is are cause hehehehe

-I didn't like Roxy at first because off that funko leak being a reused model of Foxy. So I made her a hyena recolor using his model because I think they're cool, yet I still kept the fact she's the shortest because of Foxy in fnaf 1 being the shortest!!! And it did sorta happen with her being his replacement 😭She has short hair because I think one of her main appeals would be she would change up her hair every other week.

-Freddy is a moon bear because I miss Lefty. Also cuz I thought Fazbear Ent developed enough technology so that they could change colors during the night/dark like in the posters making them blacklight/neon. Also once again I miss Lefty and Also Nightmare. He had blue eyes freaky like that because I think FazEnt was developing new technologies to recognize guests by having their main stars test them out. And it did happen in the game so yay!!!

-I genuinely didn't think Bonnie would show up because off the leaks but at the time everyone designed their own version off him and so did I!!! I made him white and brown as a homage to Vannys help wanted mask. The blue streaks in his hair also relates to my Vanessa design. Reasons for this is because with how advanced the AI it was to trick them into thinking they were eachother friends. Why because the heartbreak would've been catastrophic.

-Chica didn't change much but I added brown because I love the color brown it is my top 1 color with purple following behind. Also because I love gradients I fucking love gradients you bet your ass if I add gradients I could <333 She has feather hair like that because off Big Bird I saw in a short fnaf sesame street horror yt video and that scared and gave me nightmares because of this one scene of a lady giving birth to his kid??? Idk it scared me alot. She's my favorite tho <3333

-Monty didn't change except he had circular glasses because I wanted him to match with Roxy as the newest additions to the Fazbear brand!!! Also man I wish one of them was a drummer but I couldn't decide between if Roxy or Monty would get it. I also didn't know Roxanne would be racing and gave her rock climbing. Reasons cause imagining her chasing you being able to climb walls would be scary. My only wish Is that I made his snout longer I want you to be able to hold it like a weapon

-They all have eyelashes because I think that is epic!!!

-Freddy is the tallest. Bonnie and Chica are the same height and Roxanne is the shortest

Might redraw them in my oc world version (if anyone would be interested it's basically also a robot story with my old fnaf oc's now turned rivals to Fazbear Entertainment) and not simplified but my other wips need me they are calling for me they are telling me to finish them and I must!!! Probably

And here's my older art after we got to see the game and the designs are wack oughhh :

They would've fought with my pink yellow blue Vanny design!!! Which is the only one I redesigned because I love Vanny to much... You can see her pre-design here and oughh Pink Vanny <3333

-If you look closely Vanny has a Dino looking tail!!! And that's because I thought hey imagine each time we defeated an animatronic she'd sew a piece off their body onto her suit! So when we killed Monty she'd scavenged and get his tail!!! With Chica she got her chicken feet!! And with Roxanne she gets her teeth!!!

-Why because I associate her with Pinkamena cupcakes so much. Also to add onto my previous statement with Bonnie looking like her old mask. She changed her suit in the final act to solidify herself as the bad guy (final boss) who had been using the animatronics for his own gain.

-Man I never draw Chica with her head bow now that I think abt it same with Vanny's whiskers god what was I thinking!!!

Also sorry they're oddly cropped I watermark my stuff to remember what year I made them in and my old username is bad 💀

[ijustliketoreadstuff]

The rooms

I never talked about this, but I LOVE it when we get a chance to see what the characters rooms look like, it really gives you a lot of insight about them and their lives. I'll do the adults rooms/homes later.

Marinette's room is of course very creative, she loves learning how to make a lot of things herself and even learning how to repurpose broken down things to turn them into something new, like that lounge chair she said she made from salvaged parts. She tries to be tidy but every now and then if she really gets into doing something, her room starts forming piles of clutter everywhere. At first glance, everything seems to be in its proper place but there are little things she keeps away from prying eyes so as to not draw attention to parts of her life she want to keep to herself, like her secret as a hero, her diary is kept in a special case only she can open and has a sewing box with a secret compartment that holds the miracle box.

Adrien's room is a full on entertainment center filled to the brim with video games and arcade games, along with a built in basketball hoop, a rock climbing wall, a place to skateboard, a bathtub with built in water jets to swim in, a full library, a high tech computer and big speakers. Makes sense since he spent a lot of his life all alone in the mansion, so of course he had to keep himself busy and well entertained whenever he was by himself. Of course, Adrien being the goof ball he is, there are little hidden details that reveal things about the part of his personality he feels forced to hide since he feels a lot of people, especially his dad, would not approve of. He hides pictures of Ladybug in his trophies, old records that belonged to his mom, meaning he likely enjoys exploring and listening to old music thanks to his mom. And since we know anime is very popular in France as well, there's bound to be a lot of manga and animes in that library, boy didn't know flip about romance so of course he would have taken advice from the manga and anime he had.

Alya has a big family so of course she has to learn to make do with a smaller bedroom and not have too many things in her room that will take up too much space. Its clear as day that the girl is a total hero nerd, most of her books are about the heroes that existed long before Ladybug, like Majestia and the Owl. She loves fictional heroes too, like Doctor Who, she even has a tardis cover to put on her door. She's also passionate about researching and uncovering things, even having a map from her research on keeping track of akuma attacks, probably from back in her days of trying to uncover Ladybug's identity. That Ladybug and Cat Noir figurines holding hands ain't fooling no one, she loves seeing the two heroes being cute.

Chloe's room fits her expensive taste, she loves gold so it's incorporated into practically all the rooms. Everything is high class and specially built to keep her comfortable, above all, she has to have plenty of places to sit so she can take her selfies and not get bored being in one place. She also has lots of closets to keep her expensive shoes, clothing and jewelry. There are also a few big mirrors placed all about, including a big wall mirror for her to see her reflection, she does, after all, love the way she looks and would want to be able to marvel at herself anywhere in her room. Roses are also heavily incorporated in the rooms design, it could mean any number of things like her admiration for her mother who typically has a rose on her head, or maybe its representative of Chloe, "Every rose has its thorns", and though she perceives herself as a perfect rose, she is by all means very riddled with flaws, flaws that can even hurt others.

Zoe's room is relatively empty, which is expected given her situation. Zoe was bound to have more things with her when she moved to Paris, hence all the luggage that is still not sorted through, but seeing as she spent years pretending to be someone her family and former friends would approve of, a lot of the things Zoe previously owned, she likely didn't actually like, she only had to keep up appearances and brought to Paris in case she needed to keep up the act with her mom and Chloe. But now that she knows she doesn't have to keep up a fake personality to please others, Zoe would have been left with the opportunity to better understand herself and learn to figure out what she wants in life, what she actually likes and doesn't. So far the only things in the room are a set of cameras, meaning she has an interest in photography, a picture of kitty section cause she likes their music, a poster of New York to show that although she left, she still gets a little homesick of the city she used to live in and where her only true friend still resides.

Luka and Juleka's room is not necessarily a room, its just a sleeping quarters and a hangout spot for them and the friends they have over. Since they get along well and respect each other's privacy when they need it, they don't mind sharing a space, and since their mother gives them all the freedom that they need, they don't really feel like they need to completely shut themselves off in separate rooms. Of course their both passionate about the musical arts, and with so many instruments to use around the boat, they are not limited to what they want to learn to play and do. Their mom likes the boat messy, so most of their stuff is scattered about. However, the small space where their beds are, is tidy with little to no buildup in possessions. As much as they like their home, I'd take it that even they would at times need to get away from the clutter around the boat so they can focus on something specific without too many distractions. The one thing they both have is flower pattern curtains, which makes me wonder if the whole family has an interest in gardening, there are a lot of plants and flowers around the boat after all.

Juleka of course likes a darker décor on her side and anything that has a creepy yet cute appeal to her. The small jars of paint are for painting whatever she likes, like the little figures on the table or maybe even her nails? She dyed Zoe's hair so she must have whatever equipment she needs on her side to act as a hair stylist for her friends. She has a gift for song writing, but seeing as not even Luka knew until "Migration", she likely kept any trace of her song writing skills in her laptop, the best place to keep them as she is too shy to tell anyone of her writing skills.

Luka only has his guitar amp, his collection of guitar pics and a poster of jagged to show he has always admired his dad and his music. He likes to meditate so of course he prefers his side to be more open and brighter, especially when he has to offer free therapy sessions for the people in low spirits who know him for being the most emotionally wise. He likes to be alone with his thoughts whenever he feels frustrated, but at his home, that's not normally something he can have since there is a lot of activity going on, and prefers going to quiet places with nice sounds, like the spot under the bridge he showed Marinette in "Truth".

[apple-salad]

Rose Ribbon Embroidery "Mini" Projects (for BABY NYFW) Part 1: Kumya JSK

I decided semi-last minute to attend BABY's fashion show at NYFW!

BABY had mentioned in their NYFW brand description that their newest collection would be a return to their origins, as well as presenting archival items.

You have to dress to impress for NYFW, right? So of course, I had to pull out all the stops and wear my Rose Ribbon Embroidery.

Also at the last minute, I decided to make a few extra complementing items...

A matching RRE kumya JSK, and a bonnet.

What follows is more of a sew-along/journal rather than a tutorial or guide, mainly for my own memory's sake. But if you enjoy looking at my process (sometimes sloppy), I'm happy!

Also feel free to take a look at the more romantic process video I edited.

Part 1: Kumya JSK

Part 2: Bonnet

To make a matching kumya JSK, I first had to investigate the original dress a little! This I found actually very fascinating because I had never bothered to take a very careful look at the construction details of this JSK (it was, and still is always a precious item that I am afraid will get dusty or dirty if I look at it wrong...)

I actually even found a spot where it looks like the material was torn and someone roughly repaired it by hand (laugh). I have a feeling this was a factory mistake/fix (either from fabric manufacture or sewing) because it's hidden beneath some lace ruffle and I don't really think it's something that an owner would let happen, but who knows.

So here's a few details of RRE~

Many people don't know that RRE is made of velveteen! And further, there is sometimes a misconception that it came in a "cotton" and "velvet" version. As far as I know, there is only one version made out of cotton velveteen.

So the white can get dirty and attract dust super easily :')

The bodice has a panel of 3 ruffles + upper "hashigo" (ladder) lace part with ribbon. It is also boned (BABY's crap boning with sharp edges and no channels, meh...) but obviously I can skip that for kumya.

The skirt has a trapezoidal embroidered panel, the star of the show, surrounded by 3 tiers of ruffles that extend all the way around the back. The last "tier" is not gathered and has a smaller ruffle all around the skirt.

While thinking about how to construct something similar in kumya-scale, I found it fascinating that the under-material the ruffles are attached to are cotton! Makes sense to reduce bulk, plus you can't tell when the ruffles cover it.

The density of ruffle starts out quite concentrated, and then reduces as the bottom ruffle is reached. The cotton under-material also seems to have less material gathered than the main velveteen ruffle. This also makes sense to not only reduce material usage but also because having a huge amount of gather on the bottom tier can make the skirt look too heavy.

Knowing this, I fussed out some semi-arbitrary ruffle multipliers for each tier (and lining) in my notebook. Very important to keep tabs on how many fabric strips I need and their exact widths!

Also since everything is in kumya-scale the gathering is generally reduced by a lot. Kumya doesn't need much to have a very full skirt, and with such tiny tiers the effect of the gathering can easily look like overkill. The kumya elizabeth OP gathered lace/tiers very lightly:

As reference dimensions for kumya, I have these two kumya dresses which I used lightly (mostly the sugar bouquet one because it's a JSK). I also have the babydoll kumya, but as it was out of commission for a while (on my christmas tree!😅) I didn't use it for checks at all.

The sugar bouquet "bodice" is about 3cm long. I decided to extend it one more cm to 4cm to make it easier for me to calculate for the ruffles and also leave enough space so the ruffles would be visible and not potentially buried.

I use a cotton velvet fabric and a mixture of cluny and torchon lace I have on hand. This velvet has a noticeable twill weave to it and is thinner than the velvet BABY usually uses, but the thinness is perfect for this purpose. I was originally going to just use cotton sateen but remembered I had this!

You can't see the weave from afar so I tolerate it. I wouldn't have wanted to use polyester velvet/suede-like/minky, I think.

Since the material is still a velvet and does have a thickness compared to cotton, I decided to roughly hem any ruffle edges by hand with a simple once-turned whip stitch. it kind of seals the raw edge and hems it at the same time. Note that this is not a great idea for something that would be worn and washed a lot, but this piece in this specific case won't be.

In general, when it comes to mistakes with this piece I mostly ignore them because it's kumya-scale and not only will most people not notice, but as stated above it's also not a piece that will be worn and washed often so quality of construction isn't much of a concern.

Mentally deconstructing and calculating the construction of the ruffle part was a bit of a pain. My lace was wider that I needed so I had to roughly mark out where it should be sewn into the ruffle, not always with great success.

I'm also not great with working at small scale...much respect to doll clothesmakers.

The bodice of the sugar bouquet kumya JSK is made from a front trapezoidal panel with a strip of fabric attached to the sides that extends all the way around the back, and the skirt attached to that. So I cut some slightly angular side panels to attach to my rectangular/square-ish front ruffle panel.

(I threadmarked approximately where I wanted the seam to go because I don't trust myself to attach the side panel in the right area/dimension otherwise with such a wonky panel)

Simple straps made from strips of fabric. I make these slightly thicker than a regular kumya JSK as well because I feel like RRE has thicker straps too (well, the entire construction of the bodice is a bit different, but ignoring that...)

And a facing layer of ordinary cotton is sewn to the front panel.

For the section of lace at the top, I frankenstein together 2 types of lace that I trimmed to look more like the lace used on the original JSK. It seems the original JSK also has this lace sewn through the lining layer, so the stitching is visible from the inside.

I use the thinnest ribbon I can find--some silk ribbon in this case. It actually works really well because silk ribbon is very thin/flimsy and can be tied and threaded in nicely with relative ease.

By the way, if you aren't aware already, a yarn needle works very well for threading ribbon through lace.

Bodice portion finished. This took way longer than I was hoping, an entire night. Hopefully the results are worth it.

Next I fuss out the skirt. At this point I am working out the calculations and investigations already mentioned previously. I did make a few mistakes and had to re-cut a couple tiers!

I use a different lace from the bodice for the tiers because I thought the shape of this one was closer to what was originally used (it's actually the bilateral ladder lace used for the bodice, but instead of cutting off the lace edges and using the thread-through part, it's just cut in half)

After hemming the ruffle, I attach the lace to the velveteen ruffle with a single gathering stitch (too lazy to use 2, and the thick material makes it hard to gather anyway). The under cotton layer is gathered separately and sandwiched between the cotton layer of the previous tier.

Coming along. I think the lace length for these ruffles is a bit off/uneven/less than ideal, but oh well, can't be bothered to fix it...

After the third tier, a non-gathered velveteen tier is attached with gathered lace.

I also prepare the bottom ruffle, but that will be attached to the completed skirt.

Next, the most exciting but also potentially the most taxing part must be done--the embroidery!

I know that the top of the embroidered panel is basically the same width as the bodice ruffle (referencing the original dress), but the width of the bottom is a bit arbitrary (about 3x the width of the top of the trapezoid)

I mark out everything roughly with water soluble marker (the darker patches are where I messed up and used some water to erase, waiting for it to dry...)

The midlines of the panel as well as the 1/3 lines were marked because I 100% do not trust myself to make the embroidery symmetric without doing so. I'm a beginner and not nearly skilled enough in embroidery to freehand...

I carefully investigated the original embroidery and copied the locations of roses and leaves to my mini-panel. Once I have the general shape that I'm happy with, I start embroidering.

I didn't take too many progress photos of the embroidery, but I also don't think you need them. Because the scale was small, this took an entire evening/night which I think is not too long?

For the roses I use a combination of the "pinwheel" rose method and french knots (+ some additional plain stitches where I wanted more volume).

The nice thing about ribbon embroidery, I think, is that the ribbons add so much texture that even if it's a bit messy it looks very impressive anyways. Plus your mind will mentally interpret some random puffy ribbon lines as a flower anyways.

I use regular DMC 6-strand embroidery thread (split in half, so 3 strands used here) for the vines and leaves. Because I also suck at embroidery and have never embroidered a real project/learned real techniques I mostly kept the leaves simple and slightly abstract with 3 branchlike stitches. I think I currently can't fuss with making nice rounded miniature leaves without messing up every second stitch...

Finished.

I spray water to remove the marker marks and let dry.

Attach embroidered panel to ruffles. I should have double checked where the panel was aligning with the ruffles on each side since it's uneven, but whatever.

Gather bottom ruffle and attach to skirt.

I attach the bodice strip to the front bodice panel as well, and sew the straps down.

I basted the front of the bodice to the skirt by hand because I wanted to make sure they were aligned. Because I messed up sewing the ruffle tiers to the embroidered panel and they are somewhat misaligned, I tried to adjust where the top of the skirt was sewn to the bodice to compensate, it didn't work that well but eh, it's alright.

Gather the skirt and sew to the bodice portion. This was very fiddly and I had to redo some parts several times because the lace wasn't getting sewn down properly. It's still not great but I'll fix any egregious parts by hand.

The gathering is also pretty uneven, but I'm ignoring it...

Looks almost done but not yet!

There is a tiny bit more embroidery on the edges of the middle ruffle tier. I marked approximately where I wanted the roses to be and roughly embroidered them (without a hoop because it's too complicated to figure out alignment before construction, although embroidery is always easier with one).

I also add a back ribbon to simulate waist ties, a detail I notice on a few other BABY kumya JSKs. The waist ties on RRE have a slightly rounded/pointed shape to them, so I freehand this shape for the bow "tails" (because I'm getting tired and lazy, I didn't really measure although I did check that the width was approximately the same throughout). The backside of the waist tie is another layer of cotton, which reduces bulk when turning the shape inside out (the backside of the original JSK is also just lining material). I also folded a long strip over itself and basted it down, creating a loose tube shape to use for the bow part.

It's pretty hard to create defined folds in the bow with such thick fabric, but I tried my best...at least it's likely the back will rarely be seen.

I gave the dress a final allover spray with water to hopefully erase any remaining soluble marker. Also, some interior hand finishing needed to be done (mainly tacking down some unruly seams)

And finally, actually finished. The embroidery thankfully turned out decent enough to distract from any weird spots of construction and so on. It looks quite remarkably like the actual dress, so goal achieved I think!

Extra contents:

I make kumya little wrist cuffs because some of the kumya variations (such as babydoll kumya) come with them, and that's really cute.

BBD kumya seems to use a type of lace that's already elasticated, but I don't have that on hand so I just sew two pieces of the same lace used for the bodice ruffles together to make it bilateral and stitch on an additional elastic with a stretch stitch. And add on a little ribbon bow (I only have silk ribbon in this narrow width, but I think a ribbon with more body such as poly satin or cotton satin would work better)

And I also make two of those little applique ribbon thingies (you can buy them cheaply from craft stores and so on, but whatever) and stitch them temporarily to kumya's bows for an extra accent.

I'm lazy so I use the bloomers that came with the hawase kumya set underneath (I'm sure making a similar pair of bloomers wouldn't be too much work but I have no idea if these are patterned with some kind of shaping/rise and I don't want to deal with that)

This is actually yuefii's kumya that I am still hoarding for whatever reason and has its eye and mouth fur already trimmed.

And now Usakumya is ready to see the runway :)

Part 2 (bonnet making) is here.

Thank you for reading! If you ever decide to take up a similar project, I'd love to see it!

[russellsppttemplates]

Max teasing graphic designer!reader and Lando because it took them so long to admit they liked eachother

"And the worst thing is that he was so obvious about it and you didn't see any of it!", Max yelled as the four of you sat in the gaming room, you and Pietra spending most of the stream talking to eachother and keeping away from the camera, but your social understanding abilities were being questioned and you had to defend yourself.

"It wasn't that bad, Max", you tried to reason as Lando adjusted your body on his lap, kissing your shoulder before looking at his bestfriend.

"Lando couldn't care less about the accounting as much as he's concerned that Quadrant doesn't go bankrupt, it's as simple as that", Max stated as your boyfriend nodded before he hid his face on your neck, knowing the story he was bringing up, "Lando was not planning to attend the finance and budget meeting, but when you asked if you could be there because you were curious about how it all worked, that guy was the first to go to the meeting room and make sure everyone else sat together and you could sit right in front of him and in the meeting, he started talking about percentages and tax names he had never even heard of before - why's that? Because he wanted to impress you, Y/N!", Max concluded.

"No - c'mon, you're exaggerating", you looked at Max before noticing your boyfriend's blushed cheeks, "really, Lan?", you wondered.

"From the beggining, I knew you wouldn't be swooned by flashy dates or fancy gifts, so I had to really show you I was serious about you and, I don't know, like I was someone worth your interest? You can't imagine rollercoaster of emotions I felt in that meeting, I was so confident at the start and by the time you suggested something about a system I don't remember, I was ready to curl up and cry because I thought I didn't have a shot with you", Lando pouted.

"It's true, Y/N - he went home with Max that day while I was there and he was having a full on meltdown", Pietra complimented the story, "what was it you said? Oh I remember - he was slumped over the sofa like this", he mimicked, "and he was going on about how you'd never look at him the way he looked at you and that he was miserable - he actually said he was miserable", she chuckled.

You gasped at the information before turning around to face your boyfriend, looking for his eyes as he whispered "It's true" before you cupped his handsome face in your hands, "Oh, baby, little did you know I was falling for you by then", you cooed, "I didn't think you'd feel like that for me, though - you could have anyone you wanted and I didn't think Quadrant's most recent hire for the graphic design team would be on your radar", you shrugged your shoulders, kissing his pout, "I wouldn't say I was miserable", you giggled, "but I was quite sad and just tried my best to not show it", it was your turn to blush.

Max cackled loudly as his girlfriend followed along, "Y/N! You had to sew the button on his shirt and I have never ever been in a room with so much tension - you were eating him with your eyes! And your hands were so shaky I was worried you'd poke him! And that time where Lando helped a mother with her child - do you remember? The little one was so fussy and Lando asked if she wanted him to rock the buggy because she needed to take something from her bag! You, Y/N, you looked at him like he was the love of your life, that moment you were not hiding it!", he reasoned.

"Seems we were not as subtle as we thought we were", Lando chuckled, kissing your cheek and pulling you closet to him, "chat also seems to agree that we were pining for eachother for a while, someone says the friendship bracelets video - guys, that was an easy one, why do you think I wanted to do that video so much?", your boyfriend joked as you flicked his ear.

"You said you liked them", you mumbled on his ear, "not as much as I liked getting a proper sniff of your perfume, pretty girl".

(Thank you for sending this in ✨️)

[sycamorelibrary754]

Trick or Treat

Summary: You and Natasha celebrate Nikolai’s first Halloween with your family and friends. 

Pairings: Natasha x Reader, Avengers x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: None

A/N: As always, this story can be enjoyed independently, but if you're curious about the family's rich backstory, check out my ‘Home is Anywhere You Are’ Holiday Series. Happy Halloween!

The digital clock cast a faint blue light in your dimly lit bedroom. You gathered all the necessary sewing supplies from your closet and carefully retrieved the baby monitor from your nightstand. Natasha was still lost in slumber, and you were determined to keep it that way. Her late-night training sessions meant she often didn't return from the compound until midnight. "So much for semi-retirement," you thought with a wry smile. Nevertheless, it allowed you time to get started on your family’s Halloween costumes before Nikolai woke up. He had recently started sleeping longer stretches at night, so you knew you had a small window to work.

You and Nat decided to channel your inner witches and style your costumes after your all-time favorite Halloween film, Hocus Pocus. The plan was for you, Natasha, and Yelena to dress up as the Sanderson sisters while baby Nikolai would be Max. As you looked at images from the movie on your iPad, you heard a tiny meow from the corner of the room. Liho hurried into the room and hopped onto the loveseat beside you. 

You couldn't help but smile and say, "Your Binx costume looks great, Liho. Did you make it yourself?"

You carefully began to measure and cut up the softest, coziest fabrics, envisioning the adorable little costume you would create for Nikolai's first Halloween. It felt like just yesterday that you had unexpectedly given birth to Nik at the Barton's on Easter, but seven months had flown by in the blink of an eye. He was reaching a new milestone every day, getting closer to crawling and constantly scooting across the floor in his adorable army-crawl style. Natasha couldn't resist capturing every precious moment on her phone, and she filled the team group chat continuously with Nik's videos and photos.

You wanted Halloween to be just as magical as it was when you were a kid. Your mom used to handcraft all of your Halloween costumes, and now, as a mom yourself, you understand just how unique that tradition was. You've never been as skilled with a sewing machine as your mother, but you're giving it a shot. 

"Ouch," you hiss as a bobby pin pricks your fingers. Well, if anything, the blood spots might add to the spooky charm of the costumes.

An hour later, you could see the fruits of your labor taking shape. The room was filled with the colorful fabric of the costumes, each piece carefully pinned into place. You had meticulously sewn the primary layer of each outfit. Each stitch was a step closer to bringing your creative vision to life.

“Hey there," a familiar, raspy voice said.

You looked up and saw your wife shuffling into the room. Her socked feet padded along the floor, and sleep was still evident in her eyes.

"Good morning, honey," you said, kissing her lips. "I thought I’d start the Halloween costumes before Nik wakes up."

"Mmm," Nat hummed. "I’m looking forward to seeing how they turn out. I've never had a homemade costume before. Well, except for the ones Stark makes."

Nat settled into a nearby loveseat, tucking one leg under her body as she watched you work. The hum of the sewing machine filled the air as the needle danced up and down, leaving a trail of perfectly spaced stitches. Your fingers moved precisely, gently yet firmly guiding the fabric through the machine. Your movements were fluid and precise.

You paused to change the thread, and Nat saw the intricate patterns and textures unfolding on the fabric. Your focus was intent, and your brow was slightly furrowed in concentration. The air was filled with the scent of fabric, and the soft whir of the machine created a soothing background hum.

Suddenly, Nikolai’s soft whimper emitted from the baby monitor as if on cue. 

“I guess that's the end of this work session,” you sighed, about to rise from your chair. 

“It’s okay, Y/N. I got him,” Natasha said, touching your shoulder. 

Thanks, sweetheart," you replied.

A few moments later, you heard Nik's bedroom door creak and Natasha's voice coming through the baby monitor.

"Good morning, my malen'kiy mal'chik

(little boy)," Nat said softly.

You could hear Nik responding to Natasha's voice with baby babbles. 

"Hey, Nikolai. Look at my big boy! Did you have a nice sleep?" she asked.

You heard your wife humming a gentle Russian lullaby, the same one she had sung to him since he was born, before saying, "Shall we go see Mommy, huh? Let's go, little one.”

Natasha strolled into the room, gently holding your son in her arms. The little red bedhead hair on his head is a beautiful reminder of your wife.

"There's Nikolai!" you say with a smile. "Hi, baby."

Nik reaches for you, his Y/E/C eyes sparkling as he smiles at you and wiggles his legs. 

As you hold your son in your arms, he reaches for a strand of your Y/E/C hair.

You carefully turned him around to face forward and asked, "Do you want to see your Halloween costume?"

You show Nikolai the purple tye-die fabric you used to sew his shirt, and he eagerly reaches for it, attempting to put it in his mouth.

"I think he approves," Natasha remarked with a smile.

*^~^*

After dedicating several more days to carefully sewing and enduring a few more pinpricks, you finally finished the Halloween costumes. On Halloween day, Yelena arrived early to play with Nikolai before the three of you got ready for the evening. It was going to be a quick night. Natasha had promised Melina and Alexi that you would stop at their place before heading to the compound for Tony’s annual team Halloween party. There would be enough time for everyone to dote on your son and maybe even sneak some candy for your secret chocolate stash that Nat pretends not to know about.

Nikolai was all set and looked adorable in Max’s vibrant tie-dye shirt, splashed with shades of purple, green, and red. The soft baby sweatpants added to his cozy ensemble, and to top it all off, he sported a pair of baby Nike Air sneakers.

Yelena called from the bedroom, “Okay, I am ready for my grand entrance.” 

“Enter away,” Natasha yelled as you both sat cross-legged on the floor while Nik played on his Activity Play Mat. 

Yelena made a vibrant entrance into the room, embodying the enchanting spirit of Sara Sanderson. Her stunning blend of pink and purple gown hugged her figure with a corset-style top that perfectly showcased her lively and playful energy. She truly stood out as the youngest and most captivating sister—something she delights in, reminding everyone after your deep dive into Hocus Pocus. A luxurious purple cloak draped elegantly over her shoulders while her long, flowing blonde hair tumbled down her back in soft waves. The finishing touch? A striking dark nude lipstick that added an alluring flair to her already magical look.

“Wow, you look fantastic, sestra!” Nat exclaimed.

Yelena shot back with a playful smirk, “I know, right? You outdid yourself, Y/N!”

You felt your cheeks heat, a mix of pride and a bit of shyness as you tried to brush off the compliment.

“Your turn, you two,” Yelena said. “I’ll wait here with the man of the house.”

You and Natasha scampered off to change into your costumes. Meanwhile, Yelena sat down next to Nikolai.

Yelena leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Let’s play along and rave about their costumes, but deep down, we both know mine’s the showstopper, right, little Nik?” 

Your baby boy gurgled happily, his laughter bubbling over like a secret only they shared. in response. 

"That's what I thought," she replied with a knowing smile.

 “Okay, we’re ready!” Natasha called out a few minutes later, her voice echoing through the hall.

Yelena responded with equal enthusiasm, “So are we!”

Natasha was the first to enter the room, embodying Winnie's character. She wore a striking green-and-purple dress that flowed elegantly around her, the colors vivid and eye-catching. The matching cape billowed as she moved. The Hocus Pocus Spell Book was clutched in her hands, its worn cover hinting at countless magical secrets. She styled her red hair perfectly, teased it high, and held it in place with impressive hairspray, creating a dramatic silhouette. Excess blush on her cheeks gave her an almost doll-like appearance, while bright red lipstick completed the look, making her smile pop against her fair complexion.

You followed closely behind as Mary, capturing the quirky spirit of the middle sister. Your outfit boasted a fabulous, mismatched patterned dress that swirled with a rainbow of fabrics and colors. Atop your head sat the iconic hairdo, resembling a strangely shaped ice cream cone. A deep red cloak cascaded over your ensemble, adding an air of mystery. Eerie accessories—like dangling charms and spooky jewelry—clattered softly with every step. Your dark eye makeup dramatically framed your eyes, enhancing the playful spookiness of your costume. Your bright red lips completed the transformation, making you feel utterly enchanting.

“Wow, you two look incredible!” Yelena burst out. “Don’t you think so, Nikolai?” Yelena said, looking down at the baby.

Your son erupted into gleeful laughter, his eyes sparkling with delight as if he genuinely grasped every word his aunt had shared. 

"I couldn't agree more!" Yelena chimed in, giving your son a playful wink that made him giggle even harder.

After a whirlwind of Halloween family photos, everyone piled into the car for the drive to Melina and Alexi’s house.

“Are you ready to see your babushka and dedushka, Nik?” Natasha asked, her eyes sparkling in the rearview mirror as she glanced back at your son’s eager face peeking from his reverse car seat.

“Mama’s right, buddy,” said Yelena with a playful smile. “Get ready for a mountain of cheek-squeezing and an avalanche of snuggles and kisses. They can’t wait to spoil you!”

“Have your parents ever celebrated Halloween?” you asked, tilting your head curiously at Natasha.

She let out a long sigh. “Well, there was that one year back in Ohio when they got creative and turned every room in our house into a different trick-or-treat stop. They didn't want the neighbors to see us, so it was like a private haunted tour.”

“So, basically, the answer is no,” Yelena quipped, her expression as deadpan as ever.

Sometimes, it's easy to forget the weight of Natasha and Yelena’s past. Their childhood was an elaborate illusion, where genuine memories were just a flickering mirage. You couldn’t wait to create new memories with your son. Each moment was a chance to build something real and joyful that could help your wife heal her inner child, too.

*^~^*

As you parked the car in front of Alexi and Melina's home, an impressive display of Halloween decorations immediately caught your eye. Towering above the porch were two enormous inflatables—one was a bright orange pumpkin, its mischievous grin glowing against the dusk, and the other a ghost, swaying gently in the evening breeze, its expression delightfully eerie. 

The porch was draped with thick, wispy cobwebs that shimmered in the fading light, creating an elaborate, spooky atmosphere. Jack-o'-lanterns flickered with candlelight, casting playful shadows that danced on the walls.

“Oh my God,” you murmured, taking in the scene with astonishment.

“Wow,” Nat addedsaid, her eyes sparkling as she tried to draw Nikolai’s attention toward the decorations.

“Sure,” Yelena saidchimed in, her tone an uninterested contrast to the festive surroundings. She was unimpressed but unable to hide a slight smirk as she surveyed the porch.

You rapped your knuckles against the front door, the sound echoing in the quiet evening. Inside, you could hear the faint rustling of movement.

“Who’s there?” Alexi’s voice called through the door, a hint of playfulness lacing his tone.

“It’s us, Dad!” Natasha replied, her voice bright with anticipation. “Open the door!”

A mischievous grin crept across his face as he asked, “What’s the password?”

“For God’s sake,” Yelena exasperated. “It’s not a password, you doofus.”

“Yes, it is! You must request a trick or a treat!” Alexi exclaimed. 

“Oh my God,” Yelena muttered.

“Come on, he's having fun,” you said, playfully nudging your sister-in-law.

“Trick or Treat!” You all said in unison. 

“There it is!” Alexi exclaimed, his voice bubbling with excitement. As the door creaked open, a gust of cool air brushed against him, revealing the striking scene behind it. He stood proudly in a tattered suit, his face painted a ghostly green with jagged scars across his cheeks. Beside him, Melina embodied the essence of Frankenstein's bride, her hair teased into an unkempt frenzy, and her tattered and white gown seemed to flutter like a ghostly veil. Together, they made a captivating, spooky pair.

“There’s my little champion!” Alexi boomed, a wide grin lighting up his face as he knelt to get a closer look at Nikolai. “He’s growing bigger and stronger every day, just like his grandpa!”

“Wow, you two look fantastic!” you said.

“Thank you, so do you three, darling,” Melina replied. “I wasn’t sure about the hair being a bit much, but your father insisted it was the way to go. Now, hand me, my grandson!”

As Natasha gently placed Nikolai in Melina's arms, his expression shifted. When he saw her, his lower lip quivered, and a loud wail escaped him.

“I guess the hair was too much, Mama,” Yelena teased as she patted her mother on the shoulder and strolled past her into the warmth of the house.

“Wow, I’m impressed,” Natasha exclaimed, her eyes sparkling as she examined the candy bowl. “Full-size candy bars? The kids are going to remember this house!” 

Melina chuckled, shaking her head. “Let’s just say your father went overboard at the store. That’s the last time I let him handle the Halloween shopping.”

“But look at the stash!” Alexi declared, brandishing a handful of full-size Reese’s, Kit-Kats, Snickers, and even a king-size bag of M&M’s. “I love America! You’d never find treats like this back in Russia!”

You, Yelena, and Nat took turns answering the door. A parade of enchanting costumes continuously greeted you. Wizards, witches, ghosts, and even a flawlessly dressed Black Widow appeared—though she had no clue that Natasha Romanoff herself, had just handed her a Kit Kat bar.

After snapping some more entertaining family photos to frame and cherish, you bid farewell to Alexi and Melina and made your way to the Avengers' Compound for more Halloween hijinks. 

*^~^*

The compound's exterior was bathed in an eerie orange glow, with cobwebs covering the walls and jack-o'-lanterns lining the walkway. As the elevator doors slid open, you were met by an enveloping darkness—the common area was shrouded in shadows.

“Friday, what’s going on with the lights?” Natasha called out. She held Nikolai snugly against her chest, his head nestled against her shoulder. The silence that followed left her question hanging in the air.

“FRIDAY, vklyuchi chertov svet! (Turn on the fucking lights!) Yelena shouted, her patience wearing thin.

A playful smirk danced across your lips as you teased at your sister-in-law. “Oh, come on, she’s not Russian.”

Yelena shot back, her eyes narrowing, “She’s not even a she!”

Out of nowhere, Clint jumped out, dressed as a mummy. His voice booming, “Boo!” 

The three of you leaped a foot into the air at Clint’s sudden jumpscare. Little Nikolai burst into tears, his tiny hands clutching Nat’s costume desperately. Streams of glistening tears cascaded down his cheeks as he buried his face deep into Mama’s neck, seeking the comfort and safety of her warm embrace.

“What the hell, Clint?” you shouted in disbelief.

With a calm demeanor, Natasha passed little Nik into your arms, “Here, hold our son, Y/N. I have to kill my best friend.” 

Natasha fixed her piercing gaze on Clint, a look she typically reserved for her enemies. “Come here,” she said, her voice low and determined.

“It was just a bit of Halloween fun!” Clint protested, inching backward with a sheepish grin.

Yelena stepped forward beside her sister. “You’re going to regret I didn't kill you the first time, Barton.”

“Uh-oh,” Clint muttered, the realization dawning on him.

Suddenly, the room burst into brilliant light, illuminating the rest of the team. Everyone's eyes were glued to Natasha and Yelena as they sprinted after Clint, who was darting around the furniture in a desperate dance of evasion.

“Why are two Victorian ladies chasing Clint?” Tony asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Dressed in a sleek, high-tech vampire costume.

“What in the world are you talking about, Mr. Stark?” Peter exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief as he fiddled with the bow and arrow on his Kate Bishop costume. “Those are the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus! You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

“Ooooh… right, I don’t know what that is,” Tony admitted with a sheepish grin, his vampire fangs showing.

“Come on! It's a Halloween cult classic from '93!" Kate added as she fumbled to peel off the Spider-Man mask that clung stubbornly to her face. "Seriously, Peter, how on earth do you breathe in that thing?”

“Yeah, well, I was a bit preoccupied with taking over Stark Industries and having sex to catch up on movies,” Tony shot back.

“Ladies!” Steve suddenly shouted, his commanding voice cutting through the chaos. Natasha and Yelena halted as Clint dove behind the super soldier dressed as a patriotic zombie.

Meanwhile, Wanda approached you with a warm smile. The redhead looked fantastic dressed as Lucille Ball. She wrapped her arms around you and gently rubbed small circles on Nik’s back, soothing him as his tears slowly faded. He reached out for the Scarlet Witch, tiny fingers grasping at her.

“You are amazing!” you cheered as Wanda tenderly embraced your son.

Wanda smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “Lots of practice,” she replied, her voice soft and reassuring. 

*^~^*

Colorful cocktails flowed freely, with standout creations like the "Avengers' Punch," a fruity concoction brimming with berries and citrus, and the bold "Hulk's Smash," a vivid green drink that packed a punch. 

The buffet table was a feast for the eyes, adorned with creatively named dishes courtesy of Pepper. Guests indulged in "Iron Man" sliders—juicy mini-burgers topped with zesty sauces—and "Super Soldier" salads, artfully arranged with fresh greens, colorful veggies, and a rainbow of dressings. To satisfy every sweet tooth, the selection of "Gamma-Sized" desserts included towering cupcakes and decadent orange and black sugar cookies.

Cradling Nikolai in your arms, you couldn't help but smile as you watched Thor energetically bob for apples. Each time he emerged from the bucket, his face gleaming with water, an apple clenched between his teeth, Nik erupted into giggles. 

“Nikolai Odison!” Thor exclaimed, his voice booming with warmth as he wiped the drops of water from his face. With a playful grin, he scooped your son into his strong arms; Thor chuckled as he looked down at the little boy. “How’s my little namesake? Not giving your mommies a tough time, are you?” he asked. 

“He's growing so fast,” you admitted, a mix of excitement and disbelief in your voice. “We think he might start crawling any day now.”

“Once that little guy is mobile, you two are done for,” Sam teased, adjusting his Sherlock Holmes cap with a knowing smirk.

“I know, right?” Natasha sighed, a playful grin on her face. “That’s why all of you will take turns babysitting in the future. 

“Anytime, you two,” Bucky said with a playful grin, effortlessly spinning the bowler hat from his Watson costume around his finger like a basketball, its brim catching the light with each smooth rotation.

“Excuse me?” Tony interjected with an exaggerated hand raise. “Hi! I don’t babysit. I’ve got my own little one to keep alive,” he said, gesturing to Morgan.

“Fair point,” Natasha replied in mock seriousness. “But then I guess we should fill Pepper in about some of your party boy dalliances.”

“Ha! She’s fully aware,” Tony shot back, a cheeky grin on his face. “Who do you think had their clothes dry cleaned and called a car for them the next morning?”

“Even for Mardi Gras ’96?” Natasha asked, arching an eyebrow playfully.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Tony said, leaning in as if bracing for the punchline.

“Try me,” Natasha replied, her expression unyielding.

After a moment of silence, Tony relented. “So, what bedtime stories does he like?” 

“Goodnight Moon is reigning supreme right now,” Natasha said, smirking as she lightly tapped Tony’s cheek in appreciation.

*^~^*

As Yelena finished sampling a colorful assortment of candy from Morgan’s overflowing Halloween loot bag, the vibrant wrappers crinkling in her hands, you could sense it was time to head home. Nikolai let out a tiny, adorable yawn, nuzzling his head into the comforting curve of your shoulder.

Fortunately, you had the foresight to pack his cozy pajamas, so you gently changed him, the soft fabric a perfect embrace for his sleepy frame. After completing the task, you exchanged quiet goodbyes with everyone. By the time you and Natasha dropped Yelena off at home, little Nik had already drifted into the sweet world of dreams, his soft breaths a lullaby to the peaceful night.

Once back home, you and Natasha took extra care as you cradled your baby boy. Together, you placed him carefully into his crib, ensuring he was nestled snugly beneath his favorite blanket. With meticulous silence, you both tiptoed out of his room, the faint glow of the nightlight casting a warm, soothing light as you closed the door softly behind you.

You both removed your costumes, the vibrant colors replaced by cozy pajamas as you settled down for the night.

“So, what do you think of Nikolai’s first Halloween?” Natasha asked, snuggling up next to you in bed.

“It was magical,” you replied, a contented smile spreading across your face. 

“I agree,” Natasha nodded eagerly. “Those photos will be the cutest addition to his baby book.”

With a playful sigh, you added, “The only thing I regretted was not bringing any candy home.” 

Natasha raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin playing on her lips. “Oh, you mean for that secret stash hidden in the lettuce crisper?”

You smirked back at her, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

Natasha raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re not interested in any of this chocolate I brought home?” She held up a tempting selection: a Hershey Bar, a pack of Reese’s, a bag of M&M’s, and a Kit Kat, all glistening with sugary allure from beside the bed.

Your eyes sparkled with excitement at the sight of the treats. “Oh, I never said that!” you replied, a grin on your face.

“Thought so,” Natasha teased, leaning in closer and pressing a soft kiss against your lips. “Happy Halloween, Y/N.”

“Happy Halloween, Nat,” you returned, a warmth blooming in your chest as you savored the family moment—and the candy.

[mimicofmodes]

I saw a post going around about costube historians analyzing period film costumes for accuracy and it kind of got under my skin, so I'm sitting down and writing ... not exactly a response to it, but a discussion of the topic.

(It would be a direct response except that I don't actually watch costube, because quite frankly I can't watch/listen to people discuss things I already know. And I don't want to be like "they don't do X!" when maybe they really do X and I'm just not aware. But a lot of the complaints hit the same points that have been brought up against fashion historians for reviewing costumes for decades. I would also note that I have looked into specific videos where there were claims of terrible costuber behavior and watched them and found nothing.)

If you're going to analyze a period film's costuming in any way, you should still interact with the historical aspect to some degree. If you want to talk about the use of bold stripes in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, for instance, and you don't mention that they were in style during the period the film appears to be set in, it's kind of weird.

Likewise, yes, if you're critiquing primarily from the angle of historical accuracy, you should also engage to at least some extent with the reasoning behind the inaccuracy. If a reviewer doesn't do so at all, then yes, their review is probably not as good as it could be.

People pointing out an inaccuracy (or many inaccuracies) are not inherently scolding the costume designer. Even if their tone is something other than sweet. Sometimes they are scolding other people involved in the production, like the director who mandated a particular costume, or just a general notion of TPTB. Usually they are divorcing the art from the artist, though, and just reviewing the costuming from their particular viewpoint and knowledge base for a likeminded audience.

Sometimes, yes, they are complaining directly about the costume designer. This is not a crime. Some costume designers (for instance, Sandy Powell) have an incredible grasp on fashion history and excellent taste when it comes to diverging from it. Others simply don't have as in-depth of an understanding and make design decisions sometimes based on stereotypes and myths. Some costume designers will explain their decisions in interviews or blog posts and make it clear that they didn't make a truly informed decision about accuracy because they didn't know enough about the period. It's important for both sides of the equation to stop painting the other with too broad of a brush ("ivory-tower elitists who have no idea of a production's needs or budget" vs. "costumers who know how to sew but not how to do historical research").

If you're allowed to complain about a writer or a director or an actor doing something you don't like in a movie, you're also allowed to complain about a costume designer. You're allowed to have aesthetic preferences, and even to talk about them without hedging every five seconds to make it clear that others can disagree, although some of this is beneficial with any critique. Why would it be otherwise?

This seems really obvious to me, but maybe it's not? But "they costumed that female actor in an anachronistically sexy way because sex sells" is a feminist issue. The assumption that women's bodies should be sites of less-clothed allure while men's should attract by being more covered (with more layers than in modern dress, with cravats, etc.) is sexist. Complaints about female characters being costumed inaccurately are often being made along these lines, and pointing out that the producers insisted on it or something does not mean it's suddenly unproblematic that every female character deemed fuckable has to have low necklines at all times and modern shiny hair.

It's true that fiction isn't non-fiction and shouldn't be taken that way, but it's also demonstrably true that viewers do take cliches in film aesthetics as accurate when they see them enough times. People cite Scarlett O'Hara's 18" waist. They believe there were no bright colors before the 1920s and that women couldn't have put their hair up unless they were wealthy. These beliefs have consequences when it comes to public perceptions of history, and if films perpetuate them it's perfectly reasonable to point out that they support ideas about e.g. gender roles that trads express today.

It's also simply funny when a film's hair or costuming or makeup is supposed to evoke a lack of artifice but actually requires quite a bit of artifice because people don't naturally have perfect hair and skin and so on.

If you don't like reviews of period films that focus on the accuracy of the costuming, maybe ... don't watch/read reviews by fashion historians and historical costumers? At least unless they're vetted for you by someone who doesn't mind that?