Dum Dum Diddle

 Why hello everyone.  It's certainly been a while since I posted on here, and well, I haven't really been super productive as of late, which is why I haven't had anything to post.  Thankfully I finally have something new to share, which is my next ABBA outfit recreation: the flightsuits!

Today, I decided I was finally going to work on sewing after months of wanting to, but never having the motivation/things getting in the way.  Unfortunately I had some eye related issues, and for a while I couldn't see properly out of one of my eyes, but thankfully most of that is gone now.  Not resolved, but it's getting better and thank G-d I can see properly again!

 Anyways, I've been planning on making these outfits for quite a while - more like immediately after I finished making the kimonos, I wanted to get to work immediately on the flightsuits.  I gathered all the reference photos I needed, came up with patterns for it in my head, all I needed to do was actually sew it, which, as you know by now, didn't end up happening until today.  I started working on Agnetha's first, because, well, it seems the easiest out of all of them.  I got her entire outfit done today, only taking a few hours of work, and I am really happy with how it turned out!

However, before we take a look at my newest creation, let's take a quick look at what the 8-years-ago version of myself made. 

 

This was my very first attempt at Agnetha's flightsuit.  At the time I made this, I was not good at sewing at all, haha, and as you can see, there were some fit issues.  I had just been given a set of fabric markers (which I still use today!) and I thought, why not use it to add all the stripes and stuff on Agnetha's outfit!  For some reason, I thought she only had one stripe on her sleeve, and that she had matching pockets on the front with a single orange stripe going across the tops of each.  That is not how Agnetha's actual flightsuit looks at all, lol.  I didn't know there was an elastic waistband on her flightsuit, so I didn't add that.  And then there is the fit issue, where the outfit turned out too tight, so I just added a piece of fabric underneath that made it look like she's wearing a T-shirt underneath the outfit, which she did do a few times in real life, just it wasn't stuck to the flightsuit, lol.  Also there are no buttons on this outfit.  It's just a one-piece jumpsuit.

Fast forward to the present, and here is my new and improved flightsuit!

Tada!  I know the sleeves look uneven in this picture, but it's actually because I forgot to center the flightsuit before taking pictures, so that's why.  This just looks so much better compared to my original, and I love how it fits so much better. I even got the bell bottom pants (I know they don't luck that flared out or large, but they are okay?  Okay.  Haha.)  The outfit has working buttons - mini buttons with hand sewn button holes as well. 

All the orange pieces were sewn on and look so much better than the drawn on ones I did, haha.

As you can see, her front pockets are not matching, and the one with the orange stripe on has the stripe on the corner.  For her other pocket, she's supposed to have a little zipper, but I do not have a teeny-tiny zipper, so I just sewed around it with silver thread and hoped for the best.  I think it looks pretty good, and both pockets are functional, even though I don't have anything small enough to store in there, haha.

A better look at the elastic waistband that goes all the way around too. :)

The pockets on the trousers are functional as well.  I can actually store small things in it if I wanted to, haha.

And a better look at the sleeves.  There are stripes on both sleeves this time, don't worry.

I am honestly so pleased with how this turned out.  It really looks like the real outfit, and I am so amazed at how much I have progressed over the years, and it is so cool looking back at my original version of the outfit and comparing it to now.  I hope I can make the other three members' outfits soon.  Maybe tomorrow if I have time I'll start on Frida's?  I don't know, haha, but I hope to at least make them soon!!