The Sewing Place

costumes costumes everywhere!!

Yellowfeather

costumes costumes everywhere!!
« on: April 12, 2018, 12:46:15 PM »
I have been asked to make costumes for one of our local dance schools again this year, so far I think it is approx 80, not sure about the boys costumes yet.  There is four group dances, so four different costumes.  It has taken ages to sort out the fabrics and colours, only for the courier to loose one of my parcels containing 3 rolls of fabric! (how is that even possible, it must be huge!).  Fabric company is replacing the lost fabric, so hopefully that should be here today/tomorrow.

I have cut out two costumes, one each from two of the groups, as I do like to make sure the dance teacher is happy before I cut all of them, been caught out with that before!  It also allows any possible costume malfunctions to hopefully come to light before they are an issue.   I am hoping to get one of the girls around to try them on, maybe with the dance teacher present, so any alterations can be decided on, otherwise I am expected to fit/discuss during a dance class, which is near on impossible!!

I have to make a HUGE skirt for one of the girls, which will pull out from underneath a tutu, as she walks towards the back of the stage, to form a very large triangle from her to the stage front corners.  The dance teacher has bought habutae fabric which is lovely and thin, but not sure how I am going to achieve what she is looking for, so any suggestions gratefully received.

Fingers crossed the rest of the fabric turns up, and dance teacher is happy with the costumes so far!

Roger

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2018, 16:27:47 PM »
Probably start by working out the triangle dimensions. But it sounds like she may well end up with at least a bumbag stuffed with material at worst a bustle....

It mostly depends on the space to cover.

I don’t know the choreography, but I’m imagining 2 dancers grab a corner and move towards the front while apex dancer moves to the back. I think i would fasten a soft rope loop to the front corners to provide something to hold onto with a distinctive feel.

I think I would experiment with rolling the fabric into a tube so the corners with rope stick out and Velcro or press stud a wrap around for it so that its easy open. I’d also consider putting it on a separate belt as it might feel quite bulky, and can be removed or swapped between dancers at a push.

Not sure if th description makes sense tho.
A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Catllar

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2018, 13:06:42 PM »
That sounds challenging - rather you than me.

I am not at all jealous that you seem to have a costume budget, no, not at all :x

Be interested to hear how you deal with the triangle, but Rodger's comment sound feasible !
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Yellowfeather

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2018, 20:19:00 PM »
Sewing budget!!!  Ha ha :D :D, the dance school wanted a budget of £10 per costume!!!!!  Bearing in mind that one group of costumes is a full length unitard with a cape, one is a leotard with a circle skirt, one is another unitard with a practice type tutu to pull on over the unitard, and one is a long sleeved with stretch lace and separate skirt.  So I just completely ignored the budget and told them what the costumes would cost, and let them decide if they wanted to go ahead or not.
I am reasonable, I find the fabric with the best price I can, and I only charge a pathetic amount per costume, so they get them for a good price.  I figure that if they could buy them ready made, why ask me, and as they cant, then I get some say in how much they cost.
I might be regretting that in the next couple of months, when I am tearing my hair out to get it all done.
Thank you Roger for your suggestions, that is kind of what I was thinking of, just not sure how it is going to work without being too bulky around the girls body, as the dimensions are quite large, so it will take approx 40 mtrs of fabric.  I think it will have to taper from the corners to the waist, as otherwise ..... Poor girl with 40 metres of fabric to carry around!!!!!



Roger

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2018, 21:53:53 PM »
40 metres! You’re going to need something really light, maybe a parachute silk or similar?

How wide and how long is the triangle? Could you look at bustle skirt that could provide the Triangle?

Hope the Apex dancer is feeling tough!

A bit of a vintage sewing machine nut! Singers: 500a, 401g, 48k Elnas: lotus SP & grasshopper, Bernina 530-2 F+R 504, Pfaff 30, Cresta T-132

Catllar

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2018, 20:52:28 PM »
Going to have to make sure the point is well attached to the base too.  Oh the £10 costume - wonderful. What planet are these people living on? Do they come from a  special breed?
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Yellowfeather

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #6 on: April 17, 2018, 05:41:22 AM »
Are we sharing the same dance teacher C????  :\ :\

Yellowfeather

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2018, 05:43:16 AM »
These costumes are turning into a major headache!  One of the Dance teachers changed her mind about the leg length on the unitards from 3/4 length to full length with stirrups!!  Fortunately, I am paranoid about legs being too short, and always add extra, so fingers crossed it is enough to at least be ankle length.
My fabric supplier has run out of one of the fabrics, so will have to try and find a good match from some where.  This is after getting quite a bit of the order wrong in the first place, and one parcel of three rolls of fabric going missing with the courier!
And just to top it all, my overlocker died on me yesterday :( :(.  On the up side, it is a good excuse to upgrade to a better machine, so I have been looking at the Juki.  Just need to find out what kind of presser feet fit, as very unhelpfully the website doesn't say.
Anyone else use Juki, and have any idea about the feet????

b15erk

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2018, 08:57:53 AM »
YF, I think Lolli has just bought a Juki O/L, and she was asking for information about suppliers of feet for them.  I think she may have gone to Sewing Machine Steve, but I could be mistaken...

Try dropping her a PM.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Twan

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2018, 13:01:06 PM »
Oh no! Overlocked dying on you is the worst! Brother 900-1000 series are pretty amazing but I’ve not used a Juki before. Hope you’ll get a new one soon.

Yellowfeather

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2018, 21:00:35 PM »
Thanks for the help, went for the Juki in the end, I use Juki at work, and they are a lovely machine.  It arrived today.  I have used it a little bit and all seems good.  It hasn't eaten the lycra, or skipped stitches etc, so I am pleased so far.  Just need to try applying elastic now, see how it copes with that, fingers crossed.  Didnt get much in the way of costumes for the show done though, as had a last minute "I forgot to order" couple of leotards to make!!  ><

Alangus

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #11 on: May 16, 2018, 15:31:27 PM »
Hi Yellowfeather,
I love like the sound of the giant skirt. If it is a triangle it is a bit like a huge train so maybe could be hooked up behind.

If it can go under the tutu can you make a tutu with not many layers, held up by a hoop so that the fabric and hide under it, or a romantic tutu?

You can buy very strong neodine magnets to use as closures, if you are worried about velcro.

I have just been experimenting with making smaller transforming skirts and one thing I noticed is that if they are rolled up into shape they are harder to release, that had to be folded a bit like a concertina. I also thought about using a pulley mechanism a bit like a roman blind, if you could do something like that maybe you could make the fabric look like a shorter skirt that then magically flows into a longer skirt.

I designed fabrics for a project where a lady recreated transformable victorian cycling skirts - one of them worked on this pulley mechanism - maybe there is something useful in that for your project - there is a video of it at the bottom of this page
Bikes and Bloomers

Looking forward to hearing how it goes,

Yellowfeather

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2018, 08:33:53 AM »
I finally got to talk to the ballet teacher, and the message about the skirt had got slightly warped in passing along.  It turns out that the girl wearing the skirt is kneeling at the front of the stage to start, then gets up and walks towards the back, with the skirt pulling out as she walks.  So no complicated sewing required!!  Just a very large amount of cutting, 4 widths of fabric each 6 metres long!!  Good job we have large cutting table at work.

I have come to the conclusion that I am not making large groups of costumes for this dance school again though.  They have messed me about over the costumes, changing their minds and insisting on buying the cheapest nastiest fabric, totally unsuitable for purpose. 
The final straw has been asking if I can return the 35 metres of fabric that I ordered to make skirts, as they have seen them 'on sale' in a catalogue.  Ok, I said, fortunately the company I ordered from will accept returns, but will charge a restocking fee.  That's fine, said the dance school, we will pay. 
So I phoned the fabric supplier to arrange the return.  Then I get an email from the dance school ..  Oh, we have just realised that they will have to come from America, so will get charged import duty and shipping etc, can you tell us the cost for you to make the skirt?, oh and the leotard to go underneath???  :angry: :angry:  My response, (after spending a day cooling off) was, I have already arranged to return the fabric, and no I do not have the time to make them now, as I have agreed to other work. 
So, never again.  Please remind me next year when they come asking again!!!!


eclectic

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2018, 10:48:00 AM »
how frustrating yellowfeather!! you could of course charge them double the price next year when they ask you again 0_0

SkoutSews

Re: costumes costumes everywhere!!
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2018, 22:06:58 PM »
Some people have no idea. Just none.