The Sewing Place

tutu plate

Thecostumelady

tutu plate
« on: July 29, 2018, 17:19:05 PM »
i've just been admiring the lovely tutu that Yellowfeather has just posted. (Fun with fabric - Lace to Overlay). The lace looks gorgeous on it and the plate looks like it grew there it is so - right!!  Putting this sort of net and lace plate on a tutu still fills me with fear, even after many years of making.  I manage it, usually, so that it looks 'okay' but I am never totally happy with the result.  I always pleat my skirts but obviously the lace has to be put on a flat circle of net and I can never get it totally flat. It always wants to go wavy at the outer edge and I get very frustrated with it.  Anybody give me any help?? - please??
Ann x

Yellowfeather

Re: tutu plate
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2018, 10:43:46 AM »
Ann, I make the plate in a circle and cut out the waist hole (slightly larger than the measurement) in the centre. Then I cut it in half at the sides, and lay it on the tutu, pin down the centre of the sides which will overlap a little or a lot depending on how pancaked the tutu is, and sew together along the pin line, then just trim the excess away.  I hope that makes sense?  I am not sure if there is a better way to do it, but it works for me.

eclectic

Re: tutu plate
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2018, 10:54:02 AM »
Hi Ann, if you have cut your plate in a circle then that would mean in order for it to lay perfectly flat it would have to sit at a 90 degree angle to the body … your tutus are most likely not at this angle which means you need to adjust the plate to sit at the same angle as the tutu... basically with a dart (obviously you don't put a dart in but rather cut the excess fabric and sew) this stitch line can be hidden by the appliques or in the folds etc.  The best way of course would be to fit it on the actual dancer thereby getting the correct position, or otherwise on the dummy after tacking, you can place the plate and close out the 'dart'. I find that changing the centre hole of the plate to more of an oval as apposed to a circle to suit the dancers body shape gives a better fit. hope that helps. I agree with you I love the tutu by @Yellowfeather   

Thecostumelady

Re: tutu plate
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2018, 08:23:05 AM »
Thank you Yellowfeather and Eclectic for your help.....  Talk about stating the flipping' obvious!!  Why didn't I see that?? If the problem had been with the bodice, then the first thing I would have thought would be to shape it with some sort of dart but because its a skirt problem it never entered my head!! Really happy now and can't wait to try it out.

Just another point, while I have your attention 8)...Overlaying on the bodice.  My method on this kind of embroidered tulle is to roughly cut out the individual motifs, sort out where they look best and then appliqué by hand with a small running stitch near as possible to the outside edge (tried free machining with the feed dogs down but my technique leaves a lot to be desired), then trimming off the background tulle.  Thats okay, but its then basically just motifs stitched all over.  I sometimes think it would be nice to retain the background tulle but of course then I would lose the bodice stretch.  Any thoughts on that?  Anyway, many thanks for your help.  I love this forum and get very excited when I learn a new technique.
Ann x

eclectic

Re: tutu plate
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2018, 10:43:01 AM »
On a stretch bodice I admit I too don't use my machine, I usually hand stitch using a zig zagy effect. If I wanted the tulle effect to remain then I would use a stretch mesh under the applique .. ;)

Yellowfeather

Re: tutu plate
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2018, 18:52:03 PM »
I don't use my machine either!  I put the appliques on once everything else is done and fitted, so no-way would it fit even if I wanted it too!!!!  I usually glue the appliques on first, then hand sew them, the glue just stops them moving about, as they can be a little tricksy with just pins.  I usually cut away the tulle, but if you really want to keep the background tulle, then maybe as long as there is enough splits in it, it wouldn't stop the stretch too much.  The bodice of the tutu picture I posted was totally covered in non-stretch lace, but because it was all small pieces, the stretch was still good.

Lollipop

Re: tutu plate
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2018, 18:52:40 PM »
I also stitch on by hand on both stretch and structured. If I need to cut away the tulle backing I use a hot stencil cutter which smells a bit but is so fast. The burning also helps to 'seal' the edges - although it won't stop beads and sequins from coming off if they have been sewn on in a block without knotting or with a continuous thread. It's easy to leave some backing or to separate it but leave it on to allow stretch.

I always struggle with the plate too Ann but now I know what to do!!
Was Sewnanny