Your costume projects

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Shanazel

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I get Threads Magazine on a regular basis, and have found a lot of interesting and helpful information about handling specialty fabrics there. There was an article about building bras into dresses a while back that was also helpful for costumers. One of the things I located was a source for powernet. Haven't ordered from the company yet, but plan to do so this week. I like the under the breasts and over the shoulders type of leotards for wearing under costumes, and while SugarPetals is wonderful, those little leotards of powernet are so expensive- and so simple, two pieces- that I have decided to see about making my own. Two side seams, one seam at the crotch, serge the raw edges- voila. I'll let you know how it goes. Anyone made anything of powernet? Any tips?
 

Azeeza

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OMG, OMG, OMG! Must abandon sleeves!!! Found out about upcoming performance! Have to work on another costume!!

Azeeza

PS Is this a new frentic thread???
 

gwinity

New member
I've just been told about an upcoming performance (my first) so I'm thinking about the costume we're to come up with. Bear in mind, I've never made a costume in my life, and straight lines on a sewing maching are not my friend.

The costume is to be really simple: a double circle skirt and either a choli or gypsy wrap-style top. What would be the best (satiny, shinyish, easy to sew) fabric for them?

(And I understand the theory behind making a plain circle skirt - how do you make a double one?!)
 
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Babylonia

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Shanazel, I also get Threads so I'll have to see if I have the article you're speaking of. I too have thought about making something with powernet. I have some leotards that I was thinking about cutting in half and adding powernet to the middle. Unfortunately I've never worked with it either so I can't give advice. Do you own a serger? They can help when sewing with knits.
Good luck and happy sewing:)
 

da Sage

New member
I've just been told about an upcoming performance (my first) so I'm thinking about the costume we're to come up with. Bear in mind, I've never made a costume in my life, and straight lines on a sewing maching are not my friend.

The costume is to be really simple: a double circle skirt and either a choli or gypsy wrap-style top. What would be the best (satiny, shinyish, easy to sew) fabric for them?

(And I understand the theory behind making a plain circle skirt - how do you make a double one?!)

A single circle skirt is one circle with one hole the size of your waist.

A double circle skirt is two circles, each with a hole in the middle (this hole's diameter should be at least half the diameter of your waist, plus 2 seam allowances). Cut one slit in each circle, from middle hole to outside hem. Now stack the two circles on top of each other, right side to right side. Next, sew the two circles to each other at the slit. There will be two seams, each a straight line, one on either side of the slit. Don't sew the circle to itself, sew it to the other circle.:)

When you open this up "flat" after sewing, you will get a big wrinkly doughnut. It won't really go flat, unless you fold it in place. The idea is that you can hold your skirt 's sides up above your head, but the hem will still hit the floor at front and back (for modesty).:D

Finally, you have to put a waistband on, and hem the d*^% thing.:eek:

I would probably use one of the metallic blend cottons that are on the market, since I find cotton easy to sew, and satin more difficult. The problem is that cottons are rough, and often have narrow widths.

Check out the upholstery and drapery fabrics....sometime you can find good deals there on wide widths.
 

Mouse

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I've only made one costume so far which was for a troupe peformance, so while I got to personalise the way it was finished as far as beading etc goes, the basic design needed to be the same (or as similar as I could get it) to the dresses the other ladies were wearing. About half way through the beading I had come to the conclusion that I was totally out of my mind and that I would never attempt anything like that ever again, but I think in hind-sight most of that feeling was from the stress that I had a deadline looming fast rather than the beading itself. I've gotten over that now and have lots of projects whirling around in my head...just got to pick one and go for it! (no deadline no worries ;) )
 

Viv

New member
Shanazel, I also get Threads so I'll have to see if I have the article you're speaking of. I too have thought about making something with powernet. I have some leotards that I was thinking about cutting in half and adding powernet to the middle. Unfortunately I've never worked with it either so I can't give advice.

I did that once for my daughter. One of the gals in the troupe made her own powernet stocking from scratch, and swore never again. she had some scraps of the power net she had given to me thinking I could use them for something for the kiddo. I had dyed a leotard for kiddo that shrank a bit in the dying process so she was complaining about it riding up. So I chopped it in half, added in the power net for the middle and it worked fantastic. I used a plain old machine to anchor the powernet, then ran a serged seam once I had the fit where she wanted. Of course I didn't have to worry about making the powernet super snug for her. She was all of 7 at the time and the big concern was making the loetared longer so it fit her more comfortably as well as keeping the top of the leotard from riding up when she raised her arms. Somewhere around here I have a picture that I'll have to dig up.
 

slinks

New member
since reading this thread.... I'm now replacing cups instead of making a whole bra !!! I never even thought it was possable but yesterday I bought a bra to do up, when I got home I got to thinking about this thread and thought "is it possable" so I got the other bra out went snip. snip got the new one and snip, snip put the two together and went wow it works !!! thanks for the idea lol
 

gwinity

New member
da Sage, thank you SO much for all that info! (I've copied and printed it in case the unthinkable happens to this site again). I tried Googling for information about double-circle skirts, but ended up finding nothing, so your post is going to be extremely useful!

A nightmare!
Amulya, are you suggesting it might be an idea to get help? :p
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Hemming a circle skirt requires lots of pressing (pressing, NOT ironing!) and tons of patience, but it is do-able, so don't panic. Make sure to keep the hem very narrow, press it into place and pin to take up the ease, then stitch very slowly. This is not a job you are going to whip out in five minutes. Also, before you hem a circle skirt, let it hang for a week or two and shake it out regularly so that the fabric does all the stretching it is going to do before you hem it. I know, I know, you want to wear it NOW! But skirts cut on the bias stretch, and if you hem it immediately, you are likely to discover that the hem becomes uneven within a few wearings. :(
 

Amulya

Moderator
Also, before you hem a circle skirt, let it hang for a week or two and shake it out regularly so that the fabric does all the stretching it is going to do before you hem it. I know, I know, you want to wear it NOW! But skirts cut on the bias stretch, and if you hem it immediately, you are likely to discover that the hem becomes uneven within a few wearings. :(
\

That is the part I hate, you need help for that and it can go wrong.
 

gwinity

New member
This is not a job you are going to whip out in five minutes.
Drat. :p It sounds like it's going to be a lot of work, but it should be worth it. :) Thanks so much for all the advice.
 

Shanazel

Moderator
It is rather a lot of work, but none of it is terribly difficult, especially if you have any sewing background at all. I tend to be impatient myself, but once I get into the Zen of the project, I am happy to see it fall into place under my fingers. If you don't have much experience, start out with a skirt made of good rayon or at least something less slippery and finicky than chiffon or silk. If you don't want to wear the plainer skirt for a stage costume, you can use it for practice or even street wear, given the proper fabric and length.

The other thing I might mention about working with fabric cut on the bias is to be careful not to stretch it out of shape as you stitch. Use a light hand and a foot pressure that doesn't drag at the fabric. I do pretty good on skirts, but fail miserably on the necklines of knit tops. I am working on it, but so far have not achieved anything like a perfect choli for teaching attire.:eek:
 

gwinity

New member
It's a good idea to make a practice one - I'll definitely do that. I'm not much of a sewer, however, (I don't have the patience for straight lines!) so it looks like I may (reluctantly) enlist the help of my MiL, at least for the performance skirt.

I really, really appreciate all the help and advice! :)
 

Suhad

New member
I got a deep emerald green panne velvet halter dress with a slit up the left leg at the thrift store for $2.50 -- I'm making beaded/sequined appliques of fall leaves to put on it along with "branches" to connect the leaves and I also bought small maple leaf-shaped sequins to sew on; I'm getting swarovski crystals that appear green but change to amber and copper depending on the light to sew on as well.

I'm planning to do an asymmetrical pattern across one breast and down to the opposite hip with the leaves swirling around to the other hip and down the line of the slit. I originally was going to put in some cutouts but I'm too chicken to cut up the dress and possibly screw it up so a "conservative" costume it will be.

My present dilemma (sp?) is how to put a hard cup halter bra into the dress without having to place a zipper in the back; do you guys think an elastic band with hooks instead of the bra sides might work? I was thinking of leaving a band of velvet fabric across the back with the elastic sewn into (except I would still have to hook it to wear it) and a U shaped cutout down to my waist would work?
 

Shanazel

Moderator
Can you use one of those convertable bras that form a halter bra with the supporting bands that wrap around your waist? I've never tried one myself, but have seen them in catalogs. You could also try the trick we used to use with leotards- sew in a couple of loops like belt loops into the inside of the back of the dress and slid the back of the bra through them so the dress holds the bra into place.

I'm not a fan of halter styles- they hurt my neck, and I read on the old forum about a dancer who got a slipped disc from years of wearing a halter style bra. They look nice, though, and maybe work well if the bra is well constructed and the load the cups carry is not overwhelming.
 
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gwinity

New member
I bought the fabric for the double-circle skirt and top on the weekend - a dark-green-almost-black, lightweight satin. And my mother-in-law has been volunteered to help.

We made a mock-up skirt in a lightweight crepe, and it's hanging to get the hemline right, but I have a question about the hemline in a double circle skirt: is it meant to be one even curve all the way around, or is it meant to be "loopy", with the curve from each half-circle longer than the seams?

I'm looking at modifying a choli pattern to make the top, as I want it fitted with full coverage, and the fabric is non-stretch. What are opinions on leaving the seams open under the arms for movement?

(I also found some awesome red sueded/embossed snake-print fabric that I think would make a funky bra/belt/bedlah, but I'm waiting until the skirt and top are made first before I get too ambitious!! )
 

Mouse

New member
I have just bought a copy of Skirting The Issues (Dawn Devine Brown) so no prizes for guessing what my next project will be :D
 
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