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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

2003 costume projects

Discussion in 'Costuming and Props' started by Nostradamus, Dec 31, 2002.

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  1. JainaMSolo

    JainaMSolo Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2001
    Spacelady, when recreating a costume, if you want to use a commercial pattern, you will almost always have to alter it if you want it to be accurate.
     
  2. kellilla

    kellilla Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2002
    Yeah, I'm using a dress pattern for part of it, and making my own pattern for every thing else. But I'm not really comfortable with someone else making my dress. I never expected anybody would want to :]
     
  3. Jedi Girl of Corellia

    Jedi Girl of Corellia Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 23, 2000
    You know what... I think for practice I am going to start drafting patterns for people. They'll be halfscale size twelves, but you can always enlarge them :)

    I just want to practice my major. So if anyone wants me to draft a pattern I need some good pictures of what you want! :)

    And you can email me at empress_thalia@hotmail.com. Just don't send the pictures there I'll give you a better e-mail for that.
     
  4. queenseamstress

    queenseamstress TFN Costumes Staff star 3 VIP

    Registered:
    Jan 30, 2002
    Hello all!!!
    Counting down the days 'til Return Of The King!!! ;)
    The dancing we did Saturday turned out really well. We were dancing at belly dance themed private party. The sword dance/duet turned out extremely well. There is one move called a "floor backbend" in belly dance...that I had a lot of trouble with in practices. Basically, you are on your knees on the floor-but you are not sitting on your legs-you are upright with your calves and feet behind you. You clench up your behind and abs really tight, and lower your entire body back almost to the floor slowly...you don't just fall back. (lol) Oh-with no hands...and then pull yourself back up with no hands-and in this instance, we had swords balanced on our heads. We both nailed it...and got a really nice response from the audience! YAY!
    It was exhilarating.
    I am back to sewing...I have two dance tops to make this week...one purple cotton, and one turquoise cotton with metallic lurex woven through it. They are pretty simple to make...I feel like an assembly line I have made so many....but, the style fits well on all shapes and sizes, and they serve their purpose, and the dancers like them-so I imagine I will be making them for some time.
    I am starting to get some orders lined up for after the holidays...some ren garb, a viking tunic...and I really need to get our SW costumes for CIII in motion soon.
    QS


     
  5. katha

    katha Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 30, 2002
    This is an odd project but hopefully someone can help me. I'm getting married soon and my fiance and I really like this picture by Edmund Blair Leighton

    [image=http://www.starfighters.com/katha/godspeed.jpg]
    Godspeed or A Lady's Favor

    Anyway, I want to make him the scarf being tied on the knight's arm for a special gift. Does anyone have an idea how I can do this.. All I can see is that there is a fringe on each end and that the scarf is solid except at the ends where there appears to be an elaborate design.
     
  6. surlygirlie

    surlygirlie Manager Emeritus star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 1, 2000
    Katha, I'd make it out of red velvet and just design a really pretty embroidery pattern for it, and stitch it in a golden color. Wouldn't be too terribly difficult... great idea for a gift, by the way.
    :)


    -sg
     
  7. spacelady

    spacelady Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 16, 2003
    Rvqavalon what about the Pale green dress that arwen wear, do you think you could help me with that? :)
     
  8. rvqavalon

    rvqavalon Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2002
    Spacelady, your best bet is to visit AlleyCat Scratch's LOTR Costume research. They're an indispensable resource, and half the fun of making a costume is doing the research! If you go to "characters" and then "Arwen," you can find an index of all her gowns, and tips for making them on the "Making 'Em" pages.
     
  9. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    So far I have struck out at at least 4 fabric stores looking for the perfect shade of cranberry velour or velvet.

    HOWEVER, I did find a 90% + accurate metallic gold braid that I will use for the edging of the 1/4 ovals at the bottom front opening of the Queen Amidala EP I Senate costume coat. It was $6 per yard and I need to double it to get the desired look....so I bought 4 yards. Yes. This is going to be a very expensive project. This time I am going to keep all my receipts.........I am sure I will be frightened by the time it is completed.

    I also found the last two remnant bits of the fabric I saw earlier this year which I thought might work for the EP II wedding dress. I bought those and they are in the washer right now.

    Between those two projects, I will have quite a bit of hand work to keep me busy for months.

    Back to fur hats...........and a Jedi costume........
     
  10. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    11 more fur hats are nearly done now---all I need to do is hand-sewing all of the linings in. That will keep me busy for a few days commuting to & from work.
     
  11. BellaSabrina

    BellaSabrina Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2002
    So far, no dice on cranberry velvet. I'm going to go to the fabric shops in NYC in the fashion district and to Canal Street...hopefully I'll have some luck. If not, I'll be dyeing. Blech.
     
  12. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    Cranberry velvet or velour:

    Each one of the probably 5 or 6 different shades of 'reds' I saw for sale in stores right now were not the correct shade. One had too much orange, one had too much blue........several were way too dark. One was more like a Santa red.
    Is red 'out' this year as far as velvets and velours go?

    It will be as difficult to dye a fabric to the exact shade of red / cranberry as it will be to find one already done.

    I will have to search in the other fabric stores. There are at least 5 more in various parts of the city that are "possibles"


    4 more of my fur hats are done.......
     
  13. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    I'm going to a 70's party tonight, and since I don't have any 70's clothing or felt like doing some shopping, I've actually come up with an instant-Leia. I've simply taken a white turtleneck and put two pillowcases as a hood, and then I will wear a white skirt to it. The most important thing is I think that I've managed to do some decent headbuns too. :D
     
  14. StormtrooperPrincess

    StormtrooperPrincess Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 10, 2002
    You must take pictures, of course! :)
     
  15. BellaSabrina

    BellaSabrina Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2002
    Everything I've found is either red or purple.
     
  16. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    My camera died before I got to the party. :( I'll take some photos of the costume when I can get it fixed.
     
  17. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    All fur hats are done. I finished them the week before last. They will be holiday gifts.

    I am still striking out with any cranberry velour or velvet. There are still a few more places I can check.
    BTW---the exact color/shade I am searching for needs to be an exact match to the "WINE" color of "LION BRAND YARN" chenille yarn sold at both Hancock Fabrics and Joanne Fabrics. I would need about 4-5 yards to be on the safe side. I would prefer it in washable stretch velour.
    If any one has a lead on this in the exact matching color---please let me know.

    I haven't sewn anything in the past couple weeks. I have been volunteering (in costume) at a local theater the past two weeks. On Friday, I volunteered (in costume) at a theater that is connected to a costume mega-warehouse! They have over 70,000 (?) costumes in stock that they rent out to theaters and schools all over the country! They also rent out to individuals. The place is called All Dressed Up in Batavia, IL.
    I was completely in costume awe! I haven't seen as many costumes in any one place since Disney World's costume warehouse!
    Now I won't feel as if I have way too many costumes in my house. All dressed Up has high ceilings with costumes haning double high on two floors of a warehouse.
    They have tons of accessories!
    The First Street Theater is connected to the costume warehouse. It is a great set-up.


    I have bearily even slept--much less done any sewing the past couple weeks---but I am getting the 2004 Costume projects thread ready to post. :)

    IF I have any time to do any machine sewing in the near future---my first immediate project will be altering some Jedi robes and tunics.

    I will have off on Christmas Day & New Year's Day (provided I wake up) (There are two performances + a party on New Year's Eve!). I am working at my job on both Christmas & New Year's Eves.
    If I have any opportunity to do and hand sewing in the car, it might be on parts of a headpiece.





     
  18. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    I just spent about a day beginning to bead the EP II wedding dress headpiece. I must have sewn on several hundred 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, & 6mm ivory-colored craft pearls onto (so far) 9 different pieces of vintage lace. It is really starting to get a great texture.

    Today I shopped 4 different fabric places (in Wisconsin) looking for a suitable cranberry-colored velour.

    Unbelievably, no luck there either.

    I did however score on bits and pieces for a Glinda the Good Witch costume.
    I was going to put that one on the back burner for a while, but I scored a big bag full of silver sequinned goodies @ 70% off.

    I also found more than enough 7mm rhinestones for the EP I senate head piece.
     
  19. FenigDurak

    FenigDurak Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 6, 2002
    Denver fabrics is a good place to look for cranberry colored velvet/velour. We have TONS of different colors in different materials. denverfabrics.com or I'd be glad to compare fabrics to a picture for you and send you swatches.
     
  20. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    Argh. I hate having to dye stuff. :(

    I dyed my current construction of the wedding costume headpiec in "ecru" dye, since the 9 different pieces of vintage lace (cotton) that I have sewn together were all different shades of white and natural.
    Now they are all more consistant in color, but they are too 'grey-ish' (it looks a lot like the 3 3/4" action figure's coloring)
    I wanted this to be more ivory (slightly yellow-ish/brown-ish) like the color on the box of dye.
    The whitest piece of lace even turned grey, so it wasn't a matter of dying ove existing color.

    I could use a color remover then try to re-dye it---with a 'tea' dye. But I don't want to do anything too harsh to the fabrics, since it is rather delicate.

    Has anyone had experience with anything like this before?

    Aside from the color, the shape and ornamentation are really looking good. It is making me want to keep working on it.
     
  21. rvqavalon

    rvqavalon Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2002
    I'm a complete dyeing ignoramus, but would it help if you maybe added a tiny bit of yellow or brown (or something warmer like that) to the dye? Or would that do strange things other than counteracting the gray?
     
  22. FERDALUMP

    FERDALUMP Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 12, 2002
    Nos Yeah! You're making the wedding dress :) Hmmmm.... what to suggest :confused: I know the exact look you are going for--that aged ecru, not dirty stained. I have had things turn gray before-and it is a weird color for sure. Did you dye the actual piece you've been beading, or test scraps of the laces? Bridal laces are delicate, and I would shy away from too harsh of chemicals, especially if you are using craft pearls instead of cultured pearls. Sometimes bleach (even in diluted quantites) can "eat" the finer fabrics, and even discolor fabrics. They do make textile soaks, and vintage washes that are used to clean stains and age discloration from vintage garments and laces. They are delicate for fine pieces and won't damage them. You can find them at finer fabric stores, or places that deal in heirloom supplies. That might help take the grayness out of the laces.
    You could try a very weak tea bath (experiment first to get a more yellow tea not a peachy one) and that might tinge the gray to more cream.

    Good luck :) Can't wait to see your progress!

    ~Ferd :)
     
  23. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    Thanks Ferd! Great ideas.

    I wouldn't want to use bleach on this at all. The vintage laces are very delicate and I am afraid the fabric's structural integrity would be compromised by a strong chemical.

    I am using craft pearls. I am not rich enough to use cultured pearls on this---it needs A LOT of pearls!

    I want to take some pictures of this soon.

     
  24. Nostradamus

    Nostradamus Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2000
    Out with the old and in with the new!

    The new 2004 costume projects thread has been initiated!

     
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