Hat Making Part 2

So much fun. I really enjoy the experience of making a hat because it's so delicate and relaxing. I learned how to stab stitch properly and wire stitch.

Hat Making

Loads of new techniques learned today it's been great. Lots of hand sewing and seeing how to make a basic hat. It's so nice and relaxing to be able to take our time with these classes and not have to worry about the shows, just focus on the new skills that we're learning. I'd love to do more of these through the year.

It's great for experimenting like I'm doing with my clouche hat. Having it sit further back on the head and curling at the back. Can't wait to see how it's turning out

Heard Gllina talking about Hamlet and how there getting around the makes that Gabbs wanted. It was interesting to see how she deals with situations like that like suggesting for suits to have as the actors basic blacks instead of tights and a top because it's cheaper. Wouldn't have thought of that before. Finding something similar and just changing them to fit what the designer invasions or getting the designer to see why some things better. It's a very important skill.

Legally Blonde Quick Change Dress

I never thought about using magnets for quick changes. Very clever idea. Make pockets in the interfacing and then put the magnets into the pockets before sewing them up but note don't take the magnets right to the bottom and it can make the garment heavy.

Portfolio Website

http://sprior2.wix.com/priorcostumes

Techinques For Ballet Costumes

Tacking or Quilting Your Dance Tutu, Making a Pancake Tutu:- http://inspiringtutus.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/tacking-or-quilting-your-dance-tutu.html

Pleating a Tutu:-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6llvCZ3HujA&list=UUkBsMu_letUZEgjk9D-11qA&feature=c4-overview

How to Embroider a Tutu:- http://tututoday.com/how-to-make-a-tutu-introembellishment-2/

How to Dye Tutus in different ways:- http://tututoday.com/how-to-dye-a-tutu/

How to make a DIY Ballet Bodice:- http://tututoday.com/how-to-make-a-tutu-introbodice-patternduct-tape-a-bodice-how-to/

How to make Frills for Tutu or Bodice:- http://tututoday.com/the-frills-how-much-fabric/

 

Ballet Costume History

List of good fabrics for Ballet Costumes:-

• Muslin
• Nylon
• Organdy or organza
• Tarlatan
• Tulle
• Voile
• Buckram
• Silks
• Satins
• Lace

The Romantic Tutu

• Long flowing bell skirt, made of five or six layers and usually reaching somewhere around mid-calf.  
• Made of tulle. The hemline falls between the knee and the ankle. 
• The romantic tutu is free flowing to emphasise lightness. 
• It is said to have been invented, or at least popularized, by Marie Taglioni, first in 1832 in La Sylphide. 
• There are two types of romantic tutus-one that starts at the waist and one with a dropped waist and basque called a romantic tutu with basque.

The Bell Tutu

• This style is well known as it was represented in many Degas painting.
• It is short, stiff, and made of many layers of netting which are not supported by a hoop (contrary to the pancake tutu) and therefore falls a little in a bell shape. 
• It is made with layers of netting and has a fitted bodice; it extends outwards from the hips. 
• Popular in the 19th Century in Paris, France.

The Pancake Tutu

• The classical tutu that comes out straight from the hips, is short, has many layers of tulle and net and is supported by a hoop.
• Because of this support, the whole thing tends to bounce sometime after the dancer has finished a movement. 
• The hoop caused problems with the partners being hit in the face with the metal.
• Came from the Russian ballet first.

The Platter Tutu

• Similar to the Pancake Tutu, the Platter Tutu sticks out straight from the dancer’s waist, but this style has a flat top. A tutu with a flat top that sticks straight out from the ballerina's waistline.

The Powder Puff Tutu

• Also known as the Balanchine/Karinska Tutu. 
• It was developed by Barbara Karinska, a Russian born embroiderer turned Ballet costume designer. Balanchine loved great assembly of dancers in his ballet, but the traditional "pancake" tutu with its stiff wired layer would bob and dip when the dancers' skirts brushed up against one another and this bobbing and dipping would reverberate long after the steps were complete. Karinska devised the "powder puff" tutu, with a shorter skirt made of six or seven layers of gathered net, each layer a half inch longer than the preceding layer as a solution to this problem. 
• The layers were tacked together for a fluffier, looser appearance (as opposed to the stiff "pancake" tutu). Because the shorter layers are self-supporting, no wire hoop is needed. 
• This style was designed originally for the ballet version of Georges Bizet's Symphony in C.

Parts of a Tutu:-

The Bodice

Shaped like a corset with shoulder straps, the tutu bodice must move and fit the dancer like a glove. It must feel like a second skin! Wrinkling or pulling fabric is unacceptable. It is strongly suggested that side pieces be cut on the fabric’s bias to take advantage of its stretchy nature.

The Basque
This is the part that covers the dancer from the waist all the way to the crotch. It is shaped like a pair of panties if you like. It is a separate piece from the bodice, but it should match it and be made of the same fabric (cut on bias) if possible.

The Frills

What we always think of when we mention the word “tutu” is the frills. A tutu is made of on average 12 layers of frills, but it can go up to 16 layers for extra fullness. If a hoop is used, it will be placed in a casing on the 8th layer. As for length, it depends on the height of the dancer. Tututoday.com gives this rule of thumb for tutu’s length:

• A dancer 5'8" or taller then can wear a 15 or 16" tutu.
• A dancer 5'5" to 5'7" the she should be in a 13" to 14" tutu.
• A dancer 5'3" to 5'4' then is best in a 12" to 13" tutu.
• A dancer the 4'10 to 5'2" tall (tiny) works best in an 11" to 12" tutu.

Layers should be attached 15 mm from each other and be perfectly aligned on the basque, otherwise it will look wonky. You can trace your lines on the basque with a ruler and an L-square to make sure everything gets sewn on straight.

Amazing break down of Ballet History:- 
http://www.tutuetoile.com/ballet-costume-history/

Amazing detailed account of the different types of Tutus:-
http://tututoday.com/construction-overview-duplicate/

Notes from Costume and Design for Physical Theatre

Costume and Design for Devised and Physical Theatre by Tina Bicat 

• The weight of an overcoat or jacket can be reduced by removing fabrics that don't show. Looks the same to the audience.
•  Allow extra centimetres for movement such as touching toes, flexing arm or leg muscles.
• Measurements to consider:- nape to ground both straight and arched legs; waist to ankle both straight and bent; across the shoulders relaxed and the arms crossed in front; waist to ankle both knee straight and bent; inside leg seam with raised leg; underarm with the arm over the head.
• Cut trousers extra high for dance to allow for the costume to move with the body.
• Make sure that when cutting trousers that the bottom is wide enough to go over the calf and back again when the knee is bent.
• Use elastic loops or pants at on the bottom of tops to hold the top down when dancers move around too much.
• Use gussets on under arms and trousers to help with movement.
• Decoration stretch costumes:-  Wrap the actor in cling film in a standing or sitting position. Use short strips. Use tape to hold the cling film. Cut the "skin" carefully away in a zigzag motion. Tape the cut edges together again once it's off the body. Stuff it with newspaper or something. Put the stretch fabric on this then sew the decorations to the garment.

Korean on the Brain

I think I've bitten off abit more than I can manage on this project. I've learned so much from this project but I've realised without someone to speak to or practise with in Korean makes it difficult to practise the grammar properly. I understand how the grammar goes but find it very difficult to put it into practise. The words and phases are becoming easier to learn which is at least a help.

Wedding dress

Fake Knotes

I'd never tried to do anything like this so it was interesting to see how a look like this could be achieved without having a proper neck tie. We have out first meeting about Hamlet tomorrow which I'm excited about. I can't wait to start my management project and start making for Hamlet.

Ballet Costume History

http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Press/Article/1212/
Fantastic resource:- http://www.tutuetoile.com/ballet-costume-history/
Types of tutu:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballet_tutu
http://histclo.com/act/dance/bal/cos/bc-hist.html
http://costumeholic.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/great-ballet-tutu-post.html
List of Ballets:- http://www.classicalballetmusic.com/2009-Alphabetical%20Listing%20of%20Ballets/default.htm

Ballet Design

Ballet Costumes

Blog for techniques:-  http://inspiringtutus.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/tacking-or-quilting-your-dance-tutu.html
http://tututoday.com/

Things to think about:-

• The must last a long time as they often get put in stock and brought back out every 20-30 years.
• The must be comfortable.
• Light weight.
• That nothing scratches like gems ect.
• Tighten the bodice as tight as possible as it stretches when the start dancing in it.
• What length to tutu should be used or how thick it should be.

Ballet Research Websites

Great images:-
http://www.pinterest.com/beckysbeads/ballet-costumes/




Great of Costume details and Question and Answer:-

http://www.handfulofsalt.com/into-a-fantasy-the-craft-of-costume-at-the-sf-ballet/ http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/d/dance-costume-design/
http://www.rossetti.vispa.com/tutu1.html

A guide to ballet:- http://www.theaterseatstore.com/ballet-theater

Interesting youtube videos:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_1648059517&feature=iv&src_vid=w-1XB00Ss8I&v=sg-tbMEPNss
New York Ballet City:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEdw3UkQMG8
The nutcracker tut maker:-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VkXM7Rc-0g
Types of Tutu:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp5tgwExRvk
Bottle snaking? referred to in New York ballet city and the way they make up the tutus. Hard net known as the plate then soft net on top. Costs make to last for 20 to 30 years

Royal Scottish Ballet
Sleeping ballet:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7MBpEdPZAQ
Alice in Wonderland:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcjdbCKiC3g
Jewels:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msLjmbPFmT4

Books to look up:- 
How to Dress Dancers: Costuming Techniques for Dance by Mary Kent Harrison
The Dancer's Book of Ballet Crafts: Dancewear, Accessories, and Keepsakes by Christina Haskin
Ballet by Meredith Susan 
Costume and Design for Devised and Physical Theatre by Tina Bicat

First Day Back in Costume

I've really enjoyed my first day back in costume. Seeing what shows are going on in the department and what shows we've been given to focus on. I'm on Legally blonde and Hamlet for now which I am so excited about. We've also started to talk about the management project for this term which will be for Opera; I've already started to make notes of things to include in this project so as to give me a good starting point. I really want to take on the management rule next year but I don't know if I'll be able to do it. I'm hoping this project will help me see how I could achieve this and if I would be a good manager though evaluating the skills that a good manager should have.

Today I started to get into the habit of taking my time when doing alterations and adjustments; hoping this will help me improve from last team and help me keep a more level head when I get stressed. I've also started to double check any doubles I may have when doing adjustments to a garment. I also learned to use the invisible hemmer for the first time which makes life so much easier when it comes to hemming garments. I think it's good to know both ways though because in future  might not have one to hand.

Korean

It's taking me so long to learn this language because it's not like anything I've never learned. The words are starting to get easier to understand. I'm up to Unit 1 level 6 but the grammar and sentence structure is taking far longer than expected to learn because of the order of words and extra things to add on through out the sentences.
I've managed to learn:-
한국 = Korea
도시 = city
이름 = name
저 = I (formal)
나 = I
남자 = man
여자 = woman
그 = that
이 = this
저 = that (when object is far away)
것 = thing
의자 = chair
탁자 = table
선생님 = teacher
집 = house
차 = car
컴퓨터 = computer
이다 = to be (acts like an adjective)
네 = yes
아니 = no

안녕하세요 = hello

감사합니다 or 감사해요 = thank you

제발 = Please

소파 = sofa

나무 = tree

나라 = country
가방 = backpack
창문 = window
잡지 = magazine
방 = room
냉장고 = refrigerator
전화기 = phone
커피 = coffee
텔레비전 = television

안 = inside
위 = on top
밑 = below
옆 = beside
뒤 = behind
앞 = in front
펜 = pen

음식 = food
한국어 = Korean (language)
버스 = bus
먹다 = eat
좋아하다 = to like
비싸다 = expensive 싸다 = not expensive/cheap
길 = street
거리 = street/road
우리 = we/us
남편 = husband
아버지 = father
어머니 = mother
물 = water
사과 = apple 끝나다 = to be finished
맛있다 = delicious
형 = older brother, when you are a man
오빠 = older brother, when you are a woman
누나 = older sister, when you are a man
언니 = older sister, when you are a woman
삼촌 = uncle
아저씨  = older man not related to you
아주머니 = older woman not related to you
할아버지 = grandfather
할머니 = grandmother
친구 = friend
보고싶다 = to miss a person

Not bad for a couple of months work I don't think. The grammar is harder to pick up. The main one I've go is that the sentences must end in either a verb or an adjective. An object can't be in the same sentence as a adjective!!

Finished doll

She's not bad for a start