Medieval/ Tudor corset

I Just Found the Bible to My World

http://kerryhishon.com/2013/04/03/theatre-etiquette-concerning-costumes/

Step by step Tutu part 4 Bottom Tutu Layer Construction

• Stitch back and gusset together with a French seam. Use pins to hold back layers while trying to sew them together. Put pants elastic through before closing the bias binding edges.

• Stitch layers of toille together for each layer with French seams. Leave the top 3 layers without being sewn together so the dancer can get in. Fold edges in and sew so there are no raw edges.

• Press tutu under a table overnight to flatten the tutu further.

• String layers together 3 at a time with a loose tack to help hold they layers together.

• Make up over lay by drawing round the flat tutu, leaving a hole in the middle with a split. Cut to the right size and make up in the fabric required and add embellishment. Hem the edge Fabric can be attached to the net for extra support if fabric is too soft. Fabric can also be gathered like the tutu layer before it.

• Stitch over lay to the top layer of toille.

• Make up bastque or york from calico if it's not seen and in the same fabric as the bodice if seen. Attach petarsham to the top of the bastque and attach piping to the bottom.

• Attach hanging loops to the top of the bastque.
• Attach piping at the bottom of the bastque to the tutu skirt.

•  Attach bodice to the bastque lining up the front of the york with the bottom of the bodice. Stitch in the line of the pipping. Attach hook and bars to the york waist band as required.
• Thread iron boning or rigilene boning doubled up through the 5th layer channel to make the hoop. Make sure to make the hoop flat with the gathers spread evenly over the hoop. After it's through tape or tack the ends together so there over lapping and seal inside the channel.

• Tutu Complete!!! :) What an experience. 

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Step by step Tutu part 3 Bottom Tutu Layer Construction

•  Attach the two leg ruffles around the edge of the bias with the layer facing up. Trim off any extra ruffles leaving 1.5cm just in case.
• The bottom 4 layers must all be sewn with the layers going up to counter act the rest of the layers which all are all going downwards.
• Pin each layer before you sew them to the pants, following the line marked on. Make sure to keep track or what layer you are on and which type of netting you should be using. This will help you avoid mistakes.Remember to leave 1.5cm at each end for attaching later.

Step by Step Tutu Part 2 Ruffles Preperation

• Cut out all layers using measurements that can be found bellow. More layers can be added. Just use the measurements bellow as a rough guide.You can cut down on layers but the top two have to be stiff net and the leg ruffle has to be soft. Bottom 4 layers have seems going up and the rest go down. To the top two layers add as much ruffle to them as possible.

Cutting Net

The size and shape of the dancer will determine the number of frills and the length of the frills.
The more slender dancer needs less length in her frill. A shorter dancer can accommodate fewer frills.
For dancers whose height is over five foot four inches ten frills works with widths generally no wider than 12.5 to 13 inches:

• 1.5 inches
• 3.5 inches
• 5 inches
• 7.5 inches
• 9.5 inches
• 11 inches
• 12 inches
• 13 inches = this is average
• 14 inches = this is average
• 15 inches = this is tall dancer range.

The 12.5 inch length leaving a twelve inch skirt. However, different roles require different lengths. 12.5 inches is a short tutu.
Remember, it takes 13 inches of net to create a 12.5 inch tutu length. Also remember there will be mistakes and length could come off the ends! Give yourself room for error if you are new to this.
A good example of a character tutu that typically calls for a long skirt is Cinderella’s tutu which is often longer than most though not quite a romantic tutu. This is an example of a bell shaped tutu that often contains a hoop.

Tutu Frill Dimensions

Yards of net required for an average tutu are 14 yards which are cut into the following lengths in inches:

12.5- (cut four lengths of 54 inch fabric)
12.0 -(cut four lengths of 54 inch fabric)
10.5-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
9.5-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
8.5 -(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
{the 8.5 layer is the wired layer in which a two inch strips is sewn to insert the wire.}
7.0-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
6.0-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
5.0-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
4.0-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
3.0-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
2.0-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)
1.5-(cut three lengths of 54 inch fabric)

• Remember to mark on the strips which layer they are so you don't get mixed up.

• The channel layer must be on the 5 layers ish as long as it's stiff net. For my tutu I have 4 layers of soft and 6 layers of soft. Attach the channel to the 5th layer while it's flat then scallop the edges of the fabric if required. Remember to vary the size of scallop for the best effect.

• Pleat all the layers using a gathering foot or a quick unpick pushing the fabric through. Keep the line of the fabric straight.  
• You'll end up with a row of curls like the picture bellow after there pleated.

Step by step Tutu part 1 Pants Preperation

• Cut out panties pattern in a soft toille or body stocking. With toille use double layers.

• Attach the two pieces together to make one piece. The straight stitch also stops the pieces from stretching out of place while you attach them later.

• Attach fronts leaving the back open for fitting later. French seam the front.

• Mark on the lines for attaching the ruffles from the pattern. In future I think I will photo copy the pattern and sew the lines on for a more accurate line.

• Bias bind the edges of the legs. Insert elastic at this stage so it clings to the legs and will move with the body.

End of the week 25th April

• Velvet board used for ironing velvet to keep there fibres properly.
• Learned to tie bow ties.
• Nearly finished the opera dress I was working on.

Opera Day

Patterns can be very helpful to work with but from working on this dress I've realised you can't trust your eyes you have to trust the measurements and stepping back from the garment on a dummy. Also that the bigger a persons assets the more it influences a hem or shape of a garment to fit the body shape eg. stomach, bust, bum sizes can make a garments dip in different places when it's not on them..