Attaching the bodice to the tutu

Attaching the bodice to the tutu

Once the bodice and tutu was finished I needed to attach them together.

First I had to pin on the inside matching the bottom of the waistband to the waistline on the bodice. First I had to find the CF of the bodice and match it to the waistband I found this a little hard at first because I kept on pining it just of the CF which meant the CB didn’t match. So in the end I measured the width and found the middle through that. I then continued pining only on the seam allowance up to the elastic then I pinned coming back from the CB.

I then put the costume on the manikin so because the bodice needs to be pinned on through the piping as I was pining I pulled tension on the piping this meant that all the gathers on the tutu where covered. I did not pin the CF bodice.

I then took the costume off the stand and sewed where I had pinned using back stitch making sure that I only went through the grove of the piping. This was a very time consuming task as I found that in places the gather stitch was showing so I had to unpick it and redo it. However, it was done eventually and I could then swing catch all the inside seams apart from the S/S.

Once the bodice was attached it looked like these I feel I could have made the stitching at the piping neater however, I needed to get it done today so that I could pin my decoration on my costume. Otherwise I would have been very behind on my timetable.

Decoration

Decoration

The decoration on our costumes is meant to look like petals blowing across the bodice from the right side down to spread across the net. We were each given different colours mine was a dark blue, so we had to mix our own paint to try and recreate the correct colour. I used the dynaflow silk paints and mixed a copen blue and ultramarine blue with a turquoise which has created a great blue which is the same colour as the swatch I was given.

I cut our petals from the spare net from the tutu. I used a template shaped like this;

I had to cut out 64 of these and then paint them by hand building up each layer. I didn’t paint the very centre.

Layer 1

Layer 2

Layer 3

Layer 4

Layer 5

Presentation

Presentation

Today we did a presentation together on our ballet project. It was really nice to see all our costumes together as a whole group as it would be in a corps. We had 2min each to discuss different elements of our project. I discussed with Melissa the decoration workshops and the important elements of decoration.

We wanted all our costumes to be worn for the presentation however; we found that only one 1^st year could fit in Melissa’s costume because we had made the patterns from such small manikins. It was still good to see how the costumes would look worn by a dancer.

The presentations also offered us the opportunity to see what the rest of our year had been working on.

Reflections on the Construction of the Tutu

Reflections on the Construction of the tutu

I found that my basque was not as neat as it should have been and I found that I made a few little mistakes because I did not look at the sample well enough. Therefore I have learnt the important lesson of always checking before going ahead and making something. I have however, through this project learnt new skills which I can use during third year and in the working environment so although I have made mistakes I can learn from them and improve my working skills.

I have also developed my skills in learning how to sew net which is hard because it has quite a lot of stretch on it so I found that on some of my panels it was about 1cm longer on one panel and not the other. It was very hard to get it so it didn’t pull in the end I found I just had to be very delicate and not put pressure on the net. I pinned my panels together and I think if I had not done this it would have been easier to keep both panels equal. However, it has not affected the overall look of the tutu which I am very pleased with. I enjoyed the gathering of the skirt onto the basque because I liked shaping it so that it was flatter at the front than at the back.

Although I found the levelling off of the tutu hard because it took so long trying to get it even I actually enjoyed this task as well because I could see my costume taking shape.

This has shown me just how much I enjoy ballet and I do think I want to continue this into third year.

Reflections on Making of the Bodice

Reflections on Making of the Bodice

I have never used a fabric like the slipper satin before and I did find it very hard to use because it moved especially when I was trying to find the bias and straight grain it wouldn’t lie flat. However, I through this I have developed my skills in working with slippery fabrics I have learnt how to handle such fabrics with care so that it doesn’t bruise and fray. Therefore during third year I will be able to use fabrics like this and be confident in doing so.

Up until this point I had not made a garment on the bias therefore I have learnt how to sew it without adding to much stretch. Although I found that some of my pattern pieces were too small to connect the design lines I think the mistakes must have been when marking out the lines on the calico pattern.

 This created problems when sewing on my piping cord which is the part of my bodice I am least happy with. For it meant that my bodice is not completely especially at the bust. Also when I was sewing my piping on I was rushing so, I didn’t spot and correct where the stitch line of the piping cord could be seen. Although I saw and corrected some areas I missed others until I was cutting down the excess and I could fold back the piping cord properly by which time it was too late. Therefore this has developed my learning in the fact that although I need to speed up my making skills getting the garment to look good is more important. Therefore, when making my time table I need to allow more time for such tasks as these, which I have never done before and effect the overall look of the garment.

Although, I did make mistakes this has developed my skills and for third year when doing piping I will know how hard I find it therefore I will take more time over it.

This later development of having to alter my bodice to fit my manikin has delayed my time plan which i have found frustrating however, it was important to alter it. Although I wish I had checked better before I had sewed on the piping so that I would not have had to unpick and re-sew so much taking up even more of my time which should have been spent sewing on the decoration.

Reflections on Making of the Pattern

Reflections on Making of the Pattern

I found the draping on the stand quite hard at first because I had not draped such a fitted bodice before, only the historical blouses we draped on the stand. However, this has helped me to feel far more confident in draping a pattern on the stand which will enable me to develop these skills further during third year. Although I did make a few mistakes when marking out the pattern with the designers tape I have developed my skills in being able to identify how a shape can look odd on the body and correct it.

I have also learnt the necessity of counting and checking over the pattern again before I start pining on the calico as it is so easy to mark out too many panels. Although a mistake like this is correctable it wastes a lot of time having to redo it.

When transferring the lines of the designers tape to the calico I found that my lines where a little shaky so this is something I need to improve. Because the pattern drafting stage is so crucial if this is in correct then the whole garment will be in correct.

Levelling the Tutu

Levelling the tutu

I had to level out my tutu once they were constructed. A ballet tutu is always measured from the ground up so that all the corps tutus are the same level. For this tutu it is 12 inches from the ground however, it is graduated slightly so that it is longer at the back than at the front. It graduates at different points so at the bust line it drops a ¼ then at the side seam ¼ and shoulder line ¼ until it gets to the CB at 11inches.

To make it easier to level it off we cut on layer at a time and gathered the rest of the tutu to the top of the manikin then placed it on the tables so I was level with it.

Before I cut each layer I steamed them well. It was hard to get the measurements accurate especially on the back of the tutu because there are so many pleats. Cutting the net was very hard because I sometimes cut jaggered lines so I had to go back and correct them which made the whole process take longer. It was also hard because I often found although I had cut it to the pins it wasn’t the same level as the last layer so, I had to cut off more net until it was level.

Although I found this task I actually really enjoyed it. It has helped to develop my time keeping skills so that I make sure I have time to do everything else. It has also developed my accuracy in my costume making which will help me in 3^rd year.

Once the tutu was levelled I sewed the hooks and bars to the basque. On the waistband I used the trouser hooks and bars because they offered more strength, and then the other two just the size 3 hooks and bars. I sewed these on using button hole stitch.