Hemming Tapered Pants

Many people are frustrated when they try to hem tapered pants. They get a lot of puckers along the stitching line, no matter how careful they try to be. That is because hems for tapered pants are cut in a certain way. Once you cut off the factory-cut hem allowance, you've lost the added hem width required to smoothly stitch the hem.

Imagine this is a tapered pant leg. I drew in the hem stitching with pencil.Now, if I open up the hem and lay it flat, it looks like this.Can you see how the shape of the hem flares out at the bottom? That's because it must match the width of the leg not at the opening, but 1 1/2" or so up, where it will be sewn.

Now, in the course of shortening the pants, I cut the original hem off:And fold it up again (I have outlined the edges of the hem allowance in pencil b/c I couldn't get a good photo):There is not enough hem width to span the width of the larger pant leg anymore.

The solution?That's it. Just open and spread the inseam enough to accommodate the width of where the hem is to be sewn. That's how tailors do it and that's how dressmakers do it. Nothing magical at all!

In extremely tapered pants, you may need to open the outseam as well. But my best advice is...don't wear extremely tapered pants!

Thank you!

Thank you SewIKnit2 for nominating me as one of the blogs which bring you inspiration and make you appreciate the blogosphere !

I won't have any trouble nominating 10 more (I read almost 100 blogs and they all inspire me!) Here are some I've been reading the longest, lately, and/or that inspire me in some specific way:

Miss Celie's Pants
Couture et Tricot
Field Trips in Fiber
Life Happens Be Positive
Real Life: Live and Unscripted
Sew-Mad
Adventures from the Sewing Studio
Pins and Needles
Knitting in Color
Neither Hip Nor Funky

Sewing Crossword Puzzle

I love crosswords and am working on one all the time. They are a lot harder to create than one might think...but here is a sort of pitiful one for sewing enthusiasts:

SEWING CROSSWORD FILE

SEWING CROSSWORD CLUES FILE

eta:

Crossword answers file

Thanks, Sigrid, for the link to Box!

Buy This (almost) Book

Well, usually I *read* a book before I recommend it. But in this case I'm not only going to recommend a book that I've not read yet...but a book that's not yet published!

Joyce Murphy is known among members of the ASDP (Association of Sewing and Design Professionals) as a pant guru. She sells a pant fitting system (to be used for self or clients) and teaches workshops on the subject. And now rumor has it, she's writing a book. It's frankly been awhile since I've bought a new sewing book but I'm ready for this one!

Joyce is always generous with her knowledge and expertise on the subject of pant fitting and she recently helped me with a challenging fit of lined wool trousers for a client of mine. Part of the solution I used is outlined in her Threads article, Adjusting Pants from Waist to Seat in Volume 122. If you have that issue, take a look. Or, you can always buy a back issue.

And by all means, buy the book when it comes out...hurry up, Joyce!

Musings on Creativity

I've been thinking a lot about creativity (an artist friend would say the thinking is just my problem) lately. In fact, I'll be taking a class designed to explore and expand creative possibilities in the coming weeks. (stay tuned...)

When I was at the last ASDP (Association of Sewing and Design Professionals, (formally PACC) national conference, I got to talking to a well known art to wear artist over a generous glass of chardonnay. I confessed to her my tendency to be technically oriented, an engineer (stop laughing Beth) rather than an artist. What she said has stuck with me. I can't remember her exact words, but the essence of it was use whatever you are to find your art. The way I understood it is, well, if you're an uptight person (not me of course, just a hypothetical uptight person), use that in your art. If you are a thoughtful person, make thoughtful art. Seems like a duh thing, right? But it's a tool, a place to start.

So beautiful creative ideas don't just come to me over coffee and toast in the morning...it doesn't mean I'm not able to create. I need to create from my own perspective. Take the word "uptight." What would uptight art be?

Well, how about the work of MC Escher? Especially the "tesselations" pieces. Isn't there something about those that speaks to completeness, having all the loose ends wrapped up, everything fitting together just so, math and precision?

What could "uptight" mean in fiber art? Interesting angles coming together precisely. Complicated shapes, closures, details. Or even sparseness and simplicity....the absence of "uptightness." (new word)

For me, uptightness may have led to this design, an LBD that was quite the engineering feat. The very construction complications of it appealed to me. Originally the idea was to have twice as many strips, but, hey, I'm not a sadist! It didn't win anything, but it did, and still does, speak to me. (It says, "lose 10 pounds so you can wear me!")

Uptightness may have also had something to do with my stubborn determination to come up with a unique closure for a reversible challenge several years ago. OK, the dress in general is fairly puke-y, but the concept, and the closure, are pretty cool.
See how it works?
The left side of the dress can completely release from the right side, and they can one or the other or both be flipped inside out. the closure is a double band of inseam buttonholes on one side, and buttons mounted on tabs on the other.

BTW, another possible version of this dress would've had 3 completely reversible pieces:
Waaaayyyy too many buttons....

Anyway, the point is, can you see how my sort of "uptight" nature may have led to these designs? I was drawing on what I had, as advised by my colleague at the conference, without even realizing it. So think about it....what aspects of your basic nature might lead to design?

Out Damn Spot!

Here is something I learned the hard way...never try to remove a stain with a paper product! You are likely to succeed only in creating a lightened bullseye, with the dark spot smack dab in the middle. Like a spotlight...."look here, I'm a spot!"

The reason, I read somewhere, is that paper products have been bleached somewhere in the manufacturing process. So rubbing that napkin or paper towel on your garment is probably not a good idea.

Instead, use two clean washcloths or towels, a dry one under the spot, and a damp one to work the stain with. Also, rather than using a rubbing or circular motion, use a dabbing motion. Wrap the cloth on your index finger and repeatedly "poke" the stain.

For stubborn stains, incidentally, I like the Carbona series of removers. You can get these, in small yellow plastic bottles, at your fabric store, drug store, grocery or mega-mart. Note: Consult the back of the bottles, under the label, to see which specific stains can be removed with which number bottle.

I have even used these, very cautiously, on dry cleanable garments. Test first (yada, yada, yada), then use a wooden toothpick to apply tiny amounts to the stain. Be sure to have an absorbent cloth under the stain to suck the liquid right through.

I Am A Seamstress

So shoot me.

Many sewers avoid the term seamstress like the plague. It has negative connotations they say. Of domestic drudgery, even prostitution (yes, "seamstress" was once used as a euphemism for prostitution.) Or, they say, it denigrates their skill because the term is associated with factory workers, unprofessionals, maybe those that are "taking in sewing" for "pin money."
Personally, though, I take no offense when someone calls me a seamstress. I make seams. I don't need some kind of fancy word attesting to how well I do it. My work will, hopefully, do that for me.

Besides, I'm not running away from a word! A few micro grams of ink, transient pixels even. I mean, really, get over it! If the term seamstress has negative connotations than they end with me. I won't be defined by a word...I'll define the word, thank you.

Re-thinking Blog Content

Lately most of my creative time has been devoted to knitting and spinning. (I do tend to go through these shifts in focus a couple times a year... my friend Beth once astutely said, "you can do anything, but only one thing at a time.") In fact I am even considering adding a new retail aspect to my business, selling knitting patterns and dyed fiber on etsy.com.

I've been thinking about expanding the content of my blog, but I'm also concerned. The single focus on sewing makes for a nicely concentrated body of information. On the other hand, expanding allows me much more material to draw upon in terms of posting. I am, as Tim Gunn might say, flummoxed.

So, I ask your help. Please vote.... and, as always... thank you!

Vote on Blog Content

	Sewing only
	Sewing and Knitting
	Sewing, Knitting, Spinning, Fiber Arts

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Inspired by Trash?

A few months ago I couldn't resist taking this picture of a pretty pile of serger trimmings on the floor. The sun was coming in on it and it sparkled with lots of happy colors.

Alas, I didn't save them. If I had, maybe I'd have created something fun and intellectually interesting like this. Vicki always has creative and inspiring things on her blog. As does Katrin of Sew Mad. Honestly, these ladies blow me away with their fresh creativity, just making "simple", beautiful, unique things.

On the other hand, we all have our talents. And mine may not be that kind of creating. I can make a mean jeans hem though, and that's something!

And, I feel fortunate to be able to experience some special happiness just by observing a pile of serger trimmings on the floor. Sounds silly, but, really, I think that many people go through life and miss a lot of little joyful things like that.

Hemming Cuffed Pants

First things first....Happy New Year!! I hope you've all enjoyed a restful holiday and had extra time to enjoy you favorite passions. I spent a lot of time knitting and spinning (something new for me.) Don't most of us enjoy more than one fiber hobby? I made 3 fair isle tammies for gifts, including some of my first homespun in one, and also gifted two skeins of homespun to a dear friend. For another dear friend, and my son's sweet girlfriend, I made beaded knitting stitch markers. So, I have had busy hands, though not sewing.

Today I have to ease myself into working again so I'm doing only one thing...hemming a pair of cuffed pants. There are several ways to think through the process, including one particularly easy to manage method described in Mary Roehr's Altering Women's Ready to Wear. I used this book almost daily when I started alterations and still refer to it periodically when I need to reassure myself about some complex alteration.

The method I'll describe for you here is different than Ms. Roehr's but is how I handle the process lately. Here goes:

1. Record these things:

• Amount you need to shorten each leg
• Depth of hem (bottom of pants to raw or finished edge of hem allowance inside pant leg)
  
• Depth of cuff (bottom of pants to top fold of cuff outside pant leg)
  

2. Release any tacking that has been done to keep cuff upright.

3. Rip old hem stitching. Fortunately, machine blind-stitched hems can be "unzipped" easily. Press hems flat.

4. Cut off the amount by which you must shorten each leg. (I like to do this with each leg laying flat, inseam and outseam lined up on top of eachother, and using a quilting ruler and rotary cutter.)

5. Re-finish the raw hem edges by serging, taping, pinking, or zigzagging.

6. Press up, to the inside, the hem depth PLUS the cuff depth. If the hem depth is 1 1/2" and the cuff depth is 2" than you will be pressing 3 1/2" to the inside. Pin baste.

7. Stitch the hem as desired.

8. Fold and press cuff depth to the outside of the leg.

9. Tack cuff up by hand or machine. I usually place a few machine stitches "in the ditch" of the cuff/pant leg, through all layers, at inseams and outseams.

Essentially what you are doing with this method is recording how the hem was made, deconstructing it, cutting off the amount to be shortened, and then re-constructing the hem just as it was made.

Lately, with much deeper cuffs being popular, I have several times encountered cuffs that are actually separate bands of fabric sewn to the bottom of the pants and folded to mimic cuffs but with much less bulk than traditional cuffs would produce. When I hem these, I record the same measurements as above. Then, I take apart one cuff and record the depth of the seam allowance where the band is sewn on. I cut off the required amount from the actual pant leg, than simply re-attach the cuff band in the same way it was. By taking apart only one leg at a time I can always use the other as a guide during re-construction.

Elastic Waists

I have not fallen off the face of the earth (though my husband may push any day now.) I'm busy doing alterations and getting ready for Christmas, and knitting, and, a new fiber hobby, spinning. Alas, I have lost my sewing mojo. This has happened before though, and I expect it to return sometime after a week off between Christmas and New Year's. In the meantime, my daughter keeps hinting about her winter coat and it sits, in a neat pile, cut and not marked.

What I'm working on today is a pant muslin for a very petite client. She has a very hard time finding pants in RTW b/c she is so small and does not like the new lower rise pants. So she brought me her favorite pair to copy.

These pants are a houndstooth patterned knit, with a knit lining. They have darts front and back, and a waistband that is slightly elasticized. There is no closure.

Fabric for the new pants will be suiting wool, lined of course.

After tracing the pants, I've found that the difference b/w the hip and finished pant waist measurements is 8". (The elastic in the WB gathers the waist in another 5".) So how is she getting into the pants? Either she has 8" of ease in the hips, or the design of these RTW pants relies on the stretch of the knit fabric and lining. Since I did not, as would have been wise, measure her hips when she dropped off the pants (duh), I don't know how much ease the pants have in the hips. I will have to leave a side opening for a zip and see if I can pin it closed at the muslin fitting. If I can't, then I will have to ask her, would she like a zipper, or would she like me to add more ease in the waist area?

This has led me to think about elastic waists and why they just don't look good on some of us. The larger our hip to waist ratio, the less likely we are to prefer elastic waists, even though they are comfortable. That is because the waist must be big enough to fit over our larger hips, and the bigger the hips are, the more fabric will have to be gathered around the waist.

Women who are straighter or very thin can look quite stylish in elastic waist pants. They don't need as much fullness around the waist in order for the hips to fit nicely. Height doesn't hurt either. They can wear luxuriously gathered skirts and look great.

All is not lost for us curvier women though. We can still wear gathers or pleats, though they look best placed lower, beneath a skirt yoke, or higher, under an empire seam.

Don't get me wrong now...I'm all for curves. But they can be easily lost beneath elastic or gathered waists. So I think it's best...if you're curvy, to emphasize curves. And if you're straight, to emphasize that very youthful look.

Slippage

Wasn't there an old Saturday Night Live skit or movie or cartoon or something where they kept repeating..."slippage, slippage, slippage?" Can anyone recall that? Maybe it was a commercial.

Anyway, for us in the world of sewing, slippage, is what we call it when the threads of a fabric begin to pull away from the stitching in a seam. You get a laddered effect at the seam, and eventually the fabric will completely break down there. The stitches of the seam remain intact, it's the fabric on either side that tear. There is a good photo of seam slippage here. Please scroll 2/3 of the way down. Incidentally, the example there entitled "Open Seam - Seam Failure" is pretty much the same thing.

Seam slippage is common in several areas. I am asked to repair it most often:

• In linings. Linings don't have any give. Garment fabrics usually do. So as the body moves and bends over time, the garment fabric stretches, but the lining fabric can not. Eventually the lining starts coming apart at the seams. The threads used to stitch the lining pieces together are stronger than the lining fibers themselves apparently. This is exactly whey linings should be a bit bigger than the garments they line. (Using ease pleats in linings and stitching 1/2" seams instead of 5/8" will help.)
• Loosely woven fabrics, especially "linen weave" looking fabrics where the weave is very visible.
• Some silk fabrics.
  
• At stress points like the tops of vents or side seams over the hips.
  

If you have a suspect fabric, do test it first to be sure it'll be stable in stressed seams. If you pull and tug on it and find it slipping, fuse some interfacing over all the seamlines before stitching. I would cut the interfacing a scant 3/4" so it extends from raw edges to just about 3/16" over the seamlines. Topstitching seams, or using seams with some back and forth strength, like a zigzag or coverstitch might also help. Test, test, test.

Next post: Repairing Slipped Seams

Notes on Alterations, Phone Calls

Just some business things I've been meaning to explain:

The goal of alterations, in my business, is to, as much as reasonably possible, return the garment back to its original condition. This means several things:

• If you want things done "fast and dirty" to save money, please indicate that. I do have one or two clients who prefer this. This means, for example, folding shoulder straps together instead of going inside and cutting and re-sewing.
  
• Sometimes exactly duplicating the original construction is impossible given what I consider a "reasonable" amount of time and expense. This is usually because the original order or construction causes certain seams to get enclosed. Or, it can be due to specially tooled machines used in "the industry." Some of those stitches or processes just can not be duplicated on conventional home machines.
  
• I rarely improve upon a garment as part of the alteration process. For example, if a lining is not originally tacked down at the side seams, I do not tack it down after shortening the dress. If it is, then I do. This is because you are not paying me to make the garment better, you're paying me to shorten it. This practice also lets me keep standard alterations prices simple and lower. For example, it is $18 to shorten lined, hand-stitched pants. Some of them are tacked down at the side seams, some are tacked down on one side, and some aren't tacked at all. If I had to tack them all down, though, I'd have to charge more for all of them.
  
• "Standard" alterations actually vary greatly in time spent even thought the prices are common. This is due to the infinite variety of fabrics and cuts. I charge one price to keep things from getting ridiculously complicated, and to provide some kind of predictability. But in some cases a $16 unlined hem might take me much more time than a $18 lined hem. It's my hope that it all evens out in the end.
  
• Sometimes there is a significant improvement that I can easily make, for a small additional charge. In that case I will call and get permission to do the extra work.

Phone issues:

• I often don't answer the phone because I am working on a project. If I answer the phone several times during a process I'm likely to make a mistake. Also, it makes time accounting more difficult.
• Please leave a message and I'll get back to you at the end of my workday or the next morning.
  
• If you left a message a couple days ago, don't hesitate to call back....messages can get lost sometimes as I'm sharing a phone line with the family.
• I don't often answer business calls on the weekends unless I happen to be in here working. Please understand that, especially when one works at home, boundaries are important to maintain a work/personal balance in the same space.
• If your phone number does not show up on caller ID then I probably will not pick up because you are probably trying to sell me something.....or at least that is what I am going to assume, and I'm often right. Please leave a message.

Taking in Jeans at Center Back Waist - 3

OK, I've talked about this twice already. Once using the easing method here. And again using the CB seam method here. However, this is still one of the most frequent searches that lead to my blog, and I've been requested to photograph the process for more clarity. Last week I took in two pair of jeans for myself using the CB seam method and I did just that.

1. Remove the waistband (WB) at CB (center back) and for a couple inches to either side. Keep in mind that jeans are sewn with chain stitches so that yellow stitching is very easily removed . Clip through the theads at each end of the section you want to remove (on both sides of the fabric inside and outside), then find the center, most bumpy, thread on the chain side, release it from its loop, and unzip. Note: If I remember right, they usually unzip left to right, and up to down (waist to crotch.)
2. Remove the CB seam topstitching. It is important to understand where the actual seam is. I get confused myself, so I like to place a pin through the seam, see below, then flip the pants inside out and see exactly where that pin is on the other side.
3. Remove a bit more of the topstitching row that is farthest from the actual seam. (see how one row is taken lower than the other, below.) Also note that the horizontal pins denote the original seamline, and that, b/c of the flat felling process, the raw edges of the CB seam do not match up.
4. Mark new seamline. If you have to take 2" out of the back, mark a line 1" from the original seamline, tapering to nothing near the start of the crotch curve. (If you have a bodacious booty then you can taper the seam higher up.)
5. Sew the new seam. I like to do it twice. That makes it stronger and evens out any bobbly sewing.
6. Trim and serge or zigzag the new seam, stopping near the flat felled crotch curve portion.
7. Press to one side and proceed with taking in the WB.
8. Mark where the new center of the WB needs to be sewn:
9. Sew first one side of the WB ,then the other (the outside, then the facing)
10. Trim and open the seams
11. Baste outer WB to top of pants in center area.
12. Flip up outer WB and topstitch in place from outside
13. Place WB facing underneath, seam allowances folded up inside, and baste through all layers, closing the bottom WB/facing/CB pant seam.
14. close the top of the WB just by folding allowances in and stitching through all layers.
15. Now you are ready to replace all the topstitching. Use a heavy jeans thread, upolstery thread, buttonhole twist, or two strands of regular thread, and a heavy, size 16 or 18 sharp needle. Use a larger than normal stitch length. I usually use 3.5mm.
    
16. You will probably need a Jean-a-ma-jig© or other aid to help your machine sew evenly over the CB/yoke seam:
17. Replace the CB belt loop, which will cover the seam you made in the WB. Sometimes I can do this using a narrow zigzag, but sometimes the fabric is so thick, as in this case, that I just use a straight stitch.
18. That's it, you're done! Now you can wash and wear and not have to worry about them falling down. It's not perfect, but no one will notice. If any of your friends do notice...get new friends!

Tailor Board Available?

I got a comment indicating the June Tailor tailor board, that I showed in this post, might still be available at Nancy's Notions. Nancy2001, the commenter, suggested calling and speaking with a customer service person as they may have the board even though it doesn't show in the catalog.

Thanks much, Nancy!

Happy hunting!

CLEAN is a 5 Letter Word

Inspired by Summerset's recent cleaning binge, I decided to give my sewing room/office thorough attention this Friday. As a rule, I clean this space on Fridays anyway, but the past couple weeks have been so busy that I've been negligent. Piles of fabrics and papers (the bane of my existence, papers) have been accumulating everywhere and it'd become rather unpleasant in here.









I clean the sewing room on Fridays for several reasons.

For one, it serves to "wrap up" my work week. I empty waste baskets and clear surfaces. Threads are re-united with bobbins and put back in color coordinated order. Pins are placed back on the appropriate magnets according to type. The floor is freed from scraps and threads. Machines are dusted and ready-to-go.

It's a kind of cathartic process really. Clients' projects are stashed int he closet or dressing room. Papers are filed. Deposits are made and recorded. Quickbooks is backed up. With work things literally out of site, I'm free to have a weekend.










So, two hours later, I have this seemingly huge, open, free space. It's pleasant in here again, inviting - someplace I'd like to be creative in. What's more, the process of putting things away has reminded me of what I have, fabrics and trims and patterns and tools, and had wanted to use. I might just do some sewing this weekend. And if not, at least I'll have a pleasant workplace come Monday morning, when it can be very difficult to get into the swing of things when you work at home.

Note the top pictures of my machine area? Dad extended my L-shaped Koala Outback table all the way to the wall. (I got this table free with my Pfaff machine and otherwise would not have chose this particular model as I think it's rather poorly designed.)

I used to be constantly dropping things (threads, bobbins, rippers, snips, small pattern pieces) down b/w the wall and table (which b/c of moldings won't meet up with the wall at the floor) and having to fish them out with a yard stick - a regular occurrence that caused me endless annoyance. So he added a piece behind the table that would meet up with the wall (both walls, around the corner, actually) about 5" wide and including a "lip" climbing 2" up the wall.

That 5" or so of extra width really adds an amazing amount of work space, much more than I'd anticipated. He also extended the length of the serger side so I could keep two sergers set up at all times. I keep the simpler machine set up for regular 3-thread overlocking for finishing seams and hems and use the new machine for everything else. Thanks, Dad!!

Raincoat from Hell

Having spent most of yesterday hemming the sleeves and bottom of a lined raincoat, (with zip-out liner), I thought I'd share some brief tips for working with these often tricky fabrics.

• Often these outerwear fabrics are synthetic "microfibers." They are very densely woven and will ripple in the seams unless you use a very fine, sharp needle. There are also special needles made for microfibers called "microtex" needles.
• Raincoat fabrics especially may be coated with waterproof material throughout, and again in the seams. When sewing with right sides together, and the coating against the presser foot, you will probably need a teflon foot. Alternatively, you can try a roller foot, though I've never had great luck with those.
• Do not plan to hand-stitch any coated fabrics...it is too difficult to get the needle through.
  
• Microfibers may retain pin and needle holes. In other words, be judicious with pin-basting and realize that if you remove stitching, it's likely to leave a line of permanent holes. I've used tape, glue, and clothes pins and paper clips for basting.
  
• Careful with the iron! Use very low heat and test on a scrap before touching these fabrics with an iron...they may melt or change character.

When my client comes today to pick up her raincoat I'll have to tell her that if she ever asks me to do this again, I'll be charging half a million dollars plus an additional 2 pounds of chocolate for mental well-being.

Zipper Source

I'd like to share my favorite zipper source with you, zipperstop.com, otherwise known as A. Feibusch Corporation. I have to say the website is not the best design, but just call and tell them what you want and you'll do fine.

Zipper selection, in my area anyway, is extremely limited, especially when it comes to jacket zippers. So I call Feibusch and order, and it arrives within a couple days. Of course this involves a small shipping charge, but I think it's worth it for the right zipper.

I have a YKK Master Color Card which must have a hundred zipper tape samples in it. I think I paid about $10 for this, but it was well worth it, as I can exactly match just about any color.

Feibusch carries a great selection of specialty zippers as well. For example the dual seperating brass zipper pictured in my profile pic above. (I think that one was about $20, a lot for a zipper, but not a lot considering the investment in a timeless suit.) They also have rhinestone zips and the relatively new Riri zips.

YKK zippers are great quality and preferred by many dressmakers.

You can also get zippers in dozens. For example, I just bought a dozen black 9" invisible zippers. They are only $0.45/each when you buy them this way.

Happy zipping!

Costuming Considerations for Live Theater

**Following is another excerpt from my recent class on costuming for community theater.

Freedom of Movement

• Dancing and fighting may necessitate building extra movement into costumes
• Try leaving bottom of armscyes unsewn or using gussets, even stretch fabric gussets
• Use stretch fabrics instead of wovens
• Use generous ease pleats at center back, back armholes

Modesty

• Teen boys will not want to show bare legs, and maybe not even arms
• Teen girls will need bras and should never be dressed suggestively
• Actors may need to change quickly backstage and may not have time to seek privacy...therefore they may want to wear leotards and legging under costumes
• Stage lights can render fabrics see-through, so you may need to add linings/underlinings at the last minute
• Straps and waistbands must remain secure during movement
• Tops should be long enough so that bellies and backs are not exposed when the actor bends.
  

Quick Changes

• Sometimes there is very little time to change b/w scenes, or an actor may even have to get dressed on stage
• Actors may be getting dressed in the dark
  
• Snaps may be better than hooks and eyes, velcro better than a zipper
• Note: Velcro is noisy
  
• Back closures may necessitate the actor have dressing help backstage
• Tied corsets, looped buttons, etc... are fine for effect, but a hidden zipper will make dressing easier.

Children

• Need secure, comfortable costumes that are easy to get in and out of and will stay on properly

Lights Change Everything!

• Be sure to watch first dress rehearsal
• Lights change colors and can make fabrics translucent
• Lights amplify wrinkles and other flaws
• White is glaring under stage lights

Small Details

• Do not spend an inordinate amount of time with small details, however exquisite, that will not be perceived from the audience.
• Patterns and prints may read as solids

Special Effects

• On stage, special effects are often disguised by costume
• A cape can cover the lower legs of a dwarf who is on her knees
• Long pants cover stilts and must open at the outseams or inseams in order for actor to get into stilts
• Costumes might need to disguise props or even electrical wires

Safety

• Actors need to be able to see where they are going
• Skirts should not be long enough to trip on
• Loosely woven, meshy fabrics will get caught on things on the set

Garments can look too good

• Costumes that are too pristine can give the scene a contrived look.
  
• Try "weathering" clothes with dust, paint, sandpaper

Costuming Local Theater?

Cinderella

If people in your community know you sew, and if you're acquainted with anyone remotely connected to theater, then eventually they'll get you.

So when they do - when they ask you to costume a show - be it the 300 seat village theater or the high school, or a dance group competing in the city - what should you say? I recently taught a class on costuming for community theater and now that it's done, I thought I'd share some of that information with you here.

Considerations before agreeing to costume local theater:

• Is this a paid position or volunteer?
• If paid, how much, when, and how?
  
• Who will pay for fabric, patterns, and trim?
  
• What is the budget?
  
• How involved are the costumes? Romeo and Juliet will be much more difficult to costume than Grease, which can be largely improvised from modern day clothing.
  
• Must they be historically accurate and if so do you have, or can you find, the necessary technical information?
• Do you feel reasonably competent fitting a wide variety of bodies including men and children?
• If you’ll be sewing at the theater, are you comfortable using various sewing machines and sergers? Some theaters will also have commercial machines.
• Are you comfortable sewing on a wide variety of fabrics including stretch and synthetics?
• What is the expectation of quality…is it more important that the costumes last for years, or that they are completed quickly and last for 2 weekends?
• What, if any, cutting and sewing help will you have?
• Who will design the costumes?
• How much creative control will you have? Will you be free to make decisions, or have to approve every step with director?
• How many actors are there?
• How many costumes are there? Often, an actor will have more than one character.
• What are the important deadlines such as dress rehearsal?
• What will be your responsibilities during and after performances? For example, who will clean and prepare costumes for storage?
  
• What title will you be given in the program? If you are sewing professionally, this is important.
  

Tomorrow - Special considerations when sewing for live theater. (as opposed to dead theater...or film!)