Soldier Second Fitting

Actor Josh in Soldier's Costume

Actor Josh in Soldier's Costume 

This was my second fitting with my actor Josh and my first fitting in top fabric. Over-all I am pleased with how the fitting went. I did have a few things that would good and a few that were not. When Josh first got into the costume I made sure to ask him how everything felt. I was concerned that since the trousers come up so high on his waist that if the shirt was too long it would be uncomfortable. But he assured me that is was fine at the length it was. Aside from an over-all general feeling I also wanted to know how the lining worked in the trousers. When I asked Josh about this he said it was fine and didn't feel bunchy on the inside or anything like that which was a good thing to hear.
Trousers: I think the trousers were my biggest success in the fitting. The fabric looked really great and very authentic and the fit where it was taken in worked really well. I didn't have the braces buttons on so they were just pinned but this is helpful in giving me the correct placement for them. The height of the waist line fit well after it's alteration and the fly front looked neat. There weren't any big changes for the trousers except for adding belt-loops and finishing everything off neatly and precisely. I was cautioned that they would need a lot of breaking down and that might take time.
Puttees: I didn't have the puttee's fabric cut so we just used calico for the fitting. I cut in 3.5inch strips that were wrapped around to see how they would fit and hang. This also gave me a point on the trousers where about they should stop and I marked that with a safety pin to tack in later. Rose and the director liked the width of the calico puttees so I can go ahead and cut them that same width out of the top fabric.

Shirt with taken in Center Front. 

Shirt: The shirt was my least successful part of the fitting. Unfortunately it was some of the same issues that came up in the first fitting, that hadn't been completely resolved. The collar again was to large and really needed to be scaled down to almost half the size it was. The button stand was also a little too wide but in general the shirt was a little too baggy. This posed a big problem for me because of the button stand taking it in wasn't an easy fix. I was worried when we pinned in how much it should go in because I'm not sure how to fix it. This will be a challenge that might need some extra creativity. The other issue with the shirt were the sleeves. The director and our tutors didn't like the gathered sleeve, they felt that it was too pouffy and made him look too feminine. Despite my historical research they suggested that I take the gathering out and make it a fitted sleeve. This really shouldn't be too difficult because I can just fit it into the arm hole by opening up that side seam just a little. The cuffs, however, fit where I took them in for the last fitting which was good. I wasn't sure if they would be rolled up for most of the show, as they were in Rose's design, or if they were going to be rolled down at any point, in which case they would need a cuff button. He is now wearing a jacket for a little in the beginning so I will be adding a button and button hole to cuff of the shirt which is an easy alteration.

Evaluation: I feel that this second fitting was a success and I am happy with the Soldier's costume so far. The trousers I am particularly happy with and feel very rewarded with how I was able to use my research and create samples to successfully create them. I think there was a certain amount of risk in going from the calico toile trousers to the heavy wool because they are such different weights, but it was a very positive transition. I feel confident, at this point, in finishing my trousers within my time plan and finishing them well. I'm glad the calico puttees worked for this fitting but I felt during the fitting that maybe I should have more to show for them. I could have done some dying or breaking down samples for the fitting to show the designer and director. In the future I will be more careful to think of  everything before the fitting and to always bring samples. The shirt was a big disappointment for me. I really felt strong in my pattern choice and I was pleased with the techniques I had used. In the end it comes down to the design and if the changes fit the design better they will be worth the work. This second fitting was a big improvement to my first fitting and a positive step to completing my costume.

Trouser Pockets

Once the button fly was complete I was ready to put in the pockets. I've never put in a side entry pocket before so it was a new process. I have put in pockets into dresses and skirts when I've made them in the past but that hasn't been for a costume class so I wanted to make sure I did it correctly. Luckily I had a few references to look at. My friend Mary supplied me with the instructions below which she received from a tutor on the last unit while she was making a suit. This was really helpful for seeing how the pattern pieces should look drawn out. And I was able to look at the measurements from there and then put in my own measurements. I also had the first hand knowledge I gained at History in the Making. I took and recorded the measurements from their pockets and that is where I took my measurements for length and for width, as well as the size of the pocket opening. 

Diagram from Mary

From my trip to History in the Making

Once I had completed calculating my own measurements it was time to cut out the pockets. I was able to use the white fabric of the shirt  which worked well and matched what they used in History in the Making. Getting to look at the pockets in a finished costume was so helpful that I was able to put the pocket together with relative ease. It took me a little while to get the french seams perfect but I managed in the end and was happy with the result. It was also very easy to put small pieces of facing in that were a little longer than the actual pocket opening is.  

Put together pocket

Put together pocket showing lining

Once I had put the pockets together it was time to sew them in. I did find this part challenging. The fabric of the trousers is very thick and sometimes hard to move around or get into the right place. But I was able to draw on the previous experience in dress making to complete the pocket and sew up the side seams as well. When I finished I tacked the pockets at the waist so they sit towards the front and gave everything a good press.

Finished Pocket

Evaluation: I am very pleased with how the pockets turned out. I feel like I really drew on the knowledge I had from previous lessons and personal experience. I am also happy I was able to take so much information from my History In The Making visit that I could construct the pocket mostly with that information. The only real problem with the pocket was that on the one side the pocket extended over the button fly and really it should sit under the over-locking. I talked to my tutor about that and we were able to just turn the fabric in a little and machine it together so it was smaller. I am very pleased with the side concealed pocket.

Button Fly Front Sample

Creating the WW1 Army trousers is something I have never done before. In some ways you could compare them to the 18th century breeches I made last year, in the way they are drafted and how they are put together for the first fitting. One of the obvious differences, aside from the length, is the front closer. In 18th century breeches there is a flap and a sort of button stand hidden on the inside. On WW1 army trousers there is a concealed button fly.

Example of concealed button fly from History In The Making, this is what I will be trying to create on my button fly.

Here is a pair of trousers from around the same time as army trousers; found in the costume store. This has a similar fly but not exactly because my trousers are without  a waistband how the button stand is finished is a little different but otherwise very similar and helpful to look at as a comparison. 

Because I have never created a concealed button fly before I decided to create a sample so I could figure out how it is made and practice this new process before cutting it out of my top fabric. I was lucky that there was a packet about button flys in the costume department that I could sign out and use. In the packet was a small already made example in denim with other denim examples of the fly in progress and I was able to copy the instructions from the packet as well. I was also given some sample fabric in a wool similar to my actual trouser weight to use for the sample. All of these elements coming together was very helpful in me learning this new process and I was able to create the concealed button-fly sample below successfully. 

Sample Fly-Front Closed 

Sample Fly-Front Buttoned

Sample Fly Front Half Un-Buttoned

Sample Fly Front Completely Un-Buttoned.

Evaluation: Using the helpful instructions from our costume course creating this button fly was fairly simple. I did manage to get confused with the different pieces like the button-fly, placket and facing and how many there were to be of each and how many pieces of lining and which side to sew up. I did manage to accidentally create two button flys, instead of one button fly and one placket. I think this was because I didn't properly mark the wrong side of my fabric, so that will be something I will need to be careful of when creating my actual button fly. Along with being a great sample for my portfolio this was also helpful in practicing button-holes and finding appropriate size buttons. For the sample I used buttons I already had in my button box, but I remember buying them from our costume course haberdashery; I think I will suggest to Rose and Grace to look there for potential buttons for the trousers. I was very happy with the finished button-fly sample. In talking to my tutor she did suggest moving up the top-stitching line (which is why there are two pins towards the bottom of the fly). I think this will really finish the fly front better than how I've finished the sample. It wasn't easy to get a straight line so close to the curve of the fly top-stitching and by moving that sewing line up I think it will look neater and more deliberate. Creating this concealed button-fly sample was a successful new process, a great piece for my portfolio, and a helpful practice for my actual garment.

Waistcoat Pockets

Finished Waistcoat Pocket

Finished Waistcoat Pocket

Here are my finished waistcoat pockets, on the actual waistcoat fronts. I think they are very successful and I am proud of how the lines match up. I found creating these pockets very tedious and stressful due to the strong pattern; it took s few tries on each side for me to get it right, but I think the final product was worth the extra time.

Evaluation: I am very happy with how these pockets turned out. They were very challenging to line up because of the several different coloured stripes. I also have never worked with such a lightweight wool and had to adjust how I approached the pockets because the fabric didn't always stay where pinned. I think this is probably one of the most challenging tailoring fabrics I could have worked with and probably will ever work with; so I feel like my efforts were not wasted because I was really challenging myself. I have learned that tacking is very very important, to measure twice cut once, and to double check everything before I cut into anything.

Waistcoat Pocket Samples

Welted Pocket Sample

Welted Pocket Sample close

Due to the fabric chosen for the waistcoat I am anxious to begin my waistcoat. The strong checked pattern I know will be challenging to match up and keep looking clean, that is why I decided to try a sample welted pocket before beginning the two on the actual waistcoat. I cut out my fabric base using my actual waistcoat pattern (from the hem to a few inches above the waist-line) so it would as similar as it could be to the actual waistcoat. I used my hand-outs and notes from the Defining Practice unit last year when we made tailored waistcoats. It was very difficult to match up the lines and stripes but I am happy with the final result. Since this was also a sample I took the opportunity to try a different way to finish off the ends of the waistcoat. It is a bit easier to see in the second image. On the right is how we were taught in DP, although I would now fold over the ends and then top-stitch down. On the left instead I folded in the ends of the welt and slip-stitched it to the waistcoat. I will need to talk with a tutor with the sample to see which they feel would be more successful, however I think the way on the left is a bit neater and looks more finished.

Evaluation: Creating a sample before beginning the actual pockets was worth the time. Since I haven't worked with the fabric before I was able to learn more of how it worked and moved. I also realized that the pocket mouth I had tacked in and drawn on my pattern was proportionally small. I also think the welt is a bit too wide, and when I showed my sample to Rose she agreed that it might be a bit wide. I conferred with her and my historical research and we decided on a smaller width. I was able to talk to my tutor about finishing the ends of the pockets and she agreed the slip-stitching was neater but had concerns that it wouldn't be strong enough. But after discussing it we decided that with a machine top-stitch over top and close the end would secure it enough. This pocket sample was a chance for me to remember the how to make a welted pocket the tailored way, to work with the fabric, and solidify the length and width of the welt.

Pamela Howard Lecture

Over this past week I attended a lecture by the author, sceneographer, and much more Pamela Howard. Any designer/theatre/film person worth his salt will have a copy of her book "What is Sceneography" a term she coined herself. It was an amazing lecture with great visuals and interesting subject matter. I've compiled a few little nuggets of wisdom I collected from her lecture seen below (In no particular order):

*Figure out how to be active and pro-active
*Go through your career making sure "you will not be labeled"
*The division of space can tell the whole story
*Finding the right metaphor that makes the space of the show
*Read the newspaper and watch t.v. to get ideas--"live in the present"
*Everyone in life will probably say 'absolutely not'---it's really the moment to say 'I will do it'. That is when you do a sketch or model--"less talk more show", let your work be your ambassador
*Never get in a confrontational position- develop a personal strategy to over-come but you can't always win
*Be a compulsive observer of human nature
*Keep sketch-books and observe and keep it as your own observations for future reference
*Use very simple things and explore the vertical space as well as the horizontal
* Making a rich theater space out of very little means
* Drawings done on simple materials--- Whole Foods bags; handles left on and backed in board, easily transported and easy to exhibit
*In a sketch include the character, space, and relative object so it completes the character
*Treat every theatre like a site specific
*We are always stuck and desperate--nature of our work, not a bad thing
* Don't worry whether you can draw just let your work be your ambassador.

This was truly an amazing lecture, it contained interesting ideas and tips for anyone in this industry and gave me a better insight into how designers work and the possibilities within the industry.

For more information on Pamela Howard here is her website:
http://www.pamelahoward.co.uk/


All my own notes.
Howard, P. (2011). Costume with Performance Design. Arts Insitute at Bournemouth. 1 November.

Dye Samples

Dye Shirt Samples. 

When starting the shirt I was very mindful that I would have to break it down after it was made. The fabric that was bought for the shirt was pure white and very bright. In the top left corner of the image above is the actual fabric as it came. It's a little hard to see on white paper, which gives you an idea of how bright it was. To get a head start on breaking down I decided to do something I decided to call a "dirty water dye". Ideally this meant a very very light dye that just took all the white out of the fabric, taking it from new to used. When I started doing samples I found that this was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. The samples start at Sample 1 in the first row next to the original fabric and continue in the second row starting with Sample 5. Here is a break-down for each sample of what I used:

Done in a saucepan on a burner started with 40fl oz of water and some salt. Mixed dyes to one jar of water with 1 plastic teaspoon of Havana Brown and Elephant Grey dye.

Sample 1: Two plastic spoons of Havana Brown for 5 minutes
Sample 2: Added to sample 1 two plastic spoons of Elephant Grey for 3 minutes
Sample 3: Same mixture but for 2 minutes
Emptied saucepan to start again. Added 25fl oz of water to sauce pan and some salt.
Sample 4: Added 2 plastic spoons of Elephant Grey for three minutes
Sample 5: 1/2 plastic spoon of Havana Brown and 1 plastic spoon of Elephant Grey for 6 minutes
Emptied saucepan to start again. Added 25fl oz of water to sauce pan and some salt.
Sample 6: Added 4 plastic spoons of Elephant Grey for 5 minutes
To add to my range I mixed 1/2 plastic spoon of Coffee dye in a jar of water
Sample 7: Added to mixture in sample 6, 1 plastic spoon Coffee and 1 plastic spoon Elephant Grey for 7 minutes
Sample 8: Added to mixture 1 1/2 plastic spoons of Elephant Grey and 1 plastic spoon of Coffee for 9 minutes
Sample 9: Added 1 1/2 plastic spoons of Elephant Grey for 11 minutes.

Evaluation: I felt that by thinking ahead and beginning the breaking down process now I would be a step ahead. However, I don't think these samples are very successful in what I was trying to create. I think that the closest samples are 4 and 6, however I still think these two are not exactly what I was looking to create. And dyeing the mulitple meters I have of the white fabric this light could prove difficult and produce patchy results. When I showed my samples to my tutor she agreed. She also pointed out that working in the dye room is not always the cleanest and even if I was extremely careful other dye could get on the fabric. So instead of trying to dye it I am washing it to make it soft and tone it down a little. I think this will be a good start and I will just face the breaking down when I get to it. If I had another opportunity to try my "dirty water dye" idea I might try and do a cold water dye instead of a hot because I think it might be easier to regulate the colour.