COSTUME MAKER’S SOURCEBOOK at CostumeUniversity.com!
Posted: September 26, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, costume coupons, costume making, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: costume design, costume maker's sourcebook, Costume University, fabric, listings, sewing, Skip Stewart Leave a commentEach week, I will keep everyone informed about the progress of publishing my newest book, the COSTUME MAKER’S SOURCEBOOK coming out in mid-November, available at www.CostumeUniversity.com. 
The COSTUME MAKER’S SOURCEBOOK has about 1700 listings of companies that sell costume making supplies & items to you, the Costume Enthusiast, so you might want to snag a copy of the book early…It’s a limited edition and many are on reserve already.
Re-Purpose that Design, Re-style that costume, Recycling an idea!
Posted: September 8, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design | Tags: collar, college, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, dress, fabric, pattern, re-purposing, sew, sleeve Leave a commentby Skip Stewart, Senior Writer, CostumeUniversity.com
I recently took a class about creating ideas. In this class I was reminded of the term Re-Purposing. It means to use an idea or project
you previously created for something else, now for something new. This is a great idea for costuming. In community, college and non-professional theaters they do this all the time…its called “reusing” something…today we call it “Re-Purposing”.
Re-using a long coat that was used in a scene of a show this month, can be folded up on an angle in the front lower half to make a cut-a-way style coat for a show next month…this is repurposing. This is a great way to repurpose older, long tux coats. Dresses are easy to do this with as well. Some people simply call is re-styling. Today it’s re-purposing.
Patterns are a wonderful place to re-purpose. Using a pattern from one era or one style and using it on a different but compatible style costume is re-purposing. Simply change out the sleeve or the collar and use a completely different fabric and you have a totally new costume…read more at CostumeUniversity.com
Costume University’s FREE Sample Costuming Tip of the Week (7-29-11)
Posted: August 16, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, costume coupons, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, digital design, fabric, glue, hat, iron, jacket, mask, pants, pen, pencil, secret, sewing, Skip Stewart, vest Leave a commentHave you ever tried to heat press interfacing to a piece of fabric on to a cut-out garment piece only to have it NOT stick?…Frustrating huh?
In years past, we here at the Costume University Studio Workroom had problems with heat press-on interfacing or any kind of heat 
“press-on” glue products to some fabrics. No matter how much you try to press it, the heat press-on product would not stick to the intended fabric….until we found the secret.
Thanks to CostumeU staffer “Stitch Rich”, we discovered that heat press-on interfacings and many other heat set products don’t stick to fabrics with “Sizing” on them.
Sizing is a modified starch finish that is applied to a fabric at the mill to make the fabric stiff & flat and look more pressed, so it looks good when you purchase it.
So remember to wash that fabric before you try to stick anything to it, don’t use fabric softener in the washer or dryer…those products are both a form of SIZING!
Any Questions, comments or if you have a Costuming Tip to share, please write me at Ideas@CostumeUniversity.com We would love to hear from you.
Sign up for the FREE Costuming Tip of the Week at CostumeUniversity.com
Skip Stewart
Sr. Writer, Costume University
The Serendipity of Costume University
Posted: August 11, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, costume coupons, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: cape, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, discovery, genre, hat coat, jacket, pants, serendipity, Skip Stewart Leave a commentSerendipity: –noun. 1. An aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
Most people come to Costume University because of an interest in a particular genre of Costuming or they like a particular style and
want to celebrate it…or they want or need to know something about costumes and come to Costume University to get answers. But the great gift that is discovered at Costume University is the Serendipity of Costume University. It’s the chance discovery of what else they are interested in but didn’t know it.
When you read an article or look at a photo gallery at Costume University you can find other things related to your interests that will…KEEP READING AT CostumeUniversity.com
Designing Western Costumes, Part 3… The Iconic Western Details…
Posted: August 10, 2011 Filed under: Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, western costumes | Tags: bandana, Belt, boot, bronco, buckle, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, cowboy, cowgirl, hat, horse, Skip Stewart, spurs, vest, Western wear Leave a commentBelieve it or not, the details of western wear are what sets western wear apart from clothing / costumes from the same time period. 
With out these simple but effective fine points of embellishments the clothing of a wild westerner would basically look like clothing worn by east coasters, or anyone from the same era.
Embroideries are a very significant part of Western Wear. Floral motifs including roses and leaves are a tradition in thread embroidery. Motifs of everything western is embroidered, appliquéd or embossed in some way or another on western wear. There are so many traditional motifs… Cattle, Ranch, Motifs, Indian Blanket and Southwest Motifs, Cowboys on bucking Broncos, Feathers and Indian Feather motifs, Guns, Stars, Wings…you name it and if it is… READ MORE AT CostumeUniversity.com
DISCOUNT COUPON MADNESS!!!
Posted: August 9, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, costume coupons, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: collect, cost, costume coupons, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, costuming, craft, discount, dollars, fabric, money savings, Skip Stewart Leave a commentCostuming is always fun and challenging but often times the challenging part hits the wallet or purse a bit harder than we originally
planned. Today we are faced with rising costs of just about everything and sometimes we have limited funds to use for making costumes, so anything that can take the edge off the cost of costume making is welcome.
One of the best things you can do for the dollars you have to spend on costume making is to stretch them…to the LIMIT! A great way to do this is to sign up for every fabric & craft store email list you can get on and start collecting the discount coupons. It’s easy, it’s available to do in the store or online and it can save you a… READ MORE AT CostumeUniversity.com
Black Light Fabrics, Trims and Paints for Costumes…Keeping your costumes seen in the dark!
Posted: August 1, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes | Tags: Black Light costumes, blacklight, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, dark, fluorescent, glow, neon, paint, Skip Steart Leave a commentCostumes that include Black Light colors are intriguing. They have a look, even a personality all their own. Black Light costumes
seem to have internal lights that appear to illuminate from within…but we all know that isn’t true.
Products made with Black Light colors simply reflect a different kind of light…something from out of the norm. Black Light Fabrics and trims emit a kind of glow…a brightness that seems to radiate from inside the costume…but like we said before, that isn’t true.
First it is important to note that there is more than one type of process that makes something glow in the dark. There are two basic ways…things that glow under black lighting (UV Light) and those that glow after being charged with light, known as “Glow in the Dark”.
The difference is this:
1. Black Light items create a glow with the assistance of a “Black” Light…also known as Ultra Violet Light.
2. Glow in the Dark products contain phosphors. Phosphor is a substance that radiates visible light after being energized. To be energized or “charged”, you hold them up to a light for a few minutes.
For this article we are going to focus on the Black light products that glow with the assistance of an Ultra Violet Light. 
Black Light costumes are in a category all their own. Black Light costume items can create many different effects, feelings, moods and looks. Some say the glow is spooky, some say it’s eerie but everyone says it’s COOL!
In the rest of the article we discuss the types of Black Light Paints, and what they are used for, along with the fabrics available and the trims that are on the market for costume makers, both professional and hobbyist to use, the reasons for the limited market. To read this article in full go to CostumeUniversity.com and check it out.
And while you are there…sign up for the FREE Costuming Tip of the Week and download your FREE Copy of our All-Digital, Professional Size Chart set for costume makers….Yours to use over and over again in your Measurement taking needs.
FELT… The Kid’s Costume Maker’s Best Friend!
Posted: July 26, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes | Tags: college, color, contrast, costume design, costume maker, CostumeUniversity.com, felt, glue, jacket, kids costumes, Skip Stewart, trim Leave a commentMaking Kid’s costumes is often daunting, but fortunately it’s very rewarding. Kid’s love what ever you make them and you love making something they have fun wearing. But in today’s world, efficiency is key…Its all about doing the best you can in the shortest amount of time so you can do the things YOU love.
Felt is a really good fabric if you are making a costume piece that is traditionally made from wool, cotton or any traditional fabric. Felt works really well for this. It has great body, holds a shape, and is VERY affordable!
Another great thing about felt is you can use it to decorate with. Let’s say the Kid’s costume you are
making needs some color-contrasting trim. Just buy a 1/8 or 1/4 yard of a different color of felt and cut the trim out of the contrasting Felt. You can sew it on or glue it on. Hot glue works well as does white craft glue if you hold it in place with straight pins until it’s dry. And, once again, you don’t have to finish the edges because Felt doesn’t fray or ravel.
Read the rest of this great article and see the sketches and photos that go along with it at CostumeUniversity.com It’s in the Kids Costume College section. And while you are there…sign up for the FREE Costume Tip of the Week…at CostumeUniversity.com
Designing Western Costumes…Part 1
Posted: July 25, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, kids costumes, Uncategorized | Tags: boots, chaps, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, cowboy, hat, Skip Stewart, south west, Western wear Leave a commentWestern Wear in costume design is one of the most creative & distinctive of all the styles you may be asked to design. Cowboy wear is
fun, original & steeped in traditional details. The history of what we know as western wear was started on the American planes & the south west USA, known as the…READ MORE at CostumeUniversity.com
SUPERCON11 COSPLAY SHOOTOUT!
Posted: July 19, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, Uncategorized | Tags: cosplay, cosplayers, costume design, CostumeUniversity.com, florida, Miami, photograph, shootout, Skip Stewart, Supercon Leave a commentArriving at SuperCon11 in Miami was an anticipation I had looked forward to for quite some time.
I knew what was awaiting me to photograph in the way of fantastic costumes created by CosPlayers from all over the country. The SuperCon11 Shootout was about to begin!
I arrived early to get the best spot for the Shootout. I wanted to photograph the “best of the best” of the CosPlayers coming to the Shootout. We set up the Costume University “Wall of Fame” photo back drop in the center of the ball room. I wanted to be in the center of the room in front of the main door.
My excitement wasn’t disappointed…the first few…READ MORE AT CostumeUniversity.com
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