Dangerous Curves Ahead article at CostumeUniversity.com
Posted: December 20, 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: Braids, CostumeUniversity.com, curve, fabric, narrow, ribbon, sewing, shape, Skip Stewart, Trims, woven Leave a commentBraid and Ribbon trims are known as “Flat trims” and are beautiful to use on your new costume.
But how they are used is vastly different. Braids are trims that are braided. They are created by using a series of braided knots. Ribbon Trims are woven much like fabric is woven. Technically, woven trims are considered “Narrow Woven Goods”. The difference is vast between these two trims. Braided trims are usually thicker, and have more texture, while woven trims tend to be sleeker and can look more refined. But the main difference is; Braided trims can be shaped into curves and shapes, Woven trims can’t be shaped or molded, they are for the most part straight trims, and when you try to shape them, they stand on edge. Braided trims lay flat when you… keep reading at CostumeUniversity.com
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Posted: October 5, 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: $1, articles, automatic, community, contest, costume, Costume University, CostumeU, CostumeUniversity.com, creative, enthusiasts, fabric, join, member, membership, month, one dollar, plan, renewal, sewing, Skip Stewart, special, trial Leave a commentJOIN COSTUME UNIVERSITY TODAY FOR ONLY $1!*
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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.
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Skip Stewart
Sr. Writer, Costume University
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
Designing Western Costumes, Part 2… The Parts and Pieces…
Posted: August 4, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Steampunk costumes, Uncategorized, western costumes | Tags: bandana, Belt, boot, buckle, cavalry, chaps, conchos, CostumeUniversity.com, cowboy, cowgirl, digital design, fabric, gun, handkerchief, hat, horse, leather, Skip Stewart, spurs, straw, suede, Western costumes Leave a commentThe Second Act…
The parts and pieces that make up the clothing of the old west is some of Costume’s most recognizable garments. These iconic pieces of clothing are legendary in the world of entertainment attire. The traditional elements of Western Wear are very recognizable. Some of the basic appointments for both men and women are Chaps of which there are three styles; The Shotgun chaps…long and straight, the Batwing Chaps with the wide flanges and the Woolly Chaps that were made from Angora Goat Fur. Other elements that are iconic were the gloves with gauntlets which added a cavalier flair and were probably adapted from the Cavalry men. Vests, Long Duster Coats and Pommel Slickers, which was the early rain coat, were very traditional for men. And of course the Cowboy Hat, which came in two basic categories… straw and felt, but were made in dozens of styles. Straw if it was either a casual setting or it was summer. All other portrayals were usually felt.
Other standard elements to Western Wear were tooled leather wrist cuffs, a bandanna or handkerchief and Blue Jeans and they all have their iconoclastic heritage. Tooled western belts with big silver buckles, nailheads, studs and Conchos reflected light in contrast to the matte finish of suede or worn leather and of course… READ MORE AT CostumeUniversity.com
Alton Brown is Right About Multi-Tasking. Dupioni…the Multi-Tasking Fabric
Posted: June 15, 2011 Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, Uncategorized | Tags: Alton Brown, CostumeUniversity.com, fabric, kitchen tool, multi-tasking, poly dupioni, polyester, silk, Skip Stewart Leave a comment![Poly-Dupioni](https://costumeuniversity.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/poly-dupioni.jpg?w=201&h=185)