Costume University’s FREE Sample Costuming Tip of the Week (7-29-11)

Posted: August 16, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, costume coupons, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Have 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

FELT… The Kid’s Costume Maker’s Best Friend!

Posted: July 26, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Making 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