The Costume Maker’s Sourcebook (Digital Version on CD) Our Price, only $29.95!

Posted: January 10, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, Cosplay, costume coupons, costume making, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, fabric, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, sewing, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Costume Maker’s Sourcebook (Digital Version on CD)…Over 1700 Listings of Costume Making Suppliers throughout the U.S.

This featured book is a compilation of costume making supply vendors I have saved in my personal rolodex of professional costume making for over 35  years. The listings provided are highly valuable to costume maker’s of all levels, beginner to advanced. There is also plenty of places to print out notes inside the book (page by page) when needed while designing the costumes you are most interested in.

FREE SHIPPING!

Dangerous Curves Ahead article at CostumeUniversity.com

Posted: December 20, 2011 | Author: | 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: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Braid 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

COSTUME MAKER’S SOURCEBOOK…Officially Release November 22, 2011! BUY IT NOW!

Posted: November 9, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Blacklight Costumes, costume making, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, Digital Costume Design, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes, western costumes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

With over 1700 individual listings of Suppliers, Vendors & Sellers in 68 category listings. AVAILABLE NOW…FREE SHIPPING! 

The Costume Maker’s Sourcebook is the “Go-To” directory for Costume Designers, Makers and Enthusiasts, Professional, Semi-Professional and Hobbyist  released today in November.  The Costume Maker’s Sourcebook is available to purchase as a Book or Interactive CD right now at CostumeUniversity.com. 

This book is Revolutionary.  The Costume Maker’s Sourcebook allows you to connect to the web site of the companies you are seeking…RIGHT FROM THE BOOK!

Using the QR Code included with…keep reading at CostumeUniversity.com


JOIN COSTUMEUNIVERSITY.COM TODAY FOR ONLY $1!!!

Posted: October 5, 2011 | Author: | 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: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

JOIN COSTUME UNIVERSITY TODAY FOR ONLY $1!*

Join CostumeUniversity.com during our $1 MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL and you can become a CU Member for Only $1 for the first month, (cancel at anytime). See below for details.  Please Note: This $1 TO JOIN Trial Membership Special*will end without notice so join NOW to take advantage of our $1 TO JOIN Trial Membership Special!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN!

Be a Part of our Interactive Costume Community NOW by subscribing with any of our three convenient member plans… 

$1 TO JOIN Trial Membership Special* (cancel at anytime) Our Best Offer! This is a recurring monthly billing at $9.95 for each month after the $1 first trial month, cancel at anytime, so check us out for only $1!

3 Month Plan at $24.95 for 3 months, with an automatic renewal each quarter, cancel at anytime.

1 Year Plan at $79.95 One-time Payment.

CLICK HERE AND MAKE COSTUME UNIVERSITY YOUR COMMUNITY!

CostumeUniversity.com is a Living Interactive Costume Community dedicated to the Art & Fun of Costuming. Enjoy activities from Costume Design to Costume Making, Digital Costume Design, Live Forums, CostumeU Radio, The Costume Clinic and the new, fun activity of Cosplay and so much more!

BECOME A PART OF OUR CREATIVE COSTUME COMMUNITY!

Come be a part of our Creative Costume Community.  We are adding NEW Information, Articles & Activities daily. At CostumeU we encourage you to share your ideas, thoughts and success stories with us so we may share them with all the members.  At Costume University you will enjoy interaction between members and Lots and Lots of illustrated articles of interest to Costume Enthusiasts just like YOU!

JOIN US NOW!

*$1 TO JOIN Trial Membership Special is a one dollar for the First Month (discounted Membership price that gives you the opportunity to join Costume University for only $1 and see for yourself what a great community Costume University is. You can cancel the membership at anytime with no penalty.  The first month is only $1 and each month after the first month will be billed to your credit card for $9.95 for as long as you have the membership.


COSTUME MAKER’S SOURCEBOOK at CostumeUniversity.com!

Posted: September 26, 2011 | Author: | 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: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Each 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.

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

Creating the designs and building the costuming for a large acrobatic show

Posted: May 11, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Acrobatic Costumes, Costumes & Entertainment, Dance Costumes, kids costumes, Pirate Costumes, Steampunk costumes | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I am creating the designs and building the costuming for a large acrobatic show for a big musical star. This show has 19 acrobats that need to look like realistic period characters from about 1860. Each costume is different. When this show was first pitched to me to design it was clear that spandex stretch “acrobat-looking” costumes just wouldn’t do. It was up to me to design the look of each costume that could be translated into a working acrobat costume. Over the next few weeks I will talk about what has happened up to this point and what is happening each day. Oh yeah…every costume had to work in the water, as each of the stunt performers ended up in the giant pool on stage.

Previously
The design process was haphazard. The Producer knew what he wanted but neither of us knew how to get to the point of realistic looking costumes that worked for Acrobats, tumblers, divers and could end up in the water with each show. Realism, Movement, Water Friendly. A tall order.

Today
The fitting was interesting. When the costumes arrived the cast saw they were period costumes, not stretch acro-leotards that they were used to working in. The negativity quickly moved thru the staff…with the ringleader, the lead acrobat voicing his opinion very early in the fitting that these costumes would never work. He started that they didn’t stretch, they looked binding and they were too tight. The cast rumbled and scoffed that they would all have to be rebuilt. That didn’t happen. What did happen was magic.

If you would like to sign up for the FREE SkipTip Costuming Tip of the Week at CostumeUniversity.com, please submit your name and email in the form below.