The Creative Maze: Val - Costume-making for Film

Hello again and welcome back to The Creative Maze.  Today, I have an update for you on the costume I am making for a summer film project.  You may remember that last time I had to make some adjustments to the skirt of the original bought pattern.  Well, those adjustments seem to have worked on the calico mock-up and so I've taken the plunge and cut out the pattern pieces in the main fabric - always a scary prospect as you don't want to get it wrong!  So far, so good...

It took me ages (nearly a day) to cut out all the main fabric, lining and interfacing pieces for the huntress costume.  It's going to be 'fun' because each sleeve consists of 6 separate pattern pieces, but it should look good when it's finished.  I'm putting in tailor's tacks as I go, to make sure things are in the right place and match up properly.  Here are some photos of the process:

Bodice pattern piece with tailor's tacks (in contrasting yellow thread).

Stitch down and back up through pattern and fabric layers with contrasting thread, leaving long ends on each side (having snipped loop with scissors) and gently release pattern, leaving tailor's tacks in place.

Separate fabric pieces carefully, easing tacks through to leave even length of contrast thread visible on each side of both pieces.  You can see I've snipped the tack on the right-hand side - these tacks mark the points where boning is to be inserted on the inside.

Snipping the tack...

Having done all this preparation work, I could start sewing.  First, I had to cut out fourteen pieces of ribbon that then needed to be folded and tacked into place (each marked by tailor's tacks) on the front bodice pieces.  Then, I stitched a piece of the same ribbon vertically down the front over the tacked loops to secure them properly and form a decorative edge.  Two lines of top-stitching close to each edge of a 6mm ribbon whilst trying to keep the individual ribbon loops straight was fiddly, to say the least, but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out:

Fiddly loops, fiddly construction, fiddly top-stitching, but doesn't it look great?

Then, I started to construct the bodice, which needed a little fitting adjustment, but now seems fine:

 

And now, I'm off to do some more fiddly top-stitch with 6mm ribbon on the shoulder straps!

I hope you have a happy and creative weekend, wherever you are.  I'll see you back here in two weeks time for another update.  Until next time...