I honestly don’t know why I find making costumes is such an issue, but it is. I can muddle through pretty much anything else that I only half know how to do – metalworking, ceramics, cooking, preserving, even making Errol for Guards Guards in October 2012 didn’t affect me like this.
I’ve been constantly putting this last job for the Jack and the Beanstalk costume off until with the show next week, I finally had no choice. I really don’t know why I’ve been dreading it so much. I’ve made this pattern successfully before (Dick Whittington in January 2019); I made two much more complicated 1910s evening dresses for Blackadder in October 2018 and I’ve got my mum at the end of the phone who is a very competent dressmaker. Time to face down the anxiety and pick up the scissors.
I’d chosen a two contrasting prints for this dress – a cow print and a grass print to fit in with the whole Dame Durden’s Dairy vibe.
Unfortunately because I’d ordered them online, the cow print was very much flimsier than I expected, and semi-see through, which meant that I had to use the grass print for the bodice. I also ended up fully lining the bodice with the cow fabric by cutting the bodice out twice and stitching everything through two layers instead of one.
I have no idea if I did it right, but I know Dame’s dresses have to be robust (and I don’t have an overlocker to finish off seams) and I didn’t want to have tickly seams at the neckline…
…and an opening at the back that couldn’t withstand yanking the velcro open for a quick change.
Oh and just to make everything more of a worry, this pattern only goes up to a size 22, and I need it to fit a size 24+ 6’2″ bloke, so I’ve just cut everything loads bigger than the pattern and hoped. Sleeves in the cow print. They are supposed to be gathered at the top, so after putting in two rows of hand stitched gathers because my machine won’t do that, I ended up taking most of them out as due to my cutting, the sleeve is almost the same size as the armhole.
Then the skirt. It’s very full as it goes over a hoop and needs gathering the whole way round, which again, done by hand, took ages, both to gather and then to even out along the waistband before I stitched it down.
Then it was everything crossed until I tried it on our dame. It fitted! Well, not exactly couture, but well enough to look good on stage. That meant I could finish the back fastenings, hem it, reinforce the skirt opening and elasticate the sleeves before adding a grass print pocket to one of our existing pinafores…
…and making a matching mob cap.
Done! Thank goodness for that. And I really, really am NOT costuming next year’s panto!!
Under A Topaz Sky 
Looks absolutely fantastic! I don’t envy you the job but had I lived nearer I would have come and scratched heads with you. I used to love doing the costumes for school plays, never wanted to be out front. Just wish I’d seen that want back in the day and gone down that road. Who knows. 😁
Thank you! I am very pleased with the look (even more so that it was what I had in my head), relieved with the way it’s turned out and even more so that it fits. It would have been amazing to have your help but so sad it’s a bit too far to pop over.
As someone who has worked in theatre my whole adult life I love these pants costume blogs. Sad that you won’t do anymore – but quite understand ; )
Not any more, just not next year! Although if I suddenly get an idea for an amazing costume, who can tell…!
Worth all the wrestling, I think! Well done (and thank you for reminding me about Errol – it was lovely to see him again!
Thank you – I think so too (now it’s all finished) and he does look lovely in it! Errol was delighted to be remembered and is now preening himself with a very smug expression.