So this is a little later coming out than I had intended, but once I went to the fabric store last week and got all my supplies, I got sucked into the costume and didn't really want to take a break.
Anyways, down to it: Fabric selection. It's super important when costume making; if you're trying to copy a costume from a TV show or movie, it's even more so, since you're trying to replicate the look of something that's probably pretty well known, and it's not like you can just ask the costume designer what they used to make the costume and where to get it (unless you have some amazing Hollywood connections that you'd like to share with me? Pretty please?).
On top of the look you're going for, you also want something that will work with the style of garment/costume you're making. For example, say you're making an Elizabethan gown true to the period, and you want to use velvet. You'd never use zebra print velvet, since that wouldn't achieve the look--or the authenticity--you're going for. Plus certain fabrics are better suited for certain uses, which is why when you use typical patterns--Simplicity, Vogue, Butterick, and other big names--they usually give recommendations for the types of fabric to use to achieve the look the pattern is supposed to create. However, they are simple guidelines, you don't have to follow them if you don't want to. Point of fact, if you're adapting a pattern into something completely different than it's intended use, you probably don't want to use the recommended fabrics.
Take this costume for example, the recommendations on the back of my pattern suggest crepe, brocade, satin, taffeta, and velvet, but those are either way too lightweight for my adaptation or way too heavy. If I was copying the costume straight from the movie, satin or taffeta would be about the right weight for me, but I wanted a little more heavy-duty look, especially since I plan on making my badass spats. A lightweight fabric would look too girly compared to my hardcore faux leather spats. I had a general idea going into the fabric store of what I wanted, but didn't have a particular fabric in mind, since I'd know what I wanted when I saw it.
Now if you're new to sewing or just don't know a lot about fabrics the easiest way to learn is to walk around a fabric store for a while. Look at the different fabrics, feel them and see the weight and the texture, unravel the bolt a bit and check the draping. Then go home and do some research. There's an awesome website, Fabric.com that has a Glossary on all things sewing. It also gives info on types of fabric as well as typical uses, dye retention, shrinkage factor, and sometimes history of the fabric. You can click the link below to go straight to the Glossary. You can also Google fabric, since there's an abundance of online fabric stores that have photos of their different selections for you to peruse. Wikipedia even has some cool info on fabric types.
After doing some research before I hit the fabric warehouse, I decided I probably wanted some kind of polyester blend, since they have some stretch, but figured I'd make the call when I got to the store. I browsed for a long time and then I found my red first. And oddly enough about the red, I liked the wrong side of the fabric more than the right side, so I decided to flip it and use it that way. :) My final selection was a polyester-moleskin blend. The color is actually called berry, but it's a lovely red color, and it's a sturdy, but not too stiff fabric.
It's a little hard to see the color accurately in this pic, but you get the general idea.
Once I had the red, I needed to find the white skirt fabric. Since they didn't have the moleskin in white (unfortunately!) I needed something that looked similar enough and was close to the same weight. I found a poly-satin blend that looked good and then selected the shade of white I was going for.
The red looks a little truer to form here, with the white next to it to balance it out.
Once I had the skirt colors all picked out, I need to find the blue. Since I didn't need the top to be a heavier weight--since there'd be no draping like the skirt--I decided I wanted something a little slinkier looking and I found this beautiful glossy poly-charmeuse. The color just popped and I thought it'd really look great with the matte colors of the skirt.
The blue with the embroidered stars I got for the lapels and the fascinator.
I also picked out most of my notions while I was there, so I could get thread and zippers that matched the colors of the fabric I selected. I found the cool embroidered stars in the pics above and below, one for each of the lapels and then one to stick on my fascinator. When I bought the pattern from the Simplicity website, I also ordered some smaller red embroidered stars to use on the spats flaps. I'll post pics of those once I start on the actual spats.
You get more detail in this pic then the earlier one, but they're silver, not white,
like they look in the picture.
I also had to make an emergency trip to a craft store this week to pick up a portable bobbin winder--the story of which shall be told in my next entry--what to do if you make a mistake or have an emergency mid project--and whilst in the store, I found some awesome trim for the top and the fascinator. It's a blue sequin trim, just a single line of sequins, and it's the exact shade of the fabric. I figured I'd use it as trim on the lapels and around the edge of the fascinator.
And finally, when purchasing fabric, be sure to always get more than the recommended yardage on the pattern package, as undoubtedly you will need some extra. This is especially important if you're using a fabric that has a pattern like stripes or plaids or one way fabrics, since you'll want the lines/designs to match up and all be facing the same direction on your garment. Plus, if you end up not needing the extra fabric you can always use it to make accessories. I once used my leftover fabric from a Steampunk skirt to sew myself a cute bolero style jacket and still had some fabric leftover to decorate a top hat and on another costume used it to make matching spats.
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