MY SECRET PROJECT REVELED

I'm tiring to be mysterious. My "secret" project is a costume. Surprise!

The show that opened on Thursday is a musical called Into The Woods. Which I'll sum up as fairy tales gone bad. I got to make the big bad wolf's costume.

   

 Oh, goody! An insane multi-sized pattern. 9 sizes to choose from. Using the actor's measurement chart, I picked the size that was closest and traced that size onto paper.

 That's paper graph paper. And it's the front. It's a good idea to write the pattern information (seams, grain lines ect) on the paper ( and muslin) pattern. That way you wont forget what to do, I can give the pattern to a student and they can read what I wrote and wont have to ask a bunch of construction questions. We use push pins the hold the paper in place.

After the muslin is sewn together the piece is called a mock up and the first fitting is done. Muslin is a lot cheaper than fashion fabric, so we can write in it with a sharpie or pencil changing arms eyes, shoulder seams, neckline....whatever needs adjusting to fit the actors body. 

 

 The mock up is taken apart, adjustments are made and the pieces are cut out. I had to re-size some of the piece on paper. After the pieces are cut out and sewn back together, the second fitting happens.

 

 After the second fitting and before the sleeve were added. The front is pinned because it was changed from a button front to a turn back open front. I ended up having to trim off the area the looks pointed. After the sleeves were added, yet another fitting was need to get the turn back right and the shoulder pads placed.  Then the lining was added. This took about a week.

 Cuff detail.

 How about that? I matched the collar and lapel.

The final look.

 

 This is Terrance Searcy he's playing the Wolf. I also made his pants.  But not the vest or fur bits.

 He's got claws. For the show he wearing a wig.

The cast has started posting photos on Facebook, which I'm including here. The rest of the photo were taken by the cast.

 Little Red Ridding Hood being stalked by the Wolf.

 One of the step-sisters and Cinderella.

Cinderella's stepsisters and stepmother, with her Dad who bears a strange resemblance to the Wolf.  

Hope you enjoy my secret project.