Question for sewers

[FullContretemps]

That's people who sew, not smelly pipes carrying waste, in case you were wondering...

 

A bank holiday question for you: the person choreographing for an upcoming show I've been roped into has given costume ideas, saying something like the picture below for me. Found it on DanceDirect and it's £60. Clearly not paying that!

 

Just wondering whether it would be possible to home-make with a crop top, ballet skirt and cheap leotard to chop about. If you start cutting stretchy lycra would you be able to make it stay in roughly the right shape if sewn to crop top (and maybe black shorts) or would it just lose that shape completely?

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

 

https://www.dancedirect.com/uk/product/turning-page

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I'm sure it's possible. However if the choreographer opens. Teachers account with dance direct that costume will be far cheaper.

[alison]

 

That's people who sew, not smelly pipes carrying waste, in case you were wondering...

 

I was, because I read it the wrong way!

 

Must admit, I'm not convinced about the idea of cutting up an existing stretchy leotard - I suspect you might have great difficulty getting that curved shape.  Mind you, I avoid sewing jersey like the plague, and don't even have an overlocker on my machine, so I may not be the best person to ask.

 

Edit: Actually, the picture I'm looking at is only £41-something - am I looking at the right thing?

[FullContretemps]

Price goes up when you select great big sizes for people that are 5'7! Hm... I wonder how much of a discount teachers get

[Bluebird22]

It's a 40% discount on costumes and 10% on shoes etc

[dramascientist]

Cutting a leotard will not work unless you can stitch with a stretch stich on a sewing machine. What often happens is that the edges stretch causing it to ripple and stretch even more, it will also fray at the edges. Instead I would just cut the shoulder seam of oneshoulder and unpick (if you can), half way downthe same side seam (make sure you stich the end up to where you have unpicked to make sure it doesnt come undone any more) then fold that side into the other side. Then you avoid actually cutting the material. Its best to then put the leotard on and fold the "extra bit" inside with it on a body. Then as you say use a sparkly crop top underneath. Or start from scratch with bought fabric ( this is probably what I would do but I am quite an experienced sewer (with needle and threadnot with getting rid of waste:) ).

 

Just a suggestion good luck with it,

DRSC

[t_rose]

I'd say it's possible. If it's a Lycra leo it shouldn't fray - just don't cut too much off to start, you can always cut more off if you need to. Alternately look for mesh or lace overdress on eBay and adjust that

[Dance*is*life]

There's a wonderful old fashioned word that you never hear nowadays - seamstress.  I suppose because they sew seams!  There isn't a male equivalent as far as I know - I believe men were called tailors!   I note this because I thought you were talking about drains too!

[Farawaydancer]

There's a wonderful old fashioned word that you never hear nowadays - seamstress. I suppose because they sew seams! There isn't a male equivalent as far as I know - I believe men were called tailors! I note this because I thought you were talking about drains too!

My grandmother was a tailor so I think it's more to do with what you are sewing? I most definitely didn't inherit any practical sewing skills so that is all I have to contribute to this thread ????

[Jan McNulty]

My grandmother was a tailor so I think it's more to do with what you are sewing? I most definitely didn't inherit any practical sewing skills so that is all I have to contribute to this thread

 

 

The lady who used to live next door to us described herself as a retired tailoress.  I think you are right, as she had worked for a bespoke tailor.

[Dance*is*life]

My Mum was an absolutely brilliant dressmaker - sadly I didn't inherit her skills, although I am a whizz hand at sewing on ballet shoe ribbons and elastics!  And at one stage my Dad had a factory for ladies' suits - so he was a ladies' tailor!

[Katymac]

I would use a bought short & bra top then possibly use georgette to make the skirt/top, you could possibly use a ballet skirt but matching the material to make th top could be tricky

 

If you wanted you could drape a folded in half (or cut & hemmed) silk scarf from the shoulder down to the hip or even a large square scarf with 2 adjacent corners tied at the shoulder and brought up under the armpit

 

If you want to send me a PM I can send you some pictures (I can't send you a PM atm - there is a problem, sorry)

Edited June 1, 2016 by Katymac

[Kate_N]

You can make lycra fabric stay if you use elastic. Get the lingerie stretchy lace elastic - it's light and if you cut it a bit shorter than the edge you want to hold, you have to stretch it to attach it (with a stretch stitch or widened out zig-zag) and it'll spring back when not stretched.

 

The other way would be to line the leotard with flesh-coloured mesh as a base, and then cut the leotard. THe whole thing would be kept in place by the mesh base.

[FullContretemps]

Wow, I love ballet.co - such a mine of information! I think I might have persuaded them that it might be do-able with the discount from dance direct - thanks for the heads up! My sewing skills are not of the highest quality so would probably mean roping in favours. I do aspire to learn dressmaking one day though. Or seamstressing, or tailoring, whichever one seems most applicable at the time. I do love the English language!