The Dark Side of Costuming…


Girl, what the heck have you been doing!? We want updates already!

I’ve been doing the most mundane, neck-aching, back-breaking, horrific-yet-necessary part of the costuming job: cutting.

This doesn’t seem like such a big deal, right? It does when you have a frock coat, a waistcoat, and breeches to cut, and all of them are lined, some parts of them even interlined. And it does when that frock coat has something like 25 self-covered button rounds to cut out.

The sad part is that I’m still not done cutting! Instead, I’m off to buy out the fabric store of their delectable silver trim, so I can get that on before the lining (which isn’t cut, haha).

The caterpillar that is a garment before its metamorphosis
into the beautiful 18th century velvet butterfly it will become…

9 Comments

  • Robin's Egg Bleu

    January 2, 2010 at 9:52 PM

    My sentiments exactly! I'll play with the fabric and trims as long as I can get away with it before settling down the the most necessary portions of creating a garment. If it ain't cut out, nothing is going to happen. I stall and stall. I HATE CUTTING.

    Reply
  • The Dreamstress

    January 2, 2010 at 11:11 PM

    Cutting sucks. It definitely takes the longest of any of the sewing steps. But at least you have good scissors – I have the exact same pair!

    Reply
  • Anna Andalasia

    January 3, 2010 at 12:16 AM

    I also HATE cutting out fabric. I'm with Robin's Egg Bleu: I will procrastinate from cutting as long as I can once I buy my fabric. Unless I'm on a deadline, it's likely that I will not start working on my project for quite some time.

    Reply
  • Duchesse

    January 3, 2010 at 6:16 AM

    UGH, yes, my sentiments exactly ladies! This is why in the garment industry they have cutters, people JUST FOR this horrific job, hahaha.

    Reply
  • Robin Gallowglas

    January 3, 2010 at 3:41 PM

    Right there with you, if it wasn't somthing that had to be so darn precise I would totally bribe my son into doing it. 😀

    Reply
  • Anonymous

    January 4, 2010 at 4:05 AM

    Ohh, what do you recommend for footwear pattern? that will compliment the clothes? I'm going to do a Fugawi custom order.

    Reply
  • Artemisia Moltabocca

    January 4, 2010 at 4:32 PM

    I remember the cutting for a tote bag. Five layers. The sewing was a snap but the cutting took forever! *shudder*

    Reply
  • Duchie

    January 4, 2010 at 6:00 PM

    James – footwear, go with something basic, like black leather or black suede. You want to be able to wear the shoes with as many future and current outfits as possible. Tie in the shoes with the suit by doing a fancy buckle or even some massive, silver bows, something to that effect, instead of doing a brocade or patterned shoe.

    Artemisia – I have not yet made tote bags or handbags, but I'm always intrigued. I imagine the layers are similar to those of a hat…it needs stability in various places and such, yes? Hrm…now I want to run off and make handbags, hahaha 🙂

    Reply

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