Making of a Fairy Queen (Part II)

When I last posted about the grand fairy queen costume for GCV&M's newest summer camp that I have been steadily working on, it seemed like I had quite a ways to go before it was ready for flight.  (Read: Making of a Fairy Queen - Part I)  Then, ten days later, err three very late work nights, we had a fairy queen costume ready for takeoff!  

Picking up from where we left off last time...

Flower Petal & Leaf Skirt (continued):  With two tiers of petals already pinned, basted and stitched to the skirt base, it was time to add the third and last tier of leaves.  Then, I seamed the open side of the skirt together, and carefully overlapped and secured the extra petals to hide the back seam.  

Next step was to piece together a waistband.  A panel from the skirt fabric scraps was seamed and pressed together to serve as the inside half of the waistband, as well as a panel from left over green cotton (same fabric as binding on stomacher) for the outside.  Two rows of gathering stitches were run across the top of the skirt panels, breaking at each side seam.  

The skirt was then gathered evenly and stitched to the waistband.  To finish off the edge nicely, I ironed under half an inch of the green panel and evenly whip stitched it with a sturdy, white buttonhole twist to cover the zigzagged edges of the top petals.  Lastly, I ran a row of stitches an inch or so below the top edge to form a casing and inserted elastic cut to the proper measurement.  

As for decorations, I decided to go with the "less is more" approach and just added a gem to the end of each petal/leaf for extra sparkle!  And, voila, the completed fairy skirt!

Completed flower petal & leaf skirt, outside.

Completed skirt, inside.

Look, it makes a complete, upside-down flower!
Just proof of 100% twirliness!

Blouse:  I went for the simplified design and ended up loving the result!  I may or may not use this pattern again in the future for some modern "peasant" blouses...

Step one: draft pattern.  As you can see in the picture below, this was a multi-step, trial-and-error based method!  When happy, cut from the fashion fabric, which happened to be a natural colored cotton. 

Step two: narrow hem the sleeves and mark the placement for gathering.  I used twill tape for the elastic arm channels; stitch close to the edges on both sides of the casings.

Step three: insert elastic cut to the correct arm measurements and secure at both ends.  Join sleeves to front and back shirt pieces; seam and zigzag to finish.  Stitch from the edge of sleeve all the way under the arm to the bottom of the shirt on both sides.   

Step four:  Apply half-inch, homemade bias tape at the neckline and carefully top stitch to secure all of the layers.  Insert appropriate amount of elastic into neckline casing.

Step five: hem the bottom of the blouse to finish!

Add the embroidered corset...

Then the stomacher...

Along with the skirt...and you have a finished, grand fairy queen costume!  Whoohoo!  

I was able to schedule a final fitting with Alyssa, the fairy queen, last Thursday and everything fit beautifully!  What a fun project this has been!  News has spread that both fairy camp weeks have completely sold out, and that, if all goes well, there will be more opportunities for our young fairy enthusiasts next year!

 (Is it just me, or does it sort of resemble a cross between a folk costume and a ballet costume?)  Anyways, the costume looks so much better on Alyssa than on any dress form; so, hopefully, later this summer, I will be able to get a couple photos of the fairy queen, herself, in action!  

A very tired me, very late at night, posing with the completed costume: 

"When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy" 
~ James M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Making of a Fairy Queen (Part I)

Blog posting resumes tonight with more fairy madness!  

As I've mentioned previously, for the final project of my costume internship at GCV&M, I was placed in charge of designing & creating the costumes for the new summer fairy camp.  The challenge included a fairy queen outfit (still in progress) as well as a pattern and example each for the young girl (DIY Fairy Tutu Tutorial) & boy (DIY Forest Tunic Tutorial) fairies in training.  However, after a few bumps and a super busy start to the museum season, the grand fairy queen costume was set aside...until tonight, when a little panic set in as I realized we are already into the second week of June.  I need to get a move on!  So, to start, I pulled out all of the supplies, made a quick schedule & am sharing my progress here to serve as a reminder.

The completed fairy queen costume will eventually include a puffed sleeve chemise, embroidered corset, bedazzled stomacher, and a petal & leave skirt with a full tulle underskirt.  After two months of off and on work in the shop, this is where I'm currently at with the project: 

Embroidered Corset: check!  Bevin's entirely hand-sewn corset - with beautiful embroidery I must add - served as the perfect starting point for the project.  In fact, I shaped my design and fabric selection for the skirt around this!  All I had to add was red satin ribbon (pulled from the stash) for lacing both at the shoulders and front.  

Stomacher:  check!  At the initial meeting & measuring, we discovered that there was around a four inch gap in the front of the corset.  So, turning to the 18th century for inspiration, I decided to remedy the issue with a stomacher.  This was the start of the themes for the project of complications and much trial and error.  After researching construction tips and trick on the computer, and a few mistrials, I finally reached success! 

The completed stomacher.

I drew up a quick pattern using the corset and the fairy queen's measurements, and then, played around with materials until the stomacher was stiff enough to hold its shape and support the wearer.  The stomacher is made from flat-lined forest green silk (lined with white muslin, inter-lined with two layers of lightweight buckram, lined on the inner side with white muslin, and "boned" with multiple cable ties.  

Measured and stitched boning channels through two layers of lightweight buckram and one layer of muslin.  Then, slipped the "bones" (aka cheap cable ties) in between the buckram layers and sealed the channels with another row of stitches.

Then, again drawing on 18th century inspiration (feel free to check out my Pinterest board on 18th Century Stomachers!), I played around with the design until I found the one that went best with the corset.  All of the materials came from the stash.   

Once the design finished drying - yes, hot glue is very 18th century, as are plastic gemstones - I bound the stomacher with handmade bias tape & whip stitched the back to the lining for a neat and clean finish.  

However, the best part came at the first fitting where the corset with its brand new stomacher fit the fairy queen absolutely perfectly!  It even looked great behind bright red lacing - problems solved!

Flower Petal & Leaf Skirt:  A work in progress...for the majority of the time spent on this project, I have been working on the skirt, which is still not quite finished!  Despite its many ups and downs, I am pleased with how it is turning out (my only hope is that it is finished soon). 

The skirt all laid out!  The concept idea was for it to literally look like an upside down flower - with a yellow center, red outer petals and green leaves.

I began by making a basic base for the skirt.  Using the measurements I took, as well as the skirt piece from an out of print Butterick pattern, I stitched together three wide skirt panels from a golden 100% cotton fabric.  Then, I applied a hem facing using a bright yellow, 1/2 inch double-fold bias tape (ironed flat).  

The skirt panels with zig-zag finishing.

Another neat trick I discovered from studying a skirt that Bevin made: using double fold bias tape, ironed flat, as a hem facing.  Ingenious!

Next, I spent way too many days cutting out stacks of petals from 100%, pure polyester costume satin...never again.  Each petal/leaf was lined with another satin or cotton petal - stitched right sides together, flipped and pressed flat.  Then, the top opening was zig-zagged shut (also to prevent further unraveling as satin is evil.) 

First, 10 golden petals...sparkly costume satin lined with even flimsier gold polyester:  

Second, 10 red petals...costume satin lined with either bright yellow cotton or mystery red knit fabric (never again): 

Then finally, 10 green leaves...costume satin lined in either light green, polka-dot cotton or a darker green cotton print:

Phew!  Once all of the petals & leaves were assembled, it was time to stitch them to the skirt.  The placement for each tier was carefully measured and marked.  Next, every petal was overlapped and zig-zagged in place.  And finally, the tiers, one by one, were pinned, basted and stitched to the skirt base.  One petal was purposefully left out of each color row to cover the back seam (aka the next step).   

Tier one: 

Tier two:

Next comes adding the final tier, gathering the skirt to a waistband, and attaching the tulle crinoline.  (The three layers of tulle and stiff netting are already gathered and hemmed - ready to be stitched into the skirt).  Oh, and, of course, decorating the skirt!  I am having a hard time deciding...

So many options!  Gems or no gems?  Flowers or no flowers?

Blouse:  next on the list to complete after the skirt.  Let's just say that my attempts at pattern making have been unsuccessful and I'm ready for a fresh start!  Just a picture of the blouse materials below:

So, in conclusion, this fairy queen project sure has turned out to be more complicated than I ever anticipated!  However, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how it all turns out - time to sew!

DIY Forest Tunic Tutorial

This morning I took my second and last final test for the spring semester; and, this afternoon, I had a fitting with the fairy queen.  The corset & stomacher that I was really worried about working, could not have fit more perfectly.  (Plus, I had a fitting, myself, for a new 1850s dress!  Stay tuned for more on both of these to come...) So, today, was definitely a great day, and to finish, here's part II of the fairy camp costume tutorials!

Last week, I mentioned that I've been busy designing and creating fairy costumes for the museum's newest summer camp & posted a tutorial for the little girl's fairy tutus.  Tonight, it's the boy's turn with forest tunics - the perfect costume for your little Robin Hoods, Peter Pans & woodland elves alike!

D.I.Y. Forest Tunic Directions

Sizing:  Intended for ages 4 through 6, one size fits all.


Materials:

• Cotton fabric for the tunic body (also used for facing & bias tape)
• Contrasting fabric for the belt
• Various felt squares for leaves
• Narrow twill tape or shoestring for a drawstring
• Optional: purchased 1/2” double fold, bias tape
• Scissors and sewing supplies

Patterns:  Below are both the leaf templates and several pictures of the original tunic pattern (see step one).  On the tunic pattern, seam allowance is included, and each square of the grid equals 1" by 1".

Print me!  Scale: 8.5" by 11"

Tunic Pattern.

Constructing the Tunic:

Step one: cutting out the tunic body.  Using the tunic pattern, cut two along the fold.  You should now have two rectangles approximately 12.5” by 25.”

Designate one piece as the front and, using the pattern as a guide, cut the “front” neckline, which is slightly lower than the back.  Repeat using the other piece and the “back” neckline.

Tunic pattern: close up of neckline.

For both sides, cut along the triangle guides at the bottom.

Tunic pattern: close up of hemline.

Step two: preparing the facing.  Cut or rip two rectangles 5” in width by 50” across to be used as the facing.  Line up the bottom edge of the front tunic piece (along the triangular points) with the bottom edge of the rectangular strip, right sides together.  Pin in place.

Stitch a narrow 1/4” seam along the edges of each triangle, starting and finishing the stitches at each point.  When the entire front length is finished, clip off the extra fabric between the triangular points using the top edge as your guide.  Repeat for the back side of the tunic.


Step three: finishing the facing.  Now it is time to turn the facings right side out so that the raw edges and seams are enclosed on the inside.  You may want to use a knitting needle, chops stick or other blunt object to turn the points, but do not clip them further.

Iron the triangles flat and carefully top stitch along the edges of each triangle.  Press again and repeat for the other side.

Also, turn 1/2” under on the top (flat) edge of the facing piece and stitch along the fold to enclose the raw edges.  If you were able to use the selvage edge as I did, omit the extra turn under and simply stitch the edge to finish the facing.


Step four: seaming the shoulders.  Match the front of the tunic to the back, right sides together, and pin the shoulder seam.  Stitch the shoulders with a 1/2” seam.  I also zigzagged the edges for durability.  Press the seam to the back.

Step five: finishing the edges.  Turn the long sides under 1/4” and then 1/4” again to encase the raw edges.  Stitch along the entire length from front to back, and then repeat on the other side.  Press and set the tunic aside.

Step six: cutting out the leaves.  Gather several sheets of felt in various “leaf” colors.  Using the leaf templates, trace and cut out a variety of felt leaves.  I used around 20 leaves along the neckline.

Step seven: overlapping the leaves as desired along the neckline, pin and stitch (forward, reverse, and forward again for strength) 1/4” from the top of each leaf.

 

Step eight: creating bias tape for the neckline.  If using pre-purchased bias tape, skip to step nine.  Otherwise, measure and cut 2” bias strips from the leftover tunic fabric.

Fold the fabric strips in half and press.  Then, fold the sides to the center and press again to create 1/2” double fold, bias tape.

Step nine: creating the neckline casing.  Applying bias tape along the neckline will create a casing for the drawstring, which will allow for greater wearing ease and adjustability.  Match and pin the edge of the bias tape to the neckline with an inch over lap at the end.

Neckline casing close up.

For best results, baste the tape in place along the fold before stitching.  Then, afterwards, refold the tape and whip stitch shut along the inside of the neckline.

Step ten: inserting the drawstring.  Use an awl or something sharp to create two small openings about an inch apart, center front on the bias tape casing.  Then, use the button hole stitch to reinforce the edges of the eyelets (small openings) for strength when the drawstring is pulled.

Run a length of twill tape or a shoestring through the casing with a bodkin or small safety pin to serve as the drawstring.  Cut at a length long enough to tie a bow.

Step eleven:  adding the belt.  For a 1.5” belt, cut or rip a rectangle 4” wide by 50” long.  Fold the rectangle in half and seam 1/2” along the top and entire 50” side.  You should now have a tube.

Flip the tube right side out and press flat.  Turn 1/2” inside at the open end of the tube and whip stitch shut.

Find the center of the belt and the center of the back side of the tunic.  Match the two centers and pin 11.5” down from the neckline.  Stitch several times back and forth to secure the belt.

Step twelve: finally finished.  Enjoy your newest creation!

To wear: slip tunic over the head and adjust the neckline as necessary.  Tie the belt in a square knot or bow in the front and adventure awaits!

Forest Tunic Front.

Forest Tunic Back.