Work Placement - History in the Making

Day 5

Well this was my last day! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at History in the Making. Today we finally finished the breeches and the last few bits with the leather doublet. This involved making four plackets for the doublet, eyeleting them and then hand sewing them inside the lining along the CF opening and the side seams.

It was tricky at first as the leather was so thick, especially when hand sewing! Suzie managed to find her leather needles though which really helped. I have learnt so much about working with leather in this past week that it has actually inspired me for my last year of uni to work with some of it possibly in my last project. I have realised that working with new materials isn't always a bad thing as it actually builds your confidence.

Once the doublet and breeches were finally finished Hamish offered to do a bit of modelling and I was able to get to some true costume shots of the outfit complete. It looked brilliant! I feel really proud after working on this costume this week, especially with only having five days to produce it. Again I have also realised it really doesn't take very long to make a garment when you put your mind to it and have a real understanding of construction/making.

At the the end of the day I even managed to start drafting some of the patterns for the character of Hotspur for Suzie to make next week.

This week has helped me regain my perspective of costume and realise my strengths and weaknesses in it as a practitioner. I feel like I know a bit more about where I want to head with my career and what I enjoy.

Work Placement - History in the Making

Day 4

What an epic day! I really enjoyed today as I was able to work on not just the Shakespeare costumes but do some leather work. I helped made some "aprons" for the new Les Miserable film which is being made/shot at the moment. These are for the drums which are being made by Hamish and the other lads. They should be seen hopefully within the film! Doing this today was extremely exciting! Even though it was a simple task I found it really engaging. As a costume maker I have realised I get my buzz from making garments/props that will be seen by an audience whether it is within film or theatre.

Reference Images - Apron seen on illustration number 6

Leg Apron for protection from the drums

After finishing the aprons Suzie and I carried on finishing the breeches by attaching the button fly, placket and button stand to the breeches. This I have never done before so again it was very worthwhile learning how to make all of this. We then also cut out and canvassed the Canions and waistband. As the leather breeches are very heavy due to the large amount of pleating Suzie decided to increase the strength and width of the waistband and canions by adding the canvas layers. This was to also help support the "bellowed" shape of the breeches. Due to leather being very thick I did find this tricky to sew at times, especially around the leg holes! Many times the thread snapped and the tension played up when using the industrial machine. Nevertheless I persevered and eventually made progress! Due to the leather being tough to sew through Suzie and myself hand-sewed some of the seams to finish them. This involved slip stitch and another stitch which Suzie taught me. It did take me a while to master this however with practice I eventually got the hang of it! Suzie did reassure me that being slow with hand sewing wasn't unnatural as she has had plenty of practice to master it with speed being a full time freelance maker. 

From today I have learnt many new techniques and feel much more knowledgeable when it comes to working with materials such as leather. Also with my hand sewing I have gained a new stitch and learnt how to make breeches as a whole garment. It has been extremely rewarding being on work placement and I hopefully intend to come back and work with Suzie, Hamish and Jean within the summer some time.

Last day tomorrow! Lets make it a good'n!

Work Placement - History in the Making

Day 3

The days are just flying by! This morning I finished machine sewing the leather and fabric panels for the breeches. It was a long old process but worth it as the end result looked stunning! By choosing the design details we did it really showed me as a maker how effective a simple technique could look.

After this I did more drafting and pattern adaptation of the breeches. Suzie worked out that I had sewn one too many of the fabric strips on each leg so I had to unpick this. It was both of our mistakes as we realised we could have increased the width of these panels as they could have been used for the CB/CF seam. From this work experience I have visually seen the process of drafting to making and how important it is to forward plan. Fortunately this mistake wasn't too much of an issue as we were able to cut out two new panels to fit the crotch line.

During the afternoon we were able to pleat the fabric panels, bringing together the leather along the waistline and the hems. This was extremely effective as the leather "boned" like Hamish said. Using the industrial machine without a zipper foot was interesting! I think my sewing ability has really improved from this work placement as I have had to use a fabric that I am not used to and machine lines that are very awkward. This will definitely help me for future reference as a maker.

We finally cut and added the lining to the breeches. This was interesting as I have never lined trousers before so it was helpful to see how it worked. We made the lining shorter than the full leg seam measurement to help the breeches balloon out and create that wonderful Elizabethan/Tudor style.

From today's working session I feel I have got a lot out of the making. Learning construction techniques from this week so far has been very beneficial for me within the long run as I have this extra knowledge about how to make these garments. 

Role on tomorrow!

Doublet - Needing to be eyeleted still

Breeches - Without Canions and Waistband

Work Placement - History in the Making

Day 2

It feels like today has gone so quickly! This morning Suzie and I carried on with the leather doublet, adding the lining to the doublet and top stitching everything together. Our aim was to try and finish as much of this in time for the Stamford Shakespeare Theatre company representatives arrival at 1pm. They came and inspected our work and discussed more hiring information with Hamish and Jean. They were extremely pleased with the costumes which was brilliant news! Suzie asked them a few questions about the costume for 'Hotspur'. This was really helpful as it clarified the design details, how the costume was going to be made and the desired visual effect the company wanted.

From this experience I have realised how important it is for a customer/designer or hirer/buyer of a costume to see the making progress of a costume. By having the theatre representatives down from Lincolnshire today they were able to visually have an input with the costumes. Working as a practising costume maker I will bear this for future reference and ensure I carry this out when I work professionally.

During the afternoon I was able to start drafting up the breeches for the Falstaff costume. Suzie gave me a Janet Arnold book for pattern reference as the imagery she had from the theatre company came directly from it. Hamish myself and Suzie discussed how we should construct the breeches. Like the leather doublet Hamish suggested cutting strips of leather and fabric, machine sewing them together and then pleating the waistline to create a billowing breeches shape, with the leather acting as a "boning" effect. With this in mind I calculated the shape of the breeches from the pattern and adapted the shape. Suzie worked out how wide each fabric/leather panel should be to fit the breeches to a 40" waist. After this I cut out the strips of fabric/leather and machine sewed the pieces. This was done on a Brother domestic machine. I found this really great as I had never used a Brother make before. Another conquered machine added to the list!

Overall I found today really interesting and got a lot of confidence out of the drafting. I felt a bit unsure at first with my own ability. As a practitioner I have realised that it is important to persevere and believe in yourself and your own work as you will never improve otherwise.

I shall see what tomorrow brings!

Book Reference

Janet Arnold: Patterns of Fashion: the cut and construction of clothes for men and women 1560–1620, Macmillan 1985. Revised edition 1986.

Image - 22

Work Placement - History in The Making

Day 1

http://www.history-making.com/

Well after a delayed train journey and late taxi I eventually made it last night to Waterlooville - my home for the next 5 days. It may have been a battle of Waterloo to get here (joke!) but hopefully this next week won't be!

Here is a bit more info about the company -

"History in the Making Ltd is a specialist company providing support services to the film, television and theatre industry. Established in 1992, History in the Making Ltd has supplied costumes and weapons to many world-leading productions. We have also managed and designed drama reconstructions for a number of production companies, including the BBC, The History Channel and many independent companies."

I am working within the Costume Hire department alongside my employers Suzie, Hamish and Jean.

Suzie is an ex-student from the AUCB Costume with Performance Design degree course.

Today I was briefed with what I shall be doing during these next 5 days of placement. Suzie will be working closely alongside me with the tasks.

Firstly we started with Costumes that are going to be made for a Shakespearean Theatre Company based in Lincolnshire. A production of "Henry 4th" is happening this summer and during this week I shall be helping make the character's costume called "Falstaff". This costume is going to be made for History in the Making's collection however it will be hired by this theatre company for this production.

The theatre company emailed Suzie with all the information and pictures about the costume and how they wanted it to look on stage. From here Suzie had already drafted a doublet pattern, however she needed to adapt it. My first task was to help Suzie adapt the pattern. The doublet is going to be made out of brown leather. It was decided by Hamish that as this costume is going to be used for the hire department that the size of the doublet should be flexible, therefore we are going to eyelet the side seams and lace them. This is also good as the actor will be wearing a fat suit underneath the doublet, allowing greater movement for the actor.

I have quickly learnt as a Costume Maker already there are so many different ways of making costumes. As Suzie specialised in men's tailoring she is very used to including seam allowances on patterns. Everyone has there own way of working, which was really nice to see already being on this placement.

After helping draft the patterns I was then able to cut the leather out and start sewing the costume together. This was where I found it tricky as I have never worked with leather, so it was hard getting used to not only this thicker material, but also a new industrial sewing machine, which did seem quite temperamental at times! The machine didn't like the new thicker needle for the leather at first as it broke three times during the sewing process. Eventually after figuring out the screw needed tightening on the machine the problem was solved and the leather was working better under the needle.

With Suzie's way of working it was quite hard at times to see all of the drawn chalked lines when sewing the leather panels together. It meant that a few times I had to un-pick some of the seams as the leather had stretched during the machine sewing and had distorted the original shape. I was a bit frustrated with myself as I felt like I wasn't showing my best sewing ability. After learning how to manipulate the fabric today my sewing eventually improved and I felt better about the work I produced.

After today's session I have already felt like I have gained a lot from this placement. It has opened my eyes to the working professional environment of a company's workroom and what being a free lance maker is like.

I am looking forward to what tomorrow shall bring!

Eeeek delays delays! :(

This week I have found making the shirt quite challenging. As this process is new to me I have felt very anxious about making sure everything is neat and precise. The front is finally finished and I have put together the shoulder and side seams, hemmed the edges and started on the plackets for the sleeves. Due to being really delayed with Battle for the Winds my time management has been a struggle at times, ensuring everything is getting done in time for the end of term. The delay with making the shirt hasn't helped either due to the pattern problems we have experienced , which also has made it even more pressurised. I was really worried about this so I spoke to Dexter who assured me not to worry and that I can finish the shirt after the Easter holidays in my late night study sessions. I feel so much better after speaking to him about this! Being a costume practitioner I have discovered the importance of planning time and how so many other factors can affect the progress of making a costume. If I am ever worried again about the time allowance I have for a unit or a costume I will always speak to others about from now on.

Breathe - Meeting

Today as a group we found that due to Battle of the Winds taking over so much of our free time, we felt that the Breathe session today was really going to put us behind. I really found it frustrating as with last week's session we weren't particularly making much as the Breathe Project had only just started. With our Battle of the Winds deadline heading closer as its near the end of term, and stress levels at an all time high, we spoke to Adele as a group and discussed our problems and issues. We concluded after the session that Breathe this Thursday probably wasn't the best idea due to the deadline therefore we have postponed the sessions until after the Easter holidays. I feel alot better now knowing I can concentrate purely on Battle of the Winds and give my full input to Breathe after Easter. Pheew we all just need a holiday! :( I have learnt today that when your stressed with costume work as a practitioner that it is so so so important to discuss how you are feeling with others around you.

After this meeting we discussed individually with Adele what areas of the project we are interested in and what we would like to contribute. Looking at the designs I initially felt drawn to the "Elders". They have really interesting cloaks with lots of texture and shape. After doing the costume store I feel that it would benefit me exploring some textiles aspects of costume, as it has been a long time since I have done anything textural. Furthermore it will aid my portfolio in the long run having a mixture. Adele confirmed with me after this discussion that for hand in I will produce two cloaks which I will adapt and texture.

Elders Designs

Making The Pin Tucks

The Pin Tucks

When completing this first stage of the shirt, I found it took me several attempts to correctly achieve the straight neat lines. After showing Dexter my first attempt he said how important it was to tack and evenly mark the lines lightly in pencil before sewing, as this all helps to keep the tucks flat and straight. Even though this stage was frustrating as I re-did my tucks twice, with a bit of patience I got there in the end!

As a costume maker I have learnt how important it is to repeat steps when making a costume, especially if its a focal design feature like these shirt tucks. I feel even thought they were hard, it was well worth making them again as I feel a lot happier with my costume outcome!

Breathe Introduction

Breathe

Today I was introduced to the Breathe Project. This will be the other part of my Self Directed Project where I shall be using my creativity and making skills to help produce part of a costume. 

http://www.diversecitylondon.org/

The Base Costume

We were shown the base costumes and the designs for this unit. The base costumes are going to be worn by all of the artists and then ontop adaptations, add-on pieces etc can be worn. Base costumes are also meant to represent the colours of Weymouth beach, i.e. the rusty sea walls, seaweed etc, as this is where the artists will be performing. 

The artists are split up into different character groups. These consist of:-

Regals - Women - corsets, bucket hoops, panniers, etc
              Men - Doublets/Sash

Gestures - Cable ties, bobbly bits, bells, headdress.

Navigators - Flags

Elders - Cloaks, texture

Teens/Rebels - Mohawk's, skirts

Collectors - Belts, pockets on trousers, backpacks.

In the next session we shall explore and discuss what I want to get out of the project and what character groups I want to work on.

From this initial meeting I feel like I have gained a greater understanding of the project as a whole and now know how different this project is compared to the Costume Store. I must remember as a practitioner this project will require me to explore problem solving, experimentation and overall team work skills.

Let's start from the very beginning...

So today was the start of  my Self Directed Project. I was introduced to the unit with this morning's presentation on learning agreements and work plans. Both my learning agreement and work plan are due by Thursday 22nd March. My aim is to write these both up by Monday 19th if possible. I couldn't access the documentation on the learning agreement /work plan via My AUCB today so I will speak to my tutors to ensure I can by tomorrow.

For this project I have chosen to work within the Costume Store for my degree course. This is run by Dexter my tutor, my supervisor Amy and myself and 11 other students. It has been established that this is a professional working environment of a costume workroom.

The next 8 weeks of time have been allocated to specifically making these garments:

WEEKS 1 & 2 (12th - 23rd March)

1 x Edwardian Shirt

WEEKS 3, 4 & 5

1 x 18th Century Breeches or Waistcoat

WEEKS 6, 7 & 8

1 x Victorian Blouse

This will be a tricky time for me these next two weeks as I am also currently finishing my costume from the previous project 'Battle for the Winds' which is due by the Easter holidays (Friday 23rd March). Time planning is going to be essential the ensure all garments are finished. I will make a note of this when writing my work plan up.


After the introduction to the Costume Store Dexter allocated which Edwardian shirt each of us will be making for these next two weeks. This is mine -

It has a pin tucked yolk front with gatherings, cuffs and a collar.

Myself, and two other students (Beth and Danielle) are producing this Edwardian shirt. Already we are working as a team by cutting out the fabric from the provided patterns as a group to save time. A few problems already cropped up today as we noticed two errors with the patterns when comparing them to the example shirt on the stand. Dexter went through these and suggested what needed to be adapted to correct them.

On my first day I have already learnt to never ever rush straight into cutting fabric, always check the patterns before you do. Fortunately we had checked ours before cutting so this was too much of an issue! I have also learnt as a costume maker you must always think three to five stages ahead making sure you do things in the right sequence.

At the end of the session Dexter talked us through the making process for the shirt. With my written notes I shall follow through the instructions methodically and logically, taking my time and not rushing to ensure all of my finishings are neat and all sewing lines are straight.

Bearing this all in mind I have a better understanding of the project in hand and what is expected of me from this unit.