Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday! Here’s a tip!

In your emergency costume repair kit, have some needles pre-threaded with a doubled length of thread and knot the ends so the needle won’t slip off.

If you need to make a repair at a show, it’s usually something you need to do fast. With this tip you’ll just have to grab your needle and get to it. I like to have needles threaded with black (good for most dark colors), white (good for most light colors), and red (the most common color of my costumes). You can wrap the thread around a little slip of cardboard to keep it from tangling in your sewing kit.

Don’t forget to replenish the thread after you use it up, so you’ll always be ready!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 12 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 5 November 2021 at 2:56 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Vamps and Roses

Dear Constant Reader,

After a really intense week of working on and performing in Vamps After Midnite, I’m glad for two days off. We’ve got four shows next week — get your tickets now!

IMG_3149In Vamps After Midnite I play the Mother Superior of an order of vampire hunting nuns, The Little Sisters of the Thrusting Shaft, and spend most of my time wearing a wimple. (Here I am with Devastasia, who plays Mary Daguerreotype, a Lay Sister.) I can’t style my hair because the wimple fits rather closely. That wouldn’t be a big deal, if you never saw my hair in the show. However, at the end of my first scene, due to a “pointless flashback”, I remove my habit and wimple to perform La Vie en Rose. Usually I just have a single hair ornament for this act, but I also usually have styled hair. I needed something to distract from my boring (and flattened) hair.

Time to make a headdress! (Because it all came together so quickly, I forgot to take progress shots, so these are after the fact.)

I started with a cloth visor, like this one. Amazon said the one I bought was “rose”, but when it came out of the package, it was bright pink. That certainly would not do! I started to overcomplicate things by making plans to cover it with more appropriately colored fabric.

But then I remembered this stuff!
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Perfect for a quick & dirty project like this. A mere few minutes later the visor was red.

While waiting for the paint to dry, off to the dollar store for a bouquet of roses. The first step was to cut them apart from the central stem, using a wire cutter. Then I grabbed my hot glue gun.

My initial plan was to treat the roses like feathers on a showgirl headdress, but that meant the flowers were basically in profile and I decided I wanted the open blossoms to be visible. Also it was just a little ridiculous looking. I mean, more ridiculous than I was willing to wear. Fortunately, it’s easy to remove hot glue.

I clipped the roses completely off the stems and glued the calyx to the visor, tucking in some leaves to fill a couple of gaps. I covered the band with more leaves. After wondering for a bit how I was going to finish the back of the visor, I glued on two rows of individual petals. Then just because I could, I added a few red rhinestones here and there on the roses.
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Voila! Active construction was about an hour (not including letting the paint dry or the walk to the dollar store and back) and I wore it in that night’s show.

This was taken post-show, since I don’t have any downtime during the show while I’m wearing the headdress in which to take a photo. You can see it in action this Wednesday through Saturday at Vamps After Midnite!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 12 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 26 October 2021 at 1:34 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s October! I, for one, am very grateful because September was an awful month. I know changing the calendar page doesn’t automatically make everything better, but at least it feels like there is potential for things to be better. To start things off right, here is your tip!

Don’t be fooled by glitter-dot fabric.

It may look like a cheap and easy way to get some sparkle in your costume, but then you run it through the sewing machine only to end up with gummy needles that dull quickly, wonky tension, splitting thread, and sorrow. 

It’s a little more manageable if you’re hand sewing, like covering bra cups or headdress bases.

 

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 12 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

 

Published in: on 1 October 2021 at 2:50 pm  Leave a Comment  
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New Sewing Project — with your help

Dear Constant Reader,

I am (slowly, too slowly) turning my mountains of fabric into useful items. I came across this fabulous feather print:

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You can’t tell from the photo, but the highlights are metallic silver. It’s a cotton fabric, about 45″ wide and I think I have 5 yards.

What should I do with it? I think it could make a very interesting dress, but beyond that, I’m stumped. I turn to you, my faithful readers for suggestions.

I have many fine qualities and skills, but draping is not one of them, so a picture of an existing garment is going to go nowhere. A commercial pattern suggestion is much more helpful.

If you’ve got a thought, share it in the comments below. I’ll pick my favorite and post my progress here. I think Patrons will get a video dress diary as well.

How should I let my feathers fly?

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 12 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 22 September 2021 at 9:24 am  Leave a Comment  
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Halloween at the Museum

Dear Constant Reader,

This Friday the first temporary exhibit at The American Burlesque Collection opened! Halloween Comes to Burlesqueland features costumes, photos and other items that celebrate my favorite holiday (maybe yours too).

I went up to help with the exhibit set-up and it was frantic. The museum closed at 5 and the guests coming for the inaugural arrived at 6:30. Even with the prep the staff and volunteers had done, it was not a lot of time. I was on costume duty, as you might have guessed.

The easiest set up should have been the Hedy Jo Star flame coat. One piece, zipper down the front. But I just had to get clever and do some swapping of mannequins and bases, so I’d get one that was tall enough, but also had arms. Only I discovered that there was no way to get the arms through the skinny, skinny upper sleeves. After that disappointment, in the process of removing a recalcitrant mannequin arm, I clonked myself in the forehead with it. And am sporting a charming  lump even now. It’s all glamour here.

One of the most creative displays (I had no hand in this one) is The Lost Girl and Bücher in “Creepy Doll” from The Wrathskellar. Since The Creepy Doll costume really should be displayed as creepily as possible, a standard fashion mannequin wasn’t up to the task. Instead, she’s on an articulated skeleton (’tis the season!) in one of her most disturbing poses from the act. For the final touch, a video of the act is projected just above the costumes.

I was most excited to work on a loan from Angie Pontani. She sent the museum her stunning Madame de Pompadour costume by David Quinn. This was a little tricky to display. We decided to put the undergarments on one mannequin and the over-garments on another. Makes perfect sense, right? Except the gown wouldn’t hang right without the underpinnnings. We came up with a very creative solution… Can you guess?

There are pictures of all these costumes and more are available to my Patrons. The rest of you will just have to visit the museum before November 15th!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 5 October 2020 at 3:25 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday! Today is the launch of Burlesque Galaxy! It’s also one week until the American Burlesque Collection opens their special Halloween exhibit with a very exclusive dinner and tour.

And now for your tip! Previously I told you how to salvage spilled rhinestones…

Keep a magnet handy to pick up fallen pins and needles from around your sewing area.

This works very well on carpet — just hover the magnet close to the surface and the pins will magically appear. It’s so much nicer to find those pointy little things with a magnet than your foot!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

 

Published in: on 25 September 2020 at 1:46 pm  Leave a Comment  
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New Bikini

Dear Constant Reader,

Recently Scratch bought me this vintage pattern:

Yes, that’s a bikini, designed by famed pin-up and photographer Bunny Yeager! The pattern has only one size, no seam allowances, and directions are fairly minimalist. This is not for the beginning seamstress.

I decided to try it out without any alterations, just to see what size the base pattern was. I picked some fabric I didn’t care much about in case this was a major fail, but was still pretty in hopes that the garment worked. First step was tracing the pattern (you don’t cut something of this historical value!) and adding my preferred seam allowances.

There was a note that the bikini should be lined in white cotton broadcloth, which was a great suggestion. Not only would that reduce any see-through issues with the fabric, but the bottoms were designed with only two-pieces, which would leave a seam at the crotch. With a lining, all seams would now be enclosed.

Cutting and sewing the bottoms was pretty straight-forward. However, there are no instructions for working with the elastic. I frequently make panties, so I didn’t think it would be a big deal — and it wasn’t. To my great surprise, the bottoms fit almost perfectly. The only hitch was that my elastic was on the older side and wasn’t as elastic as I thought, so things bag a little more than I expected.

I had my doubts about the bikini top, as the sole pattern piece was a rectangle with a casing on the top and the bottom. I expected a darted triangle, but I’m game for anything. Thanks to a clever neck strap, the cups are adjustable, attractive and support very nicely. Admittedly, I’m not as well-endowed as some of the BeauTease, but there’s not an insignificant amount to lift and keep covered.

And here is the final result!


Photo by Scratch

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 15 September 2020 at 12:47 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Tonight I’m teaching Blonde Bombshell, a one-hour on-line workshop as a fundraiser for BurlyCares. Go here for more information and to register. It’s pay-what-you-can and every penny goes to BurlyCares to support our Legends!

Also, in just one week the American Burlesque Collection opens to the public!

Now on to your tip!

Your costumes will be happier in the dark.

Sunlight is no good for fabric. It will fade and degrade in the light. (Take my class Caring for Your Costumes to learn more!) The best place for your costumes are in a closet or inside drawers. I know that’s a luxury not everyone has. Storage boxes are one option. If you keep your costumes on a freestanding clothing rack, just toss a sheet or a similar cloth over it. Added bonus is that it keeps out dust as well!

M2

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 28 August 2020 at 11:21 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Here it is, Friday again. Time for a tip! But first a few announcements…

On Tuesday, B.A.B.E. will be presenting “Burlesque” Means “Comedy”, a brand-new workshop from Mr. Scratch. Some of the most famous American comics got their start on the burlesque stage. Burlesque has its roots in a long comic tradition — and a lot of modern comic traditions have their roots in burlesque. This class is a look at the evolution of burlesque from the commedia dell’arte of the 16th century to the modern day.  Through video, readings of actual burlesque comic scripts, and a discussion of the rise and fall of the comedian in the world of burlesque, students will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for what burlesque was and can be.

Please fill out this survey about classes at B.A.B.E.! Help us bring you the class experience that you want!

The Boston BeauTease have a new show premiering in just a week! To celebrate the second season of The Umbrella Academy, we are presenting The Underwear Academy. This streaming show is like nothing we’ve ever done before, in so many ways! Join us Saturday, August 1 at 8pm. Get your tickets here!
Note: All tickets are exactly the same regardless of price. Once you purchase a ticket you will be emailed a link and password to access the show. You also get access to a post-show Zoom with the cast!

And now for your tip!

Make a pattern to cover your bra cups.

Sure, you can work free-hand to cover the cups, but making a pattern beforehand in scrap fabric reduces the chance of mistakes which will end in tears. It’s especially recommended if you’re working with expensive fabric or doing any kind of pattern matching or mirroring.

Also, if you use a particular style of bra a lot, you can save yourself a lot of work by having a pattern ready to go! When I cut out my tags, I tack them to the pattern, so I know the size and style.

If you want more information about converting a commercial bra, check out Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Burlesque Costuming

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 24 July 2020 at 2:29 pm  Comments (2)  
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Fit & Flair Returns

Dear Constant Reader,

About a thousand years ago, I ran a little contest where my Constant Readers would vote on a pattern from my collection and I would make the dress. The winner was “Fifties’ Fit & Flair” by Folkwear, a now out-of-print pattern. You can read all about the process here.

However, I left you hanging with a dress that didn’t fit quite right. So what happened?

I tossed the dress in my “unfinished” pile and it languished there for years. Last week I unearthed it and decided it was a shame to abandon it. The skirt was perfectly good, very full and it had pockets. I ripped the bodice off and added a waist band. Voila, a circle skirt!

(Not the greatest picture of it but Albert was sprawled right where I wanted to stand)

I’m sorry I couldn’t make the bodice work, because I did such a perfect job of pattern matching the front. But I never loved the dolman sleeves, so in the end, it’s better.

Also, obligatory matching mask.

Maybe I’ll do another one of these “dress me” polls, but this time I’ll need to use a pattern from my collection AND fabric from my stash. I have too much fabulous fabric sitting around doing nothing.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 7 July 2020 at 11:52 am  Leave a Comment  
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