We’re working frantically to outfit the cast of NCSU’s production of ‘Rent’ in February – and one of the more entertaining projects I get to work on is a piece for ‘Angel Dumott Schunard’ – her iconic, flirty Santa coat.
We have a grad student designing this show – and when she came back with the bag of fabric, she said something like “You’re going to hate me… but this is going to be AWESOME!” And she’s right. It IS AWESOME. Instead of going with a boring plush velvet, she found this amazing metallic red flannel backed tablecloth vinyl. AMAZING. It reflects bright red and a charcoal grey, and has a subtle snakeskin-like texture to it.
The designer sketched out a rough rendering, from which I drafted a pattern based on the actor’s measurements and put together a toile of the garment, shown here:
Once the toile was complete, we called the actor in for a fitting and did some (thankfully) minor tweaks to the pattern. I cut everything out yesterday, and started putting it together today:
The vinyl has been surprisingly easy to work with – although it stinks to high heaven when you iron it. The best way I’ve found to get the seams to press flat is to press the seam open on the wrong side (using a press cloth – ALWAYS USE A PRESS CLOTH!), flip it over and press the seam on the RIGHT side (press cloth!), and then whack the heck out of it with my tailor’s clapper. I had to use that process at least twice per seam, but doing so helps the vinyl sit nice and flat.
Of course, right now my inner costume historian is giggling madly, because in its current state it looks just like a popular 15th century men’s doublet style! Of course, it won’t look like that once it’s finished… but the idea of a bright metallic red 15th c. doublet makes me giggle.
Back to work!
3 comments
capi says:
January 24, 2012 at 2:12 pm (UTC -5 )
What FUN!! Can’t wait to see it finished! But…. what is a tailor’s clapper? Can you take a pic for me? I never heard of it and suddenly you’re “whacking the heck” out of your seams; you can just imagine how amusing that must sound to someone who has no earthly idea what it is. Think vaudeville! I LOVE that red! I also love the dummy with the legs! *drool* WANT!!
admin says:
January 25, 2012 at 1:42 pm (UTC -5 )
A tailor’s clapper is – essentially - a block of wood you use to press seams flat. It’s generally used for bulky or other hard-to-press seams – I’ve mostly used it on wool. You press the seam open (with lots of steam), and while the seam is still hot, you press the clapper on top of it. This flattens the seam nicely. Most instructions say to just press the clapper into the seam – but I tend to pound the seams with the clapper. I find that I get a crisper seam, AND it feels really good.
dawntreader says:
January 25, 2012 at 11:12 am (UTC -5 )
luckily she doesn’t have to wear that outfit long. flannel backed vinyl!?? yikes!!! hot. but HOT!!!
can’t wait to see the finished piece. that is going to look stunning on-stage.
and i think it’s very 15th century male Italian appropriate. what?? lol