DRAM 1342 Costuming Course Synopsis
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By the end of the semester you will be able to:
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Syllabus
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Sewing projects
Videos of Sewing Techniques
These are videos of me showing you how to do each technique just like we learn in class. These techniques were used to create the above projects.
Costume Design Representation Matters
This is a new module that I have added to my course in response to the DEI bill that was signed into law and goes into effect Jan, 2024.
The profession of Costume Designer is a fairly recent addition to theatre. Actors were responsible for providing their own costumes up until the 19th century. Plays were "costumed" before this with whatever the actor had on hand, usually the best clothes they owned, regardless if it was right for the character they were playing, or the time period of the play.
Costume designers and costume crew professionals are represented by three different labor unions: IATSE, USA, and CDG, which evolved in the United States at the end of the 19th century and were spurred on by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911. There are two plays on this topic, Triangle by Laurie Brooks, and Triangle Factory Fire Project by Christopher Piehler and Scott Evans. These are frequently seen at One Act Play contests.
The profession of Costume Designer is a fairly recent addition to theatre. Actors were responsible for providing their own costumes up until the 19th century. Plays were "costumed" before this with whatever the actor had on hand, usually the best clothes they owned, regardless if it was right for the character they were playing, or the time period of the play.
Costume designers and costume crew professionals are represented by three different labor unions: IATSE, USA, and CDG, which evolved in the United States at the end of the 19th century and were spurred on by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in 1911. There are two plays on this topic, Triangle by Laurie Brooks, and Triangle Factory Fire Project by Christopher Piehler and Scott Evans. These are frequently seen at One Act Play contests.
Student Work
Everything you see below is student produced. Each show has some portion that is made entirely by students. I try to get photos of them working on their projects so you can see just how much work they do. Most of the students who take my class have never used a sewing machine before. We learn how to use the machines and how to do a few basic stitches and then the students are given projects to help them master those techniques. They work on their projects during class time. In the afternoon they come back for lab hours and use what they learned to build the costumes for the shows. Some shows are mostly pulled from stock and only require minor alterations to fit the actors while some shows we build almost everything from scratch. My goal is to design the shows in such a way that they students are capable of building all the costumes by themselves. For more photos of costumes built by students, head on over to the production archive to see 20 years worth of costumes made by students.
Student Projects, Fall 2025
Student Projects, Spring 2025
Austan's Fur Coat
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Austan subscribes to a surprise box of fabric that gets sent to him once a month. He has no idea what he's going to get. This month, he got 5 yards of beautiful fake fur. He decided he wanted to make himself a vintage coat. He got a retro Butterick pattern that he had to use slash and swirl to make bigger to fit him, since the pattern was sized for a smallish woman. Then he cut out the new shapes from muslin and did a quick fittings to make sure the size was appropriate.
He cut and sewed his fur pieces together as well as the lining and then handstiched the lining in. The collar was the most challenging bit as the pattern directions weren't very clear, but after sewing it together wrong, twice, we finally got it figured out and put it together correctly. He's planning on making a matching hat out of the scraps. |
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Alyssa and Jeff's Cosplays
Student Projects, Fall 2024
Laundy as Keeley Jones from Ted Lasso, Willow as Morticia Adams, Nathan as Dr. Sneed, Azlan as Penelope from Power Puff Girls, Morgan's Nightmare Before Christmas, and Courtney as Teen from Agatha All Along.
Alyssa Garcia del Solar as Oogie Boogie from Nightmare before Christmas. Alyssa won 1st place at our MCC Costume Contest.
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The skirt and hood light up!
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Jeff Rusco as anime character. He made his whole costume including the shirt, tie, bag, and milkshake. Jeff won the online prize in the MCC costume contest.
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Student Projects, Spring 2024
Student Projects, Fall 2023
Top Row From left to right: Austan, Caleb, Cage, Sonia, Maddy, Cambre; Bottom Row: Laundy, Naomi, Arlette, and Venus.
Student Projects, Spring 2023
Student Projects, Fall 2022
Student Projects, Spring 2022: Freshman
Sophomores' projects
James is making another Renfaire/SciFi costume. He was inspired by a wedding dress he was gifted over the summer and has been planning this costume ever since. He wanted to make a cape out of it, so he cut it off at the waist and dyed it blue. He combined several different patterns to come up with pants, a shirt, a vest and a jacket to go with the cape. He used his employee discount to buy fabrics at Joanne's.
Rigel is making two costumes for the GSA Drag Show. He modified an existing jacket pattern and then added a tutu like skirt to the hem. It has to come off during the song, so he bought magnets to make the change happen easily. He bought all the fabric at Joanne's for the first costume. The jacket is made from a black flannel with a silver mesh overlay, and the collar, lapels, and side panels are made from a galaxy printed fabric. The skirt is made from a purple organza underlayer that is short in the front and becomes longer in the back. Strips of colorful metallic mesh fabric were added to the skirt at each seam line to represent a comet tail. The jacket was fully lined in a light blue color and hand sewn in so that it could be reversible. The sleeves were made from the same purple organza with a light pink organza sandwiched in between. More metallic silver mesh was gathered and sewn in the armseye like Elizabethan shoulder wings.
For the second costume he found a red velvet jacket at salvation army that he wanted to add a skirt to--Billy Porter style. He bought solid black velvet and cut 4 gored panels to form the basis of the skirt. Then he got another black velvet with a gold design painted on top and cut 5 more thinner gored panels. He sewed the gored panels together beginning with the gold and alternated them ending with the last gold panel and then attached it to the jacket. The jacket was missing all its buttons, so Rigel bought new ones but because this costume was also to be removed during the song, he stitched the buttonholes closed, and then used snaps to actually close the jacket, and sewed the buttons on top of the buttonholes side.
For the second costume he found a red velvet jacket at salvation army that he wanted to add a skirt to--Billy Porter style. He bought solid black velvet and cut 4 gored panels to form the basis of the skirt. Then he got another black velvet with a gold design painted on top and cut 5 more thinner gored panels. He sewed the gored panels together beginning with the gold and alternated them ending with the last gold panel and then attached it to the jacket. The jacket was missing all its buttons, so Rigel bought new ones but because this costume was also to be removed during the song, he stitched the buttonholes closed, and then used snaps to actually close the jacket, and sewed the buttons on top of the buttonholes side.
Student Projects, Fall 2021
Halloween
Student Projects, Spring 2021
Iconic character project
Costume Design Project
Student Projects, Fall 2020
The Pandemic really curtailed what we were able to do in class this year. We got more projects done in the fall and more actual sewing done in the spring.
Iconic Character Project
Costume Design Projects
Student Projects, Spring 2020
Due to the pandemic, we didn't get to build costumes for the opera or the last show. They also didn't get to do their draping project. So here's their paper projects that we did instead.
Iconic Character Project
Student Projects, Fall 2019
This is the build for Truffaldino's costume from Servant of Two Masters. It was literally a group project.
Halloween in the Costume Shop
From left to right and top to bottom: Micah, DeAndre, Rebecca, Jessica, Rosie, Anna, Charlie, Jaden, Avery.
Here are the students working on their Midterm Projects: Draping a Bodice.
Pirates of Penzance Build, Spring 2019
draping Projects, Fall 2018
Halloween in the costume shop, 2018
Jessica D, Jay, Zack, Shi'nya, Kyndall, Nick, Trey, Kayla.
Jessica A.
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Ethan
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Blue Stockings, Fall 2018
Draping Projects, Spring 2018
Students Working on Daughter of the Regiment
Draping Projects, Fall 2017
Halloween 2017
Marques was dressed as himself, Chandler was Kelly Parker, Ashton was Yu Narukami, Russell was Lucas from Stranger Things Season 2, I was Edna Mode from The Incredibles, Kade was Edgar Allen Poe, and Mattie was Bob Ross.
Iconic Character Project, Spring 2017
Draping Projects 2017 Spring
Working on Henry V, 2017
Working on How to Succeed in Business, 2017
Draping Projects, Fall 2016
Halloween Costumes, Fall 2016
Draping Projects, Spring 2016
Working on Fall (and Recover) Dance Concert, 2015
Working on Sense and Sensibility, 2015
Final Projects Spring 2015 On the Runway
Keele's Loki Costume
Final Projects In Process, Spring 2015
