Dancing queen

For the last three or four weeks, my time has been very much dedicated to making some costumes for the youth ballerinos of sussex (both of them!)

Today is probably going to be be my final day working on these and i am going along to do a spot of sewing whilst getting a sneak peek at dress rehearsals!

le bleu pour le pas de deux

For one dance which is called a pas de deux, i have made white shirts and dupion silk waistcoats. This is a picture of the blue one and the other is cream. I haven't taken a photo of that one though as i am trying to forget about it. it caused me a lot of trouble.

My final job today is to add all the embellishments to really make them stage ready. They will look lovely with their partners who are in blue and cream tutus.

The other dance is a rather grand big group ballet piece. the ballerinas are wearing some black and some maroon tutus so for the boys i have made maroon shirts and black velvet waistcoats. I didn't realise how the girls would be dressed for the dance when i started making the boy's outfits, but once i saw how well they fit in i was so delighted.

I am nearly there now with these, but some of the gold needs a straighten up and proper sew down. it is hard to work on velvet - everything slides!

This has been a big project for me, but a very lovely one to be involved with (despite my hook and eye hand stitching induced bleeding thumb) however i feel that i am all the more experienced a dressmaker for it and developed my skills in fitting sleeves and linings and collars and buttonholes especially.

The show is next sunday at Roedean school theatre! I think it will be a goodun.

Yours theatrically,
Emilia. x