Prints and shows

I am so excited. I am the owner of another  Audrey Kawasaki print, whoo hooo! What makes it sweeter is that all the proceeds of my purchase go to the Red Cross Appeal for the Canterbury Earthquake.

Tony and Amber from the amazing store Pop Up in Wellington, NZ, put up the limited edition print for a silent auction with all proceeds going to the appeal. I won the auction, yipeeee. Thanks to Tony and Amber for raising funds to help out with what must be a frightening and stressful time for people affected by the earthquake. What great people who own an amazing store.

So here is the print I will be receiving shortly.

One other thing to add is that the two shows that I have been working on are due to start their season very soon. The Queensland Ballet are due to perform in an amazing show about the life of legendary dancer Dame Margot Fonteyen, in Fonteyen Remembered. I did some making and millinery for one of the many, many beautiful costumes. To read more and book tickets click here

The show I am currently on is Aida  at the Queensland Opera. The costumes look amazing and in the workshop we had a sneak peek of them on two of the performers when they went to a photo shoot. I really can't wait to see and hear this Opera.  You can find out more here.

I was considering going into my sewing room to sew away, but it is more the case of reality that I need to go in there and erm tidy...but maybe a cuppa first :)

xx

Return of the minks

Hello. I have not been blogging because I have been, unpacking all the boxes for the house, gone to a wedding, gone on holiday, looked after a sick dog (who is all better now) and well I have been working as a costumier!!! Yipeeee.

I am currently working at the Queensland Ballet for their 50th Anniversary Gala Performance. You can book tickets and see the fantastic line up of performances. I can't tell you what I making, but it is so pretty.

I have been planning my next sewing project now that I nearly have my new sewing room organised. I really adore Danish Royal Copenhagen retro pottery. My favorite pattern is on the little dish below.

It just so happens that I found some material that really looks like the pattern above and I plan to keep the retro theme by using a pattern from my stash that I picked up in an op-shop in New Zealand.

I am going to make the separate skirt and top so that I can wear them with other tops and bottoms. Yipee for retro goodness, but lets now hope that I don't turn out looking like a retro pottery vase!

xx

Drum roll please...

Thanks so much for all your very sweet comments on my refashion and engagement. The winners of the give away are BagQueen and Amy, picked at random by Doug who closed his eyes and aimed at the screen twice :) I really like doing the give away, so expect more in future posts!

I will be making up your envelopes of craftiness as soon as I get back from a short break next week, I shall post them to you :) Just need your addresses, email me at minnietheminks(at)gmail.com

Here is a pic of some of my other recent op-shop finds.

These shoes are so sweet on and I plan on making one of the 1960's tops from this cute pattern I picked up, I think view two below...

Love her hair and lippy! One other great find was a book of the first 10 years of fashion in the life of Princess Diana. The book is jam packed with pictures, which can be great reference for me if I ever make costumes for a production of her life, te he. But they are also quite funny too, lots of bad 1980's fashion going on.

There is still some fashions that I really liked...

Cute flats, yummy pink dress and a huge overcoat!

Big belt, printed top... maybe ditch the match-y shoes!

I love this whole outfit from the sunnies, bag, collar on the blouse, big chunky bracelet, stripey pants and you know she does get away with that hairdo!

I will be absent from the blog for the next 5 days as I am off on my last holiday in New Zealand for a wee while. Looking forward to soaking in the natural spas, bliss.

xx

Costume Creation: The final Installment

Last time the costume had changed and breakdown had begun! If you have missed out (or don't know what I am writing about) click for Part One and Part Two.

Under the lighting the costume did not look old and dirty enough. It was suppose to belong to an old judge that had been hung and then enjoyed the breeze for a couple of weeks, lovley! Plus at this point Emma really wanted to mess this costume up more at the ends. Here is the final stage of breakdown, which I did with a tints of dark grey paint.

I covered the dummy again with a black bin bag to stop the next person who used it from cursing me forever.

This seemed to do the trick, Emma was happy with the costume under lights and then I handed over the costume to Shadon Meredith. This is when you have to let go of that costume and go watch the performer use it on stage, very exciting.

Hope you enjoyed the little journey through my final student costume creation. Hopefully the 'for real' costume creation is not so far away.

xx

Costume creation : Part Two

In the first post called Costume Creation: Part One, I went through the process of receiving the design from the designer, research, consulting, making samples, and starting the build. If you did not get to read part one, click here.

The next stage of the process is to keep on keeping on and make that costume! I organised fittings through the wardrobe supervisors and consulted the designer throughout this process. Below is the costume before I started breakdown.

Before I started breakdown, the performer wore the costume in a rehearsal. This is where you find out if any changes need to be made to the costume. The performer may have introduced new movements that the costume does not allow for etc. In this case the wig was to restricting and so was not used (well it was for spare parts) and more movement had to be incorporated in to the overall costume.

So the costume may of looked like the design, but in the reality of performance it just needed to be changed. So you change it. It may seem a tad heart breaking after hours of work to cast something aside or cut another thing up, but you want the costume to not only help the performer with their character but ensure that the designer gets the feel and look they want. Its your job and it is these challenges that make it enjoyable :)

So I cut into the waistcoat at centre back and made a split that gave more movement and snipped in to the rolls and messed them up a bit. Then on to my first phase of breakdown!

I covered the dummie to protect it as it was going to get dirty. From talking with the designer Emma the wigs where to look old and dusty. So I did some more samples with different products and methods and the one that seem to sink into the rolls and give depth was a mixture of talc and dye. I made up some diluted dye and then mixed it with lots of talc and dry brushed the solution on. I concentrated on the bottom more than the top of the costume as this was to look more ragged and old.

In the final installment there will be more breakdown and then da ta, the costume on stage dharling!

Until then check out the interview from costume designer, Janie Bryant who designs the wonderful costumes for Madmen, what a dream job!

xx

Costume creation : Part One

So what is it that I do, what are my skills? Mmmmmmm. Well I make costumes, ok... but how does that happen... why don't I give you an example. I will use the last costume that I made for a production at Toi Whakaari.

Righty, the first thing that comes my way is the drawings from the costume designer. In this production Emma Ransley was the costume designer and I was allocated the design that I was to build.

Emma's costumes were based on the premise that you are made of what you do. So for my design of the characters costume is a cape of wigs from old dead judges that have gone before.

The first thing to do is research. I went to see if I could find images of real judges wigs and saw different types and the history of them too. Then asked Emma lots of questions. What does it looks like from the back? Real wigs or materials that just reference wigs? Is one wig sitting on his hand? Is the wig on his head separate? Colour to be the same as the drawing? Level of break down?

You ask these questions until you feel that the designer is comfortable and you now what you have to get done! Then you would assess what materials you have, time for completion and of course the needs of the performer.

I went to rehearsals to see how much movement the performer was to do, did they use the costume in any other way apart from wearing it? What would help their performance or hinder and how to minimise the later.

Your costume supervisor for the production helps with questions and answers heaps too, they are so important!

The materials that were available to me was Dacron... pillow stuffing... unspun wool...spray glue calico...organdie and paint. Real wigs would have been very expensive and after talking to Emma this is not what she wanted. Big, bold shapes. The first thing I did was to make a small sample, a mini wig if you like and then I made a base waistcoat.

I decided on the base waistcoat to provide some way for the performer to easily get this costume on and off. Plus it would act as a base to layer my fake wigs. I tried the waistcoat on the performer and then set to work on my Dacron rolls.

During my samples I found the best way was to get a thick Daron sheet, split it into three layers. I would take one of the layers and run the iron over it with steam (with press cloth on top). This made it flat and provided me with a base layer to attach the rolls onto and hide the calico and organdie waistcoat.

Then I went and laid the other sheets flat, sprayed them with spray glue and then placed thin layers of wool strands over the top and pressed down! I waited for them to dry, turned them over and then spray glued in sections then rolled up to the thickness the rolls needed to be.

I made lots of these. Some I used to make the head wig and I secured the ends with stitches before I put them on to a Dacron fused base shape.

I then started to attach the Dacron rolls onto the waistcoat layer. I started slow and took Emma into view my progress regularly so I knew I was still going in the right direction.

Below is my first real stage of development that really looks like the design I was given.

That's the end of part one. I did this in parts, three altogether, so its not a scroll-a-thon for you. Plus I may get you show some of the new garments I have been making myself, at last!

xx

Lazy, hazy days

My oh my I just looked at the last entry date for my blog and was a wee bit surprised how quickly time has speed past... but the sun has been around... I have no more studies... erm... I have been on holiday... I am a slacker... so sorry for the lack of posting.

This post is about my graduation dress that was inspired by vintage Lanvin and Christopher Kane.




















I used my pinking tool to create scalloped edges on black silk organza and then used this to create a modern texture, inspired by Mr Kane. I placed this on top of a black drop waisted dress with petal sleeves, lined in dusty light pink. I used pink silk organza to make a small detail on the sleeve to lift the garment.

The black material that I used for my dress was vintage inspired Japanese cotton. Now I have removed the black silk organza (ready to pop back on of course if needed) I have a wonderful LBD.

I also made a head piece to go with my outfit and a small clutch. On my wrist strap for my clutch I placed a vintage button that I picked up from Salvage in Auckland, it is so cute with two swallows and I plan to make a print for a t'shirt from it.

In our graduation ceremony instead of a black cloak and mortar we receive a cloak made by a fellow student and we get to keep it! I received a stunning cloak made by one of the now second year students in the costume course Michelle. It was perfect and has the most adorable bunnies in faux fur as decoration, with black feathers to top it all off.

That's Doug my partner too, he needs to get some posing lessons :)

See you soon-er.

xx

If I could paint a picture...

What handsome couple... they are in fact my two amazing fur babies Floyd and Isla painted by the very talented Rins Dekker. This painting was commissioned by my dear friend and collaborator on the Light Dress, Karen Curley as a gift to me for my graduation and I LOVE IT to pieces.

I love the costumes, the nessie in the background the colour and falling blossoms from the trees. I have never meet Rins but just through some images of the dogs and my blog for reference she created the perfect painting for me. I am a very, very. very lucky lady. I gave such a belly laugh of glee and contentment when I received it and unwrapped it from its wonderful wrapping paper, also by Rins!

Thank you! xx

So just to finish of my major work pictures here is the final one with a link to my workbook (in which the fabric samples are empty, I printed the journal out then added actual samples).


Click on the PDF icon to download and view my journal for my major work. Leave a comment if you have any problems.

xx

Image heavy... but not in a bad way

Hiya... well I am still no longer a student and I have just been on my first holiday for ages! My parents are here from Scotland so I went on a bit of a road trip with them round the north island of NZ. It was great and I feel a little more relaxed.

Apart from giving my house a good spring clean (which includes my sewing room, yikes) I have been looking at my list of Bubbledust post ideas and its loooooong! But that means there is lots to post, yippeee. So lets start with the last promise of more pictures of my major work... well what about those after some pictures of my fellow costumiers work... yes that sounds good.

Sorry but you may have to scroll for a bit as I want to make the images as big as I can. There are 6 fellow costumiers works to get through! You can click the images and they should load up bigger!

First up Helle's work.

Helle created a witch, but not any ole witch she created Baba Yaga, the witch of Russsian origins. The witch transforms on stage with the inner beauty of Baba the final exit.

Now Miss Tara's bad ass bride.


Tara was inspired by Christian Dior and the myth of the runaway bride... smokin!

Next up Jane's work.

Jane hand screen printed every singe fan, the print on the skirt and gown. A masquerade dress inspired by Japanese patterns.

Now for Eliza's beautiful Edwardian gown.


Quite simply her character's name of Florence says it all. Inspired by Charles Fredrick Worth and of a sublime green this dress had some fabulous undies too!

Now for Liz or as I like to call her Luz who has a love affair for Erte.

Oh those feathers! Oh those painstakingly hand sewn beaded chains and gem encrusted everything. I salute all things Luz :)

Lastly, Kellys work, my 18th century man!

The hand quilted waistcoat (click the image for more detail), the self fabric covered buttons, the pleated stock the wonderful detail and skill, amazing!

And finally another two images of my work from the photo shoot. In my next post I will post the final image and upload my work book of my major work for anybody that may be interested in my research etc. See you soon.


xx

Major Work

I return to the pages of this blog no longer a student... I graduated. Whooo! I have a few things to show you that I have made but the first thing has to be my major work. Remember my post about my inspiration all those moths ago... well here is the final dress that I made.

I am very lucky to have had my dress used in a photo shoot by Derek Elvy, director of Buoy Hairdressing and for the king avant-garde to create the wig to go with my major work for costume showcase.

In the photo shoot Derek used the dress as the backdrop to his wonderful hair sculptures and the photography was taken by Yoshi Su. My model Kathryn was amazing as ever, she graduates herself in a few weeks from The New Zealand School of Dance. The photographs are so opulent and I could not of wished for a better end to a long project.

I am so pleased with my work and will pop up more pictures from the photo shoot when I get a chance... along with pictures of my fellow costumiers work.

xx

Fringe benefits

I needed to make something for my night out at World of Wearable arts... WOW in another word. The dates for the show are half way over and I can't think why I have never mentioned it before for in a Make a Date post! I went on awards night and the array of costumes or really works of art are quite amazing. But I needed some thing quick to go with my Graphic Ruffle skirt and black shirt (from my $20 bag) that I was going to wear... accessory time.


I saw a similar necklace on online magazine N.E.E.T via a post from Sally Jane Vintage and I thought I would attempt to make one. Here is what I did.


1. I got my supplies together. Some upholstery fringing in different colours and lengths. Length of gold chain and links from the bead shop (but you could reuse and existing chain) and got out and needle and thread and jewelry tools!




2. I arranged the fringing the way I wanted it for the finally placement and sewed them all together... with invisible stitches. I then made up my chain but forgot to take pictures, sorry.




3. The next step was to attach the fringing to the chain. To do this I doubled up a thread in a colour as close to the blue fringing (the one at the back) as I could find. Then I whip stitched it to the chain.


It worked and looked really good with my skirt and I think it will work well the a white tee and jeans too. Now for the finally hat installment, it is Make do and Mend, yippeee!








Click to download the pages from my workbook for my Make Do and Mend Hat. Just leave a comment if you have problems.

xx

In the pink

I do have another hat file for you to look at but its short so I thought I would update you with some of my recent-ish opshop finds. In Wellington it is raining... as I type... and what could be more delicious than banishing rainy days in the pink. I found this raincoat in an opshop and apart from the lining having seen better days and no matching belt it is GReaT. I adore the little hood at the back with its button to keep it in place when not in use, or you can just take it off.

The little woven bag was another steal, it is made in Italy and will be perfect for summer days with floral dresses. It had a rather ugly plastic cord on it but I swapped it with a chain from another bag I have.


I bought a skirt via an auction site not that long ago and I think its the perfect companion for these two lovely items.

Mmmmm, well, well as I promised here is another hat installment. We all had to make a straw hat. I saw a lovely picture of a Lanvin hat c1910, in the amazing Lanvin book and decided to recreate it. The book as also inspired my graduation dress along with fellow Scot, Christopher Kane but that's another post altogether :)



Click the PDF icon to download my workbook page for my Lanvin-esque straw hat. Any problems just leave a comment.

xx

First up... felt

I did promise, so I shall deliver. I have taken photos of my visual diary for the felt hat and then placed them in to a PDF. I typed in all my notes as I don't expect anybody to read my hand writing :)


Find out what the door above has to do with my hat and more insightful insights. I have just put up my design process so this is not a 'how to', sorry. I hope it will be interesting enough to peek into the inner working of my mind.



Click the PDF icon to start download of the felt hat file. Is 8.86MB, post a comment if you have trouble downloading and I will sort it out pronto.

xx