Creative Costume Construction Part I

Last week at our first co-op meeting we signed up for creative oral reports on the Early European Explorers and a few related topics. So now we are loaded down with books on Leif Erikson, Viking ships, Christopher Columbus, magnetism and how to use a compass. Both of my astute pupils are diligently writing out notecards and doing research. To further inspire them this Monday we made a trip to visit a friend who sews more frequently than I and she helped me work on costumes derived from Goodwill purchases.

Flashback to Saturday: upon entering the Goodwill store I immediately snatched up a sleeveless fake-leather dress, just the right size. Then I found a coordinating sheet to match the dress in a heavier cotton than I normally have seen in sheets. Also picked up two mens blazers, a coarsely woven tablecloth in a muted earthy green. And the finale: a red velvet button-down long sleeve maternity blouse.

The Viking costume is nearly finished. We cut open the neck and sleeveholes of the brown leather treasure, made the sideseams straighter, cut a few inches off the hemline. Then we did narrow hems on the neckline, hemline and sleeve openings. The sheet was plenty for a pair of long pants and shirt. The shirt was cut out in one piece. The picture in the slideshow shows the shirt before we narrowed and shortened the sleeves.

We cut the blue mens jacket out in similar fashion for a Christopher Columbus costume. The sleeves needed to be cut off at a point just beyond my daughter's shoulders, leaving part of the shoulder pad in place for more manly look for the spritely girl trying to look like Columbus. Then we cut off a little down the center, added some real fur trim (free, btw -- DON'T YOU JUDGE ME -- I know some of you would) around the sleeveholes and hem. The side seams just under the armholes also needed to be taken in. This is main piece of the Christopher Columbus costume. Now I am working on using a decorative ribbon to finish the jacket opening and neckline.

The red velvet blouse has been transformed into a nobleman's cape for Columbus by simply cutting away all of the sleeves and the front except for the collar and top button.

Next, we'll be looking for or making a white ruffled blouse or tunic and hat similar to the ones in the Columbus portraits.

Interestingly, we found that no portaits were painted of Columbus while he was living so that explains why the paintings of the man look so very different.

Today we purchased black felt and pattern for a pillbox hat. This will be daughter's project.

See the slide show above and to the right for pictures.