Making the Tutu

When cutting the net for the tutu I learnt a really useful technique, you use a tool which looks a bit like a pizza cutter and this is used for cutting net and other thin fabrics and basically you lay a ruler where you want to cut and slice next to the ruler. It is alot quicker than using scissors and with a fabric like net (which is cut on the fold) it stops it moving around as much. This will save me alot of time when I'm working with net or other sheer fabrics.

Another method I learnt was how to scallop the edges of a fabric which is to create a continuous pattern along the bottom edge. I made a pattern out of card then layed this along the bottom edge and cut using the pattern as a guide, this could be used in anything I do in the future if I want the bottom edge to be patterned but it can only be used on fabrics that do not fray such as net.

My tutu is having 12 layers and using a specific chart I had to cut different lengths for each layer. This took quite some time because I had to use two different types of net and it had to be cut carefully.

Once I had sewn all of the widths together I could then go on to pleating the layers. When doing this I learnt a very useful method of pleating which is instead of making and pinning the pleats before sewing to use a pin and push more or less net under to create the pleate and basically guess the pleate sizes. I can use this in the future if the pleating doesn't hav to be perfect or if there is a mad rush to get something done. This was the best way to pleate the tutu because it would of taken forever to measure it out.

Once it was all pleated the layers are attached to the knickers, I was surprised when I realised that the ballerinas where nothing under their tutus considering the knickers are made out of a sheer bra net but once I had sewn all the netting on it became clear that the netting covers everything up.

Making the Waistband basque and knickers

After doing two weeks of work placement at Rainbow Productions I am back in Bournemouth. I have started the ballet workshops and this week have made the waistband, basque and the knickers for the tutu. The basque is what will attach the knickers and the bodice together to make it one whole piece. The tacking on the knickers shows where the netting for the tutu will be placed. My tutu will have twelve layers of net. The knickers are made out of a bra/bobbin net which is very soft as this is the only fabric used for the knickers so needs to be comfortable.

The group made a mistake when making the waistband sewing on the elastic wrong, so we had to make it again. By making it a second time I understand the whole process and why it is made the way it is. The images show the basque with the waisband attached and the knickers with the tacking lines.

Initial Tutorial

Before making the tutu my tutor briefly went over the history, how we would be planning our time effectively to produce our tutus, briefly how long he expected us to take on each section of our tutus and a bit more information about our clients.

This was helpful becuase I got a much clearer understanding of what was expected of me for this project and how quickly I will need to be working. My tutor made it very clear that our clients were paying for the tutus we produce and that they must be made to a professional standard. I think that knowing the clients are paying will make me want to produce a pristine tutu that has been made to the highest standard possible. This will prepare me for next year knowing that the standard of my work needs to be pushed to the next level.

In this first tutorial I also found out that we will each be allocated different dancers who we already have the measurements for and that we will be having a fitting with our dancers one week before the tutus have to be completed. This has put the pressure on knowing that the tutus are being fitted to a dancer so have to be made carefully to the measurements we have been given. When researching the wardrobe mistress at Royal Birmingham Ballet said that they would usually have three fittings because the dancers weight is constantly changing so in a way this is more intense than the industry in the sense that we only have one fitting. This will prepare me for next year and working in the industry becuase I will see how I work under pressure and if I can cope.

Classical tutu research images cont.

In the last image you can see the channel put onto one of the frills for the crin steel the crin steel is there to help give the plate its shape.

Here are some more images of the Ice Queen tutu.

Research Images

After contacting the wardrobe mistress for the English National Ballet she kindly sent me close up photos of some of the tutus they have in their wardrobe. This gave me a much clearer understanding of what each section of the tutu is and how it is contructed. The photos are extremely clear and there are views of the inside, under the netting and the outside. This was very inspirational and gace me an aim to want to create a tutu as beautiful and pristinely contructed as the ones photographed.

I have gained a massive amount of information from contacting people in the industry and has made me realise that it is alot easier and less scary than I previously thought. I will take this on board for future projects because I now know how helpful it is and how responsive people in the industry actually are.

I will also use these methods in future projects (e.g e-mailing and phoning people in the industry) because it gives more depth to the research I am doing and a clearer understanding of what I am making.

The images that the wardrobe mistress sent are shown below she also sent some information along with these to make it clear what the photos are showing.
The tutu is from the ballet Raymonda, "The first picture is the full tutu, the bodice fabric is brocade generally a fabric which can be dyed is better because it is rare you actually find a fabric the designer likes the colour and the pattern at the same time. If you can find ready made motifs to decorate the better. The bodice is lined in cotton drill so the dancer can sweat into it.
There is a decent seam allowance so the tutu can be altered slightly as all the fabric stretches over time. Also in the picture you can see the basque, it goes round the waist and sits on the upper hip it keeps the bodice in place.



This is the bottom of the tutu with 9 layers of net totalling 11-13m of net all attached on to the knickers. There are many different types of net and nets can generally be dyed.

This is the topskirt, rules go like this: Corps de ballet - some decoration, Soloists- more decoration, Principal dancer- most decoration.

This is a Sleeping Beauty tutu you can see in this picture the bodice ends at the waits and goes into a point at the front. You can see the basque on this tutu. This is an old tutu it is about 17 years old, the rest of the production has been sold to another ballet company. This is an aurora tutu and was kept back together with an act II jacket for the prince.


You can see the boning inside the bodice to help keep it straight up and down, so it keeps its line most dancers dont like boning and tend to whip them out. You generally have 2-3 fittings for a tutu.

Interview Research

I contacted the head of wardrobe at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the wardrobe administrator at the English National Ballet through e-mail asking them some questions about the classical tutu and working in the professional environment. This was extremely helpful as they gave me an insight into what it is like to work in the industry, for example I found it fascinating that in general it takes 3 days to construct a whole tutu. The head of wardrobe at Birmingham Royal Ballet explained that on day 1 you would be expected to cut the basque, waistband, knickers and construct them all and also cut the widths of net. Day 2 you would shape the hem edge of the netting (scallop), join the edges of net together according to the layers, put in the gathering or pleating along the top edge, start applying the frills to the knickers, should get all frills onto knickers. Day 3 Put the knickers onto the basque, join the centre back seam of the knickers, join the crutch seam, put elastic into leg channels, join up centre back frills, stitch on waist and back fastening, put in steel into steel channels then string.

This puts it into perspective for me the speed that you have to work in the industry. It is obviously going to take me alot longer to make my tutu seeing as I have never made one before but as I am making it I will be able to think back to this and know how much longer I take compared to a professional. This has really made me realise that time is money. This has made me think about how I need to start working to prepare me for work in the industry and how to start speeding up the pace that I work.

History of the Tutu Research

After researching the history of the classical tutu I read that it is used to flatter the dancers body lines and pose to their best advantage. This has given me the aim to make my tutu complement my dacers figure because it is important that it moves like a second skin with hers so the audience can see her every dance move.

Looking into the history of the classical tutu has broadened my knowledge of this area of dancewear and prepared me for my first tutorial. I feel I have gained som thorough initial understanding of how the tutu is constructed, all the different sections and generally how it works to complement the dancer.

Planning

To gain an understanding of how long I have to make my tutu and breakdown the amount of work involved I am going to do a detailed timeplan. This should help me keep myself organised and give me daily targets.

To help me gain more background knowledge on the classical tutu I am planning on going to see a ballet performance and hopefully get in contact with someone in the industry who can give me some initial information about the classical tutu.