no sewing required! steampunk costuming for the sewing-machine challenged

No Sewing Required!

Brittney Benjamin &Laura Croff Wheaton

CHOOSING YOUR MATERIAL

Fabrics

• Can be used to tie overall ensemble together• Can make bustles, scarves, cravats, etc• Things to look for– Fun colors– “Fray Test”• Can sometimes get away with easily frayable fabric if

you use fray check before cutting

– Already hemmed

Shapes

• Think about era– Wide prom dress skirts = civil war– Huge 80’s sleeves = mutton sleeves

• Versatility of shape– Many ways to add to a straight skirt

Fun Embellishments

• Things to look for– Cost efficiency– Easily removed

Things to “Avoid”

• Ill-fitting leather• Very obvious decade pieces

• 80’s dresses work; 60’s pantsuits probably don’t

• Knits• Wool• Heavy linings/layers

Good Staples

• Ladies– 80’s prom dresses– Bridesmaid dresses– Button down shirts– Fashion vests– Long fitted skirts– Blazers/suit jackets– Curtains– Belts

Good Staples

• Men– Button down shirts– Coats that fit in the shoulders

– don’t worry about sleeve length

– Vests– Ladies’ silk scarves– Leather and canvas belts

NO SEW TECHNIQUES

Seen vs. Hidden

• Seen– Grommets– Knotting– Ribbon Ties– Hardware– Stamping– Dyeing

• Hidden– Hot Glue– Fabric Glue– Fray Check– Interfacing– Iron-on Hem Tape– Safety Pins/Staples– Tape

Grommets

• Pros– Variety of Material– Can help resize– Can “join” fabric– Pretty!– Strong

• Cons– Expensive-ish– Time consuming– Permanent

• How to:– Punch– Grommets (dif. Sizes)– Hammer vs. Grip

Knotting

• “Fleece Blanket Knots”• Pros– Can “join” fabric– Decorative/Punk– Easy

• Cons– Time consuming– Requires extra fabric

Ripping/Shredding

Wrapping

Ribbon Ties

• Several Techniques• Pros– Easy– Drawstrings, bustles

• Cons– Somewhat limited

Hardware

• Pros– Strong– Decorative

• Cons– Heavy

Stamping

• Pros– Easy– Can change/cover

patterns– Decorative

• Cons– Doesn’t change structure

of cloth

Dyeing

• Pros– Cheap/easy– Update plain outfits

• Cons– Limited to certain fabrics– Permanent/Messy– Color matching– Doesn’t alter shape/fit of

garment

Hot Glue

• Pros– Easy– Quick– Fairly stable/permanent

• Cons– Melts in hot weather– Not stable over time– Burns!

Fabric Glue

• Pros– Variety of fabric– Usually machine washable

• Cons– Takes a long time to dry– Messy

E-6000

• Pros– Will last a lifetime– Washable– Good for joining different

materials • Ex: leather to cloth, cloth to

metal

• Cons– 48 hour drying time– Messy/smelly while drying

Fray Check

• Pros– Can be used in conjunction with many other

techniques• Cons– Takes a while to dry– Sticky while drying

Interfacing

• Pros– Many uses• Stop fraying• Stiffen fabric• Add appliqués

• Cons– Can stick to iron

Iron-on Hem Tape

• Pros– Hemming!– Join fabrics– Varying sizes

• Cons– Long term strength– Iron burns

Safety Pins/Staples

• Pros– Easy– Quick– Alterable– Punk!

• Cons– Not very durable**

• Can fix by “sealing” with hot glue

– Accidental stabbage

Duct Tape!

• Pros – Cheap– Easy– Quick– Can “Join” fabric– Duct tape crafts

• Cons– Not very pretty (generally)

COMMON FIXES

Resizing

• Generally easier to make things smaller

• Making things bigger: probably still need to be within a few sizes

Resizing a dress

• Rule of Thumb: Make sure it fits over your hips!

• Grommets: can either make dress bigger or smaller

• Too short/long: bustle and wear over another skirt

Resizing a vest• 2 ways– Split back: grommet or

add panel– Add fabric with

buttons to front

Changing Length

• Making sleeves/pants SHORTER:– Safety pins or hem tape

• Making sleeves/pants LONGER:– Can add fabric “inserts” to ends – “Cheating”: Can sometimes just hide with gloves

or spats!

Altering a Shirt Collar

• Fray Check• Cut off collar!

Making a Bustle Pad

• Pillows– Small throw

pillow + ribbon

• Purses!– Stuff “slouch”

purse, add ribbon

Making a Bustle

• Curtains!• Can do similar trick with

sheets, scarves, prom skirts, etc.

Altering a Coat (Ladies)

Altering a Coat (Mens)

Pockets Galore!

• Gail Carriger’s Excellent Tutorial

PUTTING TOGETHER A TOTAL OUTFIT

Color Scheme

Accessories!

Accessories!

Things to consider…

• Character!• Tropes– Adventurer vs. Aristocrat

Things to consider…

• “Era”

Comfort

• Can you sit?• Can you get through the door?• Will the costume last the entire time you want

to wear it?• Temperature

“Afters”

Overall…

• Learn new techniques! – Sewing is NOT scary, and many of these ideas can

be applied to simple sewing– The “next step” is not always a sewing machine,

but a dress mannequin! • Can help with draping, hemming, etc.

• Trial and Error• Cheap/Fast/Well-made: Pick 2• HAVE FUN

QUESTIONS?

THE END