SeeJaneDance
New member
DIY costumes! I'm not a pro (far from) but I like making costumes as a hobby. And I get to wear them now and then. I try and apply my best skills to them for a couple of reasons...1, I'm a perfectionist, and if I know how to do something well, I like to do it well. 2, I'd like to be able to sell them or pass them on when I'm done with them. 3, I'd like to, even if it's in a small way, make a positive influence on the quality of hand made costumes in the area. That said, I'm not shooting for Bella quality, because it is crazy expensive in supplies. I'm working on one now that's quite fringe-y, based very loosely on a Great Loops but using crushed velvet fabric, and I don't plan to sequin/bead the entire base. Overall, including quite a few mid-size Swarovski crystals and drops, I'm anticipating spending about $100. That's a lot less than a comparable costume made by a designer, even taking into consideration the beading shortcuts I'm taking. (The way I look at it, if 80% of the thing is covered by fringe, and the fabric is pretty and well-sewn, WHY would I spend hours and money covering it with beads that people will rarely see?) I'm using bugles too, which is greatly reducing the time involved, which helps.
I guess my point is, it depends on what your end goal is, and whether or not you enjoy doing the work. I do, so it's worth the trade for me. And shopping sales, I spend about $30 on the fabric for a full circle skirt (1.5-2 circles, depending on weight of material, not silk). To me, that's decent quality and spin for less money than a skirt from Dahlal or someplace like that, and better quality and spin that's worth the money when compared to the Ebay skirts. Plus I cheat on the hems.
I guess my point is, it depends on what your end goal is, and whether or not you enjoy doing the work. I do, so it's worth the trade for me. And shopping sales, I spend about $30 on the fabric for a full circle skirt (1.5-2 circles, depending on weight of material, not silk). To me, that's decent quality and spin for less money than a skirt from Dahlal or someplace like that, and better quality and spin that's worth the money when compared to the Ebay skirts. Plus I cheat on the hems.