JAC Cinema Costumes

 On the 6th of this month costumers and crew members gathered together for a costume sewing and fitting day. We mostly worked on collars and bows while several of the actors were able to try on costumes so we could see what alterations needed to be made.

  Our veteran costumer cutting out collars

Busy seamstresses

Thank you to all of our cast and crew who came and helped us out!

 Website of the Week

Head Seamstess,

             Leila Clemons

"The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path."   ~ Mason Cooley

 Silent Film costumes are still the priority for "Penrod 2".  We took a couple of plain straw hats and Edwardian-ized them!

 The colors won't matter once it's in black and white. Texture, shape and shade will. These hats will be worn by pedestrians in the last scene of the silent film. Below you can see one of the hats with it's costume.

 The jacket needs ironing and the actress needs to have her hair up, but this is pretty much the finished out-fit.

Back views of the hats...

  To create these hats we covered the hats with various fabrics and decorated with Ribbons and artificial flowers using glue and thread.

 Our Hair department have been busy practicing the Edwardian hair-do's on all our actresses.

Website of the Week

      Head Seamstress, Leila

"Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year." ~ Fred Allen

 Time is growing shorter as we near the first shoot for "Penrod 2" in November. There will be a silent film shot for a scene where the title character goes to an Edwardian movie. Seen here is the costume for one of the silent film actresses.

 The skirt is linen and the blouse is embroidered cotton. The Edwardian belt we made out of burgundy velour.

We had to see how it would look in black-and-white before we decided on the finished design.

  I think the Director is happy. Her big hair was the Director's idea. It will give the silent film that extra dose of funny.

 Next I'd like to show you one of our first completed costumes for one of the children.

This is Shiloh as Sam Williams. He's wearing a wing-tip collar,  tan vest and dark blue knickers. This is what he'll be wearing in the school scene. JAC Cinema's costumers made the vest and knickers. Below you can see the costume a little better without the hat and scarf.

 And that's it for today's costume close-ups. Coming soon... ladies hats!

Head Seamstress, Leila Clemons

Website of the Week

"So tedious is this day As is the night before some festival To an impatient child that hath new robes And may not wear them." ~ William Shakespeare

 There's nothing quite like the feeling of a stiff, itchy, stand-up collar. Our actors are going to love us! The girls are going to have to wear starched bows in their hair, but that can't compare to something around your neck!

 You are supposed to wear these detachable collars over a dress shirt with a tab collar. We don't have one yet, so our model wore his over a white T-shirt. It doesn't have quite the same effect.

The key to having an authentic Edwardian look is, apparantly, to be very starched and uncomfortable! Betsy is the proffesional starcher around here.

 Head Seamstress, Leila

Website of the Week

"One man's style must not be the rule of another's."  ~Jane Austen

 For the sequel to "Penrod" we're going to need some good children costumes. There are several little girls with speaking roles. I'm working with an actual Edwardian pattern that has to be scaled up from an 8 1/2 by 11" sheet of paper.

 Challenging, but at least we'll be able to get the authentic look. The pattern claims it should fit a four year old but it was two short for our 3 year old model. Edwardian children ran smaller than our modern kids.

 Isn't she cute! This is my first mock-up. It looks to me like this size would be better for a two year old.

 The second mock up is also an Edwardian pattern.

 This one was more difficult than the first as it has tucks over the shoulders and a belt and yoke. I'm going to have to size this one up even more as there are hardly any children this tiny!

Penrod male costumes are coming soon!

 Head Seamstress, Leila

Website of the Week

"Dress is at all times a frivolous distinction, and excessive solicitude about it often destroys its own aim."  ~Jane Austen

 Kathy ordered a jacket to wear to a Civil War ball. Period accuracy was not required so this pattern was selected.

  Making frogs by hand was a little tricky.

 Kathy likes her new jacket but now she's talking about getting another one in green velvet. *sigh*  A costumer's work is never done.

Website of the Week

  Head Seamstress, Leila

"The finest clothing made is a person's skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this."  ~Mark Twain

  We've finished the Civil War gown that we posted about earlier.This is it's first photo shoot.

  The sleeves are draw-string. It is shown over a small hoop, befitting a young girl.

 We gave the dress a very deep hem so she can let it out when she gets older.

Website of the Week

             Head Seamstress, Leila

"Come, tailor, let us see these ornaments;

Lay forth the gown."

~Petruchio in the Taming of the Shrew

  We designed this costume for the character Patrick, in the "Fantastic Fantasy". For his costume we choose to do a Colonial look, so  we used Simplicity 4923, for both the shirt and the vest. I found this pattern very easy to work with, although I disagreed with it's extravagant use of interfacing.

 The Shirt is made of stiff, white, cotton. The character Patrick is a dandy so we made it with all the frills.The vest is made of a apple green broadcloth. It's soft and feels much like corduroy.  The buttons are gilded plastic. His cravat is burgundy colored cotton, with white fringe.

Designer,

 Betsy Clemons

Website of the Week

"The Clothes makes the man" 

~William Shakespeare

 In preperation for a Civil War Ball in December, the JAC Cinema costumers have two historic gowns to make. The first one is for a 14 year old.

We're using an out of print pattern by Simplicity and some adorable pale green floral fabric.

  We used some tiny metal buttons on the almost completed bodice. The skirt has yet to be attached. Making the cartridge pleats is very time consuming!

 We will post more pictures when the gown is complete.

          Head seamstress, Leila

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." ~ Matthew 19:24