Bird of Paradise tutu

I have just finished a tutu for India, she wanted something that looked birdlike, with red shading to orange and to turquoise blue at the edge of the skirt. She didn't mind a bit of bling either! I have had real fun making it. I used five colours of net plus sequinned turquoise, red velvet lycra for the leotard and "wings" and gold sequinned fabric that looks like gold cobwebs for the under wings. A sprinkling of Swarovski crystals in "fire opal" completed it. here are a few pictures.

Comp photos

Our mid year comps have just finished in Victoria and photos have started to trickle in of some of my new (and not so new) costumes. I managed to see quite a few of my latest creations on stage, always feel anxious until they appear and look OK, but I was generally pleased with how everything looked.Newest photos are at the top of the gallery after all the posts. After they have been up for a while I will file them into categories.

I'm going to Vegas!!

I am very excited because Suzanne from "Tutus that Dance" is running a seminar in Las Vegas in August on tutu making and I am going. I am also going to be teaching a unit on making stretch tutus which should be fun although I have never done anything like this before so I'll be learning as much as my students.

Anyone interested in attending check out her website, the link is in my list.

Gold and cream tutu

Just finished this one for an eleven year old dancer. As the lace is very pale gold I was concerned it would all blend together on stage, so I have put gold sequin dot material under the lace to deepen the colour slightly and to sparkle through the lace under stage lights. I also added some more bronzy gold sequins to the edge of the lace underskirt and to the lace pieces appliqued onto the overskirt and the bodice.

/> Here is a closer view of the bodice decoration, lace pieces cut from the underskirt material then decorated with swarovski crystals and sequins.

More pictures

I have just added a new national photo to the gallery. I cannot claim any credit for the design as I was asked to copy an existing costume that was the wrong size, fun to make though and the most intricate national I have done so far. Luckily for me i didn't have to make the hat!!

Here is another tutu I have recently finished, looking forward to seeing it on stage as it will really stand out from the more usual pastels.