Finishing Touches: Tutu Embellishment & Accessories
Tutu Embellishment - Plates & Overlays, Trims & Rhinestones
Tutu Accessories - Sleeves, Headpieces, Wings (and More!)

Current Format: 1 (very long!) Day
2012 Availability: Charlotte
Return to Seminar Descriptions.

This seminar is actually several different project-style 'break-out' workshops built into one very long(!) day. You pick and choose what you want to learn, and which workshops you want to take.

This workshop will begin at 8am and run approximately 6 hours (maybe 8 - depends on you), leaving you some extra time to select and complete a couple of items from the 'Accessories' workshops. And keep in mind, everything in this workshop can be applied to much more than tutus!

Learn the tricks and techniques to turn your tutu into a real dazzler where it most counts - onstage and under the lights! Benefit from our 20+ years experience staging and designing for hundreds of dance performances.

You will start the workshop with several exercises to help you focus your thoughts and ideas, from descriptive exercises to experimenting with layering transparent fabrics to instruction on the use of a couching foot (aka cording/braiding foot) on your sewing machine. These exercises will teach you helpful methods for drawing-out and focusing your creative potential.

You will design and create one decorated 'plate' for a tutu skirt, and one fully-decorated 'overlay' for a bodice.

In addition to the hands-on work, we also discuss essential design and color elements for various staging and lighting methods and styles, as well as fabric and decorating options, uses, and application techniques. And, we'll help you learn to use and depend on that frequently overlooked element - your designer's 'distance eye'.

The workshop includes a copy of the latest edition of "Finishing Touches: The Art of Embellishment", by Claudia Folts. We will supply some fabrics and trims as well as one gross of 20ss Crystal Swarovski® rhinestones (additional colors and sizes will be available to purchase). We strongly recommend that you bring some additional trims, laces, etc. with which you might like to work.

You should bring one undecorated tutu and/or bodice to work on. If you don't bring a tutu or bodice, you should at least have the size and color information necessary to create a plate and overlay.

This workshop is extremely intense and very personalized. Although we cannot possibly cover everything you ought to know in such a short timeframe, you will leave this seminar with the knowledge and skills to create many different plate and overlay designs, as well as invaluable knowledge of what embellishment techniques 'work' and why.

This series of 'mini-workshops' will begin at 12:00 noon and run until 7:00pm. We don't have an exact schedule for when the various classes will be taught. Just sign up for what you want to take, we'll make sure everything works out.

But keep in mind, the 'Embellishment' workshop (above) is 6-8 hours, there are 15+ hours of mini-sessions listed below, there are only 10 hours or so of teaching time, and you'll probably want some lunch (unless you're using this seminar as a great diet!). And also, there might be additional classes you're interested in that are scheduled for the afternoon and evening.

These fun classes answer more questions than you knew you had about all those little extras that can really make the costume! We will supply all instructions, patterns, and materials for the projects you choose to do.

***   NEW!   'Painted Designs' workshop - 3-4 hours
Claudia recently learned some new decorating techniques that she is excited to share with you. This very simple, lightweight style of decorating tutu plates and overlays comes from a Russian friend of hers.

Using glues and paints, you will learn how to 'make' your own appliques and scrollwork designs. These appliques and designs will be light as a feather, but oh-so-beautiful! They can be as ornate and complicated as you want, or 'classically simple'.

Have a favorite scrollwork design? China pattern? Fleur de Lis design? Some beautifully designed trim that is just too heavy to be used on the edge of a classical tutu plate? Trace off your favorite designs and bring them to class with you! OR - you can pick one of our in-house designs to use!

We will supply the glues and some white textile paint - but we'll give you a list of all the materials used in the class, and their sources. You will need to bring some paints of your own in various colors, your own brushes in various sizes, and a hot hair-dryer (hotel dryers generally aren't hot enough) (see the 'Painted Designs' materials list below for a list of suggested items and source info).

Keep in mind, in this workshop you will be 'learning the technique' for future use and for expansion into more complicated projects. It is not intended to help you create a specific design for a particular costume.

***   NEW!   'Beaded Smocking Techniques' workshop - 3-4 hours
Smocking is a wonderfully 3-dimensional sewing technique, consisting of fabric folded at regular intervals. This creates a very texture-rich and beautifully-puckered pattern. Add crystal Swarovski® beads to the smocking and... Voila! You have created art!

This workshop will cover several techniques, including American- and English-style smocking, and multiple variations. Learn how to use these techniques to create beautiful decorations, accessories, sleeves, and more!

Keep in mind, in this workshop you will be 'learning the technique' for future use and for expansion into more complicated projects. It is not intended to help you create a specific design for a particular costume or role.

***   NEW!   'Fabric Spirals' workshop - 3-4 hours
Fabric spirals are an easy yet effective way to add depth and texture to your designs. This technique uses simple bias-strips of fabric, stretched, and then rolled into shapes.

It can be done as a tone-on-tone embellishment, or with contrasting colors and fabrics. It is particularly effective when using metallic fabrics for roles such as Snow Queen, Black Swan, and many others.

This is a great 3-D embellishment that works well on both traditional and contemporary designs.

Keep in mind, in this workshop you will be 'learning the technique' for future use and for expansion into more complicated projects. It is not intended to help you create a specific design for a particular costume.

***   NEW!   'Decorated Stretch Sleeves' workshop - 2-3 hours
You will create a pair of 'nude' sleeves from stretch mess, and decorate them with trims, ribbons, and Hot-Fix rhinestones, so be sure to bring your hot-fix rhinestone setter.

These sleeves are quick, easy and great for many different parts - 'Sugar Plum Fairy', 'Snow Queen', Le Corsaire, La Bayadere, etc.

You will go home with the 'know-how' to make many different variations on these sleeves, including a long-sleeve version.

(side-of-bun example)

***   'Flowers and Jewels Headpiece' workshop - 2 hours
You will create a gorgeous side-of-the-bun or garland/wreath style headpiece made with various flowers, Swarovski® Hot-Fix and/or regular flatback rhinestones, and various fancy trims.

(garland-wreath example)

These headpieces are great for so many ballets - from Waltz of the Flowers and Spanish, to more contemporary ballet pieces.

We will make the bases first, using various colors of tutu net and rigilene and a choice of 1/4-inch elastic pinning loops or horsehair. You will arrange various flowers, jewels, and trims on the base, then attach them using glue and hand- and machine-sewing.

You will be able to choose a basic 'theme' from several color options, including black/red, lavender, pinks, or white.

***   'Fairy Wings' workshop - 2 hours
You will learn how to shape millinery wire into gorgeous wings, then cover the frame with Glimmer or Sparkle tulle, and finish the piece with glitter glue. For this class, you will choose either Faerie Wings ('Midsummer Night's Dream'-ish) or 'Sylphide'-style Wings. The techniques for either style are essentially the same, and you will receive pattern sets for both styles.

We offer several fabric and color options for you to choose from:  tulle, glimmer tulle, or sparkle tulle, generally in white, pinks, purples. 'Exact' colors will depend on season, venue, availability, instructor's choices, etc.

Although you will shape your wings by hand or by using one of our 'jigs', we will also show you how to design and make your own 'jig' - a reusable pattern for wiring the basic wing shape (when making several sets of wings, a 'jig' can help make the wiring process faster and simpler, and provide a more consistent size and shape). The instructions are easily adaptable to nearly any size and shape of wing design.

For the 'Painted Designs' mini-workshop (above), here's the stuff you need to bring:

We highly recommend Jacquard Lumiere Metallic paints, in the following colors:
#550 - True Gold     #552 Bright Gold     #555 Halo Pink Gold
#557 Halo Violet Gold     #561 Metallic Gold     #564 Metallic Silver
or any other Jacquard Lumiere colors of your own choosing!

You will need an 8 oz. jar of Jacquard Neopaque #589 White - this is not a metallic paint, it's an opaque white for the base coat.

We recommend Loew Cornell Fabric Painting Brushes - you will need a selection of sizes.

You should definitely bring your own HOT hair-dryer if possible (don't rely the hotel's to be nearly hot enough).

You will find all the right paints and brushes at Dharma Trading (www.dharmatrading.com).
You can have your paints and brushes shipped to us so you don't have to fly with them.
Or we can order what you want from Dharma for you - your cost will be somewhat higher (it's our credit-card after-all, and we don't get any special pricing from them).

Our shipping address is:
Attn: Your Name First
c/o Tutu.Com, Inc.
11609 Fawn Ridge Ct. (for UPS) --OR-- PO Box 472287 (for USPS)
Charlotte, NC 28226 (for UPS) --OR-- Charlotte, NC 28247-2287 (for USPS)

Return to the 'Painted Designs' description above

Return to Seminar Descriptions.