Costuming Class: Part I

It’s been very long time and finals are looming but... I decided to post about my costuming class that I started back in January…and subsequently dropped. I always start out with an extra class anyway so I can drop the one I like the least. :-)

It’s the first day of class and I’m sitting in the stuffy basement dressing of the performing arts centre with about ten other kids I don’t know at all. Finally, the teacher arrives and we begin to go over the syllabus. We are to meet twice a week and in different classrooms on different days. “But,” says our teacher, “We’ll be meeting in Robin’s classroom next Monday and then be back to the schedule next week.” The other kids nod, they obviously know who Robin is, but I am left to ponder these intriguing questions, “Where is Robin’s classroom? Why does she have a classroom? What does she teach? For that matter, who is Robin?!”

:-)

Costuming Class: Part II

Very, very early on a winter morning some time ago, the first day of costuming lab went something like this: “Hi, I’m so glad you all came! Now I’ll show you around!” We obediently followed in a line down the hall to the cutting and sewing room. “Now,” she stood by an ironing board, “This is an iron....” (Really? We all thought it was just a strange steaming lump) She moved across the room, “And these are our cutting tables; this is a sewing machine and this is a serger—but you probably won’t need to use that in this class.” Our guide picked up a box, “This is your sewing kit: these are safety pins and these are straight pins; this is your tomato pincushion...you just stick your pins in it. (Really? Is that what a pincushion’s for?) These are your scissors, one for fabric and one for crafts—only use the fabric scissors for fabric or they get dull.” Closing the box, “Well, I think that’s about it. Now you’re free to leave early!” No, I didn’t laugh until I left; everyone else was taking it so seriously and I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But I did drop the class and got my money back.... I already know how to sew (real costumes...and with a serger!! :-D) and it seemed absurd to take a class to learn how to make a pair of pajama pants.

:-)