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DIVA CUP CAKE COSTUME



DIVA CUP CAKE COSTUME


Divas - Cassie - Jo - Prue - photo by Jason McCullough




Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Amateur theatre production September 2021. 
Murray Bridge Players and Singers
I started these costumes in July 2021


Cup cake sleeves



I started these costumes July 2021. There is a dream scene in Priscilla with green dancing cup cakes where the 3 Diva's wear matching green costumes. I made all the costumes for this scene including cup cakes, P'J's, Diva's and umbrella holders.

In the original production the Divas wear a jacket and wrap skirt over their silver costumes. Because I made my silver Diva dresses with the shoulders covered I couldn't make such an open style jacket. I decided to make an overdress that slides over the silver dress. 
designs by charades-theatrical.com
the Diva matches the cupcake design.





My Silver Diva dress which is worn under the green dress


My cup cake costumes

For the Diva overdress I needed to take an aspect from the cupcake and incorporate it into the design of the Diva. It had to be dramatic like the big collar but I wanted something different. 
I looked at lots of garment design ideas and went with a big puffy sleeve design. I could make this in the green tinsel mesh I had used for the cup cake frosting. 



Design inspiration from Pinterest whowhatwear.com


my original design idea for the dress made with 
Pret'a'template app.

To make my life easier I decided to use the same pattern I used for the silver Diva dress for the green dress. The bodice is the same but I added a pleated skirt for volume and to help cover the Silver Diva fins.


Silver Diva Dress pattern


skirt used for green dress


Finished green dress base...
I later realised I had forgotten the belt for this one so added that last.


The dress does up with an open end zip on the back bodice and velcro closure for the wrap skirt. The velcro attaches to the bodice waist seam allowance under the left side of the skirt. The extra fabric covers the back opening of the skirt so the silver dress doesn't peep out.


Fully closed the dress covers the silver dress underneath



CUP CAKE SLEEVES





The sleeves are based on a raglan sleeve pattern. I took the Kwik Sew sleeve and spliced it to allow me to pleat it back to get the volume and shape I needed.



The original pattern piece far right, middle transition to finished pattern far left


showing the cut and spread technique


How the pattern morphed - I added coloured lines to show the seam lines and how they moved when spliced. 
The only seam lines that actually change are the armhole seam and the centre seam.

I cut this sleeve pattern out in the tinsel mesh from Spotlight and a double layer of purple net. The net was added to give strength and support to the pleats and to allow the sleeve to hold itself up. I pinned the mesh and the net layers together then overlocked around them. 


pleated tinsel mesh



sleeve lined with fabric from an old quilt cover 


lining side which is the original raglan sleeve shape


Here you can see a purple tinge to the right side, I added two layers of purple net to give the sleeve body and support. 
When I turned the sleeve out to the right side it was a bit floppy around the bicep are. Because there was so much extra fabric pleated together in this are it wanted to sag. I fixed this by adding a piece of black net which I pleated into a fin shape. I topstitched this to the sleeve so it pointed in towards the lining and would push against the arm. 


pleated net fin


Points towards thew lining when the sleeve is constructed


At the sleeve hem I added a strip of iron on buckram. 


Sleeve ready for binding


This would be the shoulder seam on a raglan sleeve top. 


Here you see my morphed sleeve version and the original raglan sleeve in lining

The shoulder seam of the sleeve is finished by binding it with the green lame of the dress



In this photo you see a collar, I was toying with the idea of adding a collar to the dress.




The sleeves are topstitched to the top of the shoulder near the neckline. 

Finally sprinkles were added to the sleeves to match those on the cupcakes by myself and Wilma from the costume team. Each purple sprinkle has hand sewn in place. Pictures to come of the costume on stage.

photo by Jason McCullough

Photo by Jaybirdy Photography


See the silver Diva dress costume post by searching Diva.






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