Skip to main content

Cup Cake Dancer

 Cup Cake Dancer



Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Amateur theatre production September 2021. 
Murray Bridge Players and Singers
this was my initial design idea 

As part of the McArthur Park musical number in Priscilla the lead character has a dream involving cup cakes. For this scene I made 5 cup cake costumes, the director requested another complementary costume for each of the actors holding the umbrellas above the cup cakes. I had to make the dresses match the look of the scene and used the remaining fabric I had. 
For this costume I need a very simple A line dress so construction would be quick. I used Butterick 3554 dress view B. 

I used the sleeves from the pattern view B but instead of using the inverted scallops I curved the hemline so it could be gathered and added an elastic cuff. 

I changed the skirt from straight to flaired by splicing the pattern and adding fullness across the skirt. I also widened the shoulders towards the neck so the neckline wasn’t as open. I redrafted the pattern so the front and back had a seperate yoke which I cut from lime green stretch mesh, I also cut the sleeves out of the stretch mesh.
I made binding for the scoop neckline. 
I wanted to included a pleated lame accent to match the cup cake patty pans. 
On the inside I added a mesh lining to which I added the pleated lamé contrast hem. The mesh served to hold the contrast pleated fabric seperate from the tinsel mesh and to line the dress because the tinsel mesh is itchy! 


with added purple sprinkles



rehearsal photo by Jaybirdy Photography 


rehearsal photo by Jaybirdy Photography 



Popular posts from this blog

Frill Neck Lizard Costume

Frill Neck Lizard Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Amateur theatre production September 2021.  Murray Bridge Players and Singers I started this costume on November 7th 2020 Alex as the Frill Neck lizard rehearsal photo by Jaybirdy Photography Classic Australian icon the frill neck lizard appears in the original stage production.  design by Charades-theatrical.com While I love this design it has many elements, pants, top, shin covers, cod piece, girdle and sail. Way too many things for my actor to put on so I narrowed it down to a top that zips up the front, some stretchy pants and a headpiece you need a pilots licence to drive. My initial design done with Pret-a-template app This is probably the most labour intensive costume I made, purely because I went back to my skills in a freehand machine embroidery and machine sewed all the decorative embroidery into the fabric making it unique. Unlike the professional above costume where printed stretch metallic lycra has been used, I started wit
Read more

Cockatoo Costume

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo worn by Cassie Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Amateur theatre production September 2021.  Murray Bridge Players and Singers Jo and Cassie - rehearsal photo by Jason McCullough I started these costumes February 2021. In the final scene all actors come on stage in an Australian themed costume, the 3 Divas don a sulphur crested cockatoo costume. Off all the complicated costumes I made this was the easiest but also very time consuming. I looked at many pictures of cockatoo's on Pinterest to get an idea for feather direction, size and concentration. I also looked at other companies cockatoo costumes for design ideas.    Charades-theatrical.com My design allowed my actors to choose comfortable undergarment because it was not strapless.  Design done on Pret-a-template app. I had to use the bridal design background so I could draw in white. I started these costumes in February 2021, a journey begins with just one step, well a cockatoo costume begins with just one
Read more

Gumby Costume

GUMBY PANTS Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Amateur theatre production September 2021.  Murray Bridge Players and Singers Back in 2019 I started making the pattern for these pants. I couldn't find a pattern to make these specialised pants so I new I would have to draft my own from scratch. Pattern drafting was not a skill I had so I enrolled in a course at the WEA.  I learned to make a bodice and pants block, from this beginners course I enrolled in an advanced course and my tutor helped me work out the shapes for the panels for these pants. The first three pairs I made were from a one way stretch fabric. It had horizontal stripes and a glitter finish. I found that the one way stretch reduced the manoverability of the pants. For the remaining pairs I chose a two way lycra in foil finishes. To reduce the amount of fabric required I laid the pattern pieces in both directions which meant the stripes didn't match up but that was just too bad. My first sample of one leg of the pants
Read more