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Start gathering and building as soon as possible after the initial measurements are taken. It is a good idea to first look through the Ensemble's costume stock, then visit Rinaldi, then talk to MTG and G&S, and then try secondhand stores to get any pieces that might be found. Costume Builds should be hosted regularly with advance notice sent to the cast through email at least 2 days ahead of time. Close track should be kept of all spending to keep in line with the budget and also produce the necessary costumes. An email should be sent to the ensemble treasurer before purchases are made. Other places to look are in actor's wardrobes, or possibly MTG and G&S for specialty items.
Rinaldi will require a deposit for costumes borrowed, which can be upwards to $350-$400 depending on how many items are pulled. A personal check is the ideal way, since deposit checks are not really available through our Student Activities Accounts. If you cannot write a personal check yourself, your soul can be used as adequate collateral for one of the officers or the producer to write one. Once the costumes have been returned cleaned and in their original condition, the check will be returnedrequires that all costumes be dry-cleaned before their return - which you should account for in your budget. MTG and G&S would prefer to have their garments dry-cleaned but a washing machine can do the trick if the costume is not elaborate or easily destroyed.
All costumes should be complete by the Costume Parade, one week before put-in. Alterations can be made after the Costume Parade, but all actors should be clothed, shod, and decent by that day. The director is allowed to make requests and suggestions, and the costume designer is allowed to loudly refuse any unreasonable ones.
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After the close of the show, all costume pieces should be collected and inventoried. Actor's own clothing should be returned to them at strike, and everything else should be laundered/dry cleaned (as appropriate). Be sure to return all clothes (to actors and to Rinaldi and to other theater groups) in the same or better condition as they were given in. This means clothes must be clean and show no signs of having been borrowed. The borrowed clothes should be returned to Rinaldi within a week of closing, and the remainder should be organized in the Ensemble Office.
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* The bottom layer of your sewing will “creep” because of the better traction of the feed dogs – therefore, if you want to ease something into a seam, put the larger amount on the bottom side and the machine will do your easing for you
* All bobbin cases (some machines don’t have them) have a little metal slot which the thread goes through. If you put the bobbin in line so the thread unwinds naturally in the same direction, then you have it in the right way.
* If in doubt about the way to thread a machine, remember that nearly all machines go from the spool to a hook, through a tension disc, to another hook, and either down or over a set of bars or a series of hooks to the needle.
* Most needles thread from front to back, but some go left to right. Those that go left to right often have the thread go down the side of the machine rather than down the front.
* All machine needles have an obvious front and back.
* 20% of the time, if the thread is breaking, the needle has a rough spot or is in backwards.
* 50% of the time, you have tension issues. Other causes are weak thread and machine timing.
* Excessive knotting and looping means the top thread does not have enough tension on it.
* Most patterns use 5/8” seam allowance. There may be a tape mark on the machine at this point.
* All machines will have tension problems. Experiment.