Too Big for your Britches?-Panto #7

Almost all the characters need britches, and I started by digging through my copy of ‘Patterns for Theatrical Costumes’ but ended up using it for other bits and bobs.

I made fall-front breeches from S4923 for the Captain and Ben Gunn.  The captain’s were from a fabulous textured blue velvet from the Rag Market, which was only £4/m.  It has a shot effect with a gold thread in it, and lit beautifully.  Cheap as chips, but a bit too flimsy so had to be completely flat lined with some of the sheets I used.

I added shiny buttons at the knee, and they looked great!  [The coat was from the Lolita pirate pattern S8285, for a more womanly shape, the long waistcoat from this one, made in a cream curtain damask from my stash]

Ben Gunn got the same pattern in a stained old cotton from a bolster cover, pre-aged as it were, and some rips added.  I didn’t bother buttoning his knees, how many buttons would he have after 18 years on an island?

Billy Bones just got some cut off sweat trousers, he wasn’t on stage long enough to merit more effort I’m afraid!

Jim Hawkins was conveniently small enough for another time saving trick- a pair of women’s stretch trousers were just taken in on bum and hips, and lopped off to the correct length for his tavern outfit inspired by Harry Styles, then I ‘rubbed off’ a copy using some striped stretch cotton poplin left from one of our shirts, and he got his sailor suit trousers too.

As already posted, Israel Hands got drawstring cropped trousers from this fab stripey cotton from Barry’s Warehouse, using the New Look K6351

As part of this pirate henchman double act, Dick Johnson [yes, they made all the jokes] got a pair of Aladdin-esque ‘leggings’ cut on the bias from the same fabric, using this tutorial.  It’s a simple to follow set of instructions for drafting made-t-measure ‘leggings’ from woven fabric, which I also used to make the tin man leggings for the school play…they are definitely NOT as tight fitting as it makes out though, as you can see here.  He had a whale of a time with all that extra crotch fabric, believe me…

The ‘T shirt’ was, as you can  undoubtedly tell, simply cut, pinned and stitched on him for a punky look- he added the knot to look even sluttier!

For Long John Silver’s costume, I used curtain fabric in shades of red and pink.  The pink ‘velvet’ ones [that ‘orrible sort of fused-back curtain stuff] were in my stash of course.  My mum is always scavenging curtains for me as they might ‘come in useful’.  This time they paid off big time, as the colour looked rich AND well-aged.  Perfect.

Jacket, shirt and waistcoat were from that fabulous Simplicity men’s pattern S4923, but the trousers would not have worked out for the actress.  I switched to Laughing Moon #110 cycling bloomers

I’ve previously used this one to make myself a steampunk ‘cycling suit’ in African cotton and black sateen- remember it?

For Mr Silver, these proved to be comfortable and practical, if a little warm!

They were a pain to make though- the fabric is thick, and I had to pleat and gather quite some yardage to fit at waist and knee.  They looked good though, and were pronounced very comfortable.

rehearsal shot

What a load of pants!