Costume Project
Flat muslin to finished garment in three weeks. The costume unit takes 8th grade Stagecraft students from a flat pattern to a garment that fits a body and survives wear. Each student developed a character against a shared theme, Mythical Nature, worked it through research, sketch and color rendering, then moved to the shop floor: reading pattern markings, laying out and cutting on grain, threading machine and bobbin, and sewing straight seams with backstitching. Every piece is muslin, the unbleached cotton a costume shop mocks up in. In one color, the design has to be carried by silhouette and construction. The finished work includes dresses, tops, a gown with gloves and a cloak, cut from patterns and fitted to each student's own measurements, with elastic and hand-sewn details.
- Duration
- 3 Weeks
- Standards assessed
- Each costume is scored on five standards: following a basic pattern, machine sewing basics, constructing a wearable garment, fit and finish, and design and process documentation. Every standard is scored 0 to 4, where 3 is the grade 8 expectation — laying out, cutting and assembling a garment from a pattern with guidance, and sewing straight seams with safe machine handling. A 4 is work done with less support, above that level.
- Aligned to the California Arts, Media and Entertainment Model Curriculum Standards: ST.17.3 Costumes & Makeup Design, 6.1 Equipment & Tools, and 16.1 Production Tools & Equipment.
