My Sister/My Love for Mordake

The ending scene of Mordake where he just cut his "twin" off of his head and is now dying. Love the music and visuals! It was also a fun costuming project! And I love the story.......

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One Of A Kind Coats Of The Third Degree

Coats. I love them. I love making them...... they make everyone stop and look when you walk down the street. They make everyone do a double take when you step out of your vehicle. They make everyone stop in awe and amazement when you enter a room. They top off your garment. They compliment your wardrobe. They last for years. They keep you warm.

They create drama in a wonderful way.






You can never have too many coats!




Samantha Hasthorpe wearing a fur trimmed hooded opera coat. Black rayon mix. red silk lining.
Photo by Kristine Adams

Photo altered by Kathleen Crowley who isn't photo shop savvy! Please dont yell at me, Kristine! Check out Kristine's new website! Her work is amazing!!!!!!

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Erling Wold's Mordake Video

Costumes by KathleenCrowleyCostumeCouture
An opera by Erling Wold.

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Tickets On Sale Now

Mordake, by Erling Wold, opens May 22nd.
Dont miss this.
Its F*%$ing cool.
This aint yo mama's opera.

Mordake part two .....An Opera by Erling Wold

I'm working on more costumes for Mordake.This is a solo performance with tenor John Duykers. Today I made John a long night shirt based on the Folkwear Missouri River Boatman's Shirt. I made this shirt years ago for what I cannot remember, It is very simple, but of course something didn't seem right so I had to dig around for the directions which were in one of my bazillion pattern boxes. Lo and behold, there was a missing piece which was no where to be found so I improvised and actually like my version much better. Sometimes the pieces get sucked into the void.

I'm such a pattern whore. I love having a pattern library to refer to when I need to - it has been one of my passions. And one day, I'll have a pattern line of my very own to sell to other pattern whores. I feel so maternal about this. I must pass this pattern disease on......

Yes, indeed. But back to Mordakes's shirt. I trimmed it out with some vintage lace that I had stashed away. it was already stained and trashed and perfect for a lonely crazy man tucked away in his mansion of yore.

This is a story based on Mordake, the wealthy, brilliant aristocrat who was born with the face of a woman - his twin sister - on the back of his head. Well, you can imagine the drama this would create in one's life. Very like a Gemini, I would imagine. Not that I would know anything about that.

Everyone is working hard on this production. Jobs and responsibilities are being juggled. There wont be a lot of costume changes, but I want everything to look worn and opulent - lots of layers to suit the music and Frieder Weiss's visuals. It will be part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival in May. Thats May this month. I cant believe it is May already.

The final product will be an amazing collaboration of brilliance. You can see painting s of the set here.

No Tribal Fest this year for me. I decided today that I cant handle any more work than I already have. I was going to try to go for it and share a booth with someone. But I would rather do it right next year instead of half-assed this year. I would rather Mordake be as fabulous as possible.

Mordake as seen at Theater Bay Area this month.

More info can be found on Erlings' Blog.

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Polonaise Part Three

After the bodice was sewn up, zipper installed, boning and grommets put in their proper places, ruffles attached with a double bias facing of the same fabric, and the sleeves put in place, I attached the ruffles and trim to the sleeves before I sewed them to the bodice.

I constructed the polonaise, with channeling but sans trim, basted pleats in, then set it aside while I lined the bodice by hand and sewed down the facing to the lining.

I basted the lining to the hem of the bodice and then I attached the the skirt to the bodice with a double bias facing. I made sure that the channel opening wasn't sewn into the bodice.

I sewed the facing down to the lining and voila!

The dress looks fabulous on the wearer and Im hoping that I have a photo soon. But for now, the dressform will have to do.

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

Polonaise Part Two

After I cut out the mockup, cut out the bodice and ruffles, I proceeded to cut channels for the rouching, then the trim on the bias to make edging for the skirt and sleeve.

I figured out where I wanted the skirt to bustle up and then I sewed the channel strips to the underside of the skirt. I sewed a seam down the middle of the channel so that it would create a rouching effect when the ribbon was pulled. I made 4 of these. When I wove the ribbon through the channeling, I left enough room to pull the ribbon up from the underside of the skirt near the bodice if she didn't want to tie it from the hem.

At first, I cut and doubled up the bias trim strips and pinned my ruffle treatment to the skirt, but it was waaaaaaaaaaaay too heavy and bulky for this kind of project so I decided to cut it down in width with my serger, serged the edges on both sides, turn the edges over with my straight stitch and apply the trim to the skirt freehand for a bit of a carefree effect. Actually, it looked very even and I was quite pleased that I didn't bother to pin any of it on first. I "made it work". And it went on fast.

The sleeve was another matter. I basted that trim down first because I knew it would be a little harder to get it around below the elbow evenly and easily. This took very little time though.

Too Tired To Moddle

I'm about to tear into this striped pile of fabric. It will be a stripie jacketie polonaisie thing that will be worn on a trip to Europe in a week or so. No, its not for me. Im not going back this year - next year though. And perhaps I'll have my own stripie jacketie thing to wear. Because next time I go, Ive got my own agenda and I will not be making the trip over to be at the beck and call of everyone Else's schedule. A week in London. A week in Paris. And I would like to explore Ireland a bit better. Perhaps stay in Cork for a while, since my last visit was a little short - sheeted.

Isn't this Gualtier ad just the best?
Thats about how it sums up my vibe these last couple weeks with the flu.
Too tired to moddle. Thanks for sending me that, Lynne! Soon, you will up to your pretty neck in stripes!

I did join a gym though. Picking the scissors up and putting them back down, just isnt enough weight training.

Gotta look good when I make my stripie jacketie polonaisie thing for my own European vacation.

Fashion Terrified Are We

For all the bravado, we in this country are obviously fashion terrified. I love Tim Gunn and I know its JUST TV - but please........





Look how beautiful this is.
Whats so damned shocking about human hair on something? Haven't they seen whats on the Paris runway lately?

Of Course they have. Its just tv drama. Most Americans dont want to see Haute Couture anyway.(well, most people, Im sure - period) This show is supposed to be about sellable fashion. But I would wear this to the grocery store if I could. In fact, we should all dress nicer to go to the grocery store. Even in SF I see sweat pants and baseball caps in the aisles. Not Pretty. On anyone.

So I knew Chris wasn't going to win. I hoped. He deserved it. American fell in love with him like I hoped they would. And I sure hope he inspired some kids to step outside of the box.

Chris March played it safe all throughout Project Runway because he wanted to show that he could do fashion. Fashion doesn't have to be boring. But the judges on PR sure are.
Costumie? Dear God. Give me a break.
But in the end, he won anyway. And he gave everyone something to talk about.
And his exit speech reminded me why he is one of my favorite of human beings.
He's taught me a lot.


Well, I'm bored with Project Runway now. Hooray for whoever wins.

kc.costumecouture@gmail.com

The Cost Of Making Or Buying Costumes

Here is an article I stumbled on last night that says it all for any of us who make or create things of quality and value. I constantly get asked how much it would cost to make something like in this photo. And when I give a rough quote, I am always surprised at the sticker shock. Like I could actually make this for $300.00. I know you all suffer from this........I wish we had a way to band together and get some uniform pricing, but that would be pretty difficult. And I'm sure that's why it hasn't been done yet. That I know of anyway. Great article at any rate. And this doesn't apply to everyone of course. I am so very appreciative of everyone who gets how much things cost and why and want to support me and do.

The Cost of Making or Buying Costumes

MORDAKE

If anyone was attempting to try to get a coherent word from me last week, it was because I was sick with that hideous cold with sniffles and sneezing that never stops and I was working on a costume for the teaser of this magnificent work of art that showed the other night to a packed house.
Go see this. Its amazing.

MORDAKE will premiere at Shotwell Studios (3252-A 19th Street, San Francisco)
International Arts Festival, from the 21st of May through the 8th of June 2008.
For the latest info. visit mordake.com or call 415-399-9554



One of the weirdest as well as most melancholy stories of human deformity is that of Edward Mordake, said to have been heir to one of the noblest peerages in England. He never claimed the title. He lived in complete seclusion refusing the visits even of the members of his own family. He was a man of fine attainments, a profound scholar, and a musician of rare ability. His figure was remarkable for its grace, and his face--that is to say, his natural face--was that of an Antinous. But upon the back of his head was another face, that of a beautiful girl, 'lovely as a dream, hideous as a devil.' The female face was a mere mask, 'occupying only a small portion of the posterior part of the skull, yet exhibiting every sign of intelligence, of a malignant sort, however.' It would be seen to smile and sneer while Mordake was weeping. The eyes would follow the movements of the spectator, and the lips would 'gibber without ceasing.' No voice was audible, but Mordake avers that he was kept from his rest at night by the hateful whispers of his 'devil twin,' as he called it, 'which never sleeps, but talks to me forever of such things as they only speak of in hell.

Music Erling Wold
Libretto Douglas Kearney
Director Melissa Weaver
Starring John Duykers
Production matt:matt
Costumes Kathleen Crowley
Drawings Lynne Rutter
Extra sounds Thom Blum
The Mother Diana Pray

Photo: Matt:Matt

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