Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2006 - 75

book
reviews
Cunningham's book is divided into thirteen extremely easy-to-read and comprehend
chapters with three appendices. The diagrams
are clear and easy to follow. I especially like
that the author has left a place for students to
attach samples after they complete each chapter. This workbook will be useful as a shop reference and well as a "refresher" for students
who have completed the work. Every technique with its specific usage is explained
clearly. The author includes other commonly
used names for the samples she highlights,
which is helpful for those who might know
them by a different name or might supplement
the information provided with other materials
that identify them as something else. There are
a few instances where this could be carried
through a bit more thoroughly-pickstitch for
prickstitch, for example-but it has been
done more often than not.
The information on machine stitching is
also nicely presented. It would be helpful,
however, if the author would suggest the settings for home machine stitches more frequently. What setting, for instance, does the
author suggest is comparable to the 8-10
stitches per inch on a machine that has settings
that range from 0 to 5? Is the setting for 8-10
stitches per inch the same as 2.5-3 stitches on
this type of dial? Students using this workbook
on their own would benefit from having this information.
The drafting of the T-shape tunic is a very
good beginning project for students to learn
patterning skills. This project takes them
through the entire process from patterning to
stitching; it must give them a tremendous
sense of accomplishment. The chapter on using commercial patterns, although brief, is
also well done. It is concise, easy to read and
useful for beginning students. The appendix that
includes the conversion chart from decimals
to fractions is necessary for the drafting that
will occur for the T-shape tunic and the beret.
A few suggestions might be made for a future edition. The diagram on page 50, for instance, illustrating the locations of
measurements of the actor, could have the
head redrawn to indicate that it is important to

THEATRE

DESIGN

have the actor standing up straight. As it is currently drawn, it looks as if the actor is bending
slightly forward from the neck, which would
change the center-back-to-waist measurement
and a few others as well. The back illustration
is clearer in this regard.
Correctly identifying the standard and
pounce tracing wheels should be done, as they
are currently switched. It might be helpful for
the student using the workbook to know why
the author has a preference for red and blue
carbon for patterning. It would also be helpful
to have the brand names of threads currently
used in the theatrical costume shop, such as
Rice's Silamide, Hymark, etc. Including a
photo of a press pad on page 107 might be
helpful, since there are already similar items
in this photo.
This workbook is especially useful for
students who are utilizing it in a step-by-step
manner. It is perhaps a bit less useful where
students aren't following it page by page. That
being said, this book fills a niche for those of
us instructing beginning students. It is one of
the best, most simplified, and easy-to-follow
textbooks I have seen for this type of course.
The workbook format is a very practical approach.
In The Basics of Corset Building, Linda
Sparks wants to familiarize the reader with
three methods of corset construction: the
single layer, the double layer, and a fashion
fabric corset.
Section one is instructive for those who
have never made a corset before. The explanation and photographs of the tools and materials used in corset building are valuable for
those who may have never used them before.
The author clearly indicates why she prefers
these particular tools. Her discussion of textile
preferences is helpful and thoughtful.
There is also information useful for an
experienced corset maker. I wasn't familiar,
for instance, with a material called lacing tape
nor the fact that there are two types of this tape
available. Sparks indicates that for theatrical
purposes the type of lacing tape that allows for
a bone to be placed at the center-back of the
corset would be beneficial. This particular ma-

TECHNOLOGY
SPRING

2006

terial would be especially useful if the person
constructing the corset was under time constraints or did not have the skills developed to
set grommets properly. The plastic boning the
author mentions was another material that I
wasn't familiar with.
Section two deals with building the basic
corset from labeling the garment pieces to setting the eyelets and grommets. Sparks elucidates problems I have had when teaching
students new to corset construction, namely
the fact that they are sometimes not able to tell
which is the top or bottom of any given piece.
She offers two techniques for labeling the corset pieces for ease of construction. Other helpful tips include using zip ties (plastic cable
ties) in place of plastic boning and using a
"rabbit ears" lacing technique for self-lacing.
While some of the information provided
in this book covers familiar territory for those
with corset construction experience, it is essential for beginners, who are the target audience afterall.
Section three deals with the construction
process of the single-layer corset, both alterable and non-alterable, the double-layer corset, alterable and non-alterable, and the
fashion-fabric corset, with or without visible
bone casings. The theory behind the alterable
single-layer corset was interesting. It involves
using seam allowances as the bone casings; if
the corset was to be worn later by someone of
a larger size, one could unpick the stitching to
make the corset larger and use regular bone
casing to hold those bones.
For the two-layer corset method the
bones could be placed between two layers of
coutil. The author indicates that the alterable corset would be a good choice for a
fashionable corset for one wearer rather
than for a variety of wearers. She recommends non-alterable corsets for use by a
single wearer. She suggests that the doublelayer corset is physically more supportive
and can withstand more rigorous wearing
than the single layer type. The two-layer corset would indeed be more functional, sturdy,
and beautiful than the single layer corset.
Another marvelous suggestion was to

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 2006