Academic Catalog

THTR 425B: FASHION & COSTUME CONSTRUCTION II NONCREDIT

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
Units: 0
Hours: 3 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (72 total per quarter)
Prerequisite: THTR 25 or 425.
Degree & Credit Status: Non-Degree-Applicable Non-Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: None
Grade Type: Non-Credit Course (Receives no Grade)
Repeatability: Unlimited Repeatability

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Successful students can classify and identify costume styles and periods for the theatre.
  • Successful students can demonstrate intermediate sewing skills with a wide range of fabrics and equipment, including overlock and blind hemmer machines.
  • Successful students can demonstrate techniques of pattern adjustments of an existing pattern, as well as drafting and fitting a custom body block.
  • Successful students can organize elements in creating costumes for production, including analyzing a script, creating a costume plot and production schedule, and evaluating costs and budgeting.

Description

Continuation of THTR 425, with an exploration into more complex sewing techniques and machinery use. Further practice in the fabrication of clothing and costumes for the theatre, including pattern adjustment and measuring, basic pattern making, sewing knits, advanced fitting and alteration techniques, and specialty machine usage.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Practice with the skills of costume construction for the stage using various techniques and machinery, including advanced clothing alterations.
  2. Continue exploration of fabric weaves, fibers, fabric names and uses, and their particular sewing properties.
  3. Further develop techniques of pattern adjustments of an existing pattern, including different sizing and changing its style details.
  4. Interpret sketches and renderings of costume designs for theatrical productions, and understand the techniques used to create costumes for various regions and in different cultures.
  5. Practice the organization elements in creating costumes for production.
  6. Research, classify, and identify clothing styles of different eras and cultures for the theatre and stage.

Course Content

  1. Practice body measuring, pulling costumes, fitting, garment measuring, garment alterations, show maintenance, and laundering theatrical costumes.
  2. Study a wide range of fabrics, distinguishing differences in fabric weaves and fibers. Identify fabric names and their sewing properties and practical usage.
  3. Practice techniques of cutting, sewing, craftmaking (including textiles and millinery), and building and finishing the costume design using sewing machines, overlock, blind hemmer, scissors, needles, threads, steaming and ironing equipment.
  4. Practice sewing knits.
  5. Research and analyze the use of line, texture, color, and form in costume design in world cultures.
  6. From a costume rendering, evaluate costs for a costume in the theatre.

Lab Content

  1. Supervised construction of related projects, including racking a show and pulling existing garments, creating new garments and accessories, and maintaining a show during its run.
  2. Advanced projects include millinery and thermoplastic fabrication, and advanced structuring such as tailoring and corsetry.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. Studio facilities with access to sewing machines and tables, overlock, blind hemmer, industrial iron and table, steamer, and costume shop.
2. Space appropriate for storing class materials and projects.
3. Space appropriate for storing show costumes.
4. Adequate amperage for costume industry equipment.
5. Online portions of class require weekly student access to an internet enabled computer.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

In-class projects
Assigned construction exercises
Project review
Final exam project/paper

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture presentations and classroom discussion covering costume research, technology, and construction
Oral presentations of major projects followed by in-class discussion and evaluation
Instructor guided laboratory practice sessions
Instructor demonstrations of costume technology and techniques

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Ingham, Rosemary, and Liz Covey. Costume Technicians Handbook, 3rd ed.. 2003.

Although this text is older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, it remains the current school standard, and sewing techniques do not change much. The printed text was reissued in 2024.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Reading assignments include chapters from the textbook, as well as research assignments that include verbal and visual research.
  2. Students complete a research paper and presentation on a clothing style from any world culture.

Discipline(s)

Stagecraft or Theater Arts