Thread: re-hooking a costume

So as so many others have done before me, i'm moving hooks around on my oh-so-purrrdy new costume bought here on bhuz ..g.:
Seeing as this is a first for me, I have a couple questions i was hoping would find an answer ,r:;

- the hooks being what keep the costume up on you... what kind of string do you use, and how do you sew it to be sure it's solid enough?

- what to do when beading is in the way of where the hook need go? find a way to slip the hook under and do what you can to sew it there? is the beading that's on the under-layer where 2 layers overlap going to get much damaged? any tips at minimizing the damage?

- so there are 2 hooks at every fixing spot, one at the end of each strap, with the eye at the other end of the 'overlap zone': how to do this right? do the 2 sets need to be both at the perfect distance, so the overlap sits perfectly flat? or is one of the hooks more important than the other? (not sure i'm making sense here... lol sorry)

- the belt: not too sure how to do this one... how to find the right size and all. i'm used to elastic waists, or things i tie, relatively tight usually, so no risk of it slipping down. but this belt, if i don't make it really tight, might just slip off my hips in mid-show... how do you girls cope with that? make it really tight? clip it onto your skirt? ...

- bra hooks: around the torso: considering it's not elastic like in a lingerie bra, how do you place the hooks? do you place them according to the right size when your chest is in neutral, or when you breathe in?

- halterneck straps and stuffing: which do you do first, place the hooks on the straps or pad the cups? also, how to make sure the halter won't be too tight and end up hurting your neck? (other than by sewing the hooks, dancing for an hour and seeing if it's still ok and if not, move them and try again? ^^)

- stuffing: there's a thread around here somewhere on how to pad a bra but i can't seem to find it, if someone could give me the link t'would be sweet...

thanks!!

right. i Knew more questions would come to mind just after clicking "post"...

- lining costumes: i remember reading somewhere that it's good to line the inside of a bra with (what was it? felt? velvet?) so that when you sweat it doesn't destroy the costume itself: you can just unsew the lining and change it. any info on how to do that? what do you do when there are 'holes' (the kind without mesh) in the design? do you line only the bra cups, or also the straps? what about the belt?

thanks :D

Ooh, a quiz!
1. I use upholstery thread, and lots of stitches.
2. I've never really had a problem finding space between or beneath beads, I thnk if you give it a try you'll find it's not difficult.
3. Don't understand this question.
4. Fasten it as tight as you can without causing "muffin top." You can pin the belt to underlayers with T-pins (quilters pins) or diaper pins to help hold everything together. You can also sew elastic to an Egyptian belt to help form it to your body if needed.
5. Snug at neutral.
6. Stuff first.
7 Felt, if there's a need to change the existing liner, though I think one of these days I'm going to cut up a soft cotton t-shirt as a liner.

1 - ditto above
2 - ditto above
3 - Once you have placed the hook on the outside, tightest closure, then go back and, yes, place the eye on the concealed, underlapping part of the strap. OR you can get large snaps. for the underlapping end.
4 - This also depends on if you have a 1 piece or 2 piece belt. If it is a two piece, then I would use binder clips to hold the sides in place while fitting. Once you have done the fitting use T-pins or something along those lines to mark where the eyes go. Personally, I tend to be able to eyeball them fairly easily, but I have been sewing for more years than I can count.
5 - ditto as long as when you breath out there is no under boob ooze. I tend to err on the side of if I can take a deep breath it's too lose.
6 - Agreed with the caveat that you may will have to adjust once you have the straps in place. As for making sure the straps aren't too tight, safety pin them in place and wear the bra for about 10 mins.
7 - I use tee shirts to line my bedlahs.

{{{HUGS}}}

1. I use fishing wire - that bad boy won't break no matter how much presure is put on it.

2. I will put the eye part right over the beading and have had no problems with damaging the beading. I just try to be careful when I hook the belt.

3. Ditto tahiradancer. There's often a bit of looseness on the inside closure of the bra strap, but I wear mine so tight it pulls the inside taught.

4. I put it on me, and then mark the spot for the eyehook with a straight pin. Then when I sew the eyehook in, I go a little further out because I like my belts super tight. I have much larger hips than a waist, so if my belts aren't really tight they ride up. I think this is an individual body type thing, though.

5. I am very small busted, and have to have my hooks very tight or all the padding in the bra pulls away from my chest. I'm a 34A, but my bra hooks are usually set at 33" or 32".

6. I pad first and then do the hooks, because of the aforementioned "pulling away" issue.

7. I personally use 2" foam, like the kind you upholster furniture with. I cut them into half moon shapes and put one on the armpit side of the cup, and the other along the bottom of the cup. It makes a nice little shelf for my little boob to sit on, and creates great cleavage. I wouldn't recommend the 2" foam if you're more than a B cup, though.