Under the Sea...

...Formal-wear for Fish

Well, the play is over and, as promised, I am posting the costumes that I made. But before you think it's all about me, I have to tell you that the play was FANTASTIC! And all the costumes were amazing, as was the set, and especially the kids who performed. I will post about that later today, after I get all the pictures off of the phone. (Unfortunately we never once—in the four times we went to see the play, or during rehearsals when I was there sewing—never once remembered to take the real camera with us. :-( )

Anyway, here is my Formal-wear for Fish line:

the dragonette

I didn't add the blue lines all over the body for two reasons:
first, time; second, a real girl is lots shorter than a croquis, and I didn't want to overpower her with too much busy-ness. Having seen the play, I wish I had added at least a little blue to the bodysuit.
(headpiece by MaryAnne Spainhower)

One of the things I am most proud of is the dorsal fin that I was able to make stand straight out from her body—and made only with sewing supplies (fabric, boning, etc.). It never flapped flat against her back, but stood out through all the dancing of rehearsals and nine shows.

the blue and green betta

This costume was designed for movement, and it performed
exactly the way I wanted it to: flowing along as she moved.
I was afraid the organza would be so sheer that the color wouldn't show, but it was perfect. Yay!

the crowntail

another stand-out dorsal fin :-) 
(headpiece by MaryAnne Spainhower) 

(in motion)
This costume was also designed for movement.

the nudibranch
One of the blue suits didn't come in, and one of the yellow dancers was assigned a different role, so I changed the colors for the nudibranch. I think I would have like the blue better.

It's hard to see here, but the back is painted green and sequined.
I used flannel for the ... fin?  ...so I could dye it easily;
then I covered it with an iridescent mesh net. The whole piece is boned, and there are slinkies (yes, the springy toy) sewn into the outer edge. I had hoped it would have a more bouncy movement,
but I think the "fin" would have needed to be bigger.
(headpiece by MaryAnne Spainhower)

the lionfish

Once again, I couldn't put in as many stripes as I drew on the croquis; she's just too small. I actually opened up the seams of the bodysuit to sew these stripes in.

more outstanding fins;-)

the fish with the cool scales

This costume was also designed for movement, and the scales did flap when she jumped. Yay! And the dorsal fin, as you see,
is standing right out where it should be. Yay!
This girl was so sweet—a delight to work with as I sewed
every. single. scale, tail, and fin to her body.
(headpiece by MaryAnne Spainhower)

and the Siamese fighting fish

This costume was also designed for the flowing movement of the fins. The front of the bodysuit is hand-painted, and sequined,
and the fabric was tie-dyed and hand-sequined.
(Sadly, you can't really see the sequins in this picture.)
The only thing I wish is that I had made one of those amazing dorsal fins for her too, but I was out of the tie-dyed fabric.
(headpiece by MaryAnne Spainhower)

So those are all the costumes that I  made. I will post about the amazing play later—because it really was AMAZING!