I need to make a ballet costume. Please help me!?

I have to perform a short ballet solo at my dancing school and I need a costume. It must be lyrical i.e. not a tutu and it must homemade. If anyone has any simple ideas PLEASE tell me! Love from Lyla

I need to make a ballet costume. Please help me!?soap opera

Get a leotard, tights, and some long strips of fabric, start at one shoulder and twist the fabric around your body and then down the opposite leg to the shoulder you started with.

I need to make a ballet costume. Please help me!?city opera opera theater

You need floppy, thin fabric so it flows well with the dance. Chiffon works well, and if you can find a plain large square chiffon scarf (maybe in a charity shop) you can cut a hole in the middle (carefully - it's easy to cut one too big) and sew a waistband round the hole either using a wide piece of satin elastic or matching/contrasting satin ribbon (which you tie, leaving long flowing ribbon strands).

If you can't find a scarf, there's an excellent fabric supplier at http://www.fabricland.co.uk - you have to place your order over the phone with a card. If you're not sure which fabric to choose, they will send you small snippets (swatches) before you buy. If you don't sew very well, try to find a fabric that doesn't fray at the edge, so you don't have to deal with a hem.

Don't be afraid to ask.

Buying the fabric yourself increases your options.

Another shape you might want to try is a semi-circle, with the flat side going round your waist. You can either make a small skirt with a flat waist, or a larger one with the waist gathered under a strip of fabric or ribbon for the waistband, like these: http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q158/...

If you're not allowed to use a pre-made leotard, make a simple dress by measuring around your bust and cutting a strip of fabric (slightly stretchy if possible) to go round, about six inches (15cm) deep at the front, going down to 4 or 5 inches at the back. Cut a couple of short shoulder straps, and then, in a contrasting floppy fabric, cut a large circular skirt, with a centre hole to stitch the bust part to. Use velcro to fasten it.

I made about 20 0f these dresses using this method for the tops (not full circles for the skirts though)

http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q158/... It works just as well with a square - making points at the bottom of the skirt.

Here they are in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxYHkjBdc...
You can buy tights and decorate the outfit yourself using materials from the local fabric store. You know your part better than anybody else, use your imagination to create the personality of this dance. Better yet, you can show off your inner dancer through your costume. Remember also the discount table of the fabric store is a great place to get ideals and bargains, so is the back of the closet. I have a beautiful black knit skirt that wraps, I had to dance at a nursing home so, I used the skirt with a black knit top. I double wrap the skirt ,tied an odd bow off center and danced the evening away, a la Ginger Rogers. Think about what you have in the back of the closet or packed away from summer, it can be quicker to alter what you have than to make it new.

Broke a leg, kid.

Renee