Students all stitched up

TUTUS are strange and wonderful clothes. But are they clothes? Or costumes? Or ballet accessories?

It doesn't really matter, but Wollongbar TAFE Certificate 4 Costume students will show off their tutu creations to the public when they combine with Certificate 3 Events students to present the Tutu Review at the Nightcap restaurant at Wollongbar TAFE on Friday, November 2.

Making it a combined faculties event Certificate 2 Hospitality students will make pizzas in the TAFE's wood-fired pizza oven.

Local fashion guru Michael Gates - who, amongst other things, made outrageous costumes for the Pricilla: Queen of the Desert stage show - will host the event.

"The campus is abuzz," events teacher Jeremy Scheerlinck said. "As we approach the end of the year, students are keen to put theory into practice and show what they can do. So much work has gone into creating these tutus that it would be a shame not to put them on display."

Fashion student Helena Rousova said making the tutus was a "very enjoyable" and "highly technical" process.

"We all worked off the one pattern, which is a classical tutu from the 1950s, I think. We added our own embellishments and it involved a lot of hand sewing and hand stitching," she said. "But when you're unpicking something for the fifth time because you want to get it just right, it's mentally demanding."

Helena said the 12 tutus from 12 students are all very different.

The Tutu Review begins at midday.

For more info phone Wollongbar campus on 6620 4888.