Elements and Performance Criteria

Costumes may include:
female, male and child costumes
dance wear
tailored costumes
character costumes
period costumes
hard and soft sculpture costumes
contemporary wear
millinery
accessories

Tools and equipment used in the modification, repair and maintenance of costumes may include:
industrial/domestic irons and steamers
glue guns
tools, eg wire cutters, bolt cutters, hammers, pliers
scissors
dressmaker's dummies
washing machines and dryers

Costume modifications and repairs may include:
hemming
taking in/letting out
repairing fabric tears/seams
repairing closures
replacing buttons and trimmings
replacing parts of costumes, eg cuffs, collars, linings
maintaining the standard of the overall costume

Types of production may include:
feature films
documentaries
short films
commercials
filmed events or performances
music video
television productions of any type, eg music, drama, comedy, variety, sport
live or pre-recorded television productions
stage performances
live events/entertainment/performance

Relevant personnel may include:
costume designers
wardrobe department personnel
wardrobe supervisors/managers
costume production staff
other specialist staff

Types of laundering may include:
washing and drying
dry cleaning
spot cleaning
airing and sanitising
shoe cleaning

Underpinning skills and knowledge

Assessment must include evidence of the following knowledge and skills:

basic sewing techniques, including hand sewing and the manipulation of fabric through a sewing machine
occupational health and safety requirements for the safe use of sewing machines and other equipment
the use, properties and care of different fabrics and materials regularly used in making costumes and how they react to laundering, dry cleaning or spot cleaning
broad knowledge of cleaning agents and the effect they have on a range of fabrics/materials, including those that are fragile and easily damaged
typical labelling and storage systems for costumes
ways of maintaining costume and documentation
the different roles and responsibilities of people working within a wardrobe department
literacy skills sufficient to interpret production documentation, costume labels and costume care intructions

Linkages to other units

This unit has linkages to a range of other units and combined assessment and/or training with those units may be appropriate, eg:

CUFCOS06B Dress performers

Critical aspects of evidence

The following evidence is critical to the judgement of competence in this unit:

knowledge of different repair and maintenance techniques for different types of fabrics and costumes
ability to use techniques to repair and restore costumes to optimum condition

Method and context of assessment

The assessment context must provide for:

modification, repair and maintenance of costumes within commercially realistic timeframes
repair and maintenance of different types of costumes

Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess performance and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

evaluation of costumes repaired, maintained or modified by the candidate
oral questioning/interviewing to assess knowledge of fabric types and different sewing techniques
case studies and problem solving exercises to determine ability to respond appropriately to different repair and modification needs
portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular groups (eg people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).

Resource requirements

Assessment of this unit requires access to:

costumes requiring modification, repair or maintenance
equipment typically found within a wardrobe department, including industrial sewing machines

Communicating ideas and information
Completing documentation (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Interpreting repair requirements (1)

Planning and organising activities
Organising materials and equipment (1)

Working with others and in teams
Liaising with supervisor on work requirements (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Calculating measurements (1)

Solving problems
Treating a difficult stain (1)

Using technology
Using a sewing machine (1)