ASK MR. EDGE SEAMSTRESS ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON CREATING FIGURE SKATING DRESSES
Ever wonder how many different people af- fect the life and career of just one skater? I thought it might be interesting to write some articles about those behind-the-scenes warriors, whose unseen presence has an influence on the lives of every com- petitive skater.
As a child, Andrea Wojtyniak of Canton,
Mich., spent many long hours under her grand- mother’s wing learning how to sew, not realizing she would use these skills to help her children during their skating careers. Andrea has made her living as a dressmaker,
having created costumes for prominent skaters such as Alissa Czisny, Christina Gao, Charlotte Lichtman, Maia Shibutani, Alex Shibutani and many others. In a recent interview with Andrea, I asked her
a series of questions about her job and what it en- tails.
dress?
Q: Where does one begin when deciding on a A: Pick your music first, then your material,
and build your dress around them. Make sure the dress is age- and level-appropriate and that your coach is involved with the selection as well. Q: Are there any rules to follow when making
a dress or a man’s skating outfit? A: Yes, sleeves for the men and 50 percent
coverage of the body trunk for women. Q: What’s the average number of hours re-
quired to make a dress? A: Between two and 15 hours depending on the detail and amount of bling to be added. Q: What type of sizing issues are there to con-
tend with? A: Te biggest challenge is to create an illu-
sion that from a distance or close up everything about the dress appears to fit perfectly on the skat- er, no matter what their body proportions might be. Dimensions are what it’s all about. Q: How much do dresses cost? A: Anywhere from $80 up to a couple of
thousand. Q: How many crystals are usually on a dress? A: It varies from a couple of hundred to 20 or
30 gross (1 gross is equal to 144). Q: How much added weight is there after adding all the bling to a dress? A: What is important to know is that a dress
should never be bottom heavy, especially for dance skaters. Many times I will make a warm-up skirt or dress for a skater that will mimic the weight be- tween that and their competition dress so it does not affect their spins or jumps.
Q: Is dressmaking a stressful job? A: At times it can become so bad that I want to call it quits, but when all is said and done and I’ve had a good night’s sleep, I’m ready to get start- ed on the next one. Q: Any advice for want-to-be dressmakers? A: Anyone wanting to make dresses for figure skaters should have at the least a basic knowledge of the sport and skating fashions. Be aware that fig- ure skating is a small participant sport and that the customer base is limited. Sizing is everything and the quality of the stitching must be good enough so that a dress will last any skater at least one year. A poorly sewn dress will come apart in no time.
Mr. Edge
Mr. Edge is a qualified skate technician with years of expe- rience. He answers questions on boots, blades and foot prob- lems related to your equipment. Te opinions of Mr. Edge are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of U.S. Figure Skating or SKATING magazine. Remember, if you have problems with your feet, check with a doctor — the problem may well be with your boot, but it could be more serious. Check with your local pro shop for more information about boots and blades.