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Showing posts with label Special Projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Special Projects. Show all posts
April 17, 2024
Have you ever considered making a costume out of paper? I did.
*dusts off blog*
Obligatory backstory:
There I was, stuck in rural Pennsylvania, where shopping was hard enough in normal times, so when the pandemic hit, I became a regular stop for package deliverers. The cardboard boxes and packing supplies started to pile up, because I knew we were going to move again when things settled down, and I knew I would need them.
In my defense, I had no adult supervision and a house full of cardboard and kraft packing paper. Things happened. Things like this tree shelf:
It was a fun time, full of creativity, but I was looking forward to getting back to wearable art.
I'd been wanting to do a wood elf costume for years now. I wanted it to be organic looking, comfortable and practical. If you've ever tromped through the woods, there are millions of tiny branches and brambles and leaf debris to trip you and snag your clothes. It's often cold and damp and things drip on you, so gauzy gowns are out. Boots and tight leggings and tunic for the win.
I also wanted a project where I could use worbla or similar thermoplastic sheets, and I was excited when I finally envisioned a way to use one goal to achieve another. Bark bracers! It would be perfect!
This post is not about Worbla. I saw the price per sheet and stopped short. But there were rolls and rolls of brown kraft paper just sitting in the corner of the kitchen, waiting for . . . what? Me to make another tree?
What better material to use to make bark than paper?
Nah, it'd never hold up.
On the other hand, that pirate hat I'd recently made for Maxwell out of packing paper and Mod Podge was surprisingly hard and sturdy.
I was intrigued. What did I have to lose but time?
I searched around online, but couldn't really find tutorials for exactly what I had in mind. But I knew how to make duct tape dummies, so I started with that.
Next, I cut out (but failed to photograph) a bracer base from frozen pizza boxes, and dampened and wrapped those around my duct tape forms, and let it dry to its new shape. Then I slathered them with Mod Podge and began applying a torn sheet of kraft paper to each bracer form.
I added more wet glue to the top of the paper, which made it easy to wrinkle up into barklike formation. If it tore, it didn't matter, I could easily hide it with more paper. If the edges got rough, great! It made it look more realistic. Eventually it looked like this.
So I grabbed a bunch of acrylic paints and once again delighted in sloppy work as I painted over the kraft paper. I even found some dried moss left over from another craft project and glued it in. Eventually it started to look like bark.
I cut a slit down the inside and punched holes through the paper and cardboard, then added lacing. I used elastic cording so I didn't have to attempt to lace them up one handed every time. They pull on and off pretty easily. I also labeled them L and R on the interior, since arms are apparently not as symmetrical as you'd think they are.
Let me tell you, I was pretty pleased with myself by the time I finished. These things were hard and sturdy, and the holes didn't tear when I pulled on the laces. Even if I did damage them, well, it's bark, it just made it even more authentic.
But this wasn't the end. Creative juices and bravery were flowing strong, and I was so excited by my success, that I decided I needed more.
I needed a bark corset.
No, no, too ambitious. Arms are one thing, torsos are complicated.
Let's settle for a breastplate. For now.
Back to the duct tape dummy. It wasn't exactly easy doing this by myself, but it's possible, and probably would have been highly entertaining to watch.
(I am assuming when someone else laces it, it lines up properly in the back.)
I stuffed a pillow inside a plastic bag, and then stuffed that inside the form, using crumbled up paper to fill out the various curves. Then I drew on a rough sketch of the shape I wanted on the duct tape.
I didn't use cardboard for the front, but I did do several layers of kraft paper as flat as I could while following the shape of the form.
While I waited for it to dry, I tested out whether or not you could install grommets into posterboard. Turns out the answer is yes! So I made the back pieces. I did not shape these to the form, just made them flat. Body heat will warm them up and they soon curve and fit nicely to my body.
Honestly I was shocked, and am still shocked, that this worked. I cut a second strip of posterboard and glued it to the shape to give it more thickness and sturdiness where the grommets go. Then I installed the grommets, an adventure in its own right. Luckily I had plenty of them and a big sheet of posterboard on which to practice.
When I tried everything on, it cooperated. It felt like an actual corset, not quite the solid sturdiness of a Damsel in this Dress corset, but not a cheap costume shop one, either. Cue squeals of delight. Back to work I went, adding the bark detailing. Glue and squish, glue and squish, wait impatiently for it to dry, so I could begin painting.
There was no real logic to painting. I let the bark tell me how it should look. I used black acrylic inside the crevices to add depth, shades of grey and brown and white and even a little green out of curiosity. I didn't have too many colors, so sometimes I just mixed them all randomly and tried not to overthink things.
I used suede laces for the back and sides, but regular ribbon would probably be better. I have to have help getting laced in to this, and my husband pulled so hard once that the lacing broke. Not the grommet, not the paper, the lacing!
I have worn it to three events now, stuffing it inside suitcases, and even taking it on a plane! It's comfortable, almost like a real corset, and has survived surprisingly well. The texture is hard, and I love encouraging people to knock on my bracers to experience it for themselves. I don't expect it to last forever, but so far, so good!
I store the back pieces in a bubble mailer envelope to protect them.
I am happy to answer any and all questions! I see now I need to take some interior shots. I'll be back with those.
July 30, 2016
I had to set aside the Micro-Willowcrest for the moment, I just realized Myths and Legends Con is two weeks away!
There's no way I can generate a whole new costume in time this year, but I thought I'd at least build up a few more accessories. Today I finally finished my Steampunk hat!
The hat is a vital accessory for almost every costume. It helps to define who you are and what you're doing, Mary Poppins, for example, is totally identifiable just from her hat.
I have a pith helmet, but that implies adventure, excitement, and activity, which I don't always want to portray, and, well, it's a little too big for me. I wanted a fancy hat, but with my short hair, there's a lot of hats that I just can't wear because I don't have anything to attach it to.
On our South Dakota trip, my mother-in-law proudly wore this little number, which she had redesigned herself out of a boy's straw hat from Walmart. I was inspired, and made my own trip to the thrift store to see what I could find. I lucked out, and came home with this on my first try.
All right, so it's more 'Caribbean Vacation' than Steampunk, but bear with me. It was worn and a little brittle, but for $3 I was willing to make the attempt. I rushed the beginning of this, and just soaked it in a tub of water for half an hour before attempting to shape. Fortunately it did ok, although the sides of the underbrim were in bad shape. With lots of loose ends glued down, carefully applied clothespins, and some round weight (a case of blank CDS worked) I eventually ended up with this:
The sides are a bit deeper than I wanted, but I liked the riding hat style a lot! I cut out a piece of cardboard to help maintain the flatness of the top and to keep my head from rounding it out.
Then I started thinking about decorations. I was planning to hit up the local bead shops for ides, but decided I better shop my stash first. I wavered between a leather and a brown silk band, and the brown silk won. I found brown tulle for a veil in the back, and my fabric collection produced leftovers from my Clockwork Doll and the poufy bathroom curtains I made for the townhouse. I had lace and beads everywhere, and Simplicity Pattern 1085 to help me figure out how to make fabric flowers. Oh, and I also had these LED balloon lights. They seemed like a great self contained device for lighting up projects, and I was determined to play with them. Eventually I produced these:
I was so excited with how the light up rose turned out! The balloon light has an external casing, so I could pull out EVERYTHING, batteries, bulb, and all, so I was able to superglue wire ribbon to it to make a flower. The light was initially too bright, but it dimmed down pretty quick, especially after I put a thin coat of acrylic paint over the glass. Then it wasn't bright enough! It does stand out at night, but during the day, you're not sure if it's just a yellow tipped rose bud or what. I sewed a loop of ribbon to hold the rose in place, so I can remove it easily to fiddle with the batteries. It feels pretty secure, it's not like I'm going to be standing on my head! It's lit in all the photos below.
Finally, here is what I ended up with:
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| Pre 'am I sure this is what I want?' shot. It was what I wanted. |
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| My first glow-in-the-dark hat! |
I'm still thinking about more details in the back, and possibly the undersides of the brim. Gotta add some gears somewhere, right? It may need more lit roses. The veil kind of helps give an illusion of hair in the back so the hat doesn't look so harsh on my head.
It's a bit busy and ridiculous, but welcome to Victoriana. I can't wait to put the final outfit together!
April 13, 2016
*Dusts off Blogger*
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| My poor craft room still hasn't quite recovered. |
Around all that, I managed to make a few costumes for various events. I'm just going to toss the photos below for you to enjoy!
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That's right, I did Pirate Mary Poppins, complete with a
mini carpet bag, and parrot umbrella peeking over my shoulder.
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This vest is from Simplicity 4923. I altered it a little in the back to add a walking slit.
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| This is from Butterick pattern 5371. |
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This is Jane and Michael's letter in a bottle,
seeking The Perfect Nanny.
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In March we went to AnomalyCon in Denver. I decided to do a Steampunk witch. I made the hat, the bat, and the spats.
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My transfiguration needs some work.
Posing with Calcifer the Toaster.
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| Photo by the handler of Teh Ebil Bunneh |
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| Photo and editing by David Spinner |
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| This little bat doubled as my purse. I designed him myself! Photo by David Spinner. |
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| Photo by David Spinner |
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| I'll get around to taking an action photo. It's so hard to take pictures of your feet! |
I also decided to have some fun, and made up a 'Fairy Hunter' costume. The book I am carrying is "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book."
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| Photo by Rich Spears |
In April we went to Florence, CO to their Steampunk and Wine Festival. It was a great event! It's a little hard to find information online, so I linked to their facebook page.
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| Photo by Becky Nation |
I made the jacket from an out of print Butterick 4926 pattern. I made view F, but used another collar. It actually fits really well, I just kept putting my arms and shoulders far back! The skirt is from Damsel in this Dress (link a little farther below.)
During the Florence festival we took a bus trip to The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. That's right, I walked across the bridge in a Damsel in this Dress corset!
I made nothing. It was all assembly of accumulated pieces.
Also in April we did a mini vacation in Denver, and participated in the Doors Open event, in full costume with other Steampunkers. I just swapped my skirts out. I made the underskirt, the overskirt is a Damsel bustle.
In May we went to South Dakota with my in-laws. My mother-in-law is a historian and likes to do historically accurate reenactments, so we decided to dress all out for the 1880's train ride.
I'm getting a lot of mileage out of that jacket!
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