So, since I was working like crazy to finish my costume, I had to set aside the blog updates. And then it was convention time, and I just wore myself out with the excitement. It was a great three days, but I'll get to that tomorrow. For now, let me finish up the process of making this costume. Get ready for a long one, as a lot of work happened in those last few days.
To make the corset, I cut apart the duct tape form I made into pattern pieces. I spent a little time looking at corsets online to see where seams typically fall, drew lines onto the form based on those placements, and cut it apart. I made sure to label the pieces things like front, middle front, etc. I also put a few reference marks like where the bottom of the bust was so I could use that for pinning reference. Since the shapes are very different looking once flattened, it helps for keeping things lined up.
Since this was my first time to do this, and it's a home made pattern, I wanted to make sure it would turn out well before committing it to the actual fabric. I took some other fabric, deciding it could be the lining in the event that it turned out well, and set the pieces out on it. I used chalk to outline the pattern, adding about a quarter inch border for seam allowance. I also wrote notes right onto the pieces to make sure it was all pinned correctly.
I pinned the edges together, stitched it up, and tested it out. Aside from needing a little excess taken off the back panel, it seemed to be just right. With a sigh of relief, I pulled out the fabric I had chosen for the outside.
I repeated the same steps as above, cutting and pinning the pieces from some slick red fabric. And because of its slickness, I worked slowly and used extra pins to keep things from sliding around on me. With a little patience, I got it stitched up just fine.
Now, I wasn't making a true corset, but I did want to give it a little structure. It helps to keep things from sliding and shifting while it's on you. I took a strip of fabric, folded it in half, and ironed the fold into it to make it easier to work with. This is what I used for the 'boning' casing. I also pressed open the seams on the lining so I could use them as a guideline for where the casing would go. I pinned it in place, then stitched along either side, making a pouch for the boning.
I ended up in full focus mode at this point, so unfortunately I don't have pictures for these steps. Essentially what followed was I put the right sides of both the lining and outside together, pinned them along the top and bottom edges, and stitched them together. I also figured out how much needed to be taken away from the back panel, and stitched the edges along the back. Then it was time for the scariest part of the whole thing.
Rivets. I have never done rivets. My mother, who more or less taught me everything I know about sewing, has never done rivets, and therefore could only cheer me on about doing these rivets. Do you know why rivets are scary? Because after all the work to make the piece, now little holes have to be cut into it. With cheers from my mom, and a little liquid courage, I marked out the placement, and took a stitch ripper to my freshly sewn corset...
After about an hour and a half of sweating and heartburn, I successfully hammered 14 of the little buggers along the edges. The trick was cutting just a teeny-tiny bit at a time, and testing to see if you could force the rivet through. I can't say how scared I was that I was going to accidentally over cut and have this hole in my nearly complete garment. But I made it, and with the completion of this thing, I think I earned a good amount of XP.
Here's the front...
...and the back. I used some cord I got from the ribbon section of a craft store. I also decided to stitch some straps onto it. I wasn't going to be super cinched, and I didn't want to worry about slippage. I'm really pleased with how it turned out!
I also stitched up a hood and a scarf. I didn't document the process as there wasn't much to it. I just used a hoodie to trace a pattern on paper so I knew the size and shape would be right, traced it onto the red fabric and a lining fabric, and stitched it all together. The scarf was as easy as getting a long rectangular shape, and stitching the edges to look nice.
Costume components more or less done at this point (late Thursday morning), I was feeling quite a bit of relief. Feeling lucky, I decided to race the clock and make myself a weapon prop.
The method I saw the most used on Pinterest involved expanding foam. Apparently it's popularity stems from how lightweight it is. Useful for when you're carrying it around all day.
The first thing I did was sketch out a design on construction paper. I created a guide for the stock and bow part of my crossbow. I traced them onto cardboard, duplicating the stock a couple times. Once cut out, I taped them together for a little more support.
The bow part got taped to a coat hanger I cut apart and reshaped. I cut a notch into the two pieces where they would connect, slid them together, and used more tape.
I was now in possession of a pretty neat cardboard crossbow. If I hadn't been feeling so ambitious, I might have just slapped on a layer of paper mache, painted, and called it a day. Instead I broke out the expanding foam.
Spraying it onto the structure was pretty fun. It starts poofing up right away, so I didn't know how much more it would poof up. I set it aside to harden enough to turn, and came back to find that the answer was 'a lot'.
I kept adding in stages until the whole thing was covered. I now know I could have used much less, but that's okay. After waiting anxiously for it to cure as the clock ticked, it was time to start carving.
Most tutorials I saw used a box cutter. I pulled out a Ginsu steak knife. I think that pumpkin carving tools would be another good way to go. Anyways, I started carving, aiming to get a rough shape, which I would then refine further.
This is more or less what I ended up with. Now, at this point, it's Friday night, I'm home from my first day of the convention, and wishing I had one more day. But I didn't, so I just pressed on. I refined the shape just a little more, but I needed to get it prepped for paint.
Since paper mache takes a while to try, I opted for a layer of Mod-Podge and tissue paper. The trickiest part was using enough to counter-act the foam's tendency to absorb it, but not so much as to have a wet mess that would take ages to dry. Once it was covered, I stuck it in front of a fan and chewed a couple Tums as I waited for it to dry enough to paint.
By the time 2am rolled around, I had a serviceable weapon. While I would have liked to refine it more, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out given this was my first attempt at this method, and the very small amount of time I gave myself to do it. The arrow is made out of a smoothie straw and foam, by the way...
Anyways, that's the bulk of the work. During waiting periods on the crossbow, I added straps to the various pieces, and I threw a belt together out of leftover craft foam. I simply cut out shapes, painted them, and added slits to slide a belt through.
Exhausted and excited at the same time, I went to bed to get what little sleep I could before it was time to get up and get dressed...
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