Location, Location, Location

Y'know. For all the costuming I'm dabbling in, I've never really done a "photoshoot" for any of my outfits in a proper location. Mind you, it's really only recently that the quality of them have improved enough that I actually want to photograph them well. And photograph I mean, shamelessly borrow the mad creative skills of my graphic designer-photographer-hairandmakeup team w00t sisters.

Anyway.

For Red, of OuaT, I'd love to shoot that one full winter in a unbroken field of snow and trees. The red cape would stand out so strongly. If I get it finished before the snow melts...

But I was going through some of my pictures from past roadtrips, and there's two places that would make amazing places to shot some costumes.

Rock City, Chattenooga, Tennessee. So many pictures spots. So many beams of light. Practically crying out for some sort of epic fantasy photoshoot. There's even a rainbow cave, with different coloured glass panels that let the light in,

Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, Georgia. A wind swept beach covered in huge pieces of driftwood. It was almost barren and skeletal in some ways, but I bet the silhouettes in the sunset would be so amazing. Perfect for aquatic costumes.

Lot of travelling to get back to those places, but perhaps it would be worth it....

Holiday Haul

As the old year spins into the depths of time, and new year peeks around the corner, what is a girl to do?
Boxing Week Sales, kids. That's where the party is.

Santa was kind enough to give me a new grommet setting kit.



From Farthingales Corset making supplies. Who might be my new best bodice friends in the future.

  I'm very excited about trying this sucker out. I'm also excited about not having torn and shredded lacings with these new grommets. I also have a new awesome rubber mallet of justice to beat the grommets into submission. The mallet currently does not have a name, but that must be rectified soon. Suggestions?

And then? We did some shopping. Amazon/Chapters had this little coffee table book for sale, which looked perfect to add to my collection of "serious books".

I like the sections that have actual mock ups of some of fashions instead of just fashion plates. Easier to figure out how some of those bloody things are stitched together.

From Ricki's I scored this jacket for an excellent price.

Lovely colour. However...the potential for adding a little...something something to it is high. I'm thinking of changing the buttons to more funky ones, and moving them over a bit to tighten the chest area. And some trims. Give it a nice steampunk flavour.

Lastly, I had my eyes on this for a while, and managed to get it on sale at the Bay today. It's made by Rachel Roy.

 It's very...intriguing. It's leaves and coral and reminds me of mermaids and undersea treasures. It could make a hells of a centre piece to a costume. I don't know. But I like it.

And that's the damage done this boxing week. <3

Around the internet - design your own fabric

Well now, that's interesting. That's very interesting.

Spoonflower.com

Submit a pattern design, and they can make in a couple types of fabric? Cotton, a voile and heavier upholstery mainly. I could see this company being very handy for those tricky costumes when it comes to fabric matching; so long as the cotton-blends would be suitable for the project. Currently I'm thinking of a certain wallpaper from a certain 221B Baker St. in fabric form but we'll see. Oh, I never checked Legend Zelda stuff.... among other fandoms.  Hm hm hm, I am intrigued.

I am SHER Locked.

Finally got around to watching BBC's Sherlock. I regret nothing. Save perhaps the wait time between now and the third season. Loved the characterization, the filmography and the acting. And, being me, I want the hat.

It has ear flaps, John.

Nice right? So I'm puttering around the internet finding out where to get it. My research indicates it's grey. I swore it had a brown tone, but whatever. The fact I might be getting close worries me, or rather worries my willpower. Wool though. Why is everything always wool....
But if it's well lined in theory it won't itch through my hair...


I also found this on Etsy:

Skirt by: NerdAlertCreations

Well done, Artisan. Well done. Excellent usage of awesome in that garment.

Maybe I'll make a casual Sherlock Fangirl cosplay, like the reporter wore in the last episode. I could always use more comfortable cosplays.

CC32 Ideas - Friday Night Social

CC32's theme for the Friday Night Social is the "Monster's Club." Quote the web page: "a classy nightclub where monsters and creatures of all sorts go to let their hair down!" So, basically a mythological menagerie of fables, fantasy and faerie feasting upon tidbits, timbits and tapanade? Challenge accepted, Costume Con. Challenge accepted. For this? I see....



RAWR!!! Or, actually an amazing painting by Dan Staten

 That's right. Quetzalcoatl. Aztec Feathered Serpent God. Rain Bringer. Lots of good stuff. Perfect for a fun evening of music, fun and games, amirite? Thought so.

No, I don't intend on showing up in a large feathered snake costume. I would like to experience being able to sit down relatively easily for once in my cosplaying life. Instead, I see the theme being adapted to dance club wear. Bangles, Feathered jewelry, gold scales and snake print dresses. Classy, sassy and maybe a touch of 1920s flapper. Who knows? I don't even know at this point. What I do know is that I found two heavy gold scale bangles at The Bay, which are perfect.

Budget for Costume: $100.
Used: $20 on bangles.

Around the internet

Braided Effect on Fabric Tutorial

That's very interesting.... time consuming on a large project I'm sure, but it would be an interesting detail to have on waists or sleeves. I suppose the biggest thing to consider would be it's effect on the over shape of the fabric swatch you were braiding.

Primetime costumes

Man, I love Once upon a Time. For the story and for the costumes equally. There are some truly fantastic and impossible to recreate garments in that show, and I want them all. And Cap'n Hook's coat. It flared majestically during this Sunday's episode's sword fight.

Grocery shopping would be that much more impressive when whirling around to get potatoes and having your jacket flair around you like it was some sort of world changing event...instead of just getting potatoes.

Also; Arrow. I want Ollie's hoodie. For a big, tough, invincible hoodie it looks surprisingly soft and warm. All I can tell of it, due to Ollie's moody dark backlighting is it looks like the hood is leather on the outside and suede on the inside.

Can it be Game of Thrones time soon, as well please?

Around the interwebs

Vintage Vogue V8729. Me likey. Especially that bow in the back. Interesting effect using large button holes and then wide fabric as the lacing. Very interesting. Reminds me of Cinderella, for some reason, though it's nothing like her dress. Probably the colour.

Costume Con rambles...

Looks like the information for the Historical Masq is up! My idea should fall under "historical dress", so I'll have to work hard to make it....well, historically accurate. Which might be hard considering the era it's from.... But that's what the next year and a bit is for, yes?

511 days until Costume Con 32!

And how to make my documentation...? Putting it in essay format would be easy enough, but do I want to make it fancier? Again considering it's era... ah, well. Gather the information first, then worry about what it looks like. Also; make the outfit you need for the documenation before worrying about it.

I have also discovered that working with denim is...enjoyable. It doesn't really stretch, and you can actually iron it without fear of meltingintoacrispydisaster. Acetate lining and I are not great friends.

Now, where did I put the notes on the Conductor outfit I doodled at work...?

In Progress - Red - Patterns

Gods, that's a lot of pictures.... anyway. I'm planning on using skirt B for Red, but after studying the pattern, I'm making it at the A/C length and then tacking it up. It's only a skirt hook and eye, something I used in abundance in my last costuming foray. I found a lovely crushed velvet at Designer fabrics, that just a perfect shade of red. The instructions on first run through were odd for the waistband, but I suppose it's trying to make it a gathered drawstring waist or something. I might change that to a simpler band to cut down the bulk, and fix the gathers in place so I don't have to constantly work about it spinning and shifting.

 Hey! It's a cloak! And the future destiny of the 7 metre bolt of red corduroy in the basement. Red's cape fabric is a paaaaaaaaaaaaain. Her embossed velvet cape is next to impossible to find precisely without paying through the nose for it, while her plainer cloak is clearly wool. The idea of wearing a huge woolen cloak makes me itch just thinking about it. So I found a corduroy, with a faint floral threading through it, and decided that Red would approve of this choice. My wallet also approved of the price. It's going to be lined in some costume satin which has more weight than just acetate, save for the hood which I'm going to selfline in the corduroy. And did you know that to prevent yourself from choking on your cape, you pull the ties under your armpits and tie them around your back? 'cause I only figured that out after staring at the character's armpits for a long time. I actually tested it when my friend went as Lady Loki at FanEx and we were making her own cape.

What is it with Red and her complex fabrics? I have a brocade for this, which I'm...okay with. It's not....

...suddenly, Gangnam style blasted through the house. Groovy.

Anyway. It's not perfect. It will do. But ehh....we'll see. I have cut the neckline of the pattern into more scooped shape, which will be easily enough, and change the lacing in the front to clasps. The back is fitted with lacings at the lower back so it should be able to retain the fittest shape.

The only thing I don't have a pattern for is the overskirt featured in the season two promo pic.

I really like that overskirt. The underskirt is where I got the idea for the tacked up skirt that isn't present on the other costume. But that sort of....midbust corset would NOT work for my chest. Hence the mishmash. But once again, that fabric. Where does Ed and his design team get his fabric? I wanna go there....with a magical Visa card that doesn't ever run out....Ah, C'est la vie.

In Progress: Red Riding Hood (Once Upon a Time)

Estimated Completion Date: Animenorth 2013

Having completely fallen in love with the show and the sheer amounts of wonderous costumes, I knew I had to tackle something from it. I chose Red to start with since I really wanted an awesome cloak to wear. This seemed like the perfect excuse. Also; Red rocks.

The costume is going to be a bit of a mix between this version and the promo image of season two, since there are elements from both I like. I'm not going to 100% accuracy with this one, but everything I'd wear would match her look. So far, I haven't progressed beyond the material gathering stage since there are many involved with this. At least I can use my own peasant shirt and brown boots for this. I think I've finalized most of what pieces I will be making. Unless she get another wardrobe change this season. Then, well, it will be back to the drawing board.

A digression of projects

Alright. So, I have a lot of ideas for costumes. Several on the go, and several more that are waiting for the right event to be created for. Then there's the events that are going to be attended that are still waiting for their wardrobe to be realized. All, in all, it's a busy cerebellum.

I've figured out the next two non competition costumes I'm going to be working on, which I'll wear to both Animenorth and Fanexpo this year. As for competing this coming year...I'm seriously thinking of not entering in order to focus on the up and coming Costume Con 32 in 2014. *the song of the angels*

Oh, Costume Con. You fill me with great wonder and great terror. I've never been to you, and it might be some years before I can attend you locally again. Therefore, all that I make for you must be perfect and plentiful.... my current total clocking in at 3 competition pieces, a future fashion folio submission, and something sassy to wear to the friday night social. I'm counting 5 unique ideas. Not to mention if I plan on reusing older costumes for just hall pieces.

I am so going to need a steamer trunk. And take a loan out from the bank. Totally going to be worth it...

Anyway, I digress. So, two projects for sure this year. 5ish for 2014. Possibily a major competiion piece for FanExpo 2013 though that's a serious maybe. I think I'm also involved in making things for a booth one con too... and it's there like... a Halloween in there too somewhere?

Note to self: Get more tailor's chalk.

Welcome...to the wrong side of the fabric....

A place where seam rippers tear out the fragile threads that hold a heam together. A place where threads tangle and bobbins wind, and blood, sweat and tears bind it all together....

This is....

Not really as melodramatic of a place as I'm trying to make it sound.

What this is, a nice little place where an amateur costume maker can rant, rave and have awkward conversations with the illogical hemispheres of her brain about all the projects she's decided to get into. Not a place to lament of the sorrows of the world. (Unless it's Monday) Not place for politics or economy. (Unless it effects my local fabricstores.) Not about "other stuff". (Yeah, right. Gimme a week. OMG Didja see that episode of whatever is SO going to show up in a post. Which WILL be related back to costume somehow. Trust me.)

Sit back, relax, and watch the Magic and Stitchcraft unfold around you....

*dramatic thunder*