Robe update pic

Sorry for the poor picture quality yet again.....

Soon I'll post some pics with it on I think.  =)  The shoulders are there so you can see how it looks together.

The belt and bodice area still haven't been done, obviously.

Details, details, details...

You're probably wondering why I posted a picture of a random snowman figurine on my costume blog.  Well, I have a point to that (bear with me).  I painted this a few years ago during Christmas break.  My sister-in-law and myself each got one of these to paint over the holidays.  Mine was smaller and generally had less stuff to paint (hers was a cartooney Christmas tree with a bunch of ornaments on it, presents under it, and children beside it).  Despite mine being less complicated, for whatever reason, it took me over a week to do, and she was done hers in about 2 days.  Don't get me wrong, hers looked great, but I seem to be obsessed with details in crafting projects.  I'm too meticulous for my own good sometimes.  Every coloured area is multi-toned (with shades I mixed myself of course...no sense buying more paint than needed), my snow has blueish shadowing, there are reflective dots in the eyes, etc.

It was then pointed out to me "lovingly" that although when you look closely at mine verses a similar store-bought (ie mass produced) ornament you can see the different in quality, from a distance there really isn't much difference >.<

I seem to be doing the same with my costume.  I've been working on the "hanging down" parts (the marroon thing with the gold diamonds on the bottom) and I've made the task take about 3 times longer than it could if I wasn't so anal.  In the game there is a thin greyish edging around all of these parts, so although it would be infinitely easier just to make the parts maroon (1 or 2 seams depending how I went about it) and take creative liberties, I can't bring myself to take the easy way out =(  So now, each small hanging down part takes 2 marroon pieces and 2 grey pieces (cut on the bias so it can curve a bit when needed) which adds up to 4 seams.  So, double (or more) sewing and cutting.....WHAT IS MY PROBLEM?!?!?!?!?!?

Here's the result though, after scrapping the first trial because it was 1/2 an inch too thin >.>

The hanging parts are now completed, with the exception of the large central diamond.  I'm now working on the sleeve accents, which are similar to the sides of the bottom of the robe (which too will be stuffed, huzzah).

I declined an ICC10 for my deathknight because of costuming!!!  I think I've found the cure to WoW addiction, at least for myself =P

Ears and Tusks

Blizzcon is less than a month away so I realized I really have to get on the ball with anything I need to order online.  So, I've ordered these teeth/tusks from Maskworld in Germany (they said it'll take 2 weeks to get here):

I realize these are technically orc teeth, but the tusks on the troll teeth were way too large for me.  Moldy has little tusks =P

These are the ears I want, but they're out of stock:

I got a reply email from them about these and they said they probably won't have more stock until end of October =(  I guess I'll either buy blood elf or night elf ears and figure out how to paint them, or I'll make some of my own (how hard can it be, right? lol).  They don't have to actually go on my ears, they just need to attach to my helmet and be light enough to not droop =P


I also need to figure out my makeup situation.  I've read on cosplay forums and stuff that Kryolan is the company to go with.  The last thing I'd want would be for my makeup to smudge off onto my costume or fade off by the end of the day.  I'm hoping to find somewhere in the city that just sells it, ideally with knowledgeable staff I can direct questions to as well.

Costume Contest Acceptance Letter!

 lol @ '09 subject.  copy/paste fail blizzard!

Now I have to get my butt in gear even more!

Third try's a charm =D

So, after attempting the trim on the panels 2 different ways, and then pulling it all apart, I like how my third attempt has worked and am satisfied.  I can now move on to the other accent parts - huzzah!

For your viewing pleasure:

In WoW news, Brewfest has begun!  Hopefully my third year trying to get the brewfest kodo on Moldycheese (or any character for that matter, but I'd prefer it on the priesty) is also a charm!  /crossesfingers

Slow progress is slow

I promise I'm still working hard on my costume!  It's just I'm at a point where everything is taking a gazillion years to do, or so it seems.  My goal was to have the detailing of the skirt portion of my robe done by this weekend....doesn't look like that's going to happen, but here's what I've got so far:

These are the panels that go on the front and back of the robe.  It's fairly ridiculous how much thread I'm going through, but if you look close enough (around the flames) you'll quickly figure out why.  Thank goodness for buy one get one free thread sale at Fabricland currently!  I've gone though 3 yellow spools and I'm starting my 3rd gray spool now too.

The trim of these panels has been giving me some difficulty though.  I mentioned in the last post that my homemade bias taping wasn't working, so I'm experimenting with different techniques to get to edging right.  I've done so much seam ripping and undoing and redoing it's getting ridiculous =(  Being a perfectionist has its downfalls =/

The above picture is sort of what it'll look like.  When I sew on the back panel (because I'd never want unfinished edges or a facing!  /sigh@creating more work for myself) I'll take in the edging a bit more.  In this above picture I stuffed it slightly...I'm not sure if I should on this part.  I think I'm getting addicted to poofy parts of this costume and am taking liberties.  3D is cool, amirite?  >.>

You can kind of see here how it's coming together.  The white pieces are just my patterning.  The long portions will be maroon, and the diamondy pieces will be the yellow-gold colour.  Note: the edging on the top panel isn't sewn in place; I just kind of tucked it in for this picture.  Also, the bottom side pieces aren't sewn in yet either - they're just put in place for the photo.

I'm gone for the weekend until Sunday evening - which is my ICC25 raid so no sew time then.  Monday's my day off so crossing fingers for an uber productive day.  All of those panels need to also be done for the back of the robe, and each piece is taking several hours sadly -_-

p.s. sorry for ongoing poor photo quality.  I've just been using my old little point and shoot camera.  I'll get better quality photos for the finished product though.

lol helmet lol

I have helmet development pictures and wanted to share.  It's like a spider on my head haha