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

oooooh 3D!!!! I'm high-tech, yo

I've begun the detailing on my robe.  Since the last pictures I posted, I've taken it in quite a bit so it actually fits around my waist and hips and doesn't make me look 30 pounds heavier =P  I also took off a good couple feet of fabric around the circumference of the skirt part so the detailing won't get lost in the folds.  I think it's now more true to the actual priest robe.

I'm starting with the accents on the bottom sides of the robe.  To give you a reminder, here's my robe pictures again:

In the third picture you can see the clearest.  To get better models to copy, I've been using WoW Model Viewer though, but I'm too lazy to post screenshots I've been using.  I started by patterning out the shapes with paper, like what I've already done with the front panels.

My first piece sewing on was quite the learning experience.  I learned a lot about what my sewing machine can and cannot do in terms of satin stitching and length of stitches.  I used an entire spool of thread getting this piece on -_- but future pieces went smoother, thank goodness.  Oh, this piece by itself also reminds me of something I'd see in Star Trek, although I can't exactly place it...

I stuffed each of the pieces to give it a three dimensional type look.  I know it's not dead obvious from the game models that these parts protrude, but with all the shading it the gold, I think it's implied.  Plus.... it's way cooler >.>

It's not attached yet, but ya...that gives an idea of how it'll look.  The reason it's not attached is because I'm trying to make my own bias taping (because I didn't like any of the colours available) for all the edging details in the robe and I'm having a bloody hard time with that.  This is the supposed process to make the bias tape in question, but the fabric I have doesn't like to stay pressed with this small of an amount =(

That's already after pressing...it doesn't want to stay flat, and it kind of needs to.  I'm going to have to explore different options and do a bit of troubleshooting (story of my life with this costume).


Sorry updates are getting more sporadic.  Work started back this past week and I've been having trouble finding time to work on the costume, much less post updates.  As it is, I'm gone Sun-Tues and then Fri-Sun next week for work too, so my next update will either be mid week, or not until after next weekend. =(

Another helmet attempt

I wasn't satisfied with either paper mache or the metal or the paper techniques for the helmet =/ 

For my third, and hopefully final attempt, I'm using a bicycle helmet as the base and will shape wires (from hangers) over the curve, down a bit, then up again to form the shape of the popped collar.  Then I'll form fabric around the whole thing, sewing around the wire (like boning in a corset or a dress).

Yay for 20 dollar helmets from Canadian Tire that I can decimate =)

I then took my trusty wood file thing to this.  Sadly, my Walmart meat carver that I used quite a bit on my shoulders is losing some of its oomph. =(  I tried to smooth out the curves and give it a bit more of a round shape.  Here's the progress thus far:

The nice thing about using a helmet as my base, is this particular one has that brace thing at the back of my head so it'll stay on my head even if a do a /bow on stage or something ;)

Basic Robe

I finished my robe base today.  There will be a ton of detailing added to this, but this is what it's starting as and the shape, etc.  I haven't figured out how I want it to do up in the back though.  The pattern I'm using calls for a ribbon tie up type thing....but I'm kind of leaning towards doing a hidden zipper.  Also, I'm contemplating taking it in to make it a bit more fitted and to make the bottom a tad less wide so that the additional pieces won't get lost in the folds of fabric.

Also, to give you an idea of how the shoulders look, size-wise, as compared to me and the robe:

To contest or not to contest....

Blizzard just announced signups for their costume contest (linky) yesterday.  So, the question is...do I submit myself for the costume contest?  Either way I'll be wearing my costume.....but should I enter the contest?  I know it won't win....but I'm not sure if it's good enough to show off on stage.....or if I'll be too nervous to go through with it =P

Also...with my whole helm frustrations - if I can't figure out some of the details of the costume... oh, what to do eek!  I probably should decide soon D=

Update b/c I got reprimanded

I got in scolded in game tonight for not having an update in the last two days.  Sorry!  But, I did finish painting the second shoulder, just didn't see a point in posting a picture since I've posted a picture of the first one!

On the helm front....I'm still somewhat at a loss of how to make it work =/

So instead of beating my head against the wall, I've moved onto robe construction since I finally have my fabric.  Nothing of significance to post a picture of yet though....I was just pinning pattern pieces to fabric for hours >.<

Helm frustrations continued

Still was fiddling with helmet today, although I didn't get as much progress as I was hoping.  Today ended up being a haircut and errand day, but on a bright note the purple fabric I ordered came in - huzzah!

I'm experimenting with my paper mached pieces of the top of the helm. I used poster board to give the helmet more of the desired shape

and then used more poster board to attach the two pieces.  Terribly annoying since I had to hold them at funny angles while the white school glue dried.  Tomorrow morning I'll re paper mache the whole thing - let it dry and then cover with paper clay (like what I did with the shoulders to smooth it out and prep for painting).  This is the plan, unless I decide I hate the whole thing and want to scrap it and start over.

I put it on my head....it sits a little high.  I'm not sure what to do about that.... Once I paper mache the whole thing and hold up my shoulders with it I'll decide I guess =/

p.s. Yes, I know it looks like crap right now.  This is all part of the construction process =P