Green side thingies progress

A couple posts ago I wrote about my adventures making that 3d shape that goes on each of Maghda's sides hanging down from the waist.  I took those patterns and transferred them to foam and wonderflex to make pieces as such:

I wasn't happy with the rigidity of the edges of the pieces, so I covered the whole thing with craft foam (have I ever said how much I love craft foam?).  Again.. I suck at imagining three dimensional objects made from flat objects.  Eventually I got it:

Below, I draped over the green fabric to give an idea what it'll look like.  I'll need to fiddle with how I want that to work.  Since the object it's covering has multiple planes/angles, it'll need seems/darts/something.  I want something that won't be too obvious.  The other option that I toyed with was making these things smooth/solid and just painting them... but I really liked the shine and reflections that this fabric gave and felt it would be a good contrast against the eventual belt piecing.  So ya, I'm convinced on sticking with fabric covering a more solid object like so:

Oh ya, and I added the upper parts to the cloak thing:

Corset making continued....

My goodness what a long process.  I got the steel boning in the mail and so started the work of sewing boning channels (picture below).  These will be where the metal rod thingies go in.  It's a terribly precise process that if i deviate a few milometers I have to redo it =/

I sewed the waist tape in and I'm now in the process of sewing the lining of the corset to the outer layers (yes, plural).  I'm only taking a break because I'm going bugeyed looking at the seam lines.  Man... so much pinning and sewing.  Each of those seams below gets pinned to the lining area before they're sewn.  I'm doing one at a time though...

When this is done, I still need to attach the eyelets (holes where it gets laced up at the back)  and do the top and bottom edging.  The eyelet part scares me the most because there's no fixing errors here.  I'll be making holes in the back... irreversable =/  Not like sewing where at lease I can take out stitching (as tedious as it is).  Anyways.. back to sewing >.<

Visiting family for the weekend so I'll do a brief update, since I can't work on the costume itself!  I spent last night trying trying to create the template/pattern for the side green shell type pieces.  I realized again that I am terrible at visualizing what pieces are needed to create a 3 dimensional object.  It took many tries and several pieces of paper and foam to get the right template.  I know it looks like it protrudes a lot, but I think with the bulk of the belt structure, it'll be ok.  I might make it point out a bit less too.

That green fabric that is on the couch is what'll be used to cover that shape, which I'll make out of wonderflex (shapeable plastic sheets).

When I get back home, I'll do further work on the corset since I know have both the boning and the eyelets for it.  Yay progress (slow, but sure)!

Blizzcon 2013 Plans - Maghda!

Although tickets haven't been sold, and therefore I can't definitely say I'm going yet... I better considering I already have started a costume >.>

And yes, I know I never actually finished my Diablo wizard costume, but I've found a new love.  Maghda.  She's so freakin beautiful.  Also, green and purple... it's like this costume was made for me!  My favourite colours all rolled in one.  And luna moth shoulders!  ^_^d

So, here's a pic of her in game:

Seeing as though it's 8 months away and I've already started, I'm pretty sure I can get this one done in plenty of time, as long as I don't procrastinate.  Hence me writing in the blog again - this is one way where I feel some sort of accountability to continually work, even if my readership is like 2.  ;p

So... here's my progress so far!

I decided the bodice part should be a corset... and without knowing anything about corset making, I turned to the place I turn to learn anything these days - the internet, more specifically - youtube.  From that, I've made my own pattern (by wrapping by dressform with duct tape and then cutting it out!):

Which then transferred to the lining layer:

All in all, my corset will be 48 pieces.  16 pieces for each of the 3 layers (lining, strength layer, and the outer layer).

I'm currently waiting to visit my inlaws because I had the metal boning for the corset shipped to their US address to avoid extra shipping costs.  I'm also waiting for a local place to get in more eyelets (the metal holes for lacing the corset in the back) in black.  So, I've done about as much as I can do on that currently.

Here's the outer layers.  Keep in mind this is without the boning or anything tying it together =(

I also started the skirt thing:

The bottom trim is hollow.  I'm thinking of putting something in it so it flares out like Maghda's.  It's already a flowy material, but I want to give it more outward body when I'm standing still too.

I don't like the "waviness" of the front vertical trims, so I might redo that, putting a layer of interfacing under the light purple to stiffen it up.  I guess that's a pro of doing things this early! (I have more time to redo things I don't love).

Those boots/heels are for this. They'll be painted white.  Also, don't mind the front of the skirt belt thing - that'll get properly finished.