QUALITY COUNTS

QUALITY COUNTS

by michaela de bruce, August 21, 2014

My Dremel sanding tool works well even with the cheat sanding rings. It’s the squishiness of the tool tip itself, grippy! And that is great as there is no pressure!

I am however still on the “no idea when I’ll break” line as in hello keyboard, meet face. My spine, yeah it’s a C so what?

Anyway, to bed, and I have an appointment to see the Rheumatology dept of the hospital. It was going to be next week. At 9am. On the North Shore. I may have sounded as hesitant as I felt because I got one at Waitakere instead 🙂 Later in the month but at least I’m in the system 🙂

No idea if there is anything to be done re- the RA. Yep, the infusion may be tapering off but we’ll wait until you are showing signs before infusing again. Because it’s dangerous stuff and limited and expensive. So I get that. 🙂 Not a complaint just this is a ride I have been on a long time.

Still no word on the endo. That said, I don’t know whether to discuss anxiety. The reason being I have had moments of high anxiety. But it leads to a very different response. Being mildy claustrophobic I have indeed genuinely experienced panic cycles that take a lot to climb down from. But it really is a very different series of symptoms. Very different.

It feels like the world suddenly becomes way too busy so I shut down extremities and get tunnel vision. And the wobbling and inability to see the ground. Oh! If you do not have astigmatism or need reading glasses, it’s like wearing these when you don’t need them. I used to try on my mum’s glasses and that disconnect between what you think you can see and what your body feels is pretty much what it’s like.

 

ADVANTAGE, RIT.

ADVANTAGE, RIT.

by michaela de bruce, August 19, 2014

Yup. The colour remover is pretty magic 🙂

I just stripped the dye out of my rayon satin and the colour run on the net 🙂 That’s a good 15m of fabric!

And the satin was coral red!

Currently got the silk soaking in Dylon permanent colour tiny pots. Two black and two navy which should get the maroon neutralised and darkened.

I’ll leave it in the sink for a few more hours. This is the last chance for this fabric. If this doesn’t work I’ll be recycling the silk for another purpose. The weft cords are much reduced now that it has been washed again. Not sure why but okay. Obviously the warp and weft have different densities so that when shrunk from washing and dyeing it winds up even at the end. But I haven’t ironed it again so I’m also not totally sure if that is a permanent change.

If it doesn’t dye I’m just going to fork out for, gah, habotai. Worst fabric ever to try and work with. Just sad Centrepoint doesn’t have a neverending supply of the $7/m black faille I lined my Valois gown with.

 

My horns are now also covered in black resin/aerosil. I managed to make it a very sticky mix so it is very textured but it is able to be sanded back easily 🙂 No proper texturing yet, I may have to wait until I can get some brushes sorted so I can also brush the surface with acetone.

Cleaning the paint off was not fun. This is why I did tint the resin black! I don’t want to have to remove primer. So much easier when the entire piece is chemically similar.

 

Okay it is very dark outside now! but it’s also 6.15 and boy has the day gone by fast.

 

And I need a top up on pain relief and incidentally on moisture for my hands.

NEW HORN SHAPE :)

NEW HORN SHAPE 🙂

by michaela de bruce, August 13, 2014

 

 

Very happy with the new shape 🙂 I knew my original sources were not clear enough so I aimed for narrower and with fewer topographical shapes. Now I have the nubs on the top and the extra core at the underside.
The extra fill has made it heavier so it will need to be cut back from the inside.
I have a bug so my head hurts from just getting the photos. It’s the bug and the untidied underside.

The head cast has also been cleaned of most of the PVA and even some of the extra layers- they were luckily not properly prepped so were able to be levered off. Which will mean I can use my headcast later for a better catwoman cowl eventually XD But meanwhile will work for my prosthetics.

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ELSA SEQUINS, SAME LIGHT DIFFERENT ANGLES

ELSA SEQUINS, SAME LIGHT DIFFERENT ANGLES

by michaela de bruce, August 17, 2014

  

How the same light but different angles affect the colour.
First is with main light source directly behind me (green, tinted turquoise, blue)
Second is with main source of light behind the sequins (bue, tinted turquoise, green)
Third is at 90 degrees from the right of the main light source (blue, turquoise, green.)

The differences and similarities are more and less pronounced depending on the light type as well. This was overcast and the whole lot tended towards green. With eco bulbs they tend to show the base colour mare than the duo tone coating.

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MALEFICENT HORNS PAINT TEST

MALEFICENT HORNS PAINT TEST

by michaela de bruce, August 17, 2014

Dust still in my hair, respirator indentations and irritation too but I cut back the horns even further to even them.
Next step is to sand off that paint and bog in all the areas I cut right through and to an detail and a better positioned support at the back of the horns.
I have also ordered a lace front wig. It has a subtle widows peak because I need on to hide my own. I have a lace front without and it has to sit very low. And then it looks bad.
Anyway, I have a new option for my wings which should make them very very light indeed.

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MY COSTUME STORAGE AS IT STANDS, NOW..

MY COSTUME STORAGE AS IT STANDS, NOW..

by michaela de bruce, August 17, 2014

So I did a list as I do this sort of thing before sleeping:

Left shelves, top to bottom:

1; 1830s straw bonnet, wool shawl (modern ear east, so actually perfect for 1830s, vivid green and purple scarf- mainly protecting the wool.

2: Satine Black Diamonds corset and tails and shoes (missing heel)

3: Victorian undies; calico multifunctional petticoat, marron short tournure (bustle), gathered knickers, pockets (yeah, 18thC, shh)

4: Too much bling: jewelery for all historic and non historic, gloves ditto, and moder tights.

5: Victoria blue twill hunting outfit (bodice, skirt,and knickerbockers), Mina bodice and trail pieces.

6:  White cotton day dresses: 1810s; striped outer layer and sateen petticoat), 1830s windowpaned cotton, and 1906 self striped.

7: 16thC accessories: Cleves headresses, cauls, two suits of ruffs, extra sleeves. Shoes.

8: 16thC undies: two medium linen square necked chemises, one medium linen high necked shirt, one sheer linen low necked chemise, one semi fitted fine silk chemise,and one chiffon

9: Blue wool twill jerkin and sleeves, black velveteen Spanish doublet and Manga de Punta (large hanging sleeves.

10: Cleves accessories: heuke (wool half circle cloak hangs from the head), plain velvet partlet, braided velvet partlet, wool partlet, hanging sleeves in teal wool (lined in silk) for gown on hanger), red linen hanging sleeves (for red linen dress on hanger).

11: Full Cleves schaube style robe (dark green wool gabardine, lined in ginger faux fur)

12: Mon Mothma tabbard and fluffy gown.

Open section, top to botton:

Shelf 1: Twilek head tentacles (Rachi and Darth Talon)

Shelf 2: Satine black diamond hat in pieces, behind that; pin wig and extra pieces, black and white wig. Box of Asari tentacles, Turian face mask, Chrstine Daae wig (90s fluffy frizzy style), Elsa wig, Shae wig

Hanging: 1560s Westphalian gown (the red bee), 1520s swiss wool (HAND SEWN!!!!! as in hand needle, 1560s Spanish black velveteen skirt, 1560s cleves teal wool and silk middle class, 1560s red and black linen Cleves working class dress, Danielle’sEver After ball gown, 1810s silk velvet spencer, 1882 era blue day dress (blue dress from Phatom of the Opera, Imperial Officers tunic, BRD Lucy lilac and striped silk garden dress, BSD Mina red sil “absinthe” gown- skirt and draperies alone.

Black suitcase: Reinette silver and white francaise and duchesse petticoat, 1520s lilac wool and maroon velvet Swiss gown, deep orage 1480s open front Burgundia gown.

On top of container: light saber blades, Black Widow sniper rifle, Shae’s rifle, part of a Vibro-Axe, Maleficent staff.

In Container: full scale patterns, several sketch books, paper for portolios, mini portfolio, pattern diagrams, patters from OOP books.

small container top: small props and smaller componants of props on large container, Shae Vizla helmet.

Small container bottom: Shae Vizla armour and jet pack and bodysuit.

Shelves on right:

1: Human Huntress and part of a spoof warrior costume.

2: Dawn (bodysuits and skirt), Jem belt, Galadriel chest jewelery.

3: Regina boots and coat

4: Maria Hill SHEILD uniform

5: Original sith: Cloak and skirt, wrap top, thigh armour, shin armour, boot caps, bicep armour, arm and leg wraps.

6: Rachi Sitra: tunic, fitted tunic, tabbards, obi, head wraps, arm wraps, pants, and boots, and saber hilt. Imperial officer cap and belt, and breeches.

7: Mara: Bodysuit, greaves, blaster, holster, harness, cowl, goggles, and gloves, and saber hilt

8: Talon: body armour (greaves, thighs, bracers, biceps, hands, and antenae), bikini top and bottom, thigh and arm covers, boots, gloves, and headpiece with ear buds, and saber hilt

9: Liara: Bodysuit and jacket combo, greaves and gautlets, gloves and  boots.

10+ 11: Blood Dragon arour and boduit and boots. Also accessories to make Turian.

12: Catwoman: bodysuit, corset, gloves, cowl, boots, and whip.

Ummm aside from a few accessories these where researched out the wazoo and made by me from fabric, plastic sheet, plastic tubes, fibreglass and other form of goop.

FIRST TEST PATTERN OF SEQUIN OVERLAY

FIRST TEST PATTERN OF SEQUIN OVERLAY

by admin, December 8, 2014

I’ll need to tint a few more of the paler ones a touch darker so i can have a more gradual change. Will follow this pattern of overlay though, and then overlap from top to bust point as well. I do need to stabilise the net, i was going to omit the extra net layer but i think for ease of embroidery i’ll want some. So i’ll get some wash away stabiliser.
Meanwhile i get to make this sequin and net bodice layer lie as flat and stable as possible. So i undid a fair bit from this week. Sigh.

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HANNIBAL/ELISSA GOWN

HANNIBAL/ELISSA GOWN

by michaela de bruce, August 15, 2014

I have used more than half of the steel boning I snaffled just on the bodice. 6 bones, one each side of the zip and then side front and side back.

It took the entire Canadian cast recording to just install the boning at the sides. And I may have launched in to a full on singing session with it…. (not now, greek style yoghurt and voice work is nope.)

Tell me again sewing isn’t impressive as other costume elements?

And this is as someone who knows what they are doing and can herringbone stitch like a wizard. Yep, herringbone twill tape and herringbone stitches to hold and sew in one go, and allow the stitches to stretch a little with wear.

 

Unfortunately it has left my hands useless, this immediately makes the damage in my wrists aggravate more inflammation. So time for a wheat bag break, possibly for the day.

 

But the boning really makes a difference. The bodice feels looser with it in as the fabric doesn’t bunch up around my waist.

 

In celebration of the way the bodice is turning out I am investing in better velvet for the skirt ropes (I cannot find anything that rolls like the Broadway stuff though, sigh) and a lace front wig. Said wig will have to double for Mina and potentially for Maleficent as well. So… oh, I can afford two wigs surely? Regardless, I’ll have to get a widow’s peak in each as I cannot do round wig hairlines. They just do not, I repeat, do not work with a natural widows peak and I am not shaving mine off!

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MALEFICENT HORNS PROGRESS

MALEFICENT HORNS PROGRESS

by michaela de bruce, August 14, 2014

Started cutting the horns down to shape and to be able to be worn. I still need to cut a tiny sliver from the front and slightly more at the back and then vents in the top.

The left horn base is too heavy, but this is pronounced more in the photos due the the angle of the camera and mirror. And me being shortsighted and unable to see what I was doing.

The horns hold on just with hair, though my hair is now far too short to pin over the top. I need a lace front wig for this “natural” look.

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HORNS CUT BACK

HORNS CUT BACK

by michaela de bruce, August 10, 2014

So you can tell I actually sanded this thing even if I’m not holding a tool 🙂
Seriously, that is not a bad pastel hair fade attempt that’s awesone sanding powder.
Still relying on being on the floor and using what safety equipment I have but I have just cleaned a respirator mask so will really have a go with the mouser tomorrow.
Hmmmm maybe not. I had to have a nap today.

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