neimhaille:

Currently light side costuming. Mainly I want a costume I don’t have to be glued into and is relatively easy to use the loo. So sick of getting sick from costumes that once on stay on until the end of the day with no food, drink or loo breaks.

 industrialarts said: question!!! what kind of stitching do you use for the inner vest/shirt? Ive been meaning to make a neck seal for my Mandalorian costume but Ive tried a few times and it always looks so horrible.

I first took the full width of fabric and made the basic lines: I basically pin tucked the back- overlocked/serged in one go. The fabric twisted a bit but not enough to be a worry. Then I machine stitched each tuck to make the spaces a little bit narrower.

Then cut both front pieces on the bias sewed the front seam (which is slightly S shaped) and finally topstitched the tucks from the topside, making sure all the tucks lay pointing down.

There is only enough to be seen, so that I could still be comfortable- there are so many layers at the waist I’m a little worried 😉

Also the machine stitching on top is very very short. A lesson learnt from Victorian period techniques where the tiny stitches make it look hand sewn or sewn by anything other than an industrial machine 😉

Another tip though: knit fabric will creep at different rates under the serger/overlocker and sewing machine. I help the fabric through by alternately stretching and pushing the fabric as needed. It’s a feel thing, something that takes practice to do. I also rarely pin fabrics any more- if I can’t hold the fabric in place then it’s probably going to need to be basted. Velvet. And slippery poly chiffon or slippery silk habotai etc…

And finally faux suede has a nap that can drag on the sewing plate r foot if you sew against it. And coated fabrics can also do the same thing. Except glazed. That obi has glazed cotton on the outside so far and it’s wonderful to sew. There is a reason it was ideal for Victorian garments.
Next up is to make the lekku again. I was going to strip back my Talon Lekku because that would be easier. But I wore her when I met lovely people and I have such very strong memories tied in that I cant. They are just going to be retired as they are 🙂
I have three bottles of white airbrush ink to tint and the “crappy” latex should still be fine for this project. I need to water it down anyway 🙂 And have a day where I can spend time out in the workroom with a fully functioning brain.
There should be just enough of the faux suede to make the wee helmet, which nicely hides the entire hairline. Body paint is easy peasy when you aren’t also trying to blend prosthethic seams….

Now I also need to see what kind of lightsaber she uses and decide to just use what I have or use some of the piping dug out from under the house (I am incredibly happy we got all our plumbing replaced after a house fire in 07 but boy did they leave a lot of pieces under the house!) Yay for some funky pieces for random buttons on random props.

So to bed so I can have a head start in the morning. While doing this I have also started a nice historian style outfit from some rust red-brown raw silk. I will be offering it to anyone in NZ as a bribe *ehem* to join he rebel Legion. I have helped a lot of RL members over the years just not so many locally.

Hense why I am having an open workshop this weekend and plan to pass on costume pieces 🙂 The crepe used for the tunic was a great and cheap find. I want to say Nick’s Fabrics but it may have been Geoff’s Emporium. But I got it essentially for my Shaak Ti (The Force Unleashed) costume. Yes I bought 15m just tomake sure i had enough for what took 1m tops.

I kind of want to make Master Fay’s robes from it too….

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Currently light side costuming. Mainly I want a costume I don’t have to be glued into and is relatively easy to use the loo. So sick of getting sick from costumes that once on stay on until the end of the day with no food, drink or loo breaks.

Your Nyreen sculpt is absolutely beautiful. I hope things start working out and going better for you–you don't know me, but I'm working on a Nyreen costume, too, so I've been watching your progress and can't wait to see your final product. Thought maybe you could use some extra encouragement, one turian lady to another. <3

Thank you so much 🙂 Funnily enough I have not had much relief fro the sinuses of doom, but I now have a plan for Nyreen to be finished for a major convention here: Wellingtom Armageddon. It’s far enough away that I can get used to working with foam for the armour 🙂

Your Nyreen sculpt is absolutely beautiful. I hope things start working out and going better for you–you don’t know me, but I’m working on a Nyreen costume, too, so I’ve been watching your progress and can’t wait to see your final product. Thought maybe you could use some extra encouragement, one turian lady to another. <3

Thank you so much 🙂 Funnily enough I have not had much relief fro the sinuses of doom, but I now have a plan for Nyreen to be finished for a major convention here: Wellingtom Armageddon. It’s far enough away that I can get used to working with foam for the armour 🙂

Hey neimhaille! I love your Nyreen cosplay so far and was wondering how you mapped out the collar/chest piece? I'm making a female turian cosplay (my own original character) and was wondering if you sculpted it or if it's made out of foam? Thanks so much!

Hi 🙂 And Thank you 🙂 I have a fair bit of patterning experience behind me so was pretty sure going in of the final shape. I made it from heavy iterfacing. I had some left over from making Regina’s collar (from Once Upon a Time) and I had an idea of how I want the collar to sit and flare. It was a bit of cut and recut but the current shape works to sit over my collar bones on to my chest quite nicely now 🙂 I’ll use the same method for the final piece as I did for Regina. One layer of the interfacing, a layer of heat n bond over each side then the fabric over each side. It welds all together nicely. I’ll possibly do  this while letting the collar curve over my hand while ironing so to keep the shape. Or possibly also sew in some rigiline as it is very light and effective for small pieces like this 🙂

Hey neimhaille! I love your Nyreen cosplay so far and was wondering how you mapped out the collar/chest piece? I’m making a female turian cosplay (my own original character) and was wondering if you sculpted it or if it’s made out of foam? Thanks so much!

Hi 🙂 And Thank you 🙂 I have a fair bit of patterning experience behind me so was pretty sure going in of the final shape. I made it from heavy iterfacing. I had some left over from making Regina’s collar (from Once Upon a Time) and I had an idea of how I want the collar to sit and flare. It was a bit of cut and recut but the current shape works to sit over my collar bones on to my chest quite nicely now 🙂 I’ll use the same method for the final piece as I did for Regina. One layer of the interfacing, a layer of heat n bond over each side then the fabric over each side. It welds all together nicely. I’ll possibly do  this while letting the collar curve over my hand while ironing so to keep the shape. Or possibly also sew in some rigiline as it is very light and effective for small pieces like this 🙂

Hi, I've been following the construction of your Nyreen costume (which is AMAZING by the way), as I too am about to start work on one. As a sewing newbie (only used EVA goal before), did you pattern it through guess work/observation, or the model texture files? Any advice would be great, thanks!

Hi 🙂 And thank you 🙂 

I’m actually a very long time sewer 🙂 And patterning is what I love the most. Long before I actually sewed it I even patterned the red dress from Dracula based only on what was available at the time (even the few exhibit photos aren’t completely illuminating (but helped solve the fastening issues 🙂

Anyway so I usually start with looking at basic shapes and all possible layer and fastening options. And compare that to what I have made or even worn before. From there I either take fabric and pin to the form (direct drape) or lay out and use a flat pattern from my personal pieces (I have a nice darted bodice with works well for both fitted and semi fitted items) and then start drawing all over to find the new seam placements. I di try and make them as functional as possible. So if there is piping I will cut the fabric and insert a casing with piping in it not just make a tuck- piping is a way of sabilising a seam so if it is there, that is what it is supposed to be fore.

Also I have a stupid amount of historical and modern pattern systems in my brain to pull from when something doesn’t make sense. I highly recommend having as vast a library to pull information from as possible. I also have books on arms and armour, as well as modern and historic figurative art.
Sorry I am about to pass out in to bed after a day of sewing but I hope that helped somewhat:) 

Hi, I’ve been following the construction of your Nyreen costume (which is AMAZING by the way), as I too am about to start work on one. As a sewing newbie (only used EVA goal before), did you pattern it through guess work/observation, or the model texture files? Any advice would be great, thanks!

Hi 🙂 And thank you 🙂 

I’m actually a very long time sewer 🙂 And patterning is what I love the most. Long before I actually sewed it I even patterned the red dress from Dracula based only on what was available at the time (even the few exhibit photos aren’t completely illuminating (but helped solve the fastening issues 🙂

Anyway so I usually start with looking at basic shapes and all possible layer and fastening options. And compare that to what I have made or even worn before. From there I either take fabric and pin to the form (direct drape) or lay out and use a flat pattern from my personal pieces (I have a nice darted bodice with works well for both fitted and semi fitted items) and then start drawing all over to find the new seam placements. I di try and make them as functional as possible. So if there is piping I will cut the fabric and insert a casing with piping in it not just make a tuck- piping is a way of sabilising a seam so if it is there, that is what it is supposed to be fore.

Also I have a stupid amount of historical and modern pattern systems in my brain to pull from when something doesn’t make sense. I highly recommend having as vast a library to pull information from as possible. I also have books on arms and armour, as well as modern and historic figurative art.
Sorry I am about to pass out in to bed after a day of sewing but I hope that helped somewhat:) 

 

Currently at over 40 in progress costumes. Some of those I am passing on to others (especially smaller costume parts- underbust corset, Codex costume, Leia, padme costumes).

Photo one: stack of drawers with all my lace and most trims & two Asari headpieces sitting on top
Wardobe of unfinished projects (sci-fi/fantasy and historic inspired as well as one or two pieces for others).
Upper shelf of leather scraps and costumes to pass on, vintage fur coat for SCA sleeve replacement.
Very top soft foam and garment bag of feathery yarn

Photo two: Wardobe of SCA and Victorian strictly historic costumes.
Drawers of wardrobe full of notions and sewing hardware.
Stand alone shelf of beads and buckles and highly decorated pieces for in progress costumes.
Above shelf box of own drafted patterns, leaves and feathers.
Behind the empty (amen!) containers is five containers of uncut fabric you can just make out some of the top box overspill.

Photo three: my holds with three manniquins in front.

Not shown is my desk area or tool shelves. These still need a lot of work to make them usable.

Please note my current wardrobe of finished costumes is smaller than unfinished and my total costumes to date is sadly no longer able to be counted, well into the hundreds. But that includes all my really crappy work!

Also points for working out individual projects in the wardrobe 😉 They are organised by genre (Mass  Effect, SW, fantasy/comics, historicish).

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